Cruise drink packages are one of the most common questions we get, and one of the easiest places to overspend or underspend. Buy one you don’t use and you’ve thrown away hundreds of dollars. Skip one you would have used and you’ll watch your onboard bill climb a few dollars at a time all week.
This guide explains how cruise beverage packages work, how to run the break-even math, the rules that trip people up, and how to decide whether a drink package is worth it for your trip.
Find a Cruise Fare With Drinks Included
We compare drink-inclusive fares and promotions across all major cruise lines so you don’t overpay for a beverage package.
What Is a Cruise Drink Package?
A cruise drink package is a prepaid plan that covers some or all beverages onboard for a set daily price. Instead of paying for each cocktail, coffee, or soda, you sign your cruise card and owe nothing extra, up to the package limits.
Most cruise lines offer several tiers:
- Soda / refreshment packages: fountain soda, and sometimes juice and specialty coffee
- Non-alcoholic “premium” packages: specialty coffees, smoothies, mocktails, bottled water, energy drinks
- Classic alcohol packages: beer, house wine, and spirits up to a certain price per drink
- Premium or deluxe alcohol packages: higher-end liquor, wines by the glass, and most cocktails up to a higher per-drink cap
How Much Do Cruise Drink Packages Cost?
Prices vary by cruise line, ship, sailing, and when you buy. As a general range for 2026, alcohol packages on mainstream lines often run roughly $60 to $110+ per person, per day, and soda packages usually run around $10 to $20 per day. Most lines then add an automatic service charge of about 18% to 20% on top of the package price.
That last part matters. A package advertised at $75 a day is really closer to $90 a day after the service charge. On a 7-night cruise, that’s around $630 per person before you’ve had a single drink.
Prices also tend to change. Many lines discount packages when you prebook online before sailing, and some run flash sales. Buying onboard is usually the most expensive way to do it.
The Break-Even Math
The simplest way to decide is to count drinks. Onboard, a cocktail typically costs about $13 to $16 or more, a beer around $8 to $10, a glass of wine $11 to $15, a specialty coffee about $4 to $6, and a soda around $3 to $4, plus the service charge on each.
Here’s a quick example using a $90/day total package cost (including service charge):
- 2 specialty coffees: ~$10
- 2 bottles of water or sodas: ~$7
- 1 beer at the pool: ~$10
- 3 cocktails: ~$45
- 1 glass of wine at dinner: ~$14
That adds up to about $86 a day, roughly break-even. If that sounds like a normal cruise day for you, the package probably makes sense. If you’d have two cocktails and call it a night, you’ll likely save money paying as you go.
Rule of thumb: most travelers need about 5 to 7 alcoholic drinks a day, every day, for an alcohol package to come out ahead. Port days count too, and you won’t be drinking on the ship for much of them.
The Rules That Catch People Off Guard
Everyone in the Cabin May Have to Buy It
On several major lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian, if one adult in a cabin buys an alcohol package, every adult of legal drinking age in that cabin must buy it too. This rule exists to prevent sharing, and it can double the cost for couples where only one person drinks much.
The Package Covers Every Day of the Cruise
You generally can’t buy a package for only your sea days. It covers the full sailing, including embarkation day, port days, and the last night.
Daily Limits and Per-Drink Caps
Some packages limit how many alcoholic drinks you can order in a 24-hour period. Carnival’s CHEERS! program, for example, has a daily cap on alcoholic drinks. Most packages also cap the menu price of each drink they cover. Order above that cap and you pay the difference.
One Drink at a Time
Bartenders generally serve one drink per person per order on a package. You can’t order a round for friends without packages on your card.
What’s Usually Not Included
- Bottles of wine or champagne
- Minibar items and room service drinks (on some lines)
- Drinks in private island bars or port venues not run by the ship
- Very premium spirits above the price cap
- Specialty restaurant service fees
Cruise Drink Packages by Line
Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean offers the Deluxe Beverage Package (alcohol, soda, specialty coffee), the Refreshment Package (non-alcoholic), and Classic Soda. Prebooking through the Cruise Planner often comes with sale pricing. The package also works on Perfect Day at CocoCay at most bars.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian’s Free at Sea promotion often includes an open bar package with your fare. “Free” still comes with a required service charge on the package’s value, paid before you sail. There’s usually an upgrade option to a premium tier. Read more in our Norwegian Free at Sea guide.
Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity’s “All Included” fares typically bundle a Classic drinks package, Wi-Fi, and gratuities, with an option to upgrade to Premium. For many travelers this is one of the better-value approaches because the drinks are already built into the fare.
Princess Cruises
Princess bundles drinks into its Princess Plus and Princess Premier packages along with Wi-Fi, gratuities, and other perks. See our comparison of Princess Plus vs Premier.
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival’s CHEERS! package covers alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks with a daily alcohol limit. Bottomless Bubbles is the soda option.
MSC Cruises
MSC offers tiered packages such as Easy and Easy Plus, and some fare types include drinks. Package pricing and inclusions can differ by region, so check carefully.
Disney Cruise Line
Disney doesn’t sell an unlimited alcohol package. Soda, juice, coffee, and tea at meals and drink stations are included in the fare. Alcohol is paid per drink.
When a Drink Package Is Worth It
- You enjoy several cocktails, beers, or glasses of wine every day
- Your itinerary has multiple sea days
- You drink a lot of specialty coffee, bottled water, and soda on top of alcohol
- You want a predictable, all-inclusive budget with no surprise bill at the end
- Your fare already includes a package, or there’s a strong prebooking sale
When to Skip It
- You’re a light or moderate drinker
- Your itinerary is port-heavy and you’ll be ashore most days
- Only one adult in the cabin drinks, and the line requires both to buy
- You’re happy with the free options: water, iced tea, lemonade, basic coffee, and tea at the buffet
Quick Decision Checklist
Still on the fence? Answer these four questions before you buy:
- How many drinks will I realistically have on an average day, including port days? Be honest. If you’re under five alcoholic drinks, pay as you go.
- Does everyone in my cabin need to buy it? If yes, add up the cost for every adult, not just yourself.
- Is a package already included or discounted? Check whether your fare, a promotion, or a bundle like Celebrity All Included or Princess Plus already covers drinks.
- Do I want a no-surprise budget? Some travelers value knowing their bar bill is already paid. That peace of mind is worth something, and it’s a fair reason to buy.
Ways to Save Without a Package
- Use onboard credit for drinks. Learn more in what onboard credit covers.
- Bring wine, if allowed. Many lines let each adult bring one or two bottles at embarkation, with a corkage fee if you drink it in the dining room.
- Look for happy hours and drink-of-the-day specials.
- Choose a fare that bundles drinks, like Celebrity All Included or a Princess package, when you’d buy drinks anyway.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are cruise drink packages worth it for first-time cruisers?
Only if you already know you’ll drink a lot each day. Many first-time cruisers overestimate. Pay as you go on your first sailing, and you’ll have real numbers for the next one.
Do kids need a drink package?
Not usually. Kids can buy soda or refreshment packages, but water, juice at breakfast, milk, and lemonade are often free. A soda package is only worth it if your kids drink a lot of soda.
Can I buy a drink package after I board?
Usually yes, often through the first day or two. But onboard pricing is usually higher than the prebooking sale price.
Is gratuity included in a cruise drink package?
Typically not. Most lines add an 18% to 20% service charge to the package price.
Can a travel agent help with drink packages?
Yes. We can compare fares that include drinks versus fares that don’t, flag the cabin-wide purchase rules, and look for promotions that bundle packages or add onboard credit you can use for drinks.
Get the Right Package Without Overpaying
The best drink package decision usually happens before you book, when you’re choosing between fares, promotions, and cruise lines. At The Cruise Headquarters, we look at the full picture: the fare, what’s included, onboard credit, and the real cost of drinks for how you travel. Our help costs you nothing extra.
Get a free cruise quote and we’ll show you whether a drink package is worth it on your sailing.
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