Are Cruise Drink Packages Really Worth The Cost?

Cruises are like floating cities in the middle of huge bodies of water, with each line offering something a little different for travelers. While it is good etiquette to attend the dinner in the main dining room on your first night for many cruises, after that, your time is your own to spend doing whatever you like — and for many, that includes vacation drinking. But you might be wondering if a drink package is worth the additional cost to add on; after all, they can get pricey. Food Republic spoke to travel expert Steve Griswold, owner of Pixie Vacations, and he had some insight to share.

"The thing that's not great about drink packages on cruises is everyone on the reservation has to get the drink package," Griswold said, explaining that drink packages are set up this way "because the cruise line does not want one person paying for the drink package and then getting drinks for everyone else for free." For Griswold personally, it is not worth it, because his wife does not drink. "No mocktails or coffees are going to add up to like $100 a day," he added.

Your situation might be different, though. If you and everyone on your reservation plan to tipple large quantities of premium alcoholic beverages — tropical cocktails like mai tais and piña coladas included — then you will likely get your money's worth from the drink package add-ons.

One cruise line has apparently heard people's complaints and decided to do its drink package a little differently: Virgin Voyages. "I think the best cruise drink package that is actually 'worth it' is on Virgin Voyages," said Steve Griswold. "What Virgin Voyages has done is they created a 'Bar Tab' instead of drink packages." He explained that this cruise line actually lets you buy what are essentially drink credits individually — and the company tops up your account with extra credits with every purchase, too. Then you can spend the credits however you please, on whomever you please (just be sure to read this primer on six cocktails to order and six to avoid before you go).

Another cruise line with a good value drink package is Viking Cruises. Its unlimited alcoholic beverages and soft drinks package comes out to about $28 per person, per day — a fraction of Royal Caribbean's, which can run you up to $100 per person, per day. Another reasonable option is the Holland America line of packages, none of which cost more than $60 per person, per day, though they do come with daily drink limits.