Too Many Cruisers Fall For These Cruise Drink Package Traps

[@quicksilver2510]

My wife and I did a 14 day cruise to Fiji from Australia a few years ago on Carnival. At the time, a premium drinks package was $900 asd each. We decided to forego the package and just add up what we spent on drinks over the length of the cruise after we got off. We didn't hold back on what we wanted, buying whatever cocktails we felt like. At the end, our combined drinks total was o ly $750.

[@R32R38]

If you plan to have more than 15 alcoholic drinks per day the drinks-package limit is the least of your problems.

[@erikfast4228]

Unless part of those 15 drinks include coffee, soda, juice, bottled water, etc.

[@gerardacronin334]

Years ago I did buy an alcoholic drinks package on a transatlantic cruise with many sea days. Back of the envelope calculations suggested that I would need to have at least 6 alcoholic drinks per day to break even. I couldn’t drink that much. These days I no longer drink alcohol, so it’s a moot point. On a recent transpacific cruise I got the nonalcoholic drinks package, and I drank specialty coffees, hot chocolate, smoothies and San Pellegrino to my heart’s content.

[@scottread]

On our last cruise we bought the speciality drinks package (soft, speciality coffees and mocktails) and then used our onboard cruise credit to buy the alcoholic drinks when we wanted to. it worked out well for us.

[@LOrealHardly]

I wonder how many people (like me) just give up with holidays because of all the stress of worrying whether you got the right deal for this, that and the other? So many gotchas.

[@davidellis4084]

Agreed, but people also need to remember "perfection" is the enemy of "good enough". If you are happy with the cost and the holiday, does it really matter if you could have saved $50?

[@solidflyer286]

@@davidellis4084and you can just learn for next time

[@hettytravels]

I agree with everything you said and especially right at the end about making use of EVERYTHING in the package. I have a friend who drinks several lattes a day and they are included. I like the occasional smoothies. I typically get the Have it All every cruise.

[@russell821]

Princess is a bit more complex as they throw other benefits in the package. For mine they easily offer the best value drink package at sea under the Plus.

[@paulbrungardt9823]

Yes, I too sail Princess and get drink package.

[@dorothygiunta8519]

Love the drink package. We love specialty teas, coffees, waters, smoothies, as well as a cocktail, wine etc whenever I want to have what I want, when I want, where I want, without ever having to worry about the bill at the end of the cruise. Been there, done that and it's a B***H. It can put a damper on your experience. It's my vacation that I've planned for and work hard for so I'm not looking for stress of any kind. I also know my limits.

[@barbaralazier8352]

On my last few cruises I stopped buying the packages. I have what drinks I would like and have found every time that I come out ahead not getting the packages.

[@MkMosby]

On Cunard I learned the drinks package covers drinks priced up to $13:50 but you pay IN FULL for any drink priced above that, not simply the difference. Another small print ‘trap’

[@carolineallen5247]

Viking’s drinks package is excellent,I usually get it thrown in for free and even at $25 pp per day still a lot better than other cruise lines

[@chriswilliams6568]

@@carolineallen5247 yes because you get some drinks included, so you are just paying the upcharge.

[@bobwarzin5492]

Also, Viking doesn't have various package levels. One price covers pretty much any brand of booze and a wide variety of wines. Very easy to figure out if the package makes sense. Tips are also included in the package price.

[@davidfarmer7397]

I cruise on HAL and book early to get a better deal for the HIA package. Over all I think there is a value for us in those packages.

[@llchapman1234]

There's so many stipulations and exclusions that it always skews it in the cruise line's favor. The house always wins.

[@esseil]

It's been almost 17 years since my one-and-only cruise to date, but the non-alcoholic drinks package made sense for me. It was a trans-Atlantic sailing on QE2, I don't pay inflated restaurant or bar prices for alcohol, and I don't drink coffee -- so I more than made up for the cost. In fact, one of my dinner table-mates and I joked that we drank the ship dry of ginger beer (they did run out with one day to go, and it was all we drank while we could, so...). I look at some of those prices in the video, though, and can't help thinking there are much better ways to spend my money.

[@gordonyates7972]

I drink alot more than my wife. It doesn't add up for a drink package for both of us. We have also decided that we will cruise Viking so you get beer and wine with lunch and dinner. If I feel like having spirits i pay individually for it. This works for us.

[@marygillespie2028]

Bear in mind that the included beer and wine on Viking are "house" labels - but usually local. French wine in France; Australian in Australia. If you are picky, you may want to order a nicer wine and pay for it occasionally on Viking.

