With Royal Caribbean's singular alcoholic drink package costing anywhere from $65 to $110 per day, some cruisers like to cheat the system to save money. However, the popular cruise line's new beverage policy aims to prevent guests from sharing drinks with passengers.
However, sharing drinks with other passengers is against the Deluxe Beverage Package's rules. The same rules apply to free casino drinks, which were sometimes shared with non-gamblers.
Under the new policy, Royal Caribbean is tightening enforcement by requiring bartenders to open beer cans before serving them.
Previously, you could ask for an unopened beer to take back to your stateroom. Now, the beverage must be opened before leaving the bar to ensure the drink is consumed by the person who ordered it, rather than handing off unopened beverages to other guests.
The change was first reported by Royal Caribbean Blog which highlighted circulating Facebook posts revealing that cruise ships were no longer serving unopened cans of soda to guests with Crown & Anchor loyalty benefits.
Royal Caribbean's loyalty program's highest tiers entitle passengers to free daily drinks. Diamond cruisers receive four free vouchers for drinks up to $14, Diamond Plus guests receive five, and Pinnacle Club six. Cruisers reach Diamond status once they accumulate 80 cruise points.
Guests earn one point each night of their sailing, with two awarded to passengers in suites or traveling solo. So, for example, if you take a 7-night cruise in a suite, you'll earn 14 points compared to 7 in a standard cabin.
Because the daily vouchers must be used and do not roll over to the following day, many Crown & Anchor Society members order drinks to take to their stateroom to maximize their benefits, rather than having them go to waste.
Following Royal Caribbean Blog's initial report, follow-up posts claimed the policy was amended, stating the new rule only applies to alcoholic drinks.
Read more: 18 Royal Caribbean Drink Package Tips
Outraged passengers
One upset guest took to CEO Michael Bayley's Facebook to express frustration.
"[Y]ou need to reconsider your decision on not being able to bring an unopened drink back to my cabin. Being a diamond plus I like to have a few beers in my room at the end of the night and I should be told when I should be drinking them," Bill Peterson wrote.
"Having to open my beers at the bar is [ridiculous]. We worked hard and [paid] a lot of money to become diamond plus And I should be able to make the choice when to drink my complimentary drinks I pay dearly for. Think hard about your decisions I know a lot of cruisers are upset about this."
Royal Caribbean International responded to Peterson's concerns, stating the new policy only applies to alcoholic beverages. Non-alcoholic drinks, such as canned soda and bottled water, are allowed to be taken back to cabins unopened.
"It still is not right. I should be able to use my Pinnacle vouchers any way I want and get unopened beers to take to my cabin to enjoy. [The n]ew policy makes absolutely no sense at all," said Karen Ahr.
Cathy Davies added, "As Diamond Plus members, we have been Loyal to Royal for a very long time. We should not have to open drinks to take them with us. That is fine for those who buy a drink package and share the drinks, but not for those who have earned them. Many like to take them to drink later in their rooms instead of in a crowded bar."
"RCCL is not supporting their loyal members. I understand people's concern over this new rule. I like to get soft drinks- so thankful it doesn't apply to them- although I was denied an unopened soda on my last cruise. But seriously, please rethink these kinds of policies that affect your loyal cruisers. It is forcing us to look at other [cruise lines]."
"This new policy was not well thought out. If there are violations by guests, focus on dealing with those guests that are causing the problem. Don't subject the majority of your loyal guests to mass punishment," noted Joe Healey.
Justin Revell theorized that the changes were made because of passengers cheating the system: "[I]f I was a betting man, this all comes from people cheating the system. Closed drinks can easily be passed onto people without packages. With so many people blatantly saying they are doing it, it's not a surprise."
"What annoys me is, the ones who are abiding by the rules are being penalised, but that's always the way. We are Diamond, 1 point off DP, always buy a drinks package, despite the free drinks and constantly see people just cheating the system! The few ruin it for the masses, is the problem!"
Read more: I tried the Royal Caribbean drink package nobody knows about
Royal Caribbean's Deluxe Beverage Package includes unlimited beverages valued at up to $14
Royal Caribbean's drink packages are among the most popular cruise add-ons, with about 50% of passengers buying a package for their vacation. Other popular add-ons include shore excursions and Wi-Fi packages, none of which are included in the cost of a Royal Caribbean vacation.
Unlike other mainstream lines like Princess or Celebrity, Royal Caribbean has just one alcoholic package. The Deluxe Beverage Package varies in pricing but typically costs $65 to $110 per day. The best price is always found pre-cruise through the line's Pre Cruise Planner.
Royal Caribbean will run sales throughout the year, with some of the best found around Black Friday and Cyber Monday. For example, my fiancée and I recently booked a drink package for our 7-night cruise aboard Icon of the Seas in April 2025. We paid $990.92 altogether including gratuities, breaking down to $70.78 per person, per day. The price at the time of writing increased to $76.99 daily before tips.
If you booked a package right after you placed your deposit and notice that the cost decreased a few months later, you can simply cancel and rebook the drink package at the new, lower price without any penalties.
There are no daily caps to how many beverages you can order with the Deluxe Beverage Package. However, bartenders can refuse service if they believe a guest is intoxicated or acting irresponsibly. This differs from lines like Carnival and MSC which only include up to 15 alcoholic drinks per day.
The package includes a wide range of alcoholic beverages valued at up to $14, from cocktails and beer to wine and spirits, as well as non-alcoholic drinks like sodas, bottled water, freshly squeezed juices, energy drinks, and specialty coffees.
It can even be used ashore to Royal Caribbean's private island in the Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay, as well as the line's private destination in Haiti.
Many passengers find the drink package is worth the high cost considering most cocktails cost $14 before gratuity. In other words, if you spend $70 per day, you need to consume 5 cocktails daily to break even, and that's before factoring in non-alcoholic drinks like soda and specialty coffees.
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.
