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It’s easy to run up a monster bill ordering wine, beer and mixed drinks by the glass on a cruise ship. The cost of alcoholic drinks — particularly cocktails — on cruise vessels can be high. But for those who regularly order several alcoholic drinks a day when cruising, there’s a way to save: a flat-fee drink package.
Nearly all the major mass-market cruise lines offer flat-fee drink packages that, in some cases, can save you money when cruising. The exceptions are Disney Cruise Line and Virgin Voyages, though both offer alternative ways to save on beverage purchases.
But what’s included in a cruise ship drink package, and how do they work? And, perhaps more to the point, how much do cruise drink packages cost? Read on for the answers in this ultimate guide to cruise drink packages.
For a line-by-line guide to drink package costs, inclusions, limitations and fine print, scroll to the second half of the guide.
What is a drink package on a cruise ship?
Cruise ship drink packages let you order as many drinks as you want (or up to a set daily limit) while on a cruise for one flat fee. This replaces paying for drinks one at a time.
On some lines, there are several tiers of drink packages. Basic tiers often include just sodas and bottled water. More elaborate (and expensive) tiers will add alcoholic and nonalcoholic cocktails, wine, beer and specialty coffee drinks. In some cases, there will be more than one tier of such all-encompassing plans.
Some lines also offer coffee cards that let you get a set number of fancy coffee drinks at a shipboard coffee bar at a discounted price. Some lines also offer wine-specific packages.
Related: Unpopular opinion: I prefer this to a cruise alcohol package
How much do alcoholic drink packages cost on cruise ships?
The cost of cruise ship drink packages varies widely by line. At several of the biggest cruise brands — like Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC Cruises and Holland America — the main drink packages that include all types of drinks cost $29 to $95 per person, per day. Other brands, such as Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises, charge more than $100 per person, per day for a top-tier package.
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Drink packages that don’t include alcoholic drinks, such as soda packages, typically cost far less. Soda packages are often under $12 per person, per day. Note that some cruise lines discount drink packages if you buy them online in advance of sailing, and others offer periodic sales on their drink packages online.
Related: How to get free or cheap drinks on a cruise
Can you buy drinks on a cruise without a drink package?
Yes. All major cruise lines will let you buy drinks on an a la carte basis when cruising. You don’t need a drink package to be able to drink alcoholic beverages or any other type of beverage on a ship.
Can you share a drink package on a cruise ship?
In many cases, no. Several of the biggest cruise lines — including Carnival, Holland America and MSC — have a rule that if one adult in a cabin orders a drink package, all adults in the cabin must order the package. This is to prevent two or more people in a cabin from sharing a single drink package.
Two lines that notably don’t have such a rule are Princess Cruises and Windstar Cruises. Technically, you are not supposed to use your package to buy drinks for other people.
Are drink packages on cruise ships really unlimited?
It depends. Some cruise lines, such as Carnival, limit the number of alcoholic drinks that any one person can order with a drink package to 15 per day. That is, of course, an enormous number — more than most people will ever want to order.
Related: 8 best drinks to order with a cruise beverage package (and 3 to avoid)
Where can you use a cruise ship drink package?
Cruise ship drink packages generally are honored anywhere you can order a drink on a ship (think: bars, lounges and eateries). However, you usually can’t use them when ordering room service. They also generally don’t apply to drinks taken out of cabin minibars. Be sure to check the fine print in your particular line’s drink package before placing an order for a drink to your room.
Some cruise lines also let you use your packages when visiting their private islands.
Is a drink package worth it?
It depends. If you’re going to consume several alcoholic drinks each day (especially higher-priced options), along with premium nonalcoholic beverages such as specialty coffees, bottled water, sodas, energy drinks and mocktails, then a drink package might be worth the investment.
If you’re only going to have a couple of glasses of wine per day, a latte in the morning and sparkling water with dinner, you could end up spending more on the package than you would by paying for drinks individually.
The best way to decide is to do the math. If the package costs $60 or $70 per day and you know you’ll have five or six cocktails or glasses of wine that cost at least $10 each, plus a specialty coffee or tea and a few bottles of water, then it’s probably a good value.
What you don’t want to do is spend each day trying to drink enough to justify the package’s price. If you find yourself doing that, you’re probably better off paying as you go and buying only what you actually want.
A line-by-line guide to cruise drink packages
Below is a line-by-line look at available drink packages at the major lines that offer them. Note that the pricing listed is per person, per day. Prices were valid at the time of publication but are subject to change. In cases where a line offers more than one drink package, we’ve highlighted the most inclusive package in detail while also noting other packages cruisers can consider.
