Costs
Alaska Cruise Drink Package Costs
Unlimited beverage packages on Alaska sailings run roughly $60 to $120 per person per day before gratuity, which pushes the real cost to $71 to $144. Individual drinks cost $8 to $16, so break even sits at five to nine drinks a day depending on the line.
The short answer
Alaska drink packages cost $60 to $120 per person per day plus an 18 to 20 percent gratuity, giving a real cost of $71 to $144. Individual drinks run $8 to $16. Break even is five to nine drinks per person per day, and most lines require all adults in a cabin to buy.
Key points
- Packages run $60 to $120 per person per day before gratuity.
- The 18 to 20 percent gratuity is charged upfront, taking the real cost to $71 to $144.
- Individual drinks cost $8 to $16 on most Alaska sailings.
- Break even is five to nine drinks per person per day.
- Most lines require all adults in a cabin to purchase if any one does.
Drink package pricing is straightforward once you include the gratuity, which the advertised price never does. This page gives the real numbers so you can do the arithmetic honestly.
Package prices by line
| Line | Advertised | Plus gratuity | Value cap per drink |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carnival | $60 to $70 | $70 to $83 | Around $20 |
| Holland America | $60 to $75 | $71 to $89 | Around $15 |
| Princess | $65 to $85 | $77 to $101 | Around $15 |
| Royal Caribbean | $70 to $95 | $83 to $114 | Around $14 |
| Celebrity | $75 to $110 | $89 to $132 | $10 classic, $17 premium |
| Norwegian | $100 to $120 | $120 to $144 | Around $15 |
| Cunard | $65 to $90 | $75 to $104 | Varies |
| Disney | No unlimited package | n/a | n/a |
| Luxury lines | Included in fare | Included | No cap in practice |
What individual drinks cost
| Drink | Typical price | With gratuity |
|---|---|---|
| Draught beer | $7 to $9 | $8 to $11 |
| Bottled beer | $8 to $10 | $9 to $12 |
| Glass of house wine | $11 to $14 | $13 to $17 |
| Glass of premium wine | $15 to $22 | $18 to $26 |
| Standard cocktail | $12 to $15 | $14 to $18 |
| Premium cocktail | $16 to $20 | $19 to $24 |
| Speciality coffee | $5 to $7 | $6 to $8 |
| Bottled water | $3 to $5 | $4 to $6 |
| Soft drink | $3 to $4 | $4 to $5 |
The break even calculation
| Line | Real daily cost | At $14 per drink | At $16 per drink |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carnival | $70 to $83 | 5.0 to 5.9 | 4.4 to 5.2 |
| Holland America | $71 to $89 | 5.1 to 6.4 | 4.4 to 5.6 |
| Princess | $77 to $101 | 5.5 to 7.2 | 4.8 to 6.3 |
| Royal Caribbean | $83 to $114 | 5.9 to 8.1 | 5.2 to 7.1 |
| Celebrity | $89 to $132 | 6.4 to 9.4 | 5.6 to 8.3 |
| Norwegian | $120 to $144 | 8.6 to 10.3 | 7.5 to 9.0 |
What it costs over a seven night cruise
| Line | Total for two |
|---|---|
| Carnival | $980 to $1,162 |
| Holland America | $994 to $1,246 |
| Princess | $1,078 to $1,414 |
| Royal Caribbean | $1,162 to $1,596 |
| Celebrity | $1,246 to $1,848 |
| Norwegian | $1,680 to $2,016 |
Frequently asked questions
How much is a drink package on an Alaska cruise?
Roughly $60 to $120 per person per day advertised, plus an 18 to 20 percent gratuity charged upfront, giving a real cost of $71 to $144 per person per day. Over seven nights for two people that is $980 to $2,016 depending on the line. Norwegian is the most expensive, Carnival and Holland America the least.
How much do drinks cost individually on a cruise ship?
Draught beer runs $7 to $9, house wine by the glass $11 to $14, standard cocktails $12 to $15 and premium cocktails $16 to $20, all before the automatic 18 to 20 percent gratuity. Speciality coffee is $5 to $7 and soft drinks $3 to $4.
How many drinks do I need to break even on a package?
Five to nine per person per day depending on the line and what you drink. Carnival and Holland America break even around five, Princess and Royal Caribbean around six or seven, and Norwegian requires eight to ten. Speciality coffees, bottled water and soft drinks all count toward the total, which helps.
Is gratuity included in a cruise drink package price?
Usually not in the advertised figure. Most lines add 18 to 20 percent on top, charged upfront when you buy the package. It also applies to packages received as part of a promotion, which means a free drinks package can still generate $300 to $500 in charges for two people over a week.
Do both people in a cabin have to buy a drink package?
On most lines, yes. If one adult in a cabin purchases the package, all adults sharing that cabin are usually required to as well. This rule roughly doubles the commitment and makes the combined break even much harder when one person drinks significantly more than the other.
Is a non alcoholic drinks package worth it?
More often than the alcohol one, on an Alaska itinerary. A soft drink and speciality coffee package at $12 to $25 per day breaks even at three or four coffees, which is realistic on a cold sailing where hot drinks replace poolside cocktails. It is the package most travellers overlook and the one that most often pays.
Keep researching
The decision, not just the price.
How the package gratuity works.
Other charges that appear on the bill.
Modelling onboard spending.