Ambassador Cruise Line has changed the rules around spirits and drinks packages, cutting its standard spirit measure to 25ml while also removing the previous 15-alcoholic-drinks-per-day cap from package terms.
Current package wording, updated in April 2026, now says standard spirit measures are 25ml and still states that bar staff may refuse service to guests who appear heavily intoxicated.
That marks a notable shift from earlier Ambassador package wording still carried on travel retailer pages, which said alcoholic drinks were limited to 15 beverages per 24-hour period, standard spirit measures were 40ml, and “Ordering a double shot is not permitted under the programme as it counts as two drinks.”
Based on that wording change, the line appears to have traded larger single measures and the old daily cap for smaller pours, while opening the door to doubles being sold within the one-drink-at-a-time rule.
For guests who buy a drinks package, the change is likely to be seen as more balanced because the removal of the daily cap gives more flexibility and the previous ban on doubles has disappeared from the latest terms.
For passengers paying as they go, though, the change is less favourable because they will now receive a smaller standard spirit measure unless they spend extra on a double. The current terms still say only one drink per person may be ordered at a time, with a minimum 15-minute wait between orders.
Recent package prices published by Ambassador show the line continuing to push pre-booked drinks bundles heavily, with the Explorer and Expedition packages sold on a per-cruise basis for short sailings and on a per-night basis for longer voyages.
What Has Changed In Ambassador’s Drinks Rules
The most important point in the updated wording is not just the reduction from 40ml to 25ml. It is that the latest terms no longer include the old sentence capping alcoholic drinks at 15 per 24-hour period, nor the previous wording that explicitly barred double shots under the programme.
Instead, Ambassador’s current online terms focus on one drink per person at any time, the 15-minute wait between orders, and the line’s right to refuse alcohol service under its responsible service policy.
That means the biggest downside falls on guests who do not buy a package. A standard spirit now comes in a smaller measure than before, according to the currently published terms and the earlier package wording still visible through cruise retailers.
At the same time, guests on packages may feel they have gained flexibility because the daily cap has been removed from the current rules.
Ambassador has also kept an important safeguard in place. Its current drinks package page states: “In line with our responsible service of alcohol policy, bar staff may refuse service if a guest appears to be heavily intoxicated.”
Why Responsible Service Still Matters
That part of the policy is especially relevant in light of a recent US court case involving Carnival Cruise Line.
Last week, multiple outlets reported that a Miami federal jury awarded $300,000 to Diana Sanders after finding Carnival negligent for overserving alcohol before she suffered a serious fall aboard Carnival Radiance.
Reports said Sanders, a 45-year-old California nurse, consumed at least 14 tequila shots over roughly eight and a half hours during a three-night sailing from Long Beach to Mexico on 5th January 2024.
According to the reporting, the jury assigned 60% of the responsibility to Carnival and 40% to Sanders. Her injuries were reported to include a concussion, headaches, possible traumatic brain injury and back-related injuries. Carnival has said it disagrees with the verdict and intends to pursue a new trial or appeal.
At the time of that sailing, Carnival’s official Cheers! package allowed up to 15 alcoholic drinks in a 24-hour period running from 6am to 6am. Carnival’s policy also says staff are trained not to serve guests who appear intoxicated.
“I believe a primary culprit is prepaid drink packages that encourage people to ‘get their money’s worth.’ Furthermore, servers on these cruise lines are often minimally paid workers from economically disadvantaged countries who are financially incentivized to continue serving alcohol because they are compensated by tips,”
Spencer Aronfeld, attorney.
More Cruise Lines Face Scrutiny Over Alcohol Service
The Carnival verdict is not the only case to put cruise line alcohol service under the spotlight. AP reported that the Sanders case comes amid wider scrutiny of cruise alcohol policies, while separate lawsuits filed in late 2025 accused Royal Caribbean of overserving passengers in other fatal incidents.
One lawsuit alleged a passenger was served 33 drinks before he died aboard Navigator of the Seas, while another wrongful death case alleged a guest on Allure of the Seas was overserved before going overboard.
Both cases were still being contested in court reporting, and Royal Caribbean said it would not comment further on pending litigation or that it was cooperating with authorities.
For Ambassador, the latest package rewrite may look like a mixed change rather than a straightforward cutback. Package holders now appear to have more freedom than before, but guests buying spirits individually are likely to notice the difference immediately.
Either way, the line’s own terms still make clear that service should stop once a guest appears heavily intoxicated.
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