Carnival Cruise Line drink package
Package name: Cheers! Beverage Program.
Cost per day: $74.95 when purchased on board; $69.95 when purchased in advance of sailing. The prices include gratuities.
Available on: All ships except those sailing on two-day cruises or charter cruises.
What it includes: Beer, wine by the glass, mixed drinks, zero-proof frozen cocktails, soda, juices, energy drinks, specialty coffees, teas and most bottled water. The package also features a 25% discount on wine bottle purchases.
Limitations related to drink cost: Cannot be used for drinks over $20.
Fine print: More expensive drinks, wine and Champagne are available at a 25% discount. If one adult in a cabin purchases the package, all adults in that cabin must also purchase it. There’s a limit of 15 alcoholic drinks per person in a 24-hour period. The package does not include drinks purchased on the cruise line’s private islands: Celebration Key, Half Moon Cay and Princess Cay in the Bahamas. For cruises departing from New York, Texas and Virginia, the Cheers package begins on Day 2 of the cruise at 6 a.m.
For nondrinkers, the premium Zero-Proof Package starts at $29.95 per day and includes sodas; alcohol-free beer, sparkling wine and mocktails (21 and older); frozen drinks (nonalcoholic); smoothies; milkshakes; bottled water; premium teas and coffees; energy drinks; and juices.
Celebrity Cruises drink package
Package name: Premium Drink Package.
Cost per day: Prices vary depending on sailing, but start at $100. Passengers staying in The Retreat on Celebrity ships receive the Premium Drink Package for free.
Available on: All ships except those in the Galapagos (where drinks are included in the fare).
What it includes: A large selection of beers (including premium selections), wine by the glass, mixed drinks, specialty cocktails, Coca-Cola products, juices, nonalcoholic cocktails, energy drinks, specialty coffees, teas and premium bottled water. The package also offers a 20% discount on wine bottle purchases.
Limitations related to drink cost: Covers drink costs up to $19.
Other packages: Celebrity also offers a less inclusive “classic” drink package that is included in the fare for its sailings if you choose the All Included fare (rather than the cruise-only fare). When purchased separately, prices vary by sailing but begin at $85 per person, per day. Additionally, the line offers a nonalcoholic package.
Fine print: Packages do not include drinks from in-room minibars or drinks ordered through room service.
Related: Best cruise ship bars
Holland America drink package
Package name: Elite Beverage Package.
Cost per day: $60.95, not including a 20% gratuity charge.
Available on: All ships.
What it includes: Beer, wine by the glass, mixed drinks, specialty cocktails, soda, juices, nonalcoholic cocktails, energy drinks, specialty coffees, teas and bottled water.
Limitations related to drink cost: Cannot be used for drinks priced over $16.
Other packages: The slightly less expensive Signature Beverage Package only includes drinks costing up to $12. It’s priced at $55.95 per day. Additionally, the line offers a nonalcoholic drink package called Quench that brings unlimited bottled water, juices, specialty coffees, Coca-Cola products and mocktails. It costs $17.95 per day.
Fine print: If one adult in a cabin purchases a package, all adults in the same cabin must also purchase it. There’s a limit of 15 alcoholic beverages per day, but no limit on nonalcoholic drinks. Packages do not include drinks from in-room minibars or ordered through room service. The package is not valid: on Holland America’s private island, on Half Moon Cay, in the Honor Bar (Neptune Lounge), at Chocolate Seduction or for minibar charges.
Related: How to book a cruise using points and miles
MSC Cruises drink package
Package name: Premium Extra Package.
Cost per day: MSC’s drink package pricing is based on the number of days of the cruise. It costs $60 per day for one- to three-night sailings if booked in advance; it costs $95 per day if booked on board. For four-night to nine-night sailings, the cost drops to $55 if booked in advance ($85 if booked on board). On longer sailings, it costs $50 if booked in advance and $82 if booked on board. Note that MSC Cruises does not add service charges to drink package purchases, unlike most lines.
Available on: All ships.
What it includes: Drinks by the glass, including draft, craft and bottled beer; a selection of wine and Champagne by the glass; premium-brand spirits, liqueurs and cordials; a variety of frozen and classic cocktails; soda; juices; nonalcoholic cocktails; energy drinks; hot chocolate drinks; specialty coffees; teas; and bottled water. The package also offers a 25% discount on wine and Champagne bottle purchases.
Limitations related to drink cost: Guests with drink packages who purchase a drink over $16 will need to pay the difference.
Other packages: An alcohol-free version of the package is available at a much lower cost, about half the price of the Premium Extra Package. Pricing starts at $38 per person, per day for a short cruise when pre-booked. MSC Cruises also offers a Minors Package for teens and young adults that features filtered water, juices and soda, hot drinks and energy drinks.
