Every Marella cruise includes a standard All Inclusive drinks package in the fare, covering selected draught beer and cider, house wine and Prosecco by the glass, standard spirits, a range of cocktails, soft drinks by the glass, and tea and coffee. For a supplement, usually from around £10 to £15 per person per night (check at booking), you can upgrade to Premium All Inclusive, which adds branded spirits, upgraded cocktails, canned soft drinks and Lavazza coffees from The Coffee Port.
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This guide to the Marella drinks package explains what each tier covers, what still costs extra, the cabin rules that catch people out, the 2026 alcohol-free additions, and a simple way to work out whether Premium is worth paying for on your sailing.
How the Marella drinks package works
Marella Cruises is the UK cruise line owned by TUI, and its big selling point is that drinks, tips and service charges are built into the price. You do not have to buy anything extra to have a drink at the bar, a glass of wine with dinner or a cocktail by the pool. There are two levels:
- All Inclusive (standard): included in every fare on every ship.
- Premium All Inclusive: an optional paid upgrade that sits on top of the standard package.
Both packages run on the same daily window. According to TUI, drinks served after 2am and before 10am are not covered by either package and are charged to your onboard account. The one exception is that Premium guests can get non-alcoholic hot and iced coffee drinks at The Coffee Port from 7am.
The packages apply fleetwide, so the rules are the same whether you sail on Marella Discovery, Marella Discovery 2, Marella Explorer, Marella Explorer 2 or Marella Voyager. Bars and menus do differ a little from ship to ship, and if you are still choosing a ship our guide to Marella cruise ships compared by size, age and facilities will help.
What’s included in the standard Marella All Inclusive drinks
The standard package is more generous than many people expect from an “included” drinks plan. TUI lists the following as covered:
- Selected draught beers and ciders, plus some bottles and cans
- Selected house wines and Prosecco by the glass
- Standard spirits and aperitifs
- A range of cocktails, from Long Island Iced Tea to Pimm’s and lemonade
- Selected soft drinks by the glass, mocktails and fruit juice
- Filter tea and coffee in the buffet and main restaurants
Under-18s get a selection of soft drinks by the glass and juices as part of the standard package. Alcohol is only served to passengers aged 18 and over.
What is not included in standard All Inclusive
The main things that cost extra on the standard package are:
- Branded or premium spirits, upgraded cocktails and premium beers
- Bottles of wine, premium wines by the glass and Champagne
- Canned soft drinks and energy drinks
- Speciality coffees and teas from The Coffee Port
- Bottled water (there are chilled water stations onboard, and cabins have a kettle)
- Anything ordered between 2am and 10am
Marella Premium drinks package: price and what you get
The Marella Premium drinks package (officially Premium All Inclusive) includes everything in the standard package plus a wider choice. Based on TUI’s own descriptions, Premium adds:
- Branded spirits: premium gins, vodkas, rums and tequilas, with names such as Absolut, Bombay Sapphire and Captain Morgan
- A wider choice of whiskies, brandies and Cognacs, including Jack Daniel’s
- Upgraded cocktails, such as mojitos and Aperol spritz
- Cans of soft drink, with under-18s getting brands such as J20 and San Pellegrino
- Most drinks at The Coffee Port, made with Lavazza coffee
Exact brands vary by ship and change over time, so treat the onboard menu as the final word.
How much is the Marella Premium drinks package?
Marella does not publish a single fixed price, and the supplement can vary by sailing and by when you buy it. Iglu Cruise lists Premium from £10 per person per day, while guides updated in 2026 report upgrades of roughly £95 to £99 per person for a seven-night cruise, which works out at about £13 to £14 a night. A fair working figure is from around £10 to £15 per person per night, but check the current price when you book or in your TUI account before you commit.
You can add Premium when you book, later through TUI, or usually onboard at Guest Services.
Do all adults in the cabin have to buy it?
Yes. Marella requires all adults sharing a cabin to have the same drinks package, so if one adult upgrades to Premium, the others in that cabin must too. This matters when you are sharing with a friend or relative who drinks very differently from you.
There is good news for families: TUI says children aged 12 and under can upgrade to Premium free of charge when the rest of their party is upgrading.
Standard vs Premium: side-by-side comparison
| Drink type | All Inclusive (standard) | Premium All Inclusive |
|---|---|---|
| Draught beer and cider | Selected brands | Selected brands, plus some premium beers |
| Wine and Prosecco by the glass | House selection | House selection |
| Bottles of wine and Champagne | Extra cost | Extra cost |
| Spirits | Standard spirits and aperitifs | Branded spirits such as Absolut, Bombay Sapphire, Jack Daniel’s |
| Cocktails | A set range of classics | Upgraded cocktails, such as mojitos and Aperol spritz |
| Soft drinks | By the glass | By the glass plus cans |
| Coffee Port speciality coffee | Extra cost | Mostly included |
| Alcohol-free | 0% wines, Heineken 0%, Somersby 0% | Adds 0% spirits and alcohol-free cocktails |
| Bottled water | Extra cost | Extra cost |
| Hours covered | 10am to 2am | 10am to 2am (Coffee Port coffees from 7am) |
| Price | Included in fare | From around £10 to £15 per person per night |
New for 2026: alcohol-free drinks across the fleet
In summer 2026 Marella expanded its low and no alcohol range on all five ships. As reported by Cruise Critic, the standard package now includes 0% red, white, rosé and sparkling wine, Heineken 0%, Somersby 0% cider and a gluten-free Estrella beer.
