Royal Caribbean drink package online purchase through the My Royal Cruise Planner during your initial booking, up to 72 hours before your voyage. Or you can make your purchase on the first day of your cruise. Did you realize that all those cocktails, morning Espressos and poolside Mocktails add up, before you know it, to a glum regret in your wallet?
You won't have to worry about hidden charges or surprise bar tabs when you select a beverage package, ensuring your spending is all included. Full peace of mind, and plenty of time to enjoy your holiday.
Are you curious to see, which is the most suitable option for your cruising style? Read more here in this blog to find the full guide!
The last thing anyone wants to do at a pool bar as the ship lazily moves along the ocean is math. But on day three, it’s probably something many cruisers have been doing in their head: counting every single cocktail. Well, the Royal Caribbean beverage package can help you stop that.
This is the question that matters: is a Royal Caribbean drink package worth it? The truth: it depends on how much you want to drink, which ship you are sailing on, and your daily plans.
Here’s the latest 2026 pricing, policy updates, and menu costs so you can make your decisions based on the bottom line. Ultimately, you will have everything you need on what to order and when.
How do the packages work? Royal Caribbean beverage packages are priced per person, per day, and have different offerings based on what type of trip you’re taking. Prices are subject to change according to which ship you’ll be sailing on, when you book your cruise, and the date of your sailing.
The Deluxe Beverage Package is the only tier that covers alcohol. The package includes cocktails, beer, wine by the glass, spirits, specialty coffee, juice, mocktails, water, and soda at $14 per drink. Newer ships like those in the Icon and Oasis classes fall near the high end of the price range, while the older Vision class ships are cheaper.
Compare the price for the same package on the specific ship and day, as the same package may vary by over $50 per day.
This package includes nearly all alcohol-free beverages available on the ship, like specialty coffee, bottled water, juices, Johnny Rockets milkshakes, and non-alcoholic cocktails. The daily charge is between $29 and $45 a day, and it appeals to both teens and the non-drinker in the family.
Most cruisers that have a steady stream of three or more to four non-alcoholic drinks per day find the number heavily in their favor.
This is a great choice at about 12-18 per day. It includes fountain soda, refills at all locations, and a cup for the Coca-Cola Freestyle machines (after the announcement in March 2026). If you have young children that love to drink soda, this may be the most inexpensive way to keep everyone happy.
Here is a quick rundown of the three levels so you can see the differences in just 10 seconds. Make note of the alcohol row and the Coca-Cola Freestyle machines row, as these two items affect almost all purchases. All prices are per person per day and exclude gratuity.
|
Feature |
Deluxe Beverage Package |
Refreshment Package |
Classic Soda Package |
|
Alcohol |
Yes, up to $14 per drink |
No |
No |
|
Specialty coffee |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
Juice and mocktails |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
Fountain soda |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Freestyle cup (new buyers) |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Typical price per day |
$63 to $120 |
$29 to $45 |
$12 to $18 |
Let the numbers do the talking, faster than opinions. Check out typical menu prices and daily drinks needed below to beat a Royal Caribbean beverage package price. Use your own drinking habits in these calculations before you purchase a package.
Menu prices differ by ship, but this is what most cruisers will pay in 2026. Cocktails will be about $ 14- 15; beer will be around $8. 25 and mocktails will be around $8. Wine by the glass can be from $ 9 to $ 17, given your ship’s menu.
|
Drink |
Typical Onboard Price |
|
Cocktail |
$14 to $15 |
|
Wine by the glass |
$9 to $17 |
|
Beer |
About $8.25 |
|
Mocktail |
About $8 |
Because the package covers drinks up to $14, a few $15 cocktails may fall just outside the cap.
This apples-to-apples comparison compares the package price to menu prices (also before gratuity), since single drinks also have an 18% gratuity. Working from the median fleet of around $84 per day, the break-even chart is below. A $60 sailing would need around five cocktails to break even, while a $120 sailing would need around nine.
|
If You Mostly Drink |
Drinks Per Day to Break Even at $84 |
|
$14 cocktails |
6 |
|
$12 glasses of wine |
7 |
|
$8.25 beers |
About 10 |
|
A mix of everything |
7 to 8 |
You are just as thirsty as your itinerary is. There are long afternoons at the bar when you are spending sea days, and you are only going to have 2 or 3 drinks on port days.
Here are three rules that can make a difference in what you pay for a Royal Caribbean drink package:
Make sure you understand them.
