Dining Surprises: What’s Not Really Free

I’m still annoyed about my last cruise. “Included” dining? More like a parade of upcharges nobody tells you about until your bill looks like someone hacked your credit card.

Specialty Dining and Upscale Restaurants

Is it just me, or is everyone pretending the “main dining room” isn’t just cafeteria food with a fancier napkin? I got suckered into specialty dining—steakhouse, sushi, some French place where the butter should have its own customs form.

One dinner in a specialty spot? $40 to $70 a head, maybe more if you want wine. And, yeah, they’ll push it: “Are you sure you want just water with your steak?” Chef’s table? $90-$150, no joke. Every cruise line, even ones bragging about being “all-inclusive,” has these profit traps (see the breakdown of dining charges).

It’s a weird mix of feeling pampered and ripped off. You get “exclusive ambiance,” but somehow the breadbasket is extra. Some ships even charge for the ice cream stand. I’m convinced next time, dessert will cost more if you smile at the pastry chef.

Dining Packages and À La Carte Costs

Dining packages. Supposedly they save you money? I’ve wasted more time than I care to admit toggling between “exclusive offers,” spreadsheets, and random crew members promising “up to 30% savings!” So I caved, bought one, and then—oh, look—half the restaurants either aren’t included, have “special” menus with surcharges, or block out the only decent dinner times because apparently everyone else figured out the hack before I did.

À la carte is just…sneaky. Suddenly a burger’s $14, soup is $9, fries are extra, and you’re staring at the check wondering if you accidentally ordered room service for the whole deck. Royal Caribbean, NCL, all the big names—they’re selling this dream of “flexibility,” but the reality is you’re either eating at 5 p.m. with toddlers or 9:45 p.m. with the night shift (source). Every so-called “deal” just means less choice. I mean, who wants to schedule dinner like it’s a doctor’s appointment? I just wanted a steak, not a project plan.

Pizza and Late-Night Snacks

I figured, okay, whatever, I’ll just grab a slice of pizza and call it a night. Nope. Now they’re charging $5–$7 a slice after midnight, or tacking on “premium topping” fees. Since when did pepperoni become a luxury? On some ships, apparently, it’s the new caviar.

Room service—don’t even assume it’s free unless you’re into surprise charges. Delivery fees hit $7.95 per order on some lines (cruise experts say so), and those late-night “snacks” in the daily schedule? Usually means tiny portions, automatic 20% gratuity, and you’re paying extra for a sad cup of mac and cheese at 1 a.m. I asked a crew member if people ever complain. He just laughed and pointed at the tip jar. Pizza used to be simple joy. Now it’s just another line on my budget spreadsheet.

Drink Packages and Beverage Charges

Somewhere between unpacking and realizing my shoes didn’t match, I noticed the sneakiest fees—buried in tiny print, popping up like whack-a-mole. “All-inclusive” drinks? Yeah, right. My receipts say otherwise.

Drink Package Fine Print

Does anyone actually read those policy PDFs before hitting “buy” on a drink package? I didn’t. Big mistake. The cruise sites push “unlimited” packages, then you find out there’s a 15-drink daily limit, alcohol stops at 2 a.m., and if your cocktail costs more than $12, you’re paying extra.

They tell you to book early for a lower rate, but then you get onboard and the price jumps 30%, or suddenly everyone in your cabin has to buy it, even if your roommate only drinks water. Watch for automatic gratuities—I got hit with $14 per person, per day, just for “service.” Oh, and taxes apply before you hit international waters, so that “free” mojito off Florida? Surprise, it’s not.

I squinted at my bill and saw random “happy hour” exclusions. I learned—sometimes the hard way—that sharing your drink package gets it canceled instantly, and there’s always someone watching.

Bottled Water, Cocktails, and Coffee Fees

Bottled water? Not included. I mean, why would it be, right? You drop $300 on a drink package and still have to pay for water in your room or on shore. Try ordering espresso or Red Bull—nope, that’s “specialty,” unless you bought the top-tier package.

Once after a sunburned morning, I grabbed two bottled waters with my “unlimited” package and got slapped with a “premium hydration fee.” Cocktails over $12? Expect a $2–$4 upcharge, so your “savings” vanish. Cruise forums are full of people fighting these surprise beverage surcharges—taxes, “convenience fees,” and gratuity on every soda, coffee, and bottle.

Some days I paid more for caffeine than breakfast. And the “included” icons? I still don’t know what half of them actually mean.

Corkage Fees Explained

Tried to sneak a bottle of wine onboard—hid it under my rain jacket, felt clever. Attendant spots it instantly and asks if I want to pay the corkage fee now or later. $15–$30 per bottle, just for bringing my own.

No mention of this when you book, of course. Even if I never drink the bottle, the fee appears as soon as they scan my bag or see it at dinner. If you buy a bottle at port, they confiscate it until the end. Some lines even charge corkage if you drink it alone in your room. It’s buried in the beverage policy, somewhere around bullet point 47.

I watched a couple argue about a souvenir bottle—security just handed them a card to pay $25 or collect it at disembarkation. Crew told me “it rarely applies,” but I see the charge pop up for plenty of people, and there’s always a new angry Facebook post about it every week.