Are Cruise Drink Packages Worth It? How to Do the Math

A cruise drink package pays off if you drink enough to clear the daily break-even point, and that number is lower than most people think. After 50-plus cruises, I have bought the package plenty of times and skipped it just as often, always based on the same math. This guide gives you the formula, the real per-drink prices, and the gotchas the sales pitch leaves out. By the end, you will know exactly whether to buy it for your sailing.

Here’s everything you need to know to decide if a drink package is worth it for your next voyage.

What the Package Actually Costs

Premium beverage packages on the major cruise lines run roughly $70 to $100 per person, per day, before gratuity. Add the automatic 18% service charge, and a package advertised at $80 actually costs closer to $94 a day. On a seven-night sailing, that is around $660 per person.

Another detail people miss is that most lines require every adult in the cabin to buy the package if one adult does. So you cannot have one drinker buy in while the other pays as they go. Running the math for both people together, not just the one who plans to enjoy the bar, the dollars add up quickly. That realization alone changes the decision for many couples.

There are lot of inventive drinks at sea.

Like this one, on Star of the Seas’ Piano Bar!

Sadly, there used to be carve-outs for medical issues on board for this rule, especially on Royal Caribbean. But the line decided that there were too many people taking advantage of this, and the exception was rescinded in 2025.

Length of sailing changes the stakes, too. On a three-night getaway, a cruiser might be drinking more, especially on a quick weekend. In addition, a package that misses the break-even point may cost about $100.

On a ten-night voyage, the same trip costs several hundred dollars per person. Longer cruises also tend to have more sea days, which pushes the math toward buying, while short weekend trips lean the other way. Can you really drink the same amount on a long cruise as on a weekend getaway? Look at the total package cost for your specific number of nights before you decide, not just the advertised daily rate.

The Break-Even Formula

Here is the calculation I run every time. Take the daily package price with gratuity, then divide by the average price of the drinks you actually order. A cocktail runs about $14 plus 18%, so roughly $16.50 with the tip included. Divide the $94 daily package by $16.50, and you get about 6 drinks a day to break even.

Six cocktails a day sounds like a lot until you count what actually goes in your hand. A morning coffee (non-alcoholic specialty drinks are typically included in packages), two by the pool, a glass of wine at dinner, and a nightcap already puts you at five. Add a bottle of water and a soda, and you have crossed over the line. If your day looks like that, the package wins.

Be brutally honest with yourself about your real habits, though, not your vacation fantasy. Plenty of people picture themselves as all-day poolside drinkers, then spend the trip napping, sightseeing, or nursing one glass of wine at dinner. Track a normal weekend at home, and you will get a better estimate than any wishful vacation projection. The package rewards consistent drinkers and quietly punishes the ones who over-imagine their own thirst.

What Counts and What Doesn't

Premium packages usually cover far more than alcohol, and that changes the math in your favor. Specialty coffees, bottled water, sodas, fresh juices, and mocktails are typically included in the same package on most lines. If you drink three lattes and a few bottles of water a day, those add up quickly, even before a single cocktail.

Watch the price cap on what’s included, though. Most packages cover drinks up to a set price, often $12 to $15, and a top-shelf pour above that cap costs you the difference. Frozen and premium cocktails at specialty bars sometimes exceed the limit. Read what your specific package includes, since I break down Royal Caribbean’s rules in detail in my 2025 Royal Caribbean drink package guide.

If you’re gambling, some lines even allow free drinks while you’re actively gaming

Credit: Mark Jackson/Jackson Jetsetting

There are per-day drink limits to be aware of, too. Some premium packages (like Carnival) cap alcoholic drinks at around 15 or so per day, which most people never approach. The package also covers only the person whose name is on it, so sharing a wristband to buy a friend's drink is against the rules and can result in the package being revoked. Understand these limits before you sail, because getting a package pulled mid-cruise turns a good deal into a headache.

Port Days Wreck the Average

The math changes on a cruise with many port stops. You pay for the package every day of the sailing, but on port days, you might be off the ship for eight hours, drinking nothing from the ship's bars. A seven-night itinerary with four port days gives you far fewer drinking hours than a Caribbean loop with two.

Do the calculation across the whole trip, not per average day. If half your sailing is spent ashore, your effective per-drink cost on the package can double. Private-island days are a mixed case, since some packages work at the island bars and some do not. I cover how that plays out on one popular stop in my Perfect Day at CocoCay guide. Spoiler alert: drink packages work on CocoCay!

