cheap cruises with alcohol included

Know Before You Go

10 Cruise Lines with the Best All-Inclusive Alcohol Packages

March 15, 2016 by Katie Rosbottom View All On 1 Page

One of the most frustrating aspects of cruising is that alcoholic beverages are never included in the package price, leading to frighteningly high bar tabs at the end of your trip. However, many cruise lines offer all-inclusive drink bundles that you may or may not be aware of. These are the top ten companies to sail with if you’re interested in boozin’ and cruisin’ affordably.

1. Norwegian Cruise Lines

Norwegian offers its guests the choice of two beverage packages: the “Corks and Caps Package” and the “Ultimate Beverage Package.” The “Corks and Caps” costs $59 per person per day and includes a selection of soda and juices, beer and wines by the glass ($15 or less). The “Ultimate Beverage Package” costs $79 per person, per day, and includes everything in the “Corks and Caps Package” plus liquor and cocktails (all drinks $15 or less). Both packages require an additional 18% gratuity.

Which Cruise Lines Include Alcohol? (Budget & Luxury Guide) – Drinks Lists

Cruises are often advertised as ‘all-inclusive’ but this all-inclusive fare rarely includes alcohol.

There are a number of cruise lines, however, that do. In this post, we will be looking at the cruise lines that include alcohol as standard in the cruise fare.

Many cruise lines do offer drinks packages that, when purchased in advance, can make the cruise fare closer to being all-inclusive.

The following all-inclusive cruise lines include alcohol:

Mainstream cruise lines.

There are VERY few cruise lines that I would consider budget/mainstream that include alcohol in the cruise fare.

Marella and Celestyal both do and I have cruised with both.

I have been on a few cruises with Marella and I have always been extremely impressed by the value for money they offer.

I would also recommend Celestyal Cruises for anybody wanting to explore the Greek Islands and try a line that offers a real Greek experience.

Marella Cruises Include Alcohol

Marella is a British cruise line, formerly known as Thomson. Their cruise fare is all-inclusive by standard and includes hundreds of alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks.

What Alcohol is Included on Marella Cruises?

Marella Cruises include a variety of alcoholic drinks as standard on all of their cruises. Including but not limited to:

• Draught Beers
• Classic Cocktails
• Frozen Cocktails
• Aperitifs, Liqueurs, Ports and Sherries
• Gins, Vodkas, Rums and Tequilas
• Whiskies and Brandies

Soda, juices, and Mocktails are also included.

To see the full list of the drinks available on Marella cruises check out the post here:

  Marella Cruises All Inclusive Drinks List

What Alcohol isn’t included?

When cruising with Marella it is possible to upgrade to a ‘premium’ beverage package. This costs in the region of £10 per day, and means you can have premium spirits, soda by the can (instead of fountain soda) and premium teas and coffees.

Drink packages on other cruise lines can cost over £90 per day – so £10 a day is an absolute bargain.

To find out more about all the things I love about Marella, read this article next:

5 Things I Love About Marella Cruises (Inclusions, Entertainment, Drinks and More)

Celestyal Include Alcohol

Celestyal is a Greek cruise line that owns two ships, Celestyal Journey and Celestyal Discovery.

Celestyal cruises the Greek islands and often have more than one port stop per day.

I cruised with Celestyal on a 4-day cruise. We managed to visit 7 ports! I’ve never known a cruise line to do this before and it was amazing.

The ship I sailed on Celestyal Olympia, has now been scrapped but newer ships have been purchased.

Both their ships have previously sailed with other cruiselines before being refurbished and going into service with Celestyal.

To learn more about Celestyal check out the cruise diary I kept onboard my Celestyal cruise:

  Celestyal Cruises: Review and Daily Photo Diary 2019

What Alcohol is Included on Celestyal Cruises?

Celestyal Cruises includes a variety of drinks including the following:

To see the full list of the drinks available on Celestyal Cruises check out the post here: 

Celestyal Cruises All Inclusive Drinks List.

It is worth noting that soft drinks and coffees/teas are included in the cruise fare.

On most cruise lines (including Marella mentioned above) you have to pay extra if you want to have a variety of teas or coffees. They are free on Celestyal Cruises.

On Celestyal cruises, you will find that most bars have two menus.

One includes included drinks and the other you have to pay extra for. During my cruise, I didn’t order anything from the premium menu and instead always chose the drinks that were included.

The paid-for extra menu features premium spirits and a greater variety of beers, wines, and cocktails.

Luxury Cruise Lines

If you have a little more budget to play with it is worth looking into the luxury cruise lines below.

Viking Cruises Include Alcohol

Viking ocean cruises.

Viking ocean cruises include beer, wine, and soft drinks with dinner but don’t include drinks at any other time of the day.

I took a 4-night cruise with Viking into the Arctic Circle in pursuit of the midnight sun.

It was one of the best experiences of my life, if you can afford to cruise with Viking I can’t recommend it enough.

Viking does also have a premium drinks package available for purchase.

Azamara Cruises Include Alcohol

Cruises with Azamara include some beers, wines, and selected spirits. The drinks are available all day but are not available to order through room service.

There are two packages that you can upgrade to – a premium package and an unlimited package.

These packages allow you to have a much wider choice of drinks. I sailed with Azamara and didn’t spend a penny on drinks.

Azamara is a little more affordable than some of the other luxury lines mentioned in this article.

Find out all about my cruise with Azamara here:

Seabourn Cruises Include Alcohol

All alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks are included in Seabourn cruises.

There may be a charge for things like a particularly expensive/rare bottle of wine but generally speaking, you’ll probably come away from your Seabourn cruise without any charges for drinks.

Silversea Cruises Include Alcohol

Silversea cruises include LOADS of drinks. Wine, beer, even champagne. Some premium spirits, champagnes, and spirits do have an extra charge – but these are few and far between.

Regent Seven Seas Include Alcohol

Regent Seven Seas offers unlimited complimentary drinks. Wines, spirits, beers, and champagnes.

The mini bar is even restocked daily!

“All-Inclusive” Cruise Lines That Don’t Include Alcohol:

Virgin voyages.

Virgin Voyages frequently advertise their cruises as being ‘all-inclusive’ but there is no alcohol included in the cruise fare.

The cruise fares do include a lot – Wi-Fi, Gratuities, and some basic drinks.

Virgin Voyages do not offer drinks packages. Cruisers must “Pay as you go” when it comes to drinks – as you would in bars and pubs on land.

I took a short cruise with Virgin onboard Scarlet Lady, check out the video below to see what I thought:

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian cruise line often describes their cruises as ‘all-inclusive’ but the basic cruise fare doesn’t include any drinks.

Norwegian often has promotions that include things such as drinks and speciality dining which can bring the cruise product more in line with that of an ‘all-inclusive cruise line.

Norwegian Cruise Line does offer a variety of drink packages similar to most other mainstream lines.

I rarely buy the drinks package, for me it’s just not worth it. Find out why here:

Drinks Packages Aren’t Worth it For Me – Here’s How I Decide (Price Lists & More)

Find out about the cruise I took on one of Norwegian’s newest ships, Norwegian Prima here:

River Cruises

Generally speaking, river cruises will include, at a minimum, wine and beer with meals.

Some river cruise lines include wine and beer at all times of the day and some river cruise lines will have all alcohol included.

Generally speaking, river cruises are usually more expensive than ocean cruises but this is because of the size of the ship and the amount included in the cruise fare.

Find out about the great-value river cruise I took with Tui here. Drinks were included at meal times.

Before You Go

To learn more about what is included in the typical cruise fare, check out this post:

  Are Cruises All Inclusive? Your Guide To What Is Included.

To find out how much drinks cost ( on average) onboard mainstream cruiselines, read this article next:

How Much Do Drinks Cost on Cruise Ships? Menus and Comparisons

Free Insiders Cruise Line Guide

Ever wondered how the mainstream cruise lines compare? Cruise lines won’t tell you this, but I will.

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Drink Packages

About drink packages.

Enjoy ice-cold refreshments during meals, during shows, during, well... anytime you want with Bottomless Bubbles. This unlimited soda program lets you indulge in all-you-can-drink Pepsi sodas and juice for the full length of your cruise. Sweet! Bottomless Bubbles is available for purchase at the Lobby, Casino and Pool Bars. Restrictions apply.

Restrictions:

• Non-transferable and may not be shared. Guests or family members who would like to enjoy soft drinks through this program must purchase their own sticker.
• One beverage serving, per sticker, will be served at a time.
• Soft drink is served by the glass (16 ounces); juice is served by the glass (10 ounces).
• Cannot be used through room service or the Interactive TV system, where applicable, or the minibar, where applicable.
• Program is only applicable for onboard purchases.
• Bottomless Bubbles is inclusive of VAT, if and as applicable on European cruises.
• If the program is purchased prior to the cruise, it is refundable up to 10:00pm ET, the evening prior to the cruise departure. Otherwise, Bottomless Bubbles is non-refundable 

Starting at $6.95 / Child Per Day $9.50 / Adult Per Day

Please collect your wine package coupons at Cherry on Top for redemption at Main Bars, Specialty Dining Restaurants or any of our Dining Rooms.

Enjoy great discounts on wine packages when you purchase wines offered through our exclusive 'Cruise the Vineyards' wine program. Wines from around the world are featured in two packages to satisfy both the wine novice and the more adventurous wine consumer. 'Cruise the Vineyards' wine packages allow you to enjoy your favorite wine at a discounted price or to explore new wines from the wide assortment of wines offered in these packages.

• Packages feature wines from Argentina, Armenia, California, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, and Washington.  
• An 18% service charge will be added to your beverage charge. 
• Unconsumed wine will not be refunded but you may take home unopened bottles.

Wine selections include:

Sparkling, Maison Castel, ‘Brut Cuvée’, France-  Pinot Grigio, GIFFT, Monterey County, California- Sauvignon Blanc, Santa Helena, Central Valley, Chile- Chardonnay, Santa Helena, Central Valley, Chile- Riesling, Leonard Kreusch, Rhein, Germany- Chenin Blanc, Baron Herzog, California- Rosé, Hampton Water, France- Rosé, Shofer, ‘Areni Rosé’, Vayots Dzor, Armenia- White Zinfandel, Canyon Road, California (Sweet)- Pinot Noir, Canyon Road, California- Merlot, Santa Helena, Central Valley, Chile- Cabernet, Santa Helena, Central Valley, Chile

All wines are subject to availability and exact offering may vary slightly by ship.

Sparkling, Domaine Ste. Michelle, ‘Brut’, Columbia Valley, Washington- Sparkling Rosé, Domaine Ste Michelle, ‘Brut Rosé’, Columbia Valley, Washington- Pinot Grigio, Santa Margherita, Alto Adige, Italy- Moscato, Stemmari, Terre Siciliane, Italy- Sauvignon Blanc, McBride Sisters, Marlborough, New Zealand- Sauvignon Blanc, Kendall-Jackson, ‘Vintner’s Reserve’, California- Sauvignon Blanc, Spy Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand- Chardonnay, McBride Sisters, Central Coast, California- Chardonnay, La Crema, Monterey County, California- Cave de Lugny, Macon-Lugny, ‘Les Charmes’, Burgundy, France- Riesling, Albrecht, ‘Tradition’, Alsace, France- Rosé, Gerard Bertrand, ‘Côte des Roses’, Languedoc, France- Pinot Noir, Castle Rock, California Cuvée, California- Pinot Noir, Kendall-Jackson, ‘Vintner’s Reserve’, California- Zinfandel, Cline, Lodi, California- Merlot, Columbia Crest, Columbia Valley, Washington- Merlot, Josh Cellars, California- Cabernet Sauvignon, Duckhorn, ‘Decoy’, Sonoma County, California- Cabernet Sauvignon, Franciscan Estate, Monterey, California-  Cabernet Sauvignon, Josh Cellars, California-  Haghtanak, Voskevaz Karasi, Ararat, Armenia- Chianti Classico Riserva, D’Aquino, Tuscany, Italy- Malbec, Catena, Mendoza, Argentina- Shiraz, Peter Lehmann, ‘Portrait’, Barossa Valley, Australia

Enjoy the ease of paying one flat price for your spirited beverages over the entire length of your cruise.  Now, that’s something to cheer about! Save up to 10% by purchasing before you sail. 

Cut-off for pre-purchase is 11:59 PM the day before embarkation and 9:00pm EST through call center. Additional restrictions apply, see below.

RESTRICTIONS:

• Must be 21 years or older to purchase and agree not to give to minors
• Each adult assigned to the same stateroom must purchase the program
• Only one drink at a time may be ordered. No sharing is permitted
• Applicable state and local taxes will be charged to the guest folio when this program is used within US waters
• Program allows for up to 15 alcoholic drinks, per 24-hour period (6:00am - 6:00am).
• Once you have consumed your 15 drinks, you cannot purchase any additional alcoholic beverages. 
• Carnival reserves the right to refuse service for any reason
• Program is non-refundable

CHEERS! INCLUDES:

• All spirits (including cocktails), as well as beer and wine by the glass with a $20.00 or lower menu price 
• Sodas, Zero-Proof frozen cocktails, energy drinks, specialty coffee, hot tea, 500ml bottled water and other non-alcoholic bottled beverages
• Packaged water in the Dining Room and Specialty Restaurants
• 25% discount off the menu price for any spirit or wine by the glass above $20.00
• 25% discount off the menu price for wine and champagne by the bottle
• 25% discount off beverage seminars and classes

CHEERS! EXCLUDES:

• Beverages promoted and sold in souvenir glasses
• Bottles of liquor
• Beverages offered at gangway
• Beverages offered through room service, mini bars and/or in-stateroom beverage programs
• Sharing cocktails, floaters, pitchers, tubes and buckets
• Beverages offered at private parties and/or events
• All other beverage-related programs including merchandise, cigars and cigarettes

TEXAS, NORFOLK AND NEW YORK

Cheers package begins on Day 2 for ships sailing from Texas, Norfolk and New York - activation will occur at 6:00am on the second day of the cruise.

Applicable state and local taxes will be charged to the guest folio when this program is used within US waters. The tax is based on the state's tax structure and the cost of the individual drink purchased (not the daily program rate). For example: if the drink price is $5 and the tax is 10%, the guest's Sail & Sign card will be charged $0.50 for tax. This applies to all US ports (embarkation home ports and ports-of-call). Cheers Package is inclusive of VAT, if and as applicable on European cruises. Package is non-transferable and non-refundable after 10:00pm ET the evening before departure. Please note that an 18% service charge will be added to all drink package purchases.

Starting at $59.95 / Person per Day

Matador Original Series

The Best Cruise Line Drink Packages for Every Budget

I t can be a total buzzkill to constantly pull out your wallet on vacation. If you’re planning a cruise one way around that is to take advantage of cruise line drink packages. Going all-inclusive means you pay a flat daily fee upfront for all the wine, beer, soda, coffee, tea, and cocktails you can possibly drink.

Cruise line drink packages are a way to take financial worries out of the equation and simply kick back and relax. And there’s no denying that drinking is a big part of vacationing on a cruise line, especially since you don’t have to worry about finding a designated driver. Cruise lines put as much attention on their bars and lounges as they do restaurants, with many organized by theme — such as a nightclub, piano bar, wine bar, or romantic lounge. Bar-hopping on board is as much an activity as a shore excursion off the ship. So if you enjoy letting loose on a cruise ship, you might want to seriously consider looking into the cruise line drink packages on the ship of your choice.

These drink packages are not just about alcohol and sodas: some provide unlimited specialty coffee and espresso drinks, a big plus if you’re a java addict, as well as non-pressed juices. Some include gratuities while others do not. It’s worth checking when pricing these out.

In planning a cruise vacation, so much is decided weeks before you hop on board, including the cabin category and shore excursions. Why not remove one more decision and start focusing on what to pack instead? Here is your complete guide to the major cruise line drink packages, and all the information you need to decide which one is right for you.

Carnival Cruises

Photo: Carnival Corp

There are two options for drinks packages available on Carnival Cruises: Bottomless Bubbles (soft drinks and juices only, $6.95 child and $9.50 adult, per day) and Cheers! (as the name implies, this one offers wine, beer, and cocktails—in addition to soft drinks, juices, teas, and coffee, starting at $59.95 per day).

Pros: While wine-by-the-glass and cocktails (under $20 on the menu) are included in the Cheers! package, you also get 25 percent off a bottle of wine or Champagne, and glasses on the menu over $20, in case you want to splurge a night or two.

Cons: Carnival Cruises’ cocktail and beer lists are more in-depth than its wine selections. If you’re more of a wine drinker, looking for higher-end labels, this might not be too enticing.

Celebrity Cruises

Photo: Celebrity Cruises

There are two alcohol packages on Celebrity Cruises: Classic (covers drinks up to $10, for $89 per day) and Premium (covers drinks up to $17 for $109 per day), and three non-alcoholic options, too.

Pros: The Premium Non-Alcoholic Package expands beyond soda, coffee, and teas. Coconut water, normally a costly choice, is also unlimited. There’s also a Wines by the Bottle option, sold in three, five, or seven bottles in each package — perfect if you’re traveling in a group.

Cons: In some of the spirits categories, there are twice as many options with the Premium Package, which is more expensive.

Cunard has four main drinks packages available. For those looking for a non-alcoholic option, there’s the Premium Soft Drinks bundle. For $30 you can enjoy soft drinks, small bottled waters, juices, hot drinks, and non-alcoholic cocktails. For coffee and tea lovers, a hot drinks package includes illy specialty coffees, Tea Forté infusions, and hot chocolates for $12.50. If you want unlimited soft drinks, that’s $10.

