Drink Packages

by Todd Beckett

If you read the What's included article, you'll know that most drinks are typically not included in the price of your cruise. One of the biggest expenses that you'll incur onboard is for beverages, especially if you choose to consume alcohol.

The drink packages available across the various cruise lines vary significantly. It's surprising that there doesn't seem to be a "formula" that has been applied across the different cruise lines, but since different lines cater to different audiences, it seems that what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another. One thing that is fairly common, however, is that if there are two adults in a single cabin, both have to get the drink package. This rules is in place to avoid people sharing the package.

Whether or not to purchase a drink package or just pay-as-you-go is, at least in part, a matter of simple math. If you don't have experience on a cruise, however, it's hard to figure out what numbers to plug into your calculator. The key is to first understand what is and isn't included in the drink package you are considering. This is important because it varies across the industry. The second consideration is the typical cost of the type of drink you prefer on the cruise line you've booked. You can often find menus online that will give you an idea of the costs. This is a rough guideline for cruises out of the United States in U.S. dollars:

  • Beer - $5-8
  • Cocktails - $9-12
  • Wine - $7-9
  • Soda - $2-3
  • Specialty coffee - $4-6

For premium alcohols, prices can go much higher.

The final consideration is how many of each type of drink are you likely to consume, on average, in a day. You are likely to consume more on a sea day when you're on the ship all day as compared to a port day where you'll likely spend hours off the ship. A example of a typical sea day might be:

  • Specialty coffee in the morning
  • Bottle of water by the pool
  • Three beers during the day by the pool
  • Glass of wine with dinner
  • Cocktail after dinner

In that example, the person would spend about $40 in the day depending on the quality of liquor or wine consumed. For most drink packages, when you include tips, that would be roughly the break-even point.

If you do the math and you're still on the fence, one additional thing to consider is whether or not the cost certainty is worth anything to you. Prepaying for a drink package or at the very least knowing exactly what it will cost once on-board is a major benefit for some. Not worrying about mentally adding each drink to a running tally in your head can be one more way to make your vacation slightly more relaxing.

Finally, in your research about cruising, you will almost certainly see posts about people sneaking alcohol on-board. While it's your decision whether to attempt this or not, we strongly discourage it. Alcohol sales are part of what keep cruise prices reasonable, but it's also not very inconvenient to head to your room or carry a flask when you want a drink. Allowing bartenders to monitor alcohol intake can also help protect the experience of your fellow cruisers.

Below is a set of links to details for each cruise line's drink packages, where available. For all cruise lines listed below, except Princess, all cruisers age 21 and over in the same stateroom must purchase the packages if they include alcohol. Additional rules may apply, so read the rules carefully, do a bit of math, and make the decision that's best for you.

Carnival

Celebrity

Costa

Cunard

Note: Cunard does not currently have a page that describes the drink package options, so the link provided is to another site that has collected the relevant information. It is subject to change, so verify with the cruise line. The link will be updated here when Cunard publishes its own information.

Disney

Disney includes soda (except at bars and lounges) but does not offer traditional alcoholic drink packages. Only multi-bottle wine packages are offered.

Holland America

MSC

Norwegian

Note: Norwegian often has drinks-included cruise fares that make the packages more affordable compared to competitors.

Princess

Royal Caribbean

 

 

 

 

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