The cruise sector is cruising along again after a turbulent stretch.
Ships are sailing near capacity and vacationers are traveling to embarkation ports from across the nation to explore the Caribbean, Alaska, Europe, scenic river itineraries and beyond.
But before you step aboard and sip that long-awaited cocktail with a little paper umbrella, one question persists: Are you overpaying for that drink? And if you opted for a beverage package, will it actually pay off? Experienced cruisers have pondered this, and the quick response is: it depends on how frequently — and what types of — drinks you consume.
Another factor to weigh is that many drink bundles also cover several non-alcoholic beverages and often include gratuities, which can make the math work in your favor.
If you want a wide selection, a beverage package could be a smart pick and might save you money while on board. You’ll often find better value if you purchase a package before departure.
What Is a Cruise Drink Package?
Not all beverages are bundled into your cruise ticket. Most lines provide complimentary tap water, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, milk and some basic juices.
Beyond those, you’ll typically pay extra (Disney is an exception and provides free soft drinks). If you’d like more variety, there are basic non-alcoholic packages for relatively low costs. Prices rise when you consider drink plans that include alcoholic beverages.
How Much Is a Cruise Drink Package?
Some high-end cruise operators fold beverages into the fare, but the majority do not. The cost of a drink plan depends on the cruise line and the level of package you select. The rates below are per person. A common policy across cruise lines is that if one adult in a cabin buys an alcohol-inclusive plan, all other adults in that room must purchase the same package. Below are examples from four major cruise lines.
Royal Caribbean
- Classic Soda Package:Royal Caribbean sells a soda plan that covers fountain beverages and refills throughout the ship, drinks from Coca-Cola freestyle machines and a Coca-Cola souvenir cup. It does not include bottled water, juices or alcoholic drinks. Current pricing is $13.50 per day plus 18% gratuity (or $9 plus gratuity if purchased in advance) for 2025 sailings.
- Refreshment Package: For more alcohol-free options, the refreshment plan includes everything in the soda bundle plus non-alcoholic cocktails, still and sparkling water, premium coffees and teas and fresh-squeezed juices. Current pricing is $34 per day plus 18% gratuity (or $28 plus gratuity if bought ahead).
- Deluxe Beverage Package: Choose this package to access almost every drink offered on a Royal Caribbean vessel. It includes all items in the lower-tier packages plus cocktails, spirits, liquors, beer and wine by the glass. You’ll also receive a 40% discount on selected bottled wines. Current pricing is $94 per day plus 18% gratuity (or $74.99 plus gratuity if pre-purchased).
Keep in mind: Royal Caribbean’s packages do not cover room service beverages, mini-bar items, specialty beers, drinks priced over $14 (before gratuity) per glass, duty-free liquor purchased in the ship’s shops or beverages served inside licensed Starbucks locations. Most onboard drinks fall beneath that threshold — and if they don’t, you’ll generally still get a discount.
Carnival
- Bottomless Bubbles: This isn’t unlimited champagne. Carnival’s Bottomless Bubbles package provides unlimited soft drinks during the voyage. Current pricing begins at $8.20 per day for children and $11.21 per day for adults.
- Cheers! Carnival’s Cheers! premium package includes soft drinks plus spirits, cocktails, beer and wine by the glass with menu prices of $20 or less. It also covers zero-proof frozen cocktails, energy drinks, specialty coffees, hot tea, bottled water and other non-alcoholic options. You’ll get a 25% discount on spirits or wines by the glass priced over $20, discounts on bottles of wine and champagne, and access to beverage seminars. Buying before you sail saves about 10%. Current pricing is $82.54 per day.
Keep in mind: Carnival includes a gratuity, called a “service fee,” in the package price, so you won’t face surprise tipping charges each time you order a drink (as was common in the past).
Norwegian
Norwegian Cruise Line structures its beverage plans differently. Soda is available only in the soda bundle, alcoholic drinks come only in the open bar package, and specialty coffees are in the Starbucks package. This lets you mix and match according to the types of drinks you expect to buy and can help you economize.
- Soda Package: Norwegian’s soda plan covers a range of Coca-Cola products, including Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, ginger ale, tonic, Fanta and soda water. Current pricing is $12.50 per day.
