Passenger shocked at price for basic items on luxury cruise including £221 tissue box

Jul 31, 2023

The price of a list of basic items aboard a ship run Viking Cruises, a Norwegian founded company which operates cruises in Scandinavia and other regions, shocked passengers

A cruise passenger has been left appalled by the cost of basic items aboard a ship.

While one might expect the cost of essentials to be bumped up a little when far from land and bobbing about on the ocean, a tissue box costing £222 is arguably pushing things a little. The paper handkerchiefs were one of the items for sale to guests on the Viking Sky cruise liner.

The most expensive item on the list otherwise was a £150 throw blanket and a £122 toothbrush holder, News.Au reported. The high price is levied on any customers who wishes to take the items with them from the room. A bathrobe will set guests back just shy of £60, a soap dish £118 and a wooden serving tray around £120. If you want to take one of the glass tumblers home, that'll set you back £87.

The list of expensive items includes a note from the Viking Sky general manager which reads: “We hope you are enjoying your time on board Viking Sky. Your well-appointed stateroom features many delightful amenities. Should you wish to purchase any of those items — or any others not included in your personal stateroom category — please see your stateroom attendant.”

The list was posted online by a shocked social media user. They commented: “Which one of your Viking cruisers cleaned out their room when they left??? I’ve never seen this before,” the stunned passenger wrote.

However, other cruise passengers don't think the prices are set because of wanting to make profit, but rather to dissuade people from trying to steal items from the cabin. After all, the the Viking note does specify that "if you remove any of these items from your stateroom, you will be charged at the price listed above".

One person suggested: “I don’t think it’s priced by quality, I think it’s priced by theft of item. The larger the price, the more it has been stolen."

Another added: It seems like the things that are easy to lose are cheaper — and the ones you shouldn’t take from the room are over priced. Almost like an honesty system."

Those interested in the world of cruising are getting excited about a ship due to set sail in a few short months. The world's largest ever cruise ship is soon to embark on its maiden voyage and is five times larger than the Titanic.

The enormous Icon of the Seas took to the seas earlier this summer for its first sea trials, ahead of the official launch in January 2024. The floating city sailed hundreds of miles on the open sea before returning to the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, where work on the interior of the vessel will continue.

At 365m long and with a 250,800 gross tonnage, the ship is fractionally larger than its sister vessel, Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas. The upper deck of the ship boasts plenty of impressive features including water slides, a suspended infinity pool at sea and a three-storey family suite.

A 'staff neighbourhood' features a clubhouse with its own coffee shop, a pub, a crew market with items from their home countries, gaming room, gym, a karaoke room, and an outdoor spaces to take in the views and grab a drink. Arguably the most exciting feature of the ship is the world's largest at sea waterpark, named Category 6, which will feature six record-breaking water slides, seven pools and nine whirlpools.

Viking Cruises has been contacted for comment.

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