Drink packages are such a popular cruise add-on, but they've also never been more expensive. This has lead to a growing trend of cruisers opting out of them and looking for other options.

You can expect to pay at least $100 per person, per day for a Royal Caribbean drink package if you buy it on your ship. And while there are discounts off that price if you buy it before the sailing begins, it still represents a major upfront cost.

For a 7-night cruise on the world's largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, the Deluxe Beverage costs $85.99 per person, per day if purchased on the Cruise Planner site. That comes out to $601.93 per person or $1,420.44 for a couple after adding gratuities, as all adults in a cabin need to buy a drink package if one does.

"Price of the deluxe package is absolutely out of control," wrote Stuart Etheridge on a Facebook post discussing the drink packages.

Brian Levor added, "With the package around $700 per person for a week, or single measured shots on the rocks $14+20%, it's just not worth it to me."

With such a high cost, some cruisers are seeking alternative strategies for enjoying drinks on board without overspending.

Here's what people that cruise a lot are doing instead of buying a costly beverage package.

Relying on rewards drinks

Those lucky enough to have cruised a lot already fall back on their daily drink vouchers.

If you reach Diamond level in Crown and Anchor Society, Royal Caribbean gives you 4 drink vouchers per day to use at any bar, lounge, or restaurant.

If you do the math and assume you'll use each of the vouchers for a drink worth $13 each, you'll save about $50 per day on drinks by relying on them exclusively.

Tony Diaz posted in the Royal Caribbean Dining Facebook group, "Use my 5 diamond drinks," and it echoed what a lot of other people said.

Ron Williams wrote, "I’m Diamond Plus, so I don’t get a drink package."

Michalena Vitucci also doesn't see a need to buy a drink package because of the vouchers, "Diamond points so never needed a drink package .. between my husband and I that’s 8 free drinks a day so we never needed to look into other options."

While the Diamond drink vouchers are indeed a fantastic benefit, the downside to this strategy is it won't help new cruisers at all.

In order to make it to Diamond, you need to have at least 80 cruise points.

Drink for free in the casino

A growing trend among cruisers is qualifying for the Prime status in Royal Caribbean's casino loyalty program.

To reach prime, you'll need to accumulate 2500 points between April 1 and March 31. Once you do, you can enjoy unlimited drinks at the casino bar on any Royal Caribbean ship. It even comes with a free cruise too.

While you can only get free drinks at one bar, it provides a tremendous cost savings opportunity considering it will work on any cruise you take while you still have Prime status.

Veteran cruisers that are also Diamond members love to combine the casino drinks with their aforementioned Diamond drinks to truly get the best value from their loyalty.

The downside to the free drinks in the casino is you first need to gamble enough to qualify.  Each casino point is equivalent to about $5 wagered, so there's a higher barrier to entry. Plus, gambling is addictive and despite the rules, the casino on Royal Caribbean ships tends to become a defacto smoker's lounge.

Pay as you go

Instead of a costly drink package, many cruisers are opting to pay as they go.

Drinks can be purchased on a Royal Caribbean cruise a la carte, and it's what everyone did prior to the introduction of drink packages.

The advantage of paying for each individual drink is if you're not much of a drinker.  Charging two or three drinks per day to your SeaPass card is going to be cheaper overall than a beverage package.

Plus, you can take advantage of drink specials and even the occasional free drink around the ship.

"I only have 1 drink per day typically. I’m not a big drinker and prefer water or iced tea," wrote Jeannie Grant.

Kevin Lewis added, "If I really want to have a couple drinks it's not gonna add up as much as the drink package." He also pointed out drinking at bars in the ports of call the ship visits is cheaper.

There's also a psychological effect of not having a drink package, as explained by Ken Kerby, "[I'll] drink less since I won’t be trying to make the most of what I already paid for."

The problem with paying as you go instead of a drink package is that your bar tab can quickly grow out of control if you get carried away.

Hope for a drink card to be offered

On some sailings, Royal Caribbean will offer a drink card that can only be purchased onboard the ship.

The drink card is a punch card that you can buy for a flat fee and it includes 10 drinks per card. It has the same allowances as a drink package, with drinks up to $13/$14 value on beer, wine, soda, or cocktails.

 Plus, you can share the drink card with other guests (unlike the drink package).

"On the Wonder last week you could get a card for 10 alcohol drinks for $90 or $106 with gratuities," wrote Amy Greive.

The problem with a drink card is there is no way to know if it will be offered on your cruise at all. That's because the ship's revenue department will offer it if alcohol sales are not meeting the goal for that voyage.

If it is offered, it's usually towards the end of the cruise.  This makes it impossible to plan or budget for prior to it showing up.

BYOB drinks

A smart idea for any cruiser is to bring non-alcoholic beverages with them onboard, as Royal Caribbean allows up to 12 bottles/cans of water, juice, or soft drinks.

Not only can you bring your own drinks, you could also bring water drink mixes to enhance the flavor of the water included with your cruise fare. (Contains an affiliate link, which costs you nothing extra to use).

Amy Burch wrote, "I bring those Mio flavor water enhancers to add to both tap water and lemonade on the ship."

You're also allowed to bring one bottle of wine per adult on the ship, providing a great alternative for light drinkers.

Book a suite

Royal Caribbean includes beer, wine, and cocktails during certain hours while in the Suite Lounge.

If you're booked in a Grand Suite or higher, Royal Caribbean includes admission to the Suite Lounge, where you can enjoy a happy hour selection of drinks, every day of the cruise.

Depending on the Royal Caribbean ship class you sail on, the hours vary for when you can get free drinks in the lounge.

• Icon & Oasis Class ships: Beer and wine available 11am to 11pm; Happy hour with all drinks for 3 hours in the evening
• All other ships: Happy hour with all drinks for 3 hours in the evening. Hours vary by ship.

The problem with this strategy is it's only available for a few hours each evening, and only in the Suite Lounge.  It's not convenient if you're elsewhere on the ship and/or outside of the time window.

Royal Caribbean's drink packages offer unlimited beverages during a cruise, but the question is how much can you practically consume every day.

The premise of a drink package is pay a flat fee to enjoy as many cocktails, beers, glasses of wine, coffees, and bottles of water as you like during your cruise.  Drink packages have become incredibly popular with cruisers, and the average price has steadily gone up over the years.

Read more: Everything you need to know about a Royal Caribbean drink package

One user on the Royal Caribbean subreddit was curious how much others were truly drinking every day to make that cost worthwhile.

"Those who get the drink package, how many alcoholic drinks do y'all end up consuming per day and do you drink every day?" the thread asked.

Over 200 responses followed, with cruisers sharing their experiences with Royal Caribbean's drink packages.

Drink counts

The responses to the Reddit thread ran the gamut of possible responses, with some people claiming to have consumed easily over 100 drinks over the course of one sailing.

cat_mom_dot_com answered with her count depending on how into drinking their day was, "20 to 30 on the hardcore days. 5 to 10 on the lowkey days."

Warm-Refridgerator242 explained being on vacation is a different approach than being at home, "I would say I end up having between 10 and 15 drinks a day and I don't typically drink besides on cruises. It can sound like a lot but when you wake up around 8 am and you're up until night you'll end up having a good amount of drinks!"

They added that the appeal of the drink package is the convenience of not worrying about a bar bill later, "I definitely recommend it overall, it's nice being able to get a drink and not worry about if you like it or not because you can always order another. Plus the convenience factor of not having to sign every receipt is nice."

Many of the answers came in between 10-20 drinks per day, with many people saying not every drink contained alcohol. The Deluxe Beverage Package and the Royal Refreshment Package both include bottled water, premium coffee & teas, juices, sodas and other soft drinks.

DoctorHathaway explained how the drink package works beyond alcohol, "I do about 12 alcoholic drinks a day. I also drink about 2 specialty coffees, a bunch of fountain drinks (mostly flavored seltzers), and I usually grab about 4-6 bottles of water from the bar."

If the drink counts sound high, many were quick to point out that the potency of Royal Caribbean's drinks did not seem very high. Many people said the bartenders measure the amount of liquor dispensed and that resulted in drinks not being as potent as you might expect.

"It’s worth it for the convenience"

The overwhelming consensus among those that responded in the thread was no matter how much they consumed per day, the drink package value was worthwhile.

