Cruise Fees Are Rising in 2026 — The Charges Hit Even After You Book

Cruise Fees Are Rising in 2026 — The Charges Hit Even After You Book === #cruisenow #cruiseship #cruise === Cruise Fees Are Rising in 2026 — The Charges Hit Even After You Book So what are they? And how are cruise lines quietly taking more money from your wallet? Let’s find out on today’s episode of Cruise Now. One of the biggest and most shocking changes coming to cruising in 2026 is not something you’ll see advertised on a cruise line’s homepage or highlighted in a flashy sale email. Instead, it’s a growing web of hidden cruise taxes and government fees that are quietly adding hundreds of dollars to people’s final bills—sometimes after they’ve already booked, and in some cases, after they’ve stepped on board. These aren’t upgrades. They aren’t optional add-ons. And for many cruisers, they’re arriving as an unpleasant surprise. The most dramatic example right now is Hawaii. Beginning January 1st, 2026, Hawaii is introducing a brand-new cruise passenger tax that applies to the portion of your cruise when the ship is docked in Hawaiian ports. When you combine the state’s transient accommodations tax with potential county surcharges, the total can reach around fourteen percent. That doesn’t sound minor when applied across multiple port days. Cruise lines like Norwegian and Disney have already warned guests that this change could add anywhere from fifty to five hundred dollars per person, depending on the itinerary. One cruiser even reported paying over six hundred dollars more for a seven-day Hawaii cruise for two people. For many travelers, that kind of increase completely changes whether the trip is affordable at all. Cruise Fees Are Rising in 2026 — The Charges Hit Even After You Book What makes this situation even more complicated is that the cruise industry is actively fighting back. The Cruise Lines International Association has filed a federal lawsuit arguing that Hawaii’s tax violates maritime law. But regardless of how that legal battle plays out, the reality for cruisers right now is uncertainty. If you’re planning a Hawaii cruise in 2026, you need to budget as if the tax will apply, because cruise lines are already preparing guests for higher charges. And Hawaii is only the beginning. Around the world, tourist taxes are rising, expanding, and becoming more aggressive. Mexico’s non-resident tourism tax, introduced in 2025, is increasing again in 2026, doubling in some ports from five dollars to ten dollars per person. Several cruisers have reported that this tax was not clearly included at booking and instead appeared later as a separate charge on their onboard account after visiting certain ports. Cruise Fees Are Rising in 2026 — The Charges Hit Even After You Book Europe is seeing similar trends. Greece continues to charge a per-person, per-port cruise visitor tax that fluctuates by season, climbing to over twenty dollars per person at major ports during peak summer months. Amsterdam has implemented a day tourist tax of roughly fifteen dollars per passenger. Even destinations closer to home, like the U.S. Virgin Islands, are raising port fees. On their own, these charges might not seem devastating. But when you stack multiple ports, multiple countries, and multiple passengers, these “small” fees quietly reshape what an affordable cruise actually costs. And unlike excursions or drink packages, you don’t get a choice to opt out.