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Carnival Drink Package Price: Is It Worth It?

Published 16 July 2026 · 2 min read · Cruise Questions Canada editorial team

Quick answerCarnival's Cheers! package costs roughly $60–80 USD per person per day at recent pricing, plus a 18% gratuity, and breaks even at around 5–7 drinks per person per day — so it suits guests who drink steadily from lunch onward and rarely pays for light drinkers, who do better with pay-as-you-go or a soda-and-coffee package.

Carnival's all-in drink package is a good deal for some guests and an expensive habit for others — the maths below tells you which you are.

The price

Roughly $60–80 USD per person per day at recent pricing, plus a 18% gratuity added to the package price, bought for every day of the cruise. Pre-cruise purchase through your booking is typically cheaper than the on-board rate. Prices vary by ship and sailing; confirm current figures.

Break-even

With cocktails, wine and premium beer each running roughly $10–16 on board, the package pays for itself at around 5–7 drinks per person per day per person per day. Below that, pay as you go; above it, the package wins. The general framework is in Are Drink Packages Worth It on Your First Cruise.

What's included

Cocktails, spirits, wine by the glass, beer, sodas, specialty coffees, juices and bottled water up to a per-drink cap (around $20 at recent policy), with a 15-alcoholic-drink daily limit. Drinks above the package's per-drink price cap cost the difference.

Who it suits

Sea-day-heavy itineraries (Caribbean, transatlantic) with steady drinking from lunch; Alaska's port-heavy days and early mornings suit it less, as covered in Cruise Vs Flight and Hotel Vacation Costs.

The both-adults rule

Yes — Carnival requires every adult in the same stateroom to purchase Cheers! if one does, and caps alcoholic drinks at 15 per day.

Cheaper alternatives

Carnival's soda, coffee or beer-and-wine packages cost a fraction of the full package; bringing your wine allowance aboard (see Carnival Alcohol Policy) covers cabin drinking for nothing.

More Carnival policies

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Getting the package bundled instead

Many Carnival promotions include the drink package in the fare — for a couple who'd buy it anyway that's worth hundreds of dollars, and it's the first thing worth checking for your dates before paying separately.

Want this priced up for your dates? Speak to a licensed cruise expert — same price as booking direct, plus perks like onboard credit and prepaid gratuities the websites don't show. No fee, no obligation, and you can book online if you'd rather.

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Frequently asked questions

How much is the Carnival drink package?

Roughly $60–80 USD per person per day at recent pricing, plus a 18% service charge on the package price, with pre-cruise purchase usually cheaper than buying on board; confirm current pricing for your sailing.

Do both adults in a cabin have to buy the Carnival drink package?