Older cruise ships typically provide a better value for budget-conscious travelers because they offer many of the same basic experiences for a fraction of what it costs to sail aboard a newer vessel — and that's exactly why I booked a cruise on Liberty of the Seas for my recent European adventure.
Generally speaking, European cruises are more expensive once airfare and excursions are factored in, so choosing an older ship helped my fiancée and me have the flexibility to plan a longer pre-cruise stay in London, England.
This gave us time to adjust to the different time zone, explore the city, and check a few must-see landmarks off our bucket list before embarking on our five-night cruise to Germany and Belgium.
Plus, Liberty of the Seas just wrapped up a multi-million dollar dry dock, adding new enhancements like Izumi Teppanyaki, Royal Escape Room, and a reimagined pool deck. As such, I couldn't wait to get on and check out everything on the amplified ship and visit two new-to-me ports in Europe.
Our 11-night vacation, including the five-night cruise aboard Liberty of the Seas, came to over $8,500. In this article, I'll provide a full breakdown of what we spent during my Liberty of the Seas cruise, including travel-related expenses, onboard spending, shore excursions, and more.
Our round-trip plane tickets from North Carolina to London, England, cost nearly $1,200 when paid with a combination of points and cash.
Airfare prices have been higher than usual for the last couple of years, and finding deals out of Charlotte, North Carolina, has been much more challenging than it was when I lived in New York.
To put it into perspective, it's pretty common for round-trip tickets to Orlando and Miami on American Airlines to cost over $400 per person. In fact, I found a more affordable flight to Seattle, Washington, last year than to Florida!
Charlotte has multiple nonstop flights to London-Heathrow, so I knew getting to England would be easy. However, I was expecting the worst when it came to flight prices. To my surprise, I found round-trip flights for two for $1,199.76 plus 85,000 points.
Considering American Airlines wanted more than $1,300 per person for round-trip tickets, it felt like a great deal since we essentially got one ticket for free.
Before departing, we also had to apply for the UK's Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), which is now required for American citizens entering the country. The application process was straightforward, and the total cost for both of us came to $55.98.
The good thing about the ETA is that it's valid for two years, so we won't have to pay again if we return to the United Kingdom before June 2028.
Getting to the airport was another small expense. An Uber from our apartment to Charlotte airport cost $28.95, bringing our total pre-cruise transportation and travel documentation costs to $1,284.69 plus 85,000 points.
We arrived five days before the cruise and stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton London — Tower of London, which cost $1,785.62.
Although I'm far from a budget traveler, I also don't like shelling out thousands of dollars for a hotel room I'll rarely be in. While browsing available options, I was shocked that many hotels in Central London were quoting us over $2,500 for a five-night stay.
In the end, I booked the DoubleTree by Hilton London — Tower of London for nearly $1,800. The rate also included breakfast, which meant we didn't have to budget for coffee or pastries every morning. This helped justify both the nightly rate and the hotel's somewhat inconvenient location.
Our room was tiny and didn't have a closet, so we couldn't unpack and were forced to live out of our suitcases. Plus, the hotel was undergoing renovations, and the hallways smelled of fresh paint. Still, for the price, it was perfectly fine and more than served its purpose.
We spent around $2,460 in London before the cruise.
London is one of my favorite cities, and I have fond memories studying abroad in England during college. I also have family in London, which gives me a great excuse to visit whenever possible. That said, it was my fiancée's first time visiting London, so we made sure to hit more of the tourist spots than I normally would.
Here's a breakdown of everything we spent, including meals, sweet treats (like the viral Borough Market strawberries), shopping, transportation, and more:
- Tower of London: $99.37
- Westminster Abbey: $83.25
- The Hunger Games On Stage: $158.45
- Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, Twilight Tour: $276.91
- 5-Day eSim through Saily: $16.99
- Lunch at Camden Market: $37.65
- Lunch at Borough Market: $31.93
- Dinner at Ave Mario: $76.83
- Dinner at Cahoots: $80.59
- Dinner at The Ivy: $160.55
- Dinner at Barberella: $116.39
- Dinner at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London: $42.71
- Pre-theater drinks at The Alchemist: $33.25
- Drinks at Sky Garden: $66.19
- Afternoon tea at the Sanderson: $228.25
- Shopping: $535.24
- Coffee and other sweet treats: $177.74
- Transportation in London: $172.64
- Train tickets to Southampton: $65.43
TOTAL: $2,460.36
The five-night sailing aboard the Liberty of the Seas ship cost $1,497.84 for a windowless inside cabin.
