3 Big Cruise Line Changes We Didn't See Coming (2025)

[@bonniephelps9481]

I think 15 drinks a day over a period of 7-10 days is insane! Also, I would like to see a moderate drink package of say 4-5 drinks a day at a reduced price which would suit many of us cruisers 🤗

[@jimmy6tall]

There are sea days where you want to drink! Care free day where by bedtime you want to be sufficiently plaster. 🎉 and 17 might be your personal limit.

[@brucefrytz8611]

We like the Plus package on Princess. $60/day for drinks, wifi, gratuities, etc. It only takes a few drinks for us to break even.

[@MaggiePiffles]

I love this idea.

[@lilkygirl0284]

It includes coffee, cans of pop, bottles of water..... everything

[@karenjensen2345]

We would buy a 3 day a drink package if we could

[@billsmotrilla6215]

I wish they had a less expensive drink package with a 5 or six alcoholic drink daily limit, but still had the other fancy coffees and deserts often bundled with those packages.

[@Gen-yh1jz]

That is a reasonable.

[@jonappelfeller5161]

Yes ❤

[@talitharitter3176]

Agreed. Especially when you consider that the not-included gratuities are calculated based on the 15 drinks a day and all adult passengers in a cabin must purchase the package on cruise lines like NCL. It’s not cheap!

[@philipgerry5228]

They advertise 15 drinks knowing almost nobody will come close to that number.

[@MJGEMS]

15 ALCOHOLIC drinks a day???!!! Yikes #KidneyKiller #BudgetBuster #YourBodyYourLife

[@pateisele4513]

I wish they would have smaller packages for their drinks.

[@LifeWellCruised]

Me too :)

[@DoughBoy2024]

Wish there was a drinks package lite. Get 3 free alcoholic drinks a day for an extra $20 a day

[@meddyven]

If they offered a 5 and 10 drink package, and stop requiring every person in a cabin to purchase it, they would make out better.

[@MeCB2012]

Especially since they don’t make them very strong. My last cruise, I could tell they were quite weak.

[@benbateman2085]

I never buy the drink packages. I don’t generally drink alcohol but if I want a glass of wine, a beer or a drink I buy it. I’ve never thought the drink packages held much value to me.

[@SaraMc-ez2mv]

Same!

[@ghjcmo]

You are wise

[@JohnFleming-b6g]

Ditto. On a seven day cruise, I might do a drink with dinner once or twice.

[@KarlasMOfun]

@benbateman2085 the soda packages are ridiculous prices too. I think I could do without and bring the allowed 6 pack of soda and get by next time. Plus I wouldn't have to carry that cup around.

[@madchatteress]

@@KarlasMOfun Unfortunately, not all cruises allow sodas to be brought on (looking at you NCL). Yes, when they do allow the sodas, I usually take advantage of that when embarking at a US port as they don't normally carry my favorite soft drink. Otherwise, the pay as I go option is not much more than what restaurants charge per beverage and I don't need refills. I may splurge and do a mocktail (don't drink) but it's usually no more than 2 sodas per day for me.

[@KarenMagli-n6q]

If I drank 15 drinks a day, when I left at the end of the cruise I would be in a body bag!

[@kathleenmcallister494]

i pretty much posted the same thing. i dont drink that much total in a year. one day i would be at least passed out on the bar floor

[@LifeWellCruised]

That is likely true. However, I do think that when it’s a 15 drink a day limit, there are some days that people may try different drinks and not drink all of them

[@anniealexander9616]

Me too.

[@BellevueBarkhouse]

Ok. So i must really be in the minority. On the boat, when drinking the floofy/tropical drinks, they are SEVERELY weak so honestly, if your idea of fun (which is my idea of fun) is to get up early in the morning (6am) have a coffee, then a couple mimosas, then move to a mudslide as a sweet treat. Then have a few drinks (rum runner, Miami vice, etc…..all of which are made from watered down premixes, it is nearly impossible to get drunk while sipping alongside the pool. By 2pm i have already had 8+ drinks. Then shower and go to dinner which i would have a glass of wine or two…..so now i am nearing the end of my package. I haven’t gone to dance or casino or anything at this point and now i am going to have to decide if i can have a drink or if i have to have none. Also, btw, i drink a full bottle of water with each beverage so I am extremely hydrated and very rarely get tipsy. So if they are going to cap these drinks, then i would want to have them be hand crafted, mixed in front of me with original ingredients which will allow me to drink slowly and enjoy the crafted cocktail vs. a sugary vacation ‘drink’. So no, I don’t agree with the limit. I think some cruise lines implemented them because they don’t have bartenders that know how to control alcohol consumption and actually cut off people before they start fights or get too drunk to control themselves. I also think they very much are using this as a money grab. Sorry for my long rant but i guess as a former bartender, i am passionate about this. Hahahaha

[@dking1362]

@@BellevueBarkhouse That is a seriously large amount of liquid (including water) ingested in a day....honestly, I think I would positively be sick drinking that much over the course of the cruise. (Of course, I may only have 6 drinks in a year, so I'm a lightweight!)

