The drinks package question — and what I actually decided

The short version: I got it. The longer version is more interesting.

The MSC drinks package on the Virtuosa covers most cocktails, wines by the glass, beers, soft drinks, and hot drinks up to a certain price point. The price per day works out to roughly what I would spend on three or four drinks. If I have more than that on any given day — which on a sea day is almost certain — it pays for itself.

The argument against is that you end up drinking more than you would otherwise because you feel like you have already paid for it. This is true. I have made peace with this.

The argument for, beyond the maths, is that it removes a decision. Every drink is not a small financial calculation. You just order what you want. On a twelve-day cruise with two sea days and nine port days, removing that friction is worth something.

I also got it partly because of the port days. On a long port day — Rotterdam, for example, where we have two full days — I am not going to be drinking much. But on a sea day, or on an evening in port, I will. The package averages out across the whole trip.

The one thing I would say: read the small print on what is included. Some packages have a per-drink price cap that excludes premium spirits and certain wines. Know what you are getting before you board.

I have a guide on this if you want the full breakdown — it covers MSC specifically and goes through the numbers properly. But the short answer is: for a twelve-day cruise with sea days, I think it is worth it.