If you're on a long cruise, you might have access to a new Royal Caribbean drink package that seems to be the perfect middle ground for lots of cruisers.

There are drink packages to buy on any Royal Caribbean cruise, and they offer unlimited drinks for the entire duration of the sailing.

For a lot of people, having unlimited drinks is the perfect solution for a enjoyable vacation without worrying about running up a big bar bill.

But there are cruisers who want to enjoy some drinks, but find paying for an unlimited drink package is overkill for their needs.

Now there's a new option that seems to cater to that crowd, but there's a catch.

Refreshment + 10 Drinks package

Over the last week, cruisers have started posting screenshots of a new drink package option.

Known as Refreshment + 10 Drinks Package, it combines the Royal Refreshment package and 10 individual alcoholic beverages.

The Royal Refreshment Package is a non-alcoholic beverage package that pretty much includes every drink available on the ship that doesn't have any booze in it.

This includes:

• Coca-Cola Freestyle Machine beverages
• Can and fountain soda
• Bottled still water, sparkling water, and CocoLove coconut water
• Fresh-squeezed juices
• Smoothies and protein shakes
• Specialty coffees and teas
• Johnny Rockets® Shakes and Desserted Soda Floats
• Non-alcoholic spirits, wines and beers (only available to guests of legal drinking age)
• Frozen drinks (Non-alcoholic pina colada, etc.)

On top of that, this new package has 10 alcoholic beverages of your choice you can order throughout the duration of the cruise. It's not 10 drinks per day, simply 10 drinks total.

Royal Caribbean says, "this is the package for ultimate flexibility".

The onboard price of a Royal Refreshment package is usually $32 to $42 per person, per day. A cocktail usually costs between $10 - $14 each. Pre-cruise sales have had the Refreshment package as low as $29.99 per person, per day.

Prices for the Refreshment + 10 Drinks Package have been spotted at $36.99 per person, per day when purchased online.

An important rule to be aware of is the cruise line does seem to require all adults in the same cabin to be required to purchase it if one does, which is a rule found with the unlimited alcohol package.

There's a catch who can buy it

Before you run out to book the Refreshment + 10 Drinks Package on every sailing you have booked, you should know it's only available on select sailings.

Based on what cruisers have shared from their bookings, it's clear Royal Caribbean is only offering it on long sailings that exceed a week.

Most people are reporting it available on transatlantic, Panama Canal crossings, and other cruises that go well past 10 days.

As far as I can tell, it's not available on cruises that are a week or less.  Or at least the people on them haven't shared any details of it yet.

Addressing a need cruisers have

In my opinion, it looks as though Royal Caribbean wants to satisfy a customer need on these types of sailings.

Long cruises that are more than a week are less likely to sell a full unlimited alcohol drink package because it's difficult to drink enough every day of the sailing to make it worthwhile.

I refer to this phenomenon as "drink package fatigue", where the novelty of having unlimited drinks runs out, and it seems almost like a chore to order drinks simply because you have the package.

The other factor is a drink package over 10 or more nights is going to have a high up front cost.

Even with pre-cruise sales, a cruise that is two weeks or more could have the Deluxe Beverage Package easily cost more than $1,000 per person.

Shifting drinking habits

I believe this particular drink package has more to do with bumping up drink package sales than anything else, but there's another factor at play.

Royal Caribbean is seeing a shifting demographic of younger cruisers going on ships. Half of Royal Caribbean cruisers are now Millennials or younger.

One trend among Millennials and Gen Z is more of them prefer non-alcoholic beverages than previous generations.

A recent study showed 23% of Gen Z and 24% of Millennials have tried these drinks more frequently than other generations.

Royal Caribbean has seen this trend and is already adopting to it.

They recently revamped their fleetwide drink menu, adding far more mocktails to it than ever before.

There are multiple pages of low-alcohol and zero-proof drinks to choose from.

Royal Caribbean offers its Refreshment Package as a way to enjoy unlimited non-alcoholic drinks, but is it worth it?

With the Refreshment Package, you can order almost any non-alcoholic beverage at any bar and restaurant on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship. This includes as much mocktails, sparkling water, premium coffee, and sodas on your cruise as you like.

This is a convenient way to budget how much you need to spend on drinks without worrying about a big bill later.

It's a popular extra add-on, but is the Refreshment Package worth it on Royal Caribbean?

What does the Refreshment package include?

