Are Cruise Drinks Packages Worth It? A Complete Guide for Cruise Passengers
One of the most common questions people ask when planning a cruise is:
“Should I buy the drinks package?”
At first glance, cruise drinks packages can seem expensive. However, they also offer something many travellers value highly — peace of mind. Instead of worrying about the cost of every drink throughout the day, you can relax knowing most of your drinks are already included.
For some passengers, that reassurance alone makes a drinks package worthwhile. For others, it simply doesn’t represent good value.
After sailing with cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean and P&O Cruises, we’ve seen how drinks packages work in practice. In this guide we’ll explain:
how cruise drinks packages work
the different types of packages available
when they can offer good value
when they may not be worth the cost
The aim isn’t to tell you whether you should buy one — but to help you make the right decision for your own cruise.
Bionic Bar - Royal Caribbean
Quick Answer: Are Cruise Drinks Packages Worth It?
Cruise drinks packages can be worth it if you plan to regularly enjoy cocktails, wine, speciality coffees or soft drinks throughout the day. For many cruisers, the biggest benefit is knowing the cost upfront rather than paying for drinks individually.
However, drinks packages don’t always offer good value for everyone. If your cruise has several port days, or if you typically only have a few drinks per day, paying individually may work out cheaper.
The best way to decide is to consider your cruise itinerary, the cost of the package and how much you realistically expect to drink while onboard.
Why Cruise Drinks Packages Are Popular
One of the biggest advantages of a cruise drinks package is price certainty.
Cruises involve many small purchases throughout the day — coffees in the morning, soft drinks by the pool, wine with dinner and the occasional evening cocktail. When paying individually, those costs can quickly add up.
With a drinks package, many of those drinks are already covered.
For many cruisers, this removes the need to constantly think about the bill. Instead, you can relax and enjoy the ship knowing that most of your drinks are already included.
This can be especially appealing if you’re travelling with family members or children who may want drinks throughout the day.
Not All Cruise Drinks Packages Are the Same
One important thing to understand is that not all drinks packages are created equally. Each cruise line structures its packages slightly differently.
Soft Drinks Packages
These typically include:
soft drinks such as Coke, Sprite and Fanta
juices
sometimes bottled water
occasionally speciality coffees
These packages are often popular with families travelling with children.
Alcoholic Drinks Packages
These packages usually include:
beers
wines by the glass
cocktails
standard spirits and mixers
Most cruise lines include drinks up to a certain price per drink. If you choose a drink above that value, you simply pay the difference.
Love an Old Fashioned
Premium Beverage Packages
Premium packages may include:
higher-end spirits
more expensive cocktails
speciality coffees
bottled water
fresh juices
These are often marketed towards passengers who enjoy a wider range of drinks during their cruise.
How Cruise Lines Structure Drinks Packages
Cruise lines structure their drinks packages in different ways. Some cruise lines offer unlimited drinks up to a set price per drink. Others are increasingly moving toward daily limits, where passengers can order a certain number of drinks per day.
Understanding which system your cruise line uses is important before deciding whether a drinks package offers good value.
What About Speciality Coffee and Starbucks?
Speciality coffee is another detail that can vary between ships.
On some ships, speciality coffees are included within drinks packages. However, Starbucks can sometimes be treated differently.
For example, on Anthem of the Seas, Starbucks coffee is served through Royal Caribbean’s onboard café rather than a fully licensed Starbucks franchise. Because of this, many drinks packages include Starbucks-style drinks there.
On some other ships, however, Starbucks operates as a separate licensed franchise, meaning drinks packages may not be accepted.
This is something worth checking before sailing.
If you want to see exactly how drinks packages work on Royal Caribbean ships, you can read our full guide here:
How do you like your coffee?
What About Disney Cruise Line?
Disney Cruise Line takes a slightly different approach.
Unlike many other cruise lines, Disney generally does not offer full drinks packages on shorter sailings. Instead, many soft drinks are already included and alcoholic drinks are purchased individually.
On longer sailings, limited beverage packages may sometimes be available, but Disney’s approach is generally different from cruise lines like Royal Caribbean or P&O. For a complete guide to Disney Cruise Line read our blogs here.
When Is the Best Time to Buy a Cruise Drinks Package?
Most cruise lines allow you to purchase drinks packages before your cruise through the cruise planner. In many cases, buying your drinks package before sailing can be cheaper, as cruise lines frequently run promotions or discounts in the cruise planner.
Once you board the ship, drinks packages can still usually be purchased, but they may be slightly more expensive than the pre-cruise price.
Occasionally, if drinks packages have not sold well for a particular sailing, cruise lines may offer discounts onboard. However, this tends to be less common than discounts on speciality dining.
As a general rule:
If you know you want a drinks package, it’s worth watching for pre-cruise discounts.
If you’re unsure, you can usually still decide once onboard.
Example: When a Cruise Drinks Package Might Break Even
Let’s look at a simple example of how drinks costs can add up during a day at sea.
Typical drink prices on many cruise lines might look like this:
Cocktail: £10–£14
Glass of wine: £9–£12
Beer: £7–£9
Speciality coffee: £4–£6
Soft drink: £3–£4
A typical day onboard might include:
a morning speciality coffee
a soft drink by the pool
an afternoon cocktail
wine with dinner
an evening drink at a bar or show
Bought individually, those drinks could easily total £40–£60 or more per day, depending on the cruise line.
Many drinks packages fall within the £60–£80 per day range, which is why whether they offer value often depends on your personal drinking habits.
Cruise Itineraries Also Matter
Another important factor is how much time you will actually spend onboard the ship.
If your cruise includes several sea days or long afternoons onboard, drinks packages may offer better value. However, if your itinerary includes many port stops where you plan to spend most of the day exploring, you may not spend enough time onboard to fully benefit from the package.
Final Thoughts: Are Cruise Drinks Packages Worth It?
Cruise drinks packages can offer convenience, flexibility and peace of mind — but they’re not the right choice for everyone.
Before purchasing a drinks package, it’s worth considering:
how much you typically drink on holiday
how many sea days your cruise has
the specific drinks package offered by your cruise line
Continue Planning Your Cruise With These Guides
If you’re still planning the details of your cruise, these guides may also help:
• Royal Caribbean Drinks Packages Explained – a detailed breakdown of how beverage packages work across the Royal Caribbean fleet and what’s actually included.
• P&O Cruises All Inclusive Packages – everything you need to know about P&O’s newer all-inclusive options and how they compare with traditional drinks packages.
• What You Can’t Take on a Cruise Ship – a guide to common items that are restricted or confiscated during embarkation, and what first-time cruisers often get caught out by.
Looking ahead, we’ll also be trying Norwegian Cruise Line for the first time in Summer 2026, and we’ll be sharing our experiences and guides from that sailing here on Team Five Travels.