Sipping a fruity cocktail on the top deck of a cruise ship is a quintessential vacation experience for many. In fact, cruising and drinking often go hand-in-hand.
Because of this, cruise lines offer drink packages for guests to purchase both before and during their cruises. For a fixed amount, cruisers can purchase drink packages to enjoy unlimited (or nearly unlimited) alcoholic beverages throughout their vacation. Everything from piña coladas to mojitos, old fashioned, martinis, and more are typically included.
Drink packages are popular for many cruisers, as the add-on can make your cruise feel more all-inclusive. More than 50% of cruisers purchase drink packages, according to Royal Caribbean. Those who drink over the daily threshold can make their investments worthwhile, while others simply want peace of mind to worry about racking up a huge bill during their cruise.
With this in mind, I have to admit that I usually refrain from booking drink packages when I cruise. To start, these packages are expensive and easily add hundreds of dollars to your vacation budget. Additionally, I struggle to drink consistently over an extended period of time. I can have a few cocktails, but most drink packages require anywhere from 5-6 cocktails daily just to break even.
However, I’m not opposed to purchasing a drink package for a cruise if the price is right. Having the flexibility to order a drink whenever I want on vacation certainly adds a luxurious element to my otherwise budget-style cruising.
Recently, I’ve tried out the different drink packages on four different cruise lines: Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Celebrity Cruises. The first two drink packages were splurges while the latter two were included in the price of my cruise. Here’s how the experiences compared across the cruise lines, including the cost I paid, drink options, package inclusions, restrictions, and policies.
Royal Caribbean's Deluxe Drink Package
Cruise Daily Cost: $250 for two people
Daily Drink Cost: $92.00 per person
Total Drink Cost: $736.16 for two people on a 4-night cruise
Royal Caribbean offers only one drink package that includes alcohol, known as the Deluxe Drink Package. The cruise line does not have a set price for its package, instead relying on a dynamic pricing system. The package can cost anywhere from $60 to $100 per person per day, so my purchase was on the higher end.
Because Royal Caribbean only offers one alcoholic drink package, it’s very all-inclusive. You can enjoy top-shelf liquor and pretty much unlimited drinks throughout your cruise. In this way, there are few restrictions, so you don’t have to stress about what is or isn’t included.
Royal Caribbean’s Deluxe Beverage Package includes all cocktails, beers, and wines by the glass valued up to $14. The package also includes mocktails, soda, bottled water, specialty coffees, Johnny Rockets shakes, and freshly squeezed juices. It’s important to note that all guests of drinking age within the stateroom have to purchase a drink package with Royal Caribbean.
However, Royal Caribbean provides free daily drink vouchers for its top-tier loyalty members. As a Diamond Plus member, I already receive five daily drinks up to $14 each (this is also true for my husband). Because of this, we rarely consider purchasing a drink package.
Our splurge on this drink package was for a special occasion, as we were cruising with our friends to celebrate a big career milestone. Everyone else was getting a drink package, and we thought this would be the perfect time to try it out. However, with our loyalty status, my husband and I would already each receive five free drinks. In this way, our “break-even” point was much higher, requiring about 10 drinks daily.
Although we had a strong start on our first two days of the cruise, we lost our stamina. Drink fatigue was real, and we found ourselves drinking simply because we had paid for the package. We decided we wouldn’t purchase another drink package with Royal Caribbean because of the high cost. Our daily drink vouchers are more than sufficient - and better yet, they’re entirely free!
Even though Royal Caribbean’s package was a waste of money for us, I enjoyed many aspects of the package. Everything we ordered was included in the package, including our favorite espresso martinis, mojitos, old fashions, and piña coladas. It was relaxing knowing we could order whatever we felt like drinking without restriction.
Carnival Cruise Line's CHEERS! Beverage Program
Cruise Daily Cost: $266.50 for two people
Daily Drink Cost: $82.54 per person
Total Cost: $660.32 for two people on a 4-night itinerary
Similar to Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line only offers one alcoholic drink package to guests known as the CHEERS! Beverage Program. Carnival is known for its lively, party ships, so having a drink package is one of the most popular add-ons for guests.
If you choose to splurge, all guests 21 years and older in the same stateroom are required to have the CHEERS! Program. Most beverages are included, such as cocktails, beer, and wine up to $20 each. Sodas, mocktails, specialty coffee, bottled water, energy drinks, and tea are also included. Like Royal Caribbean, Carnival’s CHEERS! drink program is essentially all-inclusive.