Basically, any beverage on your Royal Caribbean cruise that doesn't have alcohol is included with the Refreshment package:

• Coca-Cola Freestyle Machine beverages including sodas, sugar free sodas, Minute Maid lemonades, Powerade, vitaminwater®, iced tea, fruit punch and more
• Can and fountain soda
• Bottled still water, sparkling water, and CocoLove coconut water
• Fresh-squeezed juices
• Smoothies and protein shakes
• Specialty coffees and teas
• Johnny Rockets® Shakes and Desserted Soda Floats
• Non-alcoholic spirits, wines and beers (only available to guests of legal drinking age)
• Frozen drinks (Non-alcoholic pina colada, etc.)

Guests who purchase the Royal Refreshment package will also receive a souvenir Coca-Cola cup, which can be used with the Coca-Cola Freestyle machines on select Royal Caribbean ships.

The drink package works as well while at Perfect Day at CocoCay or Labadee.

How much is the Refreshment package?

If you buy the Refreshment Package on your ship, it will cost $40 per person, per night (excluding gratuity).

However, you can save a lot of money if you pre-purchase it before the cruise begins.

Gratuity will be automatically added to the cost when you go to buy it, and is 18% of the daily cost.

Is there ever a discount offered on the Refreshment package?

Sale prices on the drink package can bring that price as low as $29 per person, per day.

It's why I always recommend pre-purchasing drink packages before the cruise begins to save money.

Royal Caribbean offers sales quite often through its Cruise Planner site and app. These sales apply to drink packages, WiFi, shore excursions, and more.

There is no risk in purchasing a drink package now and taking advantage of a price drop later. If you spot a better discount on something you already pre-purchased, you should be able to cancel the purchase and then re-purchase the same item under this promotion.

Does the Refreshment package include premium coffees too?

Royal Caribbean defines "premium coffees" as cappuccinos, espressos, and lattes. Thus, espresso based drinks are included with the Royal Refreshment package at any restaurant, bar, or cafe that serves espresso beverages.

This includes specialty coffees you can get at Cafe Promenade, Cafe Latte-tudes, or Cafe@Two70. At these locations, they serve Starbucks drinks and are included with a Refreshment Package.

However, the Refreshment Package does not work at Starbucks kiosks.

Why should you buy the Refreshment Package

If you're someone that wants to have more than three or four non-alcoholic drinks per day, I think the Refreshment Package makes a lot of sense.

It's also the right choice if you don't want alcoholic drinks.  If you want cocktails, beer, or wine, you should upgrade to the Deluxe Beverage Package.

The Refreshment Package is very popular with teenagers and young people that cannot drink alcohol yet.  They'll make it worth their while buy enjoy a lot of premium coffees, mocktails and sodas. A growing amount of adults are opting for this sort of a drink package too.

There's no question this beverage package can save you money compared to ordering the same amount of drinks individually onboard.  As long as you can drink enough every day to make it worthwhile, this is the right buy.

How is this different from the soda package?

The soda package only includes soft drinks and a souvenir Coca-Cola cup, whereas the Refreshment package includes mocktails, coffees, juices, milk shakes and sodas.

So the difference is if you want just sodas or other beverages included with the package as well.

Is it worth it to buy a Refreshment package?

Ultimately the value is based on how much you'll actually drink on your cruise.

I think most people that buy it find it worthwhile for the convenience.  One price and you don't have to worry about how much each drink costs.

You're on vacation, why be bothered with how much a drink costs.

Royal Caribbean positions the price so that it's more expensive than if you were a casual drinker that wanted one or two drinks per day, but it's a good value for those that truly enjoy a lot of beverages that aren't included in the cruise fare.

If you're someone that will probably have a couple drinks per day, every day of the sailing, then I think it's absolutely worth it. Factor in a latte in the morning, a couple of mocktails during the day, and bottled water here and there, and you'll be breaking even on the total cost. 

The most important thing is to buy the drink package before the cruise begins to take advantage of a lower price.  Waiting to book it onboard is a mistake.

Royal Caribbean has made a change to one of the rules regarding its popular drink packages.

When a passenger purchases the unlimited alcohol package, it requires all other adults in the same stateroom to purchase it too. However, there was a caveat that allowed for someone who is unable or unwilling to drink alcohol to call in and get an exemption.

The cruise line quietly updated its policy to remove that option.

