Whether you’re trying to work out if a Princess Cruises drinks package is worth the cost, or you’re just budgeting for how much money you’ll need for your cruise, knowing the drinks prices on your Princess cruise is definitely useful.
You want to be able to enjoy your holiday without thinking about the cost of each drink you order, and it’s also good to know if your favourite drinks are served on the ship. If not, you can work out which new drinks you want to try during your cruise.
Here’s a look at the different drinks available on a Princess cruise, and their prices.
This is the latest Princess Cruises drink menu from the Pool Bar, which gives you a good idea of the latest Princess drinks prices:
Princess Cruises beer menu
Enjoy a cold, refreshing beer from the list of options served on a Princess cruise.
Most of the beers served are lagers, including primarily American brands such as Budweiser, Coors and Miller. But there are a couple of ales available too, along with perennial Irish favourite Guinness.
There are a huge number of cocktails served on a typical Princess cruise – you’ll certainly need more than one cruise to be able to try them all. From Martinis to Cosmopolitans and Manhattans to Margaritas, you’ll love the range of options to sip while sitting by the poolside.
There are many spirits and liqueurs available on your Princess cruise, so whether you want a shot of tequila to liven up your night, or a whiskey to help you unwind, you won’t be missing out while at sea.
There’s an extensive menu of wines available for your Princess cruise. You can order by the bottle or by the glass, including a number of reds, whites, sparkling wines, Prosecco options and Champagne when you’re in the mood to celebrate. Ideal for dinner, or just as a drink in your stateroom before the night gets going.
Enjoy these non-alcoholic cocktails and sodas when you want something fun and flavourful without the hangover spoiling your cruise the morning after.
From Italian classics to unique flavours, there are some wonderful coffees that you can try as part of your Princess cruise. If you need a shot of Espresso to perk you up in the morning, that’s an option (including doubles), or why not try something different like a Butter Pecan or Honey Lavender latte?
This is an older coffee menu so the prices will have increased, but it gives you an idea of the variety of drinks available:
When you want a drink that’s a little more soothing, take your pick from a classic hot chocolate or one of the range of teas served on a Princess cruise, including fruit teas, breakfast teas and chamomile.
On your room service menu, there are a number of other products you can order, as well as services such as laundry collections or turndown services. Everything here is complimentary, so just use your room service menu to order what you need.
Final word
The drinks menu on a Princess cruise is pretty extensive, with a selection of the most popular brands from around the world.
Find your favourites and make a note of the prices – this’ll help you decide whether you want to pay for a beverage package, whether you would be better off with the Princess Premier or Princess Plus package, or if you’ll be better suited paying for each drink individually.
And remember that as well as what’s on the drink menus, Princess Cruises offers a selection of free drinks like tea, coffee, water and juice that you can get from the main dining room or buffet, amongst other locations.
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Drinks on Royal Caribbean cruise ships are pretty pricey. We’re taking $14 for a cocktail, $8 for a beer or $3.50 for a soda.
The good news is that Royal Caribbean cruises include certain drinks for free. And if you want to enjoy unlimited drinks you can purchase one of Royal Caribbean’s all-inclusive drinks packages.
To work out if the drink package is worth it, it’s a good idea to take a look at the Royal Caribbean drink menus to see how much drinks will actually cost on your cruise.
This article lists the drink prices on Royal Caribbean cruises, along with photos of Royal Caribbean drinks menus, to help you to work out how much you will likely to spend on drinks during your cruise.
Or, to do a quick calculation, you can use my drinks package calculator tool. Just pop your details in the form below, and it will be sent straight to your inbox, for free.
Royal Caribbean Drink Prices 2024
The cost of drinks on Royal Caribbean cruises is in the mid to high range compared to other cruise lines. Drinks are priced in US dollars no matter where in the world you cruise.
Unfortunately, if you’re used to pub-priced drinks on P&O Cruises, you might be a little disappointed to find that drinks on Royal Caribbean ships cost a little more than you would pay in your local pub at home.
Royal Caribbean alcohol prices vary slightly depending on the ship, with drinks on the newer ships costing up to $1 more per drink.
How Much Are Drinks on Royal Caribbean Cruises?
These are the average Royal Caribbean drinks prices in 2024:
Beer – $8.25
Glass of wine – $9 to $16+
Cocktail – $14
Mocktail – $7
Spirit and mixer – $9 to $11+
Soda – $3.50
Coffee – $4
Energy drink – $5
Fruit juice – $3.50
Bottle of water – $3.25
Beers & Ciders
Price
Corona Extra
$8.25
Coors Lite
$8.25
Bud Light
$8.25
Budweiser
$8.25
Miller Lite
$8.25
Red Stripe
$8.75
Angry Orchard
$8.25
Amstel Light
$8.25
Blue Moon Belgian White
$8.25
Daura Damm (Gluten-Free)
$8.25
Dos Equis
$8.25
Foster’s Oil Can (750ml)
$9.75
Paulaner Weiss
$8.25
Stella Artois
$8.25
Strongbow Hard Cider
$8.25
O’Douls Alcohol-Free
$7.75
Heineken Alcohol-Free
$7.75
Cocktails
Price
All cocktails
$14
All mocktails
$7
For wines, there are a lot of different variants – so I’ve grouped together the different wine types for simplicity.
Wines (by the glass)
Price
Sauvignon Blanc
$11
Pinot Grigio
$10
Chardonnay
$11
White Zinfandel
$8
White Blend
$16
Rose Cotes de Provence
$14
Brut
$13
Prosecco
$11
Pinot Noir
$11-12
Merlot
$12
Cabernet Sauvignon
$9-11
Spirits
Price
Rum
$8.99-12.99
Vodka
$9.99-13.99
Gin
$10.99-12.99
Tequila
$9.99-13.99
Whiskey
$9.99-12.99
Cointreau
$10.99
Jagermeister
$10.99
Bailey’s
$10.99
Kahlua
$10.99
Aperol
$10.99
Pimms
$10.99
Southern Comfort
$10.99
Hennessy VS
$10.99
Remy Martin
$12.99
Sambuca
$10.99
Non Alcoholic Drinks
Price
Sodas
$3.50
Red Bull
$4.95
Coffee
$4
Fruit Juice
$3.50
Bottle of water
$3.25
This cocktail cost me $14
Free Drinks on Royal Caribbean Cruises
These beverages are included for free on Royal Caribbean cruise ships:
Tea and coffee
Iced tea
Hot chocolate
Lemonade
Flavoured water
Water
Milk
Fruit juices with breakfast
The flavoured waters are really good, more like cordial or squash than water. There’s certainly enough choice to keep most kids happy with the free drinks without paying extra for fizzy drinks, freshly squeezed juices and mocktails.
The free drinks aren’t available in all venues and at all times, but you can find out exactly where and when to get them here: Guide To Royal Caribbean’s Free Drinks.
When it comes to drinking the tap water, it’s fine to do so in most places. But you’ll want to avoid drinking the water in any public handwashing stations and instead stick to water dispensers or the bathroom in your stateroom.
Tip: I like to take a tiny bottle of super concentrated cordial and add it to tap water for the kids
Royal Caribbean Drink Menus 2024
To see a detailed Royal Caribbean drink prices list, take a look at these photos of Royal Caribbean bar menus which I took onboard Anthem of the Seas from Southampton in May 2022. The prices do vary slightly depending on which ship you choose, too, so bear that in mind.
Good to know: US cruises Vs. UK cruises
On most cruises, including cruises departing from the US, an automatic gratuity of 18% is added to the cost of each drink when you receive the bill.
On cruises departing from the UK, the gratuity is included in the price of each drink as shown on the menu, so the menu prices may appear higher.
These photos of Royal Caribbean drinks menus are from the UK, so there will be no gratuity automatically added on top.
Royal Caribbean Pool Bar Menu
This is the pool bar menu from Anthem of the Seas. These are the drinks that are available at all of the outdoor bars. Other drinks are available on request, too. The prices may be slightly out of date but it’s good to see the options.
Schooner Bar Menu
The Schooner Bar is a classic bar that you’ll find on most Royal Caribbean ships. Here’s the drinks menu that shows the prices of beers, wines, cocktails and spirits.
Royal Caribbean Main Dining Room Wine List
This is a copy of the wine list from the main dining room of Anthem of the Seas from the UK. As you can see, there’s not a large choice of wines.
Wonderland Cocktail Menu
Speciality restaurants like Wonderland have their own menus. The cocktails in Wonderland are particularly special and are priced at $13 on this menu…
However, I suspect that this may have been an older menu on our 2022 cruise, as when we received the drinks receipt we were actually charged $14 and $7 for the virgin versions without alcohol.
More Royal Caribbean Drinks Menus
Below is a selection of menu photos from my 2019 cruise on Mariner of the Seas from Port Canaveral, Florida. The drinks prices are a little cheaper here, but, as this ship sailed from the US, an 18% gratuity was added afterwards.
So, in reality, the drinks were actually cheaper on my 2022 cruise from the UK as the menu prices included the gratuity on that cruise. The prices do vary and I’ve added more up-to-date pricing earlier in this article, but I think that looking at these menus is useful as it shows you what drinks are available…
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The Main Royal Caribbean Drinks Menu
This is the drinks menu which you’ll find at many of the onboard bars such as the Pool Bar and the Viking Crown Lounge.
The menu has a focus on cocktails, with a different page for each spirit – rum, vodka, gin, tequila and whiskey. This makes it a bit easier to narrow down your choice. It also has a wine list at the back.
Despite the huge choice of cocktails, the bar staff on Mariner of the Seas always seemed keen to conjure up something new and often said: “What do you like? Tell me some flavours and I’ll make up something.”
Schooner Bar Drinks Menu
The Schooner Bar is a cosy nautical-themed bar with a piano at the centre. You’ll find this bar onboard all Royal Caribbean ships. The Schooner Bar also offers a large choice of cocktails, as well as beers and lots of wines by the glass or bottle.
Here is the Schooner Bar drinks menu and wine list…
The Bamboo Room Menu
The Bamboo Room is a quirky Polynesian-themed cocktail bar that was added to Mariner of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas when they were renovated as part of the Royal Amplified program.
The menu has cocktails, beers and wines.
