Is the Cruise Drink Package Worth It?

“Is the cruise package worth it?” If I had a quarter for every time someone has asked this question. You want to know if a cruise drink package saves you money — fast. We’ll show you the break-even point so you can decide whether to buy the package or pay as you go. There are many things to be considered when thinking about cruise drink packages. From your personal drinking style, to sea days versus days in port. They must be accounted for. Cruising this past December with friends on the Carnival Cruise Line Venezia I sat with my neighbor to explain this all to him. No one wants to waste money, so do your homework before making a decision that can cost you hundreds of dollars.

I am going to try and walk you through how to decide if you should purchase that drink package. What things you need to consider. How you can utilize some free tools and calculators I have found online and give you the information you will need to make the decision for your upcoming vacation.

Are Cruise Drink Packages Worth the Money?

Each cruise line offers their own drink package. In some cases they offer multiple packages. From basic bar items all the way to top shelf liquor. So not all cruise drink packages are created equal. Some cruise lines like [virgin_voyages] do not even offer a traditional cruise drink package. They offer what they have called a ” Bar Tab ” You are pretty much pre-paying for your drinks for the whole cruise but you can also share your bar tab with your cabin mate!

There are a bunch of free tools out there to assist with the decision making process. For example I found this free, online Cruise drink calculator that I keep on hand and send to clients when they are trying to decide if they want to make this investment or not. Keep in mind this is not the most accurate tool there is. There is no One Size Fits All but it can at least generalize pricing for you and give you an idea of the break even point.

This Cruise drink calculator allows for you to select your cruise line, add the actual cost per day for the drink package and then add the number of days your on board and what you will drink to come up with a estimated suggestion. You can also tweak the cost per drink so is costs change you can make that change on the fly.

This calculator focuses more on average day of drinking alcoholic beverages. It does not take into consideration my coffee habit, soda’s for myself or Lilly, who can bury a Shirley Temple or two, or even the Mocktails. Those are all part of the drink package so keep those in mind.

Here is a real world example. I drink beer and Old Fashions so this is a average from our December 2025 Cruise on Carnival : ( Click to Enlarge )

Review the Cruise drink calculator results and check these Pros/Cons:

• Pros:
  • Quick daily break even number we can act on.
  • Lets us compare sea days vs port days separately.
  • Helps set realistic drink counts before booking.
• Cons:
  • Estimates depend on our inputs; garbage in, garbage out.
  • Some specialty drinks, tips, or happy hours may not be included.
  • Prices vary by ship and region; use the averages only as a guide.
  • Does not take into consideration days off the ship
  • Does not reflect vendor specialties. Think Princess Premier or Free at Sea Plus

Here is another example. Previously I estimated drinking 5 of the 7 days. But in this scenario I changed it so I was not going to use the boat drinks for 3 days as we were off the ship. The calculator will tell you that this change now make s the drink package more money then paying as you go.

We recommend testing a few scenarios: low, medium, and high drink counts. That makes the break even point clear and shows whether the package saves money for our style of cruising. Also try different drink calculators to ensure accuracy. Here is an additional online calculator option to try Cruise Drink Package Calculator

Comparing Pay As You Go vs Unlimited Packages

Using the calculator so you can see costs fast and decide if a package saves you money. Enter your typical drinks — premium cocktails, specialty coffee, bottled water — and the tool totals daily spend and compares it to the package price.

ESTIMATED price averages in a compact table for quick math.

Drink type	Avg. price (2026)
Premium cocktail	$13.75
Specialty coffee	$3.50
Bottled water	$3.25
Average mixed drink	$8.50

Having these prices ahead of time will allow for you to custom tailor your drink package. You can add them into the calculator to compare the two/ In some cases Pay as you go is the way for a lot of people. My wife and I enjoy just getting on the ship and not having to worry about anything. We walk off the ship with no bill so the drink package suites us nicely.

I know from experience that for US the pay as you go just will not work. Plus having to worry about that bar tab at he end of the week, of the charges on the sign and sail card for Red Bulls, Diet Coke, Coffees, etc. the anxiety is just not worth it.

You need to also keep in mind that each cruise line is going to have different restrictions. For example cruise lines like Carnival Cruise Line only allow up to 15 drinks per day. Timeline is 6am-6am. Norwegian Cruise Line offers unlimited open bar on their sailings. Now before you go and say ” 15 drinks is far too many ” think again. We enjoy a mimosa in the morning, we like pool drinks, we spend time in the casino, wine with dinner, Adult coffee after dinner, etc. That 15 limit can be attained no problem. ( Trust me I know )

Cruising out of Boston on Norwegian? Check out my Seaport Guide

Expert Take: Is the Investment Right for You?

The calculator helps us decide fast. Plug in cruise line, trip length, and expected drinks per day to see if a package saves money.

Pros of the calculator results:

• Quick break-even estimate so we know if a package pays off.
• Lets us tweak sea-day vs port-day drink counts for realism.
• Uses current cruise-line package prices for many major lines.
• Helps avoid surprises at checkout.

Cons of the calculator results:

• Estimates depend on our drink choices and can miss rare splurges.
• It doesn’t account for included drinks at specialty events or dining.
• Prices and rules change; a quick check closer to sailing is needed.
• Doesn’t reflect personal non-monetary value like convenience or social perks.

My advice, do your homework. Look at the itinerary, look at the ship and most importantly look at your vacation goal. Is this trip meant to be on the move and always exploring? If yes than I would say the cruise drink page is not for you. You will probably leave money on the table.

Is your vibe to get away, let loose and completely enjoy? Than yes! The cruise drink package is right for you. You drink what you want and not have to worry.

Another side note to all this is, this whole article is focused on ALCOHOLIC drinks. I solely focused on that to showcase what you would need to drink to break even. Saying all that, when you purchase something like the Carnival Cruise Line CHEERS! Package you also get specialty coffee’s, energy drinks, mock tails and more. So when you buy the package, take advantage of ALL it has to offer you.