As a frequent cruiser, I can see both the pros and cons to buying a drink package, and I can see that while they might be a great deal for some, they’re just a waste of money for others.
Which camp do you fall into? Here’s what you need to know about cruise line drinks packages, so you can decide if you should buy one or not, ahead of your upcoming cruise.
In This Article:
The Need-to-Know Basics About Cruise Line Drinks Packages
While cruise line drink packages may differ from cruise line to cruise line, most are generally the same — and, no, none of them are just a one-flat-fee, free-for-all booze fest.
While you might think that you’re getting as many drinks as you want, whenever you want, when buying a cruise line drinks package, that’s not the case.
Just about all drink packages have their limits. These limits may include what kinds of drinks you can get with your package, as well as how many drinks you can get with your package.
A Quick Example: Royal Caribbean Drinks Package
Let’s look at a quick example. Royal Caribbean offers three different main drink packages.
There’s a classic soft drinks package for $13 per person per day; a refreshment package for $29 per person per day; and a deluxe beverage package that ranges from $56 to $105 per person per day, dependent upon your sailing.
The classic soda package gives you just that: soda. With the refreshment package, you get soda, coffee, tea, juice, water, milkshakes and mocktails.
Read Also: When Is the Best Time to Buy a Royal Caribbean Drink Package?
The deluxe beverage package is what most people think of when they think a cruise ship drink package, though. It includes cocktails, beers and wine by the glass.
You can only order certain brands of alcohol as part of your package, but there’s no limit as to the number of drinks you can order (you just have to order them one at a time). Compare this to Carnival Cruise Line’s Cheers! Drink Package, which limits you to 15 alcoholic beverages per day.
All ordered beverages must be under $14 in value, to be included. Additionally, everyone in the cabin must buy the drinks package, if one person does so.
Pros to Ordering a Cruise Line Drinks Package
So what are the main benefits of purchasing a cruise line drinks package like this?
Worry-Free Ordering Throughout the Ship
While there are usually some exclusions as to where you can order drinks during a cruise with a package, such as at special events like a wine tasting, or on a cruise line’s private island, you can otherwise order drinks to your heart’s content, throughout the ship.
Along these lines, if you plan on drinking a lot during your cruise, a drinks package can just make it easier. There’s no worrying about the cost adding up, because you’ve already paid it.
You can order your drinks without a care in the world and go about your business. It’s typically as easy as just signing a receipt, if that.
When debating the pros and cons of a cruise line’s drinks package on forums like Reddit, cruisers frequently say that the absolute best part of buying a drinks package is the ease of ordering and not having to worry about getting a huge bill for a la carte drinks after your cruise is over!
More Than Enough Drinks for Most
Some cruise ship drink packages give you an unlimited number of drinks, as is the case on Royal Caribbean, while other cruise lines may limit you to a certain number of alcoholic beverages, as is the case on Carnival Cruise Line.
That said, even if your drinks package has a limit, it’s probably a very generous one. For example, Carnival Cruise Line’s drinks package caps you at 15 drinks per 24-hour period. While I’ve seen many cruisers try to drink that much during a sea day, it’s a little ambitious for most of us.
It’s Not Just Alcohol That’s Included
It’s important to realize that drinks packages aren’t just for alcohol! In most cases, a drinks package is required if you want to drink really anything other than water and maybe plain coffee or juice on the ship.
If you can’t go a day without a Diet Coke (or two or three) or if you envision yourself sipping a specialty coffee as you watch the sun rise on the top deck every day, you may want to consider if you drink enough other beverages to warrant a drinks package.
Try New Things
One of my favorite things about cruising is that it gives you the opportunity to try so many things you normally wouldn’t, and all for free.
Never tried lobster and saw it on the main dining room menu? Give it a go — if you don’t like it, some cruise lines will allow you to order multiple entrees in the main dining room.
Interested in seeing if you like group yoga classes? Some ships include a few select fitness classes in your fare, so you can dip in, join and see if it’s right for you.
Likewise, never tried a pina colada or a spicy margarita before? With a drinks package, you can peruse the entirety of the ship’s cocktail menus and taste-test your way through myriad drinks.
If you come across something you don’t like, there’s no reason to finish it. Just pass it back to the bartender and ask for something new.
Cons of Ordering a Cruise Line Drinks Package
In contrast, as I mentioned, not everyone’s going to see the above benefits in the same light. What are some of the reasons you might choose not to purchase a cruise line’s drinks package?
They Might Not Be Worth the Money
The whole point of a drinks package is to save you money. However, if you’re not one who drinks all that much, you may find that the cruise line drinks package costs you more than it would to just buy your drinks one by one.
For example, if you get the Royal Caribbean deluxe drinks package for around $100 per day, you’ll need to order at least eight $14 cocktails, every day, to break even on the package.
