Cruise passengers threaten boycott over new £50 fee for common holiday habit

Some of the cruise line’s most popular ships accommodate over 5,000 passengers (Picture: Getty Images)

Nicking an apple or cheeky bread roll from breakfast has long been considered a holiday ritual for some.

But as far as one company is concerned, the fun is over.

Costa Cruises has announced that on ‘select sailings’, taking food out of buffet areas and restaurants could now land you a €60 (£51) cleaning fee.

A letter was reportedly sent to guests onboard explaining that ‘all food must be consumed exclusively in designated dining areas’, citing ‘health and hygiene’ as a primary justification.

The Italian operator, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation, currently has nine active ships, sailing across hotspots throughout the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and South America.

Its largest liner, Costa Toscana, can accommodate over 6,500 passengers, with 17 restaurants, 16 bars, and four swimming pools to occupy their time.

Costa Cruises currently has nine ships in service (Picture: Getty Images)

Cruises are becoming increasingly popular with Brits — with the CLIA finding that passengers from the UK and Ireland took 2.54 million ocean cruises in 2025, surpassing the previous peak of 2.4 million in 2024.

However, as a nation known to go to great lengths to dodge additional fees, this could have the potential to push some back into the arms of air travel.

‘Guest safety and wellbeing are our top priority,’ a Costa Cruises spokesperson with Metro

‘On a limited number of specific sailings, an onboard communication was shared as a preventive and deterrent measure, in line with our existing policies, to encourage guests to a responsible behavior.

‘Costa Cruises remains committed to ensuring a high-quality, safe and enjoyable experience for all guests on board.’

The operator confirmed that ‘room service remains available upon request’, but did not specify which ‘select sailings’ were notified of the updated policy.

A number of people online have expressed their upset at the announcement.

‘I would never sail with this cruise line knowing this,’ @e_adeline_3 commented on TikTok, while others said it was ‘the worst idea ever’ or questioned how the company was planning to enforce its new policy.

One particular group of customers who appeared exceedingly angry over the news was parents, including @LaurenC0808 who called it ‘the most insane policy [she’d] ever heard’.

‘It’s common for me to go to the buffet and get food for breakfast for everyone while the kids are sleeping,’ she continued. ‘We also like the buffet food but hate eating in there.’

Another parent, @Merissa, added: ‘As a mom to young kids, sometimes it’s easier to eat in your cabin versus fighting for a table. Also one needs to eat while one is napping. I mean, they have room service so what’s the difference getting it from the buffet so you have more options.’

Cruises tend to be popular with families, particularly those with young kids. From the looks of it though, this cruise line’s decision may have just put a dent in one of its most devoted fan bases.

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