A drink package can make a Celebrity Cruises vacation easier, but it is not automatically a good deal for every passenger. The right choice depends on what you normally drink, how often you expect to order beverages, your cruise length, and the price Celebrity is offering for your sailing.
Celebrity Cruises currently offers Classic, Premium, and Zero Proof beverage options. Its drink packages cover a broad selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and the packages are designed for unlimited use during the cruise. There is no daily drink limit, although guests can order only one drink at a time.
So, is it worth buying a drink package on Celebrity Cruises?
For passengers who regularly order cocktails, wine, beer, specialty coffee, bottled water, or other included beverages, a package can provide good value and predictable spending. For light drinkers, people who mainly drink complimentary beverages, or travelers who spend much of their time ashore, paying individually may be the better choice.
Celebrity's current beverage lineup includes the Classic Drink Package, Premium Drink Package, and Non-Alcoholic or Zero Proof options, depending on the cruise and booking. Exact offerings can change, so travelers should check the package shown for their specific sailing.
The Classic package covers a range of beers, spirits, cocktails, liqueurs, wines by the glass, bottled water, and other beverages. Celebrity's current FAQ describes the Classic package as covering beverages up to the applicable per-serving limit, while its current website lists Classic drinks up to $12 per serving on its general U.S. information.
Classic can make sense for travelers who want alcoholic drinks throughout the day without paying separately each time.
The Premium package includes the Classic selections plus a wider range of premium beverages. Celebrity currently lists Premium coverage up to $19 per serving on its general U.S. FAQ. It also provides a higher allowance for wines by the glass and a greater discount on wine purchased by the bottle.
Premium is generally more attractive to passengers who prefer higher-end spirits, cocktails, wines, beers, and other premium selections.
Celebrity also offers a non-alcoholic option for guests who do not want an alcohol package. Depending on the package and sailing, offerings can include premium bottled water, specialty coffees and teas, juices, smoothies, soda selections, energy drinks, and non-alcoholic cocktails.
This can be a useful middle ground for guests who consume plenty of beverages but little or no alcohol.
There is no single answer because the value depends on your personal drinking habits.
The simplest way to decide is to estimate how much you would normally spend on drinks each day without a package.
For example, imagine you usually have:
Add up the individual prices for the beverages you would realistically buy. Then compare that daily amount with the actual package price offered for your sailing, including applicable gratuities.
The closer your normal daily spending is to the package price, the more attractive the package becomes.
A Celebrity drink package can be worthwhile for passengers who drink consistently throughout the day.
Cocktails, wine by the glass, spirits, beer, and other alcoholic drinks can add up quickly when purchased individually.
A package may provide better value when you expect to have several paid beverages every day rather than only one occasional drink.
Alcohol is not the only reason to buy a package. Celebrity's beverage packages can also cover specialty coffees, bottled water, and other non-alcoholic selections depending on the package.
This matters for guests who frequently buy beverages throughout the day.
One of the biggest advantages is convenience.
Instead of watching every individual beverage charge, you pay for the package and use it for eligible drinks throughout the cruise.
Celebrity itself notes that guests who dislike unexpected bills can find drink packages worthwhile.
A longer cruise gives you more days to use the package, although that does not automatically make it more economical.
The important calculation is still your expected daily consumption compared with the daily package cost.
Buying a package simply because it is offered can be a mistake.
Someone who has one occasional cocktail or glass of wine may spend considerably less by purchasing drinks individually.
Cruises provide a selection of beverages that do not require a premium drink package. If you are satisfied with those choices and only occasionally buy an additional beverage, a package may not provide enough value.
This is an important consideration.
Your package is useful when you are onboard and at participating locations where it applies. If you spend most days on excursions or exploring ports and return to the ship mainly in the evening, your daily drink consumption may be much lower.
A full alcoholic package may not make sense if you do not drink. Celebrity's non-alcoholic options can be more appropriate depending on how many premium non-alcoholic beverages you expect to purchase.
No. Celebrity currently states that there is no daily limit on beverages purchased through its drink packages. However, guests may order one drink at a time, and additional drinks ordered at the same time can be charged at current bar prices.
This distinction is important.
Unlimited does not mean you can order multiple drinks simultaneously under the package. Each person must order for themselves, and the package cannot be shared.
No. Celebrity says its drink packages are for single-guest use and cannot be shared between multiple people.
The cruise line also generally requires all guests of legal drinking age in the same stateroom to purchase the same drink package. Celebrity lists exceptions for certain guests, including children and guests who cannot consume alcohol for qualifying reasons; those guests may receive or use a non-alcoholic option under the stated policy.
This rule can significantly affect the value calculation for couples or families.