Royal Caribbean’s English Pub Menu
Most Royal Caribbean ships have an English-style pub on the main promenade featuring expansive beer collections and live music. If you want a good draft beer, this is the place to go.
Cafe Promenade Menu
Most Royal Caribbean ships have a Cafe Promenade which offers complimentary food as well as complimentary basic teas and coffees.
Speciality teas, coffees and hot chocolates have an extra charge, as can be seen from the menu below…
Royal Caribbean Starbucks Menu
Some Royal Caribbean cruise ships also have Starbucks cafes onboard. Coffees are priced between $4 and $6.
Playmakers Bar Menu
Playmakers is a sports bar that can be found onboard several ships in the fleet, including the Freedom-class ships, some of the Oasis-class ships, and the Icon-class ships.
Here, you’ll find a great selection of beverages including craft ales, draft and bottled beers, ciders, cocktails and wines.
Each Royal Caribbean ship has different bars and lounges, and there are lots to choose from on each ship. Favourites include Boleros, R-Bar, Two70, and the Rising Tide Bar which moves between decks on Oasis Class ships. Many bars will have their own unique menu.
Royal Caribbean Mini-Bar Menu
Royal Caribbean also has a mini-bar menu. Rather than arriving to a fully-stocked mini-bar, you’ll find that your mini-bar is empty and you can request what you like in it via a menu that you tick off and hang on your door handle.
As someone who doesn’t use the mini-bar except to store my own drinks and children’s milk, I love having an empty mini-bar.
You Can’t Buy Bottles of Liquor on Royal Caribbean
Some cruise lines such as P&O Cruises allow you to buy bottles of spirits such as vodka, rum or whiskey to drink in your stateroom.
Unfortunately, Royal Caribbean does not allow guests to buy bottles of liquor to drink on board the ship. If you buy duty-free liquor from the onboard shop, it will be delivered to your stateroom on the final evening of your cruise.
Bringing Your Own Drinks on Royal Caribbean Cruises
Royal Caribbean carry-on rules state that each stateroom may bring up to two 750 ml bottles of wine or champagne to drink in your stateroom.
If you wish to drink your wine in one of the public areas, a corkage fee of $15 per bottle will be charged.
Guests may also bring non-alcoholic drinks on board. The limit is 12 cans, bottles or cartons per stateroom. You may also bring milk and water for babies or medical use.
If you’re doing a fly-cruise, it’s probably not worth the hassle of bringing your own drinks on-board. But, when we cruise from the UK and don’t have a drinks package, we’ll definitely be bringing two bottles of wine and 12 cans of Pepsi Max to drink in our room to save a bit of money.
If you do plan to bring your own wine on a cruise, then I’d recommend that you buy an inflatable bottle protector from Amazon to make sure that it arrives in one piece and doesn’t smash in your suitcase.
How awful would it be to open your suitcase to find broken glass and wine all over your clothes?
How To Sneak Alcohol on a Royal Caribbean Cruise
Sneaking alcohol on a Royal Caribbean cruise is a bad idea because if you are caught, you could be kicked off the ship. Royal Caribbean’s alcohol policy states:
“Guests who attempt to conceal alcoholic items at security and or luggage check points may be disembarked or not allowed to board”
That said, many people do successfully sneak alcohol on to cruise ships. You can find out how they do it here: How to sneak alcohol on a cruise ship
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Royal Caribbean Drink Packages
Royal Caribbean offers alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks packages. When you buy a drinks package, you pay a set price, and then all your drinks are included free of charge.
Before you buy a Royal Caribbean drinks package, it’s important to work out whether it offers good value, or whether you would save money if you buy drinks individually. So, now that you know how much drinks cost on Royal Caribbean, you can start to work that out.
My next article gives you all the info on Royal Caribbean drink packages to help you decide whether to get one or not.
Alternatively, you can use my drinks package calculator tool to work out whether the drinks package is good value based on how many drinks you’re likely to have. Just pop your details in the form below, and I’ll email it to you right away.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
When you book a Royal Caribbean cruise, an important decision is whether to buy a drinks package or pay for your drinks individually.
On a Royal Caribbean cruise, the drinks can be pretty expensive. You can take a look at the menus to see exactly how much they cost.
However, savvy cruisers will know that lots of drinks are completely free of charge on Royal Caribbean cruises. If you stick to these, you won’t need to spend a penny on drinks for your cruise.
Wondering if the Royal Caribbean drinks package is worth it? Thousands of cruisers use my free drink package calculator to work it out:
1. Water
Tap water is free on a Royal Caribbean cruise. And there are lots of places you can get it on the ship. You can ask for a jug of iced water in any restaurant, or get iced water by the glass for free at any bar.
Most people say that tap water on cruise ships tastes better than water on land. It’s filtered well, and doesn’t have to travel through as many pipes as it does in your home.
You’ll also be able to help yourself to water in the Windjammer buffet, as well as from drink dispensers around the ship.
It’s not sanitary to use a water dispenser to fill your personal bottle that you’ve been drinking out of. It’s recommended that you use one of the clean glasses provided, and then pour it into your bottle.
His breakfast choices may be unhealthy, but Adam only ever drinks water
It’s not just plain old tap water that you can enjoy for free on a Royal Caribbean cruise. You’ll also find a choice of flavoured waters available for free in the Windjammer buffet restaurant.
The flavoured water on Royal Caribbean ships is really nice. I think it’s a bit more like fruit cordial than water. And there are always at least two flavours to choose from.
3. Lemonade
In the Windjammer Marketplace buffet, the machines that dispense flavoured water also dispense lemonade. Royal Caribbean’s lemonade tastes absolutely delicious – it’s cloudy, with a little pulp and just the right amount of sweetness.
If you prefer fizzy lemonade like Sprite or Minute Maid, you can get this on board too, but you’ll have to pay for it.
4. Coffee
On Royal Caribbean cruise ships you can get complimentary coffee in the main dining room, Windjammer buffet, Cafe Promenade, Lafe Latte-tudes, the Park Cafe and also through room service.
There’s a choice of regular or decaf coffee. When it comes to milk you can choose from whole, semi-skimmed (half and half) skimmed, (fat free), soy or almond.
There’s a difference between the free coffee and speciality coffees like Cappuccino and Espresso, as these have an extra charge. Some ships have Starbucks on board, and the coffee from there isn’t free either.
Royal Caribbean’s free brewed coffee tastes fine. It’s not amazing, but it’s pretty good. Always ask for a ‘brewed’ coffee to make sure that you get the free version. If you’re something of a coffee aficionado, you might want to pay to upgrade to the fancy coffees.
5. Tea
You’ll find a selection of complimentary hot teas to choose from in Royal Caribbean’s main dining rooms and Windjammer buffet. There’s quite a big choice, includingEarl Grey, English Breakfast tea, black tea, green tea, orange tea, peppermint tea, chamomile tea and other herbal teas.
You can also get unsweetened iced tea for free in the main dining room and buffet. If you prefer sweet tea, one tip is to add a little lemonade.
This machine always has iced tea as an option
If you cruise from the UK, you’ll also find a kettle in your room with tea bags. Isn’t it great that Royal Caribbean realises how much Brits love a cup of tea first thing in the morning?
6. Hot chocolate
On Royal Caribbean ships, you’ll find packets of hot chocolate mix in the Windjammer buffet. You can also order hot chocolate or hot cocoa in the dining rooms, Cafe Promenade and through room service for free.
The hot chocolate is very chocolatey, so you may wish to add a little milk to it.
7. Milk
In the Windjammer buffet, you can help yourself to milk. There’s semi-skimmed and skimmed milk next to the coffee and cereal, but you can also ask for almond or soya milk if you prefer that.
If your room has a kettle (cruises from the UK do), you’ll get small pots of milk. But if you need dairy-free milk for your morning cuppa or want some whole milk to feed your baby or toddler, call room service and they will bring some to you. You can keep it in your fridge until you need it.
As I’m vegan, I requested almond milk on room service for my coffee. It was delivered free of charge.
8. Chocolate milk
In the Windjammer buffet, you’ll often see single-serve cartons of chocolate milk. If they’re not there, just ask and the staff will bring one out for you. You can also request chocolate milk in the main dining room – the staff will make it up for you using chocolate milk powder. Chocolate milk is also available for free via room service.
My daughter drank a lot of chocolate milk on Mariner of the Seas
9. Fruit juice
On Royal Caribbean cruise ships, fruit juices are available free of charge. In the main dining rooms and buffet, you’ll find a choice of fruit juices that usually include apple juice, orange juice, and one or two other types such as grapefruit juice or tropical breakfast juice.
Fresh juice al fresco – is there anything better?
Most other cruise lines only offer free fruit juice at breakfast time. So I love that on a Royal Caribbean ship, you can help yourself to free fruit juice in the buffet at any time of day. The photo above shows us enjoying fruit juice at lunchtime.
If you prefer freshly-squeezed juice, you can request this for an extra charge.
Enjoying freshly-squeezed orange juice in the Main Dining Room
Other ways of getting free drinks
So now you know which drinks you can get for free. If those aren’t enough for you, it’s worth looking into the various Royal Caribbean drinks packages. Those can make all of your drinks free, once you’ve bought the package of course.
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There are also some other times when you can get alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks for free on Royal Caribbean cruises, as explained below.
Free fizz at art auctions
If you attend one of the art auctions on board your cruise, you’ll be handed a glass of free Champagne. It’s probably not real Champagne, but it tastes good and it’s free. Just be careful that you don’t drink too much and end up bidding on some art that you don’t really want!
After I drank this free mimosa, I placed a bid on some art and and bought it! It was only $60 though and it hangs in pride of place in my living room, so I feel like I got a good deal.
Concierge Club and Suite guests
If you’re staying in a suite or are a Diamond, Diamond Plus or Pinnacle Crown & Anchor member, you’ll have access to the Concierge Lounge, Diamond Lounge or Suite Lounge. The type of lounge depends on the ship.
In your VIP lounge, you’ll get complimentary alcoholic drinks during happy hours between 5pm and 8pm.
Guests staying in suites on Oasis Class ships used to be able to get free wine, beer and soft drinks between 11am and 11pm, but it appears from a discussion in a forum that this has now been halted.