For many cruisers, that’s just not going to happen. They’d be plenty fine with just ordering a cocktail or two at the pool and then having a glass of wine or two at dinner.
As such, think about your drinking habits while on vacation and do a little math. If the daily cost of the drinks package is more than you’d pay by just ordering drinks without one, skip it.
Everyone in a Cabin Might Need to Buy a Package
As mentioned when discussing Royal Caribbean’s drinks package, if one adult purchases an alcoholic beverages package for your cruise, everyone in the cabin has to.
This can really not be worth it if not all of your party plans on using their package. Even if you’re just a traveling couple, if you both buy the package, but then only one of you uses it fully, then you could end up wasting hundreds upon hundreds of dollars over the course of your cruise.
You’re Not Going to Be Getting the High-End Stuff
If you have particularly upscale tastes when it comes to wine, beer and liquor, it’s worth noting that you’re not going to be getting the top-shelf options with a beverage package.
Most packages are limited to budget or mid-tier alcohol options. That said, you can get discounts on pricier bottles of liquor and wine, but they won’t be included in the price.
You Need to Be on the Ship to Use Them
This is pretty obvious, but it’s something that cruisers might not think about before purchasing a drinks package.
Consider how much time you plan on spending on the cruise ship during your cruise. You’re only going to be using the package while physically on the ship.
That means, if you’re anticipating spending all day, every day, in port, you’re not using the drink package during that time. It’s also unlikely that you’ll drink enough just in the evenings to get the package’s full value.
However, if you have a few sea days in your itinerary, or if you plan on skipping some ports of call, you’ll have more time to use your package, upping its value.
Tips and Gratuities aren’t Included
Keep in mind as you budget for your cruise that the tips and gratuities associated with ordering each drink is not included in the package cost.
Tips and gratuities will be added to your cruise bill for you to pay at the end of your sailing, so keep that in mind as you compare and contrast the cost of a drinks package versus the cost of ordering your drinks individually.
You Can Just Bring Your Own Alcohol On-Board (But You’re Limited!)
While you can’t bring unlimited amounts of alcohol onboard a cruise ship, most lines will allow each adult in a stateroom to bring one bottle of wine with them. Then, you can enjoy it in your room or, in a restaurant, if you pay a corkage fee.
Worth Reading: Can I Take a Wine Opener on a Cruise?
If you rarely drink, but want to drink to celebrate a special occasion on the ship, for example, you could just opt for this work-around, rather than buying a drinks package or paying for drinks a la carte.
You May Already Get Some Free Drinks
In some cases, you may already be getting some free alcoholic beverages, so it’s not worth paying more to get a better selection or extra drinks.
For example, some cruise lines, like Viking Cruises, include house wine or house beer in your fare, so you don’t need a beverage package unless you’re a picky drinker.
Additionally, you may get some free drinks by being part of the cruise line’s loyalty program or by staying in a luxury suite.
You Might Drink More Than You Want To
It’s something I’ve heard many cruisers complain about. They want to get the full value out of their drinks package that they bought pre-cruise, but now they’re in the middle of a cruise and dealing with daily hangovers and/or simply drinking more than they’d like.
Read Also: What If You Get Caught Sneaking Alcohol on a Cruise?
It can really take the fun out of the cruising experience, but they just feel like they need to get their money’s worth, so they keep up ordering drinks until they’ve broken even on their package.
If you think this might end up being you, skip the drink package.
You Only Drink Beer
Keep in mind that beer is cheaper than cocktails and wine on cruise ships, so if you’re exclusively a beer drinker, you’re going to have to drink much more than someone who drinks cocktails and wine, in order to break even on the drinks package’s cost.
Tally up those totals before buying a package, to see if you really can drink enough beer per day to make the cost worth it.
Should You Buy a Cruise Line Drinks Package?
It all depends on how you weigh the pros and cons. Do you…
- Want the most convenient drinking experience possible, and no worries about budgeting for individual drinks during your cruise?
- Drink enough that you’d save money with a drinks package, while also drinking within the package’s limit, if it has one?
- Drink a lot of specialty beverages, like lattes or soda?
- Want to try new things, including new cocktails, without wasting your cash?
If so, then you might want to buy a cruise line drink package before your next cruise. However, do you…
- Rarely drink more than a few drinks per day while on vacation, if that?
- Plan on spending the large majority of your time off the ship, in port?
- Get free drinks through a loyalty program or via your base cruise fare?
- Have very particular, high-end tastes in alcohol?
- Plan on bringing enough alcohol on board for your cruise, on embarkation day?
If any of the above are true for you, then you might consider just skipping the drinks package and ordering any drinks that you do want, a la carte.