[@geoffreystone4849]

Average Viking cabin cost $700 /day per person. That price difference from other cruise lines buys a lot of drinks.

[@owensmith7530]

The drinks package on Viking is astonishingly cheap compared to most other lines, since house beers and wines are included anyway. I always have the package on Viking. And if you do buy something too expensive for the package you sometimes get a discount, eg for bottles of wine or attending a wine tasting on board.

[@graemecatty9921]

The fact that Starbucks coffee wasn't included in your package Gary was probably a blessing in disguise😅🤣😂

[@warrenwolf4690]

Drink packages drive me crazy. All included lines solves the problem🍷🍻

[@jeromep]

I agree, but my family and I are probably another 10 years away from being able to afford cruising on a lux line.

[@warrenwolf4690]

@@jeromep something to look forward to 😀🍷

[@chriswilliams6568]

No they don’t because then non drinkers are subsidizing the drinkers as the prices on those cruises are huge. One has to sit down, pen and paper and write down how many drinks and special coffees per day one is likely to have. X number of days the cruise lasts, X the drink tips on top. Then compare. Each to his own as to whether it works for you. But another option is when you book with Princess there are 3 price options. Basic fare, Princess plus that includes tips, drinks and wine-fi and then Princess Premier ( I may have the names wrong) . When I work out what those things are individually plus the basic fare, it is always cheaper for us to take the middle fare option of Princess Plus. I don’t need those things included in the higher fare. I don’t know how other cruise lines work, but Princess has it nailed. Good wishes.

[@MrToryhere]

@@chriswilliams6568i don’t think that too many people who do travel on all inclusive lines think about their fare in terms of the cost of the inclusions. They look at the overall value to them of the voyage they wish to take. Most of all they want personalised and efficient service with minimum of faff. They want to be sitting out on deck and have a crew member come by and ask them if they want a drink of any kind. They want the drink to be there in a few minutes. They don’t to have to sign for the drink or have the crew member have to check whether it’s part of the drinks package, etc. this saves the crew time and the line money, as it does not have to put systems in place to check the usage of the drinks packages.

[@scorg]

I'm trying that very thing with marella next month, pricing does seem to be similar to P&O or MSC with drink package, but at times can also work out cheaper (I saw people mention only the lux lines so thought it worth while mentioning Marella)

[@EmilyJordonon]

Each of your videos is a little piece of magic. Keep inspiring us with your creations!🥝😱🍦

[@tipsfortravellers]

Thank you so much 😀

[@incredibleshrinkingfungus1731]

Very overlooked and undermentioned point re considering the itinerary. Gary hit that one first.

[@Its__Good]

I got an great deal on MSC this year. Something like £35 a day for their top tier drinks package. I probably had 5 or 6 cocktails a day, as well as 3/4 soft drinks (including fresh fruit smoothies), so it was well worth it.

[@scorg]

I found their non alco package great value, and I drink cola like a fish so I was well happy!

[@jec1ny]

In my experience, unless you are an extremely heavy drinker, you are usually better off just paying for your adult beverages on a per drink basis. That said, I drink very rarely so YMMV. But even the soda packages seem pricey to me.

[@gwcrispi]

We went on the Carnival Mardi Gras last year. I was surprised to find that the alcohol drinks package included premium liquor. I made it my personal mission on that cruise to finish as many bottles of Blantons bourbon as I could. Went home with three of the cork toppers. I would go to one of the bars that had it (Heros bar did) sit down at the bar and order a Blanton's neat. I'd tell the bartender that I'd take another as soon as my five minutes was up. They would usually come back WAY early and they would also give me a generous pour. After fifteen minutes I would walk away with a FULL GLASS of bourbon. FWIW, when they run out of Blanton's there is no more for that cruise. That happened about day four. Then I'd switch over to Eagle Rare.

[@susantownsend8397]

I drink very little BUT…. If there is a bundle with drinks and some combo of signature desserts, early boarding, juice, smoothies, coffee, and most especially WiFi, it’s probably going to be a good value for me since I have to have good WiFi and I watch for discounts on bundles before embarkation day.

[@carrietithof3389]

I drink enough for a drink package, and I rarely drink alcohol. Drink packages aren't just for people to get drunk.

[@Charlie-zj3hw]

Bull crap ..

[@QueenKayKay47]

It's the truth. ​@@Charlie-zj3hw

[@glent7853]

If you have 2 drinks the package pays for it.