There’s usually a second party for Platinum members and above, called the Top Tier event. Look out for the cards placed in your stateroom with the invitations.
Bring your own – it’s cheaper than buying onboard!
When you board your Royal Caribbean cruise ship, each stateroom may bring up to two 750ml bottles of wine or Champagne. You can drink these in your stateroom free of charge. If you want to drink them in a public area, a corkage fee will be applied.
You can bring soft drinks too…
You can bring up to 12 cans, bottles or cartons of non-alcoholic drinks per stateroom on board with you on boarding day. So sodas are fine – just make sure you pack them in your carry-on luggage.
There are lots of free drinks available on Royal Caribbean cruise ships, especially in the Windjammer Marketplace Cafe and the main dining rooms. In most bars and lounges, you may be limited to tap water for the free drink selection. But the Windjammer is open almost all of the time, you can always head there and get your free drinks to take away.
Remember that with the Royal Caribbean soda policy, you’re allowed to bring 12 cans or bottles with you, so that’s another way you can save. Or bring bottled water if you prefer to drink that. The tap water is clean and refreshing, but you may not want to leave your cabin to get it (and I wouldn’t recommend drinking the warm tap water in your stateroom bathroom!).
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
If you like to enjoy a drink or three on your cruise holiday, it’s a good idea to find out what drinks are available and how much they cost before you book.
This article has pictures of P&O drinks menus with prices, so you can easily see the cost of drinks on P&O Cruises.
If you’re wondering whether the P&O Cruises drinks package is worth it, I have built a P&O drinks package calculator which will work it out for you, based on your individual drinking preferences.
Just enter your email address here and I’ll send it to you immediately.
And if you’re interested in the food menus, you can see those here: P&O food menus.
How Much Are Drinks on P&O Cruises?
P&O Cruises Drinks Prices:
Pint of beer: £5.05 to £5.40
Bottle of beer: £4.85 to £5.15
Glass of wine: £5.75 to £9.25
Spirits: £4.45 to £7.10
Cocktail: £7.15 to £8.50
Mocktail: £3.75
Soft drinks: £2.55 to £3.60
Bottle of water: £2.00
Depending on where you live in the UK, you may find that P&O drink prices are similar to what you’d pay in your local pub.
Wherever in the world you cruise to, drinks on P&O Cruises’ ships are all priced in pounds sterling, so it’s easy to know how much you’re spending.
P&O Cruises Drinks Menus
Each P&O Cruises ship will have many different bars and restaurants onboard, and each venue will have different drinks available. The pub has lots of different beers but a smaller cocktail menu, whereas the cocktail bars have lots of cocktails and a smaller choice of beers.
The following menu is the standard P&O drinks menu and wine list. You’ll find this in several places on board P&O Cruises’ ships, such as the poolside bars and the buffet restaurant. As you can see, P&O bar prices are quite reasonable.
P&O Cruises serve kosher and vegan wines. You can ask onboard for more information.
P&O Cruises Costa Coffee menu
Here’s the menu for the Costa Coffee shop on P&O Cruises’ ships. You can also get Costa speciality coffees in many of the other bars and lounges on your ship.
Brodies Pub Drinks Menu
Each ship in the P&O Cruises fleet has a traditional British pub. These include The Rising Sun on Arcadia, Champions Bar on Aurora, The Yacht & Compass on Oceana, The Exchange on Ventura and Brodies on Azura, Britannia and Iona.
Each pub has its own unique character and charm, but all offer an extensive drinks menu and wine list. Below are photos of the drinks menus from Brodies on board Iona:
P&O Cruises’ Wine List
Here is the P&O Cruises’ wine list. It’s available in each of the restaurants as well as selected bars and lounges on each ship.
Crow’s Next Drinks Menu
The Crow’s Nest is an elegant bar, located at the very top of the ship. It has an extensive menu with a large choice of cocktails and spirits. The Crow’s Nest is a popular spot to enjoy a nightcap before bed. It’s also a lovely place to go for a pre-dinner drink, especially if you can admire the views before it goes dark.
See The Crow’s Nest Drinks Menu
Anderson’s Bar Drinks List
Iona has its very own gin distillery on board, so you can enjoy Marabelle gin that was crafted on the ship. Marabelle gin is available in every bar, but here is the menu for Anderson’s Bar and Library which has the largest selection of gins.
More Bar and Lounge Drinks Menus
The other bars and lounges on P&O Cruises ships include The 710 Club, The Glass House, Emerald Bar, The Keel and Cow and The Limelight Club. Each has their own drinks menus too.
I haven’t added them all here, but they’re of similar size to the other drinks menus so there are lots of choices.
Room Service Drinks List
If you’d like to enjoy a drink in your room or perhaps on your balcony, then the following menu lists the drinks that are available to order via room service:
If you have a drinks package with P&O Cruises, you should note that room service drinks aren’t included in your drinks package.
You can order full 70cl bottles of spirits on room service, including whisky, vodka, gin and rum. This is a good option for anyone doing a longer cruise such as a world cruise.
Each cabin also has a mini bar which is replenished daily. The following drinks menu and price list for the mini bar is from a couple of years ago, so the prices have increased slightly since then, but this will give you an idea.
Mini bar drinks are also not included in the P&O Cruises drinks package.
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Bringing Your Own Alcohol On P&O Cruises Ships
P&O Cruises allows each passenger aged 18 and over to bring up to 1 litre of wine or Champagne, and unlimited soft drinks, on board the ship when they embark. If you purchase any more alcohol, either ashore or in the onboard duty-free shop, it will be held in storage until the end of your cruise.
The alcohol that you bring on board can be consumed in your stateroom without a charge. So if you enjoy a drink while getting ready to go out in the evening, or perhaps a nightcap, then bringing your own drinks can be a great way to save money on your cruise.
If you want to drink your wine elsewhere on the ship, there’s a £20 corkage fee to pay.
You used to be able to bring spirits onboard too but they’ve changed that policy now. On previous cruises, we saved over £400 by bringing our own drinks, compared to if we had bought the same spirits and mixers individually at bar prices. Plus, they were there in our fridge, which was very convenient. So it’s a shame that the policy has changed.
How to stop glass bottles breaking in your suitcase
Worried about your bottle of wine getting smashed in your case? You can get inflatable bottle protectors on Amazon to prevent that from happening. Sure, you could just wrap your bottles in clothes, but why take the risk?
P&O Cruises All-Inclusive Drinks Packages
In 2019, P&O Cruises introduced a drinks package that can turn your cruise from full-board to all-inclusive. P&O drinks packages are available on cruises of five nights or more, and must be purchased for every day of the cruise.
Is the P&O Cruises Drinks Package Worth It?
Before you go ahead and buy a P&O drinks package, it’s vital that you work out whether it’s good value for money. That will depend on what you drink and how much of it.
In my next article, I detail what’s included (and not included) in the P&O Cruises drinks package, and which drinks are always free.
Alternatively, you can use my quick and easy drinks package calculator to do all the maths for you. Just pop your details in this form and I’ll send it to you.
Cheers!
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
P&O Cruises offer a fantastic selection of food, with included dining available in the main dining rooms and Horizon buffet. In addition, you’ll find a choice of speciality restaurants where you can choose to dine for a supplement if you wish.
The menus on board change every day, so one thing’s for sure, you’ll never be bored of the food!
In this guide to P&O Cruises food, I’ve included sample menus for the most popular dining venues to give you an idea of what to expect.
As you can see, there are lots of options for people eating gluten-free and vegetarians. Vegans should also check out the special vegan and vegetarian menu.
So, pick which P&O cruise menu you’re most interested in, or scroll through to see them all.
P&O Cruises give guests the choice of dining in the main dining room or the buffet restaurant each day. There are advantages to each, and I’d definitely recommend that you try them both at least once during your cruise.
I like to eat breakfast in the buffet, because it’s faster and there’s more choice. A buffet breakfast is ideal if you have kids who like certain things, or if you have an excursion planned so want to eat quickly and get off the ship.
However, eating breakfast in the main dining room is a lovely, relaxing start to the day. The breakfast menu has a good selection of food, and you can sit back and relax while everything is brought to you.
If you’re staying in a suite (not a conservatory or mini suite), you can also enjoy breakfast in the Epicurean, Glasshouse or Sindhu once during your cruise for no extra charge.
Here’s a typical main dining room P&O breakfast menu:
Continental Breakfast
Fruit Juice – Orange, Apple, Pineapple, Tomato
Fruit – Orange, Grapefruit, Melon
Fruit Compotes – Figs, Prunes, Apricots, Apple
Cereal – All-Bran, Alpen, Bran Flakes, Corn Flakes, Frosties, Fruit ’n Fibre, Porridge, Rice Krispies, Shredded Wheat, Special K, Weetabix
Yoghurts – Natural, Fruit
Hot Breakfast
The P&O Cruises Breakfast – Grilled Back Bacon, Lamb’s Liver, Tomato, Black Pudding, White Pudding, Cumberland Sausage, Hash Browns, Eggs
English Breakfast – Back Bacon, Pork Sausage, Tomato, Fried Bread, Saute Potatoes, Grilled Mushrooms, Black Pudding, Plum Tomatoes, Baked Beans
Oats, Apples, Dried Fruits, Nuts, Seeds and Natural Yoghurt
Cereals with Skimmed or Soya Milk
Fresh Fruit Salad
Poached Eggs on Wholemeal Toast
Smashed Avocado on Wholemeal Sourdough Toast
Hot Drinks
Teas and Infusions
Freshly Brewed Coffee
Decaffeinated Coffee
Hot Chocolate
Chef’s Specialities
Monday – Eggs Benedict
Tuesday – Grilled Gammon Steak with Fried Eggs
Wednesday – Traditional Kedgeree
Thursday – Grilled Minute Steak
Friday – Devilled Kidneys
Saturday – Corned Beef Hash
Sunday – Scrambled Egg with Oak Smoked Salmon
As P&O Cruises is a British cruise line, all of the food is typically British. So things like bacon, sausages and baked beans will be the ones that you’re used to at home, rather than the more American or European food that you’ll find on other cruise ships.
