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Whether or not a drink package is worth it depends on how much -- and how often -- you drink. We would guess that for many people, however, the costs don't justify purchasing an all you can drink package. That said, drink packages work in some private islands that are run by the cruise line.
What is a drink package on a cruise ship?
If you're a top-shelf drinker, you won't have much difficulty consuming enough to make this package a value proposition. Worse, they may end up in a situation where they feel compelled to drink – and that’s never a good thing. However, our last day – a port stop in Bimini, Bahamas – definitely didn’t eek out as much value, as I only ordered a few drinks. Knowing I could have saved some money on this port-intensive day did give me pause. The biggest point of the packages is that they can save you money if you plan to drink your fill on a cruise. But there are some other benefits beyond just the potential money saved.
Deluxe Beverage Package
There is a limit on the number of alcoholic beverages that you can order per day. For the Plus Beverage Package, it includes these beverages priced $15 per glass or less. For the Premier Beverage Package, it includes beverages up to $20 per glass, giving you more access to high-end drinks. Grab a sealed bottle from the poolside bar to bring back to your deck chair so you can stay hydrated while you sunbathe.
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Drink package fine print
Starting with their second cruise, all members get one complimentary specialty coffee per cruise when dining in a specialty restaurant. A couple of other factors could influence your drink needs and decision to buy a drink package or not. It's time to get down to whether you are saving money with these packages or whether that even matters to you. Let's look at each package again to see how much you need to consume to break even. I didn’t like that I felt tempted to “game” the system by drinking more or higher-cost drinks.
The second package, Prestige Select, includes unlimited spirits, beer, wine and Champagne in bars and restaurants, anytime and anywhere during the sailing. Both packages entitle the purchaser to 20 percent off wine-pairing dinners at La Reserve, available aboard Marina, Riviera and Vista. The Easy Plus Package includes everything in the Easy Package, plus a variety of frozen and classic cocktails, spirits, liqueurs, a wider selection of beers, as well as a discount on bottles of wine. The Easy Plus Package can also be used in specialty restaurants, though not in signature venues. Instead, you could get a soft drinks package or just elect to buy your beverages a’la carte. You won’t have wasted money on a pricier drinks package and will still get what you want.
Major Differences Between Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL)
Drink packages may be used at private island destinations including Ocean Cay and Sir Bani Yas in Emirates. The Minors Package includes mocktails and all the same selections as the adult Alcohol-Free Package. This package is usable everywhere except specialty restaurants and signature venues. For passengers sailing on non-All Included Celebrity cruise deals, there are three add-on drinks programs to choose from.
Can You Share The Beverage Package?
P&O, Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean allow you to do this, but for limited amounts on embarkation day only. There may be a corkage fee if you drink it in the ship’s restaurants or bars - P&O’s corkage fee is £20. But there is a lot to know about these packages, including some fine print that can help you decide if they are worth it or not on your next cruise. You don't really need to avoid any drinks when you have a beverage package, but some choices aren't as useful as others for making the package cost-effective. If you can, go easy on the following drinks — or reconsider whether that beverage package is the right choice for you in the first place. This perk really helps you get your money’s worth as in most ports you can’t use the drink package on land.
Purchasing a Drink Package Offered Peace of Mind – and Budget
If you get off the ship during port days, you won’t be using the beverage package. Whether to buy a cruise drink package when you sail is one of the most common questions that appears on our Cruise Critic forums. Now that you have all the facts, there are several ways to look at Royal Caribbean's drink packages to determine if you should get one.
Is a Royal Caribbean drink package worth it?
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So get ready to drink to your heart’s content… just don’t go overboard on the alcohol (pun intended). If you decide to purchase a drink package on your cruise, you must buy it every day of the vacation. You can’t purchase the drink package for individual days or portions of the cruise. Remember that bartenders and servers will only serve you one drink at a time. And if you are traveling with a group, don’t even consider using your beverage package on friends in other cabins. The cruise line will revoke your drink package if you get caught sneaking a drink to a travel companion.
Both packages include a 25 percent discount on bottles of wine, one-liter bottles of water, and can sodas. When it comes to cruise line drink packages, not all are created equal. And, unless you are sailing with a luxury all-inclusive cruise line, only coffee, tea, water, and juices are included with the cruise fare -- all other drinks incur an extra charge.
Passengers sailing Windstar Cruises tend to favor the all-inclusive approach so all drinks, service charges and Wi-Fi is bundled into the pre-cruise fare. Light drinkers may prefer an a la carte approach if their primary beverage choices are mocktails and specialty coffees, which are always included in the base fare. This package is valid in all onboard bars, as well as the buffet and main restaurants, but not in specialty restaurants or signature venues. As noted above, cruise drink packages on ships often are quite pricey, and they only make sense if you're a big spender on drinks — a really big spender. Carnival, for instance, charges $59.95 per person, per day for its Cheers! Drink package if booked in advance ($64.95 if booked on board).
One other quirk is that drinks above $14 per glass (before gratuity) aren’t included. Thankfully, the vast majority of drinks you find on the ship are at or below this limit, so it’s not really an issue. The good news, though, is that all members get a discount on the pre-cruise purchase of any drink package — 10% for the bottom two tiers, 15% for Elite members and 20% for Elite Plus. Zenith members are entitled to complimentary drink packages.
The cruise line also has a higher-end beverage package called the Premium Plus Beverage Package. This covers all drinks served by the glass on the ship, no matter the cost. A corkage fee applies to personal bottles consumed in public areas of the ship.
That said, signing up for a drink package will get you a discount when buying wines by the bottle on some lines. Viking makes it on our comparison list because its Silver Spirits Beverage Package is the most economical of all the cruise lines. Even if you don’t use the wi-fi service at all, the cost of gratuities is something you’d pay for no matter what. Subtracting that cost out, it means you’ll pay $44 total for the drink package. That’s the cost of only a handful of drinks each day, and don’t forget that non-alcoholic beverages like specialty coffees, water, and soda are also included. Most drink packages also include a number of non-alcoholic drinks including soda, bottled water, and juices.
I've even met people who bring cash along to pay their drink balance daily at guest services to stay on track. Even the smoothies and protein shakes at Vitality Café are included in this package, as is the sweet tea at Portside BBQ on Oasis of the Seas. A bartender will happily blend up vanilla ice cream, coffee, hazelnut syrup and chocolate syrup blended into a perfect mocha shake. The Classic Soda package is what was once called by many guests, “the soda card”. The higher-end Princess Premier offer runs $84.99 per person, per day or $100.29 after the gratuity amount.
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