Add in the extras to find the real cruise vacation cost. Look for free shore excursions, airfare, last-minute bargains and kids activities to boost the overall experience

First, shop for the best price on the cruise itself, but don’t make your decision based only on cruise prices. Look at what that price includes. Often the cruise with the lowest price will not be the best bargain. The real bottom line is the total cost of the trip.

What is included in the price? Drinks, shore excursions, ports where you don’t need shore excursions?

Look at the itinerary to see what experiences are included in the main itinerary, without adding on shore excursions. Does it offer an evening sailing from Sicily that lingers off the Aeolian Islands to see the volcano Stromboli shoot bright red lava into the air? Does it sail into the almost entirely cliff-bound harbor at Bonifacio, possibly the most dramatic ship experience in the Mediterranean, as the sailing ship Star Clipper does? Does it stop in ports such as Corfu or Venice where you can explore easily without an expensive shore excursion? Or are the stops mostly in ports like Vigo, Spain, where the main attraction (Santiago de Compostella) requires a day-long shore excursion?

Which of the included perks will you actually use or need? All-inclusive rates that include all drinks won’t benefit you if all you have is a glass of wine with dinner each night. But if you expect to accumulate a large bar bill, this could save you a lot of money.

Are activities and programs for children included or do you need to pay extra for child care? Are the shore excursions ones you would take or would you be more likely to stay and explore the port city itself? Choosing the ship that matches your family’s travel style and trip expectations is important in determining the price.

Does the cruise fare include airfare from your nearest airport, or from a nearby gateway? If not, be sure to match the cruise line’s add-ons for airfare against the best rates you can find at best-fare sites like NAMI (where the commission also makes a contribution to a very worthy cause). If getting there adds expense, add that to your list to find the real bottom line.

Look for the little details that can add up, too. Does the ship provide transit between the airport and ship at either end of the cruise? Is tipping expected (add about $10 per person per day) or is it included in the fare, as it is on Seven Seas, Seabourn, Silver Seas and some others?

Go beyond the brochures and website prices and ask about special rates and promotions. Peter Deilmann Cruises, for example, frequently offers deals that include free airfare from the US, or free shore excursions. If you are flexible on dates, you can also often find last minute bargains.

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