[@Gregory-Masovutch]

It's for people on a sugar high.

[@scorg]

I hear this, the MSC non alco package I totally profited from based on their payg pricing!

[@cdewey5115]

I love the have it all package. I get my money worth from the virgin drinks and my coffee drinks! I also like that I only purchase when gratuities are included.

[@jc1400]

If you buy early and take advantage of deals it can be a reasonable cost. I recently used specials and had the drink package down to 250 for. 5 night cruise. We tracked what we drank and it was a better deal. Since premium juices, coffees etc were covered, it more than made it worth our money.

[@rasferrastfarian739]

Agreed but also for us Aussies, buying before a cruise especially when they're having sales we can beat some of the terrible exchange rate problems we have! I got on RC the deluxe drinks package for $104-00AUD per day - normal listed at $173-00! When a cocktail works out at $24-00AUD each - its a no brainer!

[@kestag2110]

I like that I don’t have to worry about a bill at the end of the cruise. I’m not a heavy drinker.

[@Charlie-zj3hw]

So you're happy just throwing money out the window? Say you spend $1,000 for the drink package and only drink $400 worth of drinks.. how does that make financial sense

[@owensmith7530]

Depends how much you value the lack of stress about the bill. I hate dealing with the bill, which is always wrong.

[@DanOCan]

I’m with you. I buy the package so I can order what I want without thinking, if I had to pay per drink I’d probably never order anything. But if I spent that money on a drinks package months earlier, it feels like they are free. It’s just so much more enjoyable, even if it costs more in the end.

[@nickyrowley7681]

@@DanOCanthat makes sense. I guess you just factor it as a cost of the cruise and not worry about individual pricing of drinks.

[@Wild1995]

Thank you for pointing out what a scam they are. 5 adults are on a NCL cruise in suite. The gratuities for those passengers is over $600 since everyone must get the package in the cabin. No way we could drink $600 of alcohol on the cruise even with cruise line prices.

[@MAB_Canada]

On our last cruise. The “special” fare came with the basic drinks package. We looked at upgrading and figured that extra cost per day wasn’t worth it. For the odd time we wanted a drink over the price limit we just paid the extra couple of dollars. So in total, for the whole cruise, the extra charges we paid came to far less than the daily cost of an upgrade.

[@Retiredtraveler1961]

Another great video Gary well done! The fact that you have to make this video speaks to how the cruise lines have botched things up massively. They are creating a shell game which you have to have a special decoder ring to figure out. After 20+ cruises I’m done with a mass market cruise lines… I’m switching to the more Premier cruise lines like Azamara, Silversea & Seaborn. The Cruise industry has changed drastically since I began cruising in 1993. I don’t need a Starbucks and a diner on board ship…./I want a small ship with comfortable, elegant decor, drinks, gratuities, and Wi-Fi included……. If you have family and kids, I guess these megaships are fine, but as an adult with no children, I would never think to go on one of those mega ships where everything is nickel and dime.

[@well-blazeredman6187]

I'm looking forward to the launch of Wetherspoons Cruising. Good video, Gary.

[@mikereddy-x9f]

Gary, drinks package details are intentionally complex so that cruisers will over spend on beverages. Sad.

[@owensmith7530]

It's very simple on Viking. There's one drinks package, everyone in the cabin must take it if you have it. That's it. Oh and you can sometimes get the package free as an early booking bonus.

[@williammurphy3766]

Yes indeed. Listening to Gary's valiant attempt to explain the multiple pitfalls, I could feel fingers crawling over my wallet.

[@calumshaw]

Princess removed sauvignon blanc from it's Plus package, you have to buy the Premier package to enjoy the most popular wine in Australia and NZ. It's also worth noting Gary, if you buy a bottle of wine over lunch or dinner, it's not included in a drinks package although it is discounted, the % dependent upon the package you've bought. We usually lash out and buy a few bottles on each cruise which is stored it away for your future use if you haven't finished the entire bottle.

[@russell821]

Really? A bit annoying you then have to pay the difference every time you want one.

[@calumshaw]

@@russell821 Yes--- every time, although on the Med I switch to Pinot Grigio which is included, but cruising at home (Aus) its always an extra. Frustrating particularly considering the brands they use are mainly local and priced economically.

[@russell821]

@@calumshaw thanks for that. When we cruised on the Sky last year in Iceland they had it, however it was very average and ended up paying extra for the nicer drop under the Premium package.Cruising closer to home next month so might just go the Premium package.

