Marella Cruises Drinks Package: Is Premium All Inclusive Worth It?
Every Marella Cruises drinks package starts from a strong base. Marella builds a wide range of drinks into the standard fare, not just a splash of juice at breakfast. That still leaves a genuine question, though: is the Premium All Inclusive upgrade worth paying extra for?
This guide covers exactly what you get as standard. It also covers what Premium adds, what it costs, and how to work out whether it suits your holiday.
What’s Included in the Standard Marella Drinks Package
Marella labels every cruise All Inclusive, and the drinks list backs that up. Your fare covers:
- Draught and bottled beers and ciders, including brands such as Peroni, Heineken and Guinness
- House wines by the glass, in red, white and rosé
- Standard spirits, such as Smirnoff vodka and Gordon’s gin
- A set list of classic cocktails and mocktails
- Fountain soft drinks, including cola, lemonade and tonic water
- Basic teas and filter coffee
That’s a far wider spread than most rivals offer for free. Many international lines only include fountain drinks and basic tea or coffee, then charge for everything else.
What’s Not Included as Standard
A few categories sit outside the standard fare. These include:
- Bottled water and canned soft drinks
- Speciality coffees from The Coffee Port
- Branded or premium spirits
- Bottled wine and champagne
- Speciality cocktails from the upgraded menu
None of this makes Marella’s “All Inclusive” label misleading. It just means the free tier covers everyday drinking rather than every single option on the ship.
What Is Marella’s Premium All Inclusive Upgrade?
Premium All Inclusive builds on the standard package rather than replacing it. You keep everything from the standard list, then unlock a wider selection on top.
What you get with Premium
Upgrading typically adds:
- Branded and premium spirits
- An upgraded cocktail list, including drinks like Aperol Spritz and Mojitos
- Prosecco by the glass
- Selected branded soft drinks, such as J2O and canned Coca-Cola
- Lavazza speciality coffees, including lattes and cappuccinos
What’s still extra
Even on Premium, a couple of things stay chargeable. Bottled wine and champagne still cost extra, and so does anything from a genuinely top-shelf spirits list. Exact exclusions can vary slightly by ship and sailing.
How Much Does Marella Premium All Inclusive Cost?
Expect to pay somewhere around £10–£15 per person, per night. For a 7-night cruise, that works out to roughly £70–£105 per person. Prices shift depending on the ship, the itinerary, and any offers running when you book.
One rule catches a lot of first-time cruisers out: everyone sharing a cabin has to upgrade together. You can’t have one person on Standard and another on Premium in the same room.
How to Upgrade to Premium All Inclusive
You’ve got three options here. Add Premium All Inclusive when you first book your cruise. Call Marella’s customer service team and add it to an existing booking. Or wait and upgrade once you’re onboard, at Guest Services. Booking in advance tends to work out cheaper than paying at sea, so it’s worth deciding before you sail if you already know you’ll want it.
Is the Premium Upgrade Worth It?
This comes down to simple maths. Work out roughly how many premium drinks, speciality coffees or glasses of prosecco you’d realistically have each day. If that number sits at two or more, the upgrade usually pays for itself.
Premium probably suits you if:
- You drink named-brand spirits rather than house pours
- You’re a regular at the ship’s coffee bar
- You like cocktails from the wider Premium menu
- You’d rather pay once upfront than track individual drinks all week
Standard is probably enough if:
- You’re a fairly light drinker
- You’re happy with house wine, standard spirits and the classic cocktail list
- You’d rather pay as you go for the odd extra rather than upgrade the whole cabin
Standard vs Premium: A Quick Comparison
| Standard (included) | Premium (upgrade) | |
|---|---|---|
| Beer & cider | Selected draught and bottled | Same, plus a few extras |
| Wine | House wine by the glass | Wider wine list by the glass |
| Spirits | Standard brands (Smirnoff, Gordon’s) | Branded and premium spirits |
| Cocktails | Classic list | Wider, upgraded list |
| Coffee | Basic filter coffee | Lavazza speciality coffees |
| Soft drinks | Fountain drinks | Fountain drinks plus selected cans |
| Bottled wine/champagne | Not included | Not included |
Frequently Asked Questions
Mostly, yes. The standard fare covers a wide range of beers, wines, spirits, cocktails and soft drinks. A handful of premium extras, such as bottled wine, speciality coffee and top-shelf spirits, sit outside the standard package.
Budget around £10–£15 per person, per night, or roughly £70–£105 per person for a 7-night cruise. The exact price depends on your ship, itinerary and when you book.
Yes. Marella requires everyone sharing a cabin to upgrade together, so you can’t mix Standard and Premium within the same room.
Yes, you can upgrade at Guest Services once you’re on the ship. It’s usually cheaper to add it when you book or by calling ahead, though, rather than waiting until you sail.
It’s worth it if you’d have two or more premium drinks, speciality coffees or glasses of prosecco a day. Lighter drinkers or people who don’t care about premium drinks usually find the standard package covers everything they need.