Cunard’s Beers, Wines, and Spirits option allows you to order an array of beers, wines, spirits, liqueurs, and cocktails costing up to $13.50 per serving. This includes soft drinks too and you’ll also receive a 20 percent discount on drinks priced above $13.50. The package costs $70 for voyages over five nights and $85 for trips under five nights. For those passionate about wine, you can choose between two signature collections, or create your own. Bottles can be enjoyed in restaurants, bars, or the comfort of your stateroom. This varies in price and offers up to 20 percent off regular wine list prices.

Pros: The Beers, Wines, and Spirits Package also gives you 20 percent discount to Cunard Wine Academy and Cocktail Master Class activities. Double measures for spirits and premium mixers are available on request. Packages include a 15 percent service charge, so that’s another thing not to worry about.

Cons: It seems a little unfair to charge more to those taking a voyage under five days.

Disney Cruise Line

Disney is one of the few cruise lines that do things a little differently. Rather than having an unlimited package, you can purchase a set number of drinks at a discounted price. Overall this saves you money compared to purchasing beverages individually on-board. And while this might not be great for those looking to sink trays of pina coladas by the pool, Disney is family-centric, so this is no serious booze cruise.

That said, there are some packages you can choose from. There are two wine options available, the Classic Wine and the Premium packages. Each offers a superb selection of bottles. Prices vary. For seven bottles the Classic will set you back $199, and the Premium $309. You can drink all seven in one night if you’d like, and you can take any open bottles back to your stateroom. The beer option ultimately offers you six beers for the price of five. And there’s a pretty long list to choose from.

Pros: If you don’t manage to drink all of your bottles of wine, you can take up to two with you when you disembark. Both the wine and beer lists are extensive. Drinks overall are not expensive either. A glass of wine ranges from $8 to $17, and a beer will set you back around $6.50 to $9. Prices include gratuity.

Cons: For those looking for unlimited drinks, this is not the best option. However, it could also be a good thing as Disney is quite magical enough.

Holland America Line

This cruise line’s Signature Beverage Package ($54.95 per day) includes drinks priced at $15 or lower, such as alcohol (wine, beer, spirits, and cocktails) and non-alcoholic beverages (sodas and specialty coffees).

Pros: Fold the Signature Beverage Package into Holland America Line’s Have It All Cruise Package (which also includes — for a week or less sail — one shore excursion, one specialty-dining experience, and Wi-Fi throughout, $60 — $100 per day) and it’s even more of a tempting deal.

Cons: There’s only one drinks package so if you really want the premium tiers of drinks you may have to pay a la carte for those.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Photo: Norwegian Cruise Line

Five drinks packages are offered by Norwegian Cruise Line, two of which are non-alcoholic (Unlimited Soda Package, at $9.95 per day; and Unlimited Starbucks Package, at $12.95 per day). Then, for alcoholic options, there’s the Premium Beverage Package (covers up to $15 drinks for coffee, wine, beer, spirits, fountain sodas, coffee, and teas for $109 per day) and the Premium Plus Beverage Package ($138 per day). The differences between the two come down to lower-end and higher-end wine and spirits.

Pros: Although the lower-priced of the two, there’s nothing left to be desired with the Premium Beverage Package, including 20 wines by the glass and hundreds of spirits and cocktails options.

Cons: For some, sipping a flute of Veuve Clicquot makes or breaks the sailing. If that’s you, then get the Premium Plus Beverage Package.

MSC Cruises

Photo: MSC Cruises

Two of MSC Cruises ’ five drink packages (Alcohol-Free Package and Minors Package) cater to dry sailors, too with mocktails, sodas, energy drinks, mineral and flavored waters, fruit juices, coffee drinks, hot chocolate, and tea. For the Easy Package (starts at $42 per day), Easy Plus Package (covers drinks up to $10 from $58 per day), and Premium Extra Package (covers drinks up to $16 from $79 per day), you get all that plus the alcohol.

Pros: Just like kids sail free on many MSC Cruises sailings, two drinks packages (Minors and Alcohol-Free) cater to little ones, too.

Cons: Only two beer brands are covered in the Easy Package — Heineken and Miller Lite — and no frozen classic cocktails.

P&O Cruises

Like most cruise lines, you get a discount if you book before you leave. With P&O this is a generous 10 percent. The packages are available on any route of five nights or more. Each person is limited to 15 drinks within a 24-hour period (which begins at 6:00 AM). If you exceed this, you’ll have to purchase drinks with a 20 percent discount. There are four tiers beginning at an average price of $13 up to around $67 for the Delux. The cheapest package includes Pepsi, juice, and lemonade, and the most expensive allows you to choose from an extended range of cocktails and wines, craft beers, and dessert and fortified wines.

Pros: The new Deluxe Package was launched in 2023 and offers a much wider range of spirits, wines, and cocktails.

Cons: Every adult in the same cabin must have the same drinks package, which means no sharing.

Princess Cruises

Among the simplest of the cruise lines’ drink packages (in terms of deciphering all the options), Princess Cruises offers only four options : Zero Alcohol Package (covers non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks up to $20 on the menu, for $84.99 per day), Premier Coffee and Soda Package (coffee and teas, hot chocolate, sodas, mocktails, energy drinks, smoothies and milkshakes, for $29.99 per day) and Classic Soda Package (sodas, fruit juices, mocktails and smoothies, for $14.99 per day).

Pros: Got a sweet tooth? Milkshakes and coffee frappes are covered in the Premier Beverage Package. You also get 25 percent off bottles of wine with that package. Another add-on value is with the Premier Coffee & Soda Package: a 25 percent discount on bottles of water and cans of soda or juice (otherwise they are fountain drinks).

Cons: Even with the drinks package, wine-by-the-glass selections are limited if you’re not in a specialty-dining restaurant, so plan your meals accordingly.

Royal Caribbean

From the Classic Soda Package (from $12.99 to $15 per day) to the Deluxe Beverage Package (includes alcohol and non-alcohol drinks, from $56 to $105 per day), everyone’s palate is covered in the cruise line’s four different drinks packages , including one where Evian water can be bought by the case and brought to the room.

Pros: Wine drinkers love the 40 percent discount on bottles with the Deluxe Beverage Package.

Cons: A lot of cruise lines include coffee and soda in the same drinks package, but not here. For specialty coffee in your package, you’ll need to upgrade from the Classic Soda Package to the Refreshment Package (from $29 to $38 per day).

Seabourn Cruise Line

Photo: Seabourn Cruise Line

Seabourn offers complimentary beer, wine, Champagne, and spirits at all times during the cruise. They also have Wine Collector Packages , which are available for an additional cost. This added extra allows you to order from the Reserve Wine Menu. The menu includes a hand-selected collection from the world’s most exceptional wine-producing regions. There are three tiers starting at $350 each offering a bonus amount towards an extra bottle of your choice.

Pros: The included cost means you don’t have to worry about the differing tiers of drink packages. The onboard sommeliers purchase local wines along the route so expect a nice variety onboard.

Cons: This is luxury cruising, so expect a hefty price point for your standard ticket.

Virgin Voyages

Photo: Virgin Voyages

Richard Branson’s cruise line offers Essential Drinks on Us for free on every sailing. This includes filtered still and sparkling waters, non-pressed juices, sodas, teas, and coffee. There isn’t a drink package per se like other cruise lines with daily fees but you can drop $300 on a pre-paid tab which gets you an extra $50.

Pros: Virgin Voyages hired top-notch mixologists (like James Beard Award winner Charles Joly, the Academy Awards’ official bartender) to develop a drinks menu. Also, you can use this pre-paid bar tab for others in your party.

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When it comes to planning the ultimate getaway, there are so many reasons why cruise vacations rank among the most popular travel options. First of all, they’re completely stress-free. On a cruise vacation, all the planning is taken care of by the cruise line — from the destinations you sail to and the shore excursions available at each port, to a full range of entertainment and activities happening onboard every day. If you’re not a planner, or if the only things you’re looking to focus on during your getaway is savoring great food, relaxing, and soaking up the sights, cruise vacations are the way to go. A cruise vacation is also a great option if you’re traveling with the whole family, especially when you opt for a Royal Caribbean cruise. All of the ships in this cruise line’s fleet offer family-friendly experiences for guests of all ages. Even little ones will find plenty of ways to play with spaces and activities designed for tots to tweens. One of the top reasons savvy travelers love cruising, though, is because of the incredible value it offers. With Royal Caribbean, your cruise fare includes access to most of the ship’s attractions, select dining venues and all of the entertainment onboard. If you want to make your experience even more all-inclusive, you can opt for beverage and specialty dining packages that cover drinks and dinner at some of the most exclusive restaurants in the fleet. On top of all that, the cruise line presents frequent limited-time offers and seasonal sales, making it easy to score big savings when booking your vacation.

I’m ready to start planning my cruise — how can I score the best deals?

Whether you’re looking to book a short getaway or a longer adventure to far-flung destinations, Royal Caribbean makes it easy to save big on everything from your cruise fare to special experiences onboard and onshore. The first step to making sure you get the best deals is to join the cruise line’s email list. Once you’ve signed up, you’ll receive regular updates on all the latest offers, like deals by destination , kids sail free promotions and flash sales. The savings don’t end when you book your cruise, though. Once you’ve made a reservation, you’ll also receive notifications about special offers for onboard experiences — like discounts on beverage and specialty dining packages, shore excursions, spa services, and more via My Royal Cruise .

Does it pay to plan ahead, or should I wait until the last minute?  

It’s an age-old question — does the early bird really get the worm, or are there perks to taking a “wait-and-see” approach? If you’re booking a cruise vacation, you’ll find there are benefits to both strategies. Planning ahead is a great way to score big savings , as Royal Caribbean often runs early saver deals to guests booking well in advance. It’s also pretty safe to assume prices usually go up as availability goes down the closer you get to your sail date, so booking ahead is a surefire way to lock in a great rate. That said, booking a cruise at the last minute can also yield some unexpected savings — but only if the itinerary you’re interested in hasn’t sold out yet.

If you can be flexible when it comes to your travel dates, you’ll have your pick of unbeatable savings. Popular vacation dates — like the holidays , spring break , summer vacation and week long cruises — sometimes see the highest prices (though you might get lucky with a seasonal sale). If you have the flexibility to travel during the shoulder season or off season, you’ll likely enjoy big savings on popular stateroom categories , like Balconies and even Suites. The deals don’t only apply to your cruise fare, though. Once you’ve booked your vacation, you could easily unlock discounts and specials on add-ons, including beverage and dining packages , Voom® high speed internet, shore excursions, and amazing experiences not included in your cruise fare — like a day of pampering at Vitality SM Spa, a behind-the-scenes tour of the ship’s galley followed by brunch, VIP seating at shows, and much more.

How can I maximize the value of my cruise vacation?

There are plenty of ways to get more bang for your buck when you sail on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Every ship in the fleet offers a range of delicious complimentary dining options , but you can dig into even more crave-worthy flavor by purchasing a Specialty Dining Package for less ahead of your cruise. Add a Specialty Beverage Package — which includes unlimited alcoholic beverages, soda, and more — and your experience is as close to all-inclusive as it gets. And with so many complimentary shows and attractions onboard, you can easily fill every sea day without spending a single dollar extra.

Royal Caribbean also offers deals based on departure ports  and destinations, so if you’re a flexible traveler looking for great savings, you can plan your next vacation around which itineraries are on sale. Just check your email or visit RoyalCaribbean.com/cruise-deals to stay up to date on promotions, sales and special offers. You can even browse sailings and deals by homeport, destination and season, so you can rest assured you’re getting the best possible deal no matter when or where in the world you choose to set sai.

Ready to start planning your next getaway? Start exploring cruise deals now.

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Travel Guides, Tips, and Tales

25 Best Tips: How to Get Cheap & Free Drinks on a Cruise Ship

October 12, 2022 By John Widmer 68 Comments

Indulging in many beverages can be so much fun when cruising. But in 2023, as drink prices on cruises hover around $10, those poolside piña coladas will add up before you know it. Splurging every night on costly cruise cocktails can be a blast. But it’ll also blast your onboard account before you can even say “mar-ga-ri-ta.”

During the past eight years, we used extreme budget travel tactics to drink our way across 100 countries and even cruise entirely around the world . After spending 237 days (8 months) as paying passengers on 21 different cruises, we’ve figured out the best strategies to drink lots on cruises while keeping our bar bill very low.

We’re now back on land to share all of our alcohol hacks, tips, and tricks on how to get cheap drinks on cruise lines such as Carnival, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, Princess, Celebrity, Holland America, and more. Many of these strategies will even get you free drinks on a cruise!

As an example of our cheap cruise drink strategy, during a 14-day sailing on the Celebrity, we managed to keep our bar tab under $75 per person, while drinking quite well …and a lot! That’s less than $6 per day! During a transatlantic repositioning cruise with Royal Caribbean, we solely used a $100 onboard credit to drink throughout the cruise (for free) and we again drank very well during that 13-day voyage.

But it was on a two-week Norwegian Star cruise, that we scored unlimited drinks for free the entire cruise! How did we pull that off?

This article details tactics like how to get hooked up with a free beverage package and the truth about sneaking booze onto a cruise. But let’s play by the rules. As such, happy hours can make for happy cruisers! And knowing when the free cocktails are served is even better! Yes, many cruises regularly give passengers unlimited free drinks for short periods for those in the know. Cheers to that! 🍻

Creating your own mini-bar is another fun drinking cruise hack we regularly employ. And for those who want better coffee without paying inflated specialty coffee prices, we show how to be your own barista! Actually, there are plenty of free non-alcoholic drinks to enjoy on a cruise. Yet cruisers looking for booze will find plenty of alcohol hacks to get cheap cruise drinks all throughout this post.

So without further ado, here are 25 of our best cruise tips and hacks to get cheap (and free) drinks on a cruise. Let the party begin! 🍹

1) Exploit Cruise Ship Happy Hours

Sometimes cruise happy hours are only subtly advertised. Passengers must be observant and seek out these money-saving cruise drink deals. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for happy hour promotions on tabletop signs at cruise bars.

Know that cruise happy hours vary greatly by cruise line, ship, and even each sailing. Cruise happy hours change constantly. Cruise happy hours even change from bar to bar on the same ship.

Despite ongoing changes, here are each cruise line’s happy hours :

• Carnival : Known to offer happy hour with half-off cocktails and beer at specific times at particular bars (e.g., Red Frog Pub, casino bar) on certain days only (often embarkation days and port days).
• Celebrity : Previously offered two happy hours with greatly reduced-priced cocktails, wine, and beer. Although Celebrity’s happy hour is now focused on free drinks for Elite Captain’s Club members 5:00-7:00, occasional happy hours can still be found throughout some ships.
• Disney Cruise Line : Typically has several happy hours nightly at specific bars with up to half-off drinks.
• Holland America : Typically has two happy hours (e.g., 4:00-6:00, 10:00-midnight) with buy one drink, get one half-off (has replaced buy-one-get-one for $1/$2 happy hour)
• Norwegian : No regular happy hour on NCL, but sporadic BOGO happy hours have been found at specific bars, only on some ships.
• MSC : No regular happy hours across MSC cruise line, but in the past BOGO drink deals have been spotted at specific bars (e.g., Sports Bar) on certain ships.
• Princess Cruises : Formerly offered BOGO happy hours but this has been discontinued.
• Royal Caribbean : No regular happy hours on most bars, but specific bars on some RCL ships do offer happy hours such as Buy-One-Get-One drinks in late afternoons at low-traffic bars.
• Virgin Voyages : No known happy hours.

💡 Tip: Plan around two happy hours

When you find cruise bars that have two nightly happy hours, plan your drinking wisely to maximize your onboard budget during these two happy hour periods. For example, it is fairly common to find happy hours during 4:00-6:00 and again from 10:00-midnight. So be sure to hit the bar and drink up during these cruise happy hours, particularly if it’s BOGO or half-off drinks. Then use our subsequent cruise drinking tips to drink economically during the four-hour gap between 6:00-10:00.

In addition to the planned cruise happy hours, some lines, such as Carnival, have been known to just announce drink deals spontaneously on party nights. Listen up and you may hear the DJ announce $1 beers! It’s happened to us before and we stocked up, which leads us to our next cheap cruise drink tip!

2) Stock Up for Later During the Best Cruise Drink Promos

If beer prices are slashed for happy hour, during a big promotion, or at a free drink event, then consider ordering some unopened beers to stash them for a later time. Take those inexpensive beers back to your cabin and put them in the mini-fridge. Doing so will enable you to enjoy those discounted (or free) beers poolside the next day!

When ordering, kindly ask the bartender not to open the beer. Occasionally a bartender may insist on opening it. If that’s so, order a 16 oz. aluminum bottles with twist-off caps. Those beer bottles can be easily resealed. So during price drops and or complimentary drink soirées, stock up!

But typically bartenders have no issue with passengers buying several unopened beers during a promotion. In fact, on a Holland America cruise when a 2-for-1 craft beer promotion came up, a bartender offered to send an entire case of discounted beers to our stateroom! We did. This brought the price-per-beer down to $2.98, which is even cheaper than buying those same beers at a bar on land!

Cruise loyalty members may also be invited to events with complimentary drinks and high-tiered members even get access to nightly complimentary happy hours on some cruise lines. But since the timing is limited, this can be another situation to take a beer or two to-go, to enjoy later.

Lastly, rare circumstances may call for free drinks onboard, which can be another consideration to snag some free beers for later. For example, on another HAL cruise, we took, the weather had canceled a planned port call. So the captain actually gave all passengers a complimentary happy hour as a nice gesture to disappointed passengers. If something like this ever happens during your sailing, it can be an excellent time to stock up on a few free beers!