[@greenmarcosu]

HAL has the best drinks/wifi/specialty dining "Have it all" package. It is usually around $55 per day per person but it includes 15 drinks per day, wifi, one specialty dining, and $100 per person shore excursion credit (for 7 day cruise). It is so rediculously cheap if you use all of those things.

[@annawalker5115]

I drink 2-3 per day. I never finish the 3rd drink

[@Jodiestime4travel]

I like an alcoholic beverage as much as anyone. But as a nurse and someone who acknowledges that alcohol is a known carcinogen, I am surprised that the daily limit hasn’t been regulated to be much lower. I do believe it encourages people to drink more alcohol “to get their money’s worth”.

[@Brendt-Bsatsea]

The cruise lines would have nothing but empty ships siting in port of departure

[@Gen-yh1jz]

@@Brendt-Bsatseano they wouldn’t. A lot of people don’t go on the cruise to drink that much.

[@Brendt-Bsatsea]

@@Gen-yh1jz right now a very high percentage do

[@yesimant]

Source ​@@Brendt-Bsatsea

[@roxyjanesmom]

The 15 drinks per day is not just alcohol. It also is bottled water, fresh orange juice, Coke, etc. so if you drink specialty coffees and bottled water and cokes, you might get up to your 15 drinks and never even have enough left for a glass of wine. At least that’s what Holland America is. I’m assuming all of the cruise lines are like that too. That said you could choose to have 15 alcoholic drinks instead!

[@Kent-qd1yu]

On a recent Princess cruise, it was nice having the option for as many drinks as I want. But I ended up having 15 drinks over the entire seven days! Luckily the package included tea from the International Cafe since I had six cups of tea a day.

[@LisaBeeman-u5u]

I purchase the drink package. I have never hit my drink limit or even close but I feel I don’t want to worry about and I don’t like getting a bill at the end of each day. So for me I get the package. Your cruise you cruise your way. My cruise , I cruise my way.

[@warpedweft9004]

so you'd rather pay more than pay each day...? Not everyone has that much disposable income that they can waste it like that.

[@LisaBeeman-u5u]

@ it’s a budgeted income. Like I said cruise the way you want. Some people get off the ship in every port and take excursions, I don’t. It’s really about what you want for your vacation. I work for a living so when I have an opportunity to travel my goal is to enjoy and not stress. I wish you the same.

[@warpedweft9004]

@@LisaBeeman-u5u so what's the point then? You might as well stay home, get blind drunk and live on uber eats for 2 weeks. Its way less expensive and doesn't impact on those around you.

[@LisaBeeman-u5u]

@ sometimes the best response is none. Have a great day.

[@warpedweft9004]

@@LisaBeeman-u5u so why did you respond then? Somewhat hypocritical, don't you think?

[@harryjones8824]

To say that one of the reasons for limiting the number of drinks (even after increasing price of package) is “personal responsibility”, yet one can upgrade to more drinks is just farcical. It is in my opinion just a money grab !!!

[@etevolve]

I agree. MSC is limiting for the money. Carnival doesn’t allow more than 15 alcoholic drinks per day with or without the package. That’s their way of trying to keep down on behavior issues.

[@ThomasArmstrong-ef9kj]

Thanks for the info.. My family and I are Carnival cruisers and we always purchase the cheers package and bubbles package👍🏾

[@alwilliams64964]

I think you're absolutely right that the 15-drink limit is more about preventing packages from being shared. Royal recently required that all bottled/canned drinks be opened at the bar - I'm guessing that is for the same reason.

[@LifeWellCruised]

My thoughts too

[@madchatteress]

Ugh ... I hope that doesn't apply to sodas purchased (I don't do drink packages but pay as I go). Sometimes I like to have a can of soda in my stateroom in the morning before I start my day. It would be very inconvenient having to go to a bar to purchase each can when I'm ready to consume it. I don't like my sodas too cold so I prefer to have them get to room temp. At least they still allow some canned sodas to be brought on board which I fully plan to take advantage of.

[@alwilliams64964]

@@madchatteress Royal has clarified that this does not apply to non-alcoholic drinks “unless ordered through a Deluxe Beverage Package”. Implies that they are indeed trying to prevent sharing of any drinks purchased through a package - although also likely trying to prevent stockpiling where staff loses control of out-of-control alcohol consumption. Either way, don’t think you’ll be impacted

[@NurseT1969]

I thought if one person buys alcoholic package that everyone has to purchase it. That said then no need to share. Am I misinformed that if one gets Alcoholic pkg everyone does?

[@GunnerHillTX]

@@NurseT1969 That is true for Carnival, for all over 21s in the same cabin. However, it also includes soft drinks, milkshakes, premium juices, special coffees, etc, all of which might be something someone under 21 might like. Also, a group of drinkers in two cabins might try to get by with just one cabin having the package. There are always people who will play the system if they can.

[@ghjcmo]

I think it's sad how the cruise lines have CONditioned cruisers into the idea that they MUST get the drink package. Yes I understand that SOME people will drink enough to make it worthwhile, but most will not, especially at these prices. These drink packages are simply a profit center for the cruise lines. Because if they weren't, they wouldn't do it. As for MSC saying they're doing the 15 drink limit to curtail drinking is total BS. It's a money grab. Period. If they were TRULY concerned about people over indulging, then they would just limit them to 15, package or not, and be done with it and not let them buy more. I hate BS spin from businesses.

