Cruise For You
#6 AU/NZ
The 'Zero Spend' Challenge: 12 Cruise Rip-Offs to AVOID!
Cruise rip-offs can turn a cheap cruise into a shockingly expensive vacation before you even realise what happened. In this video, we’re taking on The “Zero Spend” Challenge and revealing 12 cruise rip-offs to avoid if you want to keep your final onboard statement as close to $0.00 as possible. From the lanyard trap on embarkation day to expensive onboard Wi-Fi, drink package pressure, automatic gratuities on drinks, specialty dining upsells, room service fees, bottled water charges, cruise line shore excursions, spa “discounts,” formal night photos, casino “freebies,” and the cruise card spending trap — these are the cruise extras that catch so many passengers off guard. Cruise lines are very good at making small purchases feel harmless. A coffee here, a cocktail there, a photo package, a shore excursion, a Wi-Fi plan, or a quick room service order might not seem like much in the moment. But by the end of your cruise, those little charges can stack up into a final bill that looks nothing like the cheap cruise fare you originally booked. This Cruise For You video is all about helping cruisers save money, avoid unnecessary onboard charges, and understand which cruise extras are worth questioning before you tap your cruise card. Whether you’re sailing Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Princess, MSC, Celebrity, Holland America, or another major cruise line, these cruise money mistakes can happen to anyone — especially first-time cruisers. If you want cruise tips for saving money, avoiding cruise scams, spotting hidden cruise costs, and understanding the sneaky extras cruise lines hope passengers will buy, this video will help you cruise smarter in 2026 and beyond. Watch until the end, because the final cruise rip-off is the one that makes all the others so easy to fall for — and it’s the reason so many passengers are shocked when they see their final onboard statement.