Royal Caribbean quietly updated the terms of its drink packages — and many cruisers are upset with the sudden change.
Effective March 15, 2026, the previously included Coca-Cola® souvenir cup will cost extra for guests with the Deluxe or Royal Refreshment Packages, as first reported by Royal Caribbean Blog.
In the past, guests could pick up their included Coca-Cola® souvenir cup on embarkation day and have unlimited access to the Freestyle machines throughout the voyage. Now, access to the convenient Coca-Cola® Freestyle machine will come with a nominal fee of $4.99 per souvenir cup.
Purchasing the cup is optional, as canned and fountain soda from the ship's bars, lounges, and restaurants will still be included. However, if you prefer the Freestyle machine’s flavor options, you'll have to shell out extra money on top of what you paid for the beverage package.
It's important to note that the policy change only impacts the Deluxe and Royal Refreshment Packages — the Classic Soda Package still includes the Coca-Cola® souvenir cup and unlimited access to the Freestyle machine.
Additionally, if you purchase a drink package on or before March 15, 2026, you will retain the previous souvenir cup and Freestyle machine benefits, meaning that you won't be charged for a cup during your sailing. The new policy applies to beverage packages bought after March 15.
The policy change was met with conflicting reactions from cruisers
Cruise line cutbacks are always controversial topics, and the latest Royal Caribbean drink package change is no exception. Some guests acknowledged that the soda cups weren't used, while others shared frustration over the rising onboard cost.
"As someone who usually starts the day with a couple cups of Powerade to shake off the night before and will grab a soda to enjoy with my Sorrentos on a ship that has it, this is a joke. I laid out $300 for the DX on a 5 night sailing in about a month and I need to drop $5 on a cup to not have to wait at a bar for a soda, or a Powerade at a Cafe?" commented one frustrated Redditor.
Mylabisawesome agreed, writing, "This is literally extortion by nickel and [dimming] you. You can buy the package but to actually use it costs more. We [don't] even bring the cups home."
"This is just going to encourage people to cheat the package more. I bought my kids the refreshment package, but now I can cancel it, pay $5 for a cup, and give it to them (I have the DBP and don't use the machines)," someone else added.
Even so, others argued that the sheer number of souvenir cups given out was a waste.
"Overall i think it is a good change. A ton of cups [don't] get used or only used for the cruise and then thrown into the trash 5 dollars is very reasonable to pay for that cup for those that really need it," said azspeedbullet.
AntifaMiddleMgmt commented, "I agree. So much waste with these things. And on many boats, there just aren't very many freestyle machines, so often, one would not be inclined to make the trek to refill it. We have 12 of these at home in a box in the basement. On our next [cruise] this summer, my wife and I weren't even going to bother picking ours up. My kids mostly use them for water at night next to their bed."
Royal Caribbean drink package cost
The Royal Caribbean drink package cost varies depending on which one you select — Deluxe Beverage, Royal Refreshment, or Classic Soda — along with certain factors like the cruise ship, sail date, and itinerary.
Currently, the Deluxe Beverage Package ranges from $56 to $120 per person, per day, while the Royal Refreshment Package can cost anywhere between $29 and $42 per person, per day. The price for a Classic Soda Package falls between $9.99 and $18 per person, per day.
If you want to save money on your Royal Caribbean drink package, you'll want to reserve your beverage package before you sail through the Cruise Planner. The pre-cruise planning portal offers lucrative sales on add-ons like drink packages, Wi-Fi, and shore excursions.
Read more: How much is a Royal Caribbean drink package?
What is included in the Royal Caribbean drink package?
Other than removing the soda cup as part of the packages' benefits, no other changes were made to what is included in Royal Caribbean's beverage packages.
You can expect the Deluxe Beverage Package to continue to include unlimited alcoholic drinks (valued at up to $14 per serving), such as liquor, beer, wine, and cocktails.
The package also includes a solid lineup of non-alcoholic options — ranging from canned and fountain soda to fresh and bottled juices, smoothies, protein shakes, specialty coffees and tea (excluding licensed Starbucks® stores), bottled and sparkling water, Red Bull, Powerade, Johnny Rockets® Shakes, mocktails, non-alcoholic beers, and more.
The Royal Refreshment Package is ideal for minors or adults who care more about the non-alcoholic drink options.
It includes mocktails, specialty coffees and teas (excluding licensed Starbucks® stores), canned and fountain soda, bottled still and sparkling water, fresh-squeezed juices, smoothies, protein shakes, Johnny Rockets® Shakes and Desserted Soda Floats, non-alcoholic wines (only available to guests of legal drinking age), frozen drinks, and more.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Having sailed on over 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Margaritaville at Sea, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
In addition to writing for Cruise.Blog, Elizabeth has bylines in Business Insider, Royal Caribbean Blog, and Cruiseshipfood.com.