[@calumshaw]

@@russell821 Are you Oz? Cruising next month!!! You wouldn't happen to be on Diamond P for the Xmas cruise?

[@chriswilliams6568]

If you have the package why don’t you just order by the glass instead of the outrageous bottle prices. If a glass of something special is more money than the package allows, just pay the xtra on that glass. Good wishes.

[@TimK2646]

I am Diamond on Royal Caribbean and Elite on Celebrity. Free Alcohol drinks available depending on time. Avoid the package as my family does not drink

[@scorg]

Oddest thing I came across was what P&O do even with the classic package, tinned Cola products not included, only in the excessive cost package, yet tinned pepsi/7up not a problem. This appeared to cause a lot of confusion when I was on Azura in August as quite a lot of people asked and were surpised by it. So just be watchful, even with the full non alco package with P&O, you arnt getting coca cola products. Total contrast to when I used MSC, where I opted for the non alco package and Cola tins were inclusive no problem, as was water and were including alco free cider and beers, as well as mocktails, honestly found this one to be great value and if you are not needing alcohol then fully recommend.

[@michaelsladek9819]

I’m not sure how drinks packages work on other cruise lines, but on Princess it also includes wi-fi, bottled water, specialty coffees and tips. It’s about 6-8 drinks a day to get your money back. In addition, if you get the premier package you get premier seating at the theatre venue and your photos paid for. It’s not just the number of drinks.

[@davee8113]

Royal does cover fresh squeeze juice but they are only at one or two locations only

[@frankhawrusik165]

We do get the drinks package Convenience is a big reason Not signing all the time And at dinner it’s nice the sommelier can top up the glass without it feeling like a cash register is ringing all the time

[@dchenkin02]

My first cruise on Norwegian I met many passengers who bought an alcoholic drinks package and were frustrated specialty coffee, bottled water, and cans of soda were not included. Only fountain soda at the bar was included in the package; the standard included coffee was weak American coffee not any fancy coffee sold at a coffee shop or Italian style coffee.

[@texasdustfart]

Watching this makes me glad I sale with Princess.

[@guayames]

We are not 18 anymore, drink packages are never worth their price. After 176 cruises we have enough free drinks in all cruise lines to worry about a drink or two at a maximum each day.

[@RiverDanube]

Another consideration as to why the cruise lines offer it is because it increases the amount of drinks being drunk overall. It’s a bit like a buffet. People will eat more at a buffet than a la carte because they feel the need to get their monies worth, but it means more food is being eaten than otherwise. So basically, the cruise ship ends up serving way more drinks than they otherwise would have. The cruise ship may end up making slightly less per drink but way more overall because they have sold more drinks than they would have with out the drinks packages.

[@gwcrispi]

We went on Celebrity, all inclusive, you walk up to a station or bar and they hand you a couple waters. No hassle. You go on RCCL or Carnival, you got to go through the whole rigamarole with your card and a signature even for a water. PITA

[@julieb7882]

I show my card on Royal but have never signed for drinks with a package.

[@gwcrispi]

@@julieb7882 We do. Everytime. Other than there is no charge, there is literally no time savings.

[@garychristison763]

I'm interested in taking a cruise for the first time but every time I go through the research process, I get scared away. Planning travel to the destination on my own seems a lot simpler and I reduce the amount of time spent in lines. Thank you for going through the complicated drink package choices.

[@jeffreyclinard2002]

I don't drink alcohol, so it's usually just a soda package for me. While I get five drinks a day with Diamond Plus status on Royal Caribbean, I think once I had three mocktails, and usually just two or one a day.

[@nickyrowley7681]

On our first cruise we just paid for drinks, on the second it was part of the 'deal' for early bird booking. And the second cruise was in fact cheaper than the first. I don’t think we would have bothered to buy the package because on the first cruise we in no way drank enough even to benefit from the non alcoholic plan. Both our kids were quite young and mostly drank water with the occasional fruit juice (all free).

