A drink package is not good or bad. It is a bet on how much you will drink, and the math to check that bet takes two minutes. Do it before you sail, using the prices your line publishes, and you will know whether to buy.
The Break-Even Sum
Every package comes down to one number: how many drinks a day you must have for the package to cost less than paying as you go.
- Step 1 — the true daily price. Take the package price per person per day and add any service charge the line adds on top.
- Step 2 — your typical drink. Look up the onboard price of the drink you really order: a beer, a glass of wine, a cocktail, a latte. Include the bar service charge if one applies.
- Step 3 — divide. Daily price ÷ typical drink price = the number of drinks per day you must have to break even.
- Step 4 — be honest. Count a realistic day: sea days and port days are different. If you are ashore from morning to late afternoon, that day you will drink less on the ship.
Suppose the package works out to the price of eight of your usual cocktails a day. If you normally have two or three, pay as you go. If you would happily have nine on a sea day but two on port days, average it over the cruise before you decide. No numbers needed here — just your line’s own price list.
The Fine Print That Changes the Answer
- Cabin rule. Many lines require every adult in the cabin to buy the same package, which doubles the sum for a couple where only one drinks much.
- Price caps. Packages often cover drinks only up to a set menu price; premium wines and spirits above it cost extra.
- Daily limits. Some packages cap the number of alcoholic drinks per day.
- Ports and private islands. Check whether the package works at the line’s private island or beach club — it often does, but not always at every bar.
- Length of cruise. Packages are usually sold for the whole sailing, not for chosen days.
If you drink lightly, the alternatives are often better: pay per drink, use any included water, coffee and tea, and on lines that allow it, carry on the permitted wine at embarkation. Our cruise line notes cover Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Disney rules in general terms.
When the Package Is the Saving
For some travelers a package is clearly the better deal: guests who enjoy several cocktails on sea days, wine with every dinner and a specialty coffee each morning; travelers who prefer one fixed cost so nothing surprises them; and groups celebrating something. Buying it before the cruise, during a planner sale, usually beats buying it on board. For a quick look at what else costs extra on a ship, our sister site Ask the Cruise Specialists answers the common questions.
Drink Package Questions
Does everyone in the cabin have to buy the drink package?
On many lines, yes — if one adult in a stateroom buys the alcoholic package, the others aged 21 and over must buy it too. Rules differ by line and by package, so read the terms before you do the sum for one person.
Are drinks included on some cruises?
Yes. Several premium and luxury lines include many drinks in the fare, and some mainstream lines sell fares that bundle a drink package. When you compare, set the bundled fare against the plain fare plus your own drink estimate.
Is a soda or coffee package worth it?
For heavy soda or specialty-coffee drinkers, it can be. Apply the same break-even sum: the daily package price divided by the price of a single drink you would actually buy.
Is a Drinks-Included Fare Better for You?
Some fares bundle drinks; some do not. Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will compare both for your sailing so you can see the real difference.
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