[@theclutteredworkbench]

They should have a smaller package for light drinkers. Something like 6-8 alcoholic beverages per day. I am diamond on RCI and prime in casino. I get four drinks per day, and unlimited when casino is open. Suits me fine as I don’t over indulge on the ships.

[@catherineyagecic416]

This! It's the best answer

[@dominaevillae28]

They benefit if you do t drink much so a smaller package would not be of use to the cruise line.

[@sharky6128]

We were lucky, we booked the free at sea earlier and were upgraded at no charge. Always book early, prices only go up😊 !!!!

[@Snoopy-qe7kt]

Free at sea. Ha. That’s a joke. NCL is one of the worst for Nicole and diming you

[@LifeWellCruised]

@@sharky6128 exactly!!

[@dannettejohnson2624]

I so appreciate your channel. It’s been helping us get prepared for our upcoming NCL cruise in March. We also received a message stating the menu for speciality dining will change to a Prix Fixe menu rather than their current menus.

[@davis9971]

As a doctor, I am shocked at the idea of someone consuming 15 alcoholic drinks in a DAY. The CDC and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism define dangerously heavy drinking as 15 drinks per WEEK for a male and 8 per week for a female. I have encountered many cruisers over the years who do see that limit as challenge to be met. In addition to the health consequences both short and long term, most of the violent behavior seen on cruises is usually reported to be related to intoxication.

[@lorijennings8628]

It's not all alcoholic drinks, there are specialty coffees, smoothies, juices, bottled waters.

[@tjmayberry417]

@@lorijennings8628 Specifically for MSC though, the 15 drink limit is ONLY alcoholic drinks. All other included drinks are unlimited.

[@rochellea9652]

No one needs to drink that many drinks per day.

[@lorijennings8628]

@tjmayberry417 ok we'll that's different than the princess drink pkg.

[@jimbo23mattingly]

Thanks but that's just crazy. They also say having 3 beers is binge drinking which is dumb. Last cruise we drank everyday all day slow and steady. Never got sloppy. I don't drink alcoholic drinks at my meals so there is lots of time not drinking. If you start drinking at say 11 am and end at midnight that's 11 hours so barely one an hour. It's a vacation I'm enjoying myself

[@barbarahernandez4713]

NCL price increase wouldn't bother me as much if it included water and Starbucks. That was the main reason I upgraded to premium.

[@warpedweft9004]

you can keep the starbucks. Most non Americans don't drink the dirty water Starbucks has the cheek to call coffee. As for paying $5 for a specialty tea, I got one last time we cruised (Princess) and they used the same darn tea bag that was available in the buffet for free! I couldn't believe my eyes, so I went and double checked. Yup - the same tea bag!

[@fanfavorite4737]

I definitely regret not buying the beverage package under the (at the time I booked) Free at Sea promotion. Now it’s More at Sea and it’s a higher price…..but I would have been grandfathered in on the lower price, but now have the benefits of more premium drinks etc. Oh well, can’t win them all, but your advice of booking in advance and cancelling later (if needed), is how I’ll move forward also. Great video.

[@veronicashine1812]

Despite not being big drinkers, we've found a way to make the most of our cruise beverage options. Our typical day on a cruise involves a cocktail during a show and wine at dinner. To cater to our preferences, we opt for a non-alcoholic beverage package, which includes mocktails, juices, and specialty coffee, and pay for the alcoholic beverages individually. This package not only suits our lifestyle but also saves us money. As far as announcing changes in advance, I have experienced that announcements have been nonexistent for many years. Usually, when I book a cruise, I purchase the items I want in piecemeal, even if the cruise is 18 months out. The prices increase yearly, and I am locked in at the lower price. And yes, I have canceled items periodically when there's a sale. I repurchased at a lower price and normally get my money back within 7 days on the original purchase. I assumed all cruise lines followed this policy. I know I have done this on Royal, Celebrity, Holland America and Princess.

[@flittlehouse]

I agree that the 15 drink limit is more than generous and at least on MSC you can buy more but at full price. I also agree that another motive is probably to stop people from getting drinks for someone else not on the plan. It is only fair that you should have to pay for something rather than cheating the cruise line which will ultimately result in higher fares for everyone.

[@josiePSangel]

I drink sodas, bottled waters, specialty coffees and a few cocktails so I might hit fifteen. I’ve never counted, just enjoyed having options prepaid.

[@annawalker5115]

Coffee, etc, doesn't count towards the 15. Just alcohol

[@robertashagam1599]

Ilana, wishing you and family happy holidays. I never cruised nor do I have intentions to but I love your items. And often when I use them, I am grateful for your time and research. Roberta

[@StacyGoes]

As long as the 15 drink max doesn’t include drinks like speciality coffees, bottled waters, and sodas I’m perfectly fine! I just got off my very first cruise(it was with MSC) and we used the drink package mostly for non alcoholic drinks, though we did definitely have a couple party days thrown in there.