P&O Cruises Main Dining Room Menus
On P&O cruises, the main dining room lunch and dinner menus change each day, although there are a few popular dishes that will be available every night.
Main Dining Room Dinner Menu
Below is an example of what you can expect from a typical dinner menu. However, P&O Cruises regularly offer special menus on certain evenings. These include the Gala Dinner menu (designed by Marco Pierre White), a special menu designed by the executive chef of each ship, a fine dining menu, and a themed dinner menu such as Caribbean or Mediterranean.
Tip for vegans: There’s always a vegan option. You can ask to see the menu for the next day to check if you will like it. If not, you can pre-order something else.
Starters
Lightly Spiced Crab and Leek Pasties
Hampshire Chalk Stream Hot Smoked Rainbow Trout (gf)
Pâté de Campagne
Wild Mushroom Panna Cotta (v)
Atlantic Prawn Cocktail
Minestrone Soup (v)
Cullen Skink Soup (gf)
Cream of Tomato Soup (v)
Chicken Caesar Salad
Main Courses
Crab, Crayfish and Broccoli Bake with a Cheddar Glaze
Skate Wing in Lemon Black Butter (gf)
Beef Fillet Medallion
Twice Baked Onion and Garlic Soufflé (v)
Grilled Salmon Fillet (gf)
Pan-fried Chicken Breast (gf)
Sirloin Steak
Prime Leg of Lamb (gf)
Medallions of Pork Fillet (gf)
Desserts
Baked Treacle Tart Sauce (gf)
Honey Panna Cotta Strawberries, Honeycomb and Mint (gf)
Kumquat and Almond Cake
Chocolate and Pretzel Ganache with Dark Chocolate Mousse
Fresh Seasonal Fruit Salad (gf)
Ice Cream – Vanilla, Elderflower or Chocolate
Ginger sorbet
Strawberry, Elderflower and Lemon Sundae
Cheese and Biscuits
While the menu changes each day, there are some items that are always available. These are:
Atlantic Prawn Cocktail with Marie Rose Sauce and Brown Bread
Cream of Tomato Soup with Basil Oil and Croûtons (v)
Grilled Salmon Fillet with Potato Wedges, Seasonal Vegetables and a Lemon Hollandaise Sauce
Pan-fried Chicken Breast with Potato Wedges, Roasted Root Vegetables and a Garlic and Thyme Butter
Sirloin Steak with Thick Cut Chips, Seasonal Vegetables and Béarnaise Sauce
Fresh Seasonal Fruit Salad with Cream
Remember that you’re not limited to one of each course, so you can order whatever you like. If you fancy two starters and no dessert, go for it! The portions aren’t huge, so if you’re a big eater I’d recommend ordering a few different things.
Main Dining Room Lunch Menu
Here’s an example of a typical lunch menu in the main dining room…
Sindhu is P&O Cruises’ Indian restaurant. It’s one of the most popular restaurants and you’ll find it on every ship. Dining at Sindhu costs between £17.50 and £25 per person, except on Iona where the menu is a la carte, so you’ll just pay for the items that you order.
The Epicurean is P&O Cruises’ fine dining restaurant, and a firm favourite when it comes to speciality dining. The Epicurean menus offer a fusion of modern British favourites and classic, sophisticated dining.
You’ll find The Epicurean restaurant on board Azura, Britannia, Iona and Ventura. Each venue offers a grand yet relaxing atmosphere and impeccable service.
Dining at The Epicurean usually costs around £30 per person.
Starters
King Prawn and Mediterranean Octopus Cocktail (gf)
Duo of Cured Smoked Salmon (gf)
Frogs Legs Sucette
Quicke’s Farm Mature Cheddar Mousse and Serrano Ham
Pulled Smoked Gressingham Duck Leg and Hackleback Caviar
Tomato Tastings and Buffalo Mozzarella (v) (gf)
Seasonal Soup (v) (gf)
Main Courses
The Epicurean Fish and Chips
Whole Dover Sole á la Meunière
Black Leg Chicken Breast
Redman Limousin Irish Beef Fillet and Ox Cheek
Laksa of Marinated Silken Tofu Tempura (v) (gf)
Whole New England Lobster (gf)
Dorset Crown Lamb Rump (gf)
American Grain-Fed Aged Angus Sirloin Steak (gf)
Onley Grounds Farm 28 Day Aged Cote De Boeuf for Two (gf)
Sides
Green Asparagus (gf)
French Beans (gf)
Thick Cut Chips (gf)
New Potatoes (gf)
Desserts
Crème Brûlée and White Chocolate Sphere (gf)
Elements of Summer Trifle
Coconut Panna Cotta (gf)
Valrhona Dark Chocolate Tart
Banana and Peanut Butter Cannelloni
Taster for Two
Selection of Artisan British and European Cheese
The Beach House is the place to go for hearty comfort food, offering American and Caribbean-style dishes. With dinner costing £7.50 to £10 per person with a small supplement for certain dishes, The Beach House is one of the most affordable speciality restaurants at sea.
You’ll find The Beach House on board Aurora, Azura, Britannia, Iona and Ventura. There’s no need to book in advance, you can just turn up.
Starters
Island Spiced Chicken Wings with Mac & Cheese Chips
You can place an order for room service using the telephone in your cabin. For breakfast room service, you simply hang a card outside your door the night before. The card looks like this:
The P&O Cruises kids’ menu is the same every day, but it has plenty of choices that can be mixed and matched.
Be sure to specify how many of each item you would like. If you ask for sausage, egg and chips, your child will only get one sausage and one egg. So ask if you’d like two!
Mains
Beef Burger in Buns
Pizza Margherita
Mini Minced Beef And Onion Pasty
Spaghetti Bolognaise
Chicken Nuggets
Grilled Chicken Breast
Poached Salmon
Pork Sausages
Fish Fingers
Pasta with Tomato Sauce
Hot Dog
Fried Egg
Omelette
Sides
Fresh Vegetables of the Day
French Fries
Grilled Stir-Fried Vegetables
Mashed Potato
Creamed Corn
Potato Smiley Faces
Spaghetti Hoops
Garden Peas
Carrots
Desserts
Selection of Ice Creams with Sweet Sauces
Sorbet of the Day
Fruit Jellies
Cupcake
Chocolate Cookies
Chocolate Brownies
The menu on your ships may vary slightly. Above is the list from the P&O Cruises website, but below is a photo of the menu that was given to use on Iona in 2022.
P&O Cruises Vegetarian and Vegan Menus
P&O Cruises offers vegan and vegetarian options in every restaurant, including the main dining rooms, speciality restaurants and buffet.
If you have any special dietary requirements, it’s important that you or your travel agent let P&O Cruises know when you book your cruise. When you arrive in your cabin, you should have a letter to acknowledge your request and invite you to meet with a chef if you wish.
There’s also a special diet gathering on the first day of the cruise. This is good to attend if you have food allergies, or to make sure that you’re well catered for during your cruise. You’ll find details on the daily planner.
In the Main Dining Room, there’s no longer a vegan and vegetarian menu. Instead, the options are always included on the main menu.
In other venues, you should ask your waiter. Many dishes can be adjusted to make them suitable for vegans or vegetarians upon request.
The vegan and vegetarian menu in the main dining room changes each day. It’s a good idea to ask to see the menu for the following day. If you don’t like something, let your waiter know and the chef will prepare something else for you.
Starters
Avocado Pear with Crumbled Goat’s Cheese Crotin (gf)
Waldorf Salad (gf)
Chilled Cucumber Consommé (vegan) (gf)
Main Courses
Wild and Cultivated Mushroom Bourguignon (gf)
Feta, Tomato and Spinach Filo Pastry
Thai Green Vegetable Curry (vegan) (gf)
Desserts
Vanilla Soya Rice Pudding (vegan) (gf)
Minted Pineapple (gf)
Cheeseboard
P&O Cruises offer many different drinks menus with almost every drink you could want. You can see photos of all of the drinks menus and prices here: P&O Drink Menus.
This article showcases some of P&O Cruises’ most popular restaurants. Other restaurants are available too, depending on the ship. These may include the Ocean Grill on Arcadia, The Limelight Club on Britannia and Eric Lanlard’s Afternoon Tea, which is available on all ships except Aurora.
The largest choice of restaurants can be found on Iona. I have a special guide to Iona restaurants that you should take a look at if you plan to cruise on this ship.
Those with special diets such as vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free are well catered for on P&O Cruises’ ships. Menus change every day and dishes can be adjusted to suit your needs.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
I get so many people asking me when the best time is to buy the Royal Caribbean drink package. So, I thought the best thing to do would be to write this guide that explains exactly when you should buy it to get the best price…
The best time to buy your package is today!
The best time to buy your Royal Caribbean drink package is today because the price can go up at any moment and it may not come back down. If the price drops, it’s easy to cancel your order on the Cruise Planner and buy it again at the lower price.
The worst time to buy your Royal Caribbean drink package is once you’re onboard the ship as you will always pay more for it than you would have if you pre-purchased it. Even with onboard offers of ‘Buy One Get One For Free’, you’ll still end up paying more as the onboard prices are so inflated.
The second worst time to buy your drink package is when you book your cruise. Unless you can get a free or discounted drink package as part of a booking offer with your travel agent, you won’t get the best price by booking it on the day that you book your cruise. Wait a day few days and then check the price on the Cruise Planner.
Always look out for sales
Royal Caribbean drink packages go on sale in the Cruise Planner every few weeks with advertised discounts of between 10% and 30%. There’s usually always a good sale for Black Friday, too. Sales are most likely to start on Wednesdays.
Even within a sale period, the price will still fluctuate up and down each day.
I would advise that you don’t pay any attention to the % discounts as they are pretty meaningless. As the base price goes up and down in an unpredictable manner, a bigger % discount doesn’t always equate to a bigger saving.
The price will be shown in your local currency. Here’s what the Cruise Planner looked like for my Royal Caribbean cruise back in 2022…
A few days later, I logged in again and could see that there was a BUY ONE GET ONE 50% OFF SALE!
However, that was meaningless as the price had actually gone up!
Drink packages are pretty expensive…
The price of the Royal Caribbean varies. It depends on your ship and your itinerary but not only that, the price goes up and down over time. The price is pretty unpredictable, but you’ll usually see the Deluxe Beverage Package for between $63 and $105 per day.