[@stevedevlin3739]

Celebrity cruises have a basic package that is quite cheap to upgrade. This is more about the drinks on offer than the quantity. However in 2022 there were big issues, on a Caribbean cruise we often found the waiter disappearing with our cards for up to 30 minutes before coming back saying our cards weren’t upgraded for the drinks. After a short argument they agreed to supply drinks. But I actually caught them on a few occasions pouring cheaper spirits than asked for. On one occasion I asked for a specific brandy and kept receiving bourbon, cheap local whiskey etc. I only got the correct drink when I asked to see it being poured. After watching closely it was obvious what they were doing, American guests were actually paying in cash for premium drinks but the waiter could only log basic drinks on the bar computer after swiping their card, so they would then give guests who had upgraded basic drinks but log premium on the computer. After several days of this I went to guest relations and on telling them a senior “hotel” person shrugged his shoulders and said “it is what it is”. Later on we found out on our cabin tv billing that on the days & times our cards went missing with waiters that quite a lot of drinks had been billed to our (already payed for premium drinks package).

I once booked the drink package to try it and see if it was for me, I felt constantly bloated with all the liquid I drank, coffee, tea, beer, wine, etc. I just don’t know where people put all the liquid! Never again!

[@BigALuk33]

I've always thought would it be possible to do a weeks cruise and not spend a single penny on board...boring though 😂 but would be a good challenge video. No cheating at each port of call either, no eating / drinking at each location you stop at.

[@kwkw5711]

Yes quite possible and quite easy depending on what drinks are on offer in buffet and buffet openning times and if you get room service breakfast included with free juice milk and coffee.

[@michaelgunney1183]

I so far have sailed with NCL and the Free at sea which is a drinks package without the huge price . Unlimited drinks, can have two per order and very easy. But if I sailed with another line I would need to check

[@24Monty24]

Yeah NCL is the only line I've had the drink package so can't comment on other lines. But with the 'free' package and paying the gratuities I break even with not even 2 drinks a day, I can live with that!

[@BigALuk33]

Depends on how much you like to drink.... especially Alcohol. Bottle of wine with dinner, pre show cocktails, beers / soft drinks etc during the day can add up. f you're also not worried about premium brands then it can be worth it. Didn't realise they have started a limit on drinks packages though. We have never done a package ourselves but it is popular

[@villevee1332]

Last cruise we had msc drink package for 120€/7days for person totally worth it.

[@johnlochness]

My partner and I don't scrimp on drinks, we have wine with dinner, we have cocktails in the evenings, if we want something we have it yet we've never spent >£400 on a two week P&O cruises. We steer clear of drinks package.

[@michelleb749]

On my last cruise, I estimated how much I would drink and then purchased obc for that amount. I am not a big drinker so this worked for me.

[@cliffnorman178]

I feel that you should have stated in advance that you don't drink alcohol. My wife and I have always had different drinks packages on Celebrity which is the only cruise line we sail with. I always order the premium package as I only drink single malt Scotch.

[@liseoppenheimer7255]

We never get a drinks package. If allowed, we bring a bottle of wine each on embarkation day and use any OBC for specialty coffees. If port intensive itinerary, we will have a cocktail while in port, as it supports a local business and no 18% gratuity added to a watered down drink

[@glent7853]

Not sure where you get $1000 from. Princess Plus is $60 a day, minus crew $16, and internet cost $15, that leaves a rough cost of 29$ a day for drink. That is one coffee, a bottle of water and two cosmopolitans.

[@smudgepuss]

To potentially also factor into your maths is that sometimes the bigger packages that bundle in a drinks package in only cover the first 2 passengers in a cabin. HAL's HAI package only gives the drinks package to the first two passengers per cabin, and it doesn't seem to force the remaining adults to buy a drinks package. So in the fairly niche circumstance that you're travelling with HAL, there's more than 2 adults in your cabin and only 2 people will want a drinks package, that's a potential way to get around having to get a drinks package for everyone.

[@beawsbiz]

MSC typically charge around £30 a day for their drinks package, which includes superior coffees served and pressed orange juice. Drinks are anything from £7 to £14. Really not difficult to drink several glasses of wine at lunch time, and 4 or five drinks the rest of the day. So 6 drinks x an average of £10 each = £60 (conservative average really) doesn’t take long to reach £30. And then it also includes soft drinks.

[@Mark_in_MKE]

I've sailed on Princess. Their premium package makes the most sense to me. I like the freedom of not having to sign for drinks individually, but most of all like that the bundle includes multiple device Wi-Fi, room service, and the digital download of every single photo that is taken during the cruise.

[@jeromep]

We have done Princess Premier on two cruises, combined with suite accommodations. We have determined that Premier package combined with suite benefits has some overlap. We tend to visit the Concierge Lounge a lot during a cruise, and get a lot of drinks there, which are complimentary, and we like the vibe better than at most of the bars. If we were to book a cruise in a more standard cabin, we would book Premier. If we book again in a suite, we will book Plus because with all the Suite perks, this is enough of a package to cover what we really use.