However, one of the biggest restrictions of Carnival’s drink package is a daily drink limit. Each guest is only allowed 15 alcoholic drinks per day with the package, and you cannot go over this limit. The clock resets at 6am each day. While this certainly wasn’t a concern for me, others should note this limit.
I was eager to try Carnival’s drink package for the first time, as there were many cocktails onboard that I wanted to try. It felt like a luxury being able to order whatever drink I wanted, such as specialty coffee in the morning, frozen cocktails on the pool deck, and martinis at dinner. Carnival has many themed bars with special drink menus, so we put the package to good use.
Most of Carnival’s standard cocktails cost around $14, so I needed at least six cocktails each day to break even. I also ordered specialty lattes and bottled water, which cost $6 and $2.25 respectively. Not feeling pressured to finish a drink that I didn’t care for was another added bonus of the drink package, as I’m newer to Carnival and still discovering my favorite drinks.
Read more: What's the cost of a drink package on Carnival? (2024)
Even still, I’m not convinced the drink package was worth the splurge. I was only able to break even one day of my cruise, as I was tired of drinking by the end of the cruise. While it was fun being able to try new drinks onboard, such as a peach cosmo at the chemistry-themed Alchemy Bar and a watermelon martini at the specialty steakhouse, the package lost its zest by the final day of the cruise.
By the end of the sailing, I was ordering drinks I really didn’t want or need. I felt obligated to get my money’s worth, as the cost of the drink package was almost the same price as the cruise itself! Overall, I won’t be purchasing Carnival’s drink package again because my drinking habits are too casual to make the investment worthwhile.
Norwegian Cruise Line's Unlimited Open Bar Package
Daily Cruise Cost: $388 for two people
Daily Drink Cost: $21.80 per person
Total Drink Cost: $523.20 for two people on a 12-night itinerary
Norwegian Cruise Line operates slightly differently from other mainstream cruise lines when it comes to pricing and drink packages. The cruise line offers its “Free at Sea” program for most cabins, which includes the Unlimited Open Bar drink package, specialty dining credits, shore excursion credits, and internet minutes.
In this way, you will only pay the gratuities charge for the drink package if your cabin includes the Free at Sea pricing. For my 12-night sailing, this was $260 for my portion of the cabin. The Free at Sea package also included $50 shore excursion credits for each port, which I was planning to purchase. This saved me $300 alone, so the Free at Sea package was a no-brainer.
With Unlimited Open Bar, you can enjoy unlimited alcoholic drinks valued at up to $15 each for cocktails, beer, and wine by the glass. For those who want a more inclusive drink package, Norwegian also offers a Premium Plus Drink Package for a daily upgraded cost of $29 per person. All guests of drinking age within the same stateroom are required to have the same drink package.
For this cruise, it’s important to note the average daily cost per person of the sailing was about $100 more for the “Free at Sea” pricing package. Although the drink package appears to be significantly cheaper than other cruise lines, the higher cost of the cruise should be taken into account too.
Regardless, Norwegian’s standard drink package was a nice enhancement to my overall cruise experience. My go-to drinks, including mojitos, peach bellinis, and piña coladas, were all included in the drink package. However, there were two restrictions with the standard package that left me disappointed.
First, bottled water was not included in the standard package. This policy didn’t make sense to me, as bottled water is cheaper than the included $15 cocktails. Because we were spending long, hot days in the African sun, I wished bottled water was included in the package. Second, specialty coffee was not included either, although this is also cheaper than $15. I love having a latte in the morning while cruising, so I frustratedly paid out of pocket for this a few times.
However, because I hadn’t spent hundreds of dollars solely on the drink package, I didn’t feel the same pressure to drink frequently and substantially. On a 12-night cruise, I was able to casually drink throughout the itinerary without overdoing it. I found myself ordering drinks because I wanted them, not because I was feeling pressure.
Bundling the drink package with the cruise fare allowed me to indulge when I wanted, rather than calculating whether I was getting my investment’s worth. Because of Norwegian’s pricing structure, I would purchase another fare that includes a drink package if the price is right. In fact, Norwegian recently announced its “More at Sea” program with enhanced drink benefits that I will research before my next sailing.
