Cruising used to be a cheap getaway, but that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. Although I find great value from taking a cruise, there’s no denying the cost has increased significantly over the last five years.
Not to mention, Royal Caribbean has been shifting their strategy to offer more party-focused cruises with short Caribbean itineraries.
For example, Utopia of the Seas debuted last summer as Royal Caribbean's newest Oasis class vessel. The brand-new ship started offering 3-night and 4-night getaway cruises from Port Canaveral in Florida, and it proved to be a huge hit. Following Utopia of the Seas’ success, Royal Caribbean recently shifted another Oasis class ship, Wonder of the Seas, from 7-night sailings to 3-night and 4-night Bahamas cruises.
Short cruises are huge money-makers for the cruise line. In addition to attracting new cruisers, these party-focused itineraries are typically more expensive on a per-night basis. These itineraries also sell out faster than other sailings, so they make sense from a business standpoint.
For the consumer, short cruisers are also a winning strategy. The overall cost is often less for a 3-night or 4-night cruise fare, and you don’t need to take as many PTO days. This allows cruisers to set sail more often compared to weeklong itineraries, which can be more expensive overall and require more vacation days.
Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group's President and CEO, stated in a 2025 Q2 press release, “As consumer preferences continue to evolve - toward more frequent vacations, closer-in vacation planning, and a greater focus on meaningful, experience-driven travel - our experiences are designed to meet these evolving expectations.”
Royal Caribbean has found that onboard spending has been higher as they’ve shifted more ships to shorter Caribbean itineraries. In the same 2025 Q2 financial update, Royal Caribbean stated, “Guest spending onboard and pre-cruise purchases continue to exceed prior years, driven by greater participation at higher prices.”
After totaling everything I spent on my 4-night Wonder of the Seas cruise, it’s easy to see why Royal Caribbean is leaning into short getaways. I spent $2,337.47 on my entire vacation last month, from $179.45 at specialty dining restaurants to $57 on internet access. Here’s a breakdown of my spending.
Our cruise fare was $1,315 for the cheapest interior cabin.
My best friend and I decided a few months ago that we were looking for a girl’s getaway trip together. She lives across the country from me, so this would be the perfect opportunity to spend quality time together. Not to mention, this was her first cruise!
Instead of splurging for a balcony, we opted for the cheapest interior cabin. This happened to be a guaranteed stateroom, meaning we didn’t get to choose the location of our cabin. Although this can be a gamble, it saved us money that we could spend elsewhere during our cruise.
We were pleased to be assigned an interior cabin on Deck 8 towards the front of the ship. The decks above and below us were also staterooms, which kept noise to a minimum. This was a great location on Wonder of the Seas, as we were close to the open-air Central Park with restaurants, bars, and shops. We were never far from the main attractions either.
Although our cabin was modern, it was extremely compact. After sailing in an interior cabin aboard sister-ship Utopia of the Seas, I expected the stateroom to be similar in terms of size and design. This wasn’t the case though, as our cabin was significantly smaller aboard Wonder of the Seas.
To my surprise, this interior cabin had very little space and lacked any couch or chair for additional seating. The layout was also unusual, with the vanity directly in front of my bed. We decided to separate the beds to open up the space, which did help.
The air conditioning also seemed temperamental, which isn’t good for a hot cruise to the Bahamas in August! Luckily, we requested a fan from our cabin attendant, and he provided a large floor fan that kept air circulating all night.
Other than the cabin’s size and temperature control, we had everything else we needed for our short cruise. Because Wonder of the Seas has so much to offer for entertainment, onboard attractions, and activities, we hardly spent any time in our stateroom anyway.
This was the largest expense of our entire vacation, totaling about 56% of the overall cost. Our fare included port fees, taxes, and prepaid gratuities.
I paid $57.98 for VOOM internet, but the reliable speed was worth it!
I always purchase internet while cruising, as my remote work requires occasional meetings and emails. As a Diamond Plus loyalty member, I receive two free days of VOOM Internet access on every cruise. On a 4-night cruise, this means I only needed to pay for two days to have unlimited internet access for the entire cruise.
I purchased my VOOM Surf + Stream internet package on the first day, which allowed me to apply my loyalty discount. I wish Royal Caribbean would provide loyalty discounts to purchases in the Cruise Planner before boarding. Had I purchased the Wi-Fi package before boarding, it would have cost around $92 for the 4-night voyage. Onboard, the cost was $115; but with my loyalty discount, the $57.98 cost was still cheaper than pre-purchasing.
The internet was fast and reliable throughout our entire cruise. I also appreciated being able to use the package while ashore at Perfect Day at CocoCay. My friend was also surprised by the internet’s speed and reliability, as it was her first cruise and she wasn’t sure what to expect.
This was one of the smallest expenses, costing only 2% of the total vacation cost.
We also splurged on specialty dining for two meals, costing us $179.45.
Oasis class ships are packed with specialty dining restaurants. And after trying other competitor cruise lines, I believe Royal Caribbean has the best specialty dining at sea. In this way, I am always happy to splurge on a specialty dining meal.
I typically book a specialty restaurant on the first night of the cruise, as it’s a reprieve from a hectic boarding day. Specialty dining restaurants are more upscale and intimate with attentive service, which can be a nice change from the main dining room. My friend wanted to try Chops Grille steakhouse, and I was happy to oblige!