When you buy a drink package, the cost includes the drinks and gratuity, along with the ability to sample drinks.  There's no penalty for not finishing drinks.

Ginsengii shared that while they did not drink a lot, the freedom it provided was worth the cost, "I don’t think my husband and I will “get our money’s worth” in terms of literal cost per drink, but to me, it’s worth it for the convenience. "

"I’m someone who would hem and haw over spending the extra money on a second drink at dinner or skip out on the mimosa at breakfast if I had to make the decision to pay for it in the moment. By buying the package, I am able to fully relax and not worry about costs because everything is prepaid."

"It might not make total sense, but it works for me."

Practical-Money-7982 talked about how having a drink package changes how they cruise, "For me the package is always worth it no matter how much I drink."

"I have more fun when I'm drinking as I have trouble loosening up. If I don't buy the package I will not drink at all because I'll have to justify $15/drink which I will not be able to."

The break even point

While there were some flaunting daily drink counts, many were also looking at how much they had to drink to make the drink package cost worthwhile.  

Justifying the drink package price was about determining how much they had to drink each day to end up spending the same amount if they paid for drinks on their own.  Royal Caribbean drink prices are about $7.99 for a beer, $10-$14 per cocktail, and $3.50 for a soda.

Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing for its drink packages, so the price varies from sailing to sailing.  And there are pre-cruise discounts if you buy before the cruise begins.

Read more: How much is a Royal Caribbean drink package?

OhWhatsHisName calculated it was very easy to get your drink package value back without going too heavy into alcoholic drinks, "I can get fancy coffees in the morning, milkshakes and other fruity drinks throughout the day, bottled waters for excursions, etc. so factor those in, then to break even for the alcoholic drinks that's not even 5 a day, so that's 2 alcoholic drinks at lunch, 3 at dinner, which is very easily hit."

Jane_Marie_CA also found 3-10 cocktails a day combined with juices, soda, iced lattes, and smoothies made the package a good buy, "my break even point is somewhere between 4-5 cocktails a day when I factor my non booze consumption."

Some felt it wasn't worth it

While most of the people in the thread celebrated the virtues of a drink package, others lamented the purchase and couldn't justify it.

Gat0rJesus felt having the drink package made them drink more than they would otherwise, "We got it and had to drink far more than normal to make it worth it."

MaroonCanuck added, "The sheer caloric intake of some of these posts 15-20 drinks a day. Oh my heart hurts."

For a few people, the up front cost made them think twice, "Average 8-10. It was fun. Prob won't do it again, though. Will just pay out of pocket or bring some on board," BrushYourFeet said.

Could it be the end of the Buy One, Get One discount offered onboard Royal Caribbean cruise ships for the popular drink package?

Nothing has been officially announced as a matter of policy, but on two different ships this week, cruisers reported not seeing the BOGO deal offered when a drink package is purchased onboard.

Read more: Royal Caribbean drink packages prices and info

On Enchantment of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas, the flyer for buying a drink package doesn't have a BOGO offer.

Thomas Budzyn wrote on Facebook, "at least on Freedom of the Seas, there is no longer a BOGO sale for the drink package."

Another cruise on Enchantment of the Seas confirmed he was seeing the same thing on Enchantment of the Seas.

Don Goldstein reported on Icon of the Seas he was seeing the same thing, "The bar tender at Overlook on Icon told us that Royal was no longer doing drink package BOGOs purchased onboard."

The BOGO offer essentially gives a 50% discount on the cost of a drink package when buying it for two passengers. It was offered when buying a drink package onboard the ship on the first or second day of the cruise.

To be clear, the pre-cruise discount is still being offered, and this is an observation made just onboard a couple of ships by a few cruisers. 

Without the discount, each drink package purchased onboard a ship would cost at least $100 per person, per day for the Deluxe Beverage Package.

Moreover, Royal Caribbean requires all adults in the same stateroom to buy the Deluxe Beverage Package if at least one adult does so. There is no such rule for the Royal Refreshment or Soda packages.

The reason the rule is in place is to prevent sharing of drink package benefits.

Book online before the cruise to get the best price

Whether or not Royal Caribbean has a BOGO discount on its ships, you're doing yourself a disservice by waiting to book a drink package onboard.

Royal Caribbean regularly offers a substantial discount when a drink package is purchased before the cruise begins. It's common to see 35-45% off the cost of a drink package online.

Depending on the promotion offered, you can usually get the Deluxe Beverage Package for around $60-$80 per person.  It varies from sailing to sailing, but the price offered in the Royal Caribbean app or website is always cheaper than buying it onboard.

Read more: Best time to purchase a Royal Caribbean drink package

For example, on a recent Icon of the Seas sailing, the Deluxe Beverage Package was on sale for $76.99 instead of $110 per person, per day. Royal Caribbean says its 30% off savings.

You can always re-price the drink package when buying it online, all the way up to a few days before your cruise. This allows you to cancel and rebook if the price drops.  Its a significant advantage for consumers.

My recommendation is to never wait to buy the drink package on the ship because of the higher price tag, and now the added risk of the BOGO discount not being available.

How to maximize a drink package purchase

Whether you buy a drink package onboard or online, there are a few easy tips for getting the most out of your beverage package.

Your drink package works at more places than just bars. Besides ordering a drink at the Pub, Schooner Bar, or at the pool, you can also get drinks at specialty restaurants, the Main Dining Room and even Perfect Day at CocoCay or Labadee.

This not only extends the value of a drink package, but you can sample the special cocktails found at specialty restaurants. Some favorites include the Mason Jar, 150 Central Park, Jamie's Italian and Wonderland.

Ask for top shelf liquor. When you order a drink, don't just ask for the drink by name.  Rather, ask for the drink by name and specify the liquor you want with it.

If you don't do this, you might end up with a generic liquor instead of something better.  Higher-end spirits tend to be smoother and have a better flavor.  Plus, it's included with your drink package, so don't be afraid to ask for a higher quality vodka, tequila, or rum.

Don't overlook other beverages included. While you might be focused on cocktails, beer, and wine, you should also look at the non-alcoholic beverages to get more value out of your drink package. 

Premium coffees, teas, soft drinks, and bottled water are included in the Deluxe Beverage Package and Royal Refreshment package, and you should order these to make it easier to "break even" on a drink package purchase cost.

Stock up on bottled water. My favorite trick for maximizing the drink package is to get extra bottles of water.

Bottled water is super helpful to have around the ship and on shore.  It's a good idea to ask for a bottle of water along with your regular drink order so that you can start stockpiling bottles in your cabin.

Having extra bottles of water provides a convenient way to stay hydrated on your cruise. Plus, you can bring bottled water with you off the cruise ship into port when on a shore excursion.

Having unlimited drinks on your Royal Caribbean cruise isn't as cheap as it used to be.

Royal Caribbean's unlimited drink package that includes alcohol is now priced regularly at least $100 per person, per day when purchased onboard. The cruise line uses dynamic pricing, so it's not a standard fleetwide price, but our team has consistently observed that the advertised onboard price is regularly in triple digits.

On Freedom of the Seas this week, the price for the Deluxe Beverage Package was listed at $110 per person, per day for the 4-night cruise. On this week's Liberty of the Seas 5-night Bermuda sailing, it's at $105.

On Icon of the Seas, the price was recently $115 per person, per day for a 7-night sailing.

That price is before the automatic 18% gratuity that is added on top of the drink package price which covers the bartenders that serve any drink ordered with the package.

Royal Caribbean's Deluxe Beverage Package includes almost every drink served onboard, minus super top shelf liquors. This includes a fruity cocktail, beer, some wines by the glass, premium coffees, sodas, smoothies, bottled water and sports drinks, milkshakes, and fresh squeezed juices. It's pretty much any beverage that is $14 or less.

You can even choose from top shelf liquor, like Buffalo Trace, Jack Daniel's, Johnnie Walker Black, Grey Goose, Captain Morgan, and Patron too. 

It also comes with 40% discount on bottles of wines under $100 and 20% discount on wines over $100.

While it does not  include drinks from in-room minibars or room service, they do work at its private destinations of Perfect Day at CocoCay and Labadee, Haiti.

