Unlike many mainstream cruise lines, Viking Cruises already includes quite a few beverages in your cruise fare. Guests receive complimentary house wine, beer, and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, along with specialty coffees, teas, and bottled water throughout the day. That means deciding whether to purchase the Silver Spirits Beverage Package isn’t always as straightforward as it is on other cruise lines.

To help you decide, I’ve put together this guide using a recent Viking bar menu and current beverage package information. You’ll find sample drink prices, cocktails, premium spirits, beer, soft drinks, and my thoughts on when the Silver Spirits package offers good value—and when you’re probably better off paying as you go.

What’s Included for Free on Viking Cruises?

One thing that surprises first-time Viking guests is how much is already included.

Without buying any beverage package, guests receive:

House beer during lunch and dinner
House wine during lunch and dinner
Soft drinks during lunch and dinner
Specialty coffees
Premium teas
Bottled water

Because these drinks are already included, many guests discover they don’t actually need an upgraded beverage package unless they enjoy cocktails throughout the day or prefer premium spirits and wines.

What’s Included in the Silver Spirits Beverage Package?

The Silver Spirits Beverage Package currently costs $27 per person, per day, and both guests in the same stateroom must purchase it for the entire cruise. The package includes drinks priced up to $18 each, premium wines by the glass, cocktails, spirits, house champagne, upgraded wine pairings at The Chef’s Table, and discounts on select premium beverages and tasting events.

For many luxury cruise lines, $27 per day is actually a relatively modest beverage package price.

Viking Cocktail Prices

Most classic cocktails on this Viking menu cost $11.

Examples include:

Old Fashioned
Manhattan
Margarita
Mojito
Negroni
Tom Collins
Lemon Drop Martini
Tequila Sunrise
Toasted Almond
Tiramisu Martini

Only a few specialty cocktails climb above that range, such as the Piña Colada at $15.

Compared to many premium cruise lines, Viking’s cocktail prices are surprisingly reasonable.

Beer & Soft Drink Prices

Beer prices generally range from:

Domestic and international beers: $7
Premium imports: $8
Craft Norwegian beers: around $8

Soft drinks cost approximately:

Coke
Sprite
Ginger Ale
Club Soda
Tonic Water

Most are priced around $4.

Whiskey, Bourbon & Scotch Prices

Whiskey lovers will find a surprisingly impressive selection onboard.

Some examples include:

Budget options

Jack Daniel’s Black Label — $9
Johnnie Walker Red — $9
Jim Beam — $9

Mid-range selections

Maker’s Mark — $12
Crown Royal — $12
Chivas Regal 12 — $12
Woodford Reserve — $15

Premium pours

Buffalo Trace — $16
Glenlivet 12 — $17
Macallan 12 — $17
Macallan 15 — $21
Macallan 18 — $29

The menu offers a nice progression from everyday brands to premium Scotch whiskies.

Gin, Vodka, Rum & Tequila

The menu also features an extensive selection of:

Bombay Sapphire
Hendrick’s
Tanqueray No. Ten
Grey Goose
Tito’s Handmade Vodka
Belvedere
Don Julio
Patrón
Bacardi
Mount Gay
Flor de Caña

Premium brands generally fall between $15 and $18, making them fully covered under the Silver Spirits package.

Specialty Coffee Drinks

If you enjoy after-dinner coffee cocktails, Viking offers several classics priced at $11, including:

Irish Coffee
Mexican Coffee
French Coffee
Jamaican Coffee
Bergen Coffee
Café Nelson

These can quickly add value if you’re someone who enjoys a nightly specialty coffee.

Expanded Wine List

These photos showcase a more extensive version of the Viking River Cruises wine menu, highlighting a much broader selection than the complimentary wines typically offered during lunch and dinner. The menu includes local wines from the regions the ships sail through, along with bottles sourced from other Viking destinations and selected American wineries. Each listing includes tasting notes, the grape variety, country or region of origin, and pricing by the glass and bottle where applicable.

