Comparing the costs of a cruise and a tour.

Let's compare a 10 day cruise to 10 days of driving. Rent a car for 10 days at $80 a day plus $20 in fuel each day. (100)

Hotel $200 with breakfast
Lunch $30
Dinner $70

Total $400 per day.
Air fare $800 each or 1600

$5600 for the 10 days.

I'm looking at a cruise in Caribbean for 7 days... That's $800, so if I compare riding around and finding a new hotel with cruising, a 10-day cruise ($1200 each) for 2 people with airfare of $400 each totals $3200, so it looks as though cruising has to win.

But if the cruise takes place on the Oceania, the cost is $6000 per passenger or $12000... oops, what happened to that cheap cruise? That's $600 per day per person. Well, an affordable cruise?

Costa has an 11 day cruise from Genova to Tripoli and Alexandria... $3000 per person, so $1600 air plus $3000 cruise = $4600
So the drive-only plan is still lower cost than the cruise plan...if we save $1000 or about $100 a day (50 hotel, 10 gasoline, get a cheaper car about $20 less, and save $10 on lunch and dinner).

The lower cost total
Rent a car for 10 days at $60 a day plus $10 in fuel each day. (70)

Car 70
Hotel $150 with breakfast
Lunch $20
Dinner $60

Total $300 per day. $3000 for 10 days, plus the $1600 airfare puts the drive-only option at $4600...phew.

Any comments?

Steve McCrea
Reluctant cruiser
www.Roadlovers.com