Rumors quickly swirled among passengers of a rule change, and Royal Caribbean Blog has confirmed the cruise line has indeed changed its rules.

According to a Royal Caribbean spokesperson, "Beginning August 1, Royal Caribbean will no longer be able to grant exceptions to our policy that both guests in a stateroom must purchase the Deluxe Beverage Package."

This means guests can no longer call and request to have the other passenger purchase the Royal Refreshment package instead.

To be clear, this rule only applies when someone buys the Deluxe Beverage Package, which is the unlimited alcohol package. There's no similar requirement for the Royal Refreshment Package or Soda package.

Why Royal Caribbean is making the policy change

The policy shift came as a surprise to many cruisers, because it's been in place for years.

Royal Caribbean says it's making the change due to how the exception was being used.

"This change allows us to ensure guests are consuming their beverage package responsibly. Over time, requests for exceptions have increased, and sharing of packages has continued, which led us to implement this policy change," the company spokesperson said.

The exception was in place to offer an alternative to guests who couldn't drink alcohol, such as expectant mothers, people in recovery, and other specific needs.

Evidently more and more people were aware of the option, and that necessitated the change.

One of the biggest problems with the unlimited drink package is when guests share the benefits with someone that doesn't have it, which is strictly against the rules.

The cruise line has determined the level of abuse of the drink package benefits in sharing with those that have circumvented the rules reached a breaking point.

Not the first time drink packages rules had to change

This isn't the first time Royal Caribbean has made policy shifts to its drink packages in order to curb sharing of packages.

When they first introduced an unlimited alcohol package, there were no requirements on all adults needing to buy it too, despite other cruise lines having those rules in place.

Later, Royal Caribbean relented and made the policy change to require if one adult bought the Deluxe Beverage Package then all other adults in the same stateroom must buy it also.

Just like today, that change was made due to too many passengers sharing drink package benefits with those that didn't have the drink package.

Cruisers react

The policy change was noted quickly among social media, where people quickly shared their thoughts on why it needed to happen.

On the Royal Caribbean message boards, there was a mix of surprise, lament, and frustration.

JFCruise posted, "I can see them doing this because people might abuse the exception, too.  But what will happen now is that they will see even fewer sales of the package and people just buying as they go."

ZBrady added, "The tricky thing is there are legitimate reasons for only needing one deluxe package, but its basically impossible to have means to 'prove' many of the reasons."

"My response is I will go without a package and do with other promos and leverage any discounts I can get as a Platinum member.", DunwoodyDad wrote.

Top_Turnip4781 posted on the Royal Caribbean sub reddit, "I’m assuming they closed the loophole. People were doing this and still sharing alcohol. Only takes a few to ruin it for everyone."

A poster claiming to be a Royal Caribbean employee said the abuse of the policy became too much, "As others have pointed out it’s unfortunately because selfish people abuse the exemptions (supposed to be reserved for pregnant women, those recovering/recovered from addiction, etc.).

"While I personally support having exemptions, privacy concerns over documentation and physical processing of the requests basically made it an honor system sort of deal, which is where people started abusing it."

Options for cruising without a drink package

Royal Caribbean was quick to add that despite the policy change, guests are still able to purchase a la carte drinks and drink specials will still be widely available throughout the ship.

While drink packages are quite convenient, they're not essential or required to cruise.

With some good planning, you might find a way to enjoy alcoholic beverages on your cruise without buying a beverage package and avoiding a high bar bill.

• Each adult is allowed to bring one bottle of wine onboard on embarkation day, and there's no cost if consumed in your stateroom
• Attaining Prime status in the Royal Caribbean casino loyalty program allows for unlimited complimentary alcoholic beverages in the casino bar
• Once you reach Diamond level in Crown and Anchor Society, guests receive four complimentary drinks per day
• Rarely, there is a 10 drink card offered onboard select sailings that is shareable
• You could choose to do most of your drinking in port, which may have less expensive drink prices
• Booking a suite is a workaround, because Royal Caribbean includes beer, wine, and cocktails during certain hours while in the Suite Lounge

I tried Royal Caribbean’s drink package for the first time, but I didn’t get my money’s worth. That being said, I loved the convenience of the package, so it might be worth a try on your next cruise.

Drink packages are one of the most popular add-ons to purchase before a Royal Caribbean cruise. The Deluxe Beverage Package offers unlimited alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, and it is a must-have for many cruisers.