If you’re not sure if Royal Caribbean’s drink package is worth it or not based on what you usually drink, then I recommend that you check out my full Guide to Royal Caribbean Drink Packages to work that out.
Alternatively, you can use my free Royal Caribbean Drink Package Calculator to get a quick answer about how many of each drink you’ll need to have before you break even.
Just leave your email and it will be sent to your inbox instantly…
Remember that there are different drink packages to choose from, so if you don’t drink a lot of alcohol then the Refreshment Package or the Classic Soda Package will probably be a better option for you.
How to get a discounted drink package
If you want to get the lowest price for your Royal Caribbean drink package, you’ll need to put in a bit of work. Log into Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Planner and note the price of the package each day.
When a sale is launched, if the price is lower than you’ve seen it before, that’s a good time to buy it.
Final thoughts
Royal Caribbean’s drink packages can seem pretty expensive, but then the drinks are quite expensive too. Take a look at the Royal Caribbean Drinks Menus with Prices to see how much your favourite drinks will cost you.
If you have any questions about Royal Caribbean drink packages then I highly recommend that you check out the FAQ section at the bottom of this guide as it’s probably covered there.
If you do decide that you want to get the drink package, I highly recommend that you keep an eye on the price in the Cruise Planner, particularly around Black Friday. If you see a great deal on the drink package, you can still get it at that price, even if you’ve already purchased it, by cancelling your original order.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
When you book your Holland America Line cruise, you’ll have a decision to make on whether you pay for all of your drinks individually, or if you buy a drinks package.
There are four different drinks packages to choose from, as well as a fifth option which is even more inclusive and doesn’t just cover drinks.
Choosing the right drinks package for you means you can save a lot of money, and it stops you from worrying about your budget during your cruise.
So, let’s take a look at the different options available with a Holland America Line cruise, any limitations you need to know about, and whether they’re worth it or not.
Firstly – the drinks that are always free
There is a limited selection of free drinks you can enjoy on a Holland America cruise, including tap water, standard brewed coffee and tea, iced tea, lemonade, hot chocolate, and juices at breakfast.
Most of the free drinks are available in the Main Dining Room and in the buffet restaurant, although you can get juices delivered to your room at no charge in the morning.
Some ships also serve a free fruit punch in the buffet restaurant at select times, though this can vary. It’ll be a non-alcoholic punch too, to be clear.
If you want any sodas, speciality teas or coffees, or anything alcoholic then you’re going to need to pay for them, either individually or by purchasing a drinks package.
The different Holland America drinks packages explained
Holland America offers a selection of drinks packages, so there’s no one-size-fits-all option. You can choose the one that best fits your needs – if you plan on mainly drinking sodas but having the occasional cocktail, you might want to get a soda-only package and pay for cocktails separately.
There are also some wine bundles that you can buy – I’ll cover those a little later in the guide.
Let’s take a look at what’s included in all of the beverage packages available with Holland America.
The Coca-Cola Beverage Package
Price – $8 per person, per day + 18% gratuity = $9.44
Really simply, the Coca-Cola package allows you to enjoy unlimited fountain sodas for the duration of your cruise, so you’ll get as many Cokes, Diet Cokes and Sprites as you want. This only applies to fountain sodas though – cans and bottles are not included in this package.
If you’re sailing on a Pinnacle Class ship, which includes MS Koningsdam, MS Rotterdam and MS Nieuw Statendam, you’ll have unlimited access to the Coca-Cola Freestyle machines. These are enhanced fountain sodas with many more options included, as well as the option to add flavours to existing drinks.
The Quench Beverage Package
Price – $17.95 per person, per day + 18% gratuity = $21.18
The Quench beverage package is the more premium option for non-alcoholic drinks.
It includes all of the fountain sodas, the same as the Coca-Cola package (including the Freestyle machines on Pinnacle Class ships), as well as also letting you enjoy:
Premium coffees, including espresso and cappuccino
Fresh fruit juices and smoothies
Non-alcoholic cocktails
Bottled and canned sodas
Energy drinks
Bottled water (still and sparkling)
There’s a 15-drink limit per day on the Quench package. That won’t apply to fountain sodas, but it will apply to everything else. If you want more drinks after your 15th, you’ll need to pay for them.
Price – $54.95 per person, per day + 18% gratuity = $64.84
The Signature Beverage Package is Holland America’s alcoholic drinks package. It offers you everything included in the Quench package, but it also includes alcoholic drinks by the glass up to the value of $11 each.
This drink package includes:
Beers and premium beers
Selected spirits
Selected cocktails
Selected glasses of wine
Most cruise lines that have a drink value limit in the package, such as the $11 one here, will let you buy more expensive drinks and only pay the difference – so if you have the Signature package, and you bought a $14 drink, you’d only pay $3 rather than the full price.
Holland America does work like that, but only since summer 2023. Prior to that, you would’ve had to pay the full price of drinks outside the included limit. So it’s a good thing that it changed!
Also, the 15-drink daily limit applies and includes all alcoholic drinks and non-alcoholic drinks, except for the fountain sodas.
The Elite Beverage Package
Price – $59.99 per person, per day + 18% gratuity = $70.79
The Elite Beverage Package is the top-tier drinks package on a Holland America cruise. It includes all of the drinks that you’d get on the lower tiers, as well as drinks up to the value of $15.
This drink package includes:
All beers
Premium spirits
Premium cocktails
Premium wines
The key difference with the Elite package is that your non-alcoholic drinks are not counted towards your 15-drink-per-day limit – they are truly unlimited. It’s only alcoholic drinks which are counted in your daily limit.
If you think that you might enjoy premium drinks up to the value of $15, then it’s absolutely worth upgrading to the Elite package – even with the gratuity added it’s only around $6 more per day, so within two $15 drinks you’ve more than justified the difference in price over the $11 per day options.
The Have It All Package
Price – $50 per person, per day + 18% gratuity = $59
The Have It All package is not a drinks package exactly, but it’s worth mentioning alongside them.
This is a version of the Signature drinks package, but you also get other extras included, such as a selection of shore excursions, speciality dining, and your WiFi internet access.
It costs $50 per person, per day plus an 18% gratuity, so $59 per day.
Now, you might be wondering – how does that work? Since it’s actually cheaper to get the Have It All package, than it is to just get the Signature Beverage Package separately.
And you’d be right to question it because it makes no sense. If your cruise has the Have It All fare on offer, you’d be wasting money if you bought the Signature Beverage Package instead.
However, it’s really important to note that the Have It All package is not available on all Holland America cruise itineraries. You can only book it on around half of the cruises that are offered.
So if you’re on a cruise where Have It All is not available, the Signature Beverage Package does still make sense.
Also, it’s a little strange that it’s called “Have It All” but it doesn’t include the top-tier drinks package, but you will still enjoy most drinks with the Signature option.
Exactly what you get depends on the length of your cruise, although the Signature Beverage Package and the WiFi Surf Package are always included. You then get:
1 shore excursion and 1 speciality dining restaurant visit for cruises 6-9 days
2 shore excursions and 2 speciality dining restaurant visits for cruises 10-20 days
3 shore excursions and 3 speciality dining restaurant visits for cruises 21+ days
The price you’ll pay for a drinks package
Drink packages on Holland America vary – they start from just $8 per person per day for a Coca-Cola package for fountain sodas only, and go up to almost $60 per person, per day for the Elite package, which includes drinks up to the value of $15.
Obviously, you don’t have to just stick to the drinks in your chosen package – you’re able to buy a package and then pay separately for extra drinks above and beyond that. That’s why it’s important to plan ahead.
If you think you’ll mainly drink fountain sodas, but you might want a cocktail a day, you’re more likely going to find that it’s cheaper to stick to the Coca-Cola package for $8, and then pay for your cocktail, instead of paying for the $55 or $60 packages which include cocktails.
But also remember that you have to pay for any drinks not included in your package in their entirety – you don’t get a discount because you have a drinks package on a lower tier.
Don’t forget the gratuities!
The Holland America drinks packages have an 18% service charge automatically applied to them, taking the actual costs up slightly. Including gratuity, the Coca-Cola package costs $9.44 per day, the Quench costs $21.18 per day, the Signature costs $64.84 per day and the Elite costs $70.79 per day.
This is the same automatic gratuity that’s added to any drinks purchase you make, as well as any speciality dining reservations or any retail items you buy at the bar as well.
It’s worth pointing out that you have to buy a drinks package for the duration of your cruise – either before you sail, or on embarkation day. You can’t buy one just for part of your cruise, or for select days.
They’re also non-transferable, and you can’t share them. This means that all adults sharing a stateroom have to have the same drinks package – you can’t only buy one for one of you, because then sharing couldn’t be monitored. So realistically, for a couple, you’ll be paying $140 per day if you want the Elite package.
Note that while the terms and conditions don’t state that children must have a drinks package as well, that doesn’t mean you can buy a non-alcoholic package just for the adults and share it with the kids – you’ll still be expected to pay for their drinks, or buy them a package too.
The drinks prices onboard (to help you plan)
Drinks on Holland America Line ships are similarly priced to many major cruise lines. Expect to pay around $7 for a beer, between $9 and $14 for a glass of white or red wine, between $7.50 and $14 for spirits, and between $9 and $18 for most cocktails.
Here’s an example of a drinks menu that I saw onboard Holland America’s Rotterdam cruise ship…
There’s a lot of variety in the drinks prices depending on where you’re drinking and whether you want a premium option or a standard one. There are a lot of classic cocktails that you can get for less than $11, but some contain more premium spirits and can push past the $15 limit for the Elite package.
White and red wine by the glass will always be included in an Elite package, with most wines available in the Signature package too. Sparkling wines do vary, with Veuve Clicquot being outside the Elite limit at $18.
Here’s the first page of the wine menu on Rotterdam. Of course, there are some more expensive wines too on the following pages.
Soft drinks are quite cheap – you can get fountain sodas for $2.50. Meanwhile, non-alcoholic cocktails start as low as $4, and speciality teas and coffees are available from just $3.00.
Here’s a coffee menu…
So, is it worth buying a package, or is paying for drinks individually better?