Fine print: If one person in a cabin purchases a package, all people in the same cabin or traveling group must also purchase a package. (Children in cabins will be charged for a less expensive nonalcoholic package.) The pricing applies to cruises departing from U.S. home ports. The package is valid not just on MSC ships but at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, MSC Cruises’ private island in the Bahamas. There’s a limit of 15 alcoholic drinks per person, per day.
Related: Can I bring alcohol on a cruise ship? A line-by-line guide
Norwegian Cruise Line drink package
Package name: Free at Sea Beverage Package.
Cost per day: It’s based on the cruise length. The daily cost is $32 (on two- to five-night sailings) and $28.50 (on sailings lasting six nights or longer).
Available on: All ships.
What it includes: A variety of cocktails, wine by the glass, soft drinks and draft and bottled beer. The package also brings $15 off the listed price for ultra-premium selections in Norwegian’s Connoisseur Collection and signature collection. A 20% discount will be given on bottles of wine (Champagne and sparkling included), Wine and Spirit Experiences, tastings or Flights purchased onboard.
Limitations related to drink cost: None
Other packages: For $49.99 per person, per day, passengers can buy an upgraded Free at Sea Plus package that adds unlimited Starbucks beverages, wine and Champagne from NCL’s signature collection, bottled water, energy drinks, fresh juices and top-shelf spirits. NCL also offers unlimited soda, unlimited Starbucks and water packages.
Fine print: If one passenger in a cabin purchases a package, everyone in that cabin must purchase the package as well. Children are charged for a less expensive, nonalcoholic package. The Free at Sea Unlimited Open Bar Package can be used on the line’s private island, Great Stirrup Cay. The Free at Sea Beverage Package does not include Connoisseur’s Collection, Signature Selection, Wine and Spirit Experiences, tastings or Flights, Starbucks, Ice Bars, room service, package sales, bottled water, ship specific promotions or beer buckets, designated super premium brands (subject to change), bottled wine, minibar purchases, fresh squeezed juices, wine dispenser, energy drinks or vending machines.
Related: $12 for a drink made with leftover banana peels? My strange night out at Norwegian’s ‘zero waste’ bar
Oceania Cruises drink package
Package name: Prestige Select Beverage Package.
Cost per day: $79.95 per person. If guests select the Complimentary Wine & Beer option during the booking process as their Your World Included amenity (which is one of two possible choices, the other being a shore excursion credit), then they are eligible to upgrade to a Prestige Select Beverage Package for 50% off the normal price.
Available on: All ships.
What it includes: The Prestige Select Beverage Package allows guests to enjoy unlimited Champagne and wine by the glass, beer, spirits and cocktails, available at any onboard venue and through room service during bar operating hours. Sodas, specialty coffees and teas are always free.
Limitations related to drink cost: None.
Fine print: Wine by the bottle, premier spirits and sake are not included in the package. Oceania Cruises no longer carries plastic water bottles, but it provides still and sparkling Vero Water.
Princess Cruises drink package
Package name: Premier Beverage Package.
Cost per day: $84.99 plus an 18% service charge (for a total of about $100). On Australia cruises, the package costs 140 Australian dollars (about $94) per day, including the service charge. Note that for just a few dollars more, you can buy a broader Princess Premier package that includes not just a Premier Beverage Package but Wi-Fi access and specialty restaurant dinners, among other extra-charge items. The Princess Premier Package currently costs $100 per person, per day if bought in advance of a cruise ($105 per person, per day if bought on board).
Available on: All ships.
What it includes: Top shelf spirits, premier wines and Champagne by the glass, high-end crafted cocktails, fountain sodas, juices (including juice bar offerings), nonalcoholic cocktails, energy drinks, smoothies, milkshakes, specialty coffees, teas and still and sparkling bottled water. The package also brings a 25% discount on wine bottle purchases.
Limitations related to drink cost: Drinks that cost $20 or less are included. Passengers who order drinks priced above $20 must pay the difference between the purchase price and $20. The cost cutoff for packages on Australia sailings is AU$30 (about $19.60).
Other packages: Princess also offers a less pricey Plus Beverage Package that covers drinks priced up to $15 (AU$22 on Australia sailings). It’s priced at $64.99 plus an 18% service charge (AU$110 including the service charge on Australia sailings). The Zero-Alcohol Package includes specialty coffees and teas, sodas, mocktails, bottled water, energy drinks and hot chocolate for $29.99 per person, per day, plus an 18% service charge. (AU$45, which includes the service charge).