Celebrity Cruises' Classic Drink Package
Daily Cruise Cost: $140 for two people
Drink Cost: Included in “Always Included” pricing
Celebrity Cruises is a premium cruise line that offers multiple pricing options for its guests, including cabin-only fares and more all-inclusive fares. This “Always Included” pricing with drinks and internet packages bundled together can offer substantial savings for guests who already plan to purchase internet and drinks.
On its own, Celebrity’s Classic Drink Package is typically priced at $107.99 per person per day while the upgraded Premium Drink Package is $125.99 per person per day. Celebrity Cruises states on its website that guests can save up to $800 with “Always Included," but all guests in the same stateroom have to book the same rate.
On a recent 15-night sailing in Australia, I booked an interior cabin for $4,200 with the Always Included package. This was a refundable rate that included drinks, internet, and gratuities! The reservation was made through my travel agent, and she was able to secure an exclusive group rate for the sailing. This was an incredible deal, as it was $100 cheaper than the price advertised on Celebrity’s website, which only included a non-refundable cabin fare without perks.
Although I qualify for some drink perks with Celebrity Cruises because of my Royal Caribbean status (the two brands are owned by the same company), a drink package would be more flexible and comprehensive. Upgrading to the premium option would have cost around $450 for the two of us, which was a splurge we didn’t make.
With the Classic Drink Package, unlimited drinks up to $10 are included for cocktails, beer, and wine. Specialty coffees, teas, soft drinks, and bottled water are also included. However, the price allocation per drink actually increases to $12 for sailings from UK and Australian ports. Because we were sailing from Australia, we were able to order cocktails at this higher threshold.
Read more: Is a Celebrity drink package worth it? I tried it to see whether it was worth the money
Considering we saved money by purchasing this inclusive rate, every drink I consumed on my cruise was guilt-free. I wasn’t sure if the Classic Drink Package would feel too restrictive, but almost every drink I ordered seemed to be included. I tried everything from piña coladas to mudslides, mojitos, Bahama Mamas, rum punches, limoncello spritzes, and martinis.
Specialty lattes and bottled water being included was a huge perk of the drink package. I ordered many bottles of water to stay hydrated in our sunny ports of call throughout Australia and Bali. I also ordered my morning latte to get the day started and loved having this included in the drink package.
Read more: 15 best tips and tricks to Celebrity Cruise drink packages
Overall, I have no qualms with Celebrity’s drink package. Considering I saved money by purchasing the all-inclusive rate, I will continue to price out my future sailings in this way. I didn’t feel the need to upgrade my drink package either, as everything I wanted to drink seemed to be included in the standard package.
Which drink package is best?
At the end of the day, you have to decide how your money is best spent while cruising. If you value flexibility and freedom with your cruise drinks, then splurging on a drink package might be worthwhile. However, casual drinkers or budget-conscious cruisers might not get their money’s worth.
Each cruise line’s drink options have their pros and cons, and it’s important to do some research before making the investment. After trying four drink packages on different cruise lines, I’m not fully convinced that the splurge is worth it on every cruise line.
Royal Caribbean’s Deluxe Drink Package: Although highly inclusive, this package comes at a premium price with a high daily consumption requirement to break even. Top shelf liquor is included and drinks are truly unlimited during your cruise. For loyalty members, the value may be reduced, as the daily free drink vouchers can offset the need for a package.
Carnival’s CHEERS! Package: Carnival’s party ships always have alcohol flowing, so this package is popular for a reason. The package adds convenience to the cruise experience because of the variety of drinks included and its all-inclusive nature. However, the 15-drink daily limit might not be for everyone. If you’re a casual drinker like me, achieving the break-even point could feel forced.
Norwegian’s Unlimited Open Bar: Offering flexibility as part of the Free at Sea bundle, this package is cost-effective for those interested in bundled perks. Upgrade options are available, but some of the restrictions are annoying. For example, the exclusions of bottled water and specialty coffee can be a drawback.
Celebrity’s Classic Drink Package: Included in their “Always Included” pricing, this package offers great value, especially with items like bottled water and specialty coffee covered. The flexibility and guilt-free indulgence made it a standout for me, especially when bundled with other perks. Consider asking a travel agent for group rates that include perks for the best value.
Allie Hubers
Allie Hubers has been cruising since she was a tiny toddler. What started as a yearly vacation with family quickly turned into a passion for travel, cruising and adventure. Allie's been on over 45 cruises all over the world. She even studied abroad on Semester at Sea, sailing the world on a ship while taking courses for college and visiting 4 continents.