Having access to unlimited drinks allows passengers to relax and unwind during their vacation, whether onboard the ship or at Royal Caribbean’s private destinations of Perfect Day at CocoCay and Labadee.

Despite cruising with Royal Caribbean over 20 times, I never purchased a drink package. While I enjoy a cocktail here and there, I never thought I could drink enough to make the cost of a drink package worth it.

On my most recent sailing on Utopia of the Seas, though, I tried a Deluxe Beverage Package for the first time. I booked a Star Class suite, which included a drink package in the cruise fare. During my short, 3-night cruise, I tried to make the most of the drink package to get my money’s worth.

Unfortunately, it turned out to be a waste of money for me, and I probably wouldn’t try it again.

Most drink packages cost between $80 and $90 per day

Royal Caribbean’s drink package price varies from sailing to sailing, but you can typically expect to pay around $80 to $90 per day with gratuities.

Drink prices onboard vary, too, but cocktails are usually around $14, with beers and seltzers priced around $8.

Related: How much is a Royal Caribbean drink package?

Therefore, to “break even” on the drink package, passengers need to drink at least 6-7 drinks per day. This is an easy number to reach for some cruisers, especially those celebrating a special event, like a bachelorette, onboard.

For others—myself included—it can be a challenge to drink enough to find value in the package.

I didn’t think I could drink enough to break even on the daily cost

Even though my drink package was included in the cost of my luxury Star Class suite, I still technically paid for the package in my base cruise fare. Knowing that the package would cost around $270 for my 3-night cruise, I doubted I could drink enough during the weekend to break even.

Plus, as a Diamond Plus member of Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society, I already receive 5 free drinks per day. This would effectively bring my “break-even” number to over 11 drinks per day.

For the purposes of this review, I’ll keep my break-even number to around 6-7 drinks per day, as most Royal Caribbean passengers do not receive free Diamond drinks.

Immediately, I felt a sense of pressure to order drinks

As soon as I boarded the ship, I felt as if a clock were ticking. If I wanted to make the drink package worth it, I needed to start ordering drinks soon.

I grabbed a latte after boarding, as specialty coffees are included in the drink package. At only $5, though, I still had a ways to go.

Embarkation day can be hectic. In between completing my muster drill, unpacking my suitcase, and exploring the ship, I realized I hadn’t ordered a drink in several hours. Hoping to “make up” for this lost time, I grabbed a glass of white wine to enjoy while getting ready.

Later that evening, I ordered a cucumber martini at dinner, followed by a bourbon mule at The Mason Jar, Royal Caribbean’s southern-inspired restaurant and bar.

In total, the four drinks I ordered on embarkation day hardly made a dent in the daily cost of a drink package.

As the weekend continued, I shifted my mindset on the drink package

One of the biggest advantages of having a drink package is ordering drinks without receiving a large bill at the end of the cruise. For some cruisers, a prepaid drink package provides peace of mind. It allows them to relax without worrying about the price of each individual drink, whether they order 5 per day or 15.

On the second day of my cruise, I realized the drink package wasn’t only about breaking even, but also about enjoying drinks without stress.

Related: 21 drinks to order if you have a cruise drink package

I began to order drinks more frequently throughout the day, whether two glasses of wine with lunch or an Aperol spritz by the pool.

I also started carrying my included Coca-Cola souvenir cup around the ship, which provided unlimited soft drinks from the Coca-Cola freestyle machines.

In short, I stopped worrying about counting each individual drink—the stress of doing so kept me from enjoying my cruise to the fullest. I realized one of the best benefits of the package is the convenience factor; it provides a more all-inclusive experience to a Royal Caribbean cruise.

I tried nearly a dozen new drinks while onboard

One of the biggest benefits of Royal Caribbean’s Deluxe Beverage Package is the ability to try new drinks. There are dozens of cocktails available on Royal Caribbean’s ships, and many bars offer totally unique drink menus.

When paying for drinks individually, it’s easy to stick to the status quo. Most cruisers, after all, do not want to waste $15 on a drink they may not enjoy. Because of this, it’s common to stick to tried-and-true favorites, like a classic piña colada or familiar brand of beer.

Yet with a drink package, there’s no pressure to actually finish each drink. If you order a beverage and don’t like it, you can order another for no additional cost.

Related: Royal Caribbean Drink Package Info, Tips, Pros & Cons

During my 3 nights onboard, I loved trying new-to-me cocktails. I sipped on a boozy banana float while listening to live country music at The Mason Jar and grabbed fruity coladas at the tropical-themed Pesky Parrot bar.

