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One of the most significant decisions you may have to make before embarking on a cruise is if you should purchase a cruise drink package. A drink package on a cruise has a set price per person per day to allow you to consume an unlimited amount of drinks on board. Depending on your tentative plans for the cruise, you may ask yourself if the drink package on a cruise is worth it.
While the cost may vary somewhat, cruise drink packages are generally the same price on every cruise.
General Costs of Drinks on Cruises
The first thing you’ll want to consider before purchasing a drink package is how much each drink costs and how much you think you’ll drink.
- Soda: $4
- Beer: $6-8
- Water bottle: $3
- Coffee/tea: $2-4
- Mixed Drinks: $7-10
If you plan on only purchasing one or two drinks per day, a drink package may not be worth it.
Generally speaking, cruise drink packages on cruises cost around $40-70 per person per day. That may seem like a lot, but if you have a coffee, a soda, and a few mixed drinks throughout the day, you’ve already gotten your money’s worth.
The Cruise Drink Package
There are pros and cons to purchasing a drink package.
Pros of purchasing the drink package
- You are a family and don’t want to track how many drinks each person has, and it gives you peace of mind instead of having to keep track of how much you’re all individually spending and adding up the costs each day.
- You’re planning to drink a lot (coffee, soda, alcohol)
- No surprise bar tab at the end of the cruise
- You can drink as many drinks as you want without having to worry
Cons of purchasing the drink package
- You may feel like you have to get your money’s worth and may end up drinking more than you usually would
- You prefer expensive liquor or bottles of wine (which cost extra)
- It’s per person, so you can’t sneak someone a drink!
- You could be paying for alcohol that’s free.
- There may be a limit to the amount of “unlimited” alcoholic drinks you’re consuming. Make sure to read the fine print.
Not Purchasing a Drink Package
There are pros and cons to not purchasing a cruise drink package
Pros of not buying a drink package
- You’re not obligated to drink on the cruise
- Some cruises allow you to bring a limited amount of alcohol. If you’re not a big drinker, this may be a huge pro!
- You may save money if you can bring your alcohol and are not planning to purchase any other drinks (coffee may come with breakfast, etc.).
Cons of not purchasing a drink package
- Your bill may add up quickly if you do end up drinking a lot and surpass the drink package cost.
- You will have to track how much you’re spending to ensure you’re within your budget.
If you embark on your cruise and end up wishing you purchased a cruise drink package beforehand, many cruises allow you to buy one on board, usually for a higher price.
Based on the pros and cons, you may be able to decide if the cruise drink package is worth it. If you’re a big drinker and don’t want to worry about how much money you’re spending on drinks, then purchasing the cruise drink package may be a good idea.