The budget and some of the most expensive cruise lines are notorious for publishing low cost fly-cruise holidays deals with the express intent of recouping profits by introducing a range of hidden costs.

Nobody wants to be a scrooge while on holiday and many people dislike making a fuss, even when they know for sure they have been taken for a sucker.

Before booking your cruise it might be worthwhile checking exactly what "All Inclusive" really means:

Gratuities

* Tipping is expected by everyone serving you on most American owned ships. Other ships charge a daily rate and between 5 - 10 percent on bar charges. On longer cruises, it's traditional for the cabin steward to receive an extra tip. This can be a huge additional hidden cost. You will be expected to settle all outstanding gratuity charges before disembarkation.

Food and Drink
* Will all meals be free, including between meal and bar snacks?

* Is room service free and is a "tip" required?

* Does evening dinner also include complimentary wine?

* How much will it cost for your favourite "tipple" bar prices are often padded and no tax free drinks are ever served. Will the ship allow you to bring on your own alcohol or will you have to pay a "corkage" charge?

* Will soft drinks, tea and coffee be free or subject to surcharge?

Port of Call Excursions
Probably the biggest expense that will occur during your cruise will be port-of-call excursions booked through the ship's Pursers Office. Often, the exact list of excursions and costs will not be available until the actual day of sailing. By then it's to late and you could be stuck with a very expensive coach tour of your destination instead of experiencing the local atmosphere and landmarks in your own time.

Many port of calls have small local companies that can provide bespoke tours at a fraction of the cost charged by the cruise line. Research on the Internet, join online cruise discussion boards and ask for advice from ex-passengers rather than travel agents.

With a little hard work and careful research, prior to the cruise, you could save quite a lot of money and have a far better experience.