3) Attend Cruise Drink Tasting Events

Wine tastings, cocktail tastings, martini tastings, and even beer tastings can be some of the best drink deals at sea. Personally, it’s our favorite tip to partake in for cheap drinks on a cruise.

These aren’t free tastings (we’ll show you where to get those later). Drink tasting events are typically paid activities to try several cocktails during a fun and informative demonstration that can last about a half hour or so. And they often yield excellent value!

🤓 Let’s do the math! Specialty drinks, like creative martinis, typically cost $15 (or more), plus gratuity. So five fancy cocktails could easily cost a cruiser $90. These tasting events on cruises vary in cost, but are often priced around $25, giving half-pours or sometimes even full-sized pours.

Often with cocktail or martini tasting they give about 4-6 ounces tasting, which is a half-sized cocktail. So that’s an okay-ish value, equating to 2.5 cocktails for $25. For comparison, three of these same cocktails would otherwise cost $53 when priced at $15 +gratuities.

Yet occasionally at tasting events, we’ve been pleasantly surprised by receiving full-sized drinks! We’ve found that drink tastings on NCL (Norwegian Cruise Line) are of particularly good value, as they’ve poured some large and strong drinks. Norwegian usually does martini tastings, margarita tastings, beer tastings, and wine tastings during their regular cruises.

Five good cocktails on an NCL would easily set you back around $100. So enjoying them at a tasting event for $25 is excellent value.

If you don’t want to drink all five drinks, consider attending with a partner/friend and sharing the experience . These events are usually charged by the pour, not by the person.

These tasting events aren’t just good value, you get to try a variety of different cocktails you may have never thought to try before. Drink-tasting events are also a lot of fun and a great way to make friends during a cruise. We’ve even learned some drink recipes that we now use back home.

Keep an eye out for alcohol tastings in the daily itineraries. When you see them, reserve a spot and you may discover your favorite new libation, all while being mindful of your drink budget.

4) Why Never Order Wine By the Glass on a Cruise

Never ever order by the glass on a cruise, even if you’re only going to have one glass of wine with dinner. Here’s why: if you order a bottle of wine and don’t finish it, your server will gladly re-cork it for you so that you can enjoy the rest of that bottle on another night, at no additional charge. Also, most cruise ships even permit the server to send what’s left of the bottle to another bar or even to your stateroom.

As is the case with any land-based restaurant, wine by the bottle on cruise ships offers significant savings compared to ordering by the glass. So as long as you’re able to finish an entire bottle during the length of your entire cruise, there’s really no reason to order by the glass.

🤓 Let’s do the math! Glasses of wine priced at $7 may seem like a good deal, but it’ll add up to $42 (plus gratuities) over the course of six glasses. That’s over $50! On our last cruise, the $7-per-glass wine was priced at $29-per-bottle. So ordering the bottle will ultimately get you that same wine for far less money. Just finish the bottle another night or whenever you’re ready.

5) Wine Drinkers Should Buy a Wine Package to Save

Most all cruise lines offer wine packages in which you commit to a certain number of bottles throughout your sailing, at a reduced price. Typically the more wine you commit to, the greater the price reduction. So try to estimate how much wine you’ll go through on the front end of the cruise, which will lessen the blow to your onboard account by departure day.

You can often purchase these wine packages before you set sail. Buying these packages online before your cruise usually gives a slightly bigger discount. For example, Celebrity offers a Taste of the Vineyards package online with either 3, 5, or 7 bottles. The 3-bottle package starts at $109. Look online or ask your booking agent. Alternatively, inquire about these wine packages at the ship’s wine bar.

If you’re going on a 7-day cruise and you think you may share one bottle of wine each night for dinner, then it would make sense to order a 7-bottle package for nice savings!

🤓 Let’s do the math! Below is an example of the Holland America wine packages we found during a recent cruise. Their rates start at $119 for a four-bottle package. Those particular bottles were priced at $35-$40 individually. So you would save $20-$40 by purchasing this package instead of buying the wines individually. If you know, you’re definitely going to be drinking these wines, it certainly would prove advantageous to buy the wine package.

6) Find Cheap Drinks in Port

If you have an extra hour or two to burn while in port, skip the sugary overpriced drinks at Señor Frogs and Fat Tuesday. Instead, find a cozy local bar a little further away from the port to throw back a few. Not only will you have a more authentic travel experience with local flavor, but you also may find local prices!

Drink your Budwiesers and Heinekens once you’re back home or on the ship. Instead, take the opportunity on shore to explore a local beer or spirit.

We’ve found there to be some surprisingly tasty brews popping up all around the world. Many popular Caribbean and Central American cruise destinations even have local brewpubs near cruise ports.

Also, be aware that many places around the world don’t have open container laws like the US. This means you can go into a local convenience store, and get a cold beer to enjoy while relaxing on the beach, touring the city streets, or simply walking back to the ship while you sip .

Whatever you’re able to sip on while ashore will almost certainly be better priced than on the ship and likely more interesting too. So drink up!

💡 Tip: How to know if open containers are tolerated in port . Many countries officially have open container laws, but they are completely unenforced in popular cruise ports. The easiest way to know whether drinking alcohol in public is tolerated is if the cashier of a convenience store has a bottle opener at the counter .

If you see a bottle opener, it’s a clear indication it’s acceptable to drink on the streets while in port. So use it to pop open a beer. The best part is that all of these local beers while in port will be at a fraction of the cost compared to the cruise ship’s pricey drinks.

Get to know the local drinks in an area you’re visiting ! Local wine found ashore throughout a Mediterranean cruise is not only delicious but can be surprisingly inexpensive. That’s the same for rum throughout the Caribbean. And let’s not forget about all the yummy tropical cocktails found all throughout many of the world’s most popular island cruise ports.

Our favorite local drink to get is painkillers in the Virgin Islands! Although we’ll always seek out sky juice whenever porting in Nassau. Rum punch is a must in Jamacia, just as margaritas are obligatory in Mexico. Yet don’t overlook the panty ripper in Belize. There are so many delicious cocktails to explore throughout the Caribbean and elsewhere!

7) Go on Inexpensive Shore Excursions that Include All Your Alcohol

Instead of necking a bottle of beer in the streets, book a tasting tour, a booze cruise, or an all-inclusive beach pass while in port. Use a tour agency independent from the cruise line to save money on shore excursions.

We always use and recommend Viator shore excursions since they tend to be nearly half the cost of the cruise line’s excursions. Their ports of call tours include a worry-free guarantee promise to get you back to the ship. And if your cruise has to cancel a port for any reason, it’s nice to know that they automatically provide a full refund.

Where are you cruising to? Here are just a few booze-filled shore excursions in some of the most popular Caribbean cruise ports:

🇲🇽 Cozumel, Mexico Drinking Excursions:

• Mr. Sancho’s Beach Club   is the hottest drink ticket in Cozumel and is such incredible value! For the price of about five drinks on a cruise ship, this ticket gets you an all-day pass to this white-sand beach resort that includes a full open bar with unlimited drinks ! The day pass also includes a complete lunch menu, beach loungers, and even ocean kayaking along Cozumel’s coastline! But best of all, there’s a swim-up bar, so you don’t even have to leave the pool to get your next margarita. Drink up! ⚠️ Beware : this one regularly sells out in advance. Check availability now for your travel dates.
• Cozumel Coral Reef Snorkeling by Glass Bottom Boat : Although drinking is not the main activity, this snorkeling tour provides complimentary beers after getting out of the water. This high-rated tour is well-priced to pack in a boat ride, snorkeling, and cervezas ! Check availability .

🇧🇸 Nassau, Bahamas  Drinking Excursions:

• Rum Reggae and Rhythms Tour looks like so much fun and has so many excellent reviews to vouch for it. This tour the also the least expensive booze-filled tour we’ve seen in the Bahamas, and you’ll have to sip slowly while venturing out to a number of local Nassau drinking spots. Check availability .
• Nassau Food Tasting and Cultural Walking Tour focuses more on local Bahamian food. Yet it also includes some rum cocktails along the way. This tour gets great reviews and would be a fun way to taste Nassau while enjoying a few drinks along the way. Check prices .

🇰🇾 Cayman Islands Drinking Excursions:

• Rum & Beer Tour with Lunch : This is our top pick for the Cayman Islands, as this 3-hour tour packs a rum distillery, a rum cake factory, and a local lunch with local craft beers. It seems that there’s plenty of rum and beer to try all along the way so you definitely won’t return to the ship sober. Book now .

🇻🇮 St Thomas, US Virgin Islands Drinking Excursions

• Rum & Food Tour : This tour explores St Thomas’s rum history, as it includes two rum drinks, but also puts focus on the island’s local food scene. Perhaps best of all, you’ll learn how to make the signature drink of the Virgin Islands – the Pain Killer. And then drink it, of course. Sooo good! Check prices .

🇸🇽 St Maarten Drinking Excursions

• Orient & Maho Beach : If you’re going to visit St Maarten’s two most famous beaches, be sure to choose a tour that includes cold beer and delicious rum punch along the way. This fun tour does and is only $40 !
• Topper Rhum Distillery Tour : After touring this famed distillery, you visit the tasting bar for unlimited rum samples and even the opportunity to bottle your own rum! It’s another bargain-priced tour that gets rave reviews.

Other Boozy Shore Excursions Around the World

The above-listed shore excursions are only a few of the vast variety of excursions Viator has available on its tour booking site. You can find these boozy shore excursions all over the world, from a whale watching & brewery tour in Alaska to a vineyard excursion in Northern Italy. Search Viator excursions for your ports of call .

8) How to Get Cheap Booze in Your Cabin on the Final Night

Can you buy a bottle of liquor on a cruise ship?

Yes, there are two ways to buy a bottle of alcohol on a cruise ship:

• Buy a bottle from the duty-free liquor store on the cruise, but they hold it
• Order a bottle of liquor to your stateroom anytime (more info in the next tip, #9)

First, let’s discuss buying a bottle from the liquor store on a cruise. Most all cruise ships have duty-free liquor stores with a vast assortment of alcohol at decent prices. However, the cruise ship liquor store will not allow you to take those bottles back to consume in your cabin …that is, until the last night.

On the final afternoon of your cruise, any bottles that you purchased while ashore or from the cruise ship’s liquor store will be delivered directly to your stateroom.

So, at some point during your cruise, go to the duty-free liquor store onboard and buy a bottle if you want to use it on the final night to cut loose and have a few extra cheap drinks. This tax-free liquor is well-priced and you may even catch an additional sale on alcohol from time to time.

Also on the final evening of the cruise, the duty-free store will, in fact, allow you to walk out of the shop with any liquor you purchase. On one cruise, we noticed that an entire liter bottle of vodka at the duty-free shop was actually priced less than two shots of the exact same vodka if you were to purchase it at the bar.

Additionally,  any alcohol purchased while in port will also be delivered to your stateroom on the final day of your cruise. So don’t hesitate to buy that delicious Jamaican rum or snag that bottle of tequila while docked in Cozumel. When you return to the cruise ship, you can easily check the bottle with security. Then once the last night of your cruise rolls around, any bottles that you’ve purchased ashore will be delivered to your room.

Also, if you happen to be in port on the final day of a cruise itinerary, most cruise ships will actually permit you to bring any liquor purchases right back on board with you. No sneaky tactics are required. Just walk right on and put that bottle through the X-ray machine. But again, this tends to only be allowed when bringing liquor back aboard a cruise that has a port call on the final day of a cruise itinerary.

So on your last night of a cruise, have a party in your stateroom and enjoy! Just be sure to schedule a late disembarkation time the next day. 🤪

Tip for back-to-back cruise cruisers only : If you happen to be on a back-to-back cruise (consecutive cruises on the same ship) and are remaining in the same stateroom, we’ve discovered a loophole that helps to procure cheap drinks on a cruise. On the final night of your first cruise segment, you will receive your purchased liquor in your stateroom. It’s then available to enjoy on your subsequent cruise! While we haven’t seen any official policy that permits this practice, it’s worked for us every time we’ve taken back-to-back cruises.

9) Ordering Bottle Service in Your Stateroom Is a Good Deal

The previous cruise alcohol tip is great for a cheap bottle of liquor on the final cruise night of a cruise. But what about the rest of the cruise? Here’s how to legally buy a bottle of alcohol on a cruise ship that you can actually consume on the ship, anytime.

Most cruise lines offer standard 750-ml bottles of liquor that they’ll deliver to your room for a modest price. They’ll set it all up nicely with glasses and ice for you to use throughout your cruise. Sometimes, they’ll even throw in some free mixers too! The price of these liquor bottles with set-up ranges around $40-$60 , depending on the cruise line and your liquor preference.

While $50 for a bottle of liquor is much more than you’d pay for it at your local liquor store, the cost still comes out to being much less expensive than you would pay for several drinks at the bar on a cruise.

🤓 Let’s do the math on bottle service on a cruise

On a recent cruise aboard the Holland America Koningsdam, the cruise offered a Gin & Tonic package that includes a bottle of Bombay gin and three cans of tonic water for $46.25 + 15% service charge for a grand total of $53.19.

That $53 will yield at least 16 delicious gin & tonics that can be made and enjoyed right from the comfort of the stateroom throughout the entire cruise. So this comes out to about $3.31 per drink.

Meanwhile at the Koningsdam’s bars, that same Bombay gin and tonic comes to $8.34, after the 15% service fee. It would cost over $133 at the bar for 16 gin & tonics. So buying the bottle set-up for your stateroom ultimately results in a massive $80 savings!

Here’s the breakdown: $133 for 16 gin & tonics at the bar -$53 for 16 gin & tonics with bottle service in your stateroom =$80 in savings

Best of all, this bottle service set-up is a totally legal and acceptable way to have booze in your stateroom without having to sneak it on the ship! And with bottles starting at $40, it’s still semi-affordable too. If you’re a heavy cocktail drinker, ordering bottles of liquor to your cabin can really make financial sense. Use this tactic to help ease your onboard account in between drinks at the bar.

Ordering a bottle of alcohol to your room is also far more economical than tapping into a cruise’s minibar set-up. Unless you’re only going to have a drink or two, steer clear of the expensive mini-bar if you’re trying to keep your cruise budget to a minimum. Ordering a bottle of alcohol to your cruise stateroom will prove more economical.

Additionally, most cruise lines (excluding Carnival and NCL) do permit you to bring your own soda on board. So if you plan ahead, you can buy a $40 bottle of liquor on the ship and then use your own mixers that you’ve brought. There’s certainly no need to tap into the expensive minibar sodas!

10) Look for the Captain’s Toast to Get Free Drinks!

If you notice any event in the daily itinerary titled something like “Captain’s Toast” or “Captain’s Reception,” this always means there will be servers running around with trays full of complimentary cocktails, wine, and/or champagne . Don’t miss it!

Typically these events will last at least a half hour. So arrive promptly to get your fill of free drinks!

Hang out, find a nice cozy spot where the drink servers are coming out of, and then cheers to the captain!

11) Play to Win Free Alcohol on a Cruise

There are always a number of contests and competitions held on board cruise ships. You’ll find anything from karaoke to the newlywed game to craft competitions. Smaller activities like daily trivia may only reward winners with a trinket like a keychain. But the larger gameshow-style events dole out much better prizes, and almost always give away free bottles of champagne !

For example, the Newlywed game show (AKA, Love & Marriage) always rewards participants with a free bottle of bubbly. This game is played across every cruise we’ve been on and even the losers have been rewarded with champagne. Really, they’re rewarding participants for embarrassing themselves on stage. And what better reward than a free bottle of champagne on a cruise?

We’ve also seen champagne be rewarded for progressive trivia competitions and virtually every gameshow-style event requiring participants to get up on stage. So participate and bring your A-game. Then you just might get rewarded with oh-so-precious free booze on a cruise!

Once you’re gifted a bottle of sparkling wine from the cruise director, you’re welcome to drink it anywhere on the ship without a corkage fee. Personally, we’ve won a few times and have brought our free bottles, to be uncorked (for free) in the main dining room and to sip on poolside.

12) Be a Loyal Cruiser to Get Rewarded with Free Drinks

If you’ve come back on the same cruise line for a second cruise, cruise lines often reward you with alcohol! But that’s only if you’ve joined their loyalty club, which is totally free to do! So always be sure to join the loyalty program with every cruise line you ever go on.

Even with the lowest loyalty tier, most cruise lines will at least invite passengers to a complimentary cocktail party full of free drinks. Cruise a few more times on that same cruise line and you may find complimentary happy hours every single night for higher-tier loyalty members!

Cruise lines are quite fond of treating their loyal patrons with booze. So if this is your second or greater instance of cruising with the same cruise line, then be sure to check what alcohol perks you may be entitled to and take full advantage of your loyalty freebies.

We’ve found that Royal Caribbean and Celebrity have some particularly enticing loyalty perks for cruisers who enjoy free drinks! In addition to exclusive parties with free drinks, Celebrity rewards their Elite Captain Club members with a daily cocktail hour with unlimited free drinks from 5:00-7:00 at most bars and lounges. Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean rewards Diamond members of the Crown & Anchor Society by loading free drink tickets onto their SeaPass card.

So it can really pay off for drinkers to be loyal to those lines!

Don’t have a loyalty status? Make friends! Not everyone onboard the cruise may be as big of a drinker as you are. Some high-ranking loyalty members may have leftover drink tickets they’re just going to let go to waste. So they are often happy to give them away to anyone who can use them. Sometimes these drink tickets are non-transferable, but this tends to be widely unenforced on cruise lines we’ve sailed on.