[@roberthicks2191]

On HAL their 15 drink/day does included specialty coffee, bottled water, soda. It still works for me. I can only drink so much coffee, wine, etc…

[@tjmayberry417]

Everything I've seen so far is showing that the 15 drink limit for MSC is only applied to alcoholic drinks. All other included drinks are still unlimited.

[@laurenschenck5355]

This is BRILLIANT KNOWLEDGE! Llana and ur so smart and incredible 🎁💚🎄☃️❄️🌨️🛳️🛳️🛳️🛳️🎅🏻💚🛳️🛳️☃️☃️☃️🎄🎄❤️🌨️❄️❄️🌨️☃️❤️🌨️🌨️🌨️

[@LifeWellCruised]

Thanks for watching Lauren :)

[@LifeWellCruised]

Thanks for watching Lauren :)

[@kene8895]

Yeah, Carnival is out of hand. Anyone who already booked a cruise and paid the down payment should still have the drink package price reflected for their cruise at the time of the booking, period. This is not right!

[@neeneebaby225]

They should have a more reasonable half / mini package for reasonable people 😅😅😅15 drinks is a lot and the prices are ridiculous.

[@leel1655]

We opted for the next lower drink package that included all the specialty coffees and such but no alcohol. I think we spent a grand total of $80 on alcoholic drinks between the 2 of us for a 3 day cruise. Not a bad deal considering we rarely drink. This was my very first cruise and i can guarantee we will do this again in the future.

[@diannesims7958]

The drink package on Carnival also includes fresh juices, specialty coffees and such, aside from alcohol

[@JulieThompson38]

I have no issue with the 15 drink limit. I am a very light drinker, but my husband can drink. I don't even think he's come close to 15 drinks in a day, and those include water, soda, etc on Holland.

[@LandeEld-u4l]

We buy lots of bottled water with our drink package, so between that and coffees we might come close to the 15 drinks

[@melodeekistner2936]

We have never purchased a drink package before but do have one on our HAL Alaska cruise this coming June. I wouldn't drink 15 alcoholic drinks in a day but, from my understanding, this also includes specialty coffees, sodas, and such so the 15 drink limit isn't really too much. But it is plenty! Maybe we better take a closer look at the excursions and book those sooner than planned if price increases might just happen. Thanks Ilana!

[@cgrifffiths]

We always have a drink package and it usually includes premium coffee and water which we take back to our room each day. So for us 15 makes a lot of sense given that it covers much more than alcoholic drinks.

[@lorimasterson8427]

It's usually only alcohol that's limited. Coffee, juices, water, etc... are unlimited.

[@cgrifffiths]

@@lorimasterson8427 True, not sure if Holland does that but in 35 cruises we have never maxed out either way!

[@texswamper]

@@lorimasterson8427 Princess for sure but others have stated that's not the case with some of the other cruise lines.

[@GunnerHillTX]

@@lorimasterson8427 True. Those non alcoholic drinks are pricy too. I can see that without a package it would all add up fast if one decided to have a mimosa or two in the morning, two or three drinks at bars through the afternoon/evening, a glass or two of wine at dinner, plus plenty of water and fancy coffee/shakes/juices throughout the day. Hubby and I usually just have one or two drinks each a day and 'tap water' in between, so no package works for us.

[@lorimasterson8427]

​@@texswamperI haven't heard of any that limit the non-alcoholic drinks. Do you know of a specific cruise line?

[@mimibeck1]

I can't imagine drinking 15 drinks a day even if I were sharing! That would be a drink ever 1.5 hrs. that's insane! I agree Ilana, it actually seems it would encourage people to make a goal to drink 15.

[@UnrivaledAegis]

most cruises include bottled water, coffee, juices and pops in that limit.

[@lynnephelps2370]

I buy the drink package as on Holland it also includes specialty coffees and bottled sparkling water. At the end of the day I fill out my 15 with the sparkling water which I use to stock my mini-fridge.

[@AmyThrush]

I only drink an occasional cocktail here and there on a cruise (maybe 3 or 4 on a 14 day cruise). My husband doesn't drink at all. We sat in the buffet one morning on NCL's Escape and a young couple sitting next to us ordered 10 shots of vodka (with BREAKFAST). I think the limit should be a bit lower.

[@jimklemens5018]

Norwegian offers unlimited drinks.

[@texasdustfart]

Princess has a 15 drink limit if you have the Plus Package, however with the Premier Package it has recently changed to unlimited alcoholic drinks, along with unlimited casual and specialty dining.

[@BobJohnson-h3k]

I can't say it's on every cruise line, but the few times we were pitched on a drink package the rule was one person in a cabin can not purchase the package unless the other person in that cabin also purchases one. I get their point about sharing but in our case my wife drinks and I'm a hard core non-drinker. There seems to be no exception for this.

[@ruthadams7133]

Great information. I think there should be notification in details and prices of package changes.

[@gaymoravec382]

If you add packages at the time of booking, the cruise insurance will be higher. It is based on the price of your cruise. Not sure if the insurance would increase if these packages are added after final payment but prior to boarding.

