Royal Caribbean drink packages aren't cheap, but there is a loophole that people that cruise all the time take advantage of.

The cruise line has strict rules in place regarding its beverage packages because of how prevalent drink package cheating was at one point. In fact, Royal Caribbean held out longer than most other lines before lamenting and adding their own restrictions.

The requirement is if you buy the Deluxe Beverage package, which is the one that includes all the alcoholic drinks, that all other adults in the cabin must do so as well. 

That creates problems for adults who don't drink much or at all.

While this seems like a brick wall of red tape, there is a workaround.

The system forces adults to buy the drink package

When you go into the Royal Caribbean app or website to buy a drink package, you'll see quickly the issue.

If you add the Deluxe Beverage Package for one adult, it forces you to buy it for other adults in the same cabin as you.

There is no such rule for the Royal Refreshment Package or the Soda Package. Also, kids aren't required to get a drink package at all if adults in the same cabin do.

For many families, this means mom and dad must buy it if one of them wants it.  

But what if one of the adults prefers not to drink? Or is pregnant? Or has a medical condition?

There's a loophole that can get you out of the problem.

Call Royal Caribbean and explain the issue

While the website doesn't bend on the rule, the cruise line representatives do.

You can call Royal Caribbean at 1-866-562-7625 to tell them one of the adults doesn't want the drink package as well.

They won't let that person completely off the hook, but they will allow that other adult to buy the lower cost Royal Refreshment Package.

This is the non-alcoholic drink package and it's a fraction of the price of the more expensive one. On my upcoming sailing, that's over $30 per day savings.

Technically, it's not an official policy of the cruise line.  So it's possible this wouldn't work.

However, it's been my experience for years they've honored it as long as you're willing to call in and book it.

And you don't have to lie about the reason either.  Royal Caribbean won't ask for proof or documentation, so no need to pretend someone is pregnant or has a terrible medical condition if it's not true.

Simply ask for the Refreshment package instead of the Deluxe package.

Book adults in another cabin

My favorite loophole for the drink package rule is when you have more than one cabin for your family.

Often my family will sail in separate cabins because it's one of my favorite family cruise hacks.  Booking connecting/adjacent rooms gives my wife and I separation from the kids, as well as an extra bathroom and far more privacy for all of us.

I always have my travel agent book me with one kid, and my wife with the other kid.

Royal Caribbean doesn't care who actually sleeps in which cabin once on the cruise. This is all just paperwork.

With this scenario, my wife is in another cabin and I only have to pay for the Deluxe Beverage Package for myself instead of her too.

Don't be temped to try to sneak drinks on instead

Some people see the high prices of a drink package or these rules and decide cheating the system is the next option, but this is a terrible idea.

Sneaking alcohol onboard is playing with fire, and if you're caught, there could be all sorts of consequences beyond simply confiscating what you have.

I'd argue sneaking booze on means you're also relegated to going back to your room constantly for refills. The last thing I want to do when I'm having a good time at a bar, show, or casino is have to get up and walk back to my room to get a drink.

Wait for a good sale and then take advantage of the loophole

The best strategy is to combine this loophole with my drink package money saving tip.

Royal Caribbean runs sales and promos all the time for pre-cruise purchases.  Keep an eye out for one of the sales that discounts drink packages as much as 40% off the onboard price.

Then call in and ask for the drink package, but also ask for the Refreshment package for the other adults who don't want the Deluxe package.

This strategy will save you money in two ways and not get you in trouble with the cruise line.

Ever since Royal Caribbean started using dynamic pricing for drink packages, excursions, and internet access, finding a great deal on these optional add-ons has been a challenge.

If you're like me, you want to get the lowest price possible on them. No one wants to pay more than you have to.

Most people are relegated to simply checking back periodically in hopes of finding a lower price. 

While Royal Caribbean has done a better job at sending marketing emails and push notifications from its app to alert customers when sales begin, the reality is a new sale doesn't necessarily correlate to a lower price than what you paid.

A new online tool offers an easier way to track prices and save you money.

Price Tracker tool is free to use

Rather than logging in randomly to the Cruise Planner site to see what the price of a cruise add-on is right now, there's a tool for it.

RoyalPriceTracker.com is run by a cruise fan, and it offers a simple way to be notified if there's a lower price.

It's totally free to use this tool, as it's meant to be something for fans, by fans.

"We will help you save money on Excursion and Beverage Packages on your upcoming Royal Caribbean Cruise by tracking the prices and notifying you when the price drops!" is what the website advertises.

After creating a free account, you select your ship, sail date, and which item you want to track the price of.

Choices include:

• Drink packages
• Dining
• Spa
• Internet
• The Key
• Shore Excursions
• Photo Packages
• Arcade
• Onboard Activities

It's pretty much anything you can pre-book via Royal Caribbean's website or app.

You can select multiple items to add to your tracker.

That's it. Now you wait for something to happen.  The site periodically programmatically checks the current price and compares it to the original price when you added it to the tracker. All prices are currently displayed in USD.

In fact, there's historical data too. 

When I added the Deluxe Beverage Package for my upcoming Independence of the Seas cruise, I was able to see historical price data going back to December 2024.

It shows me that the average price has been $72.99 per person, per day, while the lowest price was $67.99 per person, per day.

The idea is simple, but it seems to work as it checks every day for new prices and that's usually often enough to get in on one of those lucrative 40% off drink package deals.

It tracks plenty more too

While I think the drink package is likely the most popular item people want to track, you can be alerted to plenty of other items too.

I was able to see upcoming shore excursions, and even browse them by day and port, rather than a laundry list of tours.

I like the ability to see Voom package and dining package price changes, as those are my most common buys.

How does it work?

RoyalPriceTracker doesn't disclose the "magic sauce", but it almost certainly uses some kind of a scraping method to find its information.

Since Royal Caribbean does not provide a commercial or public interface (known as an API) for developers to play with, it's probable that the site software has a means to access the Royal Caribbean site and programmatically check prices using a clever custom-built program.