13) Free Liquor Tastings on a Cruise!

Most all cruises have a duty-free liquor store. On at least one night (often multiple nights), the liquor store will sample some of their best liquors as a way to entice you to buy a bottle while on board.

Usually, these free liquor tastings tend to occur earlier on a cruise’s itinerary, such as the first or second night. Check the daily guide for times, then stroll on by for your free shot (err, I mean a sample of liquor).

14) Enjoy Free Champagne at the Art Auction

If you’d like to sip on a complimentary glass of champagne, then head on over to the art gallery. Nearly all ships will have multiple art auctions during the cruise, which usually extends a free glass of sparkling wine . You’re not required to bid. So just sit back, learn something about the art, and watch others fight for those limited-release prints.

It can be an entertaining experience. But if you get bored, there’s no shame in making a quiet exit. So perhaps be sure to pick an aisle seat in case you do want to leave early.

15) Beer Drinkers Should Buy Buckets of Beer to Save

Are you heading to the pool and want to kick back a few beers? Buy a bucket of five beers, which most cruises usually offer for the cost of four. It’s a win-win by saving the server a few trips to deliver your beer while saving you a few bucks.

Beer buckets may not be the best drink deal out on the high seas, but it still saves the $6-$7 cost of a bottle of beer. Even if you’re not planning to drink all of those beers in one sitting, it can be worth buying the bucket to bring whatever is left back to your cabin to put on ice or in the mini-fridge.

16) Order the Drink of the Day for a Discounted Cruise Cocktail

Many cruise lines have a specialty “drink of the day” which will usually save you $1-$3 off the regular price. Sure, it’s not as great of a deal as a Buy-One-Get-One happy hour, but the drink of the day deals last the entire day.

Waking up to find out the “daily drink” happens to be your favorite can be a wonderful surprise to take full advantage of.

An additional bonus to the daily drink specials is that you may even get a souvenir cup which can entail even further discounts when getting a refill. The drink of the day is usually outlined in the daily cruise newsletter.

17) Legally Bring Your Own Wine on a Cruise

Many cruise lines actually permit you to bring your own wine and champagne aboard the cruise ship. So take advantage of these bring-your-own-wine allowances!

But wine allowances can vary greatly by the cruise line. Some cruise lines forbid it altogether. Other cruise lines will allow you to bring wine but charge a fee per bottle, even if it’s opened in a private space like your stateroom. Yet thankfully most major cruise lines are gracious enough to allow passengers to bring a bottle of wine or two. But you need to know the rules.

Usually, the wine allowance is one 750 ml bottle per person or two 750 ml bottles per stateroom. Most cruise lines’ alcohol policies indicate that these wine bottles must be placed in your carry-on luggage only and can only be brought onto the ship on embarkation day.

Each cruise line’s wine allowance policy is slightly different and these beverage policies do change occasionally. So before you pack a few bottles of wine, be sure to check your cruise line’s official alcohol policy to confirm.

Wine allowance policy by cruise line:

• Carniva l: 🍾 1 bottle per person (source: Carnival Liquor & Beverage )
• Celebrity : 🍾 2 bottles per guest (source: Celebrity Alcohol Policy )
• Disney : 🍾 2 bottles per person (source: Disney: Carrying Alcohol Onboard )
• Holland America : 💲 Fee of $20 per bottle (source: Holland America FAQs )
• MSC : ❌ Not allowed (source: MSC Conditions of Carriage )
• Norwegian : 💲 Fee of $15 per bottle (source: NCL Beverage Policy )
• Princess : 🍾 1 bottle per person (source: Princess Pre-Cruise FAQ )
• Royal Caribbean : 🍾 2 bottles per stateroom (source: RCI Onboard Alcohol Policy )
• Virgin Voyages : 🍾 2 bottles per person (source: Virgin Help Articles )

4 More Tips When Bringing Wine on a Cruise:

💡 17a) how to avoid the corkage fee in the main dining room.

Most cruise lines that permit you to bring wine onboard still charge a corkage fee if pouring that wine in the main dining room. These corkage fees vary by cruise line but typically range between $15-$25 per bottle.

Meanwhile, you can enjoy your own wine from your cabin at no charge whatsoever. Your stateroom attendant will happily deliver wine glasses to your room and will even deliver an ice bucket to chill champagne or white wine. This is complimentary, with no corkage fee on most cruise lines.

You may want to bring a corkscrew with you to open the wine. Stateroom attendants can usually track one down, but this has proven problematic for us on a few cruises. So consider screw-top wine bottles. Otherwise, it may be a wise idea to pack a cheap corkscrew.

But what if you want to have that glass of wine with your dinner without the expensive corkage fee? Then you can simply pour a glass of wine in your cabin to then enjoy it anywhere else on the ship.

Usually, the wine glasses delivered to your room are the same glasses being used in the bars and dining room. As such, no one will know (or care) that you poured your own glass of wine. So fill up your wine glass in your cabin and then take it to dinner, thereby avoiding a corkage fee. Often the maître d’ will even carry your glass of wine for you as you’re walked to your table.

Go ahead and make it a big pour. You may even be able to make one big glass last all the way until the dessert course.

💡1 7b) The Best Wine to Take on a Cruise for Value

Generally speaking, the best wine to take on a cruise is whatever type of wine is most pleasing to your tastes. But if you’re really trying to get the most bang for your buck, bring some strong wine on your cruise . Many popular wines have a lower alcohol percentage of 11%-12%. For example, one of our favorite wines, Pinot Grigio, tends to have an alcohol content of about 11.5%, which is fairly low.

Champagnes and sparkling wines can be fun wine choices to take on a cruise, but their alcohol by volume often is around 12% or lower. Sparkling wines would be a bad choice to bring on a cruise if you’re trying to get your money’s worth in the few bottles of wine that you’re legally allowed to bring aboard the cruise.

Some of the best wine options that have higher alcohol that you can take on your cruise are: Shiraz or Zinfandel . Those two are stronger wines, often clocking in around 15% alcohol. Better yet, consider a dessert wine like port wine or sherry , each of which can run as high as about 20% alcohol by volume.

If you’re trying to drink cheap on a cruise, bringing these stronger wines will certainly help to stretch your alcohol a bit further.

💡1 7.3c) Bring Even More Wine Than the Limit

While many official cruise alcohol policies limit cruisers to two bottles per stateroom, we’ve found it can be possible to slip in an extra bottle, particularly when using multiple bags.

If you bring an extra bottle or two above what the cruise allows, then consider dividing your wine bottles into separate luggage. Cruise line security is likely not going to add up wine bottles that are in different bags being delivered to the same stateroom. So putting two bottles of wine in one suitcase and two in another could get four bottles to slip through to a stateroom.

Just know this is officially against the rules. But it regularly works.

Maybe you miscalculated and brought three bottles instead of two. Oops! Don’t worry about it, as there’s a fair chance it will go unnoticed.

💡 17d) How to Bring Your Own Beer on a Cruise Ship (Instead of Wine)

If you’re a beer drinker, you may want to know how to legally bring beer on a cruise (instead of wine). A few cruise lines do permit you to bring your own beer onboard, although it is rare. Disney is one of the only major cruise lines that allow passengers to bring their own beer on a cruise ship . Disney Cruise’s official policy permits passengers to carry on six beers per person. Thanks Mickey!

But most other cruise lines forbid passengers from bringing beer on a cruise ship, even though they allow wine. So here’s a hack for beer lovers to bring some beer on a cruise ship instead of wine.

Consider bringing a 750 ml bottle of craft beer on board . Such bottles often have the appearance of wine or champagne. So that has worked for us to bring a nice beer instead of an allowed wine bottle. (See adjacent image: the bottle on the left is beer).

These 750 ml bottles of beer have always been permitted on wine-allowing cruise ships we’ve sailed on, even though beer is technically against their official alcohol policy.

18) BYOB – How to Bring Alcohol on a Cruise: the Sneaky Way

Most cruise lines explicitly forbid passengers from bringing their own alcohol on cruise ships, as stated in their alcohol policies.

Still, cruise passengers have been known to sneak their own booze aboard cruises. We like to play by the rules and don’t particularly recommend sneaking liquor on a cruise ship. But we’d be remiss not to mention it as a strategy that passengers do use to achieve cheap drinks on a cruise.

If you are going to smuggle some liquor aboard your next cruise, consider a cruise ship flask kit that is specifically made for the purpose of being undetected when going through cruise security. These nonmetallic pouches are purposely designed to let no air bubbles when pouring liquor into the devices, making them undetectable .

Many of these cruise flask kits have a good track record of success. For example, this Concealable and Reusable Cruise Flask Kit is currently the most popular alcohol smuggling device on Amazon and receives overwhelmingly positive reviews, with about 90%+ of reviewers, indicating it got past security. Check the most recent reviews .

What happens if you get caught sneaking alcohol onto a cruise ship?

The biggest realistic consequence is (1) embarrassment and (2) potential confiscation of the alcohol brought onto the cruise ship.

If you do get caught sneaking booze onto the cruise, typically cruise security will just remove the liquor and may even offer to hold it for you until the end of the cruise. If you’ve put a bottle of alcohol into your suitcase that security finds, the likely outcome is that your luggage won’t arrive in your room and you’ll have to go to security to get it straightened out. The cruise ship’s security may even offer to hold onto a bottle of liquor for a passenger who didn’t know the rules.

But bringing a bottle of liquor does run the risk of being confiscated. So if you’re going to try to bring a bottle of alcohol on a cruise ship, don’t bring any bottles that are valuable to you. Meanwhile, if you took sneaky tactics like putting alcohol in a mouthwash bottle, security will almost certainly confiscate it.

Many cruise lines’ official policies do indicate that passengers can actually be removed from the ship for bringing alcohol on a cruise ship. But we’ve never heard of that actually occurring in practice. A far more realistic consequence is delayed baggage and possibly confiscated liquor.

19) Enjoy These Free Non-Alcoholic Drinks on a Cruise

Often the only free beverage offered in the main dining room is tap water. Non-alcoholic drinks, such as sodas or specialty coffees, come with an added expense on most cruise lines. Yet those who know to ask, or know where to look, can get more than just a measly glass of ice water!

So what drinks are free on a cruise ? It should be obvious at the buffets that juices and other flat drinks are provided complimentary. Yet many cruisers don’t realize that they can also go to the main dining room and order complimentary iced tea and lemonade with their meals. It’s never offered. But unsweetened iced tea and lemonade are available for free in the main dining room during lunch and dinner on nearly all the major cruise lines.

Coffee, hot chocolate, and (hot) tea are also free drinks available on most cruise ships. In fact, cruises tend to have a very nice assortment of complimentary teas . They’re all there – Earl grey, English, herbal varieties, and more. Personally, we’ve found that an after-dinner mint tea pairs quite nicely with decadent chocolate desserts. Also, we love sipping on some chamomile tea before bedtime if we’re taking a night off from drinking.

So be sure to enjoy some of these non-alcoholic drinks for free.

Also, tap water is always free on onboard cruises and is completely fine to drink. But some people complain about the taste. So bring flavored water drops such as  Mio Water Enhancement  to turn that water into a flavorful drink. A 4-pack that has enough for 96 uses will cost less than buying 6 sodas on a cruise. So bring some flavored drops to add a little squirt to your water during lunchtime or at the pool.

20) Save on Specialty Coffees by Making Your Own for Free

Don’t want to splurge the $5 on specialty coffee, but still looking for a little more flavor? Here’s our recipe to make a delicious cafe mocha :

• Empty approximately ¾ packet of hot chocolate mix to a coffee mug.
• Add 2 creamers.
• Fill mug with coffee.
• Enjoy an instant café mocha!

Sure, it may not be quite as good as a barista-made espresso-based drink. But this simple little cruise hack can save coffee drinkers about $35 over the course of a weeklong cruise, while still jazzing up a boring cuppa joe.

If your cruise has a 24-hour ice cream station, you can visit that and get even more creative with your coffee. To make your own caramel latte , jazz up a boring cup of coffee by adding some hot caramel. Heck, get some whip cream and sprinkles on top!

21) Bring Your Own Drinks to Stock Your Minibar

Most cruise lines permit you to bring your own sodas and other non-alcoholic beverages. Beverage policies vary by the cruise line on what drinks are permitted onboard.

So bring aboard some sodas or whatever you prefer. Then just ask your friendly stateroom attendant to empty out all of those expensive minibar drinks so that you can make use of the fridge. The mini bar offerings are usually overpriced and sometimes old. So just remove any temptation for overspending here and ask for these items to be removed. It’s not an uncommon request.

Once the fridge is clear, you’re free to chill down all of the beverages that you’ve brought onboard. You can use the empty minifridge to cool down:

• on-sale (or free) beers you’ve snagged on the ship (refer to tip #2),
• champagne you’ve won on the ship (refer to tip #11),
• white wine you’ve legally brought on the ship (refer to tip #17),
• booze you’ve snuck onto the ship (refer to tip #18), or
• beer you’ve been permitted to bring back from port, which leads us to our next tip (refer to tip #22)!

22) Attempt Bringing Beer on Cruise from Port Calls

Most cruise line policies strictly forbid passengers from bringing any alcohol back to the ship from port. This means alcohol, including beer, is technically not permitted to be brought back on the cruise.

But we’ve found that while security is typically strict on enforcing this rule with hard spirits, many ships overlook passengers bringing beer back onboard. To find out if our ship has lax rules on bringing beers back from port, we typically experiment with attempting to bring on a few cans during the first port day on our cruise itinerary.

We’re never sneaky about this and don’t attempt to hide the beer. Rather, we run it through the X-ray machine in plain sight. Sometimes the beer will be flagged by security and stored until the final night of the cruise. In that case, we know it’s probably not worth attempting to bring beer back aboard when in subsequent ports.

But in many instances, security actually allows the beer to be carried on the cruise, no questions asked. For whatever reason, we’ve had more success with beer cans being accepted , rather than bottles.

So go ahead and give it a try! The worst-case outcome is that security will hold onto your beers for you until the final night of the cruise, as per most cruise lines’ alcohol policy. And you can still drink those beers on the final night of the cruise. So you really don’t have anything to lose by attempting to bring a few beers back aboard the ship with you. And you don’t have to be sneaky about it.

During our last Caribbean cruise, security was lenient enough to allow us to bring beer back onto the ship from every port we visited. We gladly brought back our hauls to chill in our mini-fridge and hence have inexpensive local beers to enjoy back on the cruise ship.

23) How to Determine If a Cruise Drink Package Is Worth It

The above cheap cruise drink hacks and tips will help keep your bar bill low on your next sailing. But you’ll certainly need to put in some effort and strategizing to accomplish that. If you instead just want to enjoy your vacation and not have to worry about sneaky tactics or a growing bar bill, then a drink package may be the way to go. And they are often great value!

So this cheap cruise drink tip helps to carefully break down whether the drink package may be worth it for you.

These unlimited drink packages can seem expensive on the surface, but all-you-care-to-drink alcohol packages can actually be fantastic value for those who tend to tip back a few while cruising. Cruise drink packages are a trend in the cruising industry that cruise lines like to promote. Now Celebrity, Princess, Royal Caribbean, Holland America, most Norwegian ships, and many Carnival ships offer some sort of alcohol drink package.

Each cruise drink package varies on exactly what alcohol is included. But most of these cruise drink packages tend to be generous in their offerings, even including top-shelf liquors. Some of the cruise drink packages further include specialty coffees, soft drinks, and other non-alcoholic drinks to help you recover the next day.

But cruise drink packages can be costly. So how much is a cruise’s beverage package?

Drink package prices vary greatly among the cruise lines and the specific package. Cruise beverage packages range in price from about $38 (MSC Easy) to $165.60 (NCL Premium) per day. Yet drink package pricing often tends to fall somewhere between $60-$80 per day.

Cruise drink package daily prices and policies:

• Carnival CHEERS! : $59.95 +18% for 15 drinks per day, up to $20 each ( more info )
• Celebrity Classic / Premium package : $69 / $84 +20% for unlimited drinks, up to $9 / $15 ( more info )
• Disney Cruise Line : No drink package is offered
• Holland America Signature / Elite : $54.95 / $59.99 +18% for 15 drinks, up to $11 / $15 (more info)
• Princess Plus / Premiere : $59.99 / 79.99 +18% for 15 drinks, up to $12 / $18 ( more info )
• MSC Easy / Easy Plus / Premium : $38 / $51 / $71 for unlimited drinks, select / $9 / $15 ( more info )
• Norwegian Unlimited / Premium :  $109 / $138 +20% for unlimited drinks, up to $15 / nearly all ( more info )
• Royal Caribbean Deluxe : $63-$89 for unlimited drinks, up to $13 ( more info )
• Virgin Voyages : No traditional beverage package, but has run promos that include generous bar tabs (more info)

Note: above prices are current as of October 2022 and reflect online prices purchased prior to sailing.

When deciding on a drink package, understand that cruise beverage packages do tend to have restrictions. For instance, while some drink packages are truly unlimited; Carnival, HAL, and Princess limit their drink packages to 15 drinks per day.

Also, understand that you must purchase a drink package for the entire length of the cruise . No cruise lines allow purchasing a drink package for certain days only.

Also, it’s standard across all the lines that sharing a drink package is not allowed . Typically all adults in the same stateroom must all be on a drink package. To be clear, it’s not allowed for couples in the same cabin to share one drink package.

Is there a way to cheat a cruise drink package? It may be possible to discretely slip a friend a drink. But if you do this, it violates the terms of the drink package and risks your beverage package being revoked. So doing so may not be worth the risk.