Celebrity's current policy states that all guests of legal drinking age in the same stateroom must purchase the same drink package. For example, one adult generally cannot purchase Premium while another adult in the same stateroom keeps Classic.
This means you should calculate the cost for everyone required to have the package, not just for the person who drinks the most.
For a couple, this can be the deciding factor.
Celebrity states that a 20% gratuity is added to Classic, Premium, and Non-Alcoholic Drink Package prices at checkout where applicable for purchases made through Cruise Planner, the Celebrity app, or onboard.
Because of this, do not compare a package's advertised base price with your expected drink spending without accounting for applicable gratuities.
Your final checkout price is the figure that matters.
Celebrity says drink packages can be used at its restaurants, specialty restaurants, casual dining venues, bars, and lounges. Room service and minibar purchases are not included.
Celebrity also says drink packages purchased onboard or through Cruise Planner are active at Labadee and CocoCay. They are not available fleetwide, with Galápagos cruises excluded from the package program.
Always check the package terms for your specific sailing because beverage availability can change.
Not necessarily.
Premium is only better financially when you will actually use the additional selections enough to justify the higher price.
Choose Classic when your usual drinks fit comfortably within its included price range.
Premium may make more sense when you regularly prefer premium spirits, higher-priced cocktails, premium wines by the glass, or other beverages that fall outside the Classic allowance.
Celebrity currently lists Classic drinks up to $12 per serving and Premium drinks up to $19 per serving on its general U.S. information.
Celebrity also offers an All Included pricing option on eligible bookings. This bundles the Classic Drink Package with Basic Wi-Fi and is available only on qualifying reservations and stateroom categories.
Celebrity currently advertises savings of $200 to $800, depending on factors such as stateroom category, number of guests, and sailing length. The cruise line says All Included must be selected at booking and cannot simply be added later as the same offer.
For someone who already wants both drinks and Wi-Fi, comparing All Included against the cruise-only fare plus separately purchased amenities can be worthwhile.
Use this basic calculation:
Expected daily drink spending × number of cruise days = estimated individual beverage cost
Then compare that figure with:
Actual drink-package cost including applicable gratuities
For example, suppose you estimate that you would spend around $65 per day on eligible drinks when buying individually.
If the final package cost works out to less than your expected $65 daily spending, the package may offer financial value.
If you would realistically spend only $35 per day, paying individually may make more sense.
The calculation should be based on your realistic habits, not the maximum number of drinks you could consume.
Several details can make the answer different from one cruise to another.
A seven-night cruise requires a very different total commitment than a three-night sailing.
Celebrity package prices can vary, and pre-cruise pricing may differ from onboard pricing. Celebrity specifically encourages guests to book before sailing to take advantage of pre-cruise pricing.
Sea days may encourage greater onboard beverage consumption than long port days.
Someone who enjoys premium cocktails and wine may get more value from Premium than someone whose usual drinks are soda, water, and an occasional beer.
If everyone of legal drinking age in your stateroom must purchase the same package, the total cabin cost can be much higher than the cost for one person.
Pre-cruise purchase can be worth considering because Celebrity states that pre-cruise package pricing is lower than onboard pricing in its current FAQ information.
Celebrity says drink packages can generally be purchased online through Cruise Planner up to 48 hours before sailing, or onboard on the first day of the cruise.
However, compare the actual price shown for your reservation instead of assuming a particular discount.
Before purchasing a Celebrity Cruises drink package, ask yourself:
These questions are more useful than simply asking whether drink packages are “good” or “bad.”
It can be worth it for guests who regularly purchase several eligible beverages each day. Light drinkers may save money by paying individually.
Celebrity currently states that there is no daily drink limit. Guests can order one drink at a time, and the package cannot be shared.
Celebrity generally requires all guests of legal drinking age in the same stateroom to purchase the same drink package. Specific exceptions apply under the cruise line's policy.
Premium can be worthwhile for guests who regularly choose beverages that are included at the higher Premium allowance. If your normal drinks fit within Classic, paying more for Premium may not provide much additional value.
Eligible bottled water and specialty coffee are included in Celebrity's beverage packages, although the exact offerings depend on the package and sailing. Celebrity lists premium coffees and bottled water among its package selections.
No. Celebrity states that drink packages are intended for individual guest use and cannot be shared.
It depends on the fare and package selected. Celebrity's All Included option bundles the Classic Drink Package with Basic Wi-Fi on eligible bookings, while cruise-only fares do not automatically provide the same beverage benefits.
Yes. Celebrity says drink packages can be purchased onboard on the first day of the cruise. They can also be purchased through Cruise Planner before sailing, subject to the applicable purchase deadline.
So, is it worth buying a drink package on Celebrity Cruises? It depends on how much you genuinely expect to drink and which beverages you prefer.
