Royal Caribbean's loyalty perks are arguably the best in the industry, but are the drink vouchers good enough to replace a drink package?
I reached Diamond status in Crown and Anchor Society many years ago, and the daily drink vouchers the cruise line offers is an impressive benefit.
Now that I'm a Pinnacle Club member, I get 6 drink vouchers per day to use on any beverage that a drink package would cover.
Having a few complimentary drinks is far from unlimited, but can you rely on them in lieu of spending hundreds of dollars on a beverage package?
The answer is a mixed bag, and greatly depends on your habits.
How exactly do loyalty drink vouchers work?
One of the benefits of reaching Diamond status are daily drink vouchers you can use during your cruise.
The amount of drinks depends on which loyalty tier you are at:
- Diamond: 4 drinks per person, per day
- Diamond Plus: 5 drinks per person, per day
- Pinnacle Club: 6 drinks per person, per day
Yes, even kids get the benefit, although they are limited to non-alcoholic drinks.
When you order a drink, all you need to do is tell the bartender or waiter that you'd like to use your drink voucher when you place the order.
"Hi, I'd like a pina colada and I'd like to use my Diamond drink."
The vouchers are good for that day and it's "use it or lose it". Once you reach 6am the next day, the voucher total resets. You cannot save vouchers for another day or "borrow" them from future days.
You can redeem your drink vouchers at any bar, restaurant, or lounge. They even work at Perfect Day at CocoCay or Labadee.
Relying on drink vouchers is like having a mini-drink package
When I was on Utopia of the Seas, I skipped buying a drink package and relied purely on the vouchers for my drinking.
I found it was more difficult initially at the start of the cruise to exercise restraint and not go through most of them before dinner. This is because you're excited when you get onboard and in the mood for fun and to start enjoying vacation.
But as the days pass, I find the temptation to drink lessens somewhat as the novelty wears off.
Nonetheless, redeeming my drink vouchers is quite easy and I could go to any bar to enjoy them.
I think there are two ways to think about the drink vouchers: these are the only extra cost drinks you'll get, or you can use them and then pay for a few drinks on top of it because it's still cheaper than a drink package.
As I said earlier in this post, how much of a drinker you are and how you like to indulge greatly influence how quickly you'll go through your vouchers.
I decided to exercise restraint and wait to use my drinks until after dinner. I chose this because I enjoy social drinking a lot more at night when the bars have entertainment. And I didn't want to overdo it earlier in the day.
Admittedly, this is one advantage of a drink package. You don't have to debate where and when to use up your drinks. A beverage package is much more convenient in that way.
After dinner, I headed to the Mason Jar, which is my favorite bar on any Royal Caribbean ship.
The best drink on the menu is the PB&J Old Fashioned, which costs $13 before gratuity.
I love how tasty they are, and I can easily have a couple to start things off. They're sweet, but not sugary, and it certainly fits the bill when you're at a country bar.
As the evening progressed, we bar hopped and I easily used all of my 6 vouchers before calling it a night.
The next day we were in Nassau, and spent the day at the Royal Beach Club. Since this is all-inclusive, my drink vouchers were safe and not needed for the entire day.
Our last day of the cruise was docked at Perfect Day at CocoCay. Drink vouchers work here, just like on the ship. This adds a tremendous amount of value, because I'm far more tempted to want a drink as part of the beach vibe than hanging around the ship.
I went over my daily limit on one day
Not totally unexpectedly, I paid out of pocket for a few drinks during my cruise.
I would expect this to be more the case if someone had just 4 drinks for the day, but it can happen. When you're enjoying being on a cruise and having a good time with friends, I won't let the good times stop because I'm out of vouchers.
While I did pay for a few drinks out of pocket, I did not spend nearly enough to come close to the cost of a drink package.
I estimated as long as I didn't pay out of pocket for more than 3 or 4 drinks, it was still cheaper than the total cost of a beverage package.