[@davidl.6509]

We find Princess Plus to be worth it, with the Wi Fi and Gratuities included. Carnival being Carnival, though, I wonder when they will just make it like all the other Carnival lines….

[@danielintheantipodes6741]

I would need to be cautious. I drink little alcohol but I guzzle coffee and a decent amount of soda. Thank you for the video!

[@solidflyer286]

Drinks package for my family of four (non alcoholic) £500. Actual spend on the boat £140 MSC Northern Europe itinerary. Only two sea days Edit: oh and MSC MDR on preziosa will tell you you’re not entitled to free tea and coffee at lunch and tea when you are - make sure you know what you’ve paid for.

[@DaveTexas]

These days, all I drink is water and diet soda. No fancy coffees, alcohol, or mocktails. It makes the drink packages on some cruise lines too pricey for what I get, especially if all I have is water plus one or two sodas per day. I’d be happy if I could get a really simple drinks package on all the different cruise lines, but it is usually cheaper to just pay as I go and pick up bottles of water on shore excursions.

[@nathandash9385]

You also get to take 1 bottle of wine or champagne per adult over 21 when you board.

[@m.m.4645]

We have NEVER bought a drinks package on any of our 65 cruises. It just would not pay off, we made the calculation. Hubby drinks a glass of wine or beer with a meal, otherwise one drink every few days. I do not care for alcohol at all, neither the sweet mocktails or "Coffee specialities" We also do not want soft drinks. So, we can easily live without it and still have a great cruise!!!! BTW-We are Diamond plus (RCL) /Elite plus (Celebrity) getting all the daily drink Vouchers. Even those are difficult to use up. 🤷

[@SoloonaCruise]

This is way I enjoy Virgins bar tab. Depending on route I buy one or pay as I go. Their fare includes soft drinks and the usual coffee and teas.

[@MissNCGirl]

I love watching Gary's videos! He's one of my favorite KZbinrs, but I don't think I could do a cruise as it seems so complicated with drinks packages, gratuities, and other things. It would stress me out planning one! I only drink hot and iced tea and water with a very occasional soda. A drinks package for me would be a waste of money.

[@kenyattaclay7666]

I have only bought any drink package once & found it to be a waste of money. On my first cruise I got a soft drink package and after a certain point I found myself ordering a drink not because I was thirsty but because I had the package. I might have two or three alcoholic drinks and one specialty coffee a day so even paying Al la cart I’m not paying anywhere close to the cost of the package.

[@davee8113]

Always ask for top shelf liquors when covered, otherwise your drinking bathtub quality liquors

[@michaelthompson6885]

Lets face it it is all about maximizing profits.

[@rogershipway129]

You showed the Azamara MosaicCafe in your film when talking about paying for coffees. This is just a reminder that all coffees on Azamara are free, except the VERY high- end alcoholic ones. They dont have a soda package because these and a reasonable selection of wines, lagers, and spirits are also free to everybody. The so-called luxury high cruise prices suddenly become very reasonable.

[@l.wallace4252]

Royal now offers a discounted package for Diamond and above for whom four and five drinks, respectively, are included. Interesting shift.

[@owensmith7530]

I hate buying drinks ad hoc, the bill is always wrong. I'm recently back from a Viking Nile cruise where there is no drinks package, and as usual in this situation there were extra charges on the bill. I challenged it, they pulled out paperwork that had my name on but I hadn't signed, they insisted it is my signature (I never sign that way), and it becomes impossible to argue. OK it's only £35 (in this case) but it leaves a sour taste. I don't know if it is the staff or other passengers that do it, but this is my 4th cruise (all with different companies) without a drinks package and 4th being ripped off this way. So unless the drinks package is extortionate I always go for it. Even if I was comparing very focussed on the money I'd add 10% to the ad hoc buying cost for the inevitable being ripped off.

[@edg8535]

With the amount of good food available this is just too many drinks. Also, in watching the news, the cruise lines need to think again on the amount of alcohol included.

[@seprishere]

I think the sheer price of drinks on cruise ships seems excessive. After all, at my local Wetherspoons, a Beefeater double gin and tonic is £3.87.

[@well-blazeredman6187]

And Tim still makes a profit.

