Is a cruise drinks package worth it?

Indulging in a few glasses of wine can be pricey when you’re in the middle of the ocean. But don’t assume forking out for an all-you-can drink package will be cost-effective.

Most cruise companies sell drinks packages at a fixed daily price. You can enjoy an ‘unlimited’ selection of beers, wines, spirits and soft drinks without worrying about running up a titanic bar bill.

However, the cost of these add-ons varies enormously: anything from £25 to £86 per person, per day. You’ll probably have to drink like a fish to get your money’s worth. And there’s often a long list of exclusions, meaning premium drinks - and dry companions - are off limits.

The best and worst cruise lines - as rated by Which? readers

How much do you have to knock back to justify a drinks package?

We looked at five ocean cruise lines and found that it rarely makes sense to splash out on a drinks package.

For example, Cunard’s offering costs £56 per person - so you’d need to quaff eight glasses of wine (£9 each) or knock back 10 beers (£6 each) every day for a package to be cheaper than buying your drinks separately. Its wallet-draining fine wine package costs £240 and gets you just six bottles to savour over the course of your cruise.

Some American cruise lines slap a gratuity on top. Celebrity Cruises’s service charge is 20%, so its £72 drinks package ends up costing £86 per day. Its premium drinks package is £105 after you factor in the service charge.

Here’s how much you’d need to drink to make these costly packages worth your while:

Why it pays to go on an all-inclusive cruise

Avoid nasty surprises

Along with the price, you’ll have to check the small print. Typically, cruise lines dictate that every person in the cabin must buy the package (to prevent sharing) for every single day you’re at sea – and there’s no refund if you decide to go teetotal halfway through your voyage. The total cost of a standard drinks package on a seven-night cruise with Celebrity Cruises is a whopping £1,200 per couple.

There’s also price and ordering restrictions. For example, P&O's package only allows drinks up to £6.95 in value and makes you wait 15 minutes between orders. You also can’t have double measures, order room service or use the mini bar. Canned and bottled soft drinks, juices and smoothies are also excluded.

Even bottles of wine that you’ve bought from the duty-free shop on board are off limits with most cruise lines. Instead, staff will hold your purchases until you disembark.

How to save on drinks on a cruise

Some cruise lines list their bar prices online, so do the maths beforehand to see if you will get your money's worth from a drinks package. Failing that, previous guests often post bar menus on blogs and social media. Don’t forget to factor in service charges.

Check if you can bring your own alcohol on board. P&O, Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean allow you to do this, but for limited amounts on embarkation day only. There may be a corkage fee if you drink it in the ship’s restaurants or bars - P&O’s corkage fee is £20.

If you have your heart set on a drinks package, it’s usually cheaper to buy it before you board. For example, Fred Olsen’s package is £10 per day more if you upgrade after you set sail. Drinks packages are often heavily discounted or thrown in for free to entice early bookings, so plan your cruise as far in advance as possible and keep an eye out for promotions.

Check the cancellation policy. Lots of cruise lines allow you to cancel and get a full refund up to two or three days before your sail date. So if you spot a better drinks deal, you can cancel and take advantage of the lower price.

Another option is to choose an all-inclusive cruise line, like Which? Recommended Provider Marella, where drinks (excluding ‘premium' brands) are part of the package. While you may pay more at the start, you can rest assured that there won’t be any nasty surprises later on.