Cruise Drink Package Calculator
Cruise lines design drink-package pricing to look like a no-brainer. It often isn't. Enter your cruise line, how long you're sailing, and how much you realistically drink — this calculator shows your true daily cost with gratuity, your break-even point, and a plain verdict on whether the package is worth it. For the full reasoning behind the math, read is a cruise drink package worth it?
Your numbers
- True daily cost (with gratuity)
- $88.50
- Total package cost for the trip
- $619.50
- Estimated pay-as-you-go cost
- $420.00
- Break-even point
- 7.4 drinks/day
Skip it — you'd overpay by about $199.50 over the trip.
Estimates only. Prices, caps, and gratuity rates change frequently — confirm current figures with your cruise line before booking.
How the math works
The break-even calculation has three moving parts. First, the true daily cost is the advertised package price plus gratuity — most lines add 18–20%, so a $75/day package really costs about $88.50/day. Multiply that by your number of nights to get the total package cost, since packages are billed for the entire cruise, not the days you choose.
Next, the pay-as-you-go cost is simply the number of drinks you'd actually order each day times their average price, across the whole trip. Compare the two totals and you have your answer: if pay-as-you-go is higher than the package, the package saves you money.
The break-even point is the daily package cost divided by your average drink price — the number of drinks you must average every single day to come out ahead. Be honest about port days, when you're ashore for 6–10 hours and barely touch the ship's bars. For a detailed, line-by-line walkthrough, see our cruise drink package comparison by line, and for whether the auto-gratuity is built in, read do cruise drink packages include gratuity?
Drink package prices by cruise line
Representative pre-cruise package prices used as calculator presets. These are midpoints of typical ranges and change often — treat them as estimates and verify before booking.
| Cruise line | Package | Typical price/day | Per-drink cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carnival | CHEERS! Beverage Program | $75/day | $20 |
| Royal Caribbean | Deluxe Beverage Package | $80/day | $17 |
| Norwegian | Premium Plus Beverage | $114/day | $20 |
| Celebrity | Classic / Premium | $90/day | $10–$17 |
| MSC | Premium Extra | $50/day | Varies |
| Holland America | Elite Beverage Package | $70/day | $15 |
Frequently asked questions
How many drinks do you need to break even on a cruise drink package?
On most mainstream lines you need roughly 5 to 8 drinks per person per day to break even, once the 18 to 20 percent gratuity is added to the package price. The exact number depends on your line, your trip length, and the average price of the drinks you order — cheaper beers raise your break-even count, premium cocktails lower it. Use the calculator above to get the number for your specific sailing.
Do cruise drink packages include gratuity?
Usually not in the advertised price. Most lines add an automatic 18 to 20 percent service charge on top of the daily package rate, so your true cost is higher than the sticker price. A few premium lines bundle the tip in. The calculator adds 18 percent by default and lets you turn it off if your line already includes it.
Is the drink package cheaper bought before the cruise?
Almost always, yes. Pre-cruise prices booked through the cruise planner are typically 10 to 25 percent lower than buying the same package at a bar onboard, and lines run periodic pre-cruise sales that drop the rate further. Buying onboard is the most expensive way to do it.
Is a cruise drink package worth it?
It is worth it if you reliably drink past your break-even point every day of the cruise — counting coffee, bottled water, and sodas, not just alcohol. For light or moderate drinkers, and on itineraries with long port days, paying as you go is often cheaper. Run your own numbers honestly before you book.