Local White Wines

The first page focuses on local white wines from Germany and France, featuring varieties such as Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Muscat, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Silvaner, and Weissburgunder. Each wine is accompanied by a short tasting description ranging from crisp, mineral-driven Rieslings to fuller-bodied, aromatic whites.

The menu also introduces additional white wines from Austria, including Grüner Veltliner, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling, allowing guests to sample wines that reflect several of Viking’s European itineraries.

Additional European and American White Wines

This section expands the white wine selection with bottles from France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Spain.

Notable regions represented include:

Bordeaux
Burgundy
Loire Valley
Languedoc-Roussillon
Franconia
Veneto
Douro Valley
Penedès

The menu also features an American Chardonnay from Washington State.

Guests looking for alcohol-free alternatives will also find two dedicated nonalcoholic wines, including a Riesling and a Grenache.

Premium Red Wines

The red wine selection begins with local German wines before expanding to bottles from Austria and France.

The menu includes well-known grape varieties and blends such as:

Pinot Noir (Spätburgunder)
Cabernet Sauvignon
Blaufränkisch
Zweigelt
Merlot
Gamay
Grenache
Syrah
Mourvèdre

Several premium bottles are also available, alongside wines offered by the glass.

More International Reds and Rosé Wines

The final pages continue the international selection with additional reds from France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Spain.

American options include:

Francis Ford Coppola Zinfandel
Gnarly Head Cabernet Sauvignon
La Petite Grace Diora Pinot Noir

The menu concludes with a dedicated rosé section featuring wines from Germany, Austria, and France, including selections from Provence. As with the rest of the wine list, each bottle includes tasting notes and pricing by the glass and bottle when available.

Together, these pages illustrate the breadth of Viking River Cruises’ optional wine program, offering guests an extensive selection that extends well beyond the complimentary house wines served during meals.

Is the Silver Spirits Beverage Package Worth It?

This is probably the question most travelers ask.

Let’s do the math.

The package costs:

$27 per person per day

Most cocktails cost:

$11

That means your break-even point is usually around:

Three standard cocktails
Two premium spirits plus a cocktail
Two upgraded premium drinks plus a specialty coffee

However, remember that your cruise fare already includes beer, wine, and soft drinks during lunch and dinner. If you’re happy with those included beverages and only order an occasional cocktail later in the evening, paying individually will often cost less.

On the other hand, the package becomes much easier to justify if you:

Enjoy cocktails throughout the afternoon
Prefer premium brands like Buffalo Trace, Tanqueray No. Ten, Grey Goose, or Don Julio
Drink wine outside of meal times
Plan to dine at The Chef’s Table and want the upgraded wine pairing
Like having the freedom to order drinks without thinking about the bill

My Recommendation

Based on the menu prices shown here, I’d break it down this way:

Buy the package if you:

Usually drink three or more cocktails per day
Enjoy premium liquor
Want upgraded wines
Like relaxing at the bars throughout the afternoon and evening
Prefer an all-inclusive vacation experience

Skip the package if you:

Mostly drink the complimentary lunch and dinner wine or beer
Have only one or two cocktails a day
Spend most days ashore
Rarely drink alcohol

Unlike some cruise lines where the drink package almost feels mandatory, Viking has built enough complimentary beverages into the cruise fare that many guests can comfortably skip it and still enjoy plenty of drinks.

Final Thoughts

One thing I appreciate about Viking Cruises is that drink pricing feels refreshingly reasonable. Most classic cocktails remain around $11, premium spirits are fairly priced, and beer and soft drinks are significantly less expensive than on many contemporary cruise lines.

The Silver Spirits Beverage Package is also one of the more affordable premium drink packages in cruising. At $27 per day, it can represent excellent value for guests who enjoy cocktails throughout the day or premium wines and spirits. However, because Viking already includes beer, wine, soft drinks at meals, and specialty coffees, many travelers will discover they don’t need the package at all.

Hopefully, this guide and the sample menu prices help you estimate your onboard costs and decide which option makes the most sense for your travel style.