The 18% Gratuity Rule With Real Dollar Totals
Most sailings don’t include gratuities in the price of the package. Instead, the 18% is added during final checkout, meaning that an $84 package per day turns into roughly $99 per day. For a seven-night cruise, that’s roughly $694 per person instead of $588.
|
Package Price |
Gratuity |
Daily Total |
7 Night Total |
|
$60 |
$10.80 |
$70.80 |
$496 |
|
$84 |
$15.12 |
$99.12 |
$694 |
|
$120 |
$21.60 |
$141.60 |
$991 |
The same rule applies to cheaper tiers, so a $29 Refreshment Package becomes about $34 per day after gratuity.
Guests who wish to purchase the Deluxe Beverage Package must pay for each guest of drinking age booked into the same stateroom. This rule can be startling for couples, mainly when only one guest drinks a lot. Some guests have said that guest services transfers a non-drinker to the Refreshment Package, so be sure to confirm that.
As of March 15, 2026, Royal Caribbean no longer gives away the Coca-Cola souvenir cup for the Deluxe and Royal Refreshment packages. And if you don’t have the souvenir cup, you won’t be able to use the Coca-Cola Freestyle machines. But you can purchase one on board for a one-time fee of $4.99.
The Classic Soda Package remains the same and is still available as shown here, and includes a cup. Bookings through March 15, 2026 receive the previous benefits, and the machines are available on most but not all ships.
A regular fountain soda remains in the Deluxe and Refreshment tiers. This means you only forfeit the flavor combinations, which number over 100.
The bottom line is that your Royal Caribbean drink package is good everywhere onboard, and at Perfect Day CocoCay and Labadee, with a few exceptions. Knowing in advance where there’s a line helps avoid a misunderstanding at the checkout. Here is the full list of what the package includes and what it does not.
Where Your Royal Caribbean Beverage Package Works
Packages are valid in the:
They are also valid on Perfect Day CocoCay and Labadee during normal operating hours. Ports of call are different, because drinks purchased off the ship are not included.
Perfect Day CocoCay days tend to be high consumption days, with heat, pools, and beach clubs. These are the days to count most heavily in your math, because that is where the package earns its value.
Labadee works on the same principle - all packages purchased via Cruise Planner or onboard are valid there.
Major Exclusions Including Starbucks
Room service, items in the minibar, and Starbucks drinks are not included in these packages. This third one is what gets many people, mainly if you buy something at a standalone Starbucks kiosk on a larger vessel. Check this list before you purchase, so you don’t get caught off guard at the bar.
How to purchase the best Royal Caribbean drink package: just like selecting the best package tier, you want to pick the best time to buy. This quick read will help you identify a habit, how to spot a sale, and make a purchase decision that will save you hundreds.
Pre-cruise prices are usually 20 to 40 percent cheaper than prices onboard, current 2026 guides say. Sale periods near Black Friday and Wave Season could be lower. Monitor your Cruise Planner as the cost of your sailing can change; early booking ensures you are aware of how much you’ll spend before you’re on the boat!
It takes five minutes to check out if you can find all the clicks. It’s all done through the Royal Caribbean website or app, so you can do it from the comfort of your couch tonight.
Follow these steps, in order, and double-check the total before you commit.
Your daily drinking habits determine which tier is most suitable, so find the profile that best matches you below. If you fall between two categories, select the less expensive option and pay for extras as needed. Purchasing a larger package than your habits justify can bring unnecessary spending.
|
Traveler Type |
Best Choice |
|
Drinks six or more alcoholic beverages daily |
Deluxe Beverage Package |
|
Drinks two to four alcoholic drinks daily |
Pay as you go |
|
Loves specialty coffee, juice, and mocktails |
Refreshment Package |
|
Soda lover or family with kids |
Classic Soda Package |
|
Wants Coca-Cola Freestyle machines |
Classic Soda Package |
|
Plans beach days on Perfect Day CocoCay |
Deluxe if drinking heavily, otherwise pay as you go |
|
Spends most days ashore |
Pay as you go |
The first step to choosing a beverage package is to tally all that you normally order in a day of your vacation, use the menu prices at Royal Caribbean to come up with a total for the day, compare that to the price of the package plus gratuity, and see who wins. There are fun ways to be flexible.
Prices can change very often, so check prices again before you book your actual sailing. A bit of quick math can save you hundreds!