Are Cruise Drink Packages Worth It? A Breakdown by Cruise Line

Are cruise drink packages worth it? Sometimes they are. But for many cruisers, they end up being one of the most expensive mistakes of the trip. It really comes down to three factors that aren’t about how much you drink. I’ll explain each one below.

Let’s look at the numbers. On some cruise lines, two adults on a seven-night trip might spend over $1,600 on drink packages before even ordering a single cocktail. That’s actually more than some people pay for their cruise fare.

Imagine yourself on the pool deck with the sun on your shoulders, steel drums playing, and a cold piña colada in your hand. You don’t have to worry about the bill. That relaxed feeling is what you’re really buying. The real question is if that’s worth $90 a day to you.

Let’s break it down together, step by step!

 

The 3 Hidden Factors Most Guides Skip

1. The Cabin-Mate Rule

On most major cruise lines, if one adult in your cabin gets the alcohol package, every adult in that cabin has to buy it too. So even if your partner only has two glasses of wine all week, you’ll still pay for two full packages.

Royal Caribbean changed its rules in August 2025 and no longer offers broad exceptions. Now, you can submit an accommodation form for disability, medical reasons, or pregnancy. Each request is reviewed individually and usually takes about 10 business days. If you give false information, you might be charged the full package price, removed from the ship, or even banned.

2. The Gratuity Gap

The price you see advertised usually isn’t the final amount. Most cruise lines add an 18% to 20% service charge at checkout. For example, on Royal Caribbean, an $84 package ends up costing about $99.12 per day.

3. Port Days and Private Islands

Most packages don’t work while you’re in port. Some cruise lines also don’t include their own private islands. For example, Carnival’s Cheers! package isn’t valid at Celebration Key, Half Moon Cay, or Princess Cays. Royal Caribbean’s packages do work at Perfect Day at CocoCay and Labadee.

How to Do the Break-Even Math in 60 Seconds

1. Start with the daily price and add the tip. For example, $69.95 plus 20% comes to about $83.94.
2. Divide that total by the average price of a drink. If drinks are about $12 each, you’d need around 7 drinks.
3. Be honest with yourself: will you actually have that many drinks each day on the ship?
4. Don’t forget to subtract the days you’ll be in port and off the ship most of the time.
5. Do the same calculation for your cabin mate too.

If you’d have to drink more than you want just to break even, it’s better to skip the package. Paying as you go usually works out better than trying to get your money’s worth.

Cruise Drink Package Prices by Line (2026)

Line-by-Line Breakdown

Carnival Cruise Line Drink Package (Cheers!)

The package costs $69.95 per person, per day if you buy it before your cruise, or $74.95 if you wait until you’re onboard. There’s also a 20% service charge. For a couple on a 7-day cruise, that’s about $1,175.

The package includes beer, wine by the glass, cocktails up to $20, sodas, specialty coffee, energy drinks, and bottled water. You also get 25% off bottles of wine.

The Fine Print:

• You can have up to 15 alcoholic drinks per day, but only one at a time, and you need to wait 10 minutes between orders.
• If your cruise leaves from Texas or New York, your drink package starts on Day 2 at 6 a.m.
• The package isn’t valid at Celebration Key or at Carnival’s Bahamas destinations.

Here’s some big news: Starting December 1, 2026, Carnival will use dynamic pricing. Drink and Wi-Fi prices will change based on your trip length, itinerary, and season. If you buy early, your price is locked in.

FunPacks:

• The Social FunPack costs $60 per day and includes 3 alcoholic drinks a day, unlimited non-alcoholic drinks, Wi-Fi, one excursion, and one specialty dinner.
• The Epic FunPack is $99 per day and gives you the full Cheers! package, Wi-Fi, two excursions, and two specialty dinners.

In my opinion, if you drink lightly or moderately, the Social FunPack is the best value. Three drinks a day is enough for most people, and the extras make it worth the price.

Non-drinkers: Cheers! Zero Proof starts at $29.99 per day, and Bottomless Bubbles soda starts at $6.95 per day for kids.

Royal Caribbean Drink Package (Deluxe Beverage Package)

Cost: Prices change, but you’ll usually pay between $56 and $120 per day, plus an 18% tip. Lately, the average has been around $82 per day, or $97 with gratuity.