[@LifeWellCruised]

That is an interesting point

[@RollTideRobyn]

As a frequent purchaser of the Carnival Cheers package, I’ve hit the 15 limit a couple of times and never even got tipsy. The drinks are incredibly low alcohol. Literally the only place that serves a drink that’s even close to a land based bar drink is the Alchemy Bar.

[@annawalker5115]

U are buying the wrong drinks then. I get a Cadillac = margarita with grand marnier. U will definitely feel it 😊

[@francescabaca1722]

Buenos dîas!! Ilana, los cambios han sido para implementar lis precios. Veo bien el límite de bebidas alcohólicas. A mí NCL, me pilló con la compra hecha, ya tenía compra hecha del.pack. El mejor paquete, sin duda, el de HAL. Soy fan de ellos. Gracias por tu información 😊😊😊

[@crellinadventures-becky6135]

I actually appreciate the notice and many times I’ll buy the package early to avoid price increases. Do you know if the 15 drinks on MSC includes Yacht Club too?

[@jeffbranch]

15 drinks also includes specialty non alcoholic coffee

[@lorimasterson8427]

I think non-alcoholic are still unlimited

[@Amytheglobetrotter]

Princess is doing it right with their packages in my opinion But also I been finding if you book in advance the sanctuary balconies (only 12 on sun and star) have been cheaper then deluxe balcony with premier package, and sanctuary already includes premier plus more so such a good find!

[@hindimarges3540]

I only travel with NCL and we were notified a good month before the change was going to happen.

[@sallylewis5332]

I would like a less expensive drink package with a limit of 10 drinks a day, and make it PER CABIN. NOT per person.

[@pillypr]

15 drink limit... as a beer drinker in at sea day I can drink way more then 15 however not that many mix drinks... Also I found out the hardway that is 15 drinks limit period.. package or not.. I was cut off after 3 beer buckets I bought to share

[@jackredmond6023]

FYI… Princesses 15 drink limit does not apply if you get the Premier option. I only object to the 15-drink limit if water bottles are included in that limit like Holland America for example. My wife can go through enough water bottles per day to limit her to only a couple of glasses of wine per day. That is not good for us.

[@claremcnamara1143]

I paid for the premium drinks package on my Celebrity cruise in August. I used it for specialty coffees, San Pellegrino water with dinner & then a cocktail before dinner or a glass of champagne & wine with dinner. I wasn’t drinking alcohol to excess at any time. However I prefer not to have a huge bill to pay at the end of my cruise.

[@LifeWellCruised]

That makes sense!

[@debbieduplantis6687]

We have the upgraded Princess Premier fare package for our cruise in March. The drinks and specialty dining are now unlimited. I like that I can try new drinks but do not have to finish them. I don't want to have to keep count on what I am spending, so for me it is a great value.

[@PeterRinn-x5h]

If you have already booked a cruise, the cruise lines should allow you to keep what you have purchased without further charge even if you haven't made your final payment. Otherwise, it feels like bait and switch. However, if you haven't booked the cruise before the prices goes into effect - tough. Cruise lines don't need to give you a warning; but they might want to as a marketing incentive.

[@denisepritchard2768]

I m sure glad as a Canadian that I bought the premium a while back one martini Is 29.40 insane Cheers

[@warpedweft9004]

makes me glad I'm a little to non-drinker.

[@Hawkman007]

I decided earlier this year to stick to base fare when booking cruises and then paying out of pocket for drinks, WiFi, gratuities, etc. I'll save a fortune in the long run, will drink less, will disconnect more (isn't that supposed to be part of vacations in the first place?) and will use that money for more base level cruise fares.

[@DebiWilliams-c6r]

I also agree that 15 would be excessive for me. I would like to see a smaller package with some alcohol and some specialty coffee, maybe mocktails. I really think Carnival should have given a heads up so we could buy it before it goes up but it’s their business and they can do as they wish with that. I did not purchase them when I booked my next cruise and sort of regret it now.

[@deartori]

Reading all this makes me think that the days when a cruise was more economical than land based vacations are long gone.

[@dlgregory35]

add it all up cruise lines do not pay duty of the food and drink retailers on shore do so their profits are astronomical. On land drinks are cheaper and the restaurant, cafe or bar has paid duty which the cruise lines do not do.

[@josephrodriguez5566]

Llana, I will be on the ncl escape jan. 11th - 18th. You and hubby going to be on? Love to meet you....AWeSOME CHANNEL you have. Joe

[@DennisH1968]

NCL did give us a heads up because the More at Sea doesn’t take effect until 1/1/25 and we were told about it in October. So those who had already booked cruises in 2025 WILL have their free at sea changed to the more at sea. I will definitely miss the Free at Sea Plus. To me, it was worth the extra $294 to get premium beverages, Starbucks, bottled water, 2 extra specialty dining meals and unlimited WiFi.

