"Just get the drink package, it's worth it" is the most common piece of cruise advice on the internet, and it's right for some people and wrong for a lot of others — because almost nobody actually runs the numbers before deciding. The package isn't a flat discount, it's a bet: you're prepaying for a fixed number of drinks per day, and if you don't hit that number, the ship keeps the difference.
Below is the real math: what each major line charges for its package, what drinks actually cost à la carte once gratuity is added, and the exact break-even point — not the vague "5-7 drinks" rule of thumb most articles repeat without explaining where it comes from.
Drink package prices by cruise line (2026)
| Cruise line | Package | Price per person, per day | Gratuity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carnival | CHEERS! | $82.54 prepaid / $88.44 onboard | Included |
| Royal Caribbean | Deluxe Beverage Package | ~$72 median ($55–$90+ by ship) | Included |
| Norwegian | Premium Plus | $79.95–$109 (varies by sailing length) | Included |
| Princess | Plus | $64.99 | Included |
| Princess | Premier | $100.29 | Included (bundles WiFi + dining credits, not just drinks) |
| MSC | Premium Extra | $85 (4+ nights) / $95 (3 nights) | Not added on top — unique to MSC |
What drinks actually cost without the package
This is the number most people skip, and it's the whole basis for the break-even math: the sticker price on a drink menu is not what you pay, because gratuity gets added at checkout on every line except MSC.
| Carnival | Royal Caribbean | |
|---|---|---|
| Soda | $3.50 | Included in soda package, ~$3–4 à la carte |
| Beer | $6.50–$8.50 | $7.49–$8.25 |
| Wine by the glass | $9.50–$13.50 | $8–$22 (most $10–15) |
| Cocktail | $10.50–$20 | $11–$14 |
| Gratuity added at checkout | 18% on every purchase | 18% on every purchase |
A $13 cocktail is actually $15.34 once gratuity lands on the receipt. That 18% is the detail that makes the package look better than a quick mental-math comparison suggests.
The real break-even math
The package isn't just alcohol — it also includes unlimited soda, specialty coffee, and juice, which most people underweight in the calculation. Specialty coffees alone run $4-7 each at the onboard café, so a couple of lattes a day is real value you'd otherwise pay for separately. A fair break-even formula looks like this:
| Line | Package price/day | Break-even (alcoholic drinks/day) |
|---|---|---|
| Carnival CHEERS! | $82.54 | ~4 drinks |
| Royal Caribbean Deluxe | ~$72 | ~3–4 drinks |
| Princess Plus | $64.99 | ~3 drinks |
| MSC Premium Extra | $85 | ~5 drinks |
| Norwegian Premium Plus | ~$90 (mid-range) | ~4 drinks |
This is the number that actually matters, and it's lower than most people assume — you don't need to drink 7 cocktails a day to make a package worthwhile. If you're having 2 drinks at lunch, 1-2 by the pool, and 1-2 with dinner, plus a specialty coffee most mornings, you're already at or past break-even on every line above.
Package pricing varies by ship and sailing date even within the same cruise line — comparing current rates for your specific sailing before your cruise is the only way to know the real number for your trip. [Replace this box with your actual TravelPayouts or CruiseDirect affiliate link once approved.]
Example: Compare live cruise prices →Why port days wreck the naive calculation
Most break-even guides implicitly assume every day looks like a sea day, poolside from 10am to 10pm. It doesn't. On a typical 7-night cruise with 3-4 port stops, you're off the ship for 6-8 hours on those days — cutting your realistic drinking window roughly in half.
That means your real weekly average is a blend: sea days where you might genuinely hit 5-6 drinks, and port days where you might only get 2-3 in before and after your excursion. Do the math on your actual itinerary, not a hypothetical full sea day, before deciding the package pays for itself.
Carnival's drink cap vs. Royal Caribbean's no-cap
Carnival's CHEERS! caps you at 15 alcoholic drinks per 24-hour period (each priced $20 or under). For the break-even range above — 4 drinks a day — that cap is irrelevant; it only matters if you're a genuinely heavy drinker consistently ordering 10+ drinks a day, in which case Royal Caribbean's uncapped Deluxe package is the better structural fit regardless of the price difference.
Non-alcoholic and kids' packages
If you're not drinking alcohol at all, the math changes completely — these packages exist specifically so families and non-drinkers aren't stuck paying full drink-package prices for soda and juice.
| Package | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Carnival Bottomless Bubbles (adult) | ~$8.20/day | Unlimited fountain soda |
| Carnival Kids & Teens Value Package (ages 3–17) | $25/day | Unlimited soda + juice, service charge included |
| Refreshment / non-alcoholic package (both lines) | Varies, typically $25–30/day | Specialty coffee, tea, juice, sparkling water, mocktails |
Whatever you decide on drinks, a delayed flight or a missed embarkation day shouldn't turn into a wasted package purchase — compare a couple of cruise travel insurance policies before your final payment is due.
Example: Compare cruise travel insurance →The bottom line, by drinker type
| You are... | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Having 4+ drinks most days (including specialty coffee/soda) | Buy the package — you'll break even or come out ahead on every major line |
| Having 1-2 drinks a day, mostly on sea days | Skip it — pay à la carte, you won't hit break-even |
| Traveling with a non-drinking cabin-mate | Check the "everyone must buy" rule first — it can force an unwanted purchase |
| A genuinely heavy drinker (8+ drinks/day) | Royal Caribbean's uncapped package beats Carnival's 15-drink limit |
| Not drinking alcohol but love specialty coffee/soda | The non-alcoholic or soda-only package almost always pays for itself |