Drink packages are one of the most popular cruise add-ons. By purchasing a Princess Cruises beverage package, you can enjoy a fixed number of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks for a set daily price during your sailing.
Princess' base fare isn't all-inclusive, so while you won't have to worry about paying extra for theater productions or meals in the Main Dining Room, you will need to budget for optional expenses like specialty dining, excursions, and alcoholic beverages.
Drink packages help cruisers budget for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages not included in the fare, including cocktails, wine, beer, soft drinks, and premium water.
After you've placed your deposit, you can purchase one of Princess' beverage packages through their online planner. Alternatively, you can book one of Princess' bundled fares, which are more inclusive than the standard cruise fare and can save up to $220 per passenger, per day.
When choosing an upgraded fare, you must pay for it upfront for the duration of your cruise, whether a 7-, 14-, or 21-night sailing.
Rather than offer a one-size-fits-all package, Princess has four options to suit different preferences and drinking habits. From a soda-only package to their most inclusive offering with top-shelf beverages, here's a comprehensive guide to Princess Cruises drink packages.
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Princess Cruises drink package overview
Princess offers four drink packages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, for guests to choose from. They range from $14.99 to $90.00 per day, plus an 18% service charge.
Classic Soda Package
At $14.99 per day, the Classic Soda Package is Princess' most affordable drink package. While you can purchase the Stateroom Canned Soda Package for $11.80, the price only includes 6 cans.
The Classic Soda Package doesn't have any daily limits, so you can indulge in as many fountain sodas, canned sodas, mocktails, smoothies, and juices (excluding those from the fresh juice bar) as you wish.
As the cheapest package, it's also the most restrictive. Bottled, premium coffees and teas, hot chocolate, and ice-cream-based drinks are not included.
Zero-Alcohol Drink Package
Princess' Zero-Alcohol Drink Package is the ultimate drink package for children, teens, or adults who prefer indulging in non-alcoholic beverages at sea.
For $29.99 per day, the Zero-Alcohol Drink Package includes all premium coffees and teas, hot chocolate, fountain sodas, canned sodas, fresh juices and smoothies, bottled still and sparkling water, Frappes at Coffee & Cones, mocktails, smoothies, Red Bull, and milkshakes.
Moreover, guests with the Zero-Alcohol Drink Package will receive a 25% discount on large water bottles when purchased in bars, the Main Dining Room, or specialty restaurants.
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Plus Beverage Package
The Plus Beverage Package is one of Princess' two alcoholic packages, meaning you must be of legal drinking age in order to purchase it. It costs $64.99 per person, per day through the online planner. However, you can bundle it with your cruise fare by purchasing the "Princess Plus" rate, which costs $60 per day. Note that the Plus Package has a 15-daily maximum on alcoholic beverages within 24 hours (6 a.m. to 6 a.m.).
With this package, you'll get all beer, spirits, wine by the glass, and cocktails valued at up to $15.00 (or AUD 22 for all sailings departing from and returning to Australia and New Zealand), as well as 500ml sparkling and still bottled water, fountain sodas, fresh juices and smoothies, specialty coffees and teas, Frappes at Coffee & Cones, and Red Bull energy drinks.
Finally, the Plus Beverage Package includes a 25% discount on all wine and one-liter water bottles.
Premier Beverage Package
If you want the most inclusive beverage experience onboard a Princess cruise ship, you'll want to purchase the Premier Beverage Package. As such, it's the most expensive drink package offered by Princess, costing $84.99 per guest, per day. It's included in the Princess Premier package for just $90 per day, which also includes unlimited specialty dining, Wi-Fi for up to four devices, and more.
The Premier Beverage Package includes all beer, spirits, wine by the glass, and cocktails valued at up to $20.00 (or AUD 30 for all sailings departing from and returning to Australia and New Zealand). The non-alcoholic options are similar to the Plus Package; however, all bottles of still and sparkling water—including one-liter bottles—are included.
This means you'll have unlimited access to water, fountain soda, fresh juices, and smoothies, Frappes at Coffee & Cones, specialty coffees and teas, and Red Bull. It also has the same 25% discount on bottles of wine as the Plus Package.
Read more: 11 things I loved and hated about my first Princess cruise
How much do beverages cost á la carte?
You can sail onboard a Princess ship without a drink package; however, you'll have to pay for each drink you get outside of the included options. Below is a list of a few cocktails, wines, spirits, and beers onboard Princess ships and how much they cost (note that prices are subject to change):
- Bud Light ($7.00)
- Truly Hard Seltzer ($7.50)
- Absolut Vodka ($8.00)
- Johnnie Walker Black Label ($10.00)
- Canyon Road Chardonnay ($10.00/glass)
- Old Fashioned ($10.00)
- Mai Tai ($10.00)
- Bahama Mama ($11.00)
- Espresso Martini ($15.00)
- Mermaid Mimosa ($18.00)
- Silverado Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.00/glass)
Is a Princess drink package worth it?
With a minimum charge of $64.99 for an alcoholic package, investing in a Princess beverage package isn't cheap. However, the initial investment may save you money if you plan on drinking a considerable amount.
Many cocktails onboard Princess ships cost around $10 to $11, so you'd have to consume around 7 drinks per day to break even. The threshold is even higher for beer, with most costing $7 each. If you think you can manage 9+ beers daily, the Plus Beverage Package is worth the cost.
