Know if the drink package is worth it based on your daily habits.
VERDICT
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Stop guessing and start saving. To get an accurate result, simply enter the number of days of your cruise and the current daily price of the package (e.g., Carnival’s CHEERS! or Royal Caribbean’s Deluxe Beverage Package). Then, estimate how many alcoholic drinks, sodas, and specialty coffees you typically enjoy in a day. The tool will instantly tell you if you should "Buy It" or "Skip It."
One of the biggest questions we get at East Coast Cruise News is, "Is the drink package a scam?" The answer is: it depends on your math.
Most cruise lines price their packages around the "5-to-7 drink" mark. This means the break-even point usually hits once you consume about 5-7 alcoholic beverages per day. If you are strictly a beer drinker, that number might be closer to 7 or 8 because beer is cheaper than cocktails. If you prefer $14 martinis or frozen cocktails, you might break even at just 5 drinks.
A major mistake cruisers make is forgetting about the non-alcoholic perks. On lines like Carnival and Royal Caribbean, the alcohol package almost always includes:
If you start your morning with two lattes ($10 total) and drink three bottles of water ($9 total) throughout the day, you’ve already "spent" nearly $20 of value before your first cocktail. Entering these into the calculator often flips the result from "Skip It" to "Buy It."
Finally, consider the psychology of your vacation. For many, the value isn't just in the dollar amount—it’s in the freedom. Pre-paying for the package means you never have to check your bank account or worry about a surprise bill at the end of the trip. If the calculator shows you are within $10-$20 of breaking even, it is often worth buying just for the convenience of an all-inclusive experience.