Are Drink Packages Worth It on Your First Cruise
The drinks package is cruising's most-debated purchase, and the argument ends the moment you do arithmetic.
The honest break-even
Packages run roughly $70–110 USD per adult per day, plus an automatic service charge near 20%. A $12 cocktail world means 6–7 drinks daily to clear the bar — every single day, sea day and eight-hour-excursion day alike. Premium packages count specialty coffees, fresh juices and bottled water toward value, which helps; ports where you're ashore all day hurt.
The rules that tilt the table
- Both-adults: most lines force every adult in the cabin onto the same package — a light-drinking partner doubles the target
- No carry-off: package drinks pour one at a time, on board only
- Port-heavy itineraries: days ashore are days the package idles — the Caribbean port-run and Alaska excursion days are where packages die
Who genuinely wins
Sea-day-heavy sailings, cocktail-forward couples who'd order 5+ each anyway, and anyone whose peace of mind is worth a known fixed cost — the "vacation math off" purchase is legitimate if you name it honestly.
Who should pay as they go
Wine-with-dinner couples, port collectors, and anyone under 4 drinks a day: buy rounds, watch the account mid-week, and bank the difference. Soft-drink and coffee mini-packages solve the caffeine question for a fraction of the full bundle.
Want this priced up properly? Speak to a licensed cruise consultant — same price as booking direct, plus perks like onboard credit and prepaid gratuities the websites don't show. No fee, no obligation. You can get a quote or book online.
Get a quote or book online →The version that beats both
The recurring "drinks included" fare promotions hand you the package as an extra at the right sailings — the entire debate dissolves when the booking carries it free. Whether your dates have one running is precisely the pre-purchase question worth asking someone whose job is knowing.
Want this priced up properly? Speak to a licensed cruise consultant — same price as booking direct, plus perks like onboard credit and prepaid gratuities the websites don't show. No fee, no obligation. You can get a quote or book online.
Get a quote or book online →Frequently asked questions
Do both adults in a cabin have to buy the drinks package?
On most major lines, yes — all adults in the cabin must purchase together, which doubles the break-even problem for couples where one barely drinks.
Are drink packages cheaper before the cruise?
Usually — pre-cruise sales regularly undercut onboard prices by 10–30%, and "free drinks" promotions attached to fares beat both. Never buy at the pool bar price without checking.
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