Whether you're looking forward to a family-friendly getaway or celebrating a friend's birthday, you've likely thought about purchasing a drink package for your upcoming Carnival cruise. With the CHEERS! Package costing as much as $74.95 per person, per day, splurging on one isn't a cheap investment.
With that, however, you'll get up to 15 alcoholic beverages per day of your sailing, each of which can be valued up to $20.00. Most cocktails tend to be around $12-$14, so you only have to drink six fruity beverages per day to break even. Plus, you're able to enjoy non-alcohol drinks, too, such as specialty coffees, mocktails, energy drinks, soda, and more. If you're planning on consuming more than usual, drink packages can often help save money while giving you peace of mind during your cruise.
Still, though, the price of a package for a 5-night cruise is around $440 per person. If you're traveling with a group, the cost can add up quickly. In fact, it is not uncommon for the total cost of everyone's drink packages to surpass the cost of the initial cruise fare.
When browsing Carnival's website, a 6-day cruise onboard Carnival Magic begins at $379 per person for an inside cabin in October 2024. Even though that price doesn't include taxes, port fees, and gratuities, the cost of a CHEERS! Package would be more than the base fare, or $389.70 per person.
Read more: 15 Best Carnival Drink Package Tips (2024)
While you may think that purchasing one package and sharing it amongst the group will be an easy way to save money, doing so is against Carnival's policies and can result in your package being revoked without a refund
To prevent passengers from sharing packages, all guests over the legal drinking age staying in the same stateroom are required to purchase the package. You won't be able to navigate to the final stage of the booking process until you select all eligible passengers.
Of course, if your party is divided amongst cabins, it's a little easier to bypass this requirement. Even so, Carnival Cruise Line discourages sharing packages. If you're caught, they have the right to revoke your package, even if you are only a few days into your weeklong cruise.
The sharing of packages isn't permitted for a few reasons. First, they profit off of each package sold. If one person pays $440 for a 5-night cruise and shares it with another passenger, that's $440 that Carnival won't see. Additionally, they cannot verify the age of guests who are handed a drink, whereas everyone who orders at the bar must present their Sail & Sign card.
Even if you think you're being sneaky, it's easier to get caught than you think. There are cameras located all around the ship, and bartenders are trained to keep an eye out for those who might be taking advantage of drink packages.
Far-Brother3882 responded to a Reddit thread saying that they once traveled with a couple who purchased a CHEERS! Package. "She ordered a drink and he finished it," they wrote, "The bartenders in Alchemy got all over her about it."
Moreover, Reddit user belles16 claimed that they witnessed someone getting their package revoked before: "Saw someone hand off a specialty coffee last cruise. So did a Carnival employee. He came over and asked to see both sign and sail cards. He then informed the man that his Cheers package was revoked, and no refund."
In short, though there is certainly a monetary benefit to sharing drink packages, the risks far outweigh the rewards.
There are a few ways you can save money on alcoholic beverages on your upcoming Carnival cruise
First, you should purchase your drink package ahead of time. Carnival's pre-cruise cost for sailings that are 3, 4, and 5 nights is $74.95 per person, per day, while the price for a package on cruises that are 6+ nights is $64.95. If, however, you opt to purchase your package in advance, you can save 10%, bringing the daily price down to $59.95 for sailings that are 6+ nights and $69.96 for those that are 5 nights or less.
Let's say that you're going on a 5-night cruise onboard Carnival Elation. You'll save about $29.50 if you buy your package ahead of time. Similarly, a CHEERS! Package on a 7-night cruise onboard Carnival Celebration, one of Carnival's newest Excel Class ships, will cost you around $536.48 onboard and $495.18 ahead of time, amounting to roughly $41.30 in savings.
You're able to secure the lower price until 11:59pm the day before embarkation via the online planner and 9:00pm EST through the call center.
Read more: What's the cost of a drink package on Carnival? (2024)
It's also important to debate whether you truly need a package or not. Between the alcohol you're allowed to bring onboard to days spent ashore, it's possible that you won't take full advantage of the package's benefits, especially on a longer sailing.
To get the most bang for your buck, you'll have to consume a minimum number of beverages each day. For cruises that are 3-5 nights, that's about six cocktails or ten beers. If your sailing is 6+ nights, the price of your package decreases, meaning that the minimum number of beverages does, too. Rather than having to drink six cocktails each day to break even, you only have to order five.
Since it's vacation, you may be planning on indulging in more alcoholic drinks than usual. Will you, however, be able to drink the minimum number daily during a 7-, 8-, or 9-night cruise? Many cruisers start off strong then taper off as the sailing progresses.
Moreover, the package does come with some restrictions. Though it's fairly inclusive in nature while onboard, you won't be able to use it on Carnival's private island, Half Moon Cay, in The Bahamas. Is it worth spending upwards of $74.95 when you'll have to pay extra for every drink you order ashore?
At the time of writing, there hasn't been an announcement regarding whether packages can be used on Celebration Key, Carnival's new private destination in The Bahamas that's slated to open in mid-2025. The answer could sway potential buyers either way.
Read more: 6 reasons why you should get a Carnival drink package
What does a CHEERS! Package include?
Carnival is similar to Royal Caribbean in that both lines only offer one alcoholic beverage package, whereas lines like MSC, Celebrity, and Norwegian give cruisers the option to select a cheaper package with limited options or a more expensive and inclusive one.
With the CHEERS! Package, you'll be able to order any spirit, cocktail, beer, or glass of wine that's valued up to $20. You'll have an extensive list to choose from, so you should never struggle to find the perfect drink to satisfy your desires, whether that's a glass of wine with dinner or a tropical cocktail on the lido deck.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she had the privilege of traveling frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas her freshman year of high school. She wanted to pursue a career that highlighted her passion for travel and strengths as a writer.