Unrelated to RoyalPriceTracker, but another person built out their own open source price tracking software for Royal Caribbean prices. It does need user credentials to price addons. It does not need credentials to price cruises.

In the case of this software, it relies on a Python programming language script to check publicly available information, "All the API calls are public and visible in the Firefox inspector. Everything in this code your browser is doing when you log into the Royal Caribbean website."

This tool would be run on your own computer, so the program would need to be run in perpetuity to constantly be able to track prices. But you have the code base and can run it on your schedule.

Consider it an option for advanced users only.

You still need to act to save money

Regardless of which tool you use, you have to do the final part and actually make the purchase.

None of the tools will cancel and repurchase anything for you.  In fact, neither tool uses your Royal Caribbean reservation number or login credentials.

What they do is give you a heads up when there's a price drop, and then you have to go in and make the purchase.

Royal Caribbean allows you to cancel and rebook any pre-cruise purchase without penalty, making it one of my favorite hacks to save money on a cruise.

Of course, you can do this on your own and continue to check manually, but in the meantime, there's an easier way.

You can save a lot of money if you know when to buy a Royal Caribbean drink package, even as much as 40% off the total price.

One of the most popular cruise add-ons available are beverage packages because they offer a flat fee for unlimited drinks. 

It's a convenient way to avoid a high bar tab, but enjoy drinks on your vacation without worrying about bills later.

Unfortunately, they aren't cheap if you pay the regular price onboard the ship. The onboard price for the Deluxe Beverage Package costs typically around $115 per person, per day.

The good news is there are sales offered throughout the year to get a significant discount, but you need to know when to book.

Many of these sales are tied to major holidays, such as Black Friday, July 4th, and New Years.  But there are other sales too, and each has the potential to save money.

Without a doubt, buying a drink package early could save you as much as 40% off the onboard price of a drink package.

How to get the 40% off deal

The secret to getting a discount on a Royal Caribbean drink package is to buy it before your cruise begins.

The highest price you'll pay is if you buy a drink package on the ship, so avoid that mistake by booking it early.

To see how much of a discount is being offered on a drink package, you can log into your Royal Caribbean account in the cruise line app or on their website.  Navigate to your sailing and you can spot check the price there.

On any day, the price will be cheaper online, but the price can fluctuate in the months before your cruise begins.

Depending on the sale, there could be no discount on your sailing, or truly deep savings.  Royal Caribbean usually advertises "up to 40% off", which means it may not be exactly that sort of a discount.

Moreover, there are different drink packages.  So depending on the promotion it could be the Deluxe Beverage Package or the Evian Water Package that has a 40% discount.

Royal Caribbean uses variable pricing, and that means drink packages cost differently from sailing to sailing, and ship to ship. Plus, there can be deeper discounts offered on select days.

Most sales last just a few days, so you'll need to act quickly before the price goes back up.

The best sale of the year is typically on Black Friday, when the cruise line has the deepest discounts.

Is the drink package worth it at 40% off?

The lower you can buy the drink package, the easier it is to get your money's worth from the drink package.

The Deluxe Beverage Package includes a lot of different beverages, such as beer, wine by the glass, liquors, premium coffees, juices, and sodas.  There are so many possible combinations of drinks you could order during your sailing.

In looking at Royal Caribbean drink prices, it's easy to see how quickly your bar tab would be if you paid for drinks a la carte.

• Cocktails: $10-$14
• Beers: $8-$9
• Specialty coffees: $3-$5
• Bottled water: $2.25

If you bought the Deluxe Beverage Package at $65.99 per person, per day, you could "break even" if you ordered 3 cocktails, 1 premium coffee, 1 beer, and 1 bottled water per day.

That's fairly easy to accomplish on a sea day, but port days make it more difficult because you're usually off the ship on a shore excursion. That reduces the amount of hours to take advantage of your drink package benefit.

It's much easier to make the value proposition work in your favor if you are a social drinker, specialty coffee lover, or like to try a a lot of drinks.

In short, a drink package is worth it if you drink enough every day to have it save money.

Tips for booking the drink package

Be sure to look at drink package prices as soon as possible.  There's usually an ebb and a flow to pricing, so getting in on the lowest price is easier the earlier you start looking.

My advice is book the drink package as soon as you can because you can always cancel or reprice later.

There's no penalty for cancelling a beverage package purchase before the cruise begins, whether you change your mind or want to take advantage of a lower price.

Adding the drink package to your cart does not lock the price.  You must buy it to get it at the given price.

You can also take advantage of onboard credit and stack the savings.

If Royal Caribbean is offering 30, 35, or 40% off the drink package, you can lower the price further by applying any onboard credit you have.

Even after you buy it, you can always cancel and rebook at a lower price.

If you bought it at 35% off, and then a few months later a 40% off deal appears, you can cancel and immediately re-book under the new price.

There's no penalty for cancelling and rebooking, and the refund from the original purchase will come back to your original form of payment in about a week or less.  Any onboard credit you used for the purchase will become available immediately.

Things to know before you buy

Royal Caribbean has important rules about its drink package you'll want to know before you buy any.

The most important rule is you cannot share drinks if you buy any of the three unlimited drink packages: Deluxe, Royal Refreshment, or Soda packages. Sharing will get you in trouble and loss of a drink package without refund.

If you want to buy the Deluxe Beverage Package, all adults in the same stateroom are required to purchase the same package.

Any drink package you buy adds gratuities on top of the cost.  It's called a "service fee" in the line item, but it covers tips when you order a drink. Be sure to factor this cost into your package price, especially when re-pricing packages.

Lastly, your drink package works almost everywhere, but it doesn't cover room service or Starbucks drinks at a Starbucks kiosk.

Royal Caribbean has three drink packages, and the price is headed up in 2025.

Having unlimited drinks on a cruise is so popular with cruisers that demand is driving prices up each year. It's no surprise given how many people that go on a cruise ship are looking to relax and not worry about bar bills later on. 

They're a popular choice because you can enjoy beers, wine, cocktails, mocktails, and soft drinks for a fixed price, but they aren't cheap either. Demand for drink packages has only sent prices higher over the years, but there are ways to get a better price and ensure you don't overpay.