Is a Cruise Drink Package Worth It?

Often the hefty cost of a drink package is not worth the expense. But it certainly can be!

We recommend splurging on drink packages in the following instances :

• moderate and heavy drinkers : your bar bill will be higher than the cost of a drink package.
• shorter cruise itineraries : fewer nights = less total expense.
• cruises with many sea days and/or short port calls : more time on the ship means more time you’re using the drink package.
• when ports include private islands : some cruise lines allow drink packages to be used at bars on their private islands.
• when the cost of a drink package is within your budget and think you might enjoy 6+ drinks daily .

Simply consider how much you may drink on the cruise and then do the math.

For those who may drink an average of at least 6+ drinks or so each day, cruise beverage packages will likely result in significant savings. An associated benefit is simply not having to be concerned about your growing bar tab on a cruise. While cruise drink packages are never cheap, the expense can be worth it and can ultimately save.

🤓 Let’s do the math! Let’s use Carnival for example, which currently (2022) promotes its CHEERS drink package for: $59.95 per day + 18% gratuities = $70.74 daily *7 days of the cruise = $495.19 *2 people per stateroom = $990.38 total cost of CHEERS! drink package on a 7-day Carnival cruise.

Spending nearly $1,000 for the privilege of 15 daily drinks may seem pricey, particularly for budget-conscious passengers. And it is! For those who are only going to have a few drinks per day, stay away from drink packages. It won’t be worth it.

Yet for those who want to enjoy 6-8 (or more) drinks each day throughout the voyage, a cruise drink package can really make financial sense. You’ll likely save yourself from spending even more than that if you were to purchase those drinks a la carte.

Let’s consider what an average of eight drinks per day would cost on a 7-day Carnival without the drink package : $15 drinks + 18% gratuity = $17.70 per drink *8 drinks per day = $141.60 per day *7 days of the cruise = $991.20 *2 people in the stateroom = disembarking with a $1,982.40 bar tab !

In the above example, a couple could have saved about $1,000 by opting for a beverage package before the cruise began.

Considering that Carnival’s CHEERS! beverage package allows passengers to purchase drinks up to $20, you can actually break even just by simply drinking 3-4 higher-priced drinks each day .

Shorter Cruises Have a More Reasonable Drink Package Total Costs

While a $1,000 beverage package may still seem out of reach, it must be realized this is over the course of a hypothetical seven-day cruise. Shorter cruises will incur a far more reasonable expense .

For instance, a beverage package during a quick 3-day Bahamas cruise on Carnival would come out to a grand total of $212.22 per person for a fun 3-day booze cruise. That’s a lot easier to swallow!

Beware How Unexpected Cruise Drinks Quickly Add Up

Moderate drinkers may think that having 6+ drinks in a day is excessive . But new cruisers may not realize how quickly those drinks add up. Consider that you may enjoy a few beers by the pool, then a couple of glasses of wine with dinner, a cocktail at the show, and then a few more drinks at the dance party on the lido deck. You’re on vacation!

The many cruise bars can be all-too-convenient. The party atmosphere may be more tempting than anticipated to knock back a few drinks. You may be surprised how quickly all those wonderful cruise drinks flow onto your onboard account.

More Time at Sea Means More Time to Drink

Drink packages can provide even greater value on cruises with more sea days compared to cruises that are more port-intensive. When you have many full days on the ship, you’ll have more opportunities and time to hit the bars.

Conversely, if you’re on an itinerary that calls on a port every day, with long hours, you’ll have less time at the ship’s bar to take advantage of a drink package. In this case, enjoy local drinks in port and perhaps forgo the cruise’s drink package.

The exception to this is if you’re visiting a cruise line’s private island.

Drinks Packages Can Provide Great Value When Allowed on Cruise Lines’ Private Islands

Sometimes a cruise’s drink package extends its use to the cruise line’s private island . Having all your drinks included on the private island can be a huge incentive to get the drink package. Just check to see if your cruise allows this (below).

Cruise line drink package policy at private islands:

• ✅ MSC allows their drink package to be used across Ocean Cay Marine Reserve
• ✅ Norwegian allows their drink package to be used throughout Great Stirrup Cay
• ✅ Princess does allow their drink packages to be used at Princess Cays
• ✅ Royal Caribbean and Celebrity allows their drink package to be used at Perfect Day at Coco Cay and Labadee, Haiti
• ❌ Carnival and Holland America do NOT allow their drink package to be used at Half Moon Cay

24) Buy Your Beverage Package Online Before Your Cruise to Save More

Most cruise lines offer a discounted rate, usually saving cruisers $5-$10 per day when the beverage package is purchased in advance. So buy online in advance of your cruise, or expect to pay a bit more if purchased once on the ship.

If cruising is just one big party to you, the investment of a beverage package can pay dividends. Do the math. Consider the splurge. If you decide to buy a drink package, enjoy it to the fullest! Just drink responsibly and stay afloat!

25)  Get a Cruise Beverage Package Included for Free!

Sometimes cruise lines will run special deals and offer these all-you-can-drink packages for free as an incentive for you to book the cruise. That is how we drank for free when we sailed on a Norwegian cruise on two different occasions. It was fantastic! It was an open bar the entire cruise and nearly the entire drink menu was included, even most top-shelf brands!

Search around to find cruise deals that include the unlimited beverage package. We tend to see such promos offered by Norwegian and Celebrity most often. Call a good travel agent who can let you know which cruise lines may be currently running such a beverage package promotion.

Just beware that these “free drink packages” sometimes require passengers to pay an extra gratuity charge for the bar service. Depending on the cruise line, this drink gratuity cost may range from $11 (Carnival) to $20 (Norwegian) per person, per day. Even if paying $20 per day for the gratuities on a “free” drink package, that’s still a heck of a deal for all-you-can-drink top-shelf alcohol!

Have Cheap Drinks on a Cruise but Don’t Miss Out on the Fun

Part of the fun of drinking on a cruise is the social element, hanging out at the numerous bars, lounges, and clubs on these awesome ships. The nightly parties can be a blast. Drunken karaoke sessions are hilarious. Late-night clubs can get interesting.

Yet some of the aforementioned cruise tips for cheap drinks may confine passengers to drinking in their staterooms. That’s boring. You’re on a cruise – go out and have fun !

Be sure to utilize those cruise happy hours, daily drink specials, tasting activities, and beverage package deals in order to truly make the most of your vacation, as you drink your way across the open seas!

More Ways to Save Before You Cruise

Bon voyage ! We sure hope this post has given you many tips and tricks to save money on drinks during your next cruise. But before you go , here are a few more links to our other money-saving  cruise articles and to our travel affiliate partners that you may find helpful:

🚢 Be sure to check out our huge list of cruise tips here :

• 50 Best Cruise Hacks to Save You Money, Hassle, WiFi and Weight Gain .

🏨 If you need a hotel before or after your cruise, be sure to book early . All the best hotels in port cities tend to get reserved by cruise passengers in advance. We like using hotelscombined.com  to compare all the top hotel sites and score the best deal before it’s too late.

⚠️ Never go on an international cruise without travel insurance. Avoid having to shell out for medical emergencies, flight delays, trip cancelation, or lost baggage by getting a quick quote from CruiseSafe by VisitorsCoverage , which offers cruise-specific travel insurance to protect your trip. If you don’t already have travel insurance for your cruise, enter your dates for a quick quote now .

Then be sure to bookmark this page or pin the image to your right onto your travel Pinterest boards.

Publishing note: This article with tips on How to Get Cheap Drinks on a Cruise Ship was first written in June 2014 and is continually updated, most recently in October 2022 with the latest information and prices.

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July 16, 2019 at 2:30 PM

Thanks for all the great insights. I am going on a Holland America cruise in October and will purchase liquor to be delivered to my cabin, and try to bring a mixer in my carry-on. I know you gave the tip about being able to fill a wine glass in the cabin, then carry it around the ship. But what if i bring a travel cup, and make myself a mixed drink in my cabin, then carry it around? Do you think anyone would object? Is it frequently attempted?

July 26, 2019 at 1:23 PM

You could do that, but you’d probably stand out a bit walking around the ship. It’s doubtful, although possible, that anyone would object. But it would be very frowned upon bringing your own cup to the dining room. You’d likely be fine at the pool. But instead of using your own cup, when they deliver liquor to your cabin, they’ll bring you cocktail glasses. You can make a cocktail in the glasses provided and carry it around the ship, no problem at all. Usually the glasses they bring you are the same ones used at the bar. Have a great cruise!

October 9, 2019 at 3:23 PM

I did this on our last cruise with no problems. I even brought it on our catamaran party excursion and while everyone else was sipping out of tiny plastic cups I had my huge insulated cup 🙂

June 19, 2019 at 8:20 AM

Hahahaha the guy looks like a straight goober. Haha probably a five time gold medalist in the goober nationals.

June 19, 2019 at 7:03 PM

So that’s what you took away from this post about cheap drinks on a cruise and felt so compelled to drop a comment? Sounds like a classic goober move to me.

May 30, 2019 at 1:48 PM

Sailing on the RCCL Liberty of the Seas this upcoming week. It’s my first cruise in 19 years! Just bought 2 750ml bottles of corked and caged beers that look pretty much like wine. Hopefully they will make it through. I just want to sit on my balcony and sip on a beer before dinner a couple nights. Will update after the cruise to see if it worked.

June 2, 2019 at 5:41 PM

Awesome! Hope you have a great cruise and enjoy those beers on your balcony! I’d say it’s a pretty good chance those two caged bombers will make it onto the ship, but certainly no guarantees, of course. Let us know how it goes and enjoy the cruise! 🍻

April 28, 2019 at 1:29 PM

Your blog is full of great information! My friends and I are planning a Norwegian (Encore) cruise from NYC to Bermuda and some want the premium beverage package and others don’t. I drink only water and I might have a couple alcoholic drinks during the week. The “free” drink package (HaHaHa – you are forced to pay 20% gratuity) does not include bottled water! This is probably not worth it for me, but was wondering how much an average drink would cost? And, is tap water okay to drink?

May 4, 2019 at 4:44 PM

Yes, the tap water is A-ok to drink. That’s what we always drink ourselves, right out of the bathroom sink. And it’s simply chilled tap water that’s served in the restaurants. Unfortunately, NCL doesn’t allow passengers to bring on bottled water anymore, so you’ll either have to pay for it on the ship or drink the tap water. Note, NCL does serve free lemonade and iced tea too. If just sticking to water and the occasional alcoholic drink, you’ll likely be better just buying them individually rather than buying a drink package. Drink prices vary by ship and can even change from sailing to sailing. Yet with NCL, expect to pay somewhere in the ballpark of $7-$14 for a drink, plus automatic gratuity. So do the math and figure it out what may work best for you and your cabin mate.

December 10, 2018 at 2:52 PM

Just got back from a short 5 night on Majesty of the Seas. I bought the Deluxe Beverage Package and (as you list above) that includes drinks up to $12. However, I ordered many high end scotches which were 4 or 5 dollars over that as well as some specialty martinis for my wife (who didn’t have a beverage package…and often times at the same time) and wasn’t charged a dime. Is this just at the discretion of the particular ship we were on?

December 22, 2018 at 12:02 PM

Hmm, not sure. That’s kinda strange. But that’s great! Normally most beverage packages will require that passengers sharing a cabin all have a beverage package. So not sure how you may have gotten around that. But if so, sometimes the bartenders will be lenient with people on the beverage packages. The bartenders and drink servers earn a share of gratuities for serving drinks, whether you’re on a beverage package or not. So it’s in their financial interest to serve as many drinks as possible, in which case they may turn a blind eye to serving multiple drinks (and for other people), even though it’s technically against the rules of the beverage package. You benefit and so do they. That’s the only thing I can think of, unless there was otherwise some mistake or misunderstanding.

April 7, 2019 at 4:56 PM

Hiya 4 couples are planning to go on a Caribbean cruise on MSC. What do you think if we buy only 4 drinks packages (assigned to two cabins 2+2) These 4 would get free drinks to the other 4… Do you reckon we would be caught doing this? Cheers Pedro

April 9, 2019 at 9:33 AM

It may or may not work out. Really, it just depends on two things: (1) how lenient the staff is on that particular ship and (2) to the extent that you’ll be doing this. If it’s just discretely sliding a few drinks to friends here and there, you’ll likely be fine. But constantly doing it would be cumbersome and may raise suspicions. You’re only allowed to order one drink at a time. So it would be a pain to order a drink, give it to a friend, then wait a few minutes or go to a different bar to order another drink. Also ordering drinks during dinner could be problematic, as it would be very evident at the dinner table what you’re doing.

July 12, 2019 at 4:22 PM

I wanted to piggie bank off this question…. we are traveling on a carnival ship for a family vacation. My husband is a hard liquor drinker, I’m more of a cocktail drinker. It would make sense for me to get the drinking package but not so much for my husband…. carnival has a policy that requires all adults in a cabin to purchase the drinking package. We are willing to pay 414 for 1 drinking package but over 800 for both is just too much. Any suggestions on how to get around this? Btw we do have 2 cabins, 1 for our kids (17 and 14 year olds) and 1 for us in case that’s helpful…..

July 13, 2019 at 1:11 PM

That requirement is a tough policy to get around. We know passengers who have been successful in skirting this rule when citing health reasons that the second person can’t drink alcohol. But that’s really the only way I’ve ever heard of them allowing one person to purchase a drink package without the other adult in the cabin doing so. Even then, it’s ultimately up to the cruise line and they still may not allow it. $800+ is definitely a lot to spend on drinking for the week, so we feel your pain. If you and the hubby wouldn’t average at least 15 drinks or so collectively, each day, between the two of you, it could prove more worthwhile to just buy per drink and use some of these other tips along the way. The drink packages can be soooo nice to indulge in. But sometimes it may not prove worthwhile.

July 17, 2019 at 8:50 PM

Go online and buy the plastic flask! I’ve never been caught boarding with that!

July 29, 2019 at 3:52 PM

TO: Canada says Where did you put your flask so it wan’t noticeable ?

Go online and buy the plastic flask! I’ve never been caught boarding with that!

November 26, 2018 at 11:44 PM

hello My husband and i are going on our first cruise in Alaska, we are wanting to get a drink package and unsure which one to get the is standard, classic and premium. we both like our drinks beers wines spirits and cocktails and also like our premium coffees. my question is any suggestion to what package we get?

December 1, 2018 at 5:09 PM

I’m assuming you’re cruising with Celebrity, in which case the premium package will likely be the best bet. Celebrity’s premium beverage package is the only one that also includes specialty coffees. You’ll also be able to drink most all the top-shelf liquors, better wines, and craft beer. Of course, you’ll be paying a premium for this premium package. The classic includes still includes a decent assortment of cocktails and liquors, under $9, but no specialty coffees. The standard can be pretty restrictive since it keeps you $6, which can be difficult to do with the price of Celebrity’s drinks. So really it just depends on your budget and needs. But if you can afford it and think that you’ll drink a fair amount, the premium package would certainly be the way to go.

January 24, 2019 at 4:12 PM

Carnival’s CHEERS! progam also includes the premium coffees (and frappes, and spiked hot chocolate, milkshakes, etc) on ships that have the coffee shops on board.

March 27, 2019 at 11:59 AM

So does Royal Caribbean…yay!!

September 27, 2018 at 7:25 AM

I am not a heavy drinker but consume a gallon+ of water,lemonade,tea daily,are there nonalchol drink packages? Are they worth it? In Chicago there are Tiki boat booze cruises on the lakefront,a friend Captians them on occasion. Best beach bar-BVI’S, just a lean to with a refrigerator,really cute girl bringing me beers,turns out she wasn’t working there but I was buying her beers too! So worth it and the look on my face when I found out later made everyone else howl with laughter.

September 29, 2018 at 4:19 PM

Good news: most all cruise ships have water, lemonade, iced tea, available for free around the clock. So no drink package needed for that. Sodas will cost extra and there are packages for that. But if you’re good with lemonade, tea, and water, then no need for the package. It’s almost always available in the cafe. They’ll serve water automatically in the dining rooms, but will have ice tea and sometimes lemonade too upon request. That’s funny about the beach bar story – lol!!

September 11, 2018 at 2:12 AM

Question: RE: NCL Escape NYC to Bermuda Oct 2018 … does anyone know if they still are offering 6 for 5 buckets of beer? Saw a 2017 comment that they don’t anymore, another after that they do. Nothing 2018 though.

Looked on posted bar menus (not sure dates), don’t see any mention of buckets. Also saw a comment somewhere that there is a $5 deposit for bucket? True? And are there only particular bars on the ship where you can get them? If so which?

John, et. al, many thank for this and your awesome other blogs! Hope the trip is going fantastically! We are about to do our first. Can’t wait! 🙂

September 13, 2018 at 2:41 PM

I can’t confirm from first-hand experience whether or not the Escape still has beer buckets. But when we last sailed with NCL on the Bliss in April, I’m fairly certain they did on that ship, on the lido deck bars around the pool. I’d be surprised to learn if the Escape has done away with beer buckets, but it could be true. Will leave this comment up to see if there’s anyone who has been on the Escape recently may be able to confirm. Enjoy you upcoming cruise to Bermuda! 🙂

September 13, 2018 at 10:19 PM

Ok, just saw the “What It Was Like To Travel Entirely Around the World Without Flights” blog, so guess that answers my question 😀 Sorry, should have read more before asking.

