How Much Spending Money Do You Need on a Cruise UK
Cruise Advisor planning guide. Verify changing prices, policies and itineraries with the relevant provider before booking.
If you've searched for how much spending money do you need on a cruise per day, you're in the right place. In this comprehensive 2026 guide I break down daily costs for UK cruisers — from £-priced drinks packages on P&O and Cunard to shore excursions on Marella — so you can budget with confidence.
On average, UK cruisers should budget £30–£80 per person per day for extras (drinks, tips, Wi‑Fi, excursions, spa). Budget travellers can manage with £15–£35/day if they avoid extras; mid-range guests typically spend £40–£70/day. Luxury spenders may spend £100+/day.
The short answer above hides a lot of nuance. How much you spend onboard depends on several variables: cruise line, ship, itinerary length, how many port days you have, whether meals and drinks are included, and your personal habits. A 7-night P&O cruise around the Canary Islands in 2026 will have different optional costs to a 14-night Cunard transatlantic crossing on Queen Mary 2. Added to that are one-off purchases such as flights, travel insurance, pre- or post-cruise hotels and spending ashore — these affect your overall trip budget but are outside the per-day onboard estimate.
Most fares include your cabin, main dining room meals, many onboard activities, entertainment and basic non-alcoholic drinks (tea, coffee, filtered water). P&O, Cunard and Marella include different levels of service in 2026 fare structures — for example, Cunard still maintains a more traditional gratuity policy built into some fares on Queen Mary 2, whereas Marella tends to offer inclusive drink options on select sailings. Always check the fine print when booking; 'all inclusive' can mean different things.
Variable costs are the areas where travellers can control spending. The usual suspects include drinks, shore excursions, spa treatments, casino losses, photos and onboard shopping. To give realistic UK-based figures for 2026, here are typical per-day ranges:
Official sources
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