It's important to understand what the drink package includes for the price, and how to get the best possible deal by finding the lowest prices.

Drink package prices in 2025

Royal Caribbean uses variable pricing for its unlimited drink packages, which means the price will depend on which ship you are sailing on and the sail date.

In general, newer ships have higher prices for drink packages.  Similarly, cruises over a major holiday and/or during a popular time of year for vacations will see higher prices.

In researching 2025 Royal Caribbean drink package prices, here's what you can expect it will cost:

• Deluxe Beverage Package: $55 to $115 per person per day
• Royal Refreshment Package: $40 per person per day
• Soda Package: $15.00 per person per day
• Water Package: 12 bottles for $45
• Coffee card: $31 per card

There is also a mandatory 18% gratuity added to the cost of a drink package, which you will see referred to as a service fee when purchasing it.  This gratuity covers any drink you order from a waiter or bartender.

By far, the price of the Deluxe Beverage Package has the widest range of possible prices.  That is largely due to how popular this drink package has become, and with so many different cruises to choose from, the cruise line plays with the price to get top dollar for it.

What is a drink package?

Royal Caribbean has two types of drink packages: unlimited packages and prepaid limited amounts.

The most popular are the unlimited drink packages, which offer a flat cost for as many beverages as a passenger would like in one cruise.

The unlimited drink package benefits are only for the person buying it, and it cannot be shared with anyone else.

The three unlimited drink packages include:

Deluxe Beverage Package

The Deluxe Beverage Package includes all alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks per person for the entire duration of a cruise.

It includes:

✅Cocktails, spirits, liqueurs
✅Beer
✅Wine (by the glass)
✅Mocktails
✅Premium coffees & teas
✅Fountain sodas / Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages
✅Coca-Cola souvenir cup
✅Bottled still and sparkling water
✅Fresh squeezed juices

The only drinks not included in the Deluxe Beverage Package are top shelf liquors, wine by the bottle, or Starbucks drinks from a Starbucks kiosk.

Since it includes pretty much every drink, it's also the most expensive package and is the only one that has a rule that requires if one adult buys the Deluxe Beverage Package, then all the other adults in the same stateroom must purchase it also. This is to prevent sharing the drink package benefits with other guests.

There is a workaround to this rule, if you call Royal Caribbean and ask for the other person in the cabin to get the Royal Refreshment package instead.  

Royal Refreshment Package

If you prefer to have unlimited non-alcoholic drinks, then the Royal Refreshment Package is for you.

It includes everything the Deluxe Beverage Package includes, except for alcohol.

❌Cocktails, spirits, liqueurs
❌Beer
❌Wine (by the glass)
✅Mocktails
✅Premium coffees & teas
✅Fountain sodas / Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages
✅Coca-Cola souvenir cup
✅Bottled still and sparkling water
✅Fresh squeezed juices

This drink package is popular with teens, as well as light drinkers.

Soda Package

For anyone that just wants soft drinks, Royal Caribbean has an unlimited soda package.

This package includes just soft drinks by the glass from any bar, restaurant or lounge.  It also includes the Coca-Cola Freestyle machine on ships that have it.

❌Cocktails, spirits, liqueurs
❌Beer
❌Wine (by the glass)
❌Mocktails
❌Premium coffees & teas
✅Fountain sodas / Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages
✅Coca-Cola souvenir cup
❌Bottled still and sparkling water
❌Fresh squeezed juices

It may be a surprise to hear the soda package does not include bottled water.

Bottled water package

While not unlimited, there is the option to buy a supply of 12 bottles of Evian water to be delivered to your stateroom.

For someone that prefers bottled water, this is a more cost effective way to have lots of bottled water for a cruise with the convenience of having it delivered to the cabin.

Another advantage of the bottled water package is you can share the bottles of water with anyone.

Coffee punch card

If you love coffee, you can get a punch card good for that sailing with a set amount of premium coffee based drinks.

You can redeem the coffee from Royal Caribbean coffee locations, such as Cafe Promenade, Cafe @ Two70, or Cafe Latte-tudes.

It does not work at freestanding Starbucks kiosks.

Like the bottled water package, you can share the punch card benefits with others if you wish.

Are there discounts on drink packages?

Royal Caribbean always offers a pre-cruise discount on its drink packages.  In short, you'll save money by buying it before the cruise rather than onboard.

You can find the discounted price in the Cruise Planner section of the Royal Caribbean website, or through the Royal Caribbean app.

There are sales nearly all the time, which means the price fluctuates throughout the year.  The price you see today may be different tomorrow, next week, or next year. 

Your best bet is to buy the drink package as early as possible, and then cancel and rebook it if there is a price drop.  It's a mistake to wait to see if the price drops first before buying, because sometimes the price goes up and never comes back down.

Read more: How to avoid the most common cruise drink package mistakes

The Deluxe Beverage Package price tends to change the most, with there occasionally a discount offered on the Royal Refreshment package.

You should not expect to see any discounts for the Soda package or the limited quantity drink packages, although it's not entirely unheard of either.

Periodically check the Cruise Planner for new prices to see if there's a better discount.

Keep in mind what someone else paid for the drink package has no bearing on what you can expect either. The dynamic nature of pricing and the lack of a price match program makes comparing drink package prices to someone else meaningless.

Members of Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor Society whom are at least Diamond or higher can get an onboard discount for drink package purchases, but it cannot be used online.

Read more: The Crown and Anchor perks you should use on every Royal Caribbean cruise

The online discount tends to be about the same or better than waiting to book onboard with the Crown and Anchor discount, so I don't recommend waiting to use it.

Read more: Best Time to Buy A Royal Caribbean Drink Package

How do you buy a Royal Caribbean drink package?

You can buy a drink package online, onboard the cruise ship, or by phone. No matter how you buy it, you will be charged immediately at the time of purchase the full amount at that point.

I think the easiest way to buy a drink package is online before the cruise begins.  

You can do so by going to the Cruise Planner website and booking it there.  You could book it from the Royal Caribbean app as well, but I find the Cruise Planner site easier to track price changes.

