Royal Caribbean drink packages compared
| Package | Price (per person, per day)* | What’s included | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deluxe Beverage Package | £45–£100 (approx. $60–$125) | Unlimited alcoholic drinks up to $14 each, plus all non-alcoholic drinks (soda, mocktails, juice, premium coffee/tea, water) | Regular drinkers — cocktails, wine, beer, spirits |
| Refreshment Package | £22–£32 (approx. $29–$40) | All non-alcoholic drinks: soda, mocktails, juice, premium coffee/tea, bottled water | Non-drinkers, teens, or anyone skipping alcohol |
| Classic Soda Package | £10–£13 (approx. $13–$16) | Unlimited fountain soda via Coca-Cola Freestyle machines | Kids, soda lovers, budget cruisers |
| Water Package | From £30 for 12 bottles | Still bottled water delivered to your cabin | Anyone who prefers bottled over tap/station water |
| Refreshment + 10 Drinks (less common, newer option) | Varies | Full Refreshment Package plus 10 alcoholic drinks for the whole cruise | Light/occasional drinkers who don’t want full Deluxe |
*Prices are pre-cruise “Cruise Planner” rates and exclude the automatic 18% gratuity. Onboard prices run 20–40% higher, so always book before you sail if you’re getting a package. Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing — your exact cost depends on the ship, sailing date, and current promotions, so always check your own Cruise Planner for a final quote.
On my own upcoming Royal Caribbean sailing, I was quoted just £45 per person, per day for the Deluxe Beverage Package — right at the bottom of the typical range. It’s a good reminder of how much dynamic pricing swings by ship, season, and how far ahead you book, so it’s always worth checking your own Cruise Planner rather than assuming you’ll pay the average.
What’s actually included in the Deluxe Beverage Package?
This is Royal Caribbean’s all-inclusive option and the only package that includes alcohol. It covers:
- Cocktails, spirits, beer, and wine by the glass — up to $14 per drink (see the price cap rules below)
- All non-alcoholic drinks: soda, mocktails, bottled and sparkling water, fresh juice
- Premium coffee and tea (excluding drinks from onboard Starbucks locations)
- Johnny Rockets milkshakes, smoothies, and protein shakes
- Red Bull and Powerade
- 40% off bottles of wine up to $100, and 20% off bottles above $100
Important: if one adult in a cabin buys the Deluxe Beverage Package, every other adult sharing that cabin must buy it too — as of August 2025, there are no exceptions to this (more on that below).
What happens if a drink costs more than $14?
The Deluxe Beverage Package covers any single drink valued up to $14. If you order something pricier — a premium cocktail, an aged spirit, a nicer glass of wine — you’re not charged full price. You only pay the difference between the drink’s price and the $14 cap, plus 18% gratuity on that difference. So a $20 cocktail would cost you roughly $6 plus gratuity, not $20.
The March 2026 change everyone’s still catching up on
As of 15 March 2026, Royal Caribbean quietly removed the complimentary Coca-Cola Freestyle souvenir cup from the Deluxe and Refreshment packages. If you want to use the self-serve Freestyle soda machines, you now need to buy the cup separately for $4.99 onboard.
You’ll still get canned and fountain soda included in both packages — you’ll just need to order from a bar or server instead of helping yourself at the machine. The Classic Soda Package is the only tier that still includes the Freestyle cup as standard.
A lot of older guides online haven’t caught up with this change yet, so if you’re seeing conflicting information elsewhere, this is why.
Rules, exceptions and edge cases you need to know
The “everyone in the cabin must buy it” rule has no exceptions anymore
If one adult in a stateroom buys the Deluxe Beverage Package, every other adult of legal drinking age sharing that cabin must buy it too — this has long been Royal Caribbean’s policy. Until August 2025, guests could occasionally call and request an exemption for someone who didn’t drink, such as an expectant mother or someone in recovery.
As of 1 August 2025, that exception has been removed entirely. Royal Caribbean confirmed guests can no longer request a waiver for a non-drinking cabin-mate — the cruise line said the exception was increasingly being used as a loophole to share one package’s drinks between two people. If you’re travelling with someone who won’t be drinking, your only options now are for both of you to skip the Deluxe package, or for the non-drinker to accept they’re paying for it regardless.
