I booked a 7-day Alaska cruise for $799 but actually spent $2,800 with extras. Take a closer look at what made it so pricey.

The Royal Princess is a large ship with 1,780 cabins for 3,560 guests. There are 19 passenger decks, eight with guest accommodations.

Our stateroom was 170 square feet, which felt compact, but just right for two people. We shared a queen-size bed and a bathroom with a shower.

The ship felt like a gigantic floating hotel and most amenities and activities were included in the fare. That included access to two swimming pools, eight hot tubs, a spa, fitness center, and a variety of dining venues, from buffets to a pizzeria, and a steakhouse. Specialty and upscale dining cost extra, but more on that later.

Along with my base fare, I purchased the Princess Premier Package for myself, which cost $80 per person, per day.

The package includes Wi-Fi for up to four devices, alcoholic beverages and wine by the glass that cost up to $20, unlimited drinks from the juice bar, specialty coffee, and premium desserts like gelato.

Crew gratuity, room service, fitness classes, and two meals at specialty restaurants are also part of the package.

It must be purchased for the duration of the cruise, which totaled $560 for me for my 7-day cruise.

The cruise stopped in Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan, Alaska, as well as Victoria, British Columbia.

As much as I enjoy shipboard life, to really experience Alaska, I knew I wanted to disembark and explore each port of call.

While it is free to simply leave the boat and walk around each port, with only a day in most locations, I thought I'd get a better sense of the destination by booking official shore excursions hosted by the cruise line. These excursions are soup-to-nuts packages that take care of all the details and make the most out the time in port.

Excursions may be booked with local tour operators that are unaffiliated with the cruise line, but I preferred booking all of mine through Princess. That way, I knew the day would be tailored around when I needed to be back on the boat.

I booked each excursion in advance as I know from experience that popular shore excursions tend to sellout, and spent $930 per person on all three of them.

Our first port of call was Juneau.

There, I booked an all-inclusive, four-hour luxury whale-watching group tour on a yacht with room for eight passengers. It cost me and my husband $480 each.

Once off the ship, a representative greeted us and drove the group to Auke Bay to board our yacht, which felt swanky with its leather seats and polished chrome.

Our crew included the captain and Emma, a naturalist, who helped us spot wildlife. Emma encouraged questions and was a wealth of information regarding all things Alaska.

The yacht brought us incredibly close to orcas, humpback whales, harbor seals, and sea lions. Champagne, Alaskan beer, and a big charcuterie platter were included in the price, too.

It was a once-in-a lifetime experience, and well worth $480 cost per person.

I love to kayak and didn't want to miss the chance to paddle in Alaska, so I booked Princess' Chilkoot Lake Kayak Experience for $210 per person.

Twenty other passengers joined my husband and I on a high-speed, 45-minute ferry ride to Haines. As our ferry journeyed through a deep fjord, we saw whales breaching, eagles soaring, and bears along the shoreline.

When we arrived in Haines, a bus drove us to the lake where a guide gave us a brief lesson on paddling technique before we hopped into double and triple kayaks atop blue water surrounded by tall peaks.

We paddled for around 90 minutes before the coach brought us back to the ferry. A simple picnic lunch of sandwiches, chips, and hot coffee was waiting for us before we returned, as part of our rate.

Ketchikan was our last stop in Alaska. It's an excellent destination to explore Native Alaskan culture, particularly to learn about totem poles.

I booked the Best of Ketchikan: Totems, Wildlife Cruise & Alaska Appetizers excursion, a four-hour tour for $240 per person.

Our group of 16 began the trip with a narrated wildlife cruise to a former salmon cannery where a guided tour and interactive exhibits helped us understand the importance of salmon canning to the state's growth.

Next, we snacked on locally-made reindeer sausage and wild berry cookies.

Well-fortified, we took a short walk through the rainforest before getting on a bus to Saxman Native Village to watch totem poles being hand carved, and to view a collection of towering totem poles.

The Sanctuary is an adults-only, outdoor area located at the bow of the ship, where you can reserve a chaise lounge for a half or full day, for $20 or $40 respectively.

It's the only section of the ship where you can have a tranquil, adult-only, outdoor experience, with room for approximately 30 people.

We went once, on our scenic cruise day, which is the day the ship traverses Glacier Bay National Park.

I knew that the ship would be hectic on this day, as every single passenger is onboard and wants a good view of the passing scenery.

As such, a half day in the Sanctuary cost $60, which was more than any other day.

But our access provided us with a front-row seat as we sailed by breathtakingly beautiful glaciers.

Plus, there were only a few dozen other passengers there, and the helpful staff kept bringing us extra blankets to offset the chilly air. A breakfast buffet with fresh fruit, smoked salmon, croissants, and more, took the experience up a notch.

Many restaurants, including the three main dining rooms with waiter service, buffets, and a pizzeria are included in the base cruise price. But several upscale dining spots incur an extra charge.

However, because I'm a sushi fanatic, I knew I would pay extra to eat at Ocean Terrace, the ship's sushi bar.

We ordered an assortment of sushi, sashimi, and edamame, for lunch. It was extremely fresh, and I thought it was well worth the $22 we paid per person. Unlike some of the other upscale dining options, my meal was not a flat fee, and instead based on what I ordered.

Considering other sushi meals I've had, I thought it was inexpensive and had I discovered it sooner, I would have eaten at Ocean Terrace several more times.

On my husband's actual birthday, I wanted him to have a VIP culinary experience.

I booked the upscale Chef's Table for $130 per person with wine pairings. The chef personally greeted us to discuss the menu and how he chose and sourced ingredients, making it an interesting experience for foodies like us.

The intimate dinner took place in a private section of the dining room at a table set with fine China and crisp linens.

We were joined by two other couples we didn't know, but by the end of the meal, a casual shipboard friendship was created. There's no dress code but it was a great opportunity to wear our fanciest outfits.

We started with Champagne and hors d'oeuvres before a feast of ceviche, creamy risotto, tender filet mignon, and an individual strawberry cake. The food was luscious, though it was the presentation and service that made it truly memorable.

While most specialty dining incurs an extra fee, two meals at premium restaurants were included as a perk my Princess Premier Package.

One was a meal at the ship's steakhouse, Crown Grill, as well as another at the Italian restaurant, Sabatini's.

My husband is Italian, and I lived in Italy for many years, so we are tough critics when it comes to Italian cuisine. But we liked our meal so much, that we returned a second time and paid $35 per person to do so.

We enjoyed paper-thin slices of tender veal topped with a rich tuna and caper sauce that gave my favorite trattoria in Milan a run for its money. Other standouts included spaghetti in a briny sauce of scallops, shrimps, clams, and mussels; and baked striped bass accompanied by polenta.

There are three things that new cruisers might not realize they'll always have to pay for, even if they skip all specialty experiences and excursions.

They are gratuities, tax, and port fees.

My gratuities were included as part of the Princess Premier Package. However, port fees and taxes cost us an extra $272 per person. These are for the charges your ship pays to dock at various ports of call. These fees are paid by passengers and are not included in the base price of the cruise.

All of my cruise extras came to $2,009. With the $799 that I paid when I initially booked the cruise, my grand total for just me came to $2,808. For both me and my husband, it was $5,616 in total.

While it was a lot more than initially advertised, it was an unforgettable experience that was worth every penny. I would spend it again in a heartbeat.