If you prefer, you can call Royal Caribbean by calling 1-800-398-9819 and placing an order with a cruise line representative.

Lastly, you could wait to buy a drink package onboard your cruise ship from any bar or restaurant. There's usually tables set up around the ship on embarkation day advertising the drink package too.

Is a Royal Caribbean drink package worth it?

Drink packages are expensive, but they can save you a lot of money if you are the type of person who can drink enough to make it worthwhile.

The convenience of not having to think about racking up a giant bar bill is enough for some people to warrant buying a drink package. 

Most people try to think if they will drink enough every day of the cruise to save them money compared to if they just bought each drink individually.

The bottled water and coffee card are the easiest drink packages to determine their value.  With the bottled water, you could bring home any unused water so there's little risk in wasting it.  Of course, Royal Caribbean provides complimentary water and coffees and teas, which is satisfactory for most people.

The Refreshment Package is worth it if you can mix in enough beverages every day.  

A $5 latte, $2 bottled water, $7 for a mocktail, and $4 soda adds up every day (plus gratuity), and with an unlimited amount, you could grab extra bottled water, or get a second coffee and really take advantage of the package.

When it comes to alcoholic beverages, the more hard liquor you order, the more the Deluxe Beverage Package makes sense.

If you drink 6-8 cocktails per day, it's worth it to get a drink package. Likewise, if you drink 9-11 beers per day, it could be a good idea too.

That may sound excessive, but people tend to drink differently on vacation than at home.  If you were to order a latte and bloody mary in the morning, two beers by the pool in the afternoon, two glasses of wine at dinner, and then a cocktail or two in the evening, you're pretty much breaking even on the Deluxe Beverage Package.

I think a drink package is worth it if you're remotely in the neighborhood of drinking enough every day, coupled with the convenience of having it all prepaid.

In addition, you can buy a drink package many months before the cruise begins and pay it off on different billing cycle than onboard the ship along with all the other purchases you make onboard.

If you're not planning to drink a lot, skip the drink package and save the money for something else.  You can still have enough of the basic drinks and charge a few drinks here and there without breaking your budget.

Are there any specific brands of alcoholic beverages included or excluded in the Deluxe Beverage Package?

The Deluxe Beverage Package typically includes a wide range of alcoholic beverages, but specific brands may vary by ship and availability. 

Can guests modify or customize their drink package during the cruise, such as upgrading from the Soda Package to the Deluxe Beverage Package?

Guests can usually upgrade their drink package during the cruise, subject to additional charges. 

How does Royal Caribbean handle drink package usage on private islands or ports of call during the cruise?

On private islands, the drink package extends to include beverages at bars and restaurants on the island.

Drink packages are such a popular cruise add-on, but they've also never been more expensive. This has lead to a growing trend of cruisers opting out of them and looking for other options.

You can expect to pay at least $100 per person, per day for a Royal Caribbean drink package if you buy it on your ship. And while there are discounts off that price if you buy it before the sailing begins, it still represents a major upfront cost.

For a 7-night cruise on the world's largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, the Deluxe Beverage costs $85.99 per person, per day if purchased on the Cruise Planner site. That comes out to $601.93 per person or $1,420.44 for a couple after adding gratuities, as all adults in a cabin need to buy a drink package if one does.

"Price of the deluxe package is absolutely out of control," wrote Stuart Etheridge on a Facebook post discussing the drink packages.

Brian Levor added, "With the package around $700 per person for a week, or single measured shots on the rocks $14+20%, it's just not worth it to me."

With such a high cost, some cruisers are seeking alternative strategies for enjoying drinks on board without overspending.

Here's what people that cruise a lot are doing instead of buying a costly beverage package.

Relying on rewards drinks

Those lucky enough to have cruised a lot already fall back on their daily drink vouchers.

If you reach Diamond level in Crown and Anchor Society, Royal Caribbean gives you 4 drink vouchers per day to use at any bar, lounge, or restaurant.

If you do the math and assume you'll use each of the vouchers for a drink worth $13 each, you'll save about $50 per day on drinks by relying on them exclusively.

Tony Diaz posted in the Royal Caribbean Dining Facebook group, "Use my 5 diamond drinks," and it echoed what a lot of other people said.

Ron Williams wrote, "I’m Diamond Plus, so I don’t get a drink package."

Michalena Vitucci also doesn't see a need to buy a drink package because of the vouchers, "Diamond points so never needed a drink package .. between my husband and I that’s 8 free drinks a day so we never needed to look into other options."

While the Diamond drink vouchers are indeed a fantastic benefit, the downside to this strategy is it won't help new cruisers at all.

In order to make it to Diamond, you need to have at least 80 cruise points.

Drink for free in the casino

A growing trend among cruisers is qualifying for the Prime status in Royal Caribbean's casino loyalty program.

To reach prime, you'll need to accumulate 2500 points between April 1 and March 31. Once you do, you can enjoy unlimited drinks at the casino bar on any Royal Caribbean ship. It even comes with a free cruise too.

While you can only get free drinks at one bar, it provides a tremendous cost savings opportunity considering it will work on any cruise you take while you still have Prime status.

Veteran cruisers that are also Diamond members love to combine the casino drinks with their aforementioned Diamond drinks to truly get the best value from their loyalty.

The downside to the free drinks in the casino is you first need to gamble enough to qualify.  Each casino point is equivalent to about $5 wagered, so there's a higher barrier to entry. Plus, gambling is addictive and despite the rules, the casino on Royal Caribbean ships tends to become a defacto smoker's lounge.

Pay as you go

Instead of a costly drink package, many cruisers are opting to pay as they go.

Drinks can be purchased on a Royal Caribbean cruise a la carte, and it's what everyone did prior to the introduction of drink packages.

The advantage of paying for each individual drink is if you're not much of a drinker.  Charging two or three drinks per day to your SeaPass card is going to be cheaper overall than a beverage package.

Plus, you can take advantage of drink specials and even the occasional free drink around the ship.

"I only have 1 drink per day typically. I’m not a big drinker and prefer water or iced tea," wrote Jeannie Grant.