This is a genuinely recent change and a lot of older guides online haven’t updated to reflect it — worth knowing before you plan your cabin’s drink strategy.
Minimum age to drink varies by ship and destination
Onboard, the drinking age follows the ship’s registration and sailing region (this can be 18 or 21 depending on itinerary). At Royal Caribbean’s private destinations, the rules differ by location:
- 21+ at Perfect Day CocoCay, Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, and Labadee
- 18+ at Royal Beach Club Santorini and Royal Beach Club Lelepa
Your SeaPass card is linked to your age, so it’s not possible for a minor to purchase alcohol even without a package — every drink purchase (packaged or à la carte) is checked against it.
What’s NOT included, even with the Deluxe package
- Room service and the in-cabin minibar are never included, on any package tier
- Drinks from onboard Starbucks locations aren’t covered by the Deluxe or Refreshment packages
- Any single drink priced above the $14 cap is only partially covered — see the price cap section above
Packages can’t usually be shared or split by day
Beverage packages are sold for the length of your entire cruise, not selected days only, and are tied to your individual SeaPass card — sharing a package between two guests (one ordering on behalf of another) breaks Royal Caribbean’s terms and is part of what prompted the August 2025 rule change above.
Loyalty perks can reduce or replace the need for a package
Diamond and Diamond Plus members of Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society loyalty programme receive daily drink vouchers, and higher-tier casino players can also receive complimentary drinks — worth checking your own loyalty status before assuming you need to buy a package at all.
Is a Royal Caribbean drink package worth it?
It depends entirely on how much you’d actually drink and pay for individually. As a rough rule of thumb for the Deluxe Beverage Package:
- You’re a light or non-drinker: skip Deluxe. The Refreshment Package (or nothing at all) will save you money.
- You have 3–4 drinks a day: do the maths against à la carte pricing before committing — it’s often close to break-even.
- You have 5–6+ drinks a day, or you’re a cocktail/wine enthusiast: the Deluxe package usually pays for itself, especially on longer cruises or sailings with lots of sea days.
Many cruisers also forget that a fair amount is already included free onboard — tap water, basic coffee, tea, milk, and lemonade at the buffet, for example — so it’s worth checking what’s complimentary before assuming you need a package at all.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on the tier — and heavily on dynamic pricing. The Deluxe Beverage Package can run anywhere from around £45 up to £100+ per person per day depending on the ship, sailing, and how far ahead you book, the Refreshment Package £22–£32, and the Classic Soda Package £10–£13 — all before the 18% gratuity.
The Deluxe Beverage Package includes alcohol up to $14 per drink plus all non-alcoholic options. The Refreshment Package includes everything non-alcoholic (soda, mocktails, juice, coffee, tea, water) but no alcohol. The Classic Soda Package is fountain soda only.
No. An 18% gratuity is added on top of the package price at checkout for most sailings. You can pay it upfront or once onboard.
Generally, packages are sold for the full length of your sailing rather than selected days only — check your Cruise Planner for any exceptions on your specific sailing.
Almost always cheaper pre-cruise. Onboard prices typically run 20-40% higher than the same package bought in advance through the Cruise Planner.
Yes. This is a firm rule with no exceptions as of August 2025 — every adult of legal drinking age sharing a stateroom must purchase the Deluxe Beverage Package if any one of them does.
No. Room service and in-cabin minibar items are excluded from every drink package tier, with no exceptions.
No. Every drink purchase is checked against your SeaPass card, which is linked to your age, so this applies whether or not you have a package.
No. It varies by the ship’s sailing region, and Royal Caribbean’s private destinations have their own rules — 21+ at Perfect Day CocoCay, Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, and Labadee, but 18+ at Royal Beach Club Santorini and Royal Beach Club Lelepa.
Prices and inclusions are correct as of 2026 but change frequently due to Royal Caribbean’s dynamic pricing model. Always confirm current pricing in your own Cruise Planner before booking.