A drink package seems simple — you pay one daily fee and just get whatever you want, right? Anyone that’s bought one before knows there is much more to know before you drop literally hundreds of dollars on these offers.
To help you out, I’ll cover it all, including the fine print of what you’ll wish you knew about drink packages before you sail and if these packages are really worth it.
After this, you’ll know more about drink packages than the bartender.
Discounts for Buying Packages Early
First off, you should know that you should never pay full list price for the drink package. If you wait until you are on the ship to buy, that’s when it’s most expensive.
But cruise lines offer a discount for buying the drink package early. For instance, on a recent Celebrity cruise where the list price was about $105 per day, the package was on sale for $68 per day.
This is common across all the lines. They want you to buy well in advance so that when you board you’ve had time to save up money and hopefully spend more on the ship than if you dropped hundreds for drinks on the first day of the cruise.
No matter, you want to take advantage of these deals as it’s the most direct way to save when buying the package.
Dollars Caps on What You Can Buy
Drink packages seem simple, but they actually come with a lot of fine print. That starts with the fact that there are dollar caps on the drinks you can buy.
Each cruise line’s cap is a little different, but it’s typically somewhere around $15 per beverage. So if you head up to the bar and there is a $12 cocktail, it will be included. But what if there is an $18 drink?
In that case, you’re charged the price difference between the listed menu price and the price cap. So in this case, it’s $3. You can think of the drink package as a $15 coupon (or whatever the cap is) off the price of the drink.
Gratuity Charges Add a Big Chunk of Money
While I’ve touched on the pricing of the drink package so far, I haven’t mentioned gratuity, which is a massive chunk of what you’ll pay.
Drink packages are automatically charged a set gratuity percentage, usually around 18%, but some charge 20%. So if you buy a drink package for $80 per day, you’re actually going to pay $94.40.
There’s no getting out of the gratuity, and it’s not optional. But once paid, you don’t have to worry about it anymore. When people normally go to the bar, they pay gratuity on the cost of the drink. So the $15 drink is closer to $18. With the drink package you’ve already paid so there is no gratuity when you actually get the drink.
If One Person Buys, Then Everyone Buys
If there is one piece of fine print that I think drives the most people nuts about the drink package, it’s that if one person in the cabin buys a package, then everyone has to buy it. I get lots of comments about this and rightly so.
Often you’ll have one person that wants the package and another who doesn’t drink that much. In that case, it’s essentially doubling the cost of the drink package for one person.
The good news is that if there is a legitimate health reason — such as a wife that’s pregnant or a person that’s in recovery then you can call the cruise line and ask about getting it removed. For instance, when my wife went on a girls trip with her disabled sister, she had to submit proof that her sister couldn’t consume alcohol.
If you’re sailing with kids, they typically have to get the non-alcoholic package.
Deals for Buying when Included in an All-Inclusive Offer
I mentioned getting a discount on the drink package for buying early. That’s the most direct way to save. But some cruise lines have rolled out all-inclusive offers on their cruises and in many cases these can be ridiculously good deals.
With these offers, you pay a little more for the cruise and then get a bunch of extras included. In some cases, it can include your daily gratuities, wi-fi, certain meals, and yes, the drink package.
But when you start backing out the costs of those extras, it leads to the drink package being relatively cheap. As one example, Princess offers Princess Plus for $60. It includes gratuities, wi-fi, a drink package and more.
When you back out the costs for just the gratuity and internet service, the drink package costs barely anything.
Drink Packages and Private Islands
You likely know that the drink package only works on the ship. When you’re in port, you can’t use it. That is unless you are in a private destination… and the cruise line allows the package to be used at the port.
The best example of this is Royal Caribbean’s CocoCay. There, if you have the drink package you can use it on shore just like you do on the ship. Norwegian doesn’t let you use it at Harvest Caye in Belize but it does work on Great Stirrup Cay in The Bahamas.
Surprisingly, Carnival — known for offering a lot of value — does not let you use the drink package at private islands. This includes it not working at Celebration Key, the new destination in The Bahamas that it’s developing.
That means if you’re headed to one of these private destinations, then you want to check if it offers the ability for the drink package to work. If you does, it’s a big boost to the value. If not, then it’s a big drawback. Yes, you can always return to the ship and drink, but otherwise, you’ve got to pay out of pocket while on land.
Non-Alcoholic Drinks Can Add Up
The big draw to the drink package is obviously wine, beer, and cocktails. Those are pricey and it’s where you’ll get the most value out of the drink package. But let’s not forget that non-alcoholic drinks can add up as well. They can be a considerable chunk of what you’ll pay.
A soda on the ship costs $3-$4 plus gratuity. Bottles of water are about the same. Then there are things like juices and specialty coffees. Drink a few of these a day and it can quickly add up.
Now if you’re primarily drinking non-alcoholic drinks, then there’s no way you’re going to get your money’s worth with the alcoholic drink package, but it’s something that you want to factor in when you’re doing the math on whether or not to buy.
Extra Values You Might Not Consider in Having the Package
When you buy a drink package, it really comes down to the math. Are you going to drink enough drinks each day to make the cost worth it? And yes, that’s the main thing you should focus on when deciding to get the package or not.
But there are some extra values that come from having the package that you should also consider. First, there’s value in not having to worry about a bill. You buy the package and you know exactly what you’ve spent, no matter what you drink. You don’t have to weigh the value of buying another drink while enjoying the night out. If you want it, you get it and there’s no regret when you check your onboard account the next morning.
There’s another perk and that’s the ability to try new things. Say you want to try a new cocktail. That’s a pretty expensive risk if you end up not liking it. If you have the drink package, there’s no risk. You can literally pour it out and order something else if you want.
The Fine Print of What’s Included
Buy the drink package, and get whatever you want included to drink, right? Of course it can’t be that simple. There is all sorts of fine print about what’s included and what’s not.
The good news, if you head to the bar, then most things are going to be included in the package. So step up and have a drink. You do want to remember the price cap that I mentioned before, but most menu pricing keeps this limit in mind.
However, there are spots around the ship where the package won’t work. For instance, buckets of beer aren’t included. Neither are souvenir drinks like the ones sold in take-home classes. Order room service? Those drinks usually aren’t covered. Neither are mini-bar items.
The good news is that for most people the restrictions aren’t much. Like I said, head to a bar and you’re good. If getting something outside of a bar, however, it’s likely not included.
How to Know if the Drink Package Is Worth it
Ok, the big question everyone has is if the drink package is worth it. The short answer is it depends. The full answer is that I’d venture that if you’re paying full price for the package then you’re unlikely to get your money’s worth.
Now, there are all sorts of caveats. First, you know what sort of drinker you are. If you’re someone that isn’t on vacation without a drink in your hand, then yes, you’re likely to want the package. If headed on a short cruise, then you are more likely to be able to keep the pace up enough to make it worth it. Longer cruises make it more difficult to drink that much each day.
If you get a solid discount or buy one of the all-inclusive packages then the math can definitely shift in your favor. This is where I’ve done the packages before.
What I like to tell people is if you are excited when you hear you can buy a drink package, then the odds are pretty good you’re going to make it worth it. If you’re on the fence about it or have no opinion, it’s going to be less likely you’ll drink enough to make up for the cost.