Kevin Lewis added, "If I really want to have a couple drinks it's not gonna add up as much as the drink package." He also pointed out drinking at bars in the ports of call the ship visits is cheaper.

There's also a psychological effect of not having a drink package, as explained by Ken Kerby, "[I'll] drink less since I won’t be trying to make the most of what I already paid for."

The problem with paying as you go instead of a drink package is that your bar tab can quickly grow out of control if you get carried away.

Hope for a drink card to be offered

On some sailings, Royal Caribbean will offer a drink card that can only be purchased onboard the ship.

The drink card is a punch card that you can buy for a flat fee and it includes 10 drinks per card. It has the same allowances as a drink package, with drinks up to $13/$14 value on beer, wine, soda, or cocktails.

 Plus, you can share the drink card with other guests (unlike the drink package).

"On the Wonder last week you could get a card for 10 alcohol drinks for $90 or $106 with gratuities," wrote Amy Greive.

The problem with a drink card is there is no way to know if it will be offered on your cruise at all. That's because the ship's revenue department will offer it if alcohol sales are not meeting the goal for that voyage.

If it is offered, it's usually towards the end of the cruise.  This makes it impossible to plan or budget for prior to it showing up.

BYOB drinks

A smart idea for any cruiser is to bring non-alcoholic beverages with them onboard, as Royal Caribbean allows up to 12 bottles/cans of water, juice, or soft drinks.

Not only can you bring your own drinks, you could also bring water drink mixes to enhance the flavor of the water included with your cruise fare. (Contains an affiliate link, which costs you nothing extra to use).

Amy Burch wrote, "I bring those Mio flavor water enhancers to add to both tap water and lemonade on the ship."

You're also allowed to bring one bottle of wine per adult on the ship, providing a great alternative for light drinkers.

Book a suite

Royal Caribbean includes beer, wine, and cocktails during certain hours while in the Suite Lounge.

If you're booked in a Grand Suite or higher, Royal Caribbean includes admission to the Suite Lounge, where you can enjoy a happy hour selection of drinks, every day of the cruise.

Depending on the Royal Caribbean ship class you sail on, the hours vary for when you can get free drinks in the lounge.

• Icon & Oasis Class ships: Beer and wine available 11am to 11pm; Happy hour with all drinks for 3 hours in the evening
• All other ships: Happy hour with all drinks for 3 hours in the evening. Hours vary by ship.

The problem with this strategy is it's only available for a few hours each evening, and only in the Suite Lounge.  It's not convenient if you're elsewhere on the ship and/or outside of the time window.

Royal Caribbean's drink packages offer unlimited beverages during a cruise, but the question is how much can you practically consume every day.

The premise of a drink package is pay a flat fee to enjoy as many cocktails, beers, glasses of wine, coffees, and bottles of water as you like during your cruise.  Drink packages have become incredibly popular with cruisers, and the average price has steadily gone up over the years.

Read more: Everything you need to know about a Royal Caribbean drink package

One user on the Royal Caribbean subreddit was curious how much others were truly drinking every day to make that cost worthwhile.

"Those who get the drink package, how many alcoholic drinks do y'all end up consuming per day and do you drink every day?" the thread asked.

Over 200 responses followed, with cruisers sharing their experiences with Royal Caribbean's drink packages.

Drink counts

The responses to the Reddit thread ran the gamut of possible responses, with some people claiming to have consumed easily over 100 drinks over the course of one sailing.

cat_mom_dot_com answered with her count depending on how into drinking their day was, "20 to 30 on the hardcore days. 5 to 10 on the lowkey days."

Warm-Refridgerator242 explained being on vacation is a different approach than being at home, "I would say I end up having between 10 and 15 drinks a day and I don't typically drink besides on cruises. It can sound like a lot but when you wake up around 8 am and you're up until night you'll end up having a good amount of drinks!"

They added that the appeal of the drink package is the convenience of not worrying about a bar bill later, "I definitely recommend it overall, it's nice being able to get a drink and not worry about if you like it or not because you can always order another. Plus the convenience factor of not having to sign every receipt is nice."

Many of the answers came in between 10-20 drinks per day, with many people saying not every drink contained alcohol. The Deluxe Beverage Package and the Royal Refreshment Package both include bottled water, premium coffee & teas, juices, sodas and other soft drinks.

DoctorHathaway explained how the drink package works beyond alcohol, "I do about 12 alcoholic drinks a day. I also drink about 2 specialty coffees, a bunch of fountain drinks (mostly flavored seltzers), and I usually grab about 4-6 bottles of water from the bar."

If the drink counts sound high, many were quick to point out that the potency of Royal Caribbean's drinks did not seem very high. Many people said the bartenders measure the amount of liquor dispensed and that resulted in drinks not being as potent as you might expect.

"It’s worth it for the convenience"

The overwhelming consensus among those that responded in the thread was no matter how much they consumed per day, the drink package value was worthwhile.

When you buy a drink package, the cost includes the drinks and gratuity, along with the ability to sample drinks.  There's no penalty for not finishing drinks.

Ginsengii shared that while they did not drink a lot, the freedom it provided was worth the cost, "I don’t think my husband and I will “get our money’s worth” in terms of literal cost per drink, but to me, it’s worth it for the convenience. "

"I’m someone who would hem and haw over spending the extra money on a second drink at dinner or skip out on the mimosa at breakfast if I had to make the decision to pay for it in the moment. By buying the package, I am able to fully relax and not worry about costs because everything is prepaid."

"It might not make total sense, but it works for me."

Practical-Money-7982 talked about how having a drink package changes how they cruise, "For me the package is always worth it no matter how much I drink."

"I have more fun when I'm drinking as I have trouble loosening up. If I don't buy the package I will not drink at all because I'll have to justify $15/drink which I will not be able to."

The break even point

While there were some flaunting daily drink counts, many were also looking at how much they had to drink to make the drink package cost worthwhile.  

Justifying the drink package price was about determining how much they had to drink each day to end up spending the same amount if they paid for drinks on their own.  Royal Caribbean drink prices are about $7.99 for a beer, $10-$14 per cocktail, and $3.50 for a soda.

Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing for its drink packages, so the price varies from sailing to sailing.  And there are pre-cruise discounts if you buy before the cruise begins.

Read more: How much is a Royal Caribbean drink package?

OhWhatsHisName calculated it was very easy to get your drink package value back without going too heavy into alcoholic drinks, "I can get fancy coffees in the morning, milkshakes and other fruity drinks throughout the day, bottled waters for excursions, etc. so factor those in, then to break even for the alcoholic drinks that's not even 5 a day, so that's 2 alcoholic drinks at lunch, 3 at dinner, which is very easily hit."

Jane_Marie_CA also found 3-10 cocktails a day combined with juices, soda, iced lattes, and smoothies made the package a good buy, "my break even point is somewhere between 4-5 cocktails a day when I factor my non booze consumption."

Some felt it wasn't worth it

While most of the people in the thread celebrated the virtues of a drink package, others lamented the purchase and couldn't justify it.

Gat0rJesus felt having the drink package made them drink more than they would otherwise, "We got it and had to drink far more than normal to make it worth it."

MaroonCanuck added, "The sheer caloric intake of some of these posts 15-20 drinks a day. Oh my heart hurts."

For a few people, the up front cost made them think twice, "Average 8-10. It was fun. Prob won't do it again, though. Will just pay out of pocket or bring some on board," BrushYourFeet said.

Could it be the end of the Buy One, Get One discount offered onboard Royal Caribbean cruise ships for the popular drink package?

Nothing has been officially announced as a matter of policy, but on two different ships this week, cruisers reported not seeing the BOGO deal offered when a drink package is purchased onboard.

Read more: Royal Caribbean drink packages prices and info

On Enchantment of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas, the flyer for buying a drink package doesn't have a BOGO offer.

Thomas Budzyn wrote on Facebook, "at least on Freedom of the Seas, there is no longer a BOGO sale for the drink package."

Another cruise on Enchantment of the Seas confirmed he was seeing the same thing on Enchantment of the Seas.

Don Goldstein reported on Icon of the Seas he was seeing the same thing, "The bar tender at Overlook on Icon told us that Royal was no longer doing drink package BOGOs purchased onboard."

The BOGO offer essentially gives a 50% discount on the cost of a drink package when buying it for two passengers. It was offered when buying a drink package onboard the ship on the first or second day of the cruise.

To be clear, the pre-cruise discount is still being offered, and this is an observation made just onboard a couple of ships by a few cruisers. 

Without the discount, each drink package purchased onboard a ship would cost at least $100 per person, per day for the Deluxe Beverage Package.

Moreover, Royal Caribbean requires all adults in the same stateroom to buy the Deluxe Beverage Package if at least one adult does so. There is no such rule for the Royal Refreshment or Soda packages.

The reason the rule is in place is to prevent sharing of drink package benefits.

Book online before the cruise to get the best price

Whether or not Royal Caribbean has a BOGO discount on its ships, you're doing yourself a disservice by waiting to book a drink package onboard.

Royal Caribbean regularly offers a substantial discount when a drink package is purchased before the cruise begins. It's common to see 35-45% off the cost of a drink package online.

Depending on the promotion offered, you can usually get the Deluxe Beverage Package for around $60-$80 per person.  It varies from sailing to sailing, but the price offered in the Royal Caribbean app or website is always cheaper than buying it onboard.

Read more: Best time to purchase a Royal Caribbean drink package

For example, on a recent Icon of the Seas sailing, the Deluxe Beverage Package was on sale for $76.99 instead of $110 per person, per day. Royal Caribbean says its 30% off savings.

You can always re-price the drink package when buying it online, all the way up to a few days before your cruise. This allows you to cancel and rebook if the price drops.  Its a significant advantage for consumers.

My recommendation is to never wait to buy the drink package on the ship because of the higher price tag, and now the added risk of the BOGO discount not being available.

How to maximize a drink package purchase

Whether you buy a drink package onboard or online, there are a few easy tips for getting the most out of your beverage package.

Your drink package works at more places than just bars. Besides ordering a drink at the Pub, Schooner Bar, or at the pool, you can also get drinks at specialty restaurants, the Main Dining Room and even Perfect Day at CocoCay or Labadee.

This not only extends the value of a drink package, but you can sample the special cocktails found at specialty restaurants. Some favorites include the Mason Jar, 150 Central Park, Jamie's Italian and Wonderland.

Ask for top shelf liquor. When you order a drink, don't just ask for the drink by name.  Rather, ask for the drink by name and specify the liquor you want with it.

If you don't do this, you might end up with a generic liquor instead of something better.  Higher-end spirits tend to be smoother and have a better flavor.  Plus, it's included with your drink package, so don't be afraid to ask for a higher quality vodka, tequila, or rum.

Don't overlook other beverages included. While you might be focused on cocktails, beer, and wine, you should also look at the non-alcoholic beverages to get more value out of your drink package. 

Premium coffees, teas, soft drinks, and bottled water are included in the Deluxe Beverage Package and Royal Refreshment package, and you should order these to make it easier to "break even" on a drink package purchase cost.

Stock up on bottled water. My favorite trick for maximizing the drink package is to get extra bottles of water.

Bottled water is super helpful to have around the ship and on shore.  It's a good idea to ask for a bottle of water along with your regular drink order so that you can start stockpiling bottles in your cabin.

Having extra bottles of water provides a convenient way to stay hydrated on your cruise. Plus, you can bring bottled water with you off the cruise ship into port when on a shore excursion.

Having unlimited drinks on your Royal Caribbean cruise isn't as cheap as it used to be.

Royal Caribbean's unlimited drink package that includes alcohol is now priced regularly at least $100 per person, per day when purchased onboard. The cruise line uses dynamic pricing, so it's not a standard fleetwide price, but our team has consistently observed that the advertised onboard price is regularly in triple digits.

On Freedom of the Seas this week, the price for the Deluxe Beverage Package was listed at $110 per person, per day for the 4-night cruise. On this week's Liberty of the Seas 5-night Bermuda sailing, it's at $105.