Should you guys happen to be in NYC sometime, drop us a note, my wife & I will take you out for (FREE!) drinks 😀

September 3, 2018 at 9:07 PM

Than you for these amazing tips! who doesn’t love drinks right? especially when they’re cheap!

September 6, 2018 at 1:01 PM

Yup, that’s right!

August 8, 2018 at 8:02 AM

I have never been on a cruise before but will use these hacks if I get to be on one anytime soon.

April 22, 2018 at 10:10 PM

There are other ways to get free drinks on ships that come to mind. There are art auctions on board most ships and wine is almost always offered. Find the bar and help yourself as they are free to enjoy. You don’t have to stay for the auction as the prices are generally inflated. Another way is the ship party to introduce the ships staff. One for early and one for late dining people. Why not go to both and get free drinks. Take a few with you. Also if you have sailed before on the ship ask about a party for past travelers. It is worth a try as the food is better and the drinks free. Have fun.

May 9, 2018 at 11:35 AM

Yes, those are all great ways to get free drinks on a cruise ship, which we detailed in our other post: How To Get Free Drinks on a Cruise Ship: http://www.roamingaroundtheworld.com/how-to-drink-for-free-on-a-cruise/

We tried to keep this post pertaining just to cheap drinks. But free drinks is better than cheap drinks! 🙂

March 5, 2018 at 12:05 AM

this is an awesome cruise hack!will surely take note of this, I hope someday… I can use this…thank you so much!

March 20, 2018 at 10:44 AM

Our pleasure, so happy that you’ve found our cruise hacks to be helpful!

September 8, 2017 at 5:01 AM

Awesome! I will be having my first cruise ship with my hubby this September. There will be a lot of drinks that might be pricey however you can some cheap ones as well. Anyways, thank you so much for sharing this great tips.

September 9, 2017 at 10:19 AM

Fantastic! We hope you have a great first cruise full of inexpensive drinks! Just be careful… most people’s first cruise ends up being the first of many, hehe!

September 5, 2017 at 3:06 AM

Good information. My husband and I have been on a cruise and loved it. We definitely want to take our kids.

August 21, 2017 at 11:39 AM

I think I’d have to drink a lot to get $50 worth of alcohol consumed and at least try to get my moneys worth. I guess if some of them are high end drinks that cost a lot, I could do it with fewer drinks, but I can’t imagine drinking that fifty dollars worth of beer per day.

August 21, 2017 at 5:26 PM

It all depends how much you drink. For heavy drinkers it’s totally worth it, and then some. Other people, not worth it at all. The important thing is to do the math and figure out if it’s worth it for the amount you drink. $50 worth of beer may seem like an insane amount. But beers are usually around $6 on a cruise ship. So if you drank 8 beers in a day, that would make up the cost. Still even 8 beers in one day seems like a lot. But when you’re lounging by the pool, then have a few drinks during a long dinner, and then go hang out the at the bar later, it all can add up! So it all depends.

June 16, 2017 at 6:42 AM

It’s funny how people migrate to the commercial establishments while in port (i.e. Senor Frogs, TGIF) The real treats are the little hidden gems where the waiter / bartender will actually strike up a conversation with you.

June 20, 2017 at 4:19 PM

Agree 100%! Give me a little hole-in-the-wall any day over any of those major chains. Senor Frogs seems to be in almost all the major cruise ports these days and they really aren’t too different from one another. We always prefer (and recommend) to check out the local flair of a port!

May 23, 2017 at 2:48 AM

The easiest way to get cheap drinks is to sail with a line that includes drinks in its fares. Seabourn Crusie Line, Silversea, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Crystal and Viking Ocean are good places to start.

May 24, 2017 at 9:18 AM

Yes this is true. But those lines you’ve mentioned tend to be extremely expensive, so you are pretty much paying for those drinks with the high price of the cruise itself. I would absolutely love to go on any of those cruise lines though.

December 12, 2019 at 8:35 PM

NCL for the win in this regard.

May 11, 2017 at 3:34 AM

I have never been on a cruise and most likely never will go on one. I am not a water lover and with my luck the ship would sink when I was on it. My brother in law and his wife are going on their 5th cruise soon but its just not for me

May 16, 2017 at 12:32 PM

Cruise aren’t for everyone but most people do really enjoy them. It’s funny, one of the biggest barriers to cruising is for people to actually take their first cruise. There’s a static in the cruise industry that is something like well over 90% of first-time cruisers say they want to return for another cruise. Cruising can be great! Don’t knock it, ’til you try it. 🙂 You should consider joining your brother-in-law and wife one day.

May 10, 2017 at 7:05 PM

hello, going on Norwegian w family, i am a seasoned absolute and orange drinker, only one out of 6 of us, travel agent said i cant get drinking package? in june. is this true anyone? and im an early riser, 5-7am normally go to work, but on the ship id like to go drink, 6′.8′ 365 so it takes a bit for me personally. any idea’s or is that accurate that drink spacial is not available ?even if i got it for my wife as well,i myself would make it up by lunch @12.50 ive read per drink. sounds crazy but its not at all. any help any advice? i already paid for trip and for all others but at 13.00 basically its 500.00 a day easy everyday, ( for me anyway) TY

May 10, 2017 at 7:20 PM

Hi Bill, That is strange to hear the travel agent has told you that you can’t get the drink package. It may not be available as a free perk (as it sometimes is), but it most definitely should be available for purchase. The only reason I can think of why it wouldn’t be available for purchase is if you happen to be cruising on the Norwegian Sky, in which case, a drink package is automatically included for that ship only, so you have nothing to worry about. If not on the Sky, then I would suggest logging into your onboard account where you can view add-ons to purchase. Yes, you would be required to purchase it for all adults in the cabin, so your wife would need to purchase it as well. It sounds like the drink package would be well worth it for you, so I would suggest you purchase it, which you most definitely should be able to do. If you can’t find it online and your travel agent isn’t being any help, I’d suggest calling Norwegian Cruise Line directly. I’d imagine they’d be happy to sell you any add-on like a drink package. You can also purchase the drink package once you get on the ship, but it’s usually sold at a slight discount if you buy it before you set sail. Hope that helps and have a great cruise full of many Absolute & Orange. 😉

May 10, 2017 at 8:20 PM

Thank you so much! I thought that was strange,(told her dont care about free this and that, just give me the package) i told her im willing to pay for all of us, once in a lifetime trip, it was like she disproved of my request??! normally i would too! if it wasn’t vacation. just trying to do a nice thing for family and in-laws and really makes so much scene after reading your response and so appreciated. The ship is breakaway out of NJ/NY mid June, like i said, be happy to pay for package, she said NO to any alcohol package. they all end in April? Only during winter for incentives do they offer that?. Again it seems ridicules, but this is the case. i will call norw tell them as you suggested,the situation? agree? then i guess call travel agent, ask for owner, call there bull…poop and talk to her boss? sound like an OK course of action? TY also started this 11-12 months ago, looks like im paying same price(according to present pricing) as if i started a week before departure. it was a lot of money for me and feel like i was wronged. you’ve had the best news in 11 months,it’s still possible for package and savings. Ty Bill i am grateful your time and advice!

September 11, 2018 at 1:56 AM

Wow, this sounds wrong! I know this post is a bit old (last year), but I recently booked NCL NYC to Bermuda for October, 2018, and I definitely have this option (and many more.) However, a few things to note: It’s not necessarily just those in your cabin that must also get the drink package … my understanding is: if the travel agent booked your entire GROUP together, then ALL in the group must get the package … want or not. Children must get the soda package, adults the drinking package.

I decided to opt out because my wife NEVER drinks more than 3 glasses of wine / mixed drinks (max!!) a day. I, on the other hand, drink like a fish 😀 Well, not completely .. have to also consider days at port where I only plan to drink in the eve (we’ll be cruising around the island during the day.) So, the math doesn’t add up for us:

UDP costs 106.80 / person w/ 20% gratuity * 2= 213.60/day * 7 days = $1495.20

Look at costs, as explained in this blog. 6 for 5 beer. Buy a bottle of wine instead of glasses (1 bottle = 6 typical glasses) Possible free drinks (other article) and purchase from duty free on last day. Not buying so much (on board) on days in port (3 out of 7)

The math just doesn’t work. I can get MORE alcohol for less by NOT getting the plan.

I also checked the corks and Caps package … might be closer to working since that actually includes some juices, which my wife DOES drink a lot. I have to look closer … this one is harder since I/we also want our mixed drinks. But, I’m thinking even that doesn’t work for us.

If your travel agent didn’t explain all this to you, s/he did a mediocre job!! (or worse!)

John: THANK YOU BOTH so much for these posts!!! They are SO very helpful. I actually figured out the advantage of buying by the bottle 2 min before reading this blog, but you gave me even more to think about! AWESOME!!

I hope your trip is continuing wonderfully. I’m so jealous! 😀

June 20, 2019 at 9:55 PM

Because I am diabetic I have been advised not to drink so on our last cruise with celebrity my hubby was able to get the drink pkg. even though we were not buying one for myself.

May 3, 2017 at 3:37 AM

I’ve always heard amazing things about cruises but have never been on one. Seems like a great way to travel and have an adventure on a budget.

May 3, 2017 at 5:15 PM

I most definitely is! That’s one of the reason we like cruising so much. Many people view it as a luxury experience that is out of reach. It can be, but with the right planning, it can also be a very affordable way to see many different places.

November 5, 2016 at 2:17 AM

Hope you are having an awesome day!

That was a superb blog!!! Thanks for sharing

Have Nice Day

I am waiting for next posting.

Keep Smiling!!!

November 10, 2016 at 12:49 PM

Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for letting us know. We’re smiling 🙂

November 1, 2016 at 2:51 PM

Wow! Alcohol for under $6 a person? That’s impressive! Taste-tasting events seem so fun. These are all excellent, informative tips!

November 3, 2016 at 10:53 AM

It’s always nice to find drinks under $6 and it’s absolutely possible, particularly with happy hours! 🙂 And those tasting events can be so much fun! Glad you found these tips informative – cheers!

October 26, 2016 at 1:44 AM

Spot on advice about not buying wine by the glass. It’s never a good deal.

November 3, 2016 at 11:01 AM

Yup, never a good deal unless you’re literally only planning to have one glass during the entire cruise …and who would do that, lol! We always recommend buying by the bottle if not an entire wine package. 🙂 Cheers!

June 7, 2016 at 11:52 AM

Awesome advice! I’m a cruise writer and I appreciate the research and dedication you put into this article. Well done!

June 8, 2016 at 12:22 PM

Thanks so much! It really means a lot coming from a cruise writer! 🙂

May 20, 2016 at 8:14 AM

Very nice article on Getting Cheap Drinks. Surely this would help voyagers like me.

Keep posting.

May 27, 2016 at 11:33 AM

Yup! We’re always looking for ways to cut costs on our drinking budget! Always glad to help likeminded travelers!

March 24, 2016 at 4:41 PM

Thanks for the tips about how to get cheap drinks on a cruise ship! I think that these tips could apply to anyone wanting to get cheap drinks. Especially, your tip about happy hour. Most restaurants have happy hour and their drinks are cheap during that time.

March 26, 2016 at 9:23 PM

Yup, happy hour can always be a nice bargain, whether on a cruise ship or in a restaurant. We love happy hours!

June 25, 2014 at 7:36 PM

this is how we used to do it, when we went on a cruise, lots of fun and for sure saved on your wallet.

February 12, 2016 at 2:24 PM

Glad to hear there are some like-minded people out there drinking for cheap on cruises! 😉

June 9, 2014 at 2:54 AM

If you are a wine aficionado – take a wine cruise to top wine producing countries like France, Spain and Italy.

June 9, 2014 at 3:27 AM

Oooh, that sounds like a fabulous idea! Spanish reds, French Chardonnay, Italian Pinot Grigio all right from the source! Cheers!

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The 12 best all-inclusive cruises for 2024.

When most of the extra costs are paid before you sail, you can truly enjoy your cruise.

The Best All-Inclusive Cruises

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Sit back and relax on an all-inclusive cruise vacation.

When it comes to all-inclusive cruises, there are a few different options:

• Luxury cruise lines: All-inclusive cruise rates are available on luxury lines like Regent Seven Seas and Silversea. While more expensive than traditional cruise rates , the fares cover nearly everything, including door-to-door transfers, luxurious suite accommodations, specialty dining , premium alcoholic beverages and excursions. Plus, you don't need to show your cruise card every time you order a latte or a pre-dinner cocktail. You'll disembark the ship with very few, if any, additional charges on your final bill.
• Cruise lines with inclusive pricing: Alternatively, you can consider an upscale cruise line like Viking, which offers fares with more-inclusive pricing and some of the amenities found on board the fully inclusive lines. However, you'll still have to budget for a few expenses, such as immersive excursions and alcoholic beverages beyond wine or beer at lunch and dinner.
• Packages and add-ons: Other cruise lines like Oceania, Windstar and Norwegian offer add-on drink packages and other promos so you can create a more all-inclusive experience.

After comparing the costs between a truly all-inclusive cruise and a sailing with package pricing for the extras, the total price may be closer than you think.

Find your perfect cruise

All-Inclusive Cruises

Regent seven seas cruises.

Courtesy of Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Regent Seven Seas touts its six ships – with the newest vessel, Seven Seas Grandeur , which debuted in late 2023 – as "the world's most luxurious fleet." The line's intimate ships accommodate up to 750 guests. They feature all ocean-view suites, prestigious museum-quality art collections (including a prized Fabergé egg on the new Grandeur), and itineraries that call on more than 500 destinations around the world.

With Regent's "every luxury included" philosophy and 2-for-1 all-inclusive fares, passengers receive round-trip airfare and transfers between the airport and ship, as well as unlimited shore excursions, two- or three-night land programs (based on the itinerary), and a complimentary pre-cruise hotel package for concierge suites and higher. On the ship, enjoy a fully stocked in-suite minibar; specialty dining; unlimited fine wines, spirits and other beverages; prepaid gratuities; unlimited Wi-Fi; and free valet laundry service.

On top of personalized service, guests sailing on Regent Seven Seas cruises will enjoy immersive exploration ashore – with overnights in some ports of call – and enrichment programs. Top-notch dining includes French cuisine at Chartreuse (on select ships), Pan-Asian fare at Pacific Rim (also on select ships) and Italian fare at Sette Mari at La Veranda.

Cooking classes in the Culinary Arts Kitchen (available on Grandeur, Splendor and Explorer ), some tours and bespoke excursions, spa treatments, unique offerings, and certain wines and top-shelf liquors come with an additional cost.

Explore Regent Seven Seas Cruises on GoToSea, a service of U.S. News.

Silversea Cruises

Courtesy of Silversea Cruises

Sailing on board one of Silversea's 13 ultra-luxury cruise or expedition ships commences with the line's new chauffeur experience. This door-to-door service transports guests from home to the airport and back home on the return trip. The line's all-inclusive pricing also encompasses international or domestic flights (with business class upgrades in certain destinations), pre- and post-cruise hotel accommodations, butler service in every suite, all gratuities, gourmet dining, and complimentary alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, including Champagne.

Guests will also enjoy a staff-to-guest ratio of nearly 1-to-1 – and with no more than 728 guests. Other all-inclusive perks include at least one shore excursion in each port plus onboard lectures and programming. On expedition sailings in destinations like Antarctica , all guided Zodiac tours and landings are included in the fare.

When it comes to dining on Silversea ships, gourmet options feature French, Asian and Italian cuisine along with other international fare. For a special evening, S.A.L.T. Kitchen is a new destination-focused concept on Silver Ray, Nova , Moon and Dawn . This immersive dining experience, Sea And Land Taste, was developed in partnership with the former editor-in-chief of "Saveur Magazine," Adam Sachs. The culinary offerings with S.A.L.T. also include shore excursions, where guests can tour a 500-year-old family winery and vineyard in Croatia, visit an organic farm in Denmark, or learn to make gelato in Sicily.

Expenses not covered in Silversea's fare include salon and spa services, personal training sessions, select excursions, upgraded internet packages, and special bottles of wine or liquors.

Compare Silversea Cruises deals on GoToSea.

Seabourn Cruise Line

Courtesy of Seabourn Cruise Line

Seabourn's seven purpose-built expedition vessels and intimate luxury cruise ships accommodate between 264 and 600 guests. The club-like atmosphere on board its ships comes with highly intuitive and personalized service with about a 1-to-1 staff-to-guest ratio. Each suite also has a dedicated personal suite host and a suite attendant that will cater to your every whim.

All-inclusive fares include oceanfront suites with walk-in closets, living areas and luxurious bathrooms. All Seabourn Encore and Ovation accommodations feature private verandas, while 90% of the suites on Seabourn Odyssey , Sojourn and Quest have balconies. Premium and penthouse suites offer additional amenities and perks.

While aboard Seabourn Cruise Line , guests will enjoy complimentary fine wines and premium spirits, welcome Champagne, and a fully stocked in-suite bar with your personalized selections. Dining is a real treat, with several venues in partnership with renowned chef Thomas Keller, such as the line's signature restaurant, The Grill by Thomas Keller. Seabourn is also a member of the prestigious Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, an international association of gastronomy.

Other complimentary amenities on Seabourn's cruise ships include special evenings with dinner and live entertainment; a marina and complimentary water sports; "Caviar in the Surf" on select voyages; movie nights; a chance to shop with the chef at local markets; personal valet luggage shipping service; enrichment lectures; and more.

Additional expenses include a wide selection of epicurean, mindfulness and wellness excursions as well as cultural and historical bespoke tours. You can also book the ultimate underwater adventure on one of the line's high-tech submarines on the two expedition vessels, Seabourn Venture and Pursuit. Programs and treatments at Seabourn's Spa & Wellness are also at an additional cost.

