Guide · Cruise drinks

Is the drink package worth it?

Only if you will order enough covered drinks to pass the break-even. Here is how to estimate that number before you sail, and how to check it on the ship.

By Henk de Swardt, Sun Engineering LLC · October 19, 2026. Every figure on this page is an estimate. Your cruise line's prices and package terms apply.

01 — The break-even

The math, step by step

1. Package cost per adult = daily package price × nights.
2. Add the gratuity = package cost × (1 + your line's service charge %).
3. Average drink price = the typical menu price of the drinks you actually order, including any service charge on à la carte drinks.
4. Break-even drinks = total package cost ÷ average drink price.
5. Per day = break-even drinks ÷ nights.

If you expect to order more covered drinks per day than that, the package may come out ahead. If fewer, paying as you go may cost less. Use your own line's current prices; we do not list them here because they change.

02 — What changes the math

Check these before you buy

• Every adult in the cabin — Some lines require all adults in a cabin to buy the package. Work out the break-even per adult, not per cabin.
• Price caps and exclusions — Drinks above a cap or outside the package are not covered. Count only covered drinks.
• Port days — You pay for every night, including days you spend ashore.
• Non-alcohol drinks — Specialty coffee, soda and bottled water may count if your package covers them.
• Daily limits — Some packages limit drinks per day. Confirm with your line.

03 — Estimate vs. reality

A pre-trip estimate is a guess. Tracking onboard is the answer.

The math above tells you whether the package might pay off. Whether it actually did depends on what you order on the ship. Log each covered drink with its menu price and compare the running total with what you paid.

You can do that in a notes app. SipValueCalc does it for you: enter the package, log the drinks, see how far you are from break-even. It works offline once the subscription is active, so it does not need ship wifi. No ads. It is not affiliated with any cruise line.

Price: $0.99 per month or $9.99 per year (US). Subscription only; your app store shows the local price.

iPhone or Android — pick your store. Detect my phone →

04 — FAQ

Drink package questions

SipValueCalc is a personal calculator. Results are estimates. The cruise line's package terms still apply. For adults of legal drinking age; please drink responsibly.