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Alcoholic Beverage Packages- Are They Worth It?

June 2, 2016

If you’ve ever cruised before, you’ve probably been offered an alcoholic drink package. Although having access to unlimited cocktails sounds enticing, you may be skeptical about the idea. Odds are you’ve probably thought to yourself “Are they really worth it?”. Well, you’re about to find out.

First, lets go through a couple different drink packages. Each cruise line has their own unique options.

Carnival CHEERS! Beverage Program

Cost: Prior to your cruise- $49.95 per person, per day plus 15% gratuity (The cut-off for pre-purchase is at 11:00PM ET, the evening prior to your cruise departure). Onboard- $54.99 per person, per day plus 15% gratuity.

Includes:

All spirits, including cocktails, cognacs, whiskies and other spirits, as well as beer and glasses of wine ($50 or lower menu price per serving).
Zero-Proof frozen cocktails, sodas and juices.
Specialty coffees and teas served in the main dining rooms, specialty restaurants and coffee bars.
Milkshakes.
RockStar energy drinks, Powerade, Vitamin Water, Coconut Water and Honest Tea.
500ml bottles of water served in bars and lounges.
Large format (1 liter and 1.5 liter) bottles of water in the main dining rooms and specialty restaurants.
25% discount on the menu price for any spirit, cocktail or wine by the glass costing above $50 per serving.
25% discount on the menu price for wine and champagne by the bottle and larger format water bottles purchased outside the main dining rooms or specialty restaurants.
25% discount on the menu price for all beverage classes and seminars.

Fine Print:

Guests must be 21 or older.
Each adult assigned to the same stateroom must purchase the program.
Guests must purchase the program for the entire cruise (not offered on a per-day basis).
Limit: 15 alcoholic drinks per 24 hour period (6:00am-6:00am).
There is a 5 minute wait time between ordering drinks.
You are allowed unlimited zero-proof cocktails, but only one beverage at a time may be ordered.
Sharing is not permitted.
Price adjustments (up or down) may be implemented on the day of sailing.

Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Packages: Ultimate & Corks and Caps

1. Corks and Caps Wine and Beer Package

Cost: $59 per person, per day plus 18% gratuity and beverage service charge.

Includes:

Soft drinks.
Juice.
Beer (up to $15).
Wine (by the glass up to $15).
20% discount on all bottles of wine purchased on board.

Fine Print:

Guests must be 21 or older.
Beverage packages must be purchased for all guests staying within the same stateroom, additional stateroom, adjoining stateroom or travel with (Individuals under the age of 21 will be required to purchase the soda program).
Not available for sailings of 2 days or less.
Any items over $15 will receive an $15 discount and the guest will be charged the difference.
Packages may not be shared and are non-transferable and non-refundable.
One beverage per person per transaction.

2. The Ultimate Beverage Package

Cost: Starting from $79 per person, per day plus 18% gratuity and beverage service charge.

Includes:

Soft drinks.
Juice.
Spirits.
Cocktails.
Wine (by the glass or bottle up to $15).
Beer (up to $15).
20% discount on all bottles of wine purchased on board.

Fine Print:

Guests must be 21 or older.
Beverage packages must be purchased for all guests staying within the same stateroom, additional stateroom, adjoining stateroom or travel with (Individuals under the age of 21 will be required to purchase the soda program).
Not available for sailings of 2 days or less.
Any items over $15 will receive an $15 discount and the guest will be charged the difference.
Packages may not be shared and are non-transferable and non-refundable.
One beverage per person per transaction.

Royal Caribbean Drink Packages: Select, Premium & Ultimate

1. Select Package

Cost: $42 per person, per day including gratuity.

Includes:

Beer.
Wine by the glass (up to $12 per glass).
Fountain soda with souvenir Coca-Cola cup.
20% discount on purchases of bottles of wine.

2. Premium Package

Cost: $57 per person, per day including gratuity.

Includes:

Beer.
Wine (by the glass).
Cocktails.
Bottled Water (500ml)
Fountain soda with souvenir Coca-Cola cup.
20% discount on purchases of bottles of wine.

3. Ultimate Package

Cost: $67 per person, per day including gratuity.

Includes:

Beer.
Wine (by the glass).
Fountain soda with Coca-Cola cup.
Cocktails.
Bottled water (500ml).
Fresh juices.
Premium coffee and tea.
40% discount on bottled wine above $100.
20% discount on bottled wine below $100.

Fine Print:

Guests must be 21 or older.
Each adult in a stateroom can order any drink package they want, or none at all.
Sharing is not permitted.
Benefits are unlimited.
There are no daily or cruise-length limits.

How To Decide Which Beverage Package is Best for You

So now that you’ve taken a look at a few options, let’s get back to the question at hand. Are these alcoholic drink packages really worth it? The Answer: Do your homework.

The big draw to these drink packages is convenience. Guests hate having to take out their wallets on vacation. But before you purchase these all-inclusive packages, make sure you have a good understanding of how they work and what’s included. Each drink package has different price points and levels. Therefore, you can choose accordingly to fit your needs as a cruiser. The main idea here is to at least break-even on your investment. In order to do that, you’ll need to figure out how many drinks per day you’ll need to have.

For example, Royal Caribbean’s Premium Package costs $57. The estimated prices for drinks are as follows: beer $6, wine $10, and signature cocktails $12. Therefore, you’ll need to drink anywhere between 5-10 drinks. If you don’t drink enough to break-even on this package, then you may be better off purchasing cocktails a la carte. These drink packages tend to benefit those that enjoy more than a few alcoholic drinks per day; It’s for cruisers who choose to indulge on their vacation more often than not.

Here are some other things to consider: There may be drink specials throughout your cruise. This will make it harder to break-even. On top of that, you cannot use your package off the ship (in most cases). You may not have a problem reaching your break-even number on a sea day, but this may become more difficult on port days. Also, some cocktails may not be included in your package (I’m talking to you Pina Colada in the hollowed-out pineapple). These drinks will be an added cost. On the other hand, these programs allow guests to order numerous drinks without worrying about not enjoying their choice or dreading the final bill.

These all-inclusive alcohol packages may be convenient, but they might not always be a good deal. There are a lot of variables involved that can determine whether it makes financial sense for a guest. Each cruise line has their own unique options, so do your research and some simple math.

Sailing out of Port Canaveral soon? Don’t forget to book your pre and post cruise accommodations with Go Port. We take the stress out of travel so you can make the most of your vacation!