Cruise Line Drinks Packages: The Full Comparison Table
15 lines, the rules that matter most, and what they mean for couples where one person drinks and one doesn't.
One of the most consequential rules in cruise drinks packaging isn't about what's included — it's about who has to buy it. The cabin purchase rule (whether everyone in a cabin must buy a package if one person does) has a bigger impact on your total spend than almost any other single factor.
This table covers the 15 cruise lines most relevant to UK and US passengers. For each line it shows how many packages are available, whether the cabin purchase rule applies, and — crucially — whether cabin-mates can take different package tiers.
The Table
| Cruise Line | No. of Drink Packages | All Must Buy If One Does? | Can Cabin-Mates Take Different Packages? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Caribbean | 3 (Deluxe Beverage, Royal Refreshment, Soda) | Yes — for Deluxe only | No (as of Aug 2025) | Previously allowed exceptions; now fully enforced. Non-alcoholic Refreshment package does not trigger the rule. |
| Carnival | 2 (Cheers!, Zero-Proof) | Yes — for Cheers! only | No | Non-alcoholic Zero-Proof package does not trigger the rule. 15-drink daily limit. |
| MSC | 2 (Premium Extra, Alcohol-Free) | Yes — all cabin members | No | Easy and Classic tiers discontinued from summer 2026 onwards; single-tier alcoholic package only. Children require Minors Package. |
| Norwegian | 2 (Free at Sea / Premium, Free at Sea Plus) | Yes | No | Free at Sea package usually included in fare with gratuity charge; Free at Sea Plus is an upgrade. $15/drink cap on standard package. |
| Celebrity | 3 (Classic, Premium, Non-Alcoholic) | Not explicitly stated | Unclear — verify directly | Classic often bundled in Always Included fare. Premium upgrade available pre-cruise at lower cost than onboard. |
| P&O | 2 (Classic All-Inclusive, Deluxe All-Inclusive) | Yes | No | Both packages bundle drinks with Wi-Fi and dining credit. Children under 18 receive Refresh soft drinks package free. Available on 5+ night sailings only. |
| Princess | 4 (Premier, Plus, Zero-Alcohol, Classic Soda) | Only for fare packages (Plus/Premier) | No — both guests in cabin must take same fare package | Standalone drink package (Plus Beverage only) can be bought by one person without requiring the other to match. Third/fourth guests not required to match. 15-drink daily limit. |
| Holland America | 4 (Elite Beverage, Signature Beverage, Quench non-alcoholic, Coca-Cola) | Yes | No | Elite covers drinks to $15; Signature to $11. 15-drink daily limit. |
| Cunard | 4 (Beverage Collection, Premium Beverage Collection, Premium Alcohol-Free, Alcohol-Free) | Yes | No | Beverage Collection covers drinks to $13.50; Premium to $20. Packages available standalone or within Signature Packages (UK sailings from March 2026). |
| Virgin Voyages | 0 traditional packages (Bar Tab system only) | No | N/A — no package rule | Bar Tab is prepaid drink credit, not an unlimited package. No cabin-wide rule — individuals choose whether to buy. Essential non-alcoholic drinks included in fare. Adults-only line. |
| Disney | 1 (Premium Beverage Package) | Yes | No | Adults-only package; children/minors not included. No daily limit published. Limited route availability. |
| Marella | 2 (Standard All-Inclusive, Premium All-Inclusive) | Yes | No | Standard drinks included in base fare as standard. Premium upgrade adds named spirits, wider cocktails. UK-departing line (TUI). |
| Ambassador | 1 (All-Inclusive Drinks) | Yes | No | UK no-fly line. Single package tier. Strong value positioning relative to fare price. |
| Fred. Olsen | 1 (Premium Drinks Package) | Yes | No | £40/person/night from 2026, up from £25. Full cocktail access added in 2026. 15-drink daily limit. Freedom Fare includes selected drinks at meals from Jan 2026 without package. |
| Saga | 0 (drinks included in fare) | N/A — included for all | N/A | All-inclusive as standard: wines, premium spirits, cocktails, beer, soft drinks. No package decision required. UK-departing, 50+ only. |
What the Table Means in Practice
The cabin purchase rule in plain English
For most lines, if the person in your cabin who drinks wants an alcoholic package, the person who doesn't drink also has to buy one — at the same price. The only exceptions on this list are:
- Princess — if buying the standalone Plus Beverage Package (not the fare bundle), one person can buy it without the other. If you're buying the Plus or Premier fare package, both guests must match.
