Cruise drink packages are one of the most confusing—and most debated—parts of cruising.

On paper, they sound simple:
👉 Pay one price, drink as much as you want.

In reality?

It’s not that simple.

After 20+ cruises across different cruise lines, I’ve done it both ways:

• With the drink package
• Without it
• And sometimes with it included in promotions

And here’s the truth:

👉 For some people, it’s absolutely worth it
👉 For others, it’s a complete waste of money

Let’s break it down—with real math.

💰 How Much Cruise Drink Packages Actually Cost (2026)

Prices vary by cruise line, but here’s a realistic breakdown:

🚢 Royal Caribbean

• $70–$105 per person, per day
• Includes:
  • Alcohol
  • Cocktails (~$14 each)
  • Specialty coffee
  • Soda

👉 Gratuities usually added (~18%)

🚢 Norwegian Cruise Line

• “Free at Sea” promo often includes drinks
• Otherwise:
  • ~$99 per day + gratuities

👉 Important:

• You still pay gratuities on the “free” package

🚢 Carnival

• $59–$70 per day
• 15 drink limit per day ⚠️

👉 Once you hit 15 drinks → cutoff

🚢 MSC Cruises

• ~$65–$85 depending on package
• 15 drink limit on some tiers ⚠️
• Doubles = count as 2 drinks
• You can hit the limit if you’re trying

🚢 Princess Cruises

• ~$65–$85/day
• No strict drink count, but daily caps exist (~15 alcoholic drinks)

🚢 Holland America

• ~$60–$75/day
• Typically capped around 15 drinks/day

🚢 Virgin Voyages (Different Model)

No traditional drink package.

👉 You prepay a bar tab (like $300, $600, etc.)

• Often comes with bonus credit
• No pressure to “drink enough”

👉 Honestly? This is one of the more flexible systems.

🍹 The REAL Math: How Many Drinks to Break Even?

Let’s assume:

• Average drink = $12–$15
• Package = ~$80/day

👉 Break-even point:

You need roughly:

6–8 drinks per day

Every day.

That means:

• 2 drinks at lunch
• 2–3 drinks in the afternoon
• 2–3 drinks at night

👉 And you need to do this consistently

⚠️ Where People Get It Wrong

This is the biggest mistake I see:

👉 People try to “keep up” with the drink package

And that leads to:

• Drinking more than they want
• Waking up hungover
• Losing entire days

You see it every cruise.

People go hard early… and by day 3:
👉 They’re waking up at 3–4 PM
👉 Missing half the cruise

🧠 Real Experience (This Matters)

I’ll be honest here.

I can drink.

And even for me?

👉 It’s hard to justify the drink package.

Why?

Because of one thing:

👉 Not everyone in your cabin drinks the same

My situation:

• I drink a lot more
• My mom barely drinks

👉 So for it to be worth it:
I’d basically have to drink for two people

And that’s where it becomes unrealistic.

Even worse on port days:

• You go out
• You drink at a beach club or excursion
• You come back to the ship already done

👉 That’s basically a lost day on your package

🍺 When the Drink Package IS Worth It

There are definitely situations where it makes sense:

✅ If both people drink regularly

👉 This is the biggest factor

If you have:

• Two consistent drinkers
• Who will drink every day

👉 Then yes—it can absolutely be worth it

✅ If you plan to drink throughout the day

• Pool drinks
• Afternoon drinks
• Night drinks

👉 You’ll hit that 6–8 drink range easier

✅ If it’s included in a promotion

This is how I’ve had it most times.

👉 “Free at Sea” (NCL)
👉 MSC bundles with WiFi

In those cases:
👉 It’s usually a no-brainer

❌ When It’s NOT Worth It

❌ If only one person drinks

This is HUGE.

👉 Both people in the cabin usually have to buy it

So:

• One drinks
• One doesn’t

👉 You’re overpaying immediately

❌ If you drink casually

• 2–4 drinks a day?
  👉 Not worth it

❌ If you have a lot of port days

👉 Less time on ship = less value

❌ If you don’t want to feel pressured

Some people don’t like:
👉 Feeling like they have to drink to justify it

⚠️ The 15 Drink Limit (Important)

Carnival and MSC:

👉 15 alcoholic drinks per day max

• You CAN hit it
• Especially with doubles

But realistically:
👉 Most people won’t hit it daily

🍹 My Honest Verdict

After doing it all:

👉 I rarely buy drink packages outright

Why?

Because:

• It’s hard to justify
• It doesn’t fit how I cruise
• And it depends too much on the other person in the cabin

But…

If I were cruising with:
👉 Someone who drinks like me

Then yes:

👉 It would be 100% worth it

🧠 Final Thoughts

Cruise drink packages aren’t a scam…

But they’re also not always a good deal.

It comes down to:

👉 How much you actually drink
👉 Who you’re traveling with
👉 And how you spend your days onboard

The best advice?

Don’t buy it just because it sounds like a good deal.

👉 Do the math for YOUR trip

Wondering what the most common cruise mistakes are? Check out our 10 common mistakes first time cruisers make.

🔗 Before You Book

If you’re planning your cruise, check out:

• Our full cruise ship reviews (what the experience is really like onboard)
• Cruise cabin guide (which room is actually worth it)
• Port guides (what to do vs skip)