Royal Caribbean Drink Package Info, Tips, Pros & Cons

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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