- Virgin Voyages — no rule at all. Bar Tab is individual credit, buy what you want.
- Marella and Saga — drinks are included in the fare for everyone anyway, so the question doesn't arise.
The mixed-tier question
Can the drinker in your cabin take a Premium package while the non-drinker takes a non-alcoholic or lower-tier option? On most lines, the answer is no. The cabin rule typically requires the same package, not just any package.
The nuances worth knowing:
Royal Caribbean: The rule only applies to the Deluxe Beverage Package. If one person buys Deluxe, the other must also buy Deluxe — they cannot substitute the Royal Refreshment (non-alcoholic) package. However, if neither person buys the Deluxe package, the non-drinker can buy Refreshment independently.
Carnival: Same structure. If one person buys Cheers!, the other must also buy Cheers!. The Zero-Proof package does not trigger the rule — a non-drinker can buy Zero-Proof without forcing their cabin-mate to match.
MSC: All cabin occupants must purchase a package if one does. The Alcohol-Free option exists for non-drinkers, but everyone must buy something once the decision is made.
P&O: The same package must be purchased by all adults over 18 in a cabin. No mixing of Classic and Deluxe tiers.
Celebrity: Policy on mixed tiers is not clearly published — contact Celebrity directly if this is a relevant scenario for your booking.
Daily drink limits: which lines cap you
Several lines enforce a 15-drink daily limit on alcoholic beverages. This is a high threshold — most passengers won't get close — but it's worth knowing:
Lines with a 15-drink cap: Carnival, MSC, Holland America, Princess, Fred. Olsen.
Lines without a published cap: Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Celebrity, Virgin Voyages.
The Lines Where the Package Decision Is Simplest
Saga — no decision needed. Drinks are in the fare.
Marella — drinks included as standard; upgrade is optional and adds named spirits. Lowest-friction model after Saga.
Virgin Voyages — no cabin rule, no unlimited package. Buy a Bar Tab for as much as you think you'll spend, get a bonus on top.
Princess (standalone beverage package only) — the one mainstream line where one person in a cabin can buy an alcoholic package without forcing the other to match.
The Lines Where the Mixed Couple Problem Is Worst
If one person in your cabin drinks and the other doesn't — and both must buy the same package — the maths deteriorates quickly.
Norwegian is the most expensive scenario: at $79.95 per person per day for Free at Sea Plus (plus gratuity charge), a non-drinker forced to match their cabin-mate's package costs approximately $560–$700 for a 7-night cruise before they've had a single alcoholic drink.
Royal Caribbean (as of August 2025) no longer allows exceptions. Previously passengers could call and request the non-drinker take a Refreshment package instead. That is no longer possible.
Cunard's Premium Beverage Collection at $94.50 per person per night on shorter sailings is the highest per-person daily rate on this list. A non-drinker matching this rate on a 7-night cruise is looking at $661.50 per person.
One Final Point
Package pricing and cabin rules change — sometimes quietly. The Royal Caribbean exception removal in August 2025 is the clearest recent example: a policy that passengers had relied on for years disappeared without significant advance notice. MSC's consolidation from three tiers to one alcoholic package is another.
Always verify the current rules directly with your cruise line or travel agent before booking, particularly if the cabin purchase rule materially affects your decision.
CabinRate's drinks calculator accounts for the cabin purchase rule automatically — enter both passengers' typical consumption and it models the full package cost against pay-as-you-go for your specific itinerary.
Data correct as of June 2026. Package names, tiers, pricing and cabin rules are subject to change. Always verify with your cruise line before booking. Number of packages shown reflects distinct alcoholic and non-alcoholic tiers available to adult passengers; children's/minors' packages excluded from count.