It's also important to note that when you buy a drink package, you must buy it for every day of your sailing. You cannot "cherry pick" days you want to use it.  

In addition, Royal Caribbean has a rule in place if one adult purchases the Deluxe Beverage Package in a cabin, all other adults in the same cabin must buy it too.  This rule is prevent sharing drink package benefits with friends or family.  This rule doesn't apply to kids, or if you opt for the non-alcoholic drink packages.

Read more: 9 Ways That People Cheat The Royal Caribbean Drink Package

To be fair, the onboard price is a bit misleading because Royal Caribbean offers a significant discount of half off for the second person.  There are also Crown and Anchor Society discounts offered to some tiers to help with that price as well. In short, you can pay much less for a drink package by pre-purchasing.

There are two other Royal Caribbean drink packages that do not include any alcohol, the Royal Refreshment Package and the Soda Package.

Royal Caribbean's drink packages have been quite popular since they first debuted, and the price has steadily climbed over the past few years. It's likely that strong demand for drink packages is a factor in driving up the price. Royal Caribbean Group executives have repeatedly pointed to strong demand by its customers for add-ons, such as the drink package, in its quarterly reports.

Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Jason Liberty said in April 2024 the significant uptick in onboard spending was a factor for the company's success., "Strong ticket and onboard revenue and favorable timing of expenses contributed to the better-than-expected earnings performance."  

How to save money on a drink package

If a $100 per day price tag gives you pause, the good news is there's no reason to pay that price.

Royal Caribbean regularly offers pre-cruise discounts on its drink package when you buy it before the cruise begins. In fact, the line just kicked off it's Memorial Day sale on pre-cruise purchases. Guests can expect up to 35% off savings on purchases.

Depending on the promotion offered, you can usually get the Deluxe Beverage Package for around $60-$80 per person.  It varies from sailing to sailing, but the price offered in the Royal Caribbean app or website is always cheaper than buying it onboard.

Read more: When is the best time to purchase a Royal Caribbean drink package?

For example, on the Icon of the Seas June 29 sailing, the Deluxe Beverage Package is on sale for $76.99 instead of $110 per person, per day. Royal Caribbean says its 30% off savings.

Moreover, you can always re-price the drink package in the months leading up to your cruise by cancelling and rebooking if the price drops.  Its a significant advantage for consumers.

It's my recommendation to never wait to buy the drink package on the ship because of the higher price tag.

It's all about convenience

No matter the price, the top reason many cruisers buy a drink package is for the convenience of having a fixed price for all their vacation drink needs.

While not cheap, an often cited reason for buying a drink package is to not have to worry about running up a big bar bill during their cruise.

A cocktail can cost $14, plus gratuity.  After 3 or 4, you've already spent over $50 that day, and that doesn't include specialty coffees or juice.

RoyalCaribbeanBlog user WAYNO wrote, "The drink package is so convenient.  And I was able to experiment with drinks that I normally would never buy.  Or if a drink became warm or stale, or even boring, I could push it aside and order another."

aubtfan added, "Having drinks prepaid is worth it to us. So convenient."

FrogFanatic wrote, "I love the feeling of freedom knowing that if I chose to try something that I wouldn't try at home and don't like it, then no big deal, just order something else. It's the peace of mind that is part of what I am paying for and that is big for me."

Royal Caribbean is offering a one-day promotion on its very popular unlimited drink packages.

On Monday, May 6, Royal Caribbean is advertising up to 45% off beverage package purchases made via the Cruise Planner website or by calling Royal Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean drink packages offer a flat fee for as many beers, wine by the glass, soda, or cocktails you'd like during your cruise.  There are also other drink packages that do not include alcohol. Guest that purchase a drink package are able to enjoy unlimited drinks each day of their cruise, including at Perfect Day at CocoCay and Labadee!

This deal is in honor of "National Beverage Day".

Deal basics

To get this offer, you need to either log into your Royal Caribbean account and go to the Cruise Planner or call Royal Caribbean to purchase a drink package.

The sale is valid for sailings departing May 9, 2024 through May 31, 2025. It's only available to bookings made May 6, 2024.

It applies to all three of Royal Caribbean's drink packages: Deluxe Beverage package, Refreshment Package, and Classic Soda package.

Keep in mind if you buy the Deluxe Beverage Package, if you have multiple guests 21 and older staying in the same stateroom, all adults will be required to purchase their own package. This is done to help reduce the sharing of benefits. 

Celebrity Cruises is also offering its own deal for today only, with up to 35% off with its National Beverage Day Flash Sale.

Celebrity's offer is for select sailings departing May 10 – March 28, 2025, excluding Celebrity Beyond June 23rd, charter sailings and holiday sailings.

Will this offer save me money?

Despite the flashy name for the sale, there's no guarantee the actual price of your drink package will be any different.

Royal Caribbean runs promotions throughout the year on its cruise add-ons, and there seems to be sales just about every week.

The difference with this sale is that it's being advertised more prominently, and it's just one day.  Plus, the promise of up to 45% off is intriguing.

To check if your sailing has this new offer available, log into the Cruise Planner on Royal Caribbean's web site look for any available offers. Not all sailings may see the sale applicable, nor are all offers significantly cheaper than previously posted.

To find the discounted rates, log into the My Cruises section of the Royal Caribbean web site, and navigate to the Cruise Planner section for the sailing you are interested in.

Once logged in, navigate to the Beverage section and look for advertised rates. You will likely see something similar to this: 

There's certainly no harm in checking if the price of a drink package for your particular sailing has gone down at all.  When it comes to Royal Caribbean sales, it's best to ignore the percentage off advertised, and focus on the total price when you add it your cart.

Remember, the pre-cruise price is almost certainly going to be better than the price onboard the ship if you wait to book it once you board the ship.

Read more: When is the best time to buy a Royal Caribbean Drink Package?

If the price of the drink package is cheaper than what you bought previously, you can cancel the purchase and then re-purchase the drink package again with this discount.

Beverage package purchases made online can be canceled and full refunded at any time, up until about 3 days before your sail date.

Advantage to pre-purchasing a drink package now

If you are going to get a drink package, your best bet is to book it now to lock in the price.

One common mistake among cruisers is waiting to book a drink package, either because they want to see if the price will continue to drop or they hesitate to book.

Read more: 9 incredibly easy cruise mistakes to avoid

The reason waiting to book a drink package until closer to your sail date is a mistake is because the price could go up, and then you would end you paying more than you originally saw it listed for online.

Instead, you should book the drink package at whatever price you see it for online before your cruise.  Remember, you can always cancel it if you change your mind later, up to 48 hours before your cruise begins.

By booking the drink package now, you lock in the price and protect yourself against a price increase while still being able to take advantage of a price drop.

One cruise fan discovered a great trick for being able to enjoy alcoholic drinks on their cruise without a costly drink package.

A Royal Caribbean drink package is a very popular add-on, but they are not cheap purchases. You could pay anywhere from $60-100 per person, per day for the Deluxe Beverage Package.

While drink packages do offer a cost-savings opportunity to cruisers, not everyone will find that value.  

On the Royal Caribbean Dining Facebook group, Mandi King shared a hack she found that is a good middle ground between buying a drink package and paying for your drinks individually.

The lesser-known liquor bottle option

Ms. King shared that she came across this idea because she doesn't drink enough to justify buying a drink package.

"I know this won't apply to many of you, but I don't drink enough to justify the drink package so I thought I would share my little cruise hack for those of you in the same boat (pun intended)," she said in her post.

She discovered 375 ml bottles of alcohol available for purchase from the Royal Caribbean gifts website.

Each bottle comes with a few sodas, but she admits she'll give the sodas to her children.  Instead, she will bring different drink mix flavors with her onboard to mix with water and her vodka purchase.

"I purchased two vodka/sprite packages for $88, which sounds expensive for essentially a fifth of vodka but it will make 16 drinks with 1.5oz pours - that's just $5.50 per drink so will save me a ton compared to buying drinks at the bar"

To make her DIY cocktails better, she leverages the complimentary fruit on the ship.

"I also like to grab some fruit from the buffet to add to them - add a little watermelon, strawberries, orange, and/or pineapple and it becomes a fancy drink!"