The drink package gave me the freedom to try new drinks without worrying about whether or not I would like them.

After a while, however, drinking and eating too much made me feel lethargic

One of my favorite aspects of sailing on a new Royal Caribbean ship like Utopia of the Seas is trying the diverse dining options.

In addition to a Deluxe Beverage Package, I also had an Unlimited Dining Package for the sailing. This package included meals at Utopia of the Seas’ specialty restaurants, including Izumi Sushi, Hooked Seafood, and Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen.

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Royal Caribbean's Unlimited Dining Package

Like most cruise dining experiences, specialty restaurants offer multi-course meals. From creamy pumpkin bisque to tender lobster and fried cheesecake, each meal was unquestionably delicious, but also extremely rich.

I planned to order drinks with each meal, but it often felt too overwhelming. As much as I love an espresso martini, for example, it felt too heavy to pair with an already indulgent meal.

A glass of water or a diet soda provided a lighter option so I didn’t feel overly full.

The drink package wasn’t right for me, and I’ll stick to included beverages on my next cruise

Despite trying new drinks during my cruise, I almost certainly did not break even on the drink package. Even though I stopped counting each drink individually, I’d guess I only drank around half of my break-even number.

Despite the convenience factor of the drink package, I found that I was not always in the mood to drink. Even though I could enjoy nonalcoholic beverages like specialty coffees and mocktails, I was just as happy to grab a complimentary glass of iced tea or lemonade instead.

Related: What drinks are free on your Royal Caribbean cruise?

I’m more of a social drinker than anything else, so perhaps my experience would have been different if I were sailing with a large group or celebrating a special event.

Ultimately, I am perfectly comfortable with sticking to the included beverages in Royal Caribbean’s cruise fare. If I want a cocktail while onboard, I’ll just purchase one individually. Daily drink specials and Crown & Anchor Society beverage coupons can help save money on drinks, too.

Nonetheless, you might still want to consider a drink package for your Royal Caribbean cruise

I won’t be purchasing another Deluxe Beverage Package, but it might be the right choice for your cruise vacation.

If you’re only cruising once a year, for instance, it could be worth the splurge to book a drink package. There’s no sense worrying about drink prices on your well-deserved vacation, and a drink package could definitely enhance your experience.

Likewise, those cruising with a group of friends or large family may find value in a drink package. These situations may foster a more celebratory atmosphere compared to cruising with a smaller group.

Finally, if your cruise visits one (or both) of Royal Caribbean’s private destinations, a drink package can offer an even better value. Your packages work at these ports, so you can make use of the benefits while ashore.

There’s no set answer as to whether or not a Deluxe Beverage Package is worth it on a Royal Caribbean cruise. For some passengers, it’s a no-brainer. For others, such as myself, it might not offer the best value.

Royal Caribbean has made a small, but important change to one of its drink packages.

The Royal Refreshment package is the mid-tier beverage package that includes pretty much all non-alcoholic drinks.  

However, it omitted one type of drink that baffled some cruisers.

Revised terms of service show the cruise line now includes non-alcoholic beers in it.

Here's what's different about the Refreshment Package

In looking through all the inclusions Royal Caribbean has for the Royal Refreshment package, there's been a new addition.

What's included:

• Coca-Cola Freestyle Machine beverages including sodas, sugar free sodas, Minute Maid lemonades, Powerade, vitaminwater®, iced tea, fruit punch and more
• Can and fountain soda
• Bottled still water, sparkling water, and CocoLove coconut water
• Fresh-squeezed juices
• Smoothies and protein shakes
• Specialty coffees and teas
• Johnny Rockets® Shakes and Desserted Soda Floats
• Non-alcoholic spirits, wines and beers (only available to guests of legal drinking age)
• Frozen drinks (Non-alcoholic pina colada, etc.)
• Coca-Cola souvenir cup

Up until now, non-alcoholic beer wasn't included because it was technically still a beer. If you wanted to order any with a drink package, you had to buy the Deluxe Beverage Package.

The only caveat is you must be legal drinking age to still order one as to avoid minors ordering beer, even if it's non-alcoholic.

The Royal Caribbean drinking age is based on where your ship sails from initially, so cruises from the United States have a minimum drinking age of 21 whereas ships sailing from Europe are only 18.

The cruise line hasn't made any announcement why they made the change. Cruise fans simply noticed the addition.

"Finally!"

Cruisers seemed quite happy to have this change to the drink package.

On the Royal Caribbean reddit, kittycathleen wrote, "I'm so happy. I don't drink a ton of NA beer, but it'll be great to have it included. Now I just need them to improve their selection."

The trend of not drinking alcohol (or low alcohol content drinks) is a big trend currently among millennials.

A recent study showed in April 2023, 45% of no-alcohol beer consumers in the US were Millennials; by April 2024, that figure had risen to 61%.

Today, almost 1 in 2 Royal Caribbean guests are millennials or younger.

To that point, reddit user goinhungryyeah added, "Especially with a gradual change by younger passengers to limit alcohol intake (but still enjoy beverages). The NA beer market has exploded in both quantity and quality as a result."

cocomangas posted, "Nice! Finally have more options than just mocktails. Great for former drinkers like me who miss the taste of wine and beer."

Why this change matters

The difference in price among the drink package tiers can be quite substantial, so those that don't want any alcohol now have more choice in what they can order.

The average price of a Royal Caribbean drink package in 2025 is around 28 to $42 per person per day for the Refreshment package, but $55 to $115 per person per day for the Deluxe Beverage Package.

The cruise line relies on dynamic pricing, which is why we can't give specific numbers. 

As an example, the onboard price for the Deluxe Drink Package is $105 per person per day, whereas the Refreshment Package is $42.

Adding more drink options to any drink package offers more ways to "break even" on the package cost compared to ordering the same amount of drinks individually. Plus, drink packages are much more convenient and a top reason why people buy them in the first place.

If you're going to spend money to buy a Royal Caribbean drink package, you're going to want to know the best tips to maximize the purchase cost.

Thanks to some recent sales offered by the cruise line, I've purchased the Deluxe Beverage Package on a few upcoming sailings.  Pre-ordering it before the cruise begins can net you savings up to 40% off the onboard price.

Regardless of how much you pay for it, you're going to want to recoup the cost of a beverage package and really make it a worthwhile purchase.

Whenever I buy a drink package, I always do four important things during my cruise. I think these take full advantage of the value offered.

Order a bottle of water with every drink

When I order a drink, I'll usually add at the end, "...and a bottle of water, please."

The Deluxe Beverage Package and Royal Refreshment package include bottled water, and it's a perk you should take full advantage of.

This includes Evian or Pellegrino, as well as the generic plastic water bottles.

There are two reasons to order a bottle of water with every drink. 

The obvious one is you can stay hydrated and combat a bad hangover the next day.  Drinking water regularly between alcoholic beverages will help ensure you don't feel awful the next day.

Some people will add in a supplement, like Liquid IV, to prevent a hangover.  I always forget to actually take them, but it's a good idea nonetheless. (Affiliate link, which costs you nothing extra to use)

The other reason to order a bottle of water with every drink is you can bring them back to your cabin and stockpile them.

Having extra bottles of water in your cabin is so convenient. There are all sorts of times they come in handy.

While the drink package includes bottled water, you can only order one at a time.  I find it easier to bundle my drink order with a bottle of water to help start building up our supply to bring back to the cabin.

Specify the liquor when I order a drink

One of the biggest drink package mistakes is not telling the bartender which liquor you want when you order a drink.

Instead of ordering a pina colada or margarita, order it and ask for the liquor: A pina colada with Kraken rum, or a margarita with Casa Migos.

If you don't do this, the bartender or waiter will usually include the well liquor.  It's a lower quality liquor and not only is not as smooth as the name brand stuff, it tends to be "harder" going down.

Your drink package purchase includes the good stuff, so take advantage of it! 

It's not easy to get into the habit of asking for them like this, but you need to remember to help get the value back of your package cost quicker.

Take advantage of the non-alcoholic drinks too

It's easy to fall into the trap of focusing just on the beers, cocktails, and shots your Deluxe Beverage Package includes, but the secret to getting the best value is ordering other drinks too.

Royal Caribbean includes pretty much all the alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks in your DX Package purchase, and it's where I get the most value.

My top four favorites are:

• Premium coffees
• Gatorade/Powerade
• Fresh squeezed orange juice
• Red Bull energy drinks

The premium coffee alone can get me halfway to "breaking even" on my daily drink cost because I'll have two of them over the course of the morning, and an afternoon pick-me-up is not out of the question.

