Aside from the adventures you will experience onboard your cruise vacation, food and drink are a must…especially a drink out on the deck under the sun or under the stars. However, for lots of people, after trying a few of the best cruise lines for drinking over the years and sampling the best drinks they have to offer, some have been satisfying, while others could do a little better.
However, in everything, there are pros and cons, and we have done a little research to see which cruise lines offer the best drinking experiences, as well as highlight a few of their drawbacks so you can be on the lookout and not be surprised when something different hits you.
Some cruise lines offer you the opportunity to cover the cost of your drink in the overall package price, while others let it creep up on you when you are ready to chill and unwind. Bar hopping is an onboard thing just as much as it is onshore, as cruisers are looking to get a good experience while on their getaway.
So, without dragging it out too much, we are sure you are looking for some info to help make your decision with booking your next cruise, so here’s our little input.
Virgin Voyages
Virgin Voyages is Richard Branson’s new cruise line that offers cruisers Essential Drinks for free, including sodas, coffee, tea, non-pressed juices, and filtered still and sparkling waters. They don’t really offer a “drink package” like many other cruise lines that requires you to pay a daily fee when you need to indulge in some extra juice. However, you can pay $300 on a pre-paid tab that will give you a little added bonus ($50) for extra drinks.
- Advantages of drinking on Virgin Voyages – You get to taste some great drink mixes from popular mixologists such as Charles Joly. You can also use your pre-paid bar tab cash to pay for drinks for your friends while at the party.
- One drawback is that their drink prices for beers are relatively low at around $5-$6, and most wines are generally under $10 (plus tips), which means you may not even need the extra $50 they give because, after all, you might not even spend the entire $300.
Carnival Cruises
Carnival Cruises offer two drink packages…their Bottomless Bubbles, which includes soft drinks and juices only at the cost of $5.95 for children and $8.50 for adults, and; their Cheers! which is a serving of wine, beer, and cocktail in addition to juices, teas, and coffee at the cost of $51.95 per day.
- An advantage to their drink option is that you have the opportunity to get up to 25 percent off a bottle of wine or champagne and glasses with menus that are over $20 in case you need it for extra activities with friends during the night.
- One drawback to their drink selection is that they don’t have a vast wine and champagne collection as much as they do for beer and cocktails. As such, if you are a wine lover, you may have limitations in what to choose from.
MSC Cruises
MSC Cruises has quite a few drink packages to choose from, such as…
- Alcohol-Free and Minors Packages. These packages go mostly for those who are not fascinated by alcohol, as well as children, and include servings of mineral and flavored waters, mocktails, fruit juices, hot chocolate, tea, coffee, and energy drinks.
- Easy Package. This package includes drinks that go up to a cost of $6 each on the menu at up to $38 per day.
- Easy Plus Package. This package covers drinks up to $9 each at $49 per day.
- Premium Extra Package. This package covers drinks up to $15 each at $69 per day and covers just about every drink, including alcohol-based drinks.
When sailing with MSC Cruises, just as much as your little ones may benefit from many free sailings, they also get drink packages that cater to them. However, when it comes to the Easy Package, they have no classic frozen cocktails and only cover two beer brands – Heineken and Miller Lite.
Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises offers two alcohol-based packages… Classic Package, which covers drinks up to $9 for $59 per day, and Premium Package, which covers drinks up to $15 for $69 per day. There are also servings of non-alcoholic options in case you are traveling with children or with those who don’t do alcohol.
- The advantage of their Premium package is that they serve non-alcoholic drinks, which is more than the average coffee, tea, or soda. You can benefit from unlimited servings of coconut water (a costly commodity on multiple cruise lines) and the Wines by the Bottle option, which allows you to purchase anywhere from three, five, or seven bottles in a package (discounted), in case you are traveling in a group.
- As for their spirits categories, you can get up to twice as many options with the Premium package, which is pretty much expensive.
Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises offer relatively four drink packages, and every type of drinker can find something to suit their drinking style. Their packages include:
- Premier Beverage Package. With this package, you pay up to $59.99 per day and get servings of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
- Premier Coffee and Soda Packages. Here you get your servings of coffee and tea, energy drinks, mocktails, sodas, milkshakes, and smoothies for $19.99 per day.
- Classic Soda Packages. This package serves you fruit juices, sodas, smoothies, and mocktails for $9.99 per day.
As a traveler that may enjoy a little sweetness on their taste buds, you will be happy to know that milkshakes and coffee frappes are covered in the Premier Beverage Package. In addition, you can benefit from a 25 percent discount on wines with this package as well.
With the Premier Coffee and Soda Package, you can get a 25 percent discount on bottled water and cans of soda for those who don’t desire to go with the fountain drinks.
However, you might have to plan your meals with care if you prefer a glass of wine at dinner, as they have limited options with the wine-by-the-glass servings.
Holland America Cruises
Holland America has a cool drink package, Signature Beverage Package, where you pay $54.95 per day and enjoy a serving of whichever drink you prefer…whether alcoholic or non-alcoholic.
Interestingly, with this package, you can combine it with the cruise line’s Have It All Cruise Package ($60 to $110 per day) which includes one shore excursion, one specialty dining experience, and Wi-Fi for your voyage that covers a week or less.
If you ask us, this is certainly a tempting deal seeing how much you get for such a low cost. However, seeing there is only one drink package, if you need something more exclusive, you may have to pay a la carte for those preferred drinks.
Royal Caribbean
There are two drink packages with this cruise line…Classic Soda Package, which goes for $12.99 to $15 per day, and their Deluxe Beverage Package, which goes from $63 to $89 per day and covers both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
One of the only advantages of this line is the 40 percent discount on bottles of wine that comes with the Deluxe Beverage Package.
As for the coffee serving that most cruise lines offer in the same package as sodas, here you will have to upgrade to their expensive package to enjoy the beverage.
Final Thoughts on Best Cruise Lines for Drinking
Now that you have an idea of what lots of the best cruise lines for drinking offer in their drink packages, you will know what you are up against in case you need to enjoy your favorite serving, whether hot or cold.