Another idea is to bring drink mixers with you so that the alcohol you choose can be better enjoyed.  A reader suggested taking Skinnies cocktail mixers as something that works well (Link contains affiliate link, which costs you nothing extra to use!).

There is a caveat to this hack, it’s not available on all sailings.

Combine this hack with the added ability to bring one bottle of wine or Champagne per adult in a cabin onboard your ship, and Ms. King feels she has a cost-effective strategy to enjoy drinks on her Royal Caribbean cruise.

Every adult (21 years or older) is allowed to bring, in a carry-on, one bottle (750 mL) of wine or Champagne. There is a $15 corkage fee if you consume your bottle in a dining room.  Sorry, you are not allowed to bring beer or liquor. 

Cruisers love this idea

"I did this and it was absolutely perfect for me!" is what Becky Weaver commented on the post, and a lot of other people have embraced the idea.

LeeAnn Freiburger added, "We did the same. Order 2 of these plus a bottle of champagne , 2-6 packs of Truly and will carry on two bottles of champagne. No way could we drink $1,200 worth so this was a no-brainer for us."

Marcia Tivoli agreed, "I purchased a bottle of whiskey for hubby one sailing -- totally worth it!"

It's not a perfect option for everyone, but it seems to fit the needs of casual drinkers.

"If you only want 2 cocktails per day (assuming 7 nights) and don't mind going back to your room to get one, it's a good idea," Tom Hoffman wrote.

Lj Castillo said, "That's what we do now that we're diamond. Makes no sense to buy the drink package when you can get those and sodas."

Other ways to save money instead of buying a drink package

If this hack has you contemplating skipping a drink package, there are other ways you can enjoy alcoholic drinks without splurging for an all-included beverage package.

Ryan Southworth commented to keep an eye out for the 10 drink punch cards sometimes offered on ships.

In recent months, we've seen the drink card make a comeback on many cruises.  Essentially, it's a pre-paid card for 10 drinks that you can use (and share with anyone else) for a fixed price.  

The "catch" with the drink card is there's no way to know in advance if it will be offered on your cruise.  If it is offered, it may not be available until the end of the sailing.

Still, it's a great value and shareable.

If you have a port intensive itinerary, it might be more cost-effective to do your drinking while in port.

Royal Caribbean's drink prices are probably higher than what you'll find in the places your ship visits, especially in the Caribbean.

Finding bars or vendors selling inexpensive beers, cocktails and more is not usually difficult. You can usually find a few right in the pier area, with more in the town or city your ship visits. 

If you're booked in a suite, then take advantage of the free cocktails offered in the evening.

The Suite Lounge or Concierge Lounge offers beers, wine, and cocktails each evening for guests in a Grand Suite or higher.  Pinnacle Club members are allowed in too, although sometimes this is capped if there are a lot of Pinnacles onboard.

It's available for a few hours each night, so speak to the Suite Concierge host for more information.

Royal Caribbean is famous for its luxurious family cruises, which come along with some pricey packages.

The unlimited beverage package is one of the most popular add-ons to a Royal Caribbean cruise.

The idea of unlimited drinks on your cruise is an attractive one. Getting a beverage package promises endless drinks without you ever needing to look at a bill or receipt.

Royal Caribbean’s drink packages are popular because they allow guests to enjoy beer, wine, cocktails, mocktails, specialty coffee, and soft drinks for one fixed price.

However, these packages come at a high price.

The increased demand for drink packages has set prices even higher, leading many cruisers to look for ways to hack the system.

Is there a way to only pay for one package? 

Can you share your drink package with someone else?

Before you try to skip the high prices and share a beverage package with another guest, here’s everything you need to know.

Read more: 9 Ways That People Cheat The Royal Caribbean Drink Package

Understanding the drink package

Royal Caribbean offers three drink packages: the soda package, the Royal Refreshment package, and the deluxe beverage package.

Because the deluxe package includes drinks with alcohol, it is one of the most popular options for a cruise.

The deluxe package offers:

• Cocktails, spirits, liqueurs
• Beer
• Wine (by the glass)
• Mocktails
• Premium coffees & teas
• Fountain sodas / Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages
• Coca-Cola souvenir cup included
• Bottled still and sparkling water
• Fresh squeezed juices
• 40% discount on bottles of wines under $100. Bottles of wine above $100 will receive a 20% discount.
• Discounts on drinks served in a souvenir container or inside fruit

The deluxe drink package ranges from $55 to $105 per person, per day.

Only adults 21 years of age and older (or 18 years of age in Australia and the U.K.) may purchase this package, ensuring that they are of the legal drinking age.

Every adult must buy a drink package

Per Royal Caribbean’s policy, each package is a personal package for one guest.

If one adult purchases a drink package, Royal Caribbean requires all adults staying in the same stateroom to buy one.

“All packages are for single guest use and cannot be shared by multiple people,” their website states.

“Any guest wishing to purchase an alcoholic beverage package must do so for all guests of legal drinking age in the same stateroom.”

This means that each adult must purchase a drink package, not allowing you to share one package among multiple people.

If some adults in your group do not wish to purchase a drink package, there are a couple ways to avoid this.

First, you can call Royal Caribbean and ask for an exemption. Usually, the line will permit the guest to purchase a less-expensive drink package, like the Royal Refreshment package.

If they have a health condition that prevents them from drinking or are pregnant, customer service representatives will work to make sure they are given an exemption.

Another way to avoid buying multiple packages is to book each adult in separate rooms.

If you are traveling with children and staying in multiple staterooms, you can book each adult separately.

You don’t necessarily have to sleep in those separate rooms, but if you are booked in different cabins one guest won’t be required to buy a package.

Read more: Avoid these Royal Caribbean drink package mistakes

You are not allowed to share with someone

Royal Caribbean does not permit guests to share alcohol with someone else.

The cruise line is looking to make money on each drink sold individually.

They also have no way of confirming if the person you’re sharing a drink with is legally allowed to drink.

To prevent any sharing, bartenders only serve drinks to guests who present their own SeaPass cards. This verification is required so that no one tries to buy a drink using someone else’s card or package.

Drink package benefits are reserved only for the person who purchased them, but some people still try to cheat the system by sharing with someone else.

However, the risk far outweighs the reward.

If you get caught sharing drinks with someone who doesn’t have the same drink package, the cruise line can cancel the drink package without a refund, and even charge you the price of all the drinks you previously ordered.

A former bartender shared on Reddit the story of one man who thought he could outsmart the crew members.

But he didn’t get away with it. At the end of the cruise, Royal Caribbean revoked the guest’s drink package and charged him for every single drink consumed during the cruise.

With the normal, full-price charge, he ended up paying $3,000 just for those drinks.

Bartenders are pros at spotting people trying to share their package.

They will usually limit you to one drink every 5-15 minutes. Staff watch for this behavior, and if they see you walking away and handing off a drink to someone else, you will certainly get in trouble.

Additionally, don’t forget that there are cameras in nearly every corner of the ship!

The likelihood that you would get caught is very high.

If you are found sharing your drink package, the cruise line reserves the right to cancel your drink package and charge you for all drinks purchased.

Royal Caribbean Drink Package Tips

To help you maximize your beverage package and have the best experience possible, we have some extra tips for you.

Know the rules: Make sure that you familiarize yourself with all the terms and conditions governing your package.

This way, you will know how to maximize its benefits and also prevent yourself from inadvertently breaking any rules.

Take advantage of all the beverages onboard: enjoy the wide selection of unlimited drinks you can enjoy, from specialty cocktails to wine to soda.

Pace yourself: Don’t forget to drink responsibly! Avoid overindulging, and ensure that you have a safe and healthy experience. 

Guests who are found to be out of control in their drinking can also have their drink package revoked, or at least be refused service until sobriety returns.

Royal Caribbean drink packages offer passengers unlimited drinks for a fixed daily price, and that may sound like the perfect optional cost.

An all-inclusive beverage plan is attractive because they offer an easy way to have unlimited access to drinks and not have to worry about running up a big bill by the end of the cruise.

About 50% of passengers end up buying a drink package for their cruise, making it one of the most popular add-ons.

Most people want to know if what's included with Royal Caribbean's drink packages, whether it's worth the cost, and when is the best time to buy a drink package. My tips and opinions are based on my first-hand experiences buying the drink packages, and comparing it to cruising without a package.