The Premium package goes further, adding six 0% spirits from Lyre’s (including a London Dry style gin, a bourbon style malt, a white rum, an agave blanco and an Italian spritz) and a list of alcohol-free cocktails with names such as the Nojito and the Gentle Fashioned. The wording in early reports suggests these spirits and cocktails sit in Premium, so ask onboard if you are on the standard package.
For anyone who is driving the day after disembarkation, pregnant, or simply cutting back, this is a real change: in the past the alcohol-free choice on many cruise lines was little more than soft drinks.
Can you bring your own drinks on a Marella cruise?
Not in the way you might on some other lines. TUI’s policy is that you can only drink alcohol served to you by the crew. The only alcohol you may carry on is what you bought on your TUI flight, so keep the receipt. Luggage can be checked at embarkation, and any alcohol that is not allowed is held and returned to you when you leave the ship. Alcohol bought in port is treated the same way.
Because standard drinks are already included, most passengers find this rule matters less than it would on a cruise line where every drink is charged.
Is the Marella Premium drinks package worth it?
The honest answer is that it depends on what you drink, not how much. The standard package already covers unlimited house drinks, so Premium only pays off if you regularly want the specific things it adds.
A quick break-even check
Marella bar menus list a price for each item that is not in your package. Before you buy, look at the drinks menu (you can ask for it onboard or find recent versions shared by passengers) and try this:
- Note the supplement for the drinks you would actually order, for example a branded gin and tonic, a speciality coffee or a can of Diet Coke.
- Estimate how many of those you would have on a typical day, including sea days.
- Multiply the two and compare the total with the daily Premium price for every adult in your cabin.
If your daily premium-only spend comes close to the per-person supplement, Premium is likely to save you money and the convenience of not checking the menu is a bonus. If you would mostly stick with house wine, draught beer and standard cocktails, it probably will not.
Premium tends to suit you if…
- You have a favourite branded spirit and do not enjoy house brands
- You drink two or three speciality coffees a day
- You prefer canned soft drinks or mixers to fountain drinks
- You want the full alcohol-free spirits and cocktail list
- You travel with children aged 12 and under, who upgrade free with the party
Standard is likely enough if…
- You are happy with house wine, draught beer and the included cocktail list
- You drink little or no alcohol and only want tea, coffee and juice with meals
- You share a cabin with someone who drinks much less than you, since you would both have to pay
- You will spend long days ashore on a port-intensive itinerary
One option many passengers use is to start on the standard package and see how often they reach for premium drinks during the first day or two. Upgrades are usually possible onboard, though the price and whether it is backdated can vary, so ask Guest Services.
If you are comparing Marella with lines where drinks are not included at all, our look at whether Holland America drink packages are worth it shows how different the maths is when every drink is charged.
Other Marella drinks changes worth knowing
Marella has been adding more premium touches to the fleet. Suite Service Max, a package of extra in-suite comforts and dining privileges, is being rolled out to Royal Suites, Voyager Suites and Executive Suites across the fleet. If you are booking a suite, check with TUI exactly which drinks benefits are included, as these may differ from the standard package rules.
Marella Discovery 2 is also being turned into a permanent adults-only ship, with winter 2027 to 2028 its second adults-only winter season and new spaces such as a speakeasy planned. The drinks packages themselves are expected to work in the same way, but menus at new venues may change. If you are watching for offers on those sailings, our roundup of cruise deals for 2027 is a good place to start.
For the latest official wording on inclusions, see TUI’s Marella All Inclusive drinks FAQ.
Guests booked into a Marella Royal Suite or other top-tier suite get extra drinks perks through Suite Service Max, so check what is already included before buying a package.
Not sure what to order once your package is sorted? Our round-up of favourite cruise cocktails covers classics like the piña colada and Aperol Spritz.
If you are sailing from La Romana or Palma, our guide to Marella Discovery lists every bar and restaurant on board and which ones cost extra.
FAQs
Are drinks really free on Marella Cruises?
Yes, a standard All Inclusive drinks package is part of every Marella fare. It covers selected beers, house wine, standard spirits, cocktails, soft drinks by the glass and tea and coffee between 10am and 2am. Premium items, bottled wine and bottled water cost extra.
How much is the Marella Premium drinks package?
It is usually from around £10 to £15 per person per night, with recent reports of about £95 to £99 per person for a seven-night cruise. Prices vary, so check at booking.
Is bottled water included in the Marella Premium drinks package?
No. Bottled water is not included in either package, though there are chilled water stations onboard.
Do both people in a cabin need the Premium package?
Yes, all adults sharing a cabin must have the same package. Children aged 12 and under can upgrade free when the rest of their party upgrades.
Can I take my own alcohol on a Marella cruise?
Only alcohol bought on your TUI flight, with proof of purchase. Any other alcohol, including drinks bought in port, is held and returned at the end of the cruise.