Of course, it's nice knowing that non-alcoholic drinks are included in the higher-end packages. Even if you can't manage to drink 7 or more cocktails, beers, or glasses of wine daily, you'll be able to enjoy fountain sodas, specialty coffees, and more, which helps provide an inclusive beverage experience compared to the standard offerings.
Read more: I paid $60 per day to see if Princess Cruises' inclusive package was worth the cost
Another factor to consider is convenience. Counting pennies on vacation is not fun and takes away from the enjoyment of the trip. With a drink package, you won't have to spend time calculating how much you've spent on alcoholic beverages.
Plus, you'll be able to appropriately budget for your cruise ahead of time. If, for example, the Plus Package costs around $536 for a weeklong cruise, you won't have to worry about unexpected drink expenses onboard. Instead, you can allocate funds to other add-ons, like shore excursions, spa treatments, Wi-Fi packages, specialty dining, and more.
Additionally, Princess' drink packages allow passengers to step outside of their comfort zone. You have the freedom to order a beverage just to try it, and if you don't like it, there's no financial penalty. Instead, you can head to another bar and try something else or stick with your tried-and-true favorites.
While certain scenarios lend themselves to finding one of Princess' drink packages valuable, you may not be able to take full advantage of one if you have a port-intensive sailing. After long days ashore, the last thing on your mind may be downing multiple cocktails to break even.
Moreover, each guest of legal drinking age can bring one 750ml bottle of wine or champagne onboard on embarkation day. While not an unlimited allowance, bringing wine onboard allows passengers to enjoy a few beverages at a discounted rate, as most glasses of wine are around $10 each.
If you plan on drinking just one or two glasses per day, bringing a bottle onboard and buying additional drinks as needed is more cost-effective compared to the price of Princess Cruises' beverage packages.
Read more: Are cruise drink packages worth it?
Princess Plus versus Princess Premier
When booking your Princess cruise, you'll have to decide between three different fares: Princess Standard, Princess Plus, and Princess Premier. The latter two are meant to provide passengers with a more inclusive experience; however, the overall cost is more expensive than Princess Standard, the base fare that covers the MedallionClass Experience.
Princess Plus isn't the most inclusive rate, but you'll have far more included in your fare compared to Princess Standard, including the Plus Beverage Package (capped at 15 alcoholic drinks per day), Wi-Fi, gratuities, two premium desserts daily, 2 casual dining meals per guest, and more.
At just $60 per day, it's a great value for any cruiser contemplating a drink package. Princess Plus costs more than the Plus Beverage Package as an add-on, so you'll save money by choosing the more expensive fare—even if it's just $4.99 per day.
Read more: Is Princess Plus Worth it?
Costing $90 per person, per day, Princess Premier is more expensive than the Premier Beverage Package; however, if you're interested in unlimited specialty meals, the upgrade is a no-brainer. The Princess Premier fare includes everything that the Plus fare does, as well as:
- Unlimited Premium Drinks (up to $20, rather than $15—plus no daily cap)
- Wi-Fi (up to 4 devices per guest)
- Unlimited specialty meals
- Photo package (unlimited digital + 3 prints)
- Princess Prizes
- Unlimited Premium desserts and fitness classes
- Special Medallion accessory
- Reserved theater seating (for production shows only)
- Unlimited casual dining meals per guest
The only way to get an unlimited alcoholic package on a Princess cruise is to purchase the Princess Premier fare. If you add the Premier Beverage Package to your cruise, you'll be subject to the 15-drink daily maximum.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every person in the stateroom have to purchase a package?
No, if you add the drink packages after booking, Princess Cruises doesn't require every guest to have one. However, it's strictly against Princess' rules to share drink packages. If caught, you risk having the package revoked with no refund issued.
That said, if you want to bundle your add-ons at the time of booking with Princess Plus or Princess Premier, all passengers must have the same fare. In other words, one adult cannot book the Princess Plus rate while others in the cabin book Princess Standard.
Are the drink packages unlimited?
No, the Plus Beverage Package and Premier Beverage Package have daily limits. Guests can only order 15 alcoholic drinks per 24-hour period, defined as 6 a.m. to 6 a.m. There aren't any limits on non-alcoholic drinks, though. If you start your day with a specialty coffee, it will not count against your daily alcoholic cap.
The two non-alcoholic packages are unlimited, so passengers with the Zero-Alcohol and Classic Soda Packages do not have to worry about any daily restrictions.
Do Princess drink packages include gratuities?
Yes, when you book your Princess drink package, gratuities are automatically added. After gratuity, the daily price of each package comes out to the following:
- Classic Soda Package: $17.69/day
- Zero-Alcohol Package: $35.39/day
- Plus Beverage Package: $76.70/day
- Premier Beverage Package: $100.30/day
If you book Princess Plus or Princess Premier, gratuities, both for the cruise fare and alcoholic beverages, are included.
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Can I use my drink package at Princess Cays?
Yes, all drink packages work ashore at Princess' private destination in The Bahamas. This means you can enjoy tropical beverages while basking in the Bahamian sun! This differs from Carnival and Holland America Line, as they don't allow guests to use drink packages while at Half Moon Cay.
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.