Because London was so expensive, we did not mind saving money on our cruise fare. A balcony seemed relatively pointless since the itinerary wasn't scenic, and we planned on spending the two sea days relaxing in the adults-only Solarium.
As such, we booked a Category 4V Interior Stateroom through my travel agent for $1,497.84, or $748.92 per person, including gratuities. This worked out to about $300 per night for the two of us, which seemed more than reasonable for an older ship in Europe.
Plus, the price of our Royal Caribbean cruise covered more than accommodations, too — ranging from unlimited meals to basic beverages, brand-new original entertainment, and transportation from England to Germany and Belgium.
On Liberty of the Seas, there are multiple pools, water slides, a fitness center, a three-deck-high dining room, and ice skating shows, among other activities and amenities.
In the end, the 162-square-foot cabin was a comfortable — albeit outdated — space to relax and rest up after long days spent ashore during one of the continent's worst heatwaves in recorded history.
We racked up $744.55 in other charges, including shore excursions, Wi-Fi, and more.
We tried to keep our onboard spending low while aboard Liberty of the Seas. We only splurged on one specialty meal, and our eight daily Diamond vouchers meant we did not need to splurge on a pricey drink package.
In total, we spent $242.45 on the ship. This included Wi-Fi, a few arcade games, and dinner at Izumi Hibachi. Our booking included a $50 onboard credit, which helped decrease our spending, as we would have spent closer to $292 without it.
While ashore, we spent an additional $502.10 in Hamburg and Zeebrugge, with miscellaneous charges ranging from tickets to Miniatur Wunderland to bus transfers, lunch, souvenirs (we may have bought too much Belgian chocolate...), and even a Belgian waffle-making class in Brugge.
Before we knew it, it was time to get off the cruise ship and head to Heathrow Airport for our long-haul flight home.
Our nearly two-week-long trip flew by, and before we knew it, we were packing our suitcases and dreading our long travel day back to North Carolina.
After debarking the ship, we took a short taxi ride to the Southampton bus station, where we boarded a Flix bus to Heathrow Airport. This was much more economical than booking transfers through Royal Caribbean, which cost around $100 per person!
Comparatively, we only spent $100.81 on the two-hour-long bus ride for both of us, including a taxi from the cruise port to the Southampton station.
We took one final rideshare home after landing, which came to $33.97.
Finally, we paid a family friend $700 to watch our dog, Dexter.
My fiancée and I are lucky that we have a close family friend who is just as obsessed with our dog, Dexter, as we are. In fact, she loves it when Dexter, whom she calls her handsome boy, is "home."
Leaving our dog with our family friend always brings us so much peace of mind, and we usually only travel when we are sure that she's available to keep him. While gone, we receive regular text and photo updates, which makes being away from our little guy, who is almost 14 years old, easier.
And yes, we always return with a new toy for Dexter and something special for our family friend to thank her for taking such good care of our dog.
Between travel-related expenses, food, shopping, and the cruise itself, we spent over $8,500 on our Liberty of the Seas vacation.
My 11-night vacation to Europe, including a five-night cruise on the Liberty of the Seas ship and an overnight flight, was not cheap, but it was an unforgettable experience — and a great way to visit Belgium and Northern Germany for the first time!
Plus, with Liberty recently renovated, she offers even more ways to play, drink, and dine than ever before, ensuring that vacations aboard the Freedom Class vessel are exciting for first-time cruisers and longtime Royal Caribbean fans alike.
The cruise ended up being one of the highlights of the trip. The ship size was perfect, and we never felt overwhelmed by the amenities. That said, we weren't bored, either.
There was always something to do, whether it was catching an original show, trying a new bar, or relaxing by the pool on sea days. Plus, I thought the food was better than on other recent Royal Caribbean cruises I've taken, where the dining experience has been more hit-or-miss.
While this trip was definitely a splurge, coming in at $8,573.81 for two people, combining the five-night itinerary with a pre-cruise stay in London was an unforgettable experience and worth every penny.