[@iangill8984]

A lot of common sense. We have cruised with and without drinks packages choosing the option that would suit us. We did a Princess cruise from Southampton to US/Canada and back. There was an offer when we booked and we snapped their hand off. It included gratuities,15 drinks per day plus WIFI. We only needed a few drinks to break even, a couple of beers, a few glasses of wine and a post dinner drink saw us well in profit. Of course there were also lots of sea days which helped. We did have a bonus, the WIFI was a bit iffy during sea days so we got an on board credit of $90 each. I have just checked what we paid, it worked out at $50 per person per day, gratuities and Wifi took up 50% of that at advertised prices at the time. As Gary says you must check.

[@DoubleD20s]

The requirement for two passengers sharing a cabin to have the same drinks package strikes me as something of a scam. There's no reason why two people travelling together should have the same taste in beverages. If I ever do go with a pal who drinks, I hope the cruise line - as you suggest - is able to account for me sticking to cola. I'm not fussed whether that's premium- or house-branded, though.

[@BloodyHeck]

How hard can this be? Unless you drink at least 4 or 5 drinks a day, you don't even consider it. My wife and I might have 2 drinks at most, maybe something while on the pool deck while relaxing and maybe a glass of wine at dinner. We really don't even drink sodas or premium coffees. For us, it's the included coffee, tea, water and we're good. Cruises are incredibly economical as long as you stay away from all of the added packages.

[@andersdannstedt5825]

but if you drink one or two glasses of wine for dinner, juice for breakfast and an espresso or cappuccino, maybe a sparkling wine to celebrate being on cruise. You get drink you don't like, order another one. Water in bottles to bring with you for excursions or tooth cabin. Maybe a beer for the hamburger at lunch? It is not just dividing the cost per day with drink price to justify the cost for a drink package. Saying I have to drink x number of drinks to justify the cost is not what it is about. And you don't have to finish all the glasses!

[@BloodyHeck]

@@andersdannstedt5825 That might be ok for you but if I drank that much I wouldn't remember the cruise.

[@shawnhock884]

It’s a good deal for us. But each to their own. 🤷‍♂️

[@Charlie-zj3hw]

We keep close tabs and we always come in half the price of the drink package that's why we don't bother .. you can't convince the thick-headed it's a waste of money.. it's a big mind game you think you're going to drink a lot more than what you really do

[@helenneal2609]

A bit harsh don’t you think? I have used the drinks calculator for HAL, I have bought the Elite package and I will get the benefit. I am not going to spend the time on board making sure I get value for money and drinking more than usual. It just turns out that I will actually save money.

[@Boskov01]

My mother bought me a soda package for our RCL cruise back in 2023 and we can definitely say we got our moneys worth. In the case of RCL, we prepaid for a collectable tumbler that I was free to refill at any of the Coca-Cola freestyle machines on the promenade or in the buffet restaurant when the latter was open. Having to drag all the way down to the promenade was a little bit of a hassle but I actually came to prefer it. It got me to move around and get some kind of exercise, which is always good. I don't drink alcohol so the soda package was perfect for me and is something we'll likely do again next time we go on a cruise. That said, definitely make sure to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to any package deals offered on a cruise.

[@kos8199]

Celebrity right now has a Black Friday sale of 40% off on drinks packages. Sale ends on Dec 7th.

[@PurpleReign1401]

I went with the drink package because I dont know how much I'm going to drink and I didn't want to worry about how much I'm going to be charged at the end of the trip. Plus, I paid my gratuities already, and I dont have to worry about adding 18% to every order. I don't drink much alcohol normally anymore, because I just don't have the time, but I can drink quite a bit when I start drinking. Was it a waste of money? Maybe, but it's paid for, and I don't have to worry anymore. After this one, which is my first cruise, I'll see if it's worth it for us or not.

[@CruiseDude1]

A friend who cruises often tells me uses rum runners and has never been caught in 10 cruises - saving thousands of dollars. Not that I would ever do such a thing.

[@owensmith7530]

What is a rum runner?

[@geoffreystone4849]

I salute those who take the drink oackages, for thry subsidise my cruises. They help the cruise lines profits. That keeps my shareholder benefits happening.

[@20JK10]

Cruise lines should over a half-sized drink package for the light drinkers and budget minded.

