🚢🍹 DRINKS PACKAGE — IS IT ACTUALLY WORTH IT?
Do the maths before you say “unlimited”! 💷
“🍹 Right…The cruise line has just offered me:
UNLIMITED DRINKS!
And my brain immediately goes:
YES! 😂
Cocktails.
Wine.
Beer.
Coffee.
Soft drinks.
Water.
Unlimited!
What's not to love?
But then I thought…
WAIT A MINUTE.
How much does the package actually cost?
How many drinks do I really need to have before it pays for itself?
And what happens when you add all those sneaky little charges?
Because suddenly…
I order a cocktail.
£4.99.
Great....Then:
KERCHING! 💰
Service charge.
Another drink?
KERCHING!
Another service charge.
And before you know it…
your £4.99 cocktail isn't quite £4.99 anymore.
😂
So the question is:
DRINKS PACKAGE — IS IT ACTUALLY WORTH IT?
🧮 Do the maths
🍹 Look at how much you really drink
💷 Talk about service charges
🚢 Compare different cruise lines
🤔 And work out when the package actually makes sense.
Let's get drinking…
responsibly!! 😂”
1️⃣ 🍹 WHAT DOES A DRINKS PACKAGE ACTUALLY DO?
“Let's start with the obvious.
A drinks package basically lets you pay a set amount upfront for access to a selection of drinks during your cruise.
Depending on the cruise line and package, that can include things like:
🍺 Beer
🍷 Wine
🍹 Cocktails
🥤 Soft drinks
☕ Coffee
💧 Bottled water
🧃 Juices
And sometimes premium brands.
But…
NOT ALL DRINKS PACKAGES ARE THE SAME.
And that's your first warning.
Don't hear:
‘DRINKS PACKAGE’
and assume:
‘EVERY DRINK ON THE SHIP.’ 😂
There can be:
💷 Price limits per drink
🍾 Premium exclusions
📍 Venue restrictions
🍷 Certain brands excluded
⏰ Package duration rules
And sometimes the package only makes financial sense if you're using it heavily.”
2️⃣ 💷 LET'S START WITH A REAL EXAMPLE
“Let's take P&O Cruises.
At the moment, P&O lists its Classic package from £50 per person per day for cruises of 5–14 nights, with a higher Deluxe package from £60 per person per day. The Classic package includes selected cocktails, beers, Prosecco, wines, spirits, soft drinks and other drinks. P&O also offers a 10% discount when certain packages are purchased in advance. (P&O Cruises)
Now let's put that into perspective.
£50 a day.
On a 7-night cruise:
£350 PER PERSON.
Two adults?
£700. 😳
And that's before you start adding everything else to the holiday.
So…
DO YOU REALLY DRINK £350 WORTH OF DRINKS?
Let's find out.”
3️⃣ 🧮 THE TWO-COCKTAIL TEST
“Here's where I want everyone to stop and think.
ARE YOU ACTUALLY A BIG DRINKER?
Because if you're thinking:
‘I'll have one or two cocktails a day.’
Let's do the maths.
Say, purely as an illustration, your cocktails cost around:
£10 each.
Two cocktails:
£20.
Do that every day for seven days:
£140.
And suddenly a:
£350 drinks package
doesn't look like such a bargain.
Even if you add:
☕ Coffee
💧 Water
🥤 Soft drinks
you need to look honestly at how much you're really consuming.
ONE OR TWO COCKTAILS A DAY IS NOT NECESSARILY ENOUGH TO MAKE A PACKAGE WORTHWHILE.
And this is the bit people forget.
You're not comparing:
£10 drink vs £0
You're comparing:
£10 drink vs the daily package cost.
That's a completely different calculation.”
4️⃣ 🍷 WHAT IF YOU'RE A BIGGER DRINKER?
“Now let's flip it.
Suppose you genuinely enjoy a few drinks every day.
Maybe:
🍹 3 cocktails
🍷 2 glasses of wine
☕ 1 premium coffee
💧 Bottled water
🥤 Soft drinks
Now your daily spend could start adding up quickly.
Let's say you would otherwise spend:
£30–£40 a day.
Suddenly:
£50 a day
could look much more reasonable.
And if you have sea days where you're onboard from morning until night…
your package becomes even more useful.
The more you use it…
the more valuable it can become.”
5️⃣ 🚢 BUT WAIT — YOU'RE NOT ON THE SHIP EVERY DAY
“Here's another BIG one.
