On MSC Cruises sailings priced in US dollars, most bar drinks cost roughly $3.50 to $16 on the menu: soft drinks are about $3.50, beers $9 to $10, glasses of wine $14 to $16, and standard cocktails around $14, with signature cocktails from $16. An automatic 18% service charge is then added to every drink bought without a package (15% on euro-priced sailings). Tap water, brewed coffee, hot tea, iced tea and lemonade are free in the buffet and at main dining room meals.
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This guide is all about MSC drink prices when you pay as you go: what a typical bar menu costs, which drinks are free, how the service charge works, and how many drinks a day you need before a package starts to pay off. If you already know you want a package and just need the details, our full MSC drink package guide with prices and what is included covers Premium Extra, Alcohol-Free and Minors packages in depth.
MSC drink prices at a glance (2026)
MSC does not publish its onboard bar menus online, and prices vary a little by ship, venue and region. The figures below are typical US dollar menu prices reported for the fleet through late 2025 and 2026. Treat them as a planning guide rather than a guarantee, and remember that menu prices do not include the service charge.
| Drink | Typical menu price (USD) | With 18% service charge |
|---|---|---|
| Still bottled water | $3.25 to $4.25 | about $3.85 to $5 |
| Soft drink (can or glass) | about $3.50 | about $4.15 |
| Espresso, cappuccino, latte | $4 to $6 | about $4.70 to $7.10 |
| Energy drink | about $5 | about $5.90 |
| Mocktail | about $10 | about $11.80 |
| Fresh juice or smoothie | about $11 | about $13 |
| Beer (bottle or draught) | $9 to $10 | about $10.60 to $11.80 |
| Glass of wine | mostly $14 to $16 | about $16.50 to $18.90 |
| Classic cocktail or spritz | about $14 | about $16.50 |
| Signature or speakeasy cocktail | $16 to $22 | about $18.90 to $26 |
Premium spirits, Champagne and bottles of wine from the wine list cost more, and speciality venues on newer ships can be at the top of these ranges. Prices are set by MSC and can change at any time, so check the menu on board or in the MSC for Me app once you sail.
Beer and wine prices on MSC
Beer is usually the cheapest alcoholic option, typically around $9 to $10 for a standard bottle or draught. Wine by the glass mostly falls between $14 and $16, with bottles on the wine list starting at roughly $50 and climbing quickly for premium labels. If you and a companion each have two glasses with dinner, a bottle is often the better deal.
Cocktail and spirit prices
Most classic cocktails, spritzes and frozen drinks sit around $14. Signature cocktails and those served in speakeasy-style or themed bars start at about $16 and can go above $20. A standard spirit with a mixer usually costs less than a cocktail, but premium and top-shelf brands are priced individually.
Coffee, soda and water prices
Speciality coffees from the bars and coffee venues are mostly $4 to $6. Soft drinks are about $3.50 and energy drinks about $5. Bottled still or sparkling water starts at roughly $3.25. These small purchases add up faster than many people expect, which is why some families look at the Alcohol-Free or Minors packages instead.
What drinks are free on MSC?
Every MSC fare includes a basic set of complimentary drinks. You can usually get these at no extra cost:
- Tap (iced) water in the buffet around the clock and at main dining room meals.
- Brewed (filter) coffee and hot tea from the buffet stations, plus at meals in the main dining room.
- Iced tea and lemonade from the buffet drink dispensers.
- Juice at breakfast in the buffet and main dining room.
What is not free: canned or fountain soft drinks, bottled water, espresso-based coffees, fresh juices outside breakfast, smoothies and, of course, any alcohol. In the main dining room, waiters will often offer bottled water first, so if you only want tap water, simply ask for it.
Guests in the MSC Yacht Club are the main exception. Their fare includes the Premium Extra package, so most drinks in the Yacht Club and around the ship are already covered.
The service charge on MSC drinks explained
The single biggest surprise on an MSC bar bill is the service charge. When you buy a drink without a package, MSC automatically adds:
- 18% on sailings where the onboard currency is US dollars (Caribbean, North America, South America and Japan, for example).
- 15% on sailings priced in euros (such as the Mediterranean and Northern Europe).
That charge is added to every item, including a $3.50 soda or a bottle of water. It is separate from the daily hotel service charge on your onboard account. The good news is that drink packages include gratuities in their price, so you do not pay the percentage again on drinks covered by a package. If you upgrade a single drink above your package level, the service charge applies only to the price difference.
A quick way to estimate your real cost on a US-dollar sailing is to multiply the menu price by 1.18. A $14 cocktail becomes about $16.52, and a $10 beer becomes $11.80.
