By Alexander — Independent Partner, inCruises
“Once I retire, then we'll go. Once the kids are older, then we'll go. Once money's a little easier, then we'll definitely go.” Sound familiar? Almost everyone has that one dream trip that lives in their head for years and somehow never happens.
Meanwhile, a friend's photos from a fjord cruise pile up likes, the kids keep growing, and “next year” stubbornly refuses to arrive. Here's the good news: usually it isn't that travel is “out of reach” — it's the way we're used to doing the math. Below is the honest version, with numbers and without the marketing noise.
Why Your Vacation Gets More Expensive Every Year
You've probably noticed it: the same trip that was “a bit pricey but doable” a couple of years ago costs noticeably more today. Flights, hotels, and food have all gone up, and income doesn't always keep pace. Vacation quietly turned into a rare event — once a year, if you're lucky. For many people, it became a “someday” instead.
And here's the paradox: we're willing to set money aside for years “just in case,” yet we never quite bring ourselves to spend it on the things that actually fill a life — experiences, the sea, new countries, time with the people who matter. The money sits still, and the years go by.
Where the Savings Are Actually Hidden
When I first saw that the same cruises worked out to wildly different prices for different people, my first thought was: “there's a catch here somewhere.” Turns out there wasn't. The savings simply come from two clear sources. Let's take each one.
Source 1: Why a Cruise Beats a Land-Based Trip
When you travel “on land,” you pay for everything separately: the hotel, breakfast-lunch-dinner out, activities and excursions, transfers between cities. Every item is its own bill. On a cruise, all of that is already included in one price: the cabin, meals, shows and entertainment — and the ship carries you from country to country while you sleep. You unpack once, and there's a new port outside your window every morning.
Compare a typical 7-day trip for two. The figures are illustrative, just to show the shape of it:
| Hotel, 4-star (7 nights) | €1,400 |
| Meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) | €700 |
| Entertainment, shows, excursions | €500 |
| Transfers between 3–4 countries | €500 |
| Land-based trip, total | ≈ €3,100 |
| Cruise equivalent (“all-inclusive”) | ≈ €1,950 |
That's a difference of around 37% — and depending on the route and season, it reaches 30–50%. And that's before any club tools at all — purely from the “all-inclusive” format and everything being bought in bulk. These numbers are illustrative, not prices quoted from any site; your own figure is always individual.
Source 2: Three Layers of Club Savings
Now take that same cruise equivalent and see what a travel club membership does to it. The layers stack on top of each other:
- INsider Pricing. A member gets the club price — roughly 17% below the standard price right away, no waiting for seasonal sales.
- Reward Points. Your membership fee earns points; paid on time, they double and don't expire while you're active. They can cover up to half a cruise's cost, on bookings from 30 days out.
- Planning ahead. Plan a trip 270+ days out, and accumulated points can cover the entire cabin.
Yes, you read that right: there's a way for the cabin itself to be covered by accumulated points. Exactly how that's assembled for a specific trip depends on your plan and how early you start — that's something I always work out individually.
Why don't I give a final number here? Because an honest number is only ever a personal one. It depends on the route, the dates, and how early you plan. Quoting an “average” would be dishonest — and I'd rather not.
“So Where's the Catch?”
Fair question. When something sounds too good, healthy skepticism is the right instinct. So let's honestly go through the most common doubts:
“Isn't this just another subscription trap?”
Points don't expire while you're active, and the monthly payment can be cancelled in one click from your account, no phone calls. You're not tied to anything.
“Aren't points like airline miles that constantly lose value?”
No: they double and go directly toward the cost of a cruise, rather than “expiring for pennies.”
“The discount is surely off an inflated price?”
For exactly that, there's a price match guarantee: find the same cruise cheaper by at least $100 and the club will match the price.
“Is the club reliable?”
It has operated since 2016, brings together more than a million members across nearly 190 countries, and membership payments are insured.
“So what's the real catch, then?”
Honestly: this only works if you actually use it — you travel, or you plan to. If you never travel at all, it's just a piggy bank. There's no “savings out of thin air” here — and that's exactly where the honesty is.
Want to just look inside — without spending anything?
There's a free membership registration: you get 50 welcome points (worth around $50) and can quietly see how it all works without paying anything. A risk-free way to figure out whether the format is for you.
Why “Next Year” Never Comes
Let's step away from numbers for a moment. Do you know why the dream trip is so easy to postpone? Because as long as it stays a dream, it's safe. Dreaming is pleasant and asks nothing of you: no risk, no spending, no chance of disappointment. And “next year” always seems more suitable than this one.
But there's a simple truth: the good years aren't infinite. Health, energy, the desire to go — all of it is at its best right now. And the most valuable thing money can buy isn't things; it's experiences and time with the people you love.
For many of us who built a life from scratch in a new country, a cruise is also a quiet marker: we made it. We arrived once with suitcases, and now we travel well and travel smart. And that feels good, in the best way.
And one more thing — honestly
A lot of people join the club purely for affordable travel, and over time notice it's also a potentially profitable business opportunity in the leisure and travel space. No promises of gold mines: it takes time and effort, and under the club's rules I'm not even permitted to quote figures. But if you ever want to not just travel affordably but build something on it, just ask — I'll explain honestly and without pressure. More on how partnership works →
Alexander · Independent Partner, inCruises · shurgen.incruises.com/membership
I'm an Independent Partner of inCruises, and this is my personal opinion, not official company material. I'm not a travel agent. All prices, percentages, and examples are approximate and illustrative, shown for clarity; actual savings are individual. Confirm current terms, membership plans, and rules with the club. inCruises is a brand of inGroup International.