Whether a Holland America beverage package is worth it depends on how much you think you will drink onboard. The cost of individual drinks is not too prohibitive, but you can quite easily work out whether you’ll save money with a drinks package or not.
For example, a fountain soda costs you $2.50 before the gratuity is added on, while the Coca-Cola beverage package is $8 per day before the gratuity.
Are you someone who would stop at three fountain sodas per day, or are you likely going to want more?
Consider your budget, and then buy the drinks package that best fits you if you’re someone who likes a lot of drinks – either alcoholic or non-alcoholic – during your cruise. If you’re going to spend most of your cruise on excursions, you might decide to only pay for the drinks you have on the ship individually.
My drinks package calculator can help – just pop your details in below I’ll send it to you instantly.
Holland America Wine Packages
As well as the beverage packages, Holland America also offers a Sommelier Program. This is where you can buy wine by the bottle at a discounted rate for your cruise – saving up to 25% on the cost of buying the wine bottles individually.
There are three different levels available:
Cellar No.1
Cellar No.1 is the base level package – these are wines that are popular and are priced as such. There are 7 white wines and 7 red wines available for you to choose from, and you can either buy 4 bottles for $119, 6 bottles for $169, or 8 bottles for $219.
Cellar No. 2
Cellar No. 2 is the mid-tier package and includes some more premium wine selections. There are again 7 whites and 7 reds that you can pick from, and you can either choose 4 bottles for $149, 6 bottles for $229 or 8 bottles for $289.
Cellar No. 3
Cellar No. 3 is the top-level package and includes the favourite wines of the Cellar Master onboard. Once again there are 14 wines you can choose from, 7 of each type, and for 4 bottles you’ll pay $189. 6 bottles will cost you $269, and 8 bottles is $329.
With these packages, your wine can either be delivered directly to your stateroom, or you can enjoy it in the restaurants on the ship. You’re also welcome to take any unopened bottles home with you at the end of your cruise, so you don’t have to feel pressured to drink them all during the sailing.
These wine packages are also a good backup if you decided not to buy a beverage package for your cruise, and then you get onboard and regret your decision.
Unlike a beverage package, these can be ordered at any time on your cruise, so if you’re on day 3 and wish you could let loose with the wine, you could at least save some money with one of these bundle deals.
Any chance of a free drinks package? Not usually…
There are no free drinks packages available with Holland America by default, but it’s worth checking throughout the year – especially in January – as there may be special offers where a drinks package is included as part of your fare.
There’s no guarantee, because cruise lines change their marketing strategies each year. Sometimes it may be an included drinks package, or it might just be lower fares.
If you are quite open about when you want to book, you could let your travel agent know that a free drinks package is important to you, and they can get in touch if such an offer becomes available.
But try to be open-minded. There might be other offers which make your overall cruise cheaper, helping you to justify the cost of paying for a beverage package yourself.
And you don’t need a drinks package if you don’t think you’ll be drinking much – you can stick to the free drinks offered, and pay for the occasional extra drinks you’ll enjoy on top of those.
Drinks limits explained – most packages aren’t really “unlimited”
The Quench, Signature and Elite beverage packages all have a daily limit of 15 drinks, although fountain sodas are unlimited for all packages. The daily limit is slightly different for each package depending on what is included with each.
In the Quench package, the limit applies to all non-alcoholic drinks except for those fountain sodas.
For the Signature package, the limit applies to all alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, barring the fountain sodas again.
For the Elite package, the limit only applies to your alcoholic drinks. You can enjoy unlimited non-alcoholic drinks including speciality coffees, bottled water, juices and more.
There are some other exclusions worth mentioning too.
Your drinks package does not cover:
Drinks from the mini bar in your stateroom
Drinks at the Honor Bar, or at Chocolate Seduction
Any drinks ordered as part of Room Service Dining
Self-service draft beer on the ship
Any drinks bought at Half Moon Cay, the private island owned by the cruise line
Keep an eye out for Happy Hour discounts too…
Holland America Line does still offer special Happy Hour discounts, but the times, locations and specific offers can vary. You’ll be notified on your ship of when Happy Hour is operating, and what the special offer is.
The special offer used to be buy-one-get-one-free but now tends to either be 50% off drinks (so essentially the same offer), or buy one drink at full price and get a second at 50% off.
There are sometimes two Happy Hour times during the day on a cruise – one in the afternoon and one in the evening, so make sure you check to see where and when you can enjoy discounted drinks on your cruise. It won’t be in every bar, only selected venues.
Bringing your own drinks onboard – it’s always worth it!
Holland America allows guests to bring 750ml bottles of wine or Champagne onto their cruise with them. You aren’t permitted to bring any other alcoholic drinks onto your cruise, and the only non-alcoholic drinks you can bring onto the ship are water cans or cartons.
That’s right – plastic water bottles are banned by the cruise line. You have a limit of 6 litres (around 200 fl oz for Americans), either in 12 cans or cartons of 500ml, or 6 litre cans or cartons.
As for the wine and Champagne, there is a corkage charge for bringing bottles on-board – it’s not free. You’ll need to pay $20 per bottle. The policy doesn’t actually specify a set limit on how many bottles you can bring with you, although it does say that “quantities deemed to be excessive” will be refused.
So maybe don’t fill an entire suitcase with your own personal wine bar. It’s not likely that you’ll be allowed to take it on board.
The bottom line
Whether or not you should buy a beverage package is very much down to your personal tastes and how much you think you will drink during your voyage.
If you aren’t a big drinker, but you want the occasional alcoholic beverage, it’s worth considering one of the non-alcoholic packages for your other drinks during the day. Or if you’re sailing with kids, a Coca-Cola package might save you money if they’re thirsty a lot. Plus if you’re on a Pinnacle Class ship then they will love the Freestyle machine.
Take the time to think about what’s right for you before you sail. You don’t have to buy a package when you first book your cruise, but you will need to arrange it no later than embarkation day.
And if you’re thinking about getting the Signature Beverage Package, then definitely check whether the Have It All package is available instead – you’ll get more, for less.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
Cruises can be an excellent way to experience some of the world’s best food. Whether you are a food enthusiast or prefer a relaxed buffet, there’s something for everyone. But which cruise lines have the best food?
Before moving onto the list, some background is important. The cruise lines listed aren’t just my personal opinion. I’ve cruised a lot and experienced many of the cruise lines mentioned below. But I’ve also read the reviews from the top cruise websites and forums, which are unbiased and full of honest customer opinions.
From this, I’ve put together the eight cruise lines that have the best food. Read on to find out more.
Quick summary – the best cruise lines for food…
The cruise lines with the best food include Oceania Cruises, Seabourn, Celebrity Cruises, Princess Cruises, Viking River Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean. However, each cruise line has its unique selling point, from how the food is presented, the ingredients used and the variety of food.
The definition of “best food” varies based on individual taste, budget, and dietary restrictions. Therefore, exploring different options that cater to your specific needs is important. Read on to find out more.
1. Oceania Cruises
Oceania Cruises has some of the best guest reviews regarding food. They offer luxury food, but they also have a few relaxed options too. They clearly show their commitment to providing the best dining experience at sea.
Alongside the main dining room are several speciality restaurants, including Toscana for Italian cuisine, the Polo Grill, its signature steakhouse and Red Ginger, for Pan-Asian dishes. And there is no additional charge for any of these speciality dining rooms.
Polo Grill
Guests have reported that the menus are diverse, with a choice of regional dishes and classic cuisines with fantastic presentation.
However, if nothing on the menu meets your needs, you can have your meals made to order. This is particularly great if you have any special dietary requirements, such as allergies or if you are vegetarian or vegan.
Every dining venue onboard presents its unique ambience and a variety of dishes. Yet, they all share a common theme, using the best ingredients and the finest culinary techniques.
Guests have reported the delicious food, served in beautiful settings with flawless service. Others have expressed that their partnership with American chef Thomas Keller also sets Seabourn apart, which brings a unique “wow” factor to their dining.
The Grill by Thomas Keller
The main dining area and a few other restaurants cater for vegetarians and vegan diets. However, if you have any special dietary requirements, there is an option to pre-order. You can contact Guest Services before the cruise, so they can ensure there are enough raw ingredients for the chefs to work with and to enable them to be creative and vary the meals during your trip.
3. Celebrity Cruises
Year after year, Celebrity Cruises frequently wins several food awards, such as the Cruiseline Member Choice Awards for food and dining.
With various choices, each ship has a vast selection of restaurants, from the impressive Main Dining Room to the laid-back Oceanview Cafe. For a bit extra, the speciality restaurants offer options from Tuscan Grille’s Italian classics to Sushi on Five’s Japanese delights.
Oceanview Cafe
And that’s not all, Celebrity offers an innovative dining experience at ‘Le Petit Chef’, merging technology with gastronomy. Imagine your dinner table transforming into an immersive experience where a mini chef prepares your meal – a 3D animation show on your table whilst your food is being prepared. Reviews have reported that this is also great fun for kids too.
Le Petit Chef
With a wide variety of food, there’s a choice to cater to everyone, ensuring all dietary requirements are met. You can also pass your requests on to the chefs, who are happy to create something just for you.
4. Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises is one of the leading cruise lines for fine dining. Their restaurants offer a mix of styles, including food from around the world, comforting home-style food and top gourmet meals with specially selected flavours.
They have also worked with many top chefs, such as Curtis Stone and Ernesto Uchimura, who have created some award-winning burgers.
I loved these noodles on Enchanted Princess
One of the best experiences guests have noted is that Princess Cruises offers a “Chef’s Table Experience” on Royal-class and Sphere-class ships. Here you get a behind-the-scenes look at the kitchen, followed by a multi-course tasting dinner with wine pairings.
Chef’s Table
If you have any special dietary requirements, Princess Cruises has a range of food for everyone. As with many cruise lines, some have noted that the choices can be repetitive, however, in the main dining room, the chefs are more than happy to meet your needs.
5. Viking River Cruises
Many Viking River Cruises food reviews describe the focus on local dishes, exceptional quality, and variety, with the whole experience exceeding expectations. They have destination-focused dining made with fresh ingredients inspired by your port of call.