Find a Seabourn Cruise Line cruise on GoToSea.

Atlas Ocean Voyages

Atlas Ocean Voyages features "always included" cruise fares on its two purpose-built yachts, World Navigator and World Traveller. The line recently welcomed a third ship to its fleet for the 2023-24 Antarctica season, World Voyager. Atlas' high-end boutique ships cater to just 198 passengers and feature spacious staterooms and suites with panoramic windows or private balconies and beautiful public spaces and lounges. These small ships also have several options for dining, depending on the sailing and destination.

The all-inclusive fares cover complimentary dining; unlimited wines, craft beers and spirits; 24-hour bar service with canapes; a free in-room minibar; afternoon high tea; fresh-pressed juices and specialty teas and coffees; butler service; 24-hour room service; prepaid gratuities; cultural immersion in every port; and other perks.

Polar expedition fares cover private charter jet service, group transfers from the airport to the yacht, an Atlas Ocean Voyages parka and vest to take home, Zodiac sightseeing safaris, expert guided shore landings, and destination lectures and briefings.

If you're on one of the line's Epicurean Expeditions, the cultural immersion program offers complimentary special tastings, market visits and cooking demonstrations. In addition to use of the marina's water toys (on select sailings, weather permitting), guests can enjoy an authentic Portuguese dinner and an alfresco Josper Grill dining experience at 7-AFT Grill. On select voyages, culinary presentations, wine tastings and other special events are hosted by an expert.

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More-Inclusive Cruises

Cruise fares with these lines include many of the amenities and perks that you'll find with the all-inclusive cruises. However, you'll still need to budget for some expenses, such as alcoholic beverages, excursions and specialty dining, depending on the line.

Courtesy of Viking Cruises

Viking's ocean fleet of nine 930-passenger all-veranda ships offers a nearly all-inclusive experience for guests. The upscale Scandinavian-inspired ships feature king-bed staterooms and suites with many amenities, including luxurious linens and plush robes, 24-hour room service, and free Wi-Fi – plus an in-room minibar with soft drinks, water and snacks. Higher-category staterooms on Viking Ocean Cruises come with additional perks like priority dinner and spa reservations, early stateroom access, and a welcome bottle of Champagne.

Cruise fares also include complimentary dining at all the venues; one free shore excursion in every port; beer, wine and soft drinks at lunch and dinner; specialty teas, coffee and bottled water; access to the spa; lectures and performances; port taxes and fees; and more.

Viking also has two 378-passenger Polar Class 6 expedition vessels, Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris. These ships also offer a mostly all-inclusive experience with the same amenities as their oceangoing vessels. Pricing on the expedition sailings includes Zodiac safaris, the use of kayaks, a keepsake Viking jacket, and essential gear for excursions and landings.

Select excursions, pre- or post-dinner cocktails, spa treatments, special bottles of wine, and other optional purchases come at an additional expense.

Book a Viking cruise on GoToSea.

Courtesy of Azamara

Azamara's four upscale boutique ships carry a maximum of 702 guests and offer immersive experiences around the world, calling on many smaller, lesser-known ports. The line also boasts more than 380 overnights and 850 late nights in port, so guests can have dinner in town and experience more of the destination's local culture and cuisine.

Azamara's cruise fares include all meals (other than the specialty dining restaurants) with water, tea and coffee. A selection of complimentary wine, sparkling wine, beer and spirits is available throughout the voyage. Cultural evenings ashore or on board the ship and gratuities are also included in the basic cruise fare.

If you'd like to enhance your onboard experience, Azamara offers inclusive "Experience More" packages that are discounted and based on the length of the voyage.

For example, on a seven-day or shorter sailing, solo travelers can add a package for $799 that's valued at $1,114 (a savings of 28%). This value-add bundle includes $350 of onboard credit to use for shore excursions; unlimited Wi-Fi for one device; a drinks package featuring premium wines, spirits and bottled water; a $150 spa credit; and a dinner at the Chef's Table or a total of three nights of specialty dining at Prime C or Aqualina. Three bags of laundry are also included.

Guests can book similar packages for double occupancy staterooms and longer voyages. You can also choose individual beverage, dining or internet packages if you don't need the extra amenities or features of the bundled options.

Compare Azamara cruises on GoToSea.

Virgin Voyages

Courtesy of Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages' four superyacht-inspired ships are designed with adults in mind and feature 1,330 cabins (most with balconies) and 78 RockStar Quarters suites, where guests have access to Richard's Rooftop, an exclusive outdoor deck space. Pricing with the adults-only cruise line includes stateroom or suite accommodations and meals at more than 20 eateries serving up international cuisine and dishes created by Michelin-starred chefs. Guests also have access to complimentary Wi-Fi; unlimited group exercise classes; nonalcoholic drinks such as water, tea and coffee; and plenty of lively entertainment.

Virgin does not offer beverage packages, but the line at times advertises special promotions that include voyage credits to cover expenses like airfare and drinks. Shore excursions and spa treatments – including skin care offerings on board Scarlet Lady in partnership with Jennifer Lopez, Virgin's chief entertainment and lifestyle officer – are some of the additional expenses not covered in the base fare.

Find a Virgin Voyages deal on GoToSea.

Add-on Packages and All-Inclusive Fares

These five cruise lines offer basic cruise fares that cover accommodations and some amenities – and you can typically find special pricing and promotional deals throughout the year.

With the optional packages, guests can create a mostly all-inclusive voyage with bundles of add-on extras, such as shore excursions, beverage packages, specialty dining, Wi-Fi, gratuities or shipboard credit to cover miscellaneous personal expenses such as spa treatments or a bottle of wine for a special celebration.

Oceania Cruises

Oceania's eight small luxury ships carry between 648 and 1,238 guests. The line's newest ship – Vista , the first Allura Class vessel – debuted in Rome in May 2023. The beautifully appointed vessel features four new dining concepts, spacious standard staterooms at 290-plus square feet in size, new Concierge Level veranda accommodations for solo cruisers, an elevated mixology program and more.

Oceania's culinary program is touted by the line as "The Finest Cuisine at Sea" under the tutelage of Jacques Pépin, executive culinary director and master chef. Complimentary specialty dining is included in cruise fares on Oceania sailings. Pricing also covers airfare, still and sparkling water, specialty teas and coffees, soft drinks, and Wi-Fi on the ship.

Oceania's "OLife Choice" package provides additional value to your cruise with 2-for-1 cruise fares, free round-trip airfare and airport transfers – plus one free amenity you'll choose out of eight complimentary shore excursions, a beverage package or up to $800 in shipboard credit.

Explore Oceania Cruises on GoToSea.

Celebrity Cruises

Courtesy of Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity offers special rates and packages throughout the year that save money over a la carte pricing – and elevate your onboard experience to be more inclusive. You'll be able to access the best deal on the added perks if you book the upgraded package before you sail, saving up to 40 to 50 percent of the actual cost.

The line's "All-Included" package bundles the most popular add-ons for cruisers: a standard beverage package for alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks, unlimited basic Wi-Fi, and gratuities for the staff and crew. Pricing depends on the stateroom or suite category and sailing.

There are other options when booking a cruise with Celebrity to create a more upscale and all-inclusive experience. Guests staying in all-suite The Retreat have exclusive access to a sundeck (on select ships), a lounge and Luminae – a private restaurant that features Global Culinary Ambassador Daniel Boulud at the helm. Guests of The Retreat booking the "All-Included" package receive a premium beverage package, premium unlimited Wi-Fi, gratuities and an onboard credit.

If you book AquaClass accommodations, you'll also have access to complimentary amenities and perks, such as unlimited access to the SEA Thermal Suite, discounts on spa treatment packages and complimentary fitness classes. In addition, you'll also find a bottle of sparkling wine upon arrival (by request) and two bottles of water refreshed daily in your room. AquaClass guests also have exclusive access to the restaurant Blu. You can add the "All-Included" package to your booking, which will include the Classic Drinks Package, basic Wi-Fi and gratuities.

Passengers who want to book this "All-Included" package and are sharing a stateroom or suite will need to book the same package.

Compare Celebrity Cruises on GoToSea.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian also offers promotional fares and special deals throughout the year that feature similar amenities and perks to what you'll find on an all-inclusive cruise. The "Free at Sea" deal bundles discounts on the cruise, free specialty dining, unlimited open bar privileges, shore excursion credits, savings on Wi-Fi access, discounts on the third and fourth guests in the stateroom, and a 2-for-1 deal on airfare.

"Free at Sea Plus" takes the package up a notch with a more comprehensive beverage selection, including top-shelf cocktails, Champagne by the glass, bottles of select premium wines at dinner and signature Starbucks coffee drinks. This option also includes unlimited Wi-Fi, additional nights of specialty dining and shore excursions.

Prices for both packages on Norwegian Cruise Line will depend on the dates, length and destination of the cruise.

Book a Norwegian Cruise Line cruise on GoToSea.

Holland America Line

Courtesy of Holland America Line

Holland America Line's "Have It All Premium Cruise Package" is available to book for cruises six days or longer, excluding the line's Grand Voyages. The benefits vary depending on the length of the trip but include credits for shore excursions; the Signature Beverage Package; specialty dining at Tamarind, Pinnacle Grill or Canaletto; and a Wi-Fi Surf Package. The cost starts at $50 a day per person. 

An early booking bonus for this package includes an Elite Beverage Package upgrade, covered crew appreciation charges and a premium Wi-Fi upgrade. Holland America has other special promotions throughout the year. One of these is an early booking bonus of up to $400 in onboard credit per stateroom for Mariner Society members.

Find Holland America deals on GoToSea.

Princess Cruises

Courtesy of Princess Cruises

"Princess Plus" and "Princess Premier" packages offer guests two options to upgrade their onboard amenities from the standard Princess Cruises plan, which covers accommodations, dining, entertainment and the line's signature MedallionClass experience.

"Princess Plus" perks include a beverage package with drinks up to $15 each, Wi-Fi on one device per guest, gratuities for the crew, two premium desserts a day (think hazelnut gelato at the onboard gelateria), two fitness classes per cruise (such as Pure Barre or YogaSix) and unlimited trips to the juice bar. The cost is $60 per day per person for this middle-tier package.

Additional benefits of the highest-tier option, at $80 per person per day, include the Premier Beverage Package, which covers drinks up to $20 each, and Wi-Fi for up to four devices per guest. Other features of the "Princess Premier" upgrade are two specialty meals, a photo package, Princess Prizes, reserved theater seating and a Medallion accessory.

Explore Princess Cruises on GoToSea.

Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Gwen Pratesi has been an avid cruiser since her early 20s. She has sailed to destinations around the globe on nearly every type of cruise ship built, including the newest megaships, luxury yachts and traditional masted sailing ships. Most recently, she traveled on a small expedition vessel in Antarctica and crossed the notorious Drake Passage twice. She covers the travel and culinary industries for major publications, including U.S. News & World Report.

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• Cruise vs. All-Inclusive Resort: Which One Is Right for You?

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Find the best cruise vacation for you

How can i find a cheap cruise.

Cheap cruise deals are fairly easy to find in most cases, and you can begin by considering what kind of features and itinerary you want. The more simplistic the experience is, the cheaper it is in general. On Expedia.com, you can filter for specific features and sort your results by price. By mixing and matching certain features, unforgettable experiences may be available with discount cruises. For example, booking a cruise with stunning restaurants and live performances while opting for an inside cabin without an ocean view window or balcony could be ideal for a traveler who doesn't plan on spending much time in their cabin anyways

What is the cheapest month to take a cruise?

The cheapest month to take a cruise varies based on your destination and the cruise line company that runs the ship. A Caribbean cruise , for example, is generally cheapest in the late summer and early fall since it's the local hurricane season.

Can I cancel my cruise booking?

Yes, you can cancel, but there may be fees for canceling depending on how far in advance you cancel and what kind of booking you have. You can check the specific cruise lines’ cancellation policies in your itinerary on Expedia.com.

Are river cruises worth the money?

River cruises are quite relaxing, with much more varied scenery than you'd experience on an ocean cruise. These ships often also feature several stops along the river, so passengers can enjoy a greater variety of destinations to explore. Viking river cruises are especially adept at providing this unforgettable experience.

What cruises are best for families?

The best family cruises in 2024 / 2025 tend to be Disney cruises with plenty of offerings for kids and adults alike, though MSC cruises are known for their iconic Children Cruise Free promotion. Disney cruises, specifically, are essentially a Disney theme park on a boat with live shows, rides, and attractions with your kids' favorite characters.

How much does a cruise ship cost?

Cruise prices can vary quite a bit, with cheap cruises and especially luxurious all-inclusive cruises available. Budget lines can offer cruise tickets as low as $50 per night in some cases, while the more high-end experiences can reach up to $1,000 per night and more.

What are some of the best cruise lines?

Several different cruise lines have a lot to offer, such as Viking cruises , which are known for traversing oceans and rivers with a style that blends outdoor and indoor splendor. Celebrity cruise line is more upscale with luxurious features like WiFi, included beverages, champagne, and suites with panoramic views. Other top cruise lines include Royal Caribbean International , Carnival Cruise , Disney Cruise , and Norwegian Cruise .

How far in advance do you need to book a cruise?

It's generally best to book a cruise about 6 to 12 months before your cruise departure. That's the safest way to balance availability and affordability. Technically, you can book earlier or later than that, with some last-minute cruise deals occasionally available up to a weekbefore cruise departure.

Are cruise trips affordable?

They can be, and it's especially simple to search for more affordable cruises with Expedia.com. Not only can you filter by cruise length, cruise line, and cabin experience, but you may also sort your results by price to put the more affordable options first on your search results page.

What is it like to go on a cruise?

A cruise is generally designed to offer the most relaxing experience possible. Despite the size of the ship, it's possible to feel the wave. Many passengers report that the movements help them sleep. Additionally, many fun cruises offer live stage performances, several restaurants, and shopping opportunities. When the ship is in international waters, you may even be able to enjoy a bit of tax-free shopping.

Are cruises a good way to travel?

Cruise travel is great if you're looking for some varied fun. Compared to a plane or a train, cruises have their own attractions and can be considered an integral part of cruise vacations. Plus, a cruise can hit several different destinations as well, with plenty of time to enjoy the cruise and scenic locales. It's certainly worth it for a unique experience no other method of travel can match.

Which cruise line is the cheapest?

The actual cheapest cruise available depends on a variety of different factors. Still, Carnival Cruise tends to be very affordable overall, most of the time with great options like the Carnival Sunrise and Carnival Horizon . Royal Caribbean is also another fantastic cruise line offering great deals if you are watching your budget.

How can I get the best cruise deals in 2024 / 2025?

If you're looking for some of the best cruise deals, booking through Expedia.com makes it easy since you can sort your cruise search results by price and have access to special deals. One Key members can earn  OneKeyCash  on all eligible bookings and get instant discounts with Member Prices. Sign up today!

What do I need to know when I book a cruise?

To book a cruise, you'll need to know where you'll be setting off from and where you'll be going, in addition to how many people will be with you and the features of the specific cruise you book. Keep in mind that you'll want to factor in spending money in your budget for the cruise's restaurants and shops in most cases.

Where should I go on a cruise in 2024 / 2025?

Plenty of incredible cruise destinations are accessible such as cruises to the Bahamas and cruises to Mexico . You may also be interested in cruises to Alaska or cruises to Europe for something outside of the Caribbean.

What countries are best to visit by cruise ship?

A lot of countries are accessible via a cruise, but the best include a cruise to Australia . However, a cruise to Australia is quite a long trip at sea and really allows you to take in everything the cruise ship has to offer.

Can I get last-minute cruise deals?

Yes, last-minute cruise deals are often available, and you can find them on Expedia.com by inputting your travel dates in your search and sorting your results by price. The deals will automatically be applied to the price estimates so that the cheapest estimates will show up first on your search results page.

Are cruises all-inclusive?

Cruises aren't always all-inclusive, but they can be. If you're interested in all-inclusive cruises, you can activate a search filter for it to ensure your search results only show cruises that meet your all-inclusive standard.

Is food free on a cruise?

Food is sometimes free on a cruise, but there are often specialty restaurants that aren't included with the general booking that you'll have to pay for separately. Check the details of each cruise before you book in the "What's included" section after clicking the cruise on your search results page.

What cruise lines are adults only?

Several lines offer adults-only cruise experiences, including Viking cruises , Carnival cruises , and Princess cruises . With an adults-only cruise, you can relax in a tranquil and laid-back setting without kids running around and enjoy all the cocktails you want.

What cruise lines are considered to be the most luxurious?

Viking cruises are considered exceptionally luxurious, with smaller ships and larger cabins that make them feel more exclusive, but Celebrity cruises offer luxury cruise lines too. Booking a luxury cruise means you can expect high-end amenities including gourmet restaurants, sizable suites, top-tier performances, massive pools, and much more.

What are the best cruises for couples?

Viking Cruises have much to offer for a more romantic experience. Holland America Line cruises can be quite refined and romantic as well, with an adult-oriented experience that's sophisticated rather than rowdy. Romantic cruises offer exceptional service as well as cozy suites for you and your partner to enjoy that's complemented by delicious food often themed around the cruise destination.

Why should I go on a cruise for my honeymoon?

Going on a cruise is a great way for you and your new spouse to be pampered with luxury while also being able to explore a new destination. Whether you're taking a cruise to Hawaii or a cruise to Bermuda , a particularly romantic experience is almost guaranteed thanks to the sheer number of things to do.

Are there any Christmas cruises?

