Cruise beverage packages are one of the most aggressively marketed cruise upcharges. Cruise lines push them at booking, at embarkation, on the first day at sea, and through the in-cabin TV. The pitch — "all your drinks, no thinking, no surprise bill at the end" — is genuinely appealing. The math, however, is more nuanced. For some travelers, the package is excellent value; for others, it's a structural waste of $400–$600 per person.
This guide walks through the actual math, the line-by-line tradeoffs, and the categories of drinker for whom the package makes sense.
Contents
This guide covers: how cruise beverage packages are structured; the breakeven math for the typical package; the cruise-line specific differences; the packages that include vs. exclude (water, coffee, juice); the specialty drinks and tier-up considerations; and the most-asked questions about whether to buy.
Package Structure
Most cruise lines offer two or three tiers of beverage package:
Soda / Refreshment package ($15–$25 per day per person). Unlimited soft drinks, juices, and sometimes specialty coffees and bottled water. The narrowest package.
Standard alcoholic package ($65–$90 per day per person). Unlimited beer, wine by the glass up to a per-glass cap (typically $12–$15), cocktails up to a per-drink cap (typically $13–$15), and usually the soda and water inclusion. The most-marketed tier.
Premium alcoholic package ($85–$115 per day per person). Same as standard but with higher per-drink caps ($20–$25), premium spirits, and specialty wines included. The luxury tier.
Note: most cruise lines require all guests in the cabin to purchase the package (the policy is to prevent sharing). This roughly doubles the per-cabin cost.
The Breakeven Math
The standard alcoholic package at $75 per day requires consuming $75 worth of drinks daily to break even. At a typical per-drink cost of $10–$13:
- 6–8 drinks per day breaks even.
- Below 5 drinks per day: you're paying a premium for the convenience.
- Above 8 drinks per day: you're getting genuine value.
For two adults sharing a cabin who both buy the package, the household breakeven is 12–16 drinks per day total. That's a substantial daily quantity.
The Cruise-Line Differences
Royal Caribbean: the Deluxe Beverage Package is the most aggressive at $89/day. Includes drinks up to $14, all soda, fresh juice, and specialty coffees. Royal also offers the Refreshment Package at $32/day for the non-alcohol version.
Norwegian: the Premium Beverage Package is included in many "Free at Sea" promotions, with a small "service charge" of about 18% per cabin per day actually charged. Norwegian's effective per-day cost (including the service charge) is in line with competitors. The Premium tier covers nearly all standard drinks.
Carnival: Cheers! at $70/day per person. Most aggressive on the daily-drink-count basis: the package limits daily alcoholic drinks to 15 per person (which is genuinely higher than most travelers will consume). Specialty cocktails and most cocktails are included.
Princess: Plus and Premier package tiers ($60 and $80/day respectively, including Wi-Fi, gratuities, beverages, and specialty dining credits). The bundled approach is genuinely good value if you'd otherwise add Wi-Fi and pre-pay gratuities.
Celebrity: Always Included pricing means a basic beverage package is included in most cabin fares. The Premium Drink Package upgrade is $25/day per person. The cleanest model in the industry.
MSC: Easy and Premium package tiers (€35 and €55/day per person respectively). The cheapest in the industry by per-day cost.
Holland America, Cunard, Viking: more curated approaches. Cunard's package is straightforward; Viking's all-inclusive pricing includes basic beverages with meals (and the package is the only category-up needed for premium spirits).
The Inclusion Question
Pay specific attention to what each package includes vs. excludes:
- Bottled water: included on most packages but sometimes only "premium" bottled water is included. Tap water is always free.
- Specialty coffee (espressos, cappuccinos, lattes): included on alcoholic packages on Royal, Princess, and Norwegian; not always included on Carnival.
- Fresh juice: typically included.
- Mocktails: included on alcoholic packages.
- Mini-bar items in the cabin: typically NOT included; check before consuming.
- Specialty venues (specialty restaurants' wine pairings, Champagne brunches, etc.): typically NOT included.
Specialty Drinks and Tier-Up
The main reason to consider the premium tier instead of the standard tier: per-drink caps.
If you typically order $14 cocktails or wines, the standard package's $13 cap means you'll pay the difference on every drink. Over a 7-night cruise that's $7–$14 in incremental cost — which roughly justifies the $10–$20/day tier-up to premium.
If you typically order $9 cocktails and house wines, the standard tier is the right fit.
The Categories of Drinker
Light drinkers (1–3 drinks per day): skip the package. You'll spend $20–$40 per day at most; the package is a structural waste.
Moderate drinkers (4–6 drinks per day): borderline. Probably skip; you're at or near breakeven and paying for the convenience.
Regular drinkers (7+ drinks per day): buy the package. You'll save real money and eliminate the daily mental math.
Specialty coffee drinkers (3+ specialty coffees per day): the soda/refreshment package often pays for itself even without alcohol. Worth a look.
Mixed-drinker couples: harder to optimize. If only one of you drinks alcohol, the package likely doesn't make sense (most lines require both adults to buy). Consider à la carte ordering instead.
Common Questions
Can I buy the package at embarkation? Yes — typically at a small discount from the at-sea purchase price. Same-cabin requirement still applies.
Can I share with my partner? Most lines explicitly prohibit it; some enforce more strictly than others.
What about ports? Ship beverage packages don't apply ashore. Bring local cash.
What about premium wines and spirits? Even the premium packages cap individual drinks. Genuinely premium pours (single-malt Scotches, vintage Champagnes) are typically à la carte.
For the broader budget conversation, see our best time to book a cruise guide; for tipping context, see our cruise tipping and gratuities guide.
Final Take
The math on cruise beverage packages is straightforward: figure out how many drinks per day you actually want, multiply by the typical per-drink cost, and compare to the package price. If you're at 6+ drinks per day, the package usually wins. If you're at 4 or fewer, you're paying for convenience that you don't need. The cruise lines bank on most travelers buying the package and consuming 4–5 drinks per day.
