Comprehensive Guide to the Deluxe Beverage Package AKA the Alcohol Package | Royal Caribbean

If you are getting ready to go on a weekend cruise or even longer, you might be asking yourself should you buy the alcohol package? On Royal Caribbean, this is called the Deluxe Beverage Package and includes all beverages on Royal Caribbean up to $14.

I will walk you through what the deluxe beverage package includes, how you can loose it, a few case studies to help you determine is the drink package worth it, and who does NOT need to buy the drink package.

This video uses prices from Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas to determine the value of the drink package and how much you need to drink in order for it to be worth it.

If you are looking for the "ultimate drink package" it is now the re-branded into the deluxe beverage package.

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[jonathonbaker-guntang]

I ALWAYS buy the deluxe beverage package. Honestly I won't book a room with anyone that doesn't want it and just get my own cabin, it is a must have for me.

[BeBethauni]

Thank you for this breakdown! This whole debate about whether it's worth it or not is so annoying 🙄 just do what works for YOU! I'm a HEAVY drinker and I can get through 5 cocktails before breakfast 😅 so it's totally worth it! 💚

[stevebaker]

Most people forget bottled water, soda and premium coffees that are included in the package to get your money’s worth.

[daviddyer]

I always get the drink packages. I don’t want to worry about it and it is already paid for. I also like the fresh squeezed juice plus I try to drink a lot of water.

[brenttuckertravel]

Hey Brandon, We never buy the drink package, but always buy a coffee card that is sharable with my wife for our specialty coffees in the mornings. We do not drink juice and soda. If we are in a Suite we grab our drinks at the suite lounge or Coastal Kitchen. You can even get bottled water there. If we are not in a Suite we just buy our one or two drinks a day as we are not big drinkers. Once we hit Diamond it will cover all our coffees and drinks. Thanks for another great video.

[duffin.caprous]

Not a drinker, so I get the Refreshment package. If you get it low at like $23 pp/pd, I think it's a good deal. If you get a smoothie, a coffee, a couple sodas, and a mocktail, you've basically already broke even. I feel that's pretty easily attainable and you can mix it up and have a couple smoothies one day or really binge with coffee another day without the cloud of having to maybe drink alcohol every day even if you don't feel like it to break even with the Deluxe Package.

[brooklyngiraffe]

Your video is SO helpful! Thank you for breaking down the details. I’m so glad I found your channel

[pryttyfatchick]

i usually get the refreshment package because i drink a lot of fancy coffee, bottled water, and diet soda to make it worthwhile for me. then I buy my alcoholic drinks because i only have 1 or 2 a day. thankfully after my cruise in February I will be diamond and will just bring water and soda on with me since I can drive to the port and use my diamond drinks for my coffee and alcohol

[joycehardy]

Everyone thinks the drink package is only alcohol. It includes fresh squeezed OJ ( hubs fav), specialty coffee (my cappuccino after dinner) all the soda from the coke dispenser which includes a very nice cup. Then bottled water. And many don’t know you can get a smoothie at the Spa which is included. All the non alcohol items add up quickly. One drink in the afternoon, 2 glasses of wine with dinner, and a drink during a show, then a nightcap. If this is done for each day, it’s worth it. You need to do the math. We gave it up once we got to Diamond status, since we get 4 drinks per day and we can get specialty coffees in the diamond lounge. If we want more, we just pay for it. It’s NOT all alcohol.

[TravelingWithTravis]

Hey Brandon! Great info, as always. I’m maybe 2 sailings from hitting Diamond, so I actually have a question about the Diamond and above drink vouchers. Is it 4/5/6 drinks DAILY, or is it per sailing? I average about 8 alcohol drinks a day, so if I got 6 loaded daily as a loyalty perk, getting the deluxe beverage package would probably be overkill, but if it’s 6 total, I’d still be inclined to spring for the package.

[aaldofloress]

Totally worth it. I think every grown up man have at least 8 beers or drinks by the pool during the day, maybe 2 or 3 glasses of wine during diner and a couple more drinks before going to bed. Not mentioning coffees and bottled water.

[gracerivera]

I think your math is off because you are not taking into account the non-alcoholic beverages that are also part of this package. If you deduct the cost of the Refreshment Package (currently $27.99 per guest per day) from the Deluxe Beverage Package (currently $72.99 per guest per day), the difference for the alcoholic beverages is actually $45 per guest per day. That’s about 3-4 drinks per day at the higher end of the cost. Makes it worth it.

[campusx]

Hey...yeah they just went up to 14.00/drink for most drinks which is crazy!!! So I am Prime in casino and Diamond soon, so will not neet the drink package again! I recently was told by a bartender on Allure that as a casino Prime member I can order 3 drinks at once while in the casino so I can give to a friend....I never knew this and yes, it worked on my last sailing while in the casino....very interesting.

[marinamattleman]

I don’t drink enough just for alcohol but fresh juice coffee and every thing else plus alcohol makes it worth not to worry

[christinevillela]

Take a look at the type of cruise you have. A port intensive cruise or more sea days. I don't drink alcohol but enjoyed the Refreshment package on my Transatlantic. I like lime and soda water and the fresh OJ. Made no sense on my Mediterranean trip since I was off the ship every day.

[christopherjacovino]

Just got off of Harmony of the Sea, did a family reunion we all had a great time. All of us bought the drink package. I believe most of us got our money worth. The problem I have is accessibility. On a ship that holds 6500 people there are only 4 soda stations, there was only one specialty coffee place. All of the bars on the ship had ONE blender for 2 or 3 bartenders! Most people where ordering blended drinks! This led to lines at the bars. It almost felt Royal Caribbean was trying to limit how much you drink. To get a soda or a special coffee the closest soda station was 7 decks down from the solarium and midship. Kinda frustrating.

[Stache]

So it's a misnomer that all expenses are included in the trip cost.. at $15ish a drink, I'd be trashed the whole trip to make a package worth it. 15 years ago I could get two drinks before last call then two more at last call.. besides what I drank already.. no wonder the bars closed up since I moved lol now my interest is maybe 2 drinks every 3-6 months and it's time to go

[iluvutube]

If I drank enough alcoholic beverages in a day to make that worth it, I'd be dead!

[sdflores]

Are the souvenir cups included in the deluxe package? Some websites and videos say they are and then some say they aren't.

[Elited]

Hey Brandon, could you make a video about the dining packages?