Imagine you're on a seven-night Mediterranean cruise.
Monday:
🇪🇸 Barcelona
Tuesday:
🇫🇷 Marseille
Wednesday:
🇮🇹 Genoa
Thursday:
🇮🇹 Rome
Friday:
🇮🇹 Naples
Saturday:
🌊 Sea day
Sunday:
🌊 Sea day
You might be off the ship for:
8 HOURS.
And while you're ashore…
YOU'RE NOT USING YOUR SHIP DRINK PACKAGE.
Well…
hopefully not. 😂
So if you're paying:
£50 per day
for the package…
you're paying that on days when you may be spending most of your time in:
☕ Local cafés
🍷 Restaurants
🍹 Bars
🏝️ Beaches
OFF THE SHIP.
That's why sea days can be very important when you're doing the maths.”
6️⃣ 🌊 SEA DAYS CAN CHANGE THE CALCULATION
“Imagine your cruise has:
4 port days
3 sea days
On port days you're exploring.
On sea days you're:
🏊 Pool
☀️ Sun deck
🍹 Bar
🎭 Entertainment
Now…
your drink consumption might be dramatically different.
And that's why I always say:
DO THE MATHS BASED ON YOUR ACTUAL ITINERARY.
Not somebody else's.
A drinks package that makes perfect sense on a seven-day Caribbean cruise with several sea days…
might not make sense on a port-heavy Mediterranean itinerary.”
7️⃣ 💰 THE SERVICE CHARGE — HERE'S WHERE IT GETS INTERESTING
“Now we're getting into the bit I REALLY want you to watch.
SERVICE CHARGES.
This is where that innocent-looking:
£4.99 cocktail
can become:
KERCHING! 💰
Again.
😂
The important thing is:
SERVICE-CHARGE RULES VARY.
For example, Royal Caribbean currently says an 18% gratuity is automatically added to individual beverage purchases and beverage packages. (Royal Caribbean)
Norwegian Cruise Line currently says a 20% gratuity and beverage service charge is added at checkout on its Premium Beverage Package. (NCL)
MSC currently states that beverage gratuities are included in its beverage packages. (MSC Cruises)
So…
DO NOT ASSUME.
Check your specific cruise line.
Check the exact package.
Check whether the service charge is:
✅ Included upfront
or
❌ Added separately
Because otherwise you're going to do your maths with:
£50 × 7 = £350
and then discover:
OH… THERE'S ANOTHER CHARGE. 😳”
8️⃣ 🍹 WHAT DOES “KERCHING!” ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE?
“Let's use a simple illustration.
Say your cocktail is:
£4.99
And your cruise applies an 20% service charge.
That's roughly:
£5.98.
So every time you order:
🍹 £4.99
becomes…
KERCHING! £5.98.
Do that:
Once?
Not a big deal.
Twice?
Still fine.
Three times?
Okay.
Four times? Five? Six?
KERCHING! KERCHING! KERCHING! 😂
And remember…
that's before you start adding:
🍷 Wine
☕ Coffee
💧 Bottled water
🥤 Soft drinks
Suddenly your little £4.99 cocktail habit isn't looking quite so little.”
9️⃣ 🤔 BUT IF YOU DON'T DRINK MUCH…
“This is the question I really want people to think about.
IF YOU'RE NOT A BIG DRINKER…
are one or two cocktails a day actually going to break the bank?
Probably not.
And that's why I would NEVER automatically recommend a drinks package.
Let's say you normally have:
🍹 One cocktail with dinner
or
🍹 Two cocktails during the evening.
That's a very different drinking pattern from someone who is doing:
☕ Coffee
🍹 Cocktail
🍷 Wine
🍺 Beer
🍹 Cocktail
🍹 Cocktail
🍷 Wine
every day.
YOU HAVE TO KNOW YOURSELF. 😂
Don't buy a package because:
‘It's unlimited!’
Buy it because:
‘The numbers work for me.’”
🔟 👩❤️👨 COUPLES — HERE'S ANOTHER THING TO WATCH
“Now…
this can get REALLY interesting.
What if you're travelling as a couple?
One person drinks.
The other doesn't.
And you think:
I'll just buy the package for myself.
Maybe...But…CHECK THE RULES.
Some cruise lines require everyone in a stateroom or reservation who is eligible to buy the same alcohol package, subject to their specific policies.
Norwegian, for example, says its Free at Sea Premium Beverage Package must be purchased for all guests aged 21+ on the same reservation. (NCL)
Other cruise lines have their own rules.