Here's what you should know to decide if a beverage package is a good choice for you.

Do you need it?

Before we break down the different beverage packages, you might be curious if buying one is necessary.

Royal Caribbean includes some drinks with your cruise fare, and it offers the rest as an optional extra cost. That means, you could pay for each one individually that you order.

The advantage of buying a drink package is you pay one price and then get unlimited drinks. There's no guessing how big your bill is, and no receipts to sign for each drink.  Even tips are included.

Based on my many years of cruising, the question of needing a drink package boils down to how you vacation. You need to have a few drinks a day to make it a cost-saving opportunity. Otherwise, you're better off paying for each drink.

The x-factor is how you'll drink on vacation versus at home. In most cases, these are vastly different. 

There is no flat "yes" or "no" answer to determining if a drink package makes sense for everyone, but hopefully, the considerations in this post can help with your decision.  

What we often hear from other cruisers is over the course of longer cruises (7-nights or longer), it becomes more and more difficult to maintain the level of drinking required to get the value from the package.  

Keep in mind that you can always purchase a drink package even after your cruise begins, if you find yourself drinking more than you thought. Royal Caribbean advertises that its drink packages can be purchased at any point in a cruise, provided there are at least four days left in the cruise.

The key is to know how you like to cruise and which pros and cons of the drink package are more important to you. At worst, you are going to overpay for a drink package or for drinks on your own. In either case, you will still likely have a great vacation experience.

Compare Drink Packages

See what's included in Royal Caribbean drink packages with this side-by-side view.

What is a Royal Caribbean drink package?

Royal Caribbean's drink packages are a fixed daily cost plan offered on all Royal Caribbean ships so guests can budget their beverage costs in advance and (potentially) save money.  

The various plans provide guests with unlimited drinks that can be used at any bar or restaurant on Royal Caribbean ships (and private destinations). The drink package benefits are available on the guest's SeaPass card.

Royal Caribbean guests wishing to purchase a drink package can do so either prior to their cruise via the Cruise Planner website or once onboard their ship. Once purchased, you must pay for the package for the duration of your cruise. If purchased during your cruise, guests will pay for the remaining nights of their cruise.

The drink packages can be redeemed at pretty much any restaurant or bar on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship or private destination. There are only two places a drink package cannot be used: room service and stateroom mini-bars.

Frequent users of Royal Caribbean's drink packages become pretty adept at getting more bang for their buck on the packages, but with some advance planning, first-time Royal Caribbean cruisers can also make the most of the packages.

What's included in Royal Caribbean's drink packages?

Royal Caribbean offers a few drink packages to consider. Each package provides guests with an unlimited allotment of servings of the specific beverages their package includes.

None of the packages include mini bar items, Evian water, canned sodas, bottled juice and souvenir glassware, specialty beers as listed on bar menus, or super premium category beverages.

Refreshment Package

This drink package includes all nonalcoholic drinks. It is popular with adults as well as older children and those who like having juices, coffee and teas.

For each guest that purchases this package, it includes:

• Premium coffees and teas
• Bottled still and sparking water
• Fresh squeezed orange juice
• Mocktails
• Fountain sodas / Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages
• Coca-Cola Souvenir Cup included

The price per night of the Refreshment Package is $29.00 per guest (excluding gratuity).

Classic Soft Drinks Package

The Classic Soft Drinks package is what was once called by many guests, "the soda card". It is unlimited soda and quite popular with kids.  

For each guest that purchases this package, it includes:

• Fountain Soda and refills in any venue
• Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages
• Coca-Cola Souvenir Cup included

Deluxe Beverage Package

Royal Caribbean offers just one unlimited alcohol package, the Deluxe Beverage package.

The Deluxe package offers "the best of both worlds," with access to nearly the entire stock of beverages with or without liquor. Enjoy virtually unlimited combinations on everything from cocktails with top-shelf spirits to premium teas and every beverage in between.

For each guest that purchases this package, it includes:

• Cocktails, spirits, liqueurs
• Beer
• Wine (by the glass)
• Mocktails
• Premium coffees & teas
• Fountain sodas / Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages
• Coca-Cola souvenir cup included
• Bottled still and sparkling water
• Fresh squeezed juices
• 40% discount on wines under $100. Wines above $100 will receive a 20% discount.

The Deluxe Beverage Package includes drinks with liquor up to $14 in value. Drinks that are served in a souvenir cup/glass/mug and/or drinks served inside fruit (i.e. pineapples) are not included with the drink package, however, a portion of the drink price is subsidized by the beverage package.

One thing to note in the fine print is all Royal Caribbean passengers 21 years of age and older (18 years in Australia and the UK) are required to purchase the Deluxe Beverage Package if at least one other person in their cabin has one.

If the other adult(s) in the same stateroom do not wish to purchase a Deluxe Beverage Package, you can call Royal Caribbean and ask for an exemption. Usually, Royal Caribbean will allow the other adult(s) to purchase a less-expensive drink package, such as the Refreshment Package.

Cafe Select Card

If all you want are lattes, espresso, or something stronger than regular coffee, then perhaps Royal Caribbean's Café Select Coffee Card is the right choice for you.

Unlike the other drink packages, the coffee card is not unlimited. Instead, you get a physical card that will be punched every time you use the card. Each card is good for 15 punches.

For every brewed coffee you order, the barista will punch a hole in the card to note how many of the drinks you've ordered.

You can use the coffee card at Royal Caribbean coffee locations, such as Cafe Promenade or Cafe Latte-tudes. It does not work at freestanding Starbucks kiosks.

Another difference from the other drink packages is you are allowed to share the coffee card benefits with another guest.

Water Package

Royal Caribbean's Water Packages offer 12 or 24 packs of one-liter bottles of water, which are delivered to your cabin on embarkation day.

The bottled water package is a convenient way to have spring water available for your use while you cruise. It's also something anyone that generally prefers bottled water over faucet water.

In addition, having bottled water means you can take it around the ship with you, or even on shore excursions.

You'll still have access to drinking water during your cruise at every bar, restaurant, or lounge. Drinking water is very clean and filtered at a higher level than most public drinking water at home.

What do Royal Caribbean drink packages cost?

Royal Caribbean utilizes dynamic pricing for its drink packages, which means the price can depend on the sailing. This means the price could be different based on the ship, itinerary, or sail date you pick.

• Deluxe Beverage Package: $55 to $115 per person per day
• Royal Refreshment Package: $38 per person per day
• Classic Soft Drinks Package: $12.99 per person per day
• Water Package: 12 bottles for $39; 24 bottles for $69
• Coffee card: $31 per card

Every drink package includes gratuities when you purchase it, so there are no additional tips or costs for anything included in the package. You will see a "service charge" that comes with the drink package purchase, which includes the automatic 18% gratuity.

Read more: How much is a Royal Caribbean drink package?

How do I get the best deal on a Royal Caribbean drink package?

The best time to buy a Royal Caribbean drink package is to buy one as early as you can and then re-price when there are price drops.

The price of a drink package can change many times before the cruise begins and this is because of various sales offered. Typically, there's a drink package discount every few weeks, although the total cost of the drink package may not actually change.

One strategy is to save money on Royal Caribbean’s drink package is to wait for a great deal on Black Friday. You won't know if this strategy will work until the actual day, plus your cruise may take place before the holiday.

Regardless, it's possible for there to be a price drop in the base price and in that case, you can cancel and rebook the drink package with no penalty via the Cruise Planner website.

By booking a drink package early you lock in the price and guard against a price increase, but can still take advantage of a price decrease.

Trying to "time" a lower price is a mistake because sometimes the price goes up and never goes back down.

Is a Royal Caribbean drink package worth it?

There is no question a beverage package has the potential to save money, but the real question is if you will drink enough every day of your cruise to make it worth purchasing.

Here's an argument from our staff why a drink package is worth it, and why it's not worth it.

Why drink packages are worth it

Matt: I've purchased Royal Caribbean drink packages for years because of how easy it is to budget your drinks for any cruise.

Without a drink package, I find myself hemming and hawing over if I really want a drink, and end up rationing them in order to save money. The result is I'm just not as happy. 

