What’s my biggest pet peeve about cruise line pricing? Regular readers surely know that it’s the huge service charges that many brands add to final bills. These sometimes amount to $70 or more per day for a family of four — an amount that is way too high, in my opinion.
As I’ve written about many times, these fees have risen at a rate far higher than the inflation rate for years, and are now a significant source of income for lines.
Does the money get passed directly to workers? If it did, I’d feel better. But at some lines, it’s unclear if it does. What is clear is that by breaking out service costs as a separate line item to be paid later, cruise lines can advertise lower up-front fares.
For more of my thinking on the rapid rise in service charges, the latest on what lines are charging and tips on avoiding tipping mistakes, don’t miss these TPG guides:
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