Yes, quite a few cruise lines operate around Christmas, and you can find them easily by entering travel dates around Christmas into your 2024 cruise search. Some of the most popular Christmas cruises are available with Carnival and Disney.

Do I need a passport to go on a cruise?

Whether or not you need a passport depends on where you're going and the kind of cruise it is. Any US territory like Bermuda and Puerto Rico won't require a passport, of course, but you also don't need one if you're on a closed-loop cruise. This is a cruise that begins and ends at a US cruise terminal, even if there are stops in other countries on the way.

Why should I book a cruise with Expedia.com?

Booking a cruise with Expedia.com makes it easy to find a cruise type that works best for you. You can use the cruise finder and sort by cruise line, type, destination, length, and itinerary. One Key members also earn OneKeyCash on all eligible bookings that can be used to save on future eligible trips.

What happens if a cruise is canceled?

Every cruise has a different cancellation policy, but generally, passengers are entitled to either a full refund or a credit for a future cruise at a later date. Remember that they may automatically change your booking to their rescheduled date, so you may have to contact them if that date doesn't work for your schedule.

*OneKeyCash is not redeemable for cash and can only be used on Expedia,  Hotels.com  and Vrbo.

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Princess Cruises drink packages: Are the line’s inclusive options deals or duds?

There's nothing worse than being hit with an unexpectedly sizable bill on the last day of your sailing. It's important to budget for extras like drinks, Wi-Fi and crew gratuities — the drinks especially can really add up and surprise even the most seasoned cruisers.

That's why Princess Cruises offers a variety of drink packages. You can pay up front to avoid nasty surprises later. The options range from nonalcoholic and soda packages to inclusive plans that bundle together additional services for more comprehensive savings. But are you really saving money versus purchasing your soft drinks and cocktails a la carte?

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Let's dive into the four options, corresponding costs and what's included so you can determine if a Princess Cruises drink package or all-inclusive bundle is worth booking.

What are the various Princess Cruises drink packages?

Princess Cruises offers four drink packages , including a couple of nonalcoholic drink plans. Each is designed to help you save money and not worry about the price of individual drink orders throughout your cruise.

However, it's important to note that Princess does things a bit unconventionally for the industry: There is no option to buy a stand-alone alcoholic drink package. If you want an inclusive alcohol package, you'll have to pay for the all-inclusive package that includes drinks alongside Wi-Fi, prepaid gratuities and access to such additional perks as specialty dining, fitness classes and free room service delivery.

Each package is available for purchase on board during the first two days of the sailing or pre-cruise through the Cruise Personalizer booking platform. (Packages are not available for pre-purchase within three days of sailing — if you've waited that long to decide, you'll need to make the purchase on board.)

Packages must be purchased for every day a passenger is sailing (you can't pick and choose days), they may not be shared and they are nontransferable and nonrefundable.

Zero-Alcohol Package

Love indulging in specialty coffees and teas, fizzy sodas, fresh juices and smoothies, cozy hot chocolate, zero-proof mocktails, bottled water and Red Bull energy drinks? Then the Zero-Alcohol Package (previously known as the Coffee & Soda Package) is primed to please your palate. This package is also a great way to get your fill of sparkling and still water bottles, which can be handy for pouring into your reusable bottle and taking ashore on excursions.

There is no age restriction for this package, and it may be used on Princess' private islands and at all onboard dining venues, bars and public spaces with beverage service.

Classic Soda Package

For those with a serious fountain or canned soda habit who don't dabble in fancy coffees or crave bottled water, the Classic Soda Package delivers much-needed refreshment. Beyond the unlimited sodas, this package includes canned fruit juices (excluding the fresh juice bar), mocktails and smoothies.

As with the Zero Alcohol Package, this package has no age restrictions, and it may be used on Princess' private islands or anywhere on board that offers beverage service.

Princess Plus Package

Princess' entry-level bundled drink package offers guests a savings of 54% (based on a seven-night cruise) on several of the cruise line's extra-fee offerings.

First, let's look at the drinks included with Princess Plus: all the nonalcoholic beverages included in the Zero-Alcohol Package, plus cocktails, spirits, wine and beer up to $15 each. (Items selected beyond this price will be charged only the difference in price.) Interested in purchasing a bottle of wine? You'll get 25% off as part of your package perks, and this discount also applies to one-liter bottles of water.

Age restrictions do apply to this package, and exclusions to this package include minibar items, souvenir glassware and bottles of spirits or wine.

Now, let's examine what else comes with the Princess Plus Package because the beverages are just the beginning:

• Wi-Fi: You get internet access , including streaming and video chat, on a single device.
• Crew gratuities: The Plus Package includes pre-paid gratuities (which the line calls "crew appreciation"), saving you $16 to $18 per day (depending on cabin type).
• Premium desserts: Indulge your sweet tooth twice a day with complimentary desserts from the Gelateria, Swirls or Coffee & Cones.
• Unlimited juice bar: Choose from four juice blends and two power shots (ginger and turmeric), including antioxidants (fruit only), cleansing (vegetables only), immunity (fruit and vegetable) and energy boost. Each juice is a 6-ounce serving.
• Fitness classes: Work off those premium desserts with two complimentary fitness classes from Xponential during your sailing. Options include Pure Barre, Yoga Six and Stretch Lab.
• Casual dining meals: Dine out twice at no extra charge at casual sit-down restaurants, such as Alfredo's (pizza), Kai Sushi and pop-ups like Planks and Steamers.
• OceanNow delivery and room service delivery: Craving a cocktail at the pool? A snack while you read in the library? Just order and it'll be delivered to you, no matter where you are on the ship — including your room. (You'll still pay the cost of the food, drink or OceanNow device; the line will waive the delivery fee.)

Princess Premier Package

Impressed with what you see in the Princess Plus Package but want even more? The Princess Premier Package offers guests savings of 66% off because of the extra value in bundling together even more perks.

When it comes to beverages, you'll get all the same access as the Plus Package, but with this selection, drinks up to $20 are covered (instead of being capped at $15). The package also covers a one-liter bottle of still or sparkling water each time you dine at a specialty restaurant.

As with the Plus Package, guests who choose the Premier Package will receive 25% off bottles of wine and one-liter bottles of water. Age restrictions apply to this package, and exclusions to this package include minibar items, souvenir glassware and bottles of spirits or wine.

Similarly to the Plus Package, the Premier Package also includes:

• Prepaid crew gratuities
• Unlimited juice bar
• OceanNow delivery and room service delivery

You'll also get access to even more services and experiences (some upgraded, removing limitations), including:

• Wi-Fi: You'll have access on four devices, instead of just one.
• Premium desserts: You can order unlimited complimentary desserts (versus two per day).
• Fitness classes: You can sign up for unlimited fitness classes fee-free (versus two per sailing). Casual dining meals: You can enjoy unlimited casual dining meals for free (versus two per sailing).
• Specialty dining meals: This package includes two meals during your cruise, at Crown Grill, Sabatini's or one of the line's other specialty restaurants .
• Photo package: You'll get unlimited digital images downloaded to your device plus three prints as a keepsake souvenir.
• Princess Prizes: With the Premier Package, you're automatically enrolled in Princess Prizes. This is your chance to win cruise prizes (a seven-night cruise for two in a balcony stateroom is awarded on every cruise to one lucky player), shopping gift certificates, exclusive onboard experiences and more.
• Medallion accessory: The Princess Medallion is a quarter-sized wearable device that speeds up embarkation, unlocks your stateroom door and enables onboard payments. This package includes a free accessory, such as a clip, so that you always have it handy.
• Reserved theater seating: No more rushing to the production shows after dinner because you'll have reserved seating. Seats are held in special sections and are marked with special seat covers.

Related: The ultimate guide to Princess Cruises ships and itineraries

What do Princess Cruises drink packages cost?

Each of Princess' four drink packages has a price that scales with its value. Here's what you can expect to pay per guest, per day:

• Classic Soda Package: $14.99
• Zero-Alcohol Package: $29.99
• Princess Plus Package: $60
• Princess Premier Package: $80

The prices listed above do not include an automatic 18% service charge per day for the Classic Soda and Zero-Alcohol packages, so factor that into your travel budget if you decide to purchase a package.

When calculating cost, it's important to note that the first and second guests in a cabin must each book the same Plus or Premier Package; however, the third and fourth guests are not obligated to do so, which saves money for a family traveling with children.

With the Premier plan, Wi-Fi, specialty dining and the photo package are shareable, which allows a family of four with two parents to have their children's devices on Wi-Fi, take home family photo keepsakes and enjoy one specialty dining experience with their entire family.

One final point worth mentioning: The Plus and Premier plans aren't unlimited when it comes to alcohol. There's a limit of 15 alcoholic beverages over a 24-hour period, which runs from 6 a.m. to 6 a.m.

Related: 7 extra-charge items on cruise ships that are worth the cost (and 7 that aren't)

When's the best time to buy Princess drink packages?

There's no time like the present to purchase your drink package, so if you're positive you'll want it, feel free to select that option when booking your cruise — or any time prior to three days before your sailing.

Once on board, time is of the essence when it comes to purchasing a Princess drink package, as these bundled offers are only available for purchase on the first two days of your cruise (the day you embark and the next day of the voyage only). After that cutoff, it will be too late to take advantage of these packages.

Another reason to plan ahead? Both the Plus and Premier packages are capacity controlled and, if sold out, might not be available for all cabin categories at the time of booking.

You can either sign up during your first two days on board (you will see various crew members promoting the packages or you can upgrade directly through the cruise line's app) or you can add these packages onto your booking ahead of the cruise by logging into your Cruise Personalizer. If you prebook a package, it is nonrefundable within three days of sailing.

Related: Which cruise ship activities should you book ahead of time?

What drinks are you allowed to bring on board?

If you don't want to purchase a plan, you might think you can BYOB in order to save money on drinks when you cruise. You have a few options, but they are limited.

For instance, if you were planning to bring your own soda, sparkling water or juices on board, you can do so on embarkation day if carried in your hand luggage (not checked). You are limited to a maximum of 12 sealed cans (not bottles) of 12 ounces each or less per person. Guests will be asked to discard open beverages in plastic containers prior to boarding (so don't show up with a Big Gulp in hand).

If you wish to bring alcohol on board, Princess allows one bottle of wine or champagne (750mL in volume or less) per guest of legal drinking age, which must be presented to security during embarkation. A $20 corkage fee applies if guests wish to consume said bottle in the ship's public areas. (It's free to enjoy in your cabin).

Also, a $20 corkage fee also applies to each additional bottle beyond the one-bottle-per-guest-per-voyage allowance. How many bottles you can bring in total is unknown; the fine print simply says, "Limitations apply, and wine brought in quantities deemed to be excessive by the vessel or security will be refused."

Finally, passengers agree to surrender alcoholic beverages that are purchased duty-free from the vessel's gift shop or at ports of call. They'll be delivered to your cabin prior to disembarking the voyage. (Be sure to account for those in your checked luggage on the way home.)

Related: Can I bring alcohol on a cruise ship? A line-by-line guide

Are Princess drink packages worth the money?

You'll need to do a bit of math to figure out if the drink packages are worth the price.

If you're considering the Classic Soda or Zero Alcohol packages, start by calculating how many sodas, specialty coffees, juices, smoothies and mocktails you think you'll drink on a daily basis. Then do the math: sodas typically cost $2.50 each, specialty coffees and teas $3-$4, juices $8 and smoothies $10. If it's just two or three drinks each day, these plans likely won't be worth it.

But if you drink at least six sodas each day, or several sodas and a mocktail or smoothie, the Classic Soda Package starts to make sense. Or, if you plan to start your day with a vanilla latte or energy drink, enjoy a few sodas with your meals and by the pool, hit the juice bar after the gym, and partake in a pre-dinner mocktail, then purchasing the Zero Alcohol Package could be the way to go. Just remember that you'll need to keep up the same drinking pace on port days as you do on sea days to break even.

For the Plus and Premier packages, there's a lot more to calculate, but the value of each is a no-brainer before you even get down to the nitty gritty numbers of each individual perk.

With the Plus Package, if you assume that most cocktails are $10-$15 each, beers are about $7 apiece and glasses of wine are $10-$20 each, it's easy to spend $30 or more a day if you plan to have one beer by the pool, a glass of wine at dinner and a post-dinner nightcap. Once you add in the prepaid crew appreciation (a minimum of $16 per day), and Wi-Fi for one device (14.99 per day), you're already paying $61 per day a la carte — yet the cost of this package is only $60 per day.

Related: 8 best drinks to order with a cruise ship beverage package (and 3 to avoid)

Without adding in the value of premium desserts, fitness classes, the unlimited juice bar, two casual dining meals ($14.99 each) and room service and OceanNow delivery, you've already come out ahead.

The value continues with the Premier Package. Let's assume the same $30 per day on alcohol and $16 on crew appreciation, but now you have access to up to four devices on Wi-Fi ($40), bringing your total to $86 per day a la carte — yet this package only costs $80 per day. Add in the value of two specialty dining meals (starting at $35 per person), unlimited digital photos and three prints, unlimited premium desserts and fitness classes, unlimited juice bar and casual dining meals and Ocean Now and room service delivery, and you've found a great package deal.

It's important to note that both guests sharing a cabin must purchase the same bundled package (Plus or Premier). Be sure to double that price in your calculations if you're traveling as a couple, or discuss with your travel companion prior to the trip to ensure you're on the same page about purchasing a package.

Bottom line: Is a Princess Cruises drink package right for you?

Now that you have all the facts and figures, take a look at your everyday lifestyle when it comes to beverage consumption — do you already have a Starbucks addiction or a four-soda-a-day habit, enjoy a glass or two of wine with dinner and seek out juices and smoothies when you're feeling a bit low-energy? Your routines aren't likely to trend downwards on a cruise. In fact, you'll probably indulge a bit more since you're on vacation and have easy access to plenty of options.

Unless you believe you're going to be satisfied with the basic beverages included in the cruise fare — tap water, drip coffee, hot and iced tea, milk, lemonade and juice from a dispenser at breakfast — you will end up spending some amount of money on extra beverages. If you don't enjoy the feeling of being nickled and dimed every time you place an order, the Classic Soda and Zero Alcohol packages will lead to a stress-free vacation with no ugly surprises on the last day.

As for the Plus and Premier packages, you have no choice but to pay the crew appreciation (as you should!) and there's little chance you'll go without Wi-Fi on a cruise — so if you plan on having any beverages at all, especially ones containing alcohol, you'll see massive savings with these packages — Princess claims 54% and 66% respectively off the retail value on a seven-night voyage.

The choice is yours, so choose the option that will best enhance your vacation and save you stress and money. Remember that the more you save, the more future cruise vacations you can afford to book.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• Top ways cruisers waste money
• The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin

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Enjoy 75% off your second guest’s cruise fare. Plus, additional guests in your stateroom sail free on select sailings.

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Everything about a vacation should be easy, especially the planning stage.

Create an all-inclusive cruise experience by combining our vacation packages to elevate your vacation to the next level. With our standard cruise-only rate, you’ll get to enjoy a stay in one of our spacious staterooms, delicious gourmet meals at our restaurants, and a slate of activities and entertainment shows—without ever worrying about the tab.

We also have a number of cruise, hotel and flight packages, Alaska and Galapagos cruise and land tours, and our unrivaled luxury vacation experience at The Retreat, where you're attended too by a dedicated team of butlers and concierges who make sure you don’t lift a finger throughout your customized all-inclusive cruise.

Create Your All-Inclusive Cruise Package

With Flights by Celebrity, we’ll get you from the tarmac to the top deck. Our dedicated Flights by Celebrity specialists find the best available rates for flights to your departure port and back, and are available 24/7 to assist you with any help you may need along the way.

Spectacular suites, an exclusive restaurant, and a private lounge are all a part of the all-inclusive cruise package when you book a stay at The Retreat, our luxury vacation experience.

Extend your vacation in Alaska with one of our Alaska Cruisetours, which combines a seven-night cruise with a fascinating land tour around destinations including Anchorage, Talkeetna, and Denali.

Discover the beauty of the Galapagos Islands on one of our all-inclusive cruises to this ecological paradise. Our Galapagos cruises include vacation options that combine a stunning cruise with a few nights in Quito, Ecuador or the ruins of Machu Picchu.

The best way to experience our port destinations is by signing up for one of our shore excursions, which vary from cultural tours and activities to exciting outdoor adventures and water sports.

Embark on an in-depth experience in the city where your cruise starts or ends. Stay in accommodations we’ve carefully selected. Enjoy tours guided by experts to see the must-sees and do the must-dos. Take private transportation between your airport, hotel, and ship.

Popular All-Inclusive Cruises

Plan your next vacation aboard one of our all-inclusive cruises. Take the entire family on a cruise of a lifetime, where they’ll enjoy world-class dining, unparalleled entertainment, and impeccable service. Celebrate a special occasion and escape on a romantic getaway at sea. Or simply take some much needed time off on one of our award-winning cruises, where you’ll find it impossible not to relax and unwind.

Our cruises travel to some of the world’s most beautiful destinations. Soak in the sun during a cruise to the idyllic islands of the Caribbean . Discover ancient history and exquisite cuisine while sailing around the Mediterranean . Find adventure when taking a Alaskan cruise , where glaciers, icebergs, and wildlife roam. And take the journey of a lifetime across the Atlantic Ocean. Book one of our all-inclusive cruise deals, and take the guesswork out of your next getaway.

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Alaska cruises, mediterranean cruises, weekend cruises, cruises for families, cruises for two, view all cruises, sign up and start planning your best vacation ever..

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