Cruise Drink Package Advice That Helps You Spend Smarter
- May 11
- 5 min read
Updated: May 18
Few cruise decisions create more debate than the drink package. One traveler calls it a no-brainer. Another swears it was the most expensive way possible to drink two mojitos and a latte.
That is because a drink package is not automatically a good deal or a bad deal. It is a pricing tool. When it matches your habits, it can simplify the trip. When it does not, it turns convenience into overbuying.
The same goes for gratuities. Travelers often treat them as a surprise line item or a philosophical debate, when the more useful question is this: how do gratuities change the real cost of my cruise, and how do I want to budget for them?
Why drink packages feel confusing
Cruise lines are not really selling beverages. They are selling predictability, indulgence, and the feeling that you can stop doing math on vacation. That is appealing, especially to first-time cruisers who do not want to feel nickeled and dimed.
The problem is that package pricing can hide a simple truth: “all-inclusive feeling” and “best value” are not always the same thing.
Before you decide, slow the question down. You are not choosing between fun and no fun. You are choosing between two payment models.
What a package really buys you
Convenience matters more than people admit
A drink package can be worth it purely because you do not want to think about individual charges all week. That is a valid reason. But it is different from saying the package saves money.
Savings usually depend on:
How many eligible drinks you actually consume each day
Whether specialty coffee, bottled water, soda, smoothies, or mocktails are included
Whether gratuity is added to the package price
Whether both adults in the cabin have to buy the same package under the line’s policy
Whether you spend most of your time ashore where you are not using the package anyway
The habit math matters more than optimism
Cruisers tend to do package math with their vacation self, not their real self. They imagine every sea day as a floating resort montage. Then the trip happens, and half the week is coffee, one pool drink, wine at dinner, and early bed.
A better way to think about it is to estimate your likely pattern:
What do you typically drink in a full vacation day?
How many of those items are actually included?
Will port-heavy days reduce your onboard usage?
Are you paying for convenience, savings, or both?
When you answer honestly, the decision usually becomes clearer very quickly.
When a drink package makes sense
A drink package often makes sense if:
You regularly enjoy multiple alcoholic drinks per day
You also expect to use premium coffee, bottled water, soda, or zero-proof drinks
You prefer paying upfront rather than watching charges pile up
You have several sea days that increase onboard consumption
The line is running a real promotion that materially changes the math
It can also make sense for travelers who simply hate decision friction. If seeing every charge pop up on your account will annoy you all week, paying for simplicity may be worth it even if the math is only close.
When paying as you go is smarter
Pay-as-you-go is often the better choice if:
You drink lightly or inconsistently
You are porting most days and will spend less time on the ship
One person in the cabin drinks much more than the other
You mainly want one specific category like soda or coffee
You do not want your spending plan tied to “getting your money’s worth”
That last point matters. Some travelers buy a package and then start drinking to justify the purchase. That is not value. That is vacation peer pressure, except you are doing it to yourself.
How cruise gratuities fit into the real total
Prepaid gratuities vs onboard charges
Gratuities are usually either prepaid before sailing or added to your onboard account daily, depending on the line and your choices. Either way, they are part of the trip cost. The difference is whether you want that cost settled earlier or handled during the cruise.
Prepaying can help with budgeting because it lowers the bill shock at the end. Leaving them to post onboard gives you more flexibility in the short term, but some travelers end up feeling like the total keeps creeping upward.
Why removing gratuities is rarely the best starting move
Cruisers sometimes react to gratuities emotionally because the charge is highly visible. But these charges usually support the staff taking care of your cabin, dining room, and service experience throughout the week.
If you have a serious service issue, address that with guest services. Treating gratuities like an automatic expense to remove can create more friction than savings, especially if you are already trying to simplify budgeting.
The more practical question is not “Can I remove them?” It is “How do I want to account for them before the trip starts?”
A simple decision framework, a cruise drink package advice
If you are stuck, use this:
Estimate your realistic drinks per day, not your fantasy vacation pace.
Check whether package gratuity is already included in the advertised price.
Compare that total with pay-as-you-go plus any coffee, soda, or water you would actually buy.
Decide whether convenience is worth paying a little extra for.
Choose a gratuity plan that makes the final bill feel predictable.
The goal is not to win at cruise math. It is to choose the option that matches your habits and keeps your budget from becoming a running argument.
Final thought
Drink packages and gratuities are not inherently tricky. They just get wrapped in urgency, marketing language, and vague assumptions. Once you separate convenience from savings and visible charges from total trip cost, the decision gets much easier.
That is where good planning support pays off. A quick spending strategy before you sail can protect your budget without making the vacation feel restrictive.
Want help deciding whether a drink package fits your trip? Download the quick decision guide and let Ship Happens Travel help you build a cruise budget that actually matches how you travel.
10. Featured Snippets
Cruise drink package advice starts with one simple question: will you actually use the package enough to justify the total cost? The best decision comes from comparing your realistic daily habits, included drink categories, sea days, and added gratuities against paying as you go.
Cruise gratuities are usually either prepaid before sailing or added to your onboard account daily. The main difference is budgeting style, not whether the cost exists, so travelers should compare what feels more predictable for their trip.
A cruise drink package is often worth it for travelers who enjoy several included drinks per day and value cost predictability. It is usually less compelling for light drinkers, port-heavy itineraries, or couples whose habits are very different.
11. FAQ
Do cruise drink packages include gratuity?
Sometimes yes, sometimes the gratuity is added separately. Always check the final checkout screen, not just the headline price.
Is prepaying gratuities better than paying onboard?
It is usually better for travelers who want a cleaner budget and fewer surprise charges during the trip.
Are drink packages worth it for non-drinkers?
Often not, unless the package includes enough coffee, soda, bottled water, or zero-proof drinks to match your real usage.
Why do cruise package prices feel higher than expected?
Because the advertised package price may not be the full total once service charges or gratuities are added.
Should I decide before I board?
Usually yes. You will make a calmer, better decision when you are not standing under a promotion sign on day one.
What if one person drinks a lot more than the other?
That is exactly when package rules matter. Some cruise lines require similar packages for adults sharing a cabin, so the value can change fast.
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