Break-even by ship class:

• Icon and Oasis class: 7 to 8 drinks a day
• Quantum and Freedom class: 6 to 7 drinks a day
• Vision and Radiance class: 5 to 6 drinks a day

What’s included: Cocktails and wine up to $14, sodas, premium coffee, fresh juice, and bottled water. You also get 40% off certain wine bottles.

Watch out:

• Starbucks isn’t covered
• Starting March 15, 2026, the Deluxe package doesn’t include the Coca-Cola Freestyle souvenir cup anymore. If you want it, it’s $4.99 extra.
• You can use the package on CocoCay and Labadee, which is a nice bonus.

How to save: Royal Caribbean often has pre-cruise sales. Check your Cruise Planner each week and rebook if you see a lower price.

Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Package (Free at Sea)

Cost: The open bar is included with Free at Sea, but you’ll pay a service charge—$28.50 per day for cruises of 6 nights or more, or $32 per day for 2 to 5 night cruises.

The catch: The “free” open bar isn’t really free. On a 7-night cruise, you’ll pay $199.50 per person.

Upgrade: Free at Sea Plus is $49.99 per day. It includes Starbucks, top-shelf spirits, premium wine, energy drinks, and bottled water. If you’ve already paid service charges, you’ll get $15 off.

Not included in the standard package: Starbucks, bottled water, energy drinks, fresh juice, or room service.

Honestly, at $28.50 a day, this is an easy yes! Just two drinks a day pays for it.

Celebrity Cruises Drink Package

Cost: The Classic package is about $89 per day. Premium costs between $105 and $109 per day, plus a 20% gratuity.

Caps: The Classic package includes drinks up to $12, while Premium covers drinks up to $19.

All Included fares come with the Classic package. If you want Premium, you can upgrade for $20 per day, and that includes gratuity.

Many cocktails and wines on Celebrity cost over $14. If you enjoy wine, it’s worth upgrading to Premium before your cruise.

Princess Cruises Drink Package (Plus and Premier)

Cost:

• Princess Plus: $70 per day pre-cruise, $75 onboard
• Princess Premier: $105 per day pre-cruise, $110 onboard

What you get: The package includes drinks, Wi-Fi, crew gratuities, casual dining, and room service. Plus covers drinks up to $15, and Premier covers drinks up to $20.

Heads up: With Plus, you can have 15 drinks of any type per day, including sodas and mocktails, plus up to 12 bottles of water.

Insider perk: Princess lets you buy a drink package without requiring everyone in your cabin to get one, unlike most big cruise lines.

Holland America Drink Package

The Signature package costs $55.95 per day and covers drinks up to $12. The Elite package is $60.95 per day for drinks up to $16. Both add a 20% gratuity. The Quench non-alcoholic package starts at $17.95.

Here’s a tip: The Have It All bundle is $60 per day for cruises before summer 2027. It includes the Signature drink package, Wi-Fi, specialty dining, and an excursion credit. If you buy the Signature package alone with gratuity, it’s about $67.14 per day, so the bundle actually costs less.

MSC Cruises Drink Package (Premium Extra)

Cost: For North America cruises of 7+ nights, it’s about $85 prepaid or $98 onboard. Gratuities are included.

The package covers drinks up to $16 each, with a limit of 15 alcoholic drinks per day.

The Easy and Easy Plus packages are no longer available for North America. If adults purchase a drink package, minors in the same cabin must also get the Minors Package.

This package works at Ocean Cay and is included if you book the MSC Yacht Club.

You can save up to 15% by pre-booking. Some travelers have paid even less during big promotions.

Viking Drink Package (Silver Spirits)

Cost: $27 per day, with a 15% service charge already included.

Viking includes beer, wine, and soft drinks with lunch and dinner. With this package, you can order drinks from the bar any time during the day. You can also bring your own wine without paying a corkage fee.

In my opinion, this is one of the best deals at sea if you like having a cocktail while watching the sunset.

Oceania Cruises Drink Package (Prestige Select)

Cost: $79.95 per day, gratuity included.

If you choose the free wine and beer perk, you can upgrade to Prestige Select for half price, which comes to about $39.98 per day.

Cunard Drink Packages (A World of Drinks)

Cunard’s drink package gets cheaper the longer your cruise is. The Premium Beverage Collection is $108 per night on short trips, but drops to $63 per night on cruises of 75 nights or more. You can save 10% if you book ahead.

Other Lines Worth Knowing

• Windstar: $79 per day if you buy at least 5 days before sailing, $89 after that
• Azamara: Premium about $31.95 per day, Ultimate about $39.95 per day
• Margaritaville at Sea: Ultimate Beverage Chill starts at $49.99 per night plus 20%
• Costa: My Drinks costs about €35 per night pre-cruise
• P&O Cruises (UK): Classic from £50 per day, Deluxe from £60 per day

Cruise Lines Without Drink Packages

Disney Cruise Line

Disney doesn’t offer a drink package. You can enjoy soda, coffee, tea, juice, and water for free all day. Each adult can bring one bottle of wine or a six-pack of beer when boarding. To save money, check out drink-of-the-day specials and happy hours.

Virgin Voyages

Virgin doesn’t have an unlimited drink package. Instead, you can buy a prepaid Bar Tab and get bonus credit—for example, if you load $1,000, you’ll get an extra $250. Sodas, basic coffee, and both still and sparkling water are included.

Here’s a tip from a Disney fan: On a Disney cruise, the drink package question doesn’t even come up. That’s one more reason Disney’s “higher” fare can end up closer to other lines than it looks.

9 Smart Ways to Save on Cruise Drinks

1. Try to buy your drinks before you board, since prices on the ship are usually higher.
2. Keep an eye out for sales and consider rebooking your drink package if you spot a better deal, especially on Royal Caribbean.
3. Check out bundle deals like Have It All, Princess Plus, or FunPacks before buying just a drink package. These bundles often offer better value.
4. Think about how many days you’ll be in port. If you have five port stops in a week, you might not need a full drink package since you’ll be off the ship a lot.
5. Take advantage of cruise lines that let you bring wine onboard. For example, Disney, Viking, and Virgin let you bring a certain amount with you.
6. Don’t forget about the free drinks! Most cruise lines offer complimentary lemonade, iced tea, and drip coffee.
7. If you mainly want caffeine or soft drinks, consider getting a soda or coffee package instead of a full drink package.
8. Look for cruise fares that include drinks, like Celebrity’s All Included, Oceania, or Ambassador. These can save you money overall.
9. Consider booking through a travel agent, since they often find drink deals or onboard credits you might not notice on your own.

FAQ: Cruise Drink Packages

These are the questions people ask most before buying a cruise drink
package, especially when they’re trying to figure out whether the
cost really makes sense.

Can two people share a drink package?

No. All major cruise lines ban sharing, and most require each adult in a cabin to buy their own package.

Are cruise drink packages really unlimited?

Not always. Carnival, MSC, and Princess limit you to 15 alcoholic drinks per day.

Do drink packages include tips?

Some, like MSC, Viking, and Oceania, include tips. Most others add an extra 18% to 20% to the price.

Can I use my drink package in port?

Usually not. However, some cruise lines let you use your drink package on their private islands.

Does the package cover room service or the minibar?

In most cases, no.

Can I bring my own alcohol on a cruise?

Most lines allow one or two bottles of wine per adult at embarkation. Liquor is almost always banned.

Is it cheaper to buy a drink package onboard?

Almost never. If you buy before your cruise, you usually save $5 to $15 per day.

Can I cancel a drink package?

Carnival will refund drink packages bought before your cruise until 10 p.m. ET the night before you leave. Viking’s package can’t be refunded.

What’s the cheapest cruise drink package?

Viking’s $27 Silver Spirits package and Norwegian’s $28.50 Free at Sea fee are some of the best values you’ll find.

Are non-alcoholic drink packages worth it?

They’re only worth it if you have at least three specialty coffees, sodas, or smoothies each day.

The Bottom Line

Are cruise drink packages worth it? For some travelers, they definitely are. For others, they can end up costing more than they’re worth.

The best deal often isn’t a drink package. Instead, look for bundles like Princess Plus, Holland America’s Have It All, Carnival’s FunPacks, or choose a cruise line that includes drinks in the fare.

Before you click “add to cart,” do the 60-second math. Count your port days. Ask your cabin mate how much they’ll really drink. Then raise a glass to a cruise without bill shock!

If you’re booking a Carnival cruise for 2027, remember the FunPack deadline on October 30 and the dynamic pricing change on December 1. Prices could change, but booking now lets you lock in a set price and avoid surprises!