Are Cruise Drink Packages Worth It?

Introduction

That first glance at a cruise line drinks menu can be a shock. A glass of wine here, a couple of coffees there, a pre-dinner G&T, bottled water by the pool – it adds up quickly. So it is no surprise that many travellers ask, are cruise drink packages worth it?

The honest answer is that sometimes they are, and sometimes they are an expensive extra that sounds better than it works in practice. The right choice depends less on whether you drink alcohol and more on how your specific cruise line prices drinks, what is included already, how many days you are onboard, and how you actually like to spend your holiday.

Are cruise drink packages worth it for most travellers?

For many UK cruisers, the value question comes down to simple arithmetic with a few important caveats. If you are likely to have several chargeable drinks every day, a package can offer both savings and convenience. If you are a light or selective drinker, paying as you go is often the better option.

What catches people out is that cruise drink packages are not just about alcohol. Some include speciality coffees, premium teas, fresh juices, mocktails, bottled water, soft drinks and even milkshakes or smoothies, depending on the line. If you normally start with a cappuccino, take sparkling water ashore, have a soft drink in the afternoon and enjoy wine with dinner, your daily total may be higher than you think.

Equally, some passengers buy a package with good intentions, then spend long port days off the ship, skip the theatre drinks, and realise they needed far fewer drinks than the package assumed. That is where the value slips away.

How to work out if a drinks package is worth it

The best way to judge it is to ignore the marketing and look at your likely daily spend. Start with the package price per person, per day. Then compare that with what you would realistically buy.

If a package costs £55 per day and your cruise line charges roughly £3.50 for a speciality coffee, £2.50 for bottled water, £7 for a glass of wine, £8.50 for a cocktail and £3 for a soft drink, you do not need a huge number of drinks to break even. Two coffees, two waters, a glass of wine and two cocktails could already put you around that level.

But the key word is realistically. Many travellers calculate based on a sea day, then forget that port days look different. If you are ashore from breakfast until late afternoon, you may only have one drink before dinner and one in the evening. Over a seven-night sailing, that matters.

You should also check whether gratuities are added to drinks bought individually and whether they are built into the package price. On some lines, that service charge can materially change the numbers.

When cruise drink packages usually make sense

They tend to make the most sense for travellers who enjoy a consistent pattern of onboard drinks each day. Couples who like a relaxed drink at lunch, wine with dinner and a nightcap often get decent value, particularly on sea-heavy itineraries. The same applies to guests who regularly buy soft drinks, premium coffees and bottled water rather than only alcoholic drinks.

They can also be worthwhile if you prefer budgeting in advance. For many people, the appeal is not squeezing every penny of value from the package but avoiding an unpredictable bill at the end of the cruise. If having most of your drinks covered helps you relax, that convenience has its own value.

Packages can work especially well on lines where individual drinks are priced high or where package discounts are offered before sailing. Pre-cruise prices are often lower than onboard rates, so the decision can look different depending on when you buy.

Another scenario is a celebration cruise. If you know you will be more indulgent than usual, perhaps because it is an anniversary, milestone birthday or festive sailing, a package may be more likely to pay off than on an ordinary week away.

When they are probably not worth it

If you are a light drinker, the answer is often no. That includes travellers who mostly drink tap water, have the occasional tea or coffee, or only want one alcoholic drink with dinner. In that case, the maths rarely supports the package.

It can also be poor value on port-intensive itineraries. Mediterranean cruises with long days ashore, for example, may leave limited time to make use of an onboard drinks plan. You might prefer a coffee in port, a local glass of wine at lunch ashore, then just one drink back on the ship.

There is also a practical point that some people overlook. A drinks package only feels valuable if it suits the way you naturally holiday. If you find yourself ordering things just because they are included, that is not really saving money. It is simply spending in advance.

For some guests, the package can even add a subtle sense of pressure. They feel they need to make the most of it, which is not ideal on a relaxing holiday.

The cruise line rules matter more than you think

This is where many decisions go wrong. Not all drink packages are created equal, and the small print matters.

Some lines require all adults sharing a cabin to buy the same alcoholic package if one person purchases it. That can make the cost far less attractive for couples where one drinks much more than the other. In that case, paying as you go may be far better.

Others cap the price of individual drinks included in the package. So although the package sounds comprehensive, you may still pay supplements for certain wines, premium spirits or higher-end cocktails. If you tend to choose top-shelf options, you need to factor that in.

You should also look at exclusions. Mini-bar items, room service drinks, drinks on private islands, branded coffee outlets and embarkation day purchases may or may not be included depending on the line. River cruise lines can be different again, with wine, beer and soft drinks at lunch and dinner already included on some fares.

This is why broad advice is not enough. The right answer depends on your ship, your fare type and your cabin arrangements.

A quick reality check for different types of cruiser

For first-time cruisers, caution is often sensible. If you do not yet know your onboard habits, there is a risk of overbuying. A modest pay-as-you-go approach can be a better starting point than committing to a package immediately.

For seasoned cruisers, past behaviour is the best guide. Look at previous onboard bills if you have them. They usually tell a much clearer story than your estimate.

For couples, the decision can be uneven. If both of you enjoy similar drinks throughout the day, a package may fit neatly. If one partner drinks very little, shared-cabin rules can make it poor value.

For retirees and slower-paced holidaymakers, the package can go either way. If your cruise style involves lingering onboard, attending quizzes, theatre shows and pre-dinner drinks, it may work well. If you are more restrained and prefer a quieter rhythm, it may not.

Are cruise drink packages worth it on shorter cruises?

On shorter sailings, they can be worth it, but only if the package rules are favourable. A two- or three-night cruise may encourage more indulgent spending, so the break-even point can be easier to hit. On the other hand, short cruises often include busy embarkation and disembarkation days, which reduce the time available to use the package fully.

Longer cruises give you more time to spread value across sea days, but they also create more chances for your habits to settle into a moderate routine. That is why there is no automatic answer based on duration alone.

Better alternatives if you are undecided

If you are on the fence, there are middle-ground options worth considering. Some cruise lines offer soft drinks packages, coffee packages, or non-alcoholic plans that are much easier to justify. These can be ideal if you want the convenience of prepaid drinks without the high cost of a full alcoholic package.

You might also decide to set a daily budget instead. That keeps spending controlled without locking you into a package that may not suit your actual holiday pattern.

Another sensible option is to watch for pre-cruise offers. If the package is discounted significantly before sailing, the value equation may improve enough to make sense. Just make sure the lower price does not tempt you into buying something you still will not use.

The most useful rule is this: buy the package for the way you already drink, not for the person you imagine you might be on day one of the cruise.

A drinks package should make your holiday feel simpler, not turn into a test of whether you can get your money’s worth. If the numbers work and the convenience matters to you, it can be a smart pre-cruise decision. If not, there is nothing wrong with ordering exactly what you want, when you want it, and leaving the package alone.

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