[@LifeWellCruised]

You’re right, what I meant was Free at Sea changed to More at Sea for booking purposes without notice - if I’m not mistaken as I recall that I missed on a booking I was considering

[@Vegas_Mel]

Since watching your channel I changed my view on cruises from being so annoyed at alllllll the upcharges, to more like, if I want a lobster tail then I’m gonna have to pay for it. And a cruise experience should be for the cruise, not bc it’s cheap in ANY WAY. 👍🏻

[@LifeWellCruised]

That’s a great attitude to have!

[@warpedweft9004]

if you want a decent piece of meat or chicken on the dining room you have to pay extra on Princess. We took our first and last princess cruise last year, after having done more than a dozen cruises on other lines. We are not in a hurry to ever book a Princess cruise again after that experience.

[@cinnamontea7671]

I booked NCL's More At Sea package and when I break down just the cost of the internet, specialty dining and the excursion credit, even excluding drinks, it's a very good deal in my opinion.

[@RC-bv7hw]

I do not buy a drink package, and I always hedge back and forth on the WIFI package, Carnival just made it easier to just say no to any of the packages and to disconnect and relax which was the goal in the first place.

[@heidi_d]

I have an upcoming Carnival cruise, and was going to get the drink package. Now…I’m not so sure. Does anyone know how much the drinks are?? (I drink wine mostly, some specialty cocktails and an occasional specialty coffee.) I wish there was a warning before they raised the prices. It was literally in my cart. 🙄

[@greggbrown0]

Cocktails average around 12 to 15 dollars on Carnival.

[@heidi_d]

@ thank you so much!!

[@LifeWellCruised]

That’s too bad :(

[@heidi_d]

@@LifeWellCruised live and learn I guess! I’m hoping the expense of drinks won’t be too bad…just trying to make a decision still, hehe thanks for another great video Ilana!

[@JHFHOLLERBACH]

I agree that 15 drinks a day is more than enough. On the other hand companies should decrease the prices of drink packages due this limit. Greetings from Brazil.

[@sherylmason8182]

I can not drink 15 per day but...... If the cruise line is doing it to keep people safe I think that is great. However you said that they are free to buy more drinks I feel like they don't care about the people only the money! most won't drink 15 so those that do don't really cost the ship any more.

[@warpedweft9004]

15 isn't safe, so no, they aren't doing to save anything but their profits.

[@ProudXennial81]

Even at the price change, even if you drink 9-10 drinks a day with cheers is still less than Al A Cart. Remember this also includes specialty coffees, energy drinks, specialty Teas, and the NAKED smootie drinks at the coffee bar. For me, if I'm getting the coffee and drinks, even if you have a Bloody marry at Pig and Anchor, a few drinks by the pool, a few drinks with dinner and when out and about later. It's pretty easy to hit 10 drinks a day. I know the price change stinks but not the end of the world. Thank you for your awesome channel!

[@kenyattaclay7666]

I can almost guarantee you that almost nobody is getting 9 to 10 drinks a day. First let me point out that if the cruise lines were losing money on the drink packages they wouldn’t offer them. At best there are about 1:500 (the ratio is probably even higher than that) that are actually beating the package. Which leads me to my second point, the majority of people are averaging 4 to 5 drinks a day & that includes coffee, shakes & pop. On a typical 7 day cruise you have to average 6 to 7 drinks a day to outspend the package. Al la cart will always be cheaper for 95% of cruisers.

[@chipb1193]

@@kenyattaclay7666My 80+ year old father in law had his 15 drinks a day. We ordered more for him. Obviously not out of control. Haha.

[@kenyattaclay7666]

@ okay, I knew a 90 year old that smoked three packs a day & never got cancer. That still doesn’t disprove the fact that smoking causes lung cancer in 90% of all lung cancer cases and over 6 million people die each year. As I said before, if the cruise lines lost money on drink packages they wouldn’t offer them, period. They know out of maybe 4,000 they will have less than 10 that actually beat the package.

[@kenyattaclay7666]

@@chipb1193 okay, I knew a 90 year old who smoked three packs a day and never got cancer however that still doesn't mean that over 6 million people die a year from smoking related lung cancer and that 90% of all lung cancer comes from smoking. As I said before if they lost money on the drinking packages they wouldn't offer them. Very few people actually ever get to 6 ir 7 a day let alone 15. Also not for nothing, if your FIL is drinking that much he's a full blown alcoholic, just saying.

[@jimklemens5018]

ala carte

[@Honolulu-Blue]

I appreciate notice of any price hikes when I can get it - especially when there is grandfathering and/or the ability to purchase in advance to lock in the old rate. But I don't think it's a big deal when I don't get it. I'm rarely notified of price hikes in brick & mortar stores.

[@alicefrancini5769]

Personally, 15 alcoholic drinks a day is more than for me, I don't know anyone who safely drinks that much alcohol in a day. Here's what I don't get, why would anyone think a company would advertise they are going to increase prices? The grocery stores don't, gas stations don't, big box stores don't. Do other travel related industries, like hotels or airlines give notice of price increases? Can't wait for my next cruise in 6 weeks!

[@louiszepher666]

I always get the drink package on Princess. Sometimes, I do get to my limit. But that is on a sea day. Seems alot but I usually start after breakfast. Luckily I am not a sloppy drunk , I just smile alot and maybe dance? But secret to it is , every 2 drinks I get a bottle of water. No hangovers. Enjoy being you but don't be an as. 😉

[@laurazeller2014]

Thank you, Ilana!

[@teresaschiltz2905]

When you say Carnival, do you mean just their ships specifically or all the cruise lines in the Carnival Corp. umbrella, such as Princess and HAL?

[@Honolulu-Blue]

She means just Carnival Cruise Line. Princess, HAL, and the others have their own drink packages.

[@stephaniemassengill9052]

Everyone forgets water and specialty coffee when evaluating the drink package. It makes it work even if you don't drink.

[@JBM425]

Don’t they have separate packages for coffee and non-alcoholic beverages?

[@Snoopy-qe7kt]

Bring your own refillable water bottle and fill it at the buffet. You can add flavorings too if you like. Free. What a concept.

[@sherholubowich9627]

@@Snoopy-qe7kt sounds like a great concept if you only drink 1-2 bottles a day. But I drink at least 6, I can’t see myself running up to the buffet, which BTW can be 8 decks above your room to fill a water bottle. I like to have at least 4 bottles in my room fridge at all times. Grabbing a bottle anytime, along with specialty coffees is so worth it to us.

[@warpedweft9004]

@@JBM425 nope but the speciality coffee is sooo bad that it's not worth spending the money on and the tea is the same stuff they set out for free in the buffet.

[@jaymcvey3471]

I've just come off a princess cruise this past Saturday and went over the 15 drink limit on my FIRST day and upgraded to the premier "plus" package for unlimited drinks plus other benefits ($5.00 Au per day) which I took advantage of. Yes on most sea days I drank more than 15 drinks per day due to having a high alcohol tolerance.

[@warpedweft9004]

tolerance means that your body is suppressing its normal responses to toxins. Doesn't mean it isn't harming your body or that you can drink more. It just means damage is being done silently because you've damaged it so much already that it's learned to suppress the normal, external response. Those with a "high tolerance" are addicted. That is, they are alcoholics.

[@derekcallum4212]

Yes, they should let us know beforehand that the price for an item is being increased

[@helenorgarycrevonis2022]

What is included in 15 drinks a day? It sounds a lot, they should structure the package by separating soft drinks vs hard liquor and price based on that.

[@Brendt-Bsatsea]

unlimited soda is included with ALL drink packages, the 15 is just for booze

[@joannelamar6389]

I think you are right perhaps people were sharing because 15 is a lot. On a side note, my husband only drinks beer and we are stuck buying the alcohol package but beer typically is a lot cheaper. I don’t drink much at all and buying a package does make me feel Iike I want to get my money’s worth without thinking about the cost.

[@AngieThome-m5p]

The 15 drink limit on MSC apply to the Yacht Club also?

[@markrozee]

TUI are brilliant. It's ALL INCLUSIVE. ❤. No extra cost or limits 🎉

[@heideleskun1163]

The new price is pretty much now inclusive WITH gratuities if you look at the price when it was just the cost and then add the gratuity. There may have been a slight increase then automatically added the gratuity into the pricing. Prior your price was separate from then adding the gratuity. Hope that makes sense. Personally for us we don't get the drink package, we do drink on a cruise BUT we don't any of the other included beverages, like energy drinks, pop, sparkling water etc. We drink regular water, we get bottled water for port days, and splurge on alcohol drinks including specialty coffee. That's it. We will get a bottle of Tito's and mix it with the free juices on Lido. We just put it in our insulated cups then get the juice we want with ice. MUCH less expensive then the packages.

[@Husainleerealtyadvantage]

My cruise is all paid up on Carnival for next year to include the beverage package, WiFi, and some excursions, months ago. Will they try to make me pay the increased amount?

[@kandm2597]

So as I understand it on HAL, the signature package allows 15 drinks...for anything not at the buffet throughout the day. Frankly, if I want 2 coffees in the morning , a few arnold palmers, an afternoon iced coffee , a pre dinner cocktail or 2, a wine or 2 with dinner and an after dinner nightcap, boom there's 15 easy peasy...so it's out of pocket having a few more umbrella drinks at the casino/pool.

[@mm-yt8sf]

does the 15 drink limit include juice and soda? i could drink a lot over an entire day.... so if i combine a few alcohol drinks, soda, fresh juice, tea, coffee...it can really add up during a day that i have nothing better to do than eat and drink 🙂(especially if fresh squeezed juice comes in those thimble sized glasses!)

[@journeyofbear6423]

I decided against the drink package on my 2 upcoming cruises. I did not want to feel pressure to hit even the break even point.

[@michaelturner3150]

Web get soda, Juice, along with alcohol drinks. Is the 15 limit on MSC only on spirit drinks, or is the 15 limit on soda, Juice, water also?

[@lorimasterson8427]

Only alcohol I believe.