The convenience factor usually leads me to decide to get the package. After all, you are on vacation and no memorable cruise starts with worrying about drink prices.

While the up-front cost is high, when you think about the premium coffees, bottled water, beer, and alcoholic cocktails I can drink every day for one price, it makes not worrying about a big bill at the end of the cruise so much better.

Plus, the drink package allows me to try new drinks because there's no limit to how many drinks I can order.

Why a drink package wasn't worth it for me

Allie: The drink package is supposed to help your cruise feel more all-inclusive because you do not need to be skimpy with your drinking. Since you’ve already purchased the drink package before boarding, there shouldn’t be any surprise charges onboard.

I did find that my cruise felt more all-inclusive since we could drink without limits. Since my friends also had the drink package, it was nice that we didn’t have to stress about blowing a budget or spending way more than anticipated. 

However, we felt like we were constantly trying to calculate how many drinks we had to have to ensure our hefty purchase was worthwhile. My husband also noted how he felt an internal obligation to order the most expensive drinks rather than what he would have preferred drinking. 

Perhaps the two of us are too analytical to enjoy the drink package advantages on our Royal Caribbean, but we won’t be splurging on this purchase again.

Is there a limit on Royal Caribbean drink packages?

There is no limit on a Royal Caribbean drink package in terms of how many drinks a guest may consume in a day or throughout the cruise.

The only limit on a drink package is that you may only order one drink per order, per drink package.

If multiple people are ordering a drink with a drink package, the bartender or waiter may take each guest's SeaPass card to place the order.

There are a few other drink package rules that you should be aware of as well.

Pros and cons of getting the drink package on Royal Caribbean?

We have used Royal Caribbean's drink packages on a number of occasions and we have also paid out of pocket for our drinks on even more cruises. The drink package has an equal number of fans and critics. We tend to fall somewhere in the middle, disagreeing with both extremes. We think the drink package has its pros and cons, so let us take a look at some of them!

Savings: You can save money with a drink package (versus paying for each drink a la carte), but you have to be a certain kind of drinker and not waste the daily package benefits. If you are someone who enjoys having many drinks every day, it can definitely save you money with a Royal Caribbean drink package. This requires anyone who buys the package to be willing and able to enjoy a good half-dozen drinks every day of their cruise.  

There is no question a drink package has an excellent value proposition associated with it, but you need to be able to drink enough to "break even" on the package versus buying the drinks on your own. If you knew you would not be drinking enough every day of your cruise to break even, why would you overpay for a package?

With that said, prices for Royal Caribbean drinks have been on the rise over the last few years. Cocktails are regularly priced at around $10-13 per drink, which means bar tabs can quickly get expensive. And with so many tantalizing choices on each bar menu, the temptation to grab a drink is always present.

The drink package benefits will save the most money for folks who drink a lot during the day and spread their drinking out throughout the course of their day and night.  

Amount of drinks: One common regret we hear about drink packages is a phenomenon known as "drink fatigue," where guests drink more than they really would ordinarily order and they end up ordering drinks for the sake of ordering drinks. When using a drink package, I always struggle with the question of, "Am I ordering a drink because I want one or because I have a drink package?" There have been plenty of times with a drink package, I know I am ordering a drink because I have the package, and the show, activity or event I am attending offers drinks, so why not get a drink.

If you are on a short cruise and are looking to have a good time, the drink package can make a lot more sense, since there are less days to use the package benefits. Likewise, shorter cruises have a tendency to have more of a party atmosphere than longer cruises.  

It is important to keep in mind what your goal is when ordering a drink package. Are you going to be spending much of your time by the pool or are you someone that will be doing other activities where drinking may not always be an option.  

Convenience: Many guests swear by the convenience of Royal Caribbean's drink packages. It makes enjoying drinks simple, with no fuss involved. There is no worrying about how much the drink costs and if you should get it or something cheaper. Heck, there is not even the concern about whether you can afford to get a drink.  

It is a fair point and among the most commonly cited reasons people love the drink packages. We love the convenience of the drink package too, especially to have the freedom of trying new drinks without fear of ordering something we do not like and being "stuck" with it. Or relegating ourselves to drink the same old drinks because we know we like them.

The thing is, the number one reason to buy a drink package is to save money, otherwise, why would it exist. Royal Caribbean would not roll out something that offers no savings and expect people to pay for it, right? With that in mind, while convenience is important, we believe the cost savings still supersede whatever convenience the drink package offers.

Budgeting: This is probably the most contentious point. In addition to being convenient, a lot of its fans advocate the unlimited drink packages help them stay on a budget and avoid thinking about money on a vacation.

On the surface, this makes sense because you can buy a drink package before your cruise and break up the cost of the cruise, or opt to purchase it onboard and cap your drinking spending. In either scenario, it goes to making your total cost more predictable. It reminds us of cell phone plans and why so many people prefer unlimited data plans rather than fixed-data plans. Simpler to have one cost that covers everything, than worry about "going over."

There is a point to be made about pre-purchasing a drink package months before your cruise, paying it off then and then later going on your cruise and not dealing with a bill at the end of your cruise that makes you cringe (or worse). It does not mean you will actually save any money, as you still need to drink enough each day of your cruise to make a drink package worthwhile. Otherwise, you overpaid earlier than usual.

The whole notion of not having to worry about receipts, gratuity or how much a drink costs holds less water for us. Sure, it is nice to have, but far from essential. If someone told me I could save more money by doing some simple math every day, you bet I would bring my calculator onboard. There are a lot of fun things to do on a Royal Caribbean cruise, and the more money I can save, the more fun stuff I can afford.

Sticker shock: Even if you are not on a tight budget, drink prices on a Royal Caribbean cruise can be somewhat shocking. There might be the most amazing drink on the menu, but you cannot bring yourself to spend $14 (or more) on it because that sounds too expensive for just one drink.

It is debatable how much any drink should cost. Go to a concert or theme park, and you will find prices for drinks that make Royal Caribbean's pricing strategy look pedestrian.  

On the other hand, your local restaurants may serve up drinks for a fraction of the cost of what you will find at Boleros. Having the drink package does help ease your mind about paying $14 for that cucumber martini.

It is important to note that you are not always forced into paying full prices for drinks. Every day there will be a "drink of the day," where one drink is discounted by about 20%. 

You can usually find other drink specials throughout your cruise. In addition, guests who are members of Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society are eligible to receive discounted and complimentary drinks during the cruise. Diamond and above members get complimentary drinks every day, which can be a big money saver.  

Moreover, guests are allowed to bring one bottle of wine per guest (21+) on their Royal Caribbean cruise. All of this contributes to bringing down the cost of drinks on a cruise, especially if you forgo a drink package and pay a la carte for your drinks.

Itinerary: How many sea days or port days you have could factor into making a drink package a good investment.

While the drink packages do work on Royal Caribbean's private islands of Labadee and Perfect Day at CocoCay, they do not work while you are in other ports of call. The more ports of call you visit, the less time you have onboard to take advantage of the drink packages.  

However, if your itinerary has mostly sea days, it becomes easier to get the value from the package.

Your thoughts

What is your experience with Royal Caribbean's beverage package? Thinking about using it? I would love to hear your thoughts about a Royal Caribbean beverage package, and how it works (or does not work) for you in the comments! If you have questions, ask them there, too.

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Everyone wants to save money on a Royal Caribbean cruise, including getting a deal on their drinks.

A Royal Caribbean drink package is expensive, so it's natural to want to limit how much you spend. While drink packages offer the convenience of unlimited beverages during your entire cruise, the upfront cost gives some people pause.

Unfortunately, some people think they can "beat the system" and devise ways to cheat Royal Caribbean's drink package. It's one of those they want their cake and eat it too situations, where the prices and rules regulating the drink packages compel some to look for ways around it.

Trying to cheat the package can get you in serious trouble with the cruise line, and you risk various penalties. 

We've heard all the excuses why circumventing the rules is okay to do: it's expensive, requirements for all adults to buy it if one does, a need to buy it for the entire sailing, and more. The reality is it's Royal Caribbean's decision on what the rules are, and it's not negotiable.

I don't recommend trying any means of cheating Royal Caribbean, and I'm only sharing these methods as a warning of what not to do because you can get in serious trouble.  Consider yourself warned.

