Drinks on a cruise: packages, prices and bringing your own
The short answer
A drinks package pays off only if you'd really drink a lot every day. If you have a few drinks a day, paying as you go is usually cheaper. On many lines, everyone of drinking age in the cabin must buy the package if one person does, and a gratuity is added to it. Check your line's rules below.By Kathryn Lyn2 min readReviewed September 2026
Each line's package rules
Drink packages, from each line's own pages
| Cruise line | What the line says | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Carnival Cruise Line | Packages sold, and drinks can also be bought one at a time | September 21, 2026 |
| Royal Caribbean International | Deluxe Beverage, Refreshment and Classic Soda packages | September 21, 2026 |
| Norwegian Cruise Line | Free at Sea Unlimited Open Bar, for guests 21 and older | September 21, 2026 |
| MSC Cruises | Pre-paid packages fleetwide, and everyone at the table must hold the same one | September 21, 2026 |
| Princess Cruises | Premier, Plus, Zero-Alcohol and Classic Soda packages | September 24, 2026 |
| Celebrity Cruises | Classic and Premium Drink Packages — everyone of drinking age in the cabin must buy the same one | September 21, 2026 |
| Disney Cruise Line | Soft drinks, coffee and tea at meals are free; alcohol is charged per drink | September 24, 2026 |
| Holland America Line | Quench, Signature and Elite packages — all have a daily drink limit | September 21, 2026 |
| Virgin Voyages | No drink package — a pre-paid Bar Tab instead | September 21, 2026 |
| Viking | Silver Spirits Beverage Package — $27 per guest, per day | September 21, 2026 |
| Cunard Line | Beers, Wines & Spirits Option, and a Premium Nonalcoholic Option | September 21, 2026 |
| Oceania Cruises | Prestige Select Beverage Package, $79.95 per person per day | September 24, 2026 |
What you can bring
Bringing alcohol on board
| Cruise line | What the line says | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Carnival Cruise Line | One sealed 750 ml bottle of wine or champagne per guest 21 or older, on embarkation day only | September 21, 2026 |
| Royal Caribbean International | One sealed 750 ml bottle of wine or champagne per guest of drinking age, on embarkation day only | September 21, 2026 |
| Norwegian Cruise Line | Only wine and champagne, and a corkage fee applies | September 21, 2026 |
| Princess Cruises | One 750ml bottle of wine or champagne per guest | September 24, 2026 |
| Celebrity Cruises | One sealed 750 ml bottle of wine or champagne per guest of drinking age, on embarkation day only | September 21, 2026 |
| Disney Cruise Line | One 750ml bottle of wine or 6 beers per adult, carry-on only | September 21, 2026 |
| Holland America Line | Wine and champagne only, with a US $20 corkage fee per bottle of 750 ml or less | September 21, 2026 |
| Virgin Voyages | Two 750ml bottles of wine per cabin — no spirits or beer | September 24, 2026 |
| Viking | Bring your own, drink it anywhere, no corkage fee | September 24, 2026 |
| Cunard Line | One bottle of wine or champagne, 750 ml or smaller, per guest of drinking age per voyage | September 21, 2026 |
| Oceania Cruises | Up to 6 bottles of wine, 1 of spirits and 12 beers per stateroom | September 24, 2026 |
Be honest about how much you drink at home. If it's a couple of glasses of wine at dinner, the package rarely makes sense.
First-timer questions
Questions, answered.
The questions people ask most. Tap one to open it, or open them all and read straight down.
4 questions on this page
How many drinks a day to break even on a cruise drinks package?
Divide the package's daily price, plus its gratuity, by the typical price of the drinks you'd order. If you'd rarely reach that number every single day, paying per drink is cheaper.
What is the cheapest way to drink on a cruise?
Use the free drinks (water, basic coffee and tea, and on some lines juice and soft drinks), pay per drink for alcohol, look for happy hours, and bring the wine your line allows.
Do cruise drink packages get cheaper closer to the date?
Lines often discount packages before sailing, and pre-cruise prices are usually lower than on board. Watch the line's planner after you book.
Does everyone in my cabin have to buy the drinks package?
On several lines, yes: if one guest of drinking age buys it, all guests of drinking age in the cabin must. MSC applies the rule to everyone dining at the same table. See the table above.