Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you book a cruise through my links, I may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I believe in, and the opinions here are entirely my own.
Last updated: June 2026
Every cruise booking ends at the same fork in the road: that little box asking if you want the drink package. Hundreds of dollars per person, decided in about four seconds. So let’s settle it properly. The calculator below runs your actual drinking habits against the real 2026 package prices — no guessing, no “it depends.” Punch in what you’d drink in a normal day at sea and it tells you straight: buy it, or skip it.
Cruise bar tab · break-even
Is the drink package worth it?
Punch in what you’d actually drink in a day. We’ll run your tab against the flat package price and tell you straight: buy it or skip it.
The package
Most lines add 18% on top. Adjust rate: %
Your daily order
Per person, per day. Tap −/＋ and tweak any price.
Estimate only — package prices and drink prices vary by ship and sailing. Most lines require every adult (21+) in the cabin to buy the package. Some links are affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no cost to you.
The short answer
A drink package pays for itself somewhere around five to seven drinks a day, depending on your line and your ship. If you’re the type who has a coffee at breakfast, a couple of poolside cocktails, wine with dinner, and a nightcap — you’re almost certainly ahead. If you nurse one drink an evening and otherwise stick to the free coffee and iced tea, you’re handing the cruise line free money. The calculator above pins down exactly where you land, because the break-even moves with the package price, and package prices vary more than most people realize.
What the major lines actually charge in 2026
These are per-person, per-day prices, and a few things are worth knowing before you read them. First, almost every line uses dynamic pricing now — the number you see depends on your specific ship and sail date, and the “sale” price is usually just the real price. Second, most lines tack a service charge of 18–20% on top of the advertised number, so the all-in cost is higher than the sticker. Third — and this one trips people up — on most lines, if one adult in the cabin buys the package, every adult 21+ in that cabin has to buy it too.
| Line | Package | Typical all-in price/day | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Caribbean | Deluxe Beverage | ~$90 | Dynamic; fleet ranges roughly $65–$120. Drinks up to $14. |
| Carnival | CHEERS! | ~$84 | Includes 20% service charge. Capped at 15 alcoholic drinks/day. |
| Norwegian | Free at Sea (open bar perk) | ~$29 | The package is “free” — you just pay the daily gratuity. Easily worth it. |
| Norwegian | Open Bar (standalone) | ~$131 | If you aren’t on a Free at Sea fare. Drinks up to $15. |
| Celebrity | Classic | ~$100 | +20% service charge. Often bundled into “All Included” fares. |
| Princess | Plus Beverage | ~$77 | The full Princess Plus bundle ($65/day) adds Wi-Fi + gratuities — often better value. |
| MSC | Premium Extra | ~$85 | Only alcoholic package in North America now. 15-drink cap, drinks up to $16. |
| Holland America | Signature | ~$72 | +service charge (rising to 20% mid-2026). 15-drink cap. |
A few lines play by different rules. Virgin Voyages doesn’t sell a traditional package at all — soda, drip coffee, and still/sparkling water are already included in your fare, and alcohol is pay-as-you-go, which suits light-to-moderate drinkers nicely. Disney Cruise Line also skips the unlimited-package model; you pay per drink, with a refillable mug program for soda.
How to actually decide
Forget the marketing math. The honest way to think about it is in three questions.
What do your sea days really look like? Be honest, not aspirational. The package you buy is for the average day, and port days — where you’re off the ship for hours — drag your average way down. A cruise with five port stops is a very different calculation than a transatlantic full of sea days.
Do you actually like the included drinks? A package only counts drinks under its price cap (usually $12–$16). If your taste runs to top-shelf pours or a specific bottle of wine, you’ll be paying the difference anyway, which quietly erodes the value.
Would you drink more just because it’s “free”? Plenty of people buy the package and then feel obligated to get their money’s worth. That’s not saving money — that’s a hangover with extra steps.
The bottom line
Run your real numbers in the calculator above. For most people who enjoy a steady handful of drinks across a sea day, the package wins — and the convenience of never seeing a bar tab is worth something on its own. For light drinkers, port-heavy itineraries, and anyone sailing a line where soda and coffee are already free, paying as you go almost always comes out cheaper.
Whatever you decide, buy it before you sail if you’re buying — onboard prices run higher on nearly every line.
Some links on this page are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend what I’d book myself. Prices were accurate as of June 2026 and change frequently — always confirm at checkout.
Ready to book? Browse sailings on Norwegian Cruise Line or Royal Caribbean — both offer drink packages that can be added before or during your cruise.
Curious about other onboard spending? See how my $79 cruise ship bingo bet turned out in 60 seconds: