Is Royal Caribbean's Drink Package Worth the Cost?

Royal Caribbean offers several different drink packages. It has the Classic Soda Package, which is the cheapest and includes unlimited Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages and a souvenir cup. There's the Refreshment Package that includes pretty much any non-alcoholic beverage available on board, except for products at licensed Starbucks stores (which are on certain ships).

However, when most people refer to the "drink package," they are talking about the Deluxe Beverage Package, which includes pretty much every alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage you can find on the ship (with the same Starbucks exemption).

What does the Deluxe Beverage Package include?

Specifically, here's what you can get with the Deluxe Beverage Package:

• Beer
• Wine by the glass
• Discounts on wine by the bottle
• Cocktails and mixed drinks with a menu price of $14 or less
• Can and fountain soda
• Fresh and bottled juices
• Premium coffee and teas
• Bottled and sparkling water
• Milkshakes at Johnny Rockets on board

It's worth noting that this is truly an unlimited drink package. Some other cruise lines have an official limit -- for example, Carnival's drink package technically limits guests to 15 alcoholic drinks per day. But as long as you don't appear intoxicated (you'll be cut off quickly if you do), you can use this package to buy as many drinks as you want.

Also, drinks that come with souvenir glasses are not included, and if one person buys the package, every person of legal drinking age in the same stateroom must buy the package.

Full price is expensive

The list price for the Deluxe Beverage Package is rather high, especially compared with some competitors. The standard onboard price can be as high as $115 per day, and on an upcoming sailing I have booked, that is indeed the case. For comparison, Carnival's CHEERS! Package costs just $59.95 per day if booked in advance for longer cruises.

However, there are a couple of things to know. First, the price for Carnival's package does not include gratuity, while Royal Caribbean's does. An 18% gratuity is added at the time the CHEERS! Package is purchased, so this narrows the gap a bit.

Second, you can almost always get a better deal on Royal Caribbean's Deluxe Beverage Package. It is significantly cheaper if booked in advance and frequently goes on sale. Travelers have reported paying as little as $56 per day, and on my upcoming sailing, there's an offer that makes the second package in a stateroom 50% off, effectively lowering the all-in cost to $85.99 per day. That's still a lot for a multi-day cruise for two people, but is far better than the full onboard price.

Is it worth the price to you?

Obviously, the key factor is whether you will use the Deluxe Beverage Package enough to make it worth buying as opposed to simply paying for drinks as you go. But there are a few things to consider

First is the regular price of drinks. Beer typically costs $7 to $9, wine is generally $9 to $25 per glass, and cocktails and mixed drinks cost $10 to $14, according to travel website The Points Guy. And don't forget the value of the sodas, juices, and premium coffees you'll get.

Second is the price you pay. If you can get the package for, say, $70 per day, it can be much easier to justify than if your cost is $90 per day. You can also potentially save money by using a travel credit card that has a high cash back rate on travel spending.

There's also the details of the cruise itself to consider. If it stops at either of Royal Caribbean's private island destinations (where the package works) or you have several days at sea, you may use it more than if the cruise mostly visits traditional ports.

Finally, there are some free drinks available to members of Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor Society loyalty program who have Diamond status or higher, and members who have reached Prime status in the casino can drink for free at the casino bar whenever it's open. If either of these apply to you, it can be more difficult to justify the Deluxe Beverage Package.

The bottom line is that there isn't a simple yes or no answer to the question of whether Royal Caribbean's Deluxe Beverage Package is worth buying. It depends on how much you'll use it and all of these other factors, specifically the price you'll have to pay.