Taking a Gatorade to the gym or chugging one the morning after a late night with someone named CookingYo is also an apt strategy.

Lots of cruisers love the fact the fresh squeezed orange juice is included, and you can find it in either the Windjammer buffet or Main Dining Room on most mornings. It's much better than the concentrate stuff.

The bottom line is you need to take advantage of what they include because it not only makes it easier to get the value back from the package, but greatly expands your enjoyment of the package.

Look for special drink menus

I don't think Royal Caribbean gets enough credit for the special drink menus they develop.

On Icon of the Seas alone, Royal Caribbean's beverage team came up with 13 new bar menus because they wanted to go beyond the clichéd cruise drinks.

While there's nothing wrong with the standard drink menu found at the pool, you should seek out the fun new drinks too.

My favorite spots to experiment and try new drinks include:

• Lime & Coconut
• Mason Jar
• Pesky Parrot
• Rye & Bean
• Izumi
• 1400 Bar

There are plenty more, but don't limit yourself to just the usual assortment of pina coladas, daiquiris, or margaritas.

I bet no other extra cruise purchase is as popular as a Royal Caribbean drink package because of how convenient it is.

But before you book it, you probably want to get the lowest price, especially considering how expensive these packages can be.

For two people, the Deluxe Beverage Package on a 7-night cruise can cost over $1,000 in total when purchased onboard. 

I've got good news and I've got bad news about getting a drink package for up to 40% less than the onboard price.

The good news is, you can absolutely save money by pre-booking it at the right time before the cruise begins.

The bad news is, you need to know when that is and it's not so obvious.

I was scrolling through the Royal Caribbean sub Reddit and someone shared they saw the price of a drink package at just $56.99 per person, per day.  That's one of the lowest prices in recent memory that I can see, and a lot of people thought the same thing.

"How'd you get this deal? The most I get offers for is 35% off," is what one person asked. Another posted, "how'd you get it that low? Any special codes or anything?"

In the case of the person that posted the deal, they said it was luck they ran into a random sale.  But you don't have to let lady luck dictate if you get a good price.

I've found there's a real advantage to making one change so you can jump in on these sales and get the best possible drink package price.

Use the Royal Caribbean app to get notified

I used to be like the person on Reddit that randomly logs into the Cruise Planner site to see if prices have gone down.

I changed my strategy this year because Royal Caribbean has embraced a cavalcade of pop-up sales.

In the past, most sales were primarily centered around major holidays, like July 4th, Christmas, and Black Friday. Those holidays are still excellent times to look for sales, but the cruise line has gotten creative since then.

I've seen more and more sales for seemingly minor reasons, and some don't even have a pretense.

Frankly, I got to the point I was relying on random people on the internet to post about a sale for me to go in and check it.

But I've found a better strategy is to rely on the Royal Caribbean app.

Royal Caribbean's app is essential to use while on the ship, but it's value pre-cruise has become enormous as well.

In the case of these sales, Royal Caribbean has started utilizing push notifications to alert users of a new sale.

Once you have the app installed on your phone, you just need enable app notifications for sales offers.

It's buried in their settings, but I've come to rely on it for how I see sales first.

To get to it, click on the Person Icon (option on the right) and then click Profile at the very top right corner.

Scroll down to the Settings section and click Offers & communication.

From there, enable email or mobile app notifications for Royal Caribbean.  I have it on for Royal Caribbean.

That should do the trick, provided your iPhone settings allow for regular push notifications to come from the Royal Caribbean app in the first place.

There's no guarantee you'll see super low prices

Before you turn on your app notifications and wait for the super low drink prices to roll in, I need to offer a reality check.

Royal Caribbean's drink package prices are vary depending on the ship, itinerary, sail date, and more. 

If you're booked on the brand new Star of the Seas and going over Christmas, don't expect to see prices anywhere as low as this. The bottom line is you'll pay a premium for a drink package (and many other aspects of a cruise) when you sail over a holiday and/or on a new ship.

The difference is you might be able to snag a drink package for a lower price than normal when one of these sales pop up.

Remember, you can always cancel and rebook your Cruise Planner purchases before the sailing begins with no penalty.  So if you buy the drink package today at $72.99 per person, and it drops to $68.99 per per day, per person next month, you can still take advantage of it.

Moreover, you should book it now if you want a drink package because the price can go up and might never come back down.

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.

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.

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.