Can you bring your own drinks on MSC?
No. MSC is stricter than many cruise lines here. Guests may not bring any alcoholic drinks on board at embarkation, and that includes wine and Champagne. Bottles bought ashore during port calls or in the onboard shops are held by the ship and handed back at the end of the cruise. Security can also check items such as mouthwash or toiletry bottles for hidden alcohol.
Because there is no “one bottle of wine” allowance, you cannot offset onboard prices by carrying your own. Soft drinks and bottled water are also generally not permitted in quantity, so check the current policy for your sailing in your MSC booking documents before you pack. Drinking ages follow local law: 21 on North American sailings, 20 in Japan and 18 in most other regions including Europe.
Drinks at meals: buffet and main dining room
MSC meals come with free water, coffee, tea and, in the buffet, iced tea and lemonade. Anything else at dinner is charged at menu price plus the service charge, and the waiter will add it to your cruise card. Wine at dinner is where many couples spend the most, so it is worth deciding in advance whether you will order by the glass, share a bottle each night, or rely on a package.
Specialty restaurants are a separate case. Only the Premium Extra package is accepted there, and MSC asks that everyone dining together in a specialty restaurant has the same package type. If you are on the Alcohol-Free or Minors package, expect to pay menu prices for drinks in those venues.
Pay as you go or buy a package? The break-even maths
On US-dollar sailings, the alcohol package now sold is Premium Extra (the older Easy package was withdrawn for new purchases from December 2024). Onboard prices reported in late 2025 were about $85 per person per day on cruises of four nights or more and about $95 on three-night sailings, with gratuities included. Buying in advance through your MSC account is usually cheaper, often by around 20% or more during sales. For the full package breakdown, see our complete MSC drink package guide.
Here is how the numbers stack up against typical MSC drink prices with the 18% charge added:
- At the onboard price of $85 a day, you would need about five $14 cocktails (about $16.52 each with service) every day to break even.
- At a pre-cruise price of about $68 a day (roughly 20% off), the break-even drops to about four cocktails, or around six beers.
- Coffees and soft drinks count too. Two lattes ($11 or so with service) and two sodas ($8 or so) a day add nearly $20, which lowers the number of alcoholic drinks you need.
- Light drinkers usually save by paying as you go. A glass of wine at dinner, one cocktail and a coffee comes to roughly $40 a day with service, less than half the onboard package price.
Remember that Premium Extra has a cap of 15 alcoholic drinks per person in each 24-hour period (6am to 6am), and the package rules can require adults in the same cabin to buy matching packages. Read the terms for your sailing before committing. If you are comparing MSC with other lines, our guide to cruise drink packages compared across the major lines shows how MSC’s prices stack up.
Ways to keep MSC drink prices down
- Use the free drinks well. Refill a reusable bottle with tap water from the buffet and take coffee from the buffet rather than the bars.
- Watch for happy hours and drink-of-the-day offers. Many bars run promotions, especially on sea days and in the early evening.
- Order beer rather than cocktails if you are paying per drink; it is typically $4 to $5 cheaper.
- Share a bottle of wine at dinner instead of ordering by the glass.
- Check your onboard account in the app every couple of days so the service charge does not catch you out at the end.
- Buy packages before you sail if you decide you want one. Onboard prices are almost always higher than pre-cruise offers.
Drinks are only one part of the bill, so see our breakdown of what cheap MSC cruises really cost once flights and Wi-Fi are added.
FAQs
How much is a Coke on MSC?
A soft drink such as a Coke costs about $3.50 on US-dollar sailings, which comes to roughly $4.15 once the 18% service charge is added. Prices can vary by ship and region.
What drinks are free on MSC Cruises?
Tap water, brewed coffee, hot tea, iced tea and lemonade are free in the buffet and at main dining room meals, and juice is free at breakfast. Sodas, bottled water, speciality coffee and alcohol are extra.
Does MSC add a gratuity to drinks?
Yes. Drinks bought without a package carry an automatic 18% service charge on US-dollar sailings and 15% on euro-priced sailings. Drink packages already include gratuities.
What are the hidden fees on MSC Cruises?
The most common extras are the daily service charge, the automatic charge on drinks, speciality coffees, bottled water, specialty restaurants, Wi-Fi and shore excursions. Budgeting for drinks with the service charge included avoids the biggest surprise.
Can I bring wine on an MSC cruise?
No. MSC does not allow guests to bring wine, Champagne or any other alcohol on board at embarkation, and bottles bought in port are held until the end of the cruise.