On Icon of the Seas, the price was recently $115 per person, per day for a 7-night sailing.

That price is before the automatic 18% gratuity that is added on top of the drink package price which covers the bartenders that serve any drink ordered with the package.

Royal Caribbean's Deluxe Beverage Package includes almost every drink served onboard, minus super top shelf liquors. This includes a fruity cocktail, beer, some wines by the glass, premium coffees, sodas, smoothies, bottled water and sports drinks, milkshakes, and fresh squeezed juices. It's pretty much any beverage that is $14 or less.

You can even choose from top shelf liquor, like Buffalo Trace, Jack Daniel's, Johnnie Walker Black, Grey Goose, Captain Morgan, and Patron too. 

It also comes with 40% discount on bottles of wines under $100 and 20% discount on wines over $100.

While it does not  include drinks from in-room minibars or room service, they do work at its private destinations of Perfect Day at CocoCay and Labadee, Haiti.

It's also important to note that when you buy a drink package, you must buy it for every day of your sailing. You cannot "cherry pick" days you want to use it.  

In addition, Royal Caribbean has a rule in place if one adult purchases the Deluxe Beverage Package in a cabin, all other adults in the same cabin must buy it too.  This rule is prevent sharing drink package benefits with friends or family.  This rule doesn't apply to kids, or if you opt for the non-alcoholic drink packages.

Read more: 9 Ways That People Cheat The Royal Caribbean Drink Package

To be fair, the onboard price is a bit misleading because Royal Caribbean offers a significant discount of half off for the second person.  There are also Crown and Anchor Society discounts offered to some tiers to help with that price as well. In short, you can pay much less for a drink package by pre-purchasing.

There are two other Royal Caribbean drink packages that do not include any alcohol, the Royal Refreshment Package and the Soda Package.

Royal Caribbean's drink packages have been quite popular since they first debuted, and the price has steadily climbed over the past few years. It's likely that strong demand for drink packages is a factor in driving up the price. Royal Caribbean Group executives have repeatedly pointed to strong demand by its customers for add-ons, such as the drink package, in its quarterly reports.

Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Jason Liberty said in April 2024 the significant uptick in onboard spending was a factor for the company's success., "Strong ticket and onboard revenue and favorable timing of expenses contributed to the better-than-expected earnings performance."  

How to save money on a drink package

If a $100 per day price tag gives you pause, the good news is there's no reason to pay that price.

Royal Caribbean regularly offers pre-cruise discounts on its drink package when you buy it before the cruise begins. In fact, the line just kicked off it's Memorial Day sale on pre-cruise purchases. Guests can expect up to 35% off savings on purchases.

Depending on the promotion offered, you can usually get the Deluxe Beverage Package for around $60-$80 per person.  It varies from sailing to sailing, but the price offered in the Royal Caribbean app or website is always cheaper than buying it onboard.

Read more: When is the best time to purchase a Royal Caribbean drink package?

For example, on the Icon of the Seas June 29 sailing, the Deluxe Beverage Package is on sale for $76.99 instead of $110 per person, per day. Royal Caribbean says its 30% off savings.

Moreover, you can always re-price the drink package in the months leading up to your cruise by cancelling and rebooking if the price drops.  Its a significant advantage for consumers.

It's my recommendation to never wait to buy the drink package on the ship because of the higher price tag.

It's all about convenience

No matter the price, the top reason many cruisers buy a drink package is for the convenience of having a fixed price for all their vacation drink needs.

While not cheap, an often cited reason for buying a drink package is to not have to worry about running up a big bar bill during their cruise.

A cocktail can cost $14, plus gratuity.  After 3 or 4, you've already spent over $50 that day, and that doesn't include specialty coffees or juice.

RoyalCaribbeanBlog user WAYNO wrote, "The drink package is so convenient.  And I was able to experiment with drinks that I normally would never buy.  Or if a drink became warm or stale, or even boring, I could push it aside and order another."

aubtfan added, "Having drinks prepaid is worth it to us. So convenient."

FrogFanatic wrote, "I love the feeling of freedom knowing that if I chose to try something that I wouldn't try at home and don't like it, then no big deal, just order something else. It's the peace of mind that is part of what I am paying for and that is big for me."

Royal Caribbean is offering a one-day promotion on its very popular unlimited drink packages.

On Monday, May 6, Royal Caribbean is advertising up to 45% off beverage package purchases made via the Cruise Planner website or by calling Royal Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean drink packages offer a flat fee for as many beers, wine by the glass, soda, or cocktails you'd like during your cruise.  There are also other drink packages that do not include alcohol. Guest that purchase a drink package are able to enjoy unlimited drinks each day of their cruise, including at Perfect Day at CocoCay and Labadee!

This deal is in honor of "National Beverage Day".

Deal basics

To get this offer, you need to either log into your Royal Caribbean account and go to the Cruise Planner or call Royal Caribbean to purchase a drink package.

The sale is valid for sailings departing May 9, 2024 through May 31, 2025. It's only available to bookings made May 6, 2024.

It applies to all three of Royal Caribbean's drink packages: Deluxe Beverage package, Refreshment Package, and Classic Soda package.

Keep in mind if you buy the Deluxe Beverage Package, if you have multiple guests 21 and older staying in the same stateroom, all adults will be required to purchase their own package. This is done to help reduce the sharing of benefits. 

Celebrity Cruises is also offering its own deal for today only, with up to 35% off with its National Beverage Day Flash Sale.

Celebrity's offer is for select sailings departing May 10 – March 28, 2025, excluding Celebrity Beyond June 23rd, charter sailings and holiday sailings.

Will this offer save me money?

Despite the flashy name for the sale, there's no guarantee the actual price of your drink package will be any different.

Royal Caribbean runs promotions throughout the year on its cruise add-ons, and there seems to be sales just about every week.

The difference with this sale is that it's being advertised more prominently, and it's just one day.  Plus, the promise of up to 45% off is intriguing.