Fine print: There’s a limit of 15 alcoholic drinks per day. Packages are not shareable. Passengers can use it to purchase beverages on the line’s private islands, Half Moon Cay and Princess Cays, but Celebration Key is excluded. The package does not include minibar items.
Royal Caribbean drink package
Package name: Deluxe Beverage Package.
Cost per day: Pricing varies by ship and itinerary.
Available on: All Royal Caribbean ships.
What it includes: Beer, wine by the glass, spirits, mixed drinks, cocktails, soda, juices, nonalcoholic cocktails, energy drinks, specialty coffees, teas and premium bottled still and sparkling water. The package also offers a 40% discount on wine purchases for bottles priced up to $100. More expensive bottles come with a 20% discount.
Limitations related to drink cost: Cannot be used for drinks priced over $14.
Other packages: The Refreshment Package is nonalcoholic and includes sodas, premium coffees and teas, fresh-squeezed juices, bottled water, mocktails and milkshakes at Johnny Rockets.
Fine print: If one adult of legal drinking age in a cabin or traveling under the same booking number purchases an alcoholic beverage package, all adults of legal drinking age in the same cabin also must purchase it. All other beverage packages can be purchased by individual guests; however, they are for single-guest use and cannot be shared. Packages do not include drinks from in-room minibars or those ordered through room service. Drinks served in souvenir glassware, specialty beers and beverages served inside licensed Starbucks stores on ships are not covered by the package. Beverage packages can be used on Royal Caribbean’s private islands, Perfect Day at Coco Cay and Labadee.
Viking drink package
Package name: Silver Spirits Beverage Package.
Cost per day: $27, including gratuities.
Available on: All ships, including river and expedition ships.
What it includes: Beer, select wines by the glass, house Champagne by the glass, mixed drinks and cocktails priced up to $18. Soda, beer and house wines by the glass ordered at lunch and dinner are already included in the fare at Viking; the same goes for specialty coffees and teas at all hours. The package also grants a 30% discount on wine bottles and premium beverages not included in the package. A 15% service charge is included in the price.
Limitations related to drink cost: Cannot be used for drinks priced over $18.
Fine print: The package is not available on Egypt itineraries, except if it’s an included amenity in Explorers’ Suites.
Windstar Cruises drink package
Package name: Captain’s Exclusive Beverage Package.
Cost per day: $79 when purchased up to five days prior to your cruise. If purchased later, it’s $89 per day. Windstar has also begun offering optional All-Inclusive Pricing rates for cruises that include unlimited drinks at no extra charge.
Available on: All ships.
What it includes: Beer, wine by the glass, spirits and cocktails. Soda, specialty coffees and other nonalcoholic beverages are already included in the fare on Windstar sailings. The package also offers a 30% discount on wine purchases of up to $100 per bottle.
Limitations related to drink cost: None
Other packages: Windstar also offers an All-In Package that gives passengers included drinks, Wi-Fi and gratuities for an upcharge of $99 per day when booked up to five days prior to the cruise. After that, it costs $109 per day.
Fine print: None.
Information about cruise lines without formal drink packages
Disney Cruise Line
While Disney Cruise Line does not offer drink packages like other lines, fares include complimentary soft drinks, coffee, tea, water, milk and juice at meals — and 24-hour access to nonalcoholic drinks from beverage stations, such as those found on the pool deck.
Guests may bring one bottle of wine or Champagne or a six-pack of beer per person on board during embarkation. The line also offers ways to save on alcoholic beverages, including wine packages (up to 25% off), beer packs, discounted drinks of the day (around $5 or $6 each), and onboard happy hours.
Cocktail prices range between $10 and $14 (although some of the specialty cocktail prices at the themed bars can be much higher). Beer starts at $6 per glass, while wine starts at $9 per glass, with premium selections costing more.
Virgin Voyages
Virgin Voyages’ fares include soda, non-pressed juices, regular coffee and tea and still and sparkling water. If you’re going to consume alcoholic and premium nonalcoholic beverages (such as specialty coffees), you can add a prepaid Bar Tab to your booking (before you sail) that includes bonus drink credits. For example, on themed Halloween voyages, a $300 Bar Tab is worth $350 in glasses of wine, beer, mocktails, specialty cocktails, lattes or fresh-pressed juices.
If you’re staying in one of the RockStar or MegaRockStar Quarters, you’ll have access to the exclusive Richard’s Rooftop, which hosts a daily Sunset Happy Hour with complimentary Champagne and other cocktails at 5 p.m. If it rains, the happy hour moves indoors to Sip Lounge.
Passengers may bring two bottles of wine and nonalcoholic beer (up to 12 cans) on board per cabin.
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