There are also plenty of restaurant choices, including speciality restaurants, which are all complimentary. From the main dining venue to World Cafe, giving live cooking creating an interactive experience, to The Chef’s Table, where you can enjoy a culinary experience during a multicourse tasting.
The Chef’s Table
Their lunch and dinner menu has a section with classic meals which are ‘always available’. The rest of the menu changes daily, ensuring the food is not too repetitive. Guest reviews indicate that this is great regarding special dietary requirements, as there is a choice rather than the same meals over and over again.
6. Norwegian Cruise Line
If you prefer a more relaxed dining approach, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) may be the best option for you. Unlike other cruise lines, they offer a freestyle approach as there are no fixed dining times, so you can eat when you want.
Main Dining Room on Norwegian Encore
Just because of the relaxed nature of dining, the quality remains high. There are beautiful dining rooms, buffets, and 24-hour eateries. If you want something different, they also offer speciality restaurants for an additional cost.
Cagney’s Steakhouse is one of the restaurants that gets high praise from guests, with premium cuts of beef and a great ambience.
Prawns on the buffet
However, if you’re looking for vegetarian or vegan options, NCL can still be a good choice. Most of the menu options are not vegan, but a generous selection of vegan-compatible dishes is readily available. You’ll find opportunities at every mealtime and a special vegan lunch and dinner buffet.
7. Disney Cruise Line
You may think that Disney Cruise Line’s food may be just the typical food you get at a Disney theme park. Yet, there is an excellent balance between family-friendly options with gourmet dishes.
For Disney enthusiasts, they do offer Mickey-shaped food and princess-themed afternoon teas. Although, if you’re a foodie, there are plenty of options for you too.
Word of Marvel restaurant
You can expect many dining options included in your fare, such as the themed main dining room and the casual Cabanas buffet. The speciality restaurants, like Remy and Palo, take you to the heart of French and Italian cuisine.
Dining at Palo
There are also a few other magical touches, such as ‘rotational dining’, where guests rotate between three dining venues throughout the cruise and take their waitstaff with them. This gives you a personalised service, so they will already know your preferences. This is particularly good if you have dietary requirements, as the staff will be ready to accommodate your needs.
8. Royal Caribbean
From their impressive main dining rooms to the casual buffet dining at the Windjammer and snacks and pastries at the Cafe Promenade, Royal Caribbean has a wide array of options included in your fare.
If you maybe fancy something different for an additional cost, there are plenty of speciality restaurants, such as Chops Grille or Jamie Oliver’s Jamie’s Italian restaurant.
Restaurant on Mariner of the Seas
Royal Caribbean also explores contemporary and even unconventional dining options. For example, in the Alice-themed Wonderland restaurant, you can choose dishes based on five natural elements: the Earth, Sea, Fire, Ice and Sun. Or you could explore the modern Mexican restaurant Sabor and the Sugar Beach ice cream parlour for a sweet treat.
Royal Caribbean Main Dining Room food
With the incredible variety of food at Royal Caribbean, they can accommodate dietary needs, including food allergies, gluten-free, kosher and low-fat diets.
The bottom line
Each cruise line’s food on offer has something unique to offer. Nevertheless, the best depends on your preference, such as the ambience you’re looking for, the dining style and your dietary needs.
Although each cruise ship does offer fine and casual dining, some cruise lines are better than others. If you’re looking for fine dining Oceania Cruises, Seabourn, Celebrity Cruises, Princess Cruises, and Viking River Cruises may be your best choice.
If you’re looking for more of a casual experience, NCL, Disney Cruise Line and Royal Caribean may be more suitable. Lastly, all of the cruise lines mentioned cater for special dietary needs, but when it comes down to the variety of food Oceania Cruises, Seabourn, and Celebrity Cruises offer the most choice.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
When you book a cruise, you’ll usually make a decision about whether to buy an all-inclusive drinks package or pay for your drinks individually.
But how does this work on Virgin Voyages? I was lucky enough to be one of the first people aboard Scarlet Lady, so in this guide, I’ll explain everything you need to know about drinking on a Virgin Voyages cruise.
Virgin Voyages doesn’t offer drink packages
Unlike most other cruise lines, Virgin Voyages does not offer a drinks package. You will not find any type of all-inclusive drinks deals on a Virgin Voyages cruise. Instead, you can purchase a ‘Bar Tab’ to cover the cost of drinks.
The Bar Tab explained
With the Virgin Voyages Bar Tab, you select how much money you want to add to it. You can then use this to pay for drinks during your cruise.
You also get bonus credit when you preload your Bar Tab before you cruise:
Add $200, get a free $25 for a total of $225
Add $300, get a free $50 for a total of $350
Add $500, get a free $100 for a total of $600
Add $750, get a free $175 for a total of $925
Add $1,000, get a free $250 for a total of $1,250
While cruise lines generally don’t let people share drinks packages, you can share a Virgin Voyages Bar Tab. You can just buy one for your cabin and use it to buy drinks for whoever you like.
To start your bar tab, just log in to the Virgin Voyages website and head to the My Account section.
The good news is that drinks prices with Virgin Voyages are actually pretty reasonable. There’s also a good selection of soft drinks that are free of charge.
Beers such as Heineken, Amstel Light, Narragansett, and Kalik are all about $6-$7. Basic gin, rum and whisky cocktails are about $10. Wine prices vary of course, but there’s a good selection available for under $11.
This luxury cruise line’s signature drink is Champagne, which is available for just $9 a glass. If you’re feeling fancy, vintage Champagne can cost anywhere up to $1,000 a bottle.
Tips are included in all drinks prices on Virgin Voyages, so the price you see on the menu is the price you pay.
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Some drinks are included already
Virgin Voyages offer ‘basic bevvies’ for free. The included drinks are:
Filtered still and sparkling water
Fruit juices (not pressed)
Fizzy drinks and sodas
Teas and drip coffees
Virgin Voyages drink menus
Here’s what you can expect to see on the drinks menus on Virgin Voyages ships…
Draught Beer (12oz) – $6 to $8
Draught Beer (54oz) – $20 to $29
Can of Beer – $6 to $11
Spirit (single) – $6 to $25
Spirit (half bottle) – $45 to $55
Cocktails – $12 to $17
Bottle of Beer – $6 to $15
Glass of Wine – $7 to $22
Bottle of Wine – $28 to $1445
Glass of Champagne – $9 to $65
Bottle of Champagne – $48 to $445
Shots – $7 to $15
Red Bull – $5
Specialty Coffee – $3 to $5
Specialty Tea – $5
Hot Chocolate – $4
Virgin Voyages Mini Bar menu
The Virgin Voyages mini-bar menu includes not only beers, wines and cocktails, but also a sleep kit and an intimacy kit for when things get steamy!
Shake for Champagne
Champagne drinking is positively encouraged on-board Virgin Voyages’ glamorous ships. So much so, that the Virgin Voyages ‘Sailor app’ includes a ‘Shake for Champagne’ feature.
All you need to do is shake your phone to reveal the secret Champagne delivery button and a bottle of Möet will be delivered to your location anywhere on the ship.
It’s never too early for champagne and there’s always something to toast to while aboard Scarlet Lady. We want our Sailors to enjoy a glamorous holiday and what better way to feel like a RockStar than a sip of bubbly whenever and wherever you want it.
Tom Mcalpin, CEO of Virgin Voyages
Bringing your own drinks on a Virgin cruise
Guests ages 21 or over on Virgin Voyages cruises are allowed to bring two 750ml bottles of wine per cabin. You can’t bring any other alcohol such as beer or spirits, and the wine must be in your carry-on bag, not in your checked luggage.
You can also bring water or soft drinks on board if you wish, however, you really don’t need to as these are included in your cruise fare.
Virgin Voyages has banned single-use plastics from its ships. So, if you must bring your own water or soft drinks, steer clear of plastic bottles and opt for cans or cartons.
Virgin Voyages’ drinking age
Virgin Voyages is one of the few cruise lines with US departures that allows guests aged 18 or over to drink alcohol at sea. As soon as the ship is 12 nautical miles off the coast of the US and in international waters, the bar will be open for those aged 18, 19 and 20 in addition to the adults who are 21 or over.
It used to be the case that the cruise line only allowed 18- to 20-year-olds to cruise on itineraries in Europe, if they were married to another guest, an active member of the military or were sharing a cabin with someone aged over 21.
However, they have since relaxed the rules so under-21s can now cruise by themselves or as a group on all sailings.
Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
It used to be that a cruise with Celebrity always included a drinks package – and it was just up to you whether you chose the Classic one that was included, or you upgraded to Premium.
But that’s changed now – you’ve got the option of a cruise-only fare as well, which may be better suited to you if you don’t drink a lot during your holiday.
To help you decide whether you want to pick the cruise-only fare, the Celebrity Classic Beverage package or the Premium one, I’ve put together this guide and worked out what’s included, so you can see which fits you best.
There is also a specialist non-alcoholic drinks package too, so I’ll cover that in case it’s more suitable.
The good news is that, while there are technically nine (!) different drinks package options, it’s still pretty easy to understand the options available.
Drinks aren’t always included with Celebrity anymore
Celebrity Cruises offers a cruise-only fare, so if you choose this, then your drinks aren’t included – except for the small number of non-alcoholic drinks that are always free in the buffet restaurant.
With Celebrity, it used to be the case that drinks were always included for a while – so if you still see anything that says that every cruise includes a drinks package, that’s just slightly out of date.
There are some drinks that are always free, though
If you don’t choose a drinks package for your Celebrity cruise, then you can still enjoy water, tea, coffee, lemonade, juice, fruit punch and still water in the buffet restaurant, main dining room and speciality restaurants.
All other drinks have a charge – unless you choose one of the drinks packages.
Classic Vs Premium – the differences explained
Now that you can choose whether or not you want a drinks package, it’s even more important that you compare the two. And the difference comes down to the value of drinks included – if you choose the Premium package, you enjoy a wider selection of drinks that cost more.
Classic Drink Package
The Celebrity Cruises Classic Drinks Package includes all drinks valued at up to $10 each ($12 for sailings from the UK and Australia). If you order a drink that costs more than that, you’ll pay the difference in price. The Classic Drinks Package also entitles guests to a 15% discount on all wines by the bottle.