To check if your sailing has this new offer available, log into the Cruise Planner on Royal Caribbean's web site look for any available offers. Not all sailings may see the sale applicable, nor are all offers significantly cheaper than previously posted.

To find the discounted rates, log into the My Cruises section of the Royal Caribbean web site, and navigate to the Cruise Planner section for the sailing you are interested in.

Once logged in, navigate to the Beverage section and look for advertised rates. You will likely see something similar to this: 

There's certainly no harm in checking if the price of a drink package for your particular sailing has gone down at all.  When it comes to Royal Caribbean sales, it's best to ignore the percentage off advertised, and focus on the total price when you add it your cart.

Remember, the pre-cruise price is almost certainly going to be better than the price onboard the ship if you wait to book it once you board the ship.

Read more: When is the best time to buy a Royal Caribbean Drink Package?

If the price of the drink package is cheaper than what you bought previously, you can cancel the purchase and then re-purchase the drink package again with this discount.

Beverage package purchases made online can be canceled and full refunded at any time, up until about 3 days before your sail date.

Advantage to pre-purchasing a drink package now

If you are going to get a drink package, your best bet is to book it now to lock in the price.

One common mistake among cruisers is waiting to book a drink package, either because they want to see if the price will continue to drop or they hesitate to book.

Read more: 9 incredibly easy cruise mistakes to avoid

The reason waiting to book a drink package until closer to your sail date is a mistake is because the price could go up, and then you would end you paying more than you originally saw it listed for online.

Instead, you should book the drink package at whatever price you see it for online before your cruise.  Remember, you can always cancel it if you change your mind later, up to 48 hours before your cruise begins.

By booking the drink package now, you lock in the price and protect yourself against a price increase while still being able to take advantage of a price drop.

One cruise fan discovered a great trick for being able to enjoy alcoholic drinks on their cruise without a costly drink package.

A Royal Caribbean drink package is a very popular add-on, but they are not cheap purchases. You could pay anywhere from $60-100 per person, per day for the Deluxe Beverage Package.

While drink packages do offer a cost-savings opportunity to cruisers, not everyone will find that value.  

On the Royal Caribbean Dining Facebook group, Mandi King shared a hack she found that is a good middle ground between buying a drink package and paying for your drinks individually.

The lesser-known liquor bottle option

Ms. King shared that she came across this idea because she doesn't drink enough to justify buying a drink package.

"I know this won't apply to many of you, but I don't drink enough to justify the drink package so I thought I would share my little cruise hack for those of you in the same boat (pun intended)," she said in her post.

She discovered 375 ml bottles of alcohol available for purchase from the Royal Caribbean gifts website.

Each bottle comes with a few sodas, but she admits she'll give the sodas to her children.  Instead, she will bring different drink mix flavors with her onboard to mix with water and her vodka purchase.

"I purchased two vodka/sprite packages for $88, which sounds expensive for essentially a fifth of vodka but it will make 16 drinks with 1.5oz pours - that's just $5.50 per drink so will save me a ton compared to buying drinks at the bar"

To make her DIY cocktails better, she leverages the complimentary fruit on the ship.

"I also like to grab some fruit from the buffet to add to them - add a little watermelon, strawberries, orange, and/or pineapple and it becomes a fancy drink!"

Another idea is to bring drink mixers with you so that the alcohol you choose can be better enjoyed.  A reader suggested taking Skinnies cocktail mixers as something that works well (Link contains affiliate link, which costs you nothing extra to use!).

There is a caveat to this hack, it’s not available on all sailings.

Combine this hack with the added ability to bring one bottle of wine or Champagne per adult in a cabin onboard your ship, and Ms. King feels she has a cost-effective strategy to enjoy drinks on her Royal Caribbean cruise.

Every adult (21 years or older) is allowed to bring, in a carry-on, one bottle (750 mL) of wine or Champagne. There is a $15 corkage fee if you consume your bottle in a dining room.  Sorry, you are not allowed to bring beer or liquor. 

Cruisers love this idea

"I did this and it was absolutely perfect for me!" is what Becky Weaver commented on the post, and a lot of other people have embraced the idea.

LeeAnn Freiburger added, "We did the same. Order 2 of these plus a bottle of champagne , 2-6 packs of Truly and will carry on two bottles of champagne. No way could we drink $1,200 worth so this was a no-brainer for us."

Marcia Tivoli agreed, "I purchased a bottle of whiskey for hubby one sailing -- totally worth it!"

It's not a perfect option for everyone, but it seems to fit the needs of casual drinkers.

"If you only want 2 cocktails per day (assuming 7 nights) and don't mind going back to your room to get one, it's a good idea," Tom Hoffman wrote.

Lj Castillo said, "That's what we do now that we're diamond. Makes no sense to buy the drink package when you can get those and sodas."

Other ways to save money instead of buying a drink package

If this hack has you contemplating skipping a drink package, there are other ways you can enjoy alcoholic drinks without splurging for an all-included beverage package.

Ryan Southworth commented to keep an eye out for the 10 drink punch cards sometimes offered on ships.

In recent months, we've seen the drink card make a comeback on many cruises.  Essentially, it's a pre-paid card for 10 drinks that you can use (and share with anyone else) for a fixed price.  

The "catch" with the drink card is there's no way to know in advance if it will be offered on your cruise.  If it is offered, it may not be available until the end of the sailing.

Still, it's a great value and shareable.

If you have a port intensive itinerary, it might be more cost-effective to do your drinking while in port.

Royal Caribbean's drink prices are probably higher than what you'll find in the places your ship visits, especially in the Caribbean.

Finding bars or vendors selling inexpensive beers, cocktails and more is not usually difficult. You can usually find a few right in the pier area, with more in the town or city your ship visits. 

If you're booked in a suite, then take advantage of the free cocktails offered in the evening.

The Suite Lounge or Concierge Lounge offers beers, wine, and cocktails each evening for guests in a Grand Suite or higher.  Pinnacle Club members are allowed in too, although sometimes this is capped if there are a lot of Pinnacles onboard.

It's available for a few hours each night, so speak to the Suite Concierge host for more information.