There’s the cost of a cruise, say it’s advertised at $3,000. But then there’s the other costs that come with taking the cruise; the airfare to get to the port(s), the hotel cost, not to mention the jet lag recovery days you’ll need to factor in, adding to the hotel stay cost.
After all of this, consider that your $3,000 cruise might actually cost closer to $5,000, once you factor in all the things you might have forgotten: shore excursions, or tours, taxis, food, souvenirs, and perhaps travel insurance.
Most importantly: are you comfortable with the cost per day, per person? Usually this measure is a lot easier to grasp. If you’re going to be spending $200/day, per person, on a trip, does that sound worth it for benefits of a vacation, or does it make you uncomfortable to spend so much? If you feel uncomfortable, it might be an indicator that you should cut some costs, or maybe even go back to the drawing board and find a more affordable trip.
The following is a list of costs to help you budget and figure out any additional costs you may be forgetting when pricing your next personal trip.
Example of a land trip to Paris, France for 1 week in September 2025, 2 people:
| Travel item | Cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Airfare | $3,400 | main cabin (2 people total) |
| Taxi | $0 | |
| Gas | $0 | |
| Rail/bus tickets | $50 | |
| Public transport | $0 | |
| Cruise | $0 | |
| Car rental | $0 | |
| Shore excursions/tours | $250 | food tour |
| Hotel | $1,250 | 1 queen room, $250/night x 5 nights |
| Admission/tickets | $200 | 3 museums and a show |
| Food & drink | $400 | breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinks |
| Shopping/souvenirs | $200 | |
| Travel insurance | $250 | |
| TOTAL | $6,000 | per person total $3,000 |
| per person, per day total $429 |
As you can see, costs can really add up. That $200/day trip you imagined you’d be going on could actually be over double that. If this isn’t what you had in mind, consider reducing the number of days you’d like to go on your trip, a different location, or maybe something local that doesn’t require renting a car or taking a flight.
While seeing the world can be a pricey endeavor, keep in mind there are lots of ways to cut costs while still having a fun time traveling. You can use this template to get a better idea of your own personal expenses next time you are planning a vacation. It covers most of the costs of a trip, but your own individual excursion might have a few different figures to consider.