and Gwen Pratesi Gwen Pratesi Contributor Gwen Pratesi is a Florida-based freelance travel writer and a James Beard Award Finalist for her journalism. She contributes to The Points Guy and many other outlets while traveling the world and cruising the high seas. Sept. 29, 2026 • 19 min read Jump to section Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Copy URL Email The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don’t cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. It's easy to run up a monster bill ordering wine, beer and mixed drinks by the glass on a cruise ship. The cost of alcoholic drinks — particularly cocktails — on cruise vessels can be high. But for those who regularly order several alcoholic drinks a day when cruising, there's a way to save: a flat-fee drink package.
Nearly all the major mass-market cruise lines offer flat-fee drink packages that, in some cases, can save you money when cruising. The exceptions are Disney Cruise Line and Virgin Voyages , though both offer alternative ways to save on beverage purchases.
But what's included in a cruise ship drink package, and how do they work? And, perhaps more to the point, how much do cruise drink packages cost? Read on for the answers in this ultimate guide to cruise drink packages.
For a line-by-line guide to drink package costs, inclusions, limitations and fine print, scroll to the second half of the guide.
Cruise ship drink packages let you order as many drinks as you want (or up to a set daily limit) while on a cruise for one flat fee. This replaces paying for drinks one at a time.
On some lines, there are several tiers of drink packages. Basic tiers often include just sodas and bottled water. More elaborate (and expensive) tiers will add alcoholic and nonalcoholic cocktails, wine, beer and specialty coffee drinks. In some cases, there will be more than one tier of such all-encompassing plans.
Some lines also offer coffee cards that let you get a set number of fancy coffee drinks at a shipboard coffee bar at a discounted price. Some lines also offer wine-specific packages.
Related: Unpopular opinion: I prefer this to a cruise alcohol package
The cost of cruise ship drink packages varies widely by line. At several of the biggest cruise brands — like Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC Cruises and Holland America — the main drink packages that include all types of drinks cost $29 to $95 per person, per day. Other brands, such as Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises, charge more than $100 per person, per day for a top-tier package.
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Drink packages that don't include alcoholic drinks, such as soda packages, typically cost far less. Soda packages are often under $12 per person, per day. Note that some cruise lines discount drink packages if you buy them online in a…