- Unlimited Starbucks Package: This includes Starbucks’ regular coffees and teas as well as Frappuccinos and specialty drinks. Current pricing is $16.50 per day.
- Unlimited Open Bar Package: The alcohol package covers bottled and draft beer, wine by the glass, spirits and cocktails, but only for beverages that cost $15 or less. You’ll also receive 20% off champagne and wine bottles. Current pricing ranges from $23 to $30 per day depending on cruise length (longer cruises generally lower the per-day rate).
Keep in mind: Norwegian adds a 20% gratuity to all beverage packages.
Disney
Disney Cruises does not offer an unlimited beverages plan. Instead, guests can buy wine and beer bundles that provide about a 25% discount for a set count of drinks. There’s no comprehensive spirits or mixed-drink package; those are purchased a la carte. Positively, Disney does provide complimentary water, soft drinks, juices, coffees and teas onboard.
- Water Package: Glasses of water and refill stations are complimentary, but bottled water costs $3.25 per bottle. Fans of Dasani can buy bottled water packages for a modest saving: 6 bottles for $16.50 or a 6-pack for $28.50.
- Classic Wine Package: Disney’s standard wine package includes common red and white bottles. Options include: 3 bottles for $123, 4 bottles for $158, 5 bottles for $188 and 7 bottles for $259.
- Premium Wine Package: For higher-end selections: 3 bottles for $183, 4 bottles for $241, 5 bottles for $295 and 7 bottles for $388.
- Survival Beer Package: Disney offers three tiers of beer packages — Survival Classic, Survival Signature and Survival Premium. Price ranges for these tiers are: 6 bottles for $49.25–$64.75, 12 bottles for $86.25–$118.25 and 24 bottles for $160.25–$225.50. You can also buy a refillable beer mug onboard for $15.25 (which gives you a 21 oz refill priced like a 16 oz beer).
- Cove Fanatic Card: Not a beverage bundle but worth mentioning: at The Cove, the adults-only coffee bar, collect a Cove Fanatic stamp card. After five specialty coffees, your sixth is complimentary.
Keep in mind: While soft drinks are complimentary in certain areas, they’re not free at bars and many lounges. An 18% gratuity is typically added to the drink prices shown above.
Are Cruise Drink Packages Worth the Price?
For your trip, consider how often and what types of drinks you consume on vacation and compare those to individual drink prices aboard the cruise line you’re using. Cruzely provides a cruise drink calculator to help determine whether a beverage plan could save you money.
Remember: if you opt for an alcohol-inclusive package, everyone in the same stateroom generally must purchase that package as well.
One last tip: if you’re undecided, give yourself credit for researching the value of drink plans — that’s already smart planning. Try not to obsess over every little cost on what should be a relaxing sea holiday. Once you decide, commit to it and enjoy your trip.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What else should you know about cruise beverage packages? The details are usually in the fine print. Rules vary by line, but many of the major companies follow similar guidelines. Always confirm specifics with your cruise line before travel.
No, packages generally can’t be shared. Most lines mandate that all adults in a cabin purchase the same beverage plan to prevent sharing. There are rare exceptions if someone in your group doesn’t drink alcohol; contact customer service to explain and see if separate packages are possible. Otherwise, you may choose to order drinks individually or factor the extra cost into your budget.
There are usually exceptions, but room service orders and in-cabin mini-bar items are typically not included in beverage packages.
Yes, gratuities typically apply and range from about 15% to 20% depending on the cruise line.
You can often save by buying a beverage package before embarkation. Purchasing onboard may cost more; for instance, Carnival offers roughly a 10% discount for advance purchases.
Some lines allow limited amounts of alcohol to be brought onboard — often one or two 750ml bottles or a six-pack — but policies differ widely. A few operators prohibit any outside alcohol (Costa, Windstar, MSC), while others permit more liberal amounts (Crystal, Regent, Silversea). Alcohol bought in port is sometimes held by crew and returned at the end of the cruise.
No, you usually can’t buy a package for only part of the cruise — it’s normally valid for the entire sailing. That said, many lines permit you to purchase the package within a day or two of boarding, depending on their rules.
Michael Evans is a senior staff writer at Savinly covering topics on earning, saving and managing money. He has written about personal finance for more than a decade.
