The Question Everyone Asks Before They Sail
Drinks packages are one of the most heavily promoted add-ons on any cruise. The marketing is good — "unlimited drinks," "all-inclusive," "great value" — and it's easy to assume that buying one is the smart move. Most people do.
The reality is more nuanced. Whether a drinks package is worth it depends almost entirely on how you actually drink — not how you imagine you might drink on holiday. The cruise line's pricing is not accidental. They know exactly what the average passenger consumes, and the packages are priced accordingly.
This guide breaks it down simply and honestly — the costs, the maths, and the situations where a package makes sense versus when you're better off paying as you go.
What Is a Drinks Package?
The basics, simply explained.
A cruise drinks package is a fixed daily fee that covers your drinks for the duration of the sailing. Instead of paying for each drink individually, you pay a set amount per person per day — and within the terms of the package, you can order what you like.
Most packages include alcoholic drinks up to a certain price point, soft drinks, juices, water, and speciality coffees. Premium spirits and certain cocktails may be excluded or require an upgrade. The exact inclusions vary by cruise line and package tier.
Important: The cabin rule
Most cruise lines require all adults sharing a cabin to purchase the same package. You can't buy it for one person and not the other. If one of you drinks and the other doesn't, this significantly affects the value calculation.
What Drinks Actually Cost Onboard
Typical prices across most mainstream cruise lines. Expect slight variation.
Prices are approximate and based on typical mainstream cruise line pricing. Service charges (usually 15–18%) are often added on top.
How Much Do Packages Cost?
What you're actually committing to per day.
Drinks packages typically cost between £40 and £70 per person per day, depending on the cruise line, the package tier, and when you buy. MSC, for example, offers tiered packages from around £20/day (soft drinks and basic alcohol) up to £55–£65/day for a premium all-inclusive package. P&O, Royal Caribbean, and others sit in a similar range.
Basic
£20–£35/day
Soft drinks, beer, house wine, basic spirits
Standard
£40–£55/day
Most cocktails, wider wine selection, spirits
Premium
£55–£70/day
Premium spirits, champagne, speciality coffees
How Much Do You Need to Drink?
If your package costs £50 per person per day, here's roughly what you need to consume to break even:
7–8 beers
4–5 cocktails
5–6 glasses
2 coffees + 2 beers + 2 cocktails
The honest question: On a typical day — not your best day, not your most optimistic estimate — would you actually consume that? If yes, a package probably makes sense. If you're not sure, it probably doesn't.
When a Package Is Worth It
Three situations where the maths genuinely works in your favour.
You Drink Consistently Throughout the Day
Not just a couple of drinks at dinner — but a coffee in the morning, a soft drink by the pool, a beer before lunch, a cocktail in the afternoon, wine with dinner, and a nightcap. If that sounds like your holiday, a package starts to make real sense. The value isn't in drinking more — it's in the fact that you're already drinking across the day and the costs add up fast.
You Like Not Thinking About Prices
There's a genuine psychological benefit to a drinks package that's hard to quantify. When everything's included, you stop doing mental arithmetic every time you order. You just order what you want. For some people, that freedom is worth a fair amount on its own — it removes a low-level stress that can otherwise follow you around the ship.
You Have Sea Days or a Longer Cruise
Sea days are where a drinks package earns its keep. You're on the ship all day, there's nothing to do except relax, and drinks flow naturally from morning to evening. A 14-night cruise with several sea days is a very different proposition to a 7-night port-heavy itinerary where you're off the ship most days and back for dinner.
When It's Not Worth It
Three situations where paying as you go is the smarter call.
You're a Light or Occasional Drinker
If you typically have a glass of wine with dinner and maybe a beer by the pool, you're unlikely to hit the break-even point on a package. The maths just doesn't work. You'd be paying for a level of consumption that doesn't match your actual habits — and no amount of "but it's included" changes that.
Your Itinerary Is Port-Heavy
If you're off the ship at 8am and back at 6pm most days, you're not getting much use out of a drinks package during the day. You'll be drinking ashore — where prices are often lower — and only using the package in the evenings. That significantly reduces the value.
You Prefer to Pay as You Go
Some people simply prefer the flexibility of paying for what they actually want, when they want it. There's nothing wrong with this approach — and for moderate drinkers, it often works out cheaper. You're not locked into a daily cost regardless of what you consume.
“Drinks packages can be genuinely good value — but only if you're honest about how you actually drink, not how you imagine you might.”
I've seen people buy packages and get great value from them — they drink consistently across the day, they have sea days, and the convenience alone is worth something to them. I've also seen people buy packages, barely use them, and spend the rest of the cruise quietly annoyed about it.
The difference is almost always the same thing: honest self-assessment. If you're a consistent drinker who'll be on the ship a lot, a package is probably worth it. If you're a moderate drinker on a port-heavy itinerary, paying as you go will likely cost you less and feel more natural.
For many people, paying as you go works perfectly well. Don't buy a package because it feels like the done thing. Buy it because the maths actually works for you.
Best Ways to Get Value
If you're going to buy a package, do it properly.
Book in advance
Drinks packages are almost always cheaper when booked before you sail. Prices go up closer to departure and are highest if you buy onboard. If you're going to get one, book it early.
Count your sea days
Before you buy, look at your itinerary and count the sea days. These are the days where you'll get the most use. A cruise with four sea days is a much better candidate for a package than one with one.
Check what's actually included
Not all packages include everything. Some exclude premium spirits, certain cocktails, or speciality coffees. Read the small print before you buy — the headline price can be misleading if the things you actually drink aren't covered.
Be honest about how much you drink
This is the most important one. People consistently overestimate how much they'll drink on holiday. Think about a typical day at home, add a holiday premium, and use that as your baseline — not your most optimistic estimate.
Remember the cabin rule
Most cruise lines require all adults in the cabin to purchase the same package. If one of you drinks and the other doesn't, the maths changes significantly. Factor in both people when calculating value.
Package vs Pay As You Go
A simple side-by-side.
Drinks Package
- Fixed daily cost — no surprises
- No thinking about individual prices
- Best for consistent, all-day drinkers
- Great value on sea-heavy itineraries
- Requires all cabin adults to buy
- Poor value if you drink lightly
Pay As You Go
- Pay only for what you actually drink
- No commitment — full flexibility
- Better for light or moderate drinkers
- Works well on port-heavy itineraries
- Individual prices add up quickly
- Service charges on every drink
Common Mistakes
Worth knowing before you commit.
Assuming it's always worth it
The cruise line promotes packages heavily because they're profitable. That doesn't mean they're bad value — but it does mean you shouldn't assume they are good value without doing the maths for your specific situation.
Not checking what's included
Buying a package and then discovering your preferred drinks aren't covered is a frustrating experience. Always check the inclusions list before purchasing — particularly for premium spirits, cocktails, and speciality coffees.
Buying it too late
Onboard prices for packages are consistently higher than pre-cruise prices. If you've decided you want one, buy it before you sail. The saving can be meaningful — sometimes 20–30% cheaper.
The Bottom Line
There's no universal answer to whether a cruise drinks package is worth it. It depends on how you drink, how many sea days you have, whether both people in your cabin drink, and whether you value the convenience of not thinking about prices.
The best thing you can do is be realistic. Think about a typical day — not your best day, not your most optimistic estimate. Would you genuinely hit the break-even point? If yes, buy the package early and enjoy it. If you're not sure, pay as you go. You can always buy a package onboard if you change your mind, though it'll cost more.
Smarter decisions, not more spending. That's the approach that tends to make for a better cruise.