Cruise drink packages have become one of the most debated purchases in cruise planning. Pay one flat daily rate and drink whatever you want, whenever you want, without watching a growing tab. Or, skip the package, pay per drink, and keep full control over what you actually spend. The right answer depends entirely on math specific to you: how much you drink, which cruise line you're sailing, and what you'd order without a package pushing you toward it.
On Royal Caribbean, the average alcoholic drink costs $11 to $12 before gratuity, and the Deluxe Beverage Package has a fleet median of about $84 per day. That means most cruisers need somewhere between six and eight drinks a day just to break even, before the package saves them anything at all.
Here's how the numbers actually work out across the major cruise lines, and how to figure out whether a package makes sense for your specific trip.
What Drink Packages Actually Cost in 2026
Package pricing varies significantly by cruise line, and in some cases by ship and sailing date too.
| Cruise Line | Package | Price Per Person, Per Day |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Caribbean | Deluxe Beverage Package | $55–$120 (fleet median ~$84) |
| Carnival | CHEERS! | $84–$90 pre-cruise, $89–$92 onboard |
| Norwegian | Premium Beverage Package | $59.95–$109, depending on sailing length |
| Celebrity | Classic Drink Package | $89–$109, plus 20% service charge |
| Princess | Princess Plus | $76.69 ($64.99 + 18% gratuity) |
| Princess | Princess Premier | $100.29 ($84.99 + 18% gratuity) |
Norwegian's top-tier Premium Plus package now runs $128 per person, per day before gratuity. With the 20% gratuity added, which works out to $165.60 per day, or over $1,159 per person for a 7-night cruise. That's the most expensive standard package in mainstream cruising right now, and it makes the break-even math considerably harder to hit.
Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Norwegian all use dynamic pricing, meaning the price shifts based on demand, sailing length, ship, and how close you are to departure. Carnival and Princess keep pricing more fixed and predictable across sailings.
The Break-Even Math, Cruise Line by Cruise Line
Carnival
Individual drinks run about $3.50 for soda, $7.50–$8.50 for beer, and $11.50–$13 for cocktails, plus an 18–20% gratuity depending on the source. CHEERS! breaks even at around 6 alcoholic drinks per day, though Carnival itself pitches the package as worth around 5 drinks a day, or 4 drinks plus specialty coffee or bottled water. Most cruisers actually average only 3–5 alcoholic drinks daily, which means a meaningful share of CHEERS! buyers are technically losing money on the package. The convenience is what they're really paying for.
CHEERS! caps out at 15 alcoholic drinks per 24-hour period (6am to 6am), and covers non-alcoholic drinks unlimited, which helps close the gap if you're a heavy coffee or specialty soda drinker. Check out our Carnival Drinks Package page for more details.
Royal Caribbean
A domestic beer runs $7.49–$8.25, wine by the glass averages around $11, and cocktails range from $11 for basic mixed drinks to $14 for signature cocktails, all before an 18% gratuity. A $70/day package pays for itself around 6 drinks; a $96/day package on the newest ships needs about 8 drinks to break even.
If you're the type who orders a coffee in the morning, a couple of beers by the pool, wine at dinner, and a nightcap, you're realistically in range. If you're having two drinks a day, skip it. For more up-to-date information about the drinks package, check out Royal Caribbean Drinks Package page.
Norwegian, Celebrity, and Princess
These three sit at the higher end of package pricing, which pushes the break-even point up correspondingly. On Celebrity, the Classic Package suits guests who want wine with dinner, a few poolside cocktails, and a couple of beers. the Premium Package raises the per-drink cap to roughly $17–$19, which matters if you drink top-shelf spirits or specialty cocktails regularly.
Princess splits into two useful tiers: Plus and Premier, with Premier adding higher-value drinks and extra perks like Wi-Fi and specialty dining credits bundled in, which changes the math since you're not just paying for beverages. For more information, check out our Drinks Package page.
Note: Cruise lines may change their drinks packages at any time without prior notice so it's important to make sure you keep an eye out for important price changes-related emails you may get after booking your cruise. Generally, there's always a grace period before the policy taking affect but it's nice to know about this, in case it catches you off-guard!
The Rules That Change Whether It's Worth It
A few policies apply across most mainstream lines and directly affect whether a package makes financial sense:
Cabin mate rule: If one adult in a stateroom buys the alcohol package, every other adult 21+ in that cabin must buy it too; you can't split usage. This alone can double your cost if your travel companion drinks far less than you do.
- Per-drink price caps: Most packages cap out around $14–$20 per drink; anything above that costs the difference out of pocket. Royal Caribbean's cap sits at $14, while Carnival covers up to $20.
- Daily drink limits: Carnival caps CHEERS! at 15 alcoholic drinks per day, with no doubles or shared rounds counted as one drink.
- Non-alcoholic packages exist separately: If you don't drink alcohol at all, options like Royal Caribbean's Refreshment Package (~$29–$40/day) or Carnival's Cheers! Zero Proof (~$36–$42/day) cover specialty coffee, juices, and soda without paying for alcohol you won't use.
When a Package Is Actually Worth It
A drink package tends to make sense if you consistently have 5–6 or more drinks a day (counting specialty coffee and non-alcoholic drinks), your itinerary leans toward more sea days than port days, and both adults in the cabin are regular drinkers. If any of those don't apply, especially the cabin mate condition, the math usually tips against buying one.
There's also a convenience factor worth weighing separately from pure math: knowing your bar tab won't creep up over the week, being able to pay it off on a different billing cycle before your cruise, and not thinking about cost every time you order are real value for some travelers, even if the break-even math is close.
How to Get the Best Price if You Do Buy One
- Buy before you board. Pre-cruise pricing runs 10–20% cheaper than the same package purchased onboard across nearly every line.
- Watch for price drops. Royal Caribbean allows you to cancel and rebook a package before final payment with no penalty if the price drops. Carnival and other lines often allow similar cancellations.
- Time it around wave season. January through March brings the year's biggest drink package sales, along with pre-major-holiday promotions.
- Split coverage strategically. Since the "must buy" rule only applies to alcohol packages, one adult can take the alcohol package while the other takes a soda or refreshment package instead, as long as only one person actually drinks regularly.
The Bottom Line
There's no universal answer here. It genuinely depends on how you drink on vacation, not how you drink at home. Most people order more on a cruise than they think they will: a coffee here, a beer by the pool, wine at dinner, a nightcap. If that sounds like your trip, the package likely pencils out, particularly on Carnival or Royal Caribbean where the break-even point sits lower. If you're a light drinker who's happy with one glass of wine at dinner and free lemonade the rest of the day, paying per drink will almost always cost less.
Run the math against your specific ship and package price before you buy. The fleet-wide averages above are a starting point, not a guarantee, since pricing shifts by ship, season, and sailing length.
Ready to book your next cruise and decide for yourself? Browse Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, Celebrity, and Princess sailings with CruiseDirect and compare drink package pricing before you go.
