Editor’s Note: This is a recurring post, updated with new information.
If you plan to spend between $60 and $140 per day for a cruise ship beverage package, you’ll want to make sure you’re getting the best value. Order the right drinks and you can be sure to get your money’s worth. Choose the wrong drink and you will end up spending more money than necessary.
The most cost-effective option is to get a complimentary onboard drink package as a booking privilege. If you can’t do that, focus on these eight best drinks to order along with a drink pack to get the most out of your alcohol budget. I’ll also suggest you three drinks that won’t fit into your plans to make that package good value for money.
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expensive cocktails
If you pay a fixed price for alcohol upfront, you can order expensive specialty cocktails without worrying about paying $20 a glass. In fact, the best drink you can order from a value standpoint is the most expensive cocktail that falls within your plan limits.
For example, Festival cruise line Only drinks priced at $20 or less are included in the Happy Drinks Program. The limit is $15 with Norwegian Cruise LineUnlimited Open Bar Drinks Package and $13 with Royal CaribbeanPremium Beverage Package. Drinks priced near the limit are preferred. If you go by, most in-flight bars will just charge the difference, so you might want to go ahead and try that pricey cocktail for just a few dollars.
Wine brand name
Order a gin and tonic, and the bartender will probably pour you the cheapest gin he has on hand. Make the most of your beverage package by claiming your tonic with Tanqueray or Bombay Sapphire.
The same rule of thumb applies to any wine. Claim your wine by name to get the nicer, more expensive, and best value drinks from your drink package. Just make sure the brand you’re asking for is in your package — otherwise, you’ll be charged extra.
Related: Are beverage packages on cruise ships worth it? Things to know before buying
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The weirdest drink on the menu
I love trying new drinks, but at $10 to $15 a cocktail, it can be a costly experiment. With drink packs, however, testing is a risk-free proposition — especially on lines that don’t limit the number of alcoholic beverages you can buy in a 24-hour period. Try fruity vodkas, colorful liqueurs, or carbonated cappuccinos. You don’t have to pay extra if you don’t like it and you only have to wait a few minutes before you can order a replacement.
Drinks don’t have to be eye-catching to experiment. Use your drink pack to sample new wines by the glass or a cocktail you’ve never tried. You can discover your new favorite drink.
specialty coffee
Travelers have had a hard time letting go of their Starbucks addiction and flocking to the charge-up cafes on the train. With a drink pack, you can satisfy your caffeine addiction with good stuff at no extra cost.
Make your morning latte a holiday habit, or sip a chai tea on a rainy day or an iced latte when hot. Non-alcoholic beverages don’t count towards any drink limits, so the more you sip, the more value you’ll get from your drink pack.
Bottled water
Many cruisers don’t like the taste of tap water on board. If that’s the case, bottled water is another great all-inclusive beverage purchase option, even if it’s not the most earth-friendly option.
Grab a sealed bottle from the pool bar to bring back to your deck chair so you can stay hydrated while sunbathing. Collect bottles from the bars on the train to stash in your cabin, so you can drink them after rummaging through a ship’s pub or toss them in your daytime luggage when you leave the ship.
Love sparkling water with dinner? You can order without thinking when you have a pack of drinks.
Drinks on board day
Do you feel a little awkward walking straight to the bar as soon as you step inside a cruise ship on the day of departure? You definitely shouldn’t feel that way if you bought a pack of drinks. Packages are priced according to the length of your journey and the number of days it starts.
Grab a celebratory balloon to mark the beginning of your journey. Start your holiday with a glass of wine to relax. It’s five o’clock somewhere, and skipping drinks for the day starts to mean you’re paying for all-day beverage service that you don’t use. You can also change that and earn more for your money.
Related: 27 days on a cruise ship do’s and don’ts
Frozen drinks on private island
As I said earlier, shipping lines price their beverage packages by the day and you can’t rate them to skip docking days when you’re barely on board. Most of us can’t party all night after touring in the sun all day, which makes package costs on days in port hard to break even.
Bars on some private islands on yachts — Royal Caribbean’s Perfect day at CocoCayGreat Stirrup Spicy of Norway and MSC Cruises’ Ocean Cay — allows you to use your drink pack onshore. (Half Moon Cay and Harvest Caye don’t.) Pina colada set against a palm tree will pop up your social feed and make a great choice to make your drink package worthwhile. .
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Cruise Drinks
Other non-alcoholic beverages
Some lines like Carnival and Princess Cruise limits passengers to 15 alcoholic beverages per day, which can make package costs harder to break even. Make a plan to save money (and drink responsibly) by alternating your bar drinks with non-alcoholic options, such as sodas, energy drinks, freshly squeezed juices, and bottled beverages other like Gatorade or Honest Tea.
Even better, if you can buy sealed or unopened bottles or cans, you can save them for take-off at the port. That strategy will help you get the full value out of your drink pack on the days you’re mostly off the ship.
3 drinks to avoid
You don’t really need to avoid any drinks when you have a drink pack, but some options aren’t as helpful as others for making the package cost-effective. If possible, get comfortable with the following drinks — or reconsider whether that beverage package is the right choice for you in the first place.
Beer
Beer is usually the cheapest alcoholic drink on a plane and can fill you up. If you only drink beer, you may have a harder time reaching breakeven on your drink pack. Whether you crave craft beer or stick with Bud Light, ask if your cruise has a cheaper beer and wine-only package (such as the Norwegian Cork and Cap option) that might be a better fit with you or not.
good drinks
If your drink is already paid for, you are not motivated to order good drinks cheap when you can buy branded alcohol for the same price. If you don’t specify which vodka or rum you want, the bartender will give you the most basic option. Name your wine, and if you’re unsure, ask the bartender what bottles are included in your package.
Alcohol bottle
It is true that you will get 20% to 40% off bottles of wine with most drink packages on board. But you still have to pay extra for alcohol when you’ve already paid for wine by the glass, beer and cocktails. Charged alcohol refills may prevent you from ordering as many additional drinks as you normally would, keeping you from breaking even on the all-inclusive price.
Sure, you can’t buy all wines by the glass the same as you would order by the bottle, and you may want a fine wine to celebrate a special occasion. However, if you intend to put a few bottles of wine on your itinerary, you may be better off buying a wine-only package.
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