Share drink benefits

The oldest and most common way people cheat the drink package is to buy the drink package and then order drinks for others who don't have the package.

Royal Caribbean is quite clear that the drink package benefits are only for the person that buys them, but some people still do this.

If you're caught sharing drinks with someone who doesn't have the same drink package as you, you risk having your entire drink package purchase cancelled without a refund.

Remember, bartenders have seen it all and you're far from the first person to sneak drinks to someone else. Moreover, there are cameras all around the ship.  So the chances of being caught is quite high.

Sneak booze onboard

There are so many videos on TikTok showing how to sneak alcohol onboard your ship as a way to save money and avoid buying a drink package completely.

Royal Caribbean prohibits you from bringing beer or liquor onboard at all. It's one of the prohibited items not allowed.

TikTok is full of cruise hacks to show anyone how to smuggle booze onboard.

The most common strategy is to fill bottles of mouthwash or shampoo to conceal it. Another way is to put the booze in a flask and hide it on your body as you embark the ship.

Other crazy ideas include liquid-holding bras, fake beer bellies, umbrella or binocular flasks.

Many of these ideas are tedious to set up, cumbersome to execute, and could you get in serious trouble with the cruise line.

Easy hacks to save money on a drink package

Trying to get around Royal Caribbean's rules is a recipe for ruining your vacation.

However, there are some legal ways to "cheat" the Royal Caribbean drink package using a few creative strategies.

Bring your own wine

You're allowed to bring one bottle of wine (or champagne) per adult on embarkation day, and this can save you a lot of money.

Bringing your own wine means you can pay retail price for your wine, instead of the prices the cruise line sells them for onboard. Plus, you can bring your favorite brand of wine, rather than being limited to what is on your ship.

Royal Caribbean supposedly charges a corkage fee to open a bottle of wine ($15 corkage fee per bottle), but in my experience it is rarely enforced.

Nonetheless, bringing your own bottles of wine can save a lot of money if all you're interested in is wine.

Book your drink package early and reprice

Did you know when you buy a drink package before the cruise, you can always take advantage of a lower price later?

The tried-and-true strategy for getting the lowest price for a Royal Caribbean drink package is to keep checking for lower prices up until embarkation day.

Royal Caribbean runs drink package sales all the time, and there's always some kind of a discount applied.  The key is to know when to buy the drink package before your cruise and periodically check for a lower price.

My advice is ignore the advertised percentage off that you see, and look at the total cost when you add it back to your cart as if you were buying it again.

If the price is lower, you can easily cancel your original purchase and then immediately re-buy it at the lower price.

Using this strategy, you can easily save hundreds of dollars.

Call Royal Caribbean to ask for a different drink package

One reason people want to cheat the Royal Caribbean drink package is because they think it's unfair that another adult in their cabin has to get the alcohol package if they get it, but there's a workaround to it.

If you try to buy the Deluxe Beverage Package on the website, you'll notice Royal Caribbean forces you to buy it for all the other adults in the same cabin.

You can call Royal Caribbean and let them know the other adult(s) in your cabin do not want the drink package, and instead, they'll allow them to buy the Royal Refreshment package, which includes just non-alcoholic beverages.

This will save a lot of money for someone who cannot or does not want the full unlimited package.

Book adults in separate rooms

If you're taking advantage of one of my favorite cruise cabin hacks and booking two or more cabins instead of putting everyone in a single cabin, be sure to assign adults in different cabins.

As an example, let's assume you have two adults and two kids and you're going to book connecting cabins because it gets you more room, separation from your kids, and an extra bathroom at a lower price than a suite.

Instead of booking the kids in one cabin and the parents in the other cabin, book one child with each parent in the room.  That way, when you go to buy the Deluxe Beverage Package, it won't force the second person to buy it because minors don't have to get a drink package!

Don't worry who's technically booked in which cabin. Royal Caribbean doesn't care which cabin you actually stay in, just that you're booked.

Look for free drinks around the ship

Another strategy is to rely on some of the free drinks you can get around your cruise ship.

Throughout your cruise, there will be different events held where you could get free alcoholic beverages.

Every cruise is different, but there are a few events common to almost every Royal Caribbean sailing:

• Art auctions have free champagne
• Top Tier events for Crown and Anchor Society members have complimentary beverages
• Liquor tasting events
• Extra cost brunch events that include champagne

This hack works best for someone that wants to be more opportunistic in how they save money and get free drinks.

Tip the bartenders

I think you should always tip waiters and bartenders for good service, but there's an added possible benefit to this gesture.

Some bartenders might give you a free drink after you tip them. Never expect a free drink as a result of offering them gratuity, but it has been known to happen.

It works best when you get to know a particular bartender or waiter and order drinks from them throughout your cruise. 

I would not expect to get many free drinks this way, and giving them a tip is about rewarding their service.  Make sure you're clear on that this isn't a quid pro quo situation.

Drink in ports of call

Odds are cocktails and beers are going to be cheaper on land in the ports of call you visit than on the ship.

If you limit your onboard consumption and spend more on drinks on land, your money will go further.

There's usually a myriad of bars near the port where your cruise ship docks, and plenty more in the surrounding area. There are beach bars, restaurants, and even carts selling drinks that could be significantly cheaper than what you'll find on the ship.

Moreover, you'll have a wider selection of drinks. This is especially important to beer drinkers who covet having access to different brands or beer types.

Order a bottle of liquor to your cabin

Royal Caribbean sells a limited selection of liquor that you can have delivered to your cabin.

There's only a few brands, and it comes in a small quantity meant to use for mixing with a soft drink, but this could be just what you want in lieu of a drink package.

If you go to the Royal Caribbean Gifts and Gear website, you'll find a few liquors to buy (as well as wine and beer brands):

• Bombay Sapphire
• Bacardi Gold
• Absolut Vodka

You'll get a 375 ml. bottle delivered to your stateroom, along with some cans of soda to mix with it.

Gamble enough to get free drinks in the casino

An interesting strategy to get free drinks on your cruise instead of buying a drink package is to spend that money in the casino.

Royal Caribbean has a customer loyalty program specifically for the casino, where if you accrue 2,500 points or more in the casino, you'll move to the Prime level and be able to get unlimited free drinks in Casino Royale for an entire year.

Read more: I gambled enough in Royal Caribbean's casino to get free drinks and a cruise

You get points depending on how much you wager gambling. There isn't an exact calculation, but the more you wager, the more points you earn.  Moreover, you'll earn points faster playing slot machines than table games because slots can be more easily tracked.

Gambling responsibly is more important than free drinks, but if you were going to spend time in the casino anyway, this could be a way to double down on your casino habit and get free drinks as well.

Royal Caribbean has three drink packages, as well a couple of drink bundles you can buy for your cruise.

Getting unlimited drinks on a cruise is a very appealing option, given how many people that go on a cruise ship are looking to relax and not worry about bar bills later on. 

They're a popular choice because you can enjoy beers, wine, cocktails, mocktails, and soft drinks for a fixed price, but they aren't cheap either. Demand for drink packages has only sent prices higher over the years, but there are ways to get a better price and ensure you don't overpay.

It's important to understand what the drink package includes for the price, and how to get the best possible deal by finding the lowest prices.

Royal Caribbean drink package prices

Royal Caribbean uses variable pricing for its unlimited drink packages, which means the price will depend on which ship you are sailing on and the sail date.

In general, newer ships have higher prices for drink packages.  Similarly, cruises over a major holiday and/or during a popular time of year for vacations will see higher prices.

In researching 2024 Royal Caribbean drink package prices, here's what you can expect it will cost:

• Deluxe Beverage Package: $55 to $105 per person per day
• Royal Refreshment Package: $29 per person per day
• Soda Package: $12.99 per person per day
• Water Package: 12 bottles for $39; 24 bottles for $69
• Coffee card: $31 per card

There is also a mandatory 18% gratuity added to the cost of a drink package, which you will see referred to as a service fee when purchasing it.  This gratuity covers any drink you order from a waiter or bartender.

By far, the price of the Deluxe Beverage Package has the widest range of possible prices.  That is largely due to how popular this drink package has become, and with so many different cruises to choose from, the cruise line plays with the price to get top dollar for it.

