The reasons I think cruising is a good value are:
- You get lodging and meals as part of the total cost
- You get to go somewhere (actually a few different places)
- You get to relax without having to find a place to relax (like on deck) while enroute to your next port
However, this doesn’t mean everything is free once you get on the ship. For example, the staff aren’t quite having the same relaxing experience you’re having. After all, it’s their job. Even though they get to “see the world”, they still are working. And it’s not a 9 to 5 job either. It’s a fairly difficult job.
So, if you’re tempted to complain about having to pay extra for tips and other “add-ons”, don’t go there. Personally, we prefer to tip extra to anyone who’s helpful to us. It’s our way of giving more “foreign aid” to the people directly and we enjoy blessing others when we can.