Cruise Drink Package Calculator: Is It Worth It?
Should you buy a drink package on your next cruise—or would you actually spend less paying for your drinks individually?
That’s a question a lot of cruisers struggle with. And there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.
It depends on what you drink, how much you drink, how many days you’ll be onboard, and what your cruise line charges for the package.
That’s why I created this Cruise Drink Package Calculator. Instead of guessing, you can use your own drinking habits to see whether a package may be worth the cost for your cruise.
🍹 Use the Cruise Drink Package Calculator
Choose your cruise line, cruise length, number of guests in package then enter the drinks you expect to have each day, and let the calculator do the math.
Cruise Drinks Package
Calculator
Find out if a drinks package is worth it for your cruise. Compare packages across all major US cruise lines with real 2026 pricing.
Your Cruise Details
Choose a Drinks Package Tier
Your Daily Drink Habits
Select a cruise line and package above to see
your personalized cost breakdown.
The calculator currently includes:
- Royal Caribbean
- Carnival Cruise Line
- Celebrity Cruises
- Norwegian Cruise Line
- Holland America Line
- MSC Cruises
- Margaritaville at Sea
- Princess Cruises
How to Use the Calculator
It’s easy—and the most important part is being realistic about what you actually drink.
1. Select your cruise line
Drink package prices and what’s included can vary significantly between cruise lines.
2. Enter your typical drinks
Think about what you would normally order if you were paying for each drink individually.
Maybe that’s a specialty coffee in the morning, bottled water throughout the day, a soda with lunch, a couple of cocktails by the pool and wine with dinner.
Or maybe you’re perfectly happy with coffee, water and one cocktail.
There’s no right answer.
The goal is to see what makes sense for your cruising style.
3. Look at the results
The calculator compares the estimated cost of purchasing your drinks individually with the cost of the drink package.
That gives you a starting point for deciding whether the package is likely to save you money.
Don’t Forget About Port Days
This is one of the easiest things to overlook when deciding whether a drink package is worth it.
Your drinking habits may be very different on a sea day than on a port day.
On a sea day, you might spend hours relaxing by the pool and ordering drinks.
But on a port day, you could be off the ship for most of the day exploring, sightseeing or enjoying a beach.
You’re not going to be ordering drinks from the ship while you’re ashore.
So don’t base your decision on your biggest drinking day of the cruise. Think about your average day and how much time you’ll actually spend onboard.
Be Honest About What You Drink
Here’s my biggest piece of advice:
Don’t buy a drink package just because you think you need to “get your money’s worth.”
If you’re thinking:
“Well, I could probably drink six cocktails a day…”
That’s not necessarily the number you should use. 😂
Instead, ask yourself:
What would I realistically drink if I didn’t have the package?
That’s the number that matters.
A drink package can be a great value for someone who regularly drinks cocktails, wine, beer, specialty coffees, bottled water and other beverages.
But if you’re primarily a water-and-coffee person who enjoys a cocktail or two, paying individually may make more sense.
And there’s nothing wrong with that.
Remember: Cruise Drink Packages Can Change
Cruise lines regularly change drink package pricing, what’s included, package rules and other terms.
I do my best to keep this calculator updated as those changes happen, but there can sometimes be a delay between a cruise line changing its pricing or policies and an update being made to the calculator.
Use the calculator as a planning tool—not a guarantee of the final price.
Before purchasing, always check the current price and terms for your specific cruise.
If you notice something that looks outdated or incorrect, please let me know so I can investigate and update the calculator.
Planning a Cruise With Friends?
Share this page with your cruising buddies before everyone decides whether to buy a drink package.
You may discover that you don’t all need to make the same decision.
Your friend who loves frozen cocktails may find the package worthwhile.
Your friend who drinks mostly water may not.
That’s the whole point of this calculator:
Don’t guess. Run the numbers.
Bookmark this page and come back whenever you’re planning your next cruise.
Planning Your Next Cruise?
I’m Angela, the cruise-focused travel advisor behind Grab Your Bags Travel.
I love helping cruisers figure out the details that can make planning a cruise easier—from choosing the right cruise and cabin to understanding all those extras that can add to your vacation cost.
Be sure to subscribe to my Youtube channel to watch more cruise tips, ship reviews and port information.
If you’re planning your next cruise and would like some help, I’d love to help you put it all together.
Happy Cruising! ⚓🥂
Disclaimer: Cruise line pricing, drink package prices, inclusions, restrictions, taxes, gratuities and policies can change at any time. We make every effort to keep this calculator current, but there may be a delay between a cruise line changing its pricing or policies and an update to the calculator. Calculator results are estimates for planning purposes only. Always verify the current package price, terms and inclusions with your cruise line or booking confirmation before purchasing.