I’m a cruise expert – these are the add-ons I spend on, and the ones I don’t

Cruise fares always include accommodation, meals, entertainment and a daily programme of on-board activities.

Unless you’re sailing with luxury lines such as Crystal, SeaDream, Regent Seven Sea Cruises, Seabourn or Explora Journeys – where a host of extras are covered in the price – you’ll be faced with an extensive range of potential add-ons. The choice can seem bewildering, so we’ve demystified the options to help you decide whether to splash the cash or save money.

There is one cruise add-on I never buy – photo packages. It can be fun to have a photo with the captain on formal night, which you can buy as a one-off, but it’s so easy to take great photos on your phone that I avoid the expensive bundles pushed by ships’ photographers.

A second add-on I treat with caution is the spa. Treatments are often two or three times what you would pay at your local salon, often with an obligatory tip on top. And, while I’ve had some excellent massages at sea, others have left me underwhelmed and out of pocket.

Drinks packages

These are tempting, but you need to calculate how much you drink versus buying drinks individually.
Ambassador Cruise Line and Fred Olsen Cruise Lines offers some of the cheapest packages on week-long cruises, at £42.95 and £40 respectively, per person, per day, while Royal Caribbean’s unlimited top-flight package is $120 (£89). You also have to buy in for the whole cruise, and, if you’re on a port-intensive itinerary, you’ll be off the ship a lot of the time, so not making the most of your drinks package.

Another caveat with most lines is each adult sharing a cabin has to buy the same package, which is no good if one person is a light, or non-drinker. Virgin Voyages and Celestyal offer a better deal with a bar tab system to share.

Balcony cabins

The most significant cruising splurge is a balcony cabin. Unless you use your room solely for sleeping and dressing, when a windowless interior will suffice, for many cruisers a balcony is a no-brainer.
Verandas provide fresh air, privacy, a place to sunbathe when the pool deck is busy and a prime spot to enjoy sunrise over a coffee. Expect to pay double the cost of an inside cabin, more on scenery-rich sailings to destinations including Norway and Alaska.

However, consider how much time you’ll spend outside. On northern European or Baltic cruises in winter an ocean-view cabin with a window will cost around 25 per cent less than a balcony room and you’ll still have the views.

Speciality dining

If you want to push the culinary boat out then dining in a speciality restaurant, especially if you’re celebrating an occasion, is a real treat.

Many lines partner with celebrity chefs, and the surcharge is far less than dining at their land-based venues. Royal Caribbean’s Jamie’s Italian by Jamie Oliver will set you back around $54 (£40) for dinner and $24 (£18) for lunch, while P&O Cruises’ swish Epicurean showcases recipes by chefs including MasterChef Norway judge Kjartan Skjelde from around £42. Keep an eye out for discounts when you are aboard.

For the ultimate gourmet experience there are intimate Chef’s Table restaurants, for 10 to 12 guests, such as Fred Olsen’s, from £100, and Princess Cruises’ starting at $105 (£78).

I never book speciality restaurants on cruises of less than five days, as there’s usually plenty of choice in the main restaurants. On longer sailings, one of my favourites is Ambassador Cruise Line’s intimate Chef’s Table. The three-hour private dinner, costing £89, rivals the best restaurants on dry land with several courses accompanied by different wines and an introduction by the executive chef.

Princess Cruises’ 360: An Extraordinary Experience, on Discovery Princess and Enchanted Princess is a unique multi-sensory meal, involving special effects and film, taking diners on a Mediterranean culinary journey. It costs $149 (£110).

Shore excursions

Shore tours, with knowledgeable guides and hassle-free transport, undoubtedly enhance a cruise, especially when you’re visiting somewhere for the first time.

Starting at around £30, prices vary widely. For example, Celestyal’s exhilarating half-day buggy tour in Kusadasi, Turkey, is £60, while Crystal’s two-hour seaplane ride over Ketchikan, Alaska, is a sky-high $5,800 (£4,280).

Cruise lines push their own tours, stressing that if you’re delayed the ship will wait, which isn’t the case with outings – usually cheaper – run by third parties. Nevertheless, experienced excursion providers depend on their reputation to get you back. Viator, part of Tripadvisor, is a reputable marketplace to book tours and compare prices. For independent exploration, Fred Olsen offers a handy free shuttle service into town from ports over a mile from the ship.

If I’m in popular Mediterranean hotspots, such as Barcelona, Palma or the island of Malta, I book my own excursions or simply wander into town and explore the main attractions independently. In less familiar, or remote destinations, such as Alaska, Asia, Africa and South America it’s best to go with ship-run tours. Similarly, Viking’s “Privileged Access” excursions, including private concerts and out-of-hours museum and palace visits, are tours you wouldn’t be able to recreate yourself.

Private pool areas

Exclusive adult-only sun decks and pools come into their own on busy sea days when space around the main pool is at a premium.

The Sanctuary on Princess Cruises is decked out with plush loungers and costs $20 (£15) for a half a day and $40 (£30) for the day, including drinks and snacks. For an extra touch of luxe, cabanas are $140 (£103) or $220 (£162). Numbers are limited so these areas are never jam-packed, and you’re guaranteed a lounger or cabana for the duration.

Also tucked away from livelier pool areas is Holland America Line’s The Retreat. Bookable by the day or per cruise, prices vary depending on the ship and itinerary. Seabourn’s haven, also called The Retreat, is housed in a flower-shaped canopy fringed by 15 cabanas with TVs and a personalised drink selection. Fees start from $180 (£132) on port days.

Wi-Fi

While we go on holiday to switch off, the reality is we still want to keep in touch. When cruise ships are in international waters the Cellular at Sea service kicks in, but it comes with hefty roaming charges so it’s much cheaper to buy a ship’s package.

The introduction of satellite-based Starlink, used by most lines, has put an end to spotty and non-existent Wi-Fi. Lines generally offer a basic package for emails, browsing and social media and a premium connection for streaming and video calls.

Typical prices are from £10 a day with P&O and £8 with Ambassador for standard-length sailings. You can often save money by purchasing packages in advance and some lines, like Celebrity, bundle Wi-Fi with drinks packages.

Regent Seven Sea Cruises, Seabourn, Viking, Silversea, Saga, HX Expeditions, Crystal and Ponant are among the lines offering free unlimited Wi-Fi.

The one essential you should never skip

On any type of holiday, travel insurance is a must. When you’re travelling by sea, it’s well worth buying extra protection against cruise-related risks that standard insurance, or insurance provided by your credit card company, doesn’t cover.

Cruise insurance covers medical care aboard and in port, including emergency evacuation from the ship if you are taken ill. It also protects against cabin confinement – if you’re sick or there is an onboard virus – along with missed ports and other disruptions or changes to the itinerary.