Let’s not mince words — drinking is a big part of taking a cruise for most people. No, you won’t feel like you’re bored if you don’t have a drink in your hand while setting sail, but something about sipping on a tropical concoction or an ice-cold beer in the warm sunshine that just feels right.
And if you aren’t a drinker? No worries, there are still plenty of options available from fancy coffees to all the sodas you can drink.
Of course, there’s a cost to all of those beverages. Selling drinks is big business to a cruise line like Royal Caribbean. It’s not unusual for passengers to rack up bills worth hundreds of dollars on the beverages they buy while on vacation.
To help control costs, cruise lines offer beverage packages. The appeal is simple — pay one set price and enjoy all the drinks that you want. No worrying about your budget. Below, we’ve outlined every Royal Caribbean drink package, including what’s included and the prices.
Deluxe Beverage Package
If you plan to drink alcohol on your cruise, then you will want to see if the Deluxe Beverage Package is right for you. The package is Royal Caribbean’s alcohol package. It includes all of the following, up to $12 per glass:
- Cocktails/Beer/Spirits
- Bottled Water
- Wine by the glass
- Juices and non-alcoholic cocktails
- Premium coffees and teas
- Sodas
There is no “set” pricing for the package. Unfortunately for those who like to plan, the cost seems to vary between ships. However, Royal Caribbean has variable pricing between $63-$89 per person, per day, if you purchase the package. There is almost always a discount if you purchase before your cruise instead of waiting until on the ship to buy. In addition, there is an 18% service charge for gratuities on the package. Thus, you can expect to spend about $75-$105 each day on the package, before any discounts for early purchases.
One discount we have seen is buy one, get one 50% off. That definitely helps to bring down the cost.
One other note — Royal Caribbean’s policy is if one adult in the cabin buys the drink package, every adult must purchase it. Keep this in mind if your significant other isn’t a drinker. You can use our Drink Package Calculator here to get a better idea if this package is worth the cost for you.
Price: $63-89 per person, per day on ship (plus 18% gratuity) | Offered for a discount if booked before boarding.
Refreshment Package
Not into alcohol but still want to enjoy premium drinks while on the ship? Then Royal Caribbean’s Refreshment Package might be right for you. This package is essentially the Deluxe Beverage Package without the alcohol included.
That means you’ll get access to:
- Premium coffees and teas
- Bottled water
- Juices
- Non-alcoholic cocktails
- Sodas
The good thing about this package is that if one person purchases, it doesn’t mean everyone in a cabin has to buy it. You can buy it individually. Refreshment packages run $29-$38 per person, per night. Just like the Deluxe Beverage Package, there are discounts for booking online ahead of time. We’ve seen up to 30% off the onboard rates for booking early. There is an additional 18% gratuity added to the cost, which increases the cost of the package.
Price: $29-$38 per person, per day (plus 18% gratuity) | Offered at a discount if booked before sailing.
Classic Soda Package
Do you have a soda-drinker in your group? Keep in mind that sodas cost extra on the ship, running about $2-3 each. Instead, you can get the Classic Soda Package aboard Royal Caribbean.
It’s a simple package. For $12.99-$15 per person, per day (plus 18% gratuity) you can get all the soda refills you want aboard the ship, along with a souvenir cup. As with other packages, we’ve seen discounts; 30% off the onboard prices in some cases.
Price: $12.99-$15 per person, per day (plus 18% gratuity) | Offered at a discount if booked before sailing.
Evian Bottled Water Package
This isn’t a drink package in the traditional sense, but instead, it’s a water delivery service. Ordering this, you can have either 12 or 24 one-liter bottles of Evian water delivered to your stateroom.
Price: $39 for 12 bottles (plus 18% gratuity) | $69 for 24 bottles (plus 18% gratuity).
Cafe Select Coffee Card
If all you want is coffee, then it doesn’t make sense to buy an entire package. For those folks, Royal Caribbean offers a coffee card. You pay one price and you can enjoy 15 coffees during your cruise. The terms say that “Specialty Coffees do not include any beverages served inside licensed Starbucks stores/cafes.” However, other premium coffees are included.
Price: $31 for 15 coffees (plus 18% gratuity).
