What Drinks Are Included in Your Cruise Fare by Default
Your fare covers the basics you'd expect at a hotel breakfast and a little more. Anything fizzy, frothy or alcoholic is usually extra. Knowing exactly where the line falls is the first step in deciding whether a drinks package is worth buying.
What drinks are free on a cruise?
On virtually every mainstream line, these come with your fare:
- Water: tap water in restaurants and at buffet stations. Ship water is treated and safe to drink.
- Regular coffee and tea: brewed coffee, hot tea and often iced tea, at breakfast and at the buffet most of the day.
- Juice at breakfast: usually orange and apple, sometimes more.
- Milk: at breakfast and with coffee.
- Lemonade, iced tea or fruit-flavoured water: at the buffet on many ships.
- Hot chocolate: at the buffet on many ships, especially welcome on Alaska sailings.
What costs extra, and roughly how much?
Prices are typical for mainstream lines at recent rates, in US dollars before the automatic service charge.
| Drink | Included? | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| Tap water | Yes | Free |
| Brewed coffee and tea | Yes | Free |
| Breakfast juice | Yes | Free |
| Bottled water | No | About US$3–5 |
| Fountain soda | No, except on Disney | About US$3–4 a glass |
| Latte or cappuccino | No | About US$4–6 |
| Fresh-squeezed juice or smoothie | No | About US$4–8 |
| Beer | No | About US$8–11 |
| Glass of wine | No | About US$10–15 |
| Cocktail | No | About US$12–16 |
Most lines add a service charge of about 18–20% to bar purchases, so a US$14 cocktail is really about US$16.50. Line-by-line package prices are in cruise line policies compared.
How lines differ
Premium bundles change the picture. Some fares on Celebrity, Princess, Holland America and Norwegian include a drinks package, and luxury lines often include house wine and spirits as standard. Disney includes fountain soda but sells alcohol separately. MSC sells drinks packages heavily, so expect the offer at boarding.
What "all-inclusive" means on a cruise explains how these bundles work, since the label isn't used consistently.
Can you bring your own?
Partly. Most lines allow a small amount of wine at embarkation, and some allow a limited number of sealed cans or cartons of soft drinks or water. Beer and spirits are banned on almost every line. The rules, which differ more than you'd expect, are in cruise line alcohol policies compared and laundry, alcohol and water rules.
Check on day one
Ask at the buffet or read the app on embarkation afternoon to confirm what's free on your ship. Coffee shops on some ships include pastries but charge for drinks, and a few venues pour juice that's free at breakfast but charged at the bar later. A quick check prevents small surprises on the final bill.
Have a question about this? A licensed cruise expert can answer it for free — no booking required, no pressure.
Ask a cruise expert →Know your baseline before buying a package
If free coffee, tea and water cover most of your day, a package is unlikely to pay off. If you drink soda, specialty coffee and a few cocktails daily, it might. Are drink packages worth it on your first cruise walks through the break-even point.
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.
Get a quote or book online →Frequently asked questions
Is coffee free on a cruise ship?
Regular brewed coffee is free in the main dining room and buffet on virtually every mainstream line. Lattes, cappuccinos and other espresso drinks from the ship's coffee bar usually cost extra unless you have a coffee or drinks package.
Is water free on cruise ships?
Tap water, served in the dining room or from buffet stations, is free and safe to drink. Bottled water is charged, and on some lines waiters may offer it at dinner, so ask for tap water if you don't want it on your bill.
Is soda included on a cruise?
Not on most mainstream lines, where fountain soda is charged by the glass or sold as a soda package. Disney Cruise Line is the notable exception, with free fountain soda at meals and at drink stations on deck.
More questions you might have
- Cruise Wifi and Phone Roaming for CanadiansThe maritime roaming trap that bills by the megabyte, what ship wifi really costs and delivers, and the airplane-mode routine that saves hundreds.
- Is MSC Cruises Right for You: A Canadian's Honest GuideThe European mega-line's North American expansion examined — value pricing, a distinctly European onboard feel.
- Smoking and Vaping Rules on Cruise ShipsWhere you can and can't light up at sea — the designated areas, the balcony question, and the penalties for getting it wrong.
- Connecting (Connected) Cabins vs One Big Cabin for FamiliesTwo connecting cabins or one family cabin? Real space, bathroom and price comparison — and why the pair usually wins for families.
- Disney Cruise Line Cancellation Policy and Paid-in-Full DatesDisney's paid-in-full date comes earlier than most lines — the timings by cruise length, the penalty bands after it, and the concierge and holiday exceptions.
- What Happens If Someone Drops Out of a Group CruiseThe cancellation ripple through a group block — refund realities, backfilling the cabin, and protecting the rest of the group's perks.
Booking essentials: Is It Cheaper to Book a Cruise Through a Travel Agent · What Are Expedia Extras on a Cruise Booking · Onboard Credit Explained and How to Get More · Cruise Line Policies Compared: 8 Lines Side by Side (2026)