How my family of 4 spent $10,000 on a Caribbean cruise — and what we'll cut next time even though we had a blast

20.06.2024 - 15:59 / insider.com / Cruises

My family of four – my husband, two teens, and myself – sailed on the Disney Fantasy this spring. Our cruise was seven nights and left from Port Canaveral, Florida, near Orlando.

Our ship stopped in Grand Cayman, Falmouth, Jamaica, Cozumel, Mexico, and Disney's island, Castaway Cay. This was our first time sailing on the Fantasy and our ninth Disney cruise.

Our trip cost just over $10,000. Perhaps surprisingly, this is on par with the higher end of what a family can expect to spend on a seven-night Caribbean cruise: about $270 to $2,600 a person.

Here's a rough look at what we spent:

Cruise: $7,300 (includes interior room, meals, and entertainment)

Excursions: $1,160

Spa: $846

Alcohol: $334

WiFi: $490

Bingo: $152

Here's the value we felt we got and what we might do differently next time.

Even though we stayed in the cheapest stateroom category — interior cabins — our cruise was still pricey because we sailed during spring break.

We could've saved $3,000 on the cruise if we'd went in September, which is during hurricane season and while school is in session for our kids. In the end, we couldn't justify our sons missing that week of school.

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Sadly, there's not much getting around this cost in the next few years. It's hard for us to travel during cheaper times since cruises almost always cost more during spring break, summertime, and over the winter holidays when most kids are out of school.

We bought an intermediate WiFi package for $490 and spent $152 on bingo.

We don't usually spend money on WiFi while cruising, but decided to get a package since this was a longer sailing. This allowed my kids to play their online games at night and me to keep an eye on my inbox.

No one was glued to their device, and even though this was quite a chunk of change, I'd consider it again for a longer cruise like this one.

The bingo turned out to be an OK investment since we won $145 and almost broke even. We usually play at least one round of bingo and usually don't win much, but my kids enjoy it, and it's something we do as a family.

We booked excursions in Grand Cayman, Jamaica, and Cozumel, and my husband and I had a couple's massage on the beach at Castaway Cay.

We didn't book super elaborate excursions, but costs added up for four people. Even so, I don't regret any of the experiences or the time spent with my family.

We could've cut back on our excursions budget by not booking directly with Disney Cruise Line or finding a spot to snorkel on our own, but I liked the ease and security of booking directly with the cruise line.

We've heard a lot of horror stories lately about cruise-ship passengers getting left behind in ports, and we always figure our odds are better if we're on an excursion