[@MaryAnnWolf-d9m]

Hi, Unrelated to this video, but in one of your videos you mentioned packing a tray. Some cruise lines have a tray under the stateroom's ice bucket. Holland America did in an aft-suite. I don't remember if NCL did in an oceanview room, but we're going on Aqua's transatlantic maiden voyage in March & I'll let you know. As for which NCL specialty restaurant is our fav - Le Bistro. I am having trouble understanding NCL's alphabetical designations. I know that BF is one of the least expensive balcony staterooms. I upgraded to BB & we were moved to deck 11 (from 9) & offered 2 additional specialty dining nights (total of 3 nites on the transatlantic). Thing is - the deck plans do not have the alpha designations next to the stateroom numbers. If memory serves, with HAL, I could poke around on their website & choose which stateroom I thought was the best value. I can't seem to do that w/NCL. Am I missing something? Thank you - you & Gary Bembridge are our KZbin travel video favorites.

[@maries7058]

I think it is good in any situation where prices are going up to give at least some notice. I think it actually behooves the cruise company because anyone that is on the fence when they see it will be going up will probably jump at the current price ( I know I would).

[@KariGainey]

I was on the Enchanted Princess with a 15-drink package. The first day the server charged my friends alcohol beverages to my account which of course counted towards my fifteen, not theirs. I didn't even order a cocktail yet!

[@Beefree4ever]

I cruised HAL last year. Their package included water and specialty coffee & tea. Only one day did I come close to reaching the 15 limit.

[@sharkar8]

The drink package for me is great because I can get milkshakes, special tea and fancy coffee, bottle water. So alcohol is not the biggest determining factor but out 14 day cruise coming up is a rethought.

[@lynneshrode2927]

I would never drink that amount, yet I think that anyone who has already booked under a specific package, and has paid for that package, should have it honored.

[@GunnerHillTX]

What people are complaining about is not being given advance warning so they could pull the trigger and get the old price before it went up. But price hikes happen every day at home - I've never seen a gas station put up signs saying their prices would go up next week, tomorrow, in one hour, etc - So I'm not sure why people thing cruise lines should be any different. :D

[@TheKarver79]

What if you aren’t a drinker or don’t even need the wifi? Don’t have to pay that extra $200 no matter what or can you opt out on Norwegian?

[@LifeWellCruised]

More at sea is an optional bundle type package so you don’t need to take it. Standard fares are available and you can even opt out of only the drink package if you like. More details in the More at Sea video I made last month

[@hushpuppy3]

I have side-by-side cruises on Carnival in 2026. I stashed the premium internet package in my "save for later" basket for both cruises. Luckily I was still able to get the old price after all the cruise-tubers broke the news about the package going up. I really didn't want to spend an addition $300 during during Christmas season, but those are checked off on the to-do list now.

[@stevebartley628]

If you don’t drink, NCL takes off the gratuities from the drink portion. How about taking off the cost of the drinks ?!

[@ourh2253]

I'm on Mardi Gras now and I purchased the bubbly soda package... BUT I have not found any free drinks. I guess it's just the little fountain drinks but I've been charged for EVERYTHING else. Including cappuccino and stuff. I haven't even tried the fountain drink

[@jim_condit]

NCL dropped Starbucks and water from the More At Sea package. We have now purchased a case of water and plan to skip Starbucks on our next cruise.

[@jr.leininger4109]

I'd be at the 15 drink limit before dinner. Guess I'm not going to the casino at night then.

[@MissLauraSquared]

My husband and I have only sailed Norwegian and Disney, so that’s the only perspective I have. Our thought about the new More at Sea option via NCL is that NCL is taking away an option that cruisers used to have. With NCL’s Free at Sea, you had the option to upgrade your drink package for an additional fee to a top-shelf liquor package. Basically, now NCL is forcing you to purchase that top-shelf liquor package through the More at Sea package even if you’d be fine drinking alcoholic beverages that are $15 or less. In this case, NCL is making more money because they know most people will still opt to have the more expensive drink package that comes with More at Sea because they know people want to drink, and they know many people aren’t going to drink the top-shelf liquors that are now available to them. In short, NCL is going to be making more money off of the drink package change now that they’ve changed Free at Sea to More at Sea. My husband and I are sailing on NCL Aqua’s maiden voyage in March and did opt to have the drink package offered with More at Sea. We had to stop and consider it, though, before deciding to add it on. We are happy we will be getting 3 specialty dining restaurants with the More at Sea, though.

[@larrykramer2761]

I like the 15 drink max because it helps keep my wife from overdrinking. Last cruise they had to wheelchair her back to our cabin twice on a 7 night cruise. It's embarrassing.

[@cindyt987]

Hi Ilana! I agree with a lot of the comments that I think the 15 drink limit is fine and is probably in place to prevent sharing. I had the drink package for the first time last cruise and the most I drank in a 24 hour period was 5. 😂 luckily I didn’t pay for it. I drank my share of water and specialty coffees though. Happy holidays!!!🎉❤

[@kbs8597]

So Carnival, if you purchase the drink package the others of age in the same cabin must buy the package. They do this to stop the sharing of a drink package.

[@etevolve]

Carnival imposes that alcohol limit on everyone whether they have the package or not. 15 alcoholic drinks a day applies to everyone, with or without the package. And 6am-6am is their 24 hour day, not midnight to midnight.