Drink vouchers are the best loyalty perk, but it's limited
My experience with relying on drink vouchers is they're either too few or more than enough, and it all depends on the person.
As an example, my parents are Diamond members and the idea of having 4 alcoholic drinks per day to them is crazy. Suffice to say, it's more than they need.
| Category | Crown & Anchor Drink Vouchers | Royal Caribbean Drink Package |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Pros: People who want a few “free” drinks per day and don’t want to prepay a package. Cons: Not ideal if you want to drink steadily throughout the day or hate tracking counts. | Pros: People who want predictable costs and to drink without counting (within package rules). Cons: Can be overkill if you only want 1–3 drinks/day. |
| Upfront cost | Pros: Included as a loyalty perk (no separate purchase). Cons: You’re “earning” it via loyalty | Pros: You know the cost before you sail (easy budgeting). Cons: Often a meaningful add-on cost, especially for multiple guests. |
| Daily limit | Pros: Great if your daily drink habits naturally match the voucher count. Cons: Hard cap per day—once you use them, you’re paying per drink after that. | Pros: Usually feels “unlimited” for the average cruiser (with policy limits). Cons: Still subject to Royal Caribbean policies (e.g., per-drink rules and exclusions). |
| Convenience | Pros: Simple perk: order a drink and it’s deducted from your daily vouchers. Cons: You may find yourself rationing or “saving” vouchers, which can be annoying. | Pros: Low mental overhead—order what’s included without keeping score. Cons: You may feel pressure to “get your money’s worth,” especially on port-heavy itineraries. |
| Break-even pressure | Pros: No break-even math—use them when you want. Cons: If you routinely exceed your voucher count, you’ll end up paying a lot out of pocket. | Pros: Can be a clear financial win if you regularly order included beverages. Cons: If your consumption is moderate, you may spend more than pay-as-you-go. |
| Sharing / treating others | Pros: Easy to “treat” someone using a voucher (practically speaking). Cons: Policies and enforcement can vary—don’t assume sharing is officially allowed. | Pros: Convenient for personal use all day. Cons: Sharing package drinks is against policy |
| Trip style fit | Pros: Great for “casual” drinkers, early sleepers, or cruisers who mostly drink at dinner. Cons: Less satisfying for pool-deck loungers, late-night bar hoppers, or people who like trying lots of drinks. | Pros: Great for “all day” sippers, social cruisers, and anyone who loves trying new cocktails/coffee/juice options. Cons: Can feel wasteful on short sailings with lots of excursions or limited onboard time. |
| Typical “gotchas” | Pros: Clear daily allotment can help you avoid surprise spending. Cons: Use-it-or-lose-it; easy to forget to use them; you may end up “voucher chasing” at night. | Pros: Smoother onboard experience; fewer bar receipts. Cons: Fine print matters (venue exclusions, drink limits, gratuities, package rules, and who must buy in the cabin). |
Plus, drink vouchers can be used for non-alcoholic drinks too, including premium coffee, bottled water, sodas, and more.
However, my friend that affectionally goes by "Big Dawg Ron", can use up his daily drinks before the end of lunch on embarkation day.
On this Utopia cruise, I went in with the mindset I'd limit myself to the drink vouchers and forgo a drink package. But I bought the drink package already for my upcoming Brilliance of the Seas cruise.
Part of the decision matrix everyone goes through is the price of a drink package.
The daily cost can vary greatly, from as low as the mid $40 per day range to $115 per day when bought onboard.
Drink vouchers are perfect for casual drinkers or someone on a budget. Since they're included as a perk, you can use them or not and there's no value lost.
However, it still requires you to remember to use them and specifically ask the bartender to redeem one. Many bar staff will notice you have a voucher and ask if you want to use it, but you cannot rely on that.
I find the drink vouchers are a fantastic perk if it matches your natural habits. But if you regularly exceed the allotment, a beverage package can be cheaper and less annoying.
