2027 Mediterranean Cruise Fares: What’s Included and What Costs Extra

Does an all-inclusive Mediterranean cruise include shore excursions?

Sometimes, but the number and form of included excursions differ by cruise line and booking. Viking’s 2027 Mediterranean Odyssey lists “One complimentary shore excursion in every port of call,” while Royal Caribbean identifies shore excursions as optional add-ons.

Viking’s itinerary page separates included excursions from optional ones, and notes that optional excursions can vary by departure. That distinction matters: a fare may cover a guided visit in each port without covering every tour, activity, or upgrade available there. Read the itinerary for your specific departure and identify which excursions are complimentary and which carry a separate price.

Oceania takes a different approach for qualifying bookings made from September 17, 2025. Guests can choose between wine and beer by the glass during lunch and dinner or shore-excursion credit of up to $600 per guest, depending on voyage length. This is a choice within the program, not a promise that every booking receives both benefits. Its description also identifies air and transfers as add-ons.

For a fair comparison, put the included shore tours and any excursion credit beside the fare. Then list the paid excursions you expect to take. A cruise with a higher fare can compare favorably if it covers tours you would otherwise buy; a lower fare can be the better fit if you plan to explore independently. The sources do not publish a like-for-like 2027 price comparison across these lines.

Are drinks, Wi-Fi, and gratuities included in 2027 cruise fares?

Drinks, Wi-Fi, and gratuities are included on some offers and sold separately on others, so check the terms for the exact sailing and fare. Viking lists Wi-Fi and beer, wine, and soft drinks with onboard lunch and dinner. Oceania includes unlimited Wi-Fi and shipboard gratuities, while its qualifying-booking choice covers either mealtime wine and beer or excursion credit.

Those inclusions have limits. Viking’s listed drinks are tied to onboard lunch and dinner; the source does not describe that benefit as an all-day drinks package. Oceania’s drink benefit is by the glass at lunch and dinner, and only one of the two stated benefits is selected under the qualifying-booking offer.

Royal Caribbean says standard fare beverages generally include water, tea, lemonade, milk, and select juices. Alcoholic drinks, soda, and specialty coffees cost extra, as can beverage packages and Wi-Fi. Its base fare includes accommodation, complimentary dining, entertainment, and onboard activities, but optional add-ons vary by ship and market. Check the specific sailing rather than treating a general fare description as a guarantee.

Gratuities need their own line in the comparison. Oceania says shipboard gratuities are included in its Your World Included program. Royal Caribbean’s guide gives indicative gratuities of $18.50 per person per day for standard staterooms and $21 per person per day for suites, and notes that automatic gratuities apply to some purchases. The guide says amounts and policies can change, so verify the current amount and whether it applies to your booking.

What extra costs should I budget for on an all-inclusive cruise?

Budget for the parts of the trip not covered by your selected fare: transport to the ship, transfers, excursions beyond included benefits, and onboard services you plan to use. The phrase “all-inclusive” alone does not settle which of these are covered.

Start with flights and transfers. Oceania’s program description identifies both as add-ons, so include them separately when comparing its offer. The available sources do not provide matching flight or transfer prices for each line or departure. Use the actual quote for your itinerary instead of filling a gap with an estimate.

Next, make a list of likely onboard purchases. Royal Caribbean names beverage packages, specialty dining, shore excursions, Wi-Fi, spa treatments, arcade play, bingo, and casino gaming as optional add-ons. Its guide also lists laundry among common extra costs. Add only the items you expect to use, but do not leave them out simply because the headline fare looks lower.

Celebrity offers 2027 Mediterranean sailings, with a season described as including seven ships and overnight stays in destinations such as Athens, Florence, Istanbul, Lisbon, and Thessaloniki. The page is a starting point for checking dates and itinerary-specific fares, not proof that a particular perk is included. Compare the chosen offer’s terms for drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities, and excursions before treating the fare as a total.

Use this comparison frame. A cell marked “not published” means the cited source does not state that detail; it is not a zero-cost estimate.

For two offers, compare the same trip components: fare, flights, transfers, gratuities, drinks, Wi-Fi, dining, and planned excursions. Mark each as included, extra, or not published. Then total the items you will use. That keeps a benefit you do not need from disguising a cost you will pay.