The short answer
The cruise fare is only part of the bill. Add flights, a hotel night or two before the cruise, tips, excursions, drinks, insurance and new local fees. On a mass-market ocean cruise the extras can come close to the fare itself; on an all-inclusive river cruise the fare covers most of it.
At a glance
| Cost item | Usually included on mass-market ocean? | Usually included on Viking/Ama/Avalon river? | Usually included on all-inclusive river (Uniworld, Scenic, Tauck)? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabin and main meals | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Port taxes | Often added at booking | Viking: yes | Check |
| Daily crew tips | No (daily charge) | No | Yes |
| Wine/beer with meals | No | Yes on Viking and Avalon | Yes |
| Shore tours | No | Some included | Yes (most or all) |
| Wifi | Usually extra | Viking and Avalon: yes | Check |
| Flights | No | No (unless bought as add-on) | No (unless bought as add-on) |
| Local fees (Greece, Venice, Iceland) | Often billed to onboard account | Check | Check |
The pieces of the budget
- Cruise fare: river cruises have run about $300-$600 per person per day, with premium lines above $700 (River Cruise Advisor, updated Oct 2026).
- Taxes and port fees: usually added to ocean fares; Viking says its fares include port taxes.
- New local fees: Greece charges up to EUR 20 per person per port call in Santorini and Mykonos (June-September) and EUR 5 in other Greek ports; Venice day visitors pay EUR 5-10 on fee days; Iceland charges ISK 1,600 (about EUR 11) per person per 24 hours in port in 2026 (MSC).
- Gratuities: on ocean lines, a daily charge per person (Celebrity: $19.50 standard cabins since Jul 29, 2026). Several river lines (Viking US, AmaWaterways, Avalon) do not include tips; Uniworld, Scenic and Tauck do.
- Flights from the US to Europe: not checked; prices vary hugely by season and city.
- Pre-cruise hotel: plan 1-2 nights in the boarding city.
- Shore excursions: ship tours cost extra on most ocean lines; river lines include at least one tour in most ports.
- Drinks: drink packages on ocean lines are extra; many river lines include wine and beer with meals.
- Travel insurance: plan for it; cost depends on age and trip price.
- Tips ashore: guides and drivers on tours often expect a small tip in euros.
- ETIAS travel authorization: EUR 20 once the EU system starts (expected late 2026; under 18 and over 70 exempt from the fee).
Example: what a 7-night trip adds up to (estimates)
- Example river cruise fare: 7 nights x $300-$700 per day = about $2,100-$4,900 per person, based on the River Cruise Advisor per-day ranges. Before flights, hotel and tips.
- Example Greek-port fees on a 7-night Greek Isles cruise in July with stops in Santorini, Mykonos and two other Greek ports: EUR 20 + 20 + 5 + 5 = EUR 50 per person, if you go ashore (MSC fee table).
- Example ocean gratuities: 7 nights x $19.50 = $136.50 per person on Celebrity standard cabins.
- Everything else (flights, hotels, tours, drinks, insurance) depends on your choices and was not priced here.
Your checklist
Sources & what we could not confirm · 10 sources · checked 2026-11
- River Cruise Advisor: The rising cost of river cruising (updated May 1, 2026)
- River Cruise Advisor: Viking river cruise prices (updated Oct 1, 2026)
- MSC Cruises: Destination fees and local charges (Greece, Venice, Iceland)
- CruiseMapper: Celebrity raises daily gratuities (Jul 30, 2026)
- Viking: Viking Inclusive Value (UK site)
- Viking: Booking and Sale Terms and Conditions (US)
- AmaWaterways: Terms and Conditions
- CruiseWeb: What's included on an Avalon Waterways river cruise (updated Oct 21, 2026)
- Cruise Critic: All-inclusive river cruises (Oct 14, 2025)
- European Commission: ETIAS will cost EUR 20 (Jul 17, 2025)
Still being confirmed
- No verified dollar ranges for ocean fares, flights, hotels, excursions, drink packages or insurance, so none are given.
- Mass-market inclusions in the table are general industry practice, not checked line by line this round.
- ETIAS start date was 'expected last quarter 2026' as of the EU's July 2025 notice; the Dutch government said in its page that it is not yet operating. Check before travel.