We reserved a table for our first night, which allowed us to take advantage of my Diamond Plus BOGO specialty dining offer. The meal was excellent! We loved the experience of eating outside in Central Park as we sailed away from Miami on the first evening. I also tried the ribeye for the first time — it’s a new favorite! This meal was $76.70 for two people.
In addition, my friend loves sushi and definitely wanted to try Izumi, which is Royal Caribbean's Asian-inspired specialty venue. We decided to book lunch at Izumi while the ship was docked in Nassau, Bahamas. This worked out perfectly following our short day ashore, as we only walked around the port area. We both ordered the prix fixe option from Izumi's expansive menu, which included an appetizer, two main course selections, and dessert.
My friend tried the tuna poke bowl and sushi while I opted for the beef noodles and stir fry. She didn’t love her sushi, but everything else was fabulous. Izumi does not offer lunch specials, so it’s the same price regardless of when you dine. We paid $94.90 for our lunch here.
Finally, I couldn’t resist a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks! It was the first day of Starbucks offering their fall menu for the season, so I couldn’t say no. This latte was $7.85 and, although pricey, was similarly priced to what you'd pay at Starbucks on land.
In total, we spent $179.45 on specialty dining during our 4-night Wonder of the Seas cruise, or 8% of our vacation’s total cost. And it was worth every single cent!
My flight to Miami was $380 while airport parking was $20, totaling $400.
Even though I live in Florida, the Panhandle is about as far from Miami as you can get in the state. Instead of driving 8.5 hours, I opted to book a flight instead. My round-trip airfare on Delta Air Lines was $380 from my small airport in Destin, Florida. I also paid $20 to park my car at the airport. On the other hand, my friend booked her flight with points, making it technically free!
Typically, I prefer cruising from Port Canaveral, Florida due to the shorter driving distance. Airfare can add up quickly if you’re flying to a cruise port, especially if you’re traveling with kids. For this reason, short party-focused cruises are most popular for those who can drive to the embarkation port. At $380 for one ticket, this would be $1,520 for a family of four.
I was able to save some money by only eating lunch and dinner at the airport lounges, as I have access with one of my premium travel credit cards. Airport food is outrageously priced, so being able to take advantage of the airport lounges helps keep travel day costs down.
This was one of the bigger expenses, totaling 17% of the entire vacation cost.
We spent $101.04 on Uber rides between the airport, hotel, and cruise port.
Another downside of flying to your cruise port is not having a car to get around. Instead, you have to rely on taxis, Ubers, or shuttles. For this trip, we flew in the night before our cruise and booked a hotel for the night (as you always should!).
My Uber from the airport to the hotel was $41.89 while the following morning’s ride to the port was only $11.02. Our hotel was very close to the cruise port, so this Uber ride was very cheap because of the close proximity. After the cruise, we took another Uber from the cruise port directly to the MIA airport, costing us $48.13.
In total, we spent around $101.04 on Uber rides in Miami, which is 4% of the vacation’s total cost.
I booked a hotel in Miami for one night before the cruise, costing $304.
Because I flew into Miami the night before our cruise, I needed to book a hotel for the night. It’s always best practice to fly into your embarkation port at least one day before your cruise departs. For international flights, I add an extra buffer day or two. This ensures you have plenty of time to account for delays or cancellations.
I landed in Miami around 9:00 P.M. and made my way to the Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay. The hotel was recently remodeled, so the rooms felt up-to-date. With my Marriott status, we had breakfast included in the room fare. On the morning of embarkation, this was a great way to start our vacation.
The Marriott Biscayne Bay hotel is conveniently located by the cruise port. The morning of embarkation, we could see Wonder of the Seas in the distance at Royal Caribbean’s PortMiami cruise terminal. Because our hotel was close to the terminal, our Uber ride was quick and easy.
Overall, our hotel room was 13% of the entire trip’s cost, which is on the higher end. We probably could have booked a cheaper room closer to the airport, but we appreciated the convenience to the cruise terminal on embarkation day.
In total, our entire cruise vacation aboard Wonder of the Seas was $2,337.47.
This 4-night cruise was not necessarily a cheap getaway. We paid $2,337 in total for this vacation, including airfare, cruise fare, onboard purchases, our hotel room, and port transportation. For four nights, this comes out to $1,168.74 each, or $292 per person for each night of the cruise.
The cost of this cruise could have been much higher. For instance, I receive five complimentary drinks per day with my loyalty status. Had we purchased an expensive drink package or drinks individually, the cost would have hundreds of dollars more. We also skipped any shore excursions in Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay, which also cut down on costs.
In addition, my husband had to stay behind for work and, therefore, we didn’t need to pay a dog-sitter for the duration of this cruise. We’ve spent upwards of $500 to have an in-home pet sitter for our two Aussiedoodles. It’s easy to forget about the cost of pet care or home care when planning a vacation, but this can add up quickly.
In comparison, my 4-night cruise on Utopia of the Seas back in February was $2,683, which is only slightly higher than we paid for this vacation. While more expensive than you might anticipate, I really enjoy shorter cruises. In fact, I’ve already booked another sailing aboard Utopia of the Seas this winter. If you're a first-time cruiser or simply wanting a quick vacation, I would definitely recommend Royal Caribbean's short Caribbean options.
