Spend five minutes scrolling Reddit cruise threads and you’ll find a pattern: hidden fees, buffet horror stories, Wi-Fi woes, pearl-clutching rumors about onboard activity, and the occasional service meltdown. Some concerns are fair. Some are outdated. And some? Just need better context.
Let’s unpack four of the biggest cruise myths floating around social feeds and see what’s fact, what’s fiction, and what depends entirely on which ship you’re sailing.
1. “Cruises nickel and dime you”
Search “are cruises really all-inclusive anymore” and you’ll see the frustration. Drink packages cost extra. Wi-Fi costs extra. Specialty dining costs extra. Shore excursions cost extra. Suddenly that “deal” doesn’t feel so inclusive.
Here’s the truth: many cruise lines operate on a base-fare model. The ticket gets you onboard, but personalization often comes with add-ons. That structure works for some travelers, but understandably, most people want clarity from the start.
What typically costs extra on traditional cruises:
- Alcoholic beverages and specialty coffees
- Wi-Fi packages
- Specialty restaurants
- Gratuities
- Some fitness classes
- Premium desserts or menu upgrades
We flipped this model. Instead of layering in surprise charges, all fare tiers under our VoyageFair Choices include:
- All dining across 20+ eateries
- Basic Wi-Fi
- Group fitness classes
- Essential drinks like soda, still and sparkling water
Shore excursions and Bar Tabs are still optional, but our baseline experience doesn’t feel like a checkout cart. When people ask, “Is Virgin Voyages actually all-inclusive?” the accurate answer is this: we're intentionally inclusive where it matters most. And if you want to layer on premium add-ons in the form of a glitzier cabin, more flexibility, and those options are there for you.
The myth isn’t that cruises have add-ons. The myth is that every cruise handles them the same way.
2. “Cruise ship food is mediocre at best”
If your mental image of cruise dining is a crowded buffet and lukewarm carving station, you’re not alone. Reddit threads love a food debate.
Historically, large ships leaned heavily on buffet dining and massive main dining rooms serving thousands of guests at once. Scaling food for that volume is impressive, but it can sometimes feel, well, scaled.
But the cruise dining conversation has evolved.
Our ships lean into restaurant-driven experiences. On Virgin Voyages, there’s no buffet and no main dining hall. Instead, you’ll find:
- Korean BBQ at Gunbae
- Handmade pasta at Extra Virgin
- New York-style surf and turf at The Wake
- Elevated Mexican street food at Pink Agave
- Experimental tasting menus and an open kitchen at Test Kitchen
- A 24-hour diner at The Galley
...and more options, from an ice cream place to a pizza parlor to a tapas joint. And because all our restaurants are included, there’s no “is specialty dining worth it on a cruise?” calculation happening at the table.
Food quality at sea now depends less on cruising itself and more on which cruise line you choose. The buffet stereotype? It’s dated. The dining reality on Virgin Voyages? Award-winning-ly culinary.
3. “Cruise Wi-Fi is slow and overpriced”
“Why is cruise Wi-Fi so bad?” is one of the internet’s favorite maritime questions.
Connectivity at sea is technically complex. Ships rely on satellite systems, and bandwidth must stretch across thousands of guests. Historically, that meant expensive packages and inconsistent performance.
But cruise internet technology has improved significantly in recent years, with newer satellite networks delivering stronger speeds and more stability.
Still, experiences vary by ship and by line. On Virgin Voyages:
- Basic Wi-Fi is included for all Sailors
- Premium upgrades are available for higher bandwidth needs (if you're working from the ship, for example, we recommend an upgrade)
- Many Sailors stream and scroll with no or limited issues
Is cruise Wi-Fi identical to your fiber connection at home? Not quite. Is it still the frustrating dial-up of early 2000s ships? Also no.
For remote workers and social media storytellers alike, the real question isn’t “Is cruise Wi-Fi terrible?” It’s “What level of connectivity do I need?” And we're making the solution more customizable than ever.
4. “Cruise service is inconsistent”
Service complaints tend to be situational. A slow bar during peak hours. A dining delay on embarkation night. A cabin request that took longer than expected.
On ships carrying thousands of guests, timing can ebb and flow. Context matters.
That said, cruise service quality often comes down to:
- Crew-to-guest ratios
- Training standards
- Company culture
- Whether gratuities are transparent or layered
When crew members aren’t chasing upsells or navigating complex package tiers, interactions tend to feel more natural. Our Crew and their service receive incredible feedback across TripAdvisor, CruiseCritic, Reddit, and other forums.
Is every sailing identical? Of course not. Hospitality is human. But the myth that cruise service is broadly unreliable ignores the fact that many guests return precisely because of the Crew.
The takeaway isn’t that complaints never happen. It’s that sweeping generalizations rarely tell the whole story.
So, are the cruise myths true?
Some myths started with kernels of truth. Others stem from outdated models. And many reflect experiences on specific ships rather than cruising as a whole.
Cruising isn’t one-size-fits-all anymore. It ranges from mega-ship traditional to adults-only, design-forward experiences that reimagine what’s included and how it feels onboard.
If your perception of cruising was shaped by a Reddit rabbit hole, consider this your permission slip to reassess.
The best way to answer “Are cruises really all-inclusive?” or “Is an adults-only cruise awkward?” is to experience the version built differently from the start.
