I’m interested in doing the 5-day West Coast Getaway leaving from San Francisco and stopping in San Diego and Ensenada. Princess cruise lines offers this cruise but when booking their site is very confusing about what exactly is and isn’t included. I’m also curious about the cost of necessities and fees involved with the basic fare that I may not have considered, Wi-Fi for example.

I’m tempted to spring for the next tier up because I’d prefer to have a true all inclusive experience with unlimited drinks but all it says is “Beverage Plus Package” and I have no idea what that really means. Maybe the basic was only water and this includes juice and soda too? If we did just the standard package how much are alcoholic drinks on the ship?

I also see that the cruise ship has restaurants aboard but is that included in the meal plan or do you have to pay separately? I’ve heard of gratuities as a per day fee as well but I have no concept of how much that will run me and of course Princess’s site doesn’t mention anything about it

I’ve never been on a cruise before but these companies seem kinda misleading and shady. I’m open to other cruise lines as long as they leave out of the Bay Area but those don’t seem great either. My only comparable experience was an all inclusive resort in Cancun with EVERYTHING (alcohol, restaurants, activities) included and the up front price was very transparent.

I don’t mind paying a considerable amount for a nice vacation, I just don’t want to expect one price to find out it’s actually gonna cost double when you factor in hidden fees and necessities. Can anyone offer some insight on this? Bonus points if you have experience with Princess