So don't assume:
‘I'll buy one and my partner won't.’
Check before you budget.”
1️⃣1️⃣ 👨👩👧 WHAT ABOUT FAMILIES?
“Now if you're travelling with children…
things get even more interesting.
Some cruise lines have package rules requiring adults and minors in the same cabin to have specific package combinations or alternative non-alcoholic packages.
MSC, for example, says underage guests are required to purchase its Minors Package when an adult beverage package is purchased in the same cabin, subject to its terms. (MSC Cruises)
So:
READ THE SMALL PRINT. 📖
Because otherwise you might think:
‘I'm buying a drinks package for Dad.’
and discover:
‘Dad's package has brought the whole family along.’ 😂”
1️⃣2️⃣ ☕ DON'T FORGET THE NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINKS
“Here's where people get clever.
You don't have to be an alcoholic drinker for a package to have value.
Think about how much you actually consume:
☕ Premium coffee
🥤 Soft drinks
💧 Bottled water
🧃 Juice
🍹 Mocktails
🍺 Alcohol-free beer
Some packages cover these.
For example, Royal Caribbean's current Refreshment Package includes premium coffees and teas, bottled water, fresh juices, mocktails and soft drinks. (Royal Caribbean)
P&O's Alcohol-Free package currently includes selected Costa Coffee, soft drinks, juices, water and non-alcoholic drinks for £29 per person per day. (P&O Cruises)
So if you're not a big alcohol drinker…
LOOK AT THE NON-ALCOHOLIC OPTION.
That might actually suit you better.”
1️⃣3️⃣ 🍸 THE “I'M ON HOLIDAY” EFFECT
“Now we come to psychology.😂
You normally drink:
Maybe two cocktails a week.
You're on a cruise.
Suddenly:
‘WELL… I'M ON HOLIDAY.’
🍹 Cocktail.
Another.
‘It's included!’
Another.
‘Might as well.’ 😂
And suddenly you're drinking three times as much because you've already paid for the package.
Here's the thing:
A drinks package can change your behaviour.
You're no longer asking:
‘Do I want a £12 cocktail?’
You're thinking:
‘It's included.’
And that can make something you wouldn't normally buy…feel free.
IT ISN'T FREE.
You've just already paid for it.”
1️⃣4️⃣ 🍷 THE “BREAK-EVEN” NUMBER
“So here's the number I want you to calculate.
Take:
PACKAGE COST
Then divide it by:
AVERAGE DRINK PRICE
And ask:
HOW MANY DRINKS DO I NEED EVERY DAY TO BREAK EVEN?
For example:
£50 package ÷ £10 average drink =
5 drinks a day.
If you normally drink:
2 drinks?
Probably not great value
5 drinks?
Interesting.
7 or 8 drinks?
Now we're getting into package territory.
And if you're doing:
10 drinks a day…
well…
PLEASE HYDRATE. 😂💧”
1️⃣5️⃣ 💷 DON'T FORGET THE PACKAGE MAY HAVE A PRICE LIMIT
“Here's another little trap.
A drinks package may have:
A MAXIMUM PRICE PER DRINK.
So you find a:
£18 cocktail.
And think:
‘Fantastic! Unlimited!’
But your package might cover only drinks up to a certain value.
You may have to pay:
💷 The difference
or
💷 The full price
depending on the cruise line's terms.
So don't just ask:
‘Are cocktails included?’
Ask:
‘WHICH cocktails?’
And:
‘UP TO WHAT PRICE?’”
1️⃣6️⃣ 🍾 PREMIUM BRANDS — DON'T ASSUME THEY'RE ALL INCLUDED
“Maybe you like:
🥃 Premium whisky
🍸 Premium gin
🍾 Champagne
🍷 Higher-end wines
This is where packages can get complicated.
A package might include:
SOME brands.
Not:
ALL brands.
So if your favourite bottle costs £25 a glass…
don't assume it's included because you've bought:
THE VERY SPECIAL PREMIUM ULTIMATE DELUXE PACKAGE OF FREEDOM. 😂
Read what's actually included.”
1️⃣7️⃣ 📱 CHECK THE APP BEFORE BUYING
“This is another Cruise & Confused hack.
Before you purchase…
CHECK THE APP.
Cruise lines sometimes display:
💷 Current package price
🍹 Included drinks
🎁 Promotions
📅 Purchase deadlines
And sometimes the price can differ depending on when you buy.