Your own routine on port days matters as much as the itinerary. If you tend to get up early, tour hard, and come back exhausted, you are drinking very little on those days, no matter how many bars the ship has. If, instead, you treat port stops as an excuse to find a beach bar ashore, the ship's package does nothing for you while you are off the ship. Map your typical day in each port against the package rules, and the true picture of your value usually gets clearer in a hurry.

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When to Skip the Package

If you are a light drinker, one glass of wine at dinner and the occasional cocktail, paying as you go almost always wins. Say you average three drinks a day at $16.50 each, that is under $50, well below a $94 package. Buying the package to feel like you are getting a deal is how the line makes its margin.

Consider a smaller package, too. Many lines sell a soda-and-water or a coffee-and-refreshment package for a fraction of the premium price. If you want unlimited specialty coffee and bottled water but rarely drink alcohol, that middle tier can be the smart buy. Match the package to your actual habits, not to what you imagine your vacation self will do.

There is also a middle path that many people overlook: paying as you go while bringing your own wine aboard. Most lines let you carry on a bottle or two per cabin at embarkation, covering your dinner wine at grocery-store prices rather than bar markups. Add a few individually purchased cocktails on the nights you want them, and a moderate drinker can come out well below the cost of any package. The right answer is whichever approach costs less for the way you actually vacation.

And there are often happy-hour specials or a “Drink of the Day” at many bars on board, which may bring down the average per-drink price. I’ve even seen a last-minute” punch card” of sorts sold by Royal Caribbean on the last days of the sailing- this has cost around $100 for 10 drinks. Not a bad savings if you opted out of the bigger package!

Timing and Presale Discounts

Buying before you sail almost always beats buying on board. Cruise lines run presale promotions through their planners, often 10 to 30 percent off the onboard price, and the deals tend to swing even higher for holiday and Black Friday windows. Set an alert and watch the price for a few weeks before you decide.

Prices can also rise as your sail date approaches, so waiting for a better deal sometimes backfires. If you see a discount that pushes the package below your break-even point, lock it in. You can usually cancel and rebook if the price drops further before boarding. A little patience here saves real money.

Free Drinks You Might Already Have

Before you buy anything, check what your loyalty status and cabin already include. Repeat cruisers often earn free drink vouchers or a nightly happy hour in the loyalty lounge, and those can cover a surprising share of your daily intake. Suite guests frequently get access to a private lounge with complimentary pours during set hours. Stack those perks against the break-even math, and the package can lose its edge fast.

I am a Diamond member on Royal Caribbean, which means I receive 4 free drinks every day of my cruise. Since I connected my status to Royal’s sister brand, Celebrity, I receive a daily Elite happy hour with free drinks on that line as well!

Promotions bundled into your fare matter here, too. Cruise lines regularly run deals where a drink package, wifi, or gratuities come included when you book a certain rate, and the effective cost of the package drops to nearly nothing. When I book clients, I always compare a bare fare plus a separate package to a bundled fare that folds the package. The bundle is the cheapest way to drink on the whole ship, and it is easy to miss if you only look at the package price in isolation.

FAQ

How many drinks do I need to break even on a drink package?
On most premium packages, roughly six drinks a day covers it once you factor in gratuity. That includes coffees, sodas, and bottled water, not just cocktails, which makes the number easier to hit than it sounds.

Do both people in a cabin have to buy the package?
On most major lines, yes. If one adult in the cabin buys the premium package, the line requires all adults in that cabin to buy it too, so run the math for everyone together.

Is the gratuity included in the package price?
Usually not in the advertised number. Most lines add an 18% service charge on top, so a package listed at $80 a day actually costs around $94 once the gratuity is applied.

Does the package work in ports and on private islands?
It works at the ship's bars and sometimes at line-owned private islands, but not at independent bars ashore. Check your specific package, since coverage at private-island venues varies by line. For instance, Royal Caribbean’s CocoCay allows drink packages to work on the island, but Carnival’s private destinations, like Celebration Key, do not.

Should I buy the package before the cruise or on board?
Buy ahead through the cruise planner. Presale prices are almost always lower than onboard prices, and holiday sales promotions can significantly reduce the cost.

What if I only drink coffee and water?
Skip the premium package and look at a refreshment or coffee-and-soda tier. Those cost a fraction of the alcohol package and cover unlimited specialty coffee, bottled water, and soft drinks.

Final Thoughts

A drink package is not a scam, but it is not a guaranteed deal. It is a math problem with a clear answer for your specific trip. Count your real daily drinks, add the gratuity to the package price, and see which side of the break-even line you land on. Factor in port days and the all-adults rule before you commit. Do that, and you will never overpay at the bar or leave a good deal on the table.

More cruise reads: 2025 Royal Caribbean Drink Package Guide | Perfect Day at CocoCay Guide | Book a Cruise With Me