Cheap luxury cruises may sound oxymoronic, but they are available. Remember, whereas with other vacations you need to pay for your travel, hotel, food, and entertainment, when you are you are on a cruise, all of these costs are all bundled into one!

Yes, you will have to find a way to get to the cruise ship, but once you are on it, you are set in terms of money. Your cruise ship is your source of travel, and you have already paid for it. And, of course, you will be sleeping on the cruise ship, so you do not have to worry about finding a hotel each place you go to. There are some beautiful, luxurious rooms available on cruise ships. Some of these rooms even have balconies.

Remember, though, if you are on a tight budget, you will likely be perfectly happy crammed into one of the smaller rooms, sleeping on the top bunk. After all, you are going to be spending the far majority of your time participating in the many activities offered on the ship or laying out by the pool, etc.

As for the food well, prepare to gain a little weight! You can eat as much food as your heart (and belly) desires, and you do not have to worry about paying extra. Some cruise ships even have food options 24 hours a day! Most ships definitely have multiple food options, so you will never get sick of the food. Of course, if you plan on drinking, you are going to have to pay extra.

As for entertainment, there is always something going on. There are usually shows at night that range from comedy to song and dance and more. There is dancing and family games and contests and more! And all of these things are generally included in the overall cost of the cruise. Of course, even so, you may choose to spend all of your time laying out by the pool or playing shuffleboard.

Of course, there are some things that you will have to pay for on your cruise, if you choose to. As mentioned before, you will generally have to pay for your drinks. You will also have to pay for your all of your shopping (there is some great shopping on the ship, as well as at the ports you stop at). You may end up spending some money in the casino. Or you may choose to spend some extra moolah to go on an excursion.

The excursions can be expensive, but it is worth it to go on at least one. After all, it is nice to actually see the places that you are traveling to. There are excursions to suit the tastes of anyone and everyone. There are excursions for the adventurous, the intellectual, kids, grandparents, etc. You are sure to find one that you particularly will love.

In sum, here is a list of things that most cruises include in their fare:

lodgings
meals
personal cabin steward and cabin service
port taxes and charges
ports of call
video arcade
activities
pools
teen centers
slot games
dancing
bands
shows
library
gym

Some extras that you may have to pay for are:

casinos
child care
spas and health centers
bars
internet caf
excursions
shops
transportation to the cruise departure point
gratuities
photographs (they take them for free, but you must pay to buy them)