[@markstack1783]

Hi Gary, My comment is off this topic, but I wanted your perspective. My wife and I have traveled extensively (Europe, Asia, & the Americas). Friends of ours convinced us to take our very first cruise on the Regent Granduer. It was a two week cruise out of NYC to the Caribbean. Our critique of the cruise was the same. The ship was beautiful. The crew was special. Very attentive. The fit and finish of the ship was impressive. Negatives? Well frankly the food was a disappointment. Though the restaurants were varied and the menus interesting, the food itself was, in general, not good. Obviously we had a few good dinners, but overall, disappointing. Finally, the ports of call and excursions were not good. We went on numerous driving tours. Bermuda, St Barthes, St Lucia, Barbados, Grenada, Bonaire, Aruba. All we a big disappointment. We have been to the U.S. Virgin Islands, BVI’s & Cayman Islands. All beautiful. Have you had any of these experiences or have any of your viewers expressed similar issues? Thanks. Love your vids.

[@Geoduck.]

We never checked the drink package prices on Holland America. My gosh so expensive!

[@philipdouglas5911]

I would like a little more in your commentary about the British lines as it is too American cruise line focussed so hard to relate to. The drinks packages on P+O are poor value for money especially when on a 14 night Caribbean cruise 10 of those days are in port. And how about the water stations on board ships where you can fill a water bottle and then add some juice concentrate. Not sure if this is something that is just open to us Brits or whether American cruisers can do it too. Brings down the cost if you are using PAYG.

[@edspace.]

I wonder if they let you buy drinks with your debit card like on land.

[@ShelleyinBoston]

wow this is informative....and a little crazy

[@gregoryadler7806]

No matter what line you cruise on…who the heck needs to have 15 alcoholic drinks a day unless they have a problem?

[@jennavidal585]

I tend to agree. To get the full value out of the package I would need to be drunk all the time. Not my idea of fun on a ship!

[@jeh1955]

Never even considered buying a drink package. They are way overpriced.

[@MariaJensenJohn316-jw6qv]

it sounds like a $1000 bucks you are better of paying as you go so you can just have what you like rather than the stress of trying to use your pre paid coupon

[@ColoRadio6996]

Gary: Holland has what they call a "Qucnch" drink package, non-alcoholic, or drinks without the booze... Cheers.. stay safe.....J

[@margritzauner9846]

I normaly pay "as you go" and compare at the end of a cruise what a Drink Package would have cost me. Even on Voyages with lots of Seadays I normally spend 20-30% of what a Drinks Package would have cost me. For me is the Tea-Making Facility at the Cabin very Importend. On my last Tour on the Queen Anne in the summer I bought a very good Fruit Tea and enjoyed as a sundowner on my Balcony. And because of my Stock perks my OBC from my 100 Carnival Shares cover normally my Expenses for Drinks. And I buy a bottle of wine in the MDR for Dinner at Cunard which is not included in the Drinks Package

[@chriswilliams6568]

@@margritzauner9846 on north American cruise companies, there is no kettle facilities in cabins as we like coffee and no one drinks instant coffee here.

[@margritzauner9846]

@chriswilliams6568 Therefore I like British-Style Companies like Cunard. Even at the MotelOne in London there was the first time in a hotel room of this Brand a Kettle

[@brightonst]

The more I read about the ins and outs of cruise packages the less I want to go….

[@jennavidal585]

It’s easy! Anything they try and offer you when you are booking they will offer you again on board anyway, so don’t feel like you need to book things until you are on board and vibing it all.

[@DougAlesUSA]

♦️Drink package videos are already all over the place, but that’s no longer how these things are being sold by some cruise lines. These days, more cruise lines are offering a package. This package can include things such as a drink package, alternative dining, shore excursions, internet package, gratuities, combined at a price point thats about half the cost of buying these things one at a time.

[@MarthaMeCrafts]

He talked about this in the video.

[@DougAlesUSA]

@ I will assume you are correct. I’ve taken in a few of his videos. I find he takes far to long to say far to little. Still, he chose this videos title, and my comment is on that. I’m not going to waste my time to hear a bunch of his bla….bla….bla… rambling.

[@travelingfool9096]

Solo cruiser and a super light drinker here. All those packages ( plus, have it all, more at sea) include drink packages , and usually the 'non streaming' internet. so never a good deal for me. NCL, my line at this time, has the best , you only pay for 'gratuities', 3 drinks average, its the most economical package, I don't drink enough even on my up coming 15 day Panama cruise ( streaming internet was a bit more). NCL price goes up next year as it went from 'Free' to "More" at Sea, it just means more money, so if you go on NCL , look at the numbers, it will be a lot more drinks to break even.

[@chinesecrested9528]

I never worry about this. I don't drink