The past couple years the buzz has been about the all you can drink packages on cruise ships.
For years, a lot of the river cruise and premium cruise lines have had all-inclusive experiences but the concept has recently started to gravitate towards the mass market cruise lines.
So side by side, how do the all you can drink cruise programs add up?
Royal Caribbean offers two different packages, $45 and $55. The cheaper package offers house wines, non-alcoholic drinks, juices and sodas. The pricier package includes the basic package plus beer and cocktails. Look for these packages to be rolled out fleet-wide in 2013, on sailings over seven-nights.
Carnival Cruise Lines rolled out the “My Awesome Bar Program” in 2012, since then, the name has been changed to the “Cheers!” program. At a cost of $42.95 per person per day, guests can enjoy up to 15 beverages under $10. Bottles of wine can be purchased at a 25% discount.
Norwegian Cruise Lines announced Ultimate Beverage Package for $49 per day, plus gratuities. The package hasn’t been confirmed on every ship yet.
With the programs, if one person in the room over 21 buys the package, everyone has to purchase the package — fair enough — they can’t have you trying to game the system. Norwegian Cruise Lines and Carnival Cruise Lines also allow you to use their beverage program on their private islands. Gratuities are additional per day.
For a comprehensive guide check out Cruise Critic’s Guide.
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