How to avoid cruise nickel-and-diming?

Cruise “nickel and diming” on onboard charges

One cruise-line-related update points to growing passenger frustration about “quietly” increasing onboard charges. The specific concern is that Princess Cruises has been accused of “nickel and diming” passengers after raising onboard gratuities and service charges, including fees applied to items that many cruisers previously assumed were part of the general onboard experience.

What happened

The reporting summarized here focuses on onboard pricing changes: the cruise line raised gratuities and service charges for onboard extras. The examples given include charges tied to services sold or bundled onboard, rather than only the core cruise fare.

Why it matters for travelers

For travelers, the bigger impact is budget predictability. Cruises often sell a base fare and then a range of “extras,” so when service charges rise, the total cost can creep upward in a way that’s harder to estimate.

What to do when planning

To keep costs under control, passengers can: - Read the current gratuity/service-charge policy in the cruise’s latest fare breakdown. - Check which onboard items are covered vs. billed as extras. - Compare itineraries by total expected onboard costs, not just headline fare.

Because the story excerpt doesn’t provide the exact amount of the changes or which categories were adjusted, travelers should treat it as a warning to re-check the fine print before booking and during final payment.