P&O currently advertises a 10% discount on selected drinks packages when purchased through My P&O Cruises before sailing. (P&O Cruises)
So don't automatically assume:
ONBOARD = BEST PRICE.
And don't assume:
PRE-CRUISE = BEST PRICE.
COMPARE.”
1️⃣8️⃣ 🧮 THE CRUISE & CONFUSED DRINKS CALCULATOR
“Okay.
Let's make this stupidly simple.
Write down:
🍹 Cocktails per day
🍷 Wine per day
🍺 Beer per day
☕ Coffee per day
💧 Bottled water per day
🥤 Soft drinks per day
Then estimate the price.
Add it up.
Now compare it with:
THE PACKAGE COST
And then…
ADD THE SERVICE CHARGE IF IT ISN'T ALREADY INCLUDED.
Because if you forget that bit…
your calculator is lying to you. 😂”
1️⃣9️⃣ 🛳️ DON'T FORGET PORT DAYS
“Now take your calculator…
and put:
PORT DAY
beside every day you're going ashore.
Because if you're spending:
8 hours off the ship…
your drink consumption may be very different.
You could be:
☕ Drinking coffee in Barcelona
🍷 Having wine in Rome
🍹 Having lunch in Naples
instead of drinking onboard.
So the package may be less useful that day.
And this is why:
ONE DAILY AVERAGE DOESN'T TELL THE WHOLE STORY.
You need to look at your actual itinerary.”
2️⃣0️⃣ 🌊 SEA DAYS — WHEN YOUR PACKAGE CAN REALLY SHINE
“Now…sea days.
THIS IS WHERE THE DRINKS PACKAGE CAN LOOK MUCH BETTER. 🍹
You're onboard all day.
Breakfast coffee.
Poolside drink.
Lunch drink.
Afternoon cocktail.
Pre-dinner drink.
Dinner wine.
Maybe another cocktail.
And now you're thinking:
‘Okay… I GET IT.’ 😂
Because you're actually using the package.
So when you're comparing a cruise…don't just count:
How many nights?
Look at:
How many sea days?”
🏆 2️⃣1️⃣ WHO SHOULD PROBABLY GET THE PACKAGE?
“Here's my honest view.
A package could make sense if you:
🍹 Drink several alcoholic drinks every day
☕ Love premium coffee
🥤 Drink lots of soft drinks
💧 Buy bottled water
🌊 Have plenty of sea days
🏊 Spend a lot of time onboard
🍸 Enjoy cocktails throughout the day
And…
actually use the drinks it covers.”
🚫 2️⃣2️⃣ WHO PROBABLY SHOULDN'T?
“You might be better paying as you go if you:
🍷 Drink very little
🍹 Have one or two cocktails a day
☕ Drink basic coffee
💧 Are happy with included water
🏝️ Spend most of your day ashore
🥤 Don't drink many soft drinks
😴 Go to bed early
😂
Because honestly…
**IF YOU NEED TO FORCE YOURSELF TO DRINK MORE TO MAKE THE PACKAGE WORTH IT…
THE PACKAGE ISN'T WORTH IT.**”
😳 2️⃣3️⃣ THE MOST DANGEROUS WORD IN THE PACKAGE
UNLIMITED.
“There's something psychologically dangerous about that word.
UNLIMITED.
You hear:
‘Unlimited cocktails.’
Your brain hears:
‘DRINK ALL THE COCKTAILS.’ 😂
But your body may eventually say:
‘NO. WE ARE DONE.’
So please…
DON'T TURN A HOLIDAY INTO A MATHEMATICAL CHALLENGE. 😂
You don't need to ‘get your money's worth.’
If you've paid for a package and only want two drinks
HAVE TWO DRINKS.
You're on holiday.
Not the World Drinking Championships.”
💡 2️⃣4️⃣ THE SECRET QUESTION — WHAT WOULD YOU SPEND WITHOUT THE PACKAGE?
“This is probably my favourite question.
Forget:
‘What does the package include?’
Ask:
‘HOW MUCH WOULD I ACTUALLY SPEND IF I DIDN'T HAVE IT?’
Because that's your comparison.
If your normal spend would be:
£25 a day
and the package is:
£50 a day
you already know.
If your normal spend would be:
£60 a day
and the package is:
£50
now we've got something interesting.”