Premium Drink Package
If you upgrade to Celebrity Cruises’ Premium Drinks Package, you’ll be able to enjoy all drinks up to the value of $17 each. You’ll also get a 20% discount on bottles of wine.
Unless you’re a serious wine connoisseur, the wine discount is neither here nor there as you’ll likely be ordering wine by the glass rather than the bottle so you won’t have to pay anything at all.
Examples of what you get with each package…
The Classic Drinks Package includes all kinds of branded drinks, but the choice of brands is smaller than the Premium package.
For example, if you like gin, the Classic package gives you the option of Beefeater, Gordon’s and Bombay Dry. However, the Premium package includes seven more gin brands, such as Hendrick’s and Tanqueray.
With most Premium drinks, there’s a Classic package equivalent. So, if you usually order a Peroni, you could save money by switching to Moretti on the Classic package. However, there are some unique drinks, like Guinness, which are only available on the Celebrity Premium Beverage package.
Here’s a full list!
If you like to enjoy a particular drink most days, then take a look at this full list to find out which package you need…
Beer
Classic Package: Alaska brewing beers (on Alaskan sailings), Amstel Light, Boddington’s, Coors Light, Corona, Corona Light, Franziskaner, Kirin, Kirin Light, Miller Lite, Moretti, Newcastle Brown Ale, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Red Stripe, Sam Adams, Strongbow Cider.
Premium Package: Everything from Classic, plus – Anchor Steam, Blue Moon, Brooklyn Brown Ale, Dogfish Head 90, Minute, Estrella Damm gluten-free, Fuller’s London Pride, Grolsch beers, Guinness, Highland Stout, Kingfisher Lager, Kronenbourg 1664, La Fin du Monde, Lagunitas Little, Sumpin’, Lagunitas Pils, Leffe Blond, Magners Cider, O’Hara’s Irish Red, Ommegang Abbey Ale, Orion Lager, Paulaner Salvator, Double Bock, Peroni, Rogue Dead Guy Ale, Sapporo, Sierra Nevada, Stella Artois, Stone IPA, Woodchuck Granny Smith Cider, Woodchuck Pear Cider.
Wine
Classic Package: A large selection of wines from around the world, such as chardonnays, merlots, malbecs and riojas.
Premium Package:Champagnes and favourite wines such as Cherry Tart Pinot Noir, Conundrums, Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon, Ferrari-Carano Fumé Blanc, J&H Selbach Riesling Kabinett, Mer Soleil Chardonnay, Michael David Petite Petit red and Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc.
Gin
Classic Package: Beefeater, Gordon’s and Bombay Dry.
Premium Package: Everything from Classic, plus – Bombay Sapphire, Bombay Sapphire East, Hendrick’s, Plymouth, Star of Bombay, Tanqueray, Tanqueray No. Ten.
Premium Package: Everything from Classic, plus – Bacardi 8 Años, Brugal, Flor de Caña, Mount Gay, Pyrat XO, Zacapa 23.
Vodka
Classic Package: Absolut, Absolut Flavours, New Amsterdam, Smirnoff, Tito’s.
Premium Package: Everything from Classic, plus – Absolut Elyx, Belvedere, Belvedere Intense, Chopin, Christiania, Cîroc and flavors, Grey Goose, Hangar 1, Ketel One, Pearl, Rain, Reyka, Russian Standard.
Tequila
Classic Package: Cazadores Blanco, Herradura Blanco, Don Julio Blanco.
Premium Package: Everything from Classic, plus – Cazadores Reposado, Don Julio Reposado, Herradura Reposado, Patrón Citrónge, Patrón Reposado, Patrón Silver, Patrón XO Café.
Whisky & Bourbon
Classic Package: Canadian Club, Famous Grouse, Monkey Shoulder, Jameson, Jim Beam, Johnny Walker Red, Dewar’s White Label, Seagrams 7 & Vo.
Premium Package: Everything from Classic, plus – Aberfeldy 12, Bulleit Rye, Chivas Regal 12, Crown Royal, Dewar’s 12, Gentleman Jack, Glen Scotia Single Malt, Glenfiddich Reserve Cask, Glenfiddich Select, The Glenlivet, Haig Scotch, Highland Park scotches, Highland Park Einar, Jack Daniel’s Black, Jack Daniel’s Honey, Jack Daniel’s Rye, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel, Johnnie Walker Black, The Macallan, The Macallan Lumina, The Macallan Quest, Maker’s Mark, Rittenhouse Rye, Wild Turkey, Woodford, Double Oaked Woodford Reserve, Woodford Rye.
Cocktails
Classic Package: A large selection of classic cocktails made with Classic Drinks Package spirits
Premium Package: A large selection of cocktails made with Premium Drinks Package spirits including craft cocktails, large martinis, and long drinks.
Soft Drinks
Classic Package: Fountain soft drinks, soda in cans, juices (apple, cranberry, orange, lemon, grapefruit), bottled water, premium coffees & teas.
Premium Package: Everything from Classic, plus – premium bottled water Acqua Panna, Evian water, San Pellegrino, fresh juices, bottled juices, Red Bull, sodas, Honest iced teas, Matcha tea, Vitaminwater
Classic price
The Celebrity Classic Drinks Package costs from $89 per person, per day. It varies depending on your specific sailing, so that might not be the exact price you pay, and if you choose an all-inclusive package that also covers WiFi then it might work out cheaper.
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You don’t get many cocktails with this package
There are a small selection of cocktails included in the Classic Drinks Package, although most cost more than $10 so would need you to pay a little extra. All of the zero-alcohol cocktails cost less than $10 so are included.
Bar prices can change, but as a guide, a Bloody Mary costs $10 and a Screwdriver costs $11.
Premium price
The Premium Drinks Package with Celebrity Cruises starts from $109 per person, per day.
Photo credit: Celebrity Cruises
Different cruise fares explained
Things can get a little confusing if you’re not familiar with Celebrity Cruises’ fares, but it’s simple enough once you understand the various options.
If you choose a cruise-only fare, you don’t get a drinks package included. If you then want one, that’s when you’d pay either from $89 per day for a Classic package, or from $109 per day for a Premium one.
You have to pay for the entire cruise – you can’t pick and choose which days you pay for!
If you book an All Included fare (which also includes WiFi), you get the Classic package included. You can upgrade to Premium if you want – you just need to pay the extra to upgrade. You can do this once you’re on the ship.
If you book a suite in The Retreat, then you get the Premium package included already. Easy.
So, is the Premium upgrade worth it?
Remember, if you have a Classic Package, you can still order Premium drinks, you’ll just have to pay the difference in cost.
The Classic Package includes drinks worth up to $10
The Premium Package includes drinks worth up to $17
So, if you order a drink that costs $11, the first $10 will be included, and you will only be charged $1.
The most you could pay for a Premium drink if you have the Classic Package is $7.
For the majority of people, an upgrade from Celebrity Cruises’ Classic Package to the Premium Package isn’t worth it because there are so many drinks included in the Classic Package.
I would suggest only upgrading the Premium Package if you are very particular about which brands of drinks you will have, you insist on only drinking cocktails, or if you need something special like gluten-free beer.
The Non-Alcoholic Drink Package
Not someone who likes an alcoholic drink? Then don’t worry, you don’t have to pay the higher prices for an all-inclusive drinks package when it won’t be good value for you.
There used to be five (!) non-alcoholic drinks packages you could choose from, but things have been simplified and there is just one non-alcoholic option.
This drinks package includes a wide range of drinks such as selected bottled water, premium coffees and teas, soda, frozen smoothies, zero-proof cocktails and fresh-squeezed juices. It starts from $30 per person, per day.
Wine By The Bottle packages
If you are someone who prefers to drink wine by the bottle rather than the glass, then there are technically six packages available that may suit you – but in two main variants. Choose one of these and you’ll be able to get a bottle of wine delivered to you by the sommelier anywhere on the ship, including your stateroom.
Premium Wines By The Bottle package
The Premium Wines By The Bottle package includes a mix of three-, five-, or seven-bottle selections. The package starts from $169 and includes some exciting new flavours which your sommelier will be able to talk you through.
Classic Wines By The Bottle package
This package starts from $109 and also includes a mix of three-, five- and seven-bottle selections. It tends to offer more classic wines, such as Australian Chardonnay and US West Coast Cabernet Sauvignon.
Drink prices
Before you go ahead and decide on a package, it would be wise to know how much the drinks cost. This can help you to figure out whether or not the cost of a drinks package is worth it.
The drink prices on a Celebrity cruise will vary, but expect to pay around $7 for most bottled beers ($10 for premium ones), $9 for glasses of wine ($14 for premium wines), up to $20 for premium cocktails, and $16 for drinks from the Martini bar.
Soft drink prices vary, but expect to pay up to $5 for a soft drink in most bars, as a rough guide.
To make things easy, I can do all of the maths for you. Just leave your email and I’ll send you my drink package calculator that will show you exactly how much you can expect to spend on drinks if you don’t buy a drink package…
No 15-drink limits to worry about here…
There are no limits on the number of drinks you can order if you have a drinks package, provided you either stick to those included in your package or pay the difference. Obviously, you may be refused service if the bar staff think you have had too many, and you’re acting inappropriately!
To conclude
Let’s quickly recap your package options:
Classic Drinks Package
Premium Drinks Package
Non-Alcoholic Drinks Package
Premium Wines By The Bottle – 7 Bottles
Premium Wines By The Bottle – 5 Bottles
Premium Wines By The Bottle – 3 Bottles
Classic Wines By The Bottle – 7 Bottles
Classic Wines By The Bottle – 5 Bottles
Classic Wines By The Bottle – 3 Bottles
The Classic Drinks package used to be included as standard with all new Celebrity Cruises bookings. It includes many different drinks, worth up to $10 each.
But now that it isn’t, you need to think a little more about which of the Celebrity Cruise drink packages is the right one for you, and offers you the best value.
For most people, the Classic Drinks Package is sufficient, and then it’s worth considering an all-included fare. Check the price, since it might not be much different from booking the drinks package separately.
But you may decide that a Celebrity drink package isn’t worth it either – so think about how much you plan to order. Going cruise-only might be better.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