What is a drink package?

Royal Caribbean has two types of drink packages: unlimited packages and prepaid limited amounts.

The most popular are the unlimited drink packages, which offer a flat cost for as many beverages as a passenger would like in one cruise.

The unlimited drink package benefits are only for the person buying it, and it cannot be shared with anyone else.

The three unlimited drink packages include:

Deluxe Beverage Package

The Deluxe Beverage Package includes all alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks per person for the entire duration of a cruise.

It includes:

✅Cocktails, spirits, liqueurs
✅Beer
✅Wine (by the glass)
✅Mocktails
✅Premium coffees & teas
✅Fountain sodas / Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages
✅Coca-Cola souvenir cup
✅Bottled still and sparkling water
✅Fresh squeezed juices

The only drinks not included in the Deluxe Beverage Package are top shelf liquors, wine by the bottle, or Starbucks drinks from a Starbucks kiosk.

Since it includes pretty much every drink, it's also the most expensive package and is the only one that has a rule that requires if one adult buys the Deluxe Beverage Package, then all the other adults in the same stateroom must purchase it also. This is to prevent sharing the drink package benefits with other guests.

There is a workaround to this rule, if you call Royal Caribbean and ask for the other person in the cabin to get the Royal Refreshment package instead.  

Royal Refreshment Package

If you prefer to have unlimited non-alcoholic drinks, then the Royal Refreshment Package is for you.

It includes everything the Deluxe Beverage Package includes, except for alcohol.

❌Cocktails, spirits, liqueurs
❌Beer
❌Wine (by the glass)
✅Mocktails
✅Premium coffees & teas
✅Fountain sodas / Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages
✅Coca-Cola souvenir cup
✅Bottled still and sparkling water
✅Fresh squeezed juices

This drink package is popular with teens, as well as light drinkers.

Soda Package

For anyone that just wants soft drinks, Royal Caribbean has an unlimited soda package.

This package includes just soft drinks by the glass from any bar, restaurant or lounge.  It also includes the Coca-Cola Freestyle machine on ships that have it.

❌Cocktails, spirits, liqueurs
❌Beer
❌Wine (by the glass)
❌Mocktails
❌Premium coffees & teas
✅Fountain sodas / Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages
✅Coca-Cola souvenir cup
❌Bottled still and sparkling water
❌Fresh squeezed juices

It may be a surprise to hear the soda package does not include bottled water.

Bottled water package

While not unlimited, there is the option to buy a supply of 12 or 24 bottles of Evian water to be delivered to your stateroom.

For someone that prefers bottled water, this is a more cost effective way to have lots of bottled water for a cruise with the convenience of having it delivered to the cabin.

Another advantage of the bottled water package is you can share the bottles of water with anyone.

Coffee punch card

If you love coffee, you can get a punch card good for that sailing with a set amount of premium coffee based drinks.

You can redeem the coffee from Royal Caribbean coffee locations, such as Cafe Promenade, Cafe @ Two70, or Cafe Latte-tudes.

It does not work at freestanding Starbucks kiosks.

Like the bottled water package, you can share the punch card benefits with others if you wish.

Are there discounts on drink packages?

Royal Caribbean always offers a pre-cruise discount on its drink packages.  In short, you'll save money by buying it before the cruise rather than onboard.

You can find the discounted price in the Cruise Planner section of the Royal Caribbean website, or through the Royal Caribbean app.

There are sales nearly all the time, which means the price fluctuates throughout the year.  The price you see today may be different tomorrow, next week, or next year. 

Your best bet is to buy the drink package as early as possible, and then cancel and rebook it if there is a price drop.  It's a mistake to wait to see if the price drops first before buying, because sometimes the price goes up and never comes back down.

Read more: How to avoid the most common cruise drink package mistakes

The Deluxe Beverage Package price tends to change the most, with there occasionally a discount offered on the Royal Refreshment package.

You should not expect to see any discounts for the Soda package or the limited quantity drink packages, although it's not entirely unheard of either.

Periodically check the Cruise Planner for new prices to see if there's a better discount.

Keep in mind what someone else paid for the drink package has no bearing on what you can expect either. The dynamic nature of pricing and the lack of a price match program makes comparing drink package prices to someone else meaningless.

Members of Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor Society whom are at least Diamond or higher can get an onboard discount for drink package purchases, but it cannot be used online.

Read more: The Crown and Anchor perks you should use on every Royal Caribbean cruise

The online discount tends to be about the same or better than waiting to book onboard with the Crown and Anchor discount, so I don't recommend waiting to use it.

Read more: Best Time to Buy A Royal Caribbean Drink Package

What is the difference between the Royal Caribbean drink packages?

In short, what's included is the major difference between any drink package.

The soda package only includes soft drinks, and nothing else. The Royal Refreshment Package includes soda, mocktails, bottled water, coffees, and any other beverage onboard that does not include alcohol, but does not include alcoholic drinks.  The Deluxe Beverage Package includes everything the Soda and Royal Refreshment packages include, plus alcohol.

The three main drink packages are unlimited, whereas the coffee card and the bottled water packages are not unlimited and have a fixed amount of beverages. In addition, the three main drink packages cannot be shared with any other guests, but you may share the coffee card or bottled water package with other guests.

How do you buy a Royal Caribbean drink package?

You can buy a drink package online, onboard the cruise ship, or by phone. No matter how you buy it, you will be charged immediately at the time of purchase the full amount at that point.

I think the easiest way to buy a drink package is online before the cruise begins.  

You can do so by going to the Cruise Planner website and booking it there.  You could book it from the Royal Caribbean app as well, but I find the Cruise Planner site easier to track price changes.

If you prefer, you can call Royal Caribbean by calling 1-800-398-9819 and placing an order with a cruise line representative.

Lastly, you could wait to buy a drink package onboard your cruise ship from any bar or restaurant. There's usually tables set up around the ship on embarkation day advertising the drink package too.

Is a Royal Caribbean drink package worth it?

Drink packages are expensive, but they can save you a lot of money if you are the type of person who can drink enough to make it worthwhile.

The convenience of not having to think about racking up a giant bar bill is enough for some people to warrant buying a drink package. 

Most people try to think if they will drink enough every day of the cruise to save them money compared to if they just bought each drink individually.

The bottled water and coffee card are the easiest drink packages to determine their value.  With the bottled water, you could bring home any unused water so there's little risk in wasting it.  Of course, Royal Caribbean provides complimentary water and coffees and teas, which is satisfactory for most people.

The Refreshment Package is worth it if you can mix in enough beverages every day.  

A $5 latte, $2 bottled water, $7 for a mocktail, and $4 soda adds up every day (plus gratuity), and with an unlimited amount, you could grab extra bottled water, or get a second coffee and really take advantage of the package.

When it comes to alcoholic beverages, the more hard liquor you order, the more the Deluxe Beverage Package makes sense.

If you drink 6-8 cocktails per day, it's worth it to get a drink package. Likewise, if you drink 9-11 beers per day, it could be a good idea too.

That may sound excessive, but people tend to drink differently on vacation than at home.  If you were to order a latte and bloody mary in the morning, two beers by the pool in the afternoon, two glasses of wine at dinner, and then a cocktail or two in the evening, you're pretty much breaking even on the Deluxe Beverage Package.

I think a drink package is worth it if you're remotely in the neighborhood of drinking enough every day, coupled with the convenience of having it all prepaid.

In addition, you can buy a drink package many months before the cruise begins and pay it off on different billing cycle than onboard the ship along with all the other purchases you make onboard.

If you're not planning to drink a lot, skip the drink package and save the money for something else.  You can still have enough of the basic drinks and charge a few drinks here and there without breaking your budget.

Are there any specific brands of alcoholic beverages included or excluded in the Deluxe Beverage Package?

The Deluxe Beverage Package typically includes a wide range of alcoholic beverages, but specific brands may vary by ship and availability. 

Can guests modify or customize their drink package during the cruise, such as upgrading from the Soda Package to the Deluxe Beverage Package?

Guests can usually upgrade their drink package during the cruise, subject to additional charges. 

How does Royal Caribbean handle drink package usage on private islands or ports of call during the cruise?

On private islands, the drink package extends to include beverages at bars and restaurants on the island.