🧮 2️⃣5️⃣ THE CRUISE & CONFUSED EXAMPLE
“Let's say:
Drinks package:
£50pp per day
Seven nights:
£350pp
Two adults:
£700 TOTAL
Now imagine you normally drink:
🍹 2 cocktails — £20
☕ Coffee — £4
💧 Water — £3
🥤 Soft drink — £4
Daily total:
£31
Seven days:
£217pp
You're £133 below the package.
NO PACKAGE. 💰
But imagine you're drinking:
🍹 4 cocktails — £40
🍷 2 wines — £16
☕ Coffee — £4
💧 Water — £3
🥤 Soft drink — £4
Daily total: £67
Seven days:
£469pp
Suddenly a £350 package looks MUCH more interesting.
THAT'S WHY WE DO THE MATHS. 🧮”
🚨 2️⃣6️⃣ BUT REMEMBER THE SERVICE CHARGE
“And now let's complicate it slightly.😂
Because if your cruise line adds an 18% service charge…
your:
£50 package
could become:
£59.
Approximately over seven days:
£413pp.
And two people:
£826.
That's why you MUST check whether the service charge is already included.
Royal Caribbean currently adds an 18% beverage gratuity to beverage packages and beverage purchases, while Norwegian currently adds 20% to its applicable beverage package pricing. MSC's current package terms state beverage gratuities are included. (Royal Caribbean)
**SAME WORD — ‘DRINKS PACKAGE.’
VERY DIFFERENT MATHS.** 😂”
🏆 2️⃣7️⃣ THE CRUISE & CONFUSED GOLDEN RULE
“So here's my golden rule:
NEVER BUY A DRINKS PACKAGE UNTIL YOU KNOW YOUR BREAK-EVEN NUMBER.
Ask:
🍹 How many drinks?
💷 What's the package?
🧮 What's the service charge?
🚢 How many sea days?
🏝️ How many port days?
👨👩👧 Who has to buy it?
🍸 What's actually included?
💎 Are premium drinks excluded?
💷 What would I spend PAYG?
Then make the decision.”
🥂 2️⃣8️⃣ AND SOMETIMES… THE ANSWER IS YES!
I'm not saying DRINKS PACKAGES ARE A RIP-OFF.
They're not.
For the right person…
they can be fantastic.
If you love a cocktail.
You drink wine with dinner.
You want premium coffee.
You like bottled water.
You enjoy sitting by the pool with a drink.
You don't want to think about every individual charge.
A PACKAGE CAN BE BRILLIANT. ❤️🍹
Sometimes you're buying more than drinks.
You're buying:
CONVENIENCE.
You don't care whether your cocktail is £11.50.
You're not keeping a running tally.
You paid.
Now…
ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAY. 😎”
😂 2️⃣9️⃣ BUT DON'T TRY TO ‘WIN’ AGAINST THE CRUISE LINE
“Here's something to remember.
Don't sit there thinking:
‘I'M GOING TO DRINK SO MUCH THAT THE CRUISE LINE LOSES MONEY.’ 😂
They're very good at maths.
You are unlikely to bankrupt Royal Caribbean because you drank seven Piña Coladas. 😂
The goal isn't:
BEAT THE CRUISE LINE.
The goal is:
GET GOOD VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY.”
❤️ FINAL VERDICT
“So…
IS A DRINKS PACKAGE WORTH IT?
Sometimes.
And sometimes…
ABSOLUTELY NOT.
If you're a big drinker…🍹🍹🍹🍹🍹
it might make perfect sense.
If you're having:
ONE OR TWO COCKTAILS A DAY…
do the maths before paying for unlimited drinks.
Because you might discover:
PAY AS YOU GO IS CHEAPER. 💷
And don't forget:
SERVICE CHARGES.
That £4.99 cocktail…
£4.99 plus service charge…
KERCHING! 💰
Another cocktail…
KERCHING!
Another…
KERCHING!
But…if your cruise line has already included the beverage gratuity in its package price?
Then…
you don't want to count it twice.
That's why:
READ THE SMALL PRINT. 📖
Cruise line.
Package.
Price.
Inclusions.
Service charge.
Daily cost.
And then…
DO THE MATHS. 🧮
Because:
UNLIMITED DOESN'T MEAN GOOD VALUE.
And:
EXPENSIVE DOESN'T MEAN BAD VALUE.
The right package is simply the one where:
THE NUMBERS WORK FOR YOU.
And if they don't?
Order what you actually want.
Enjoy it.
And don't feel guilty.
Because that cocktail…
IS STILL A HOLIDAY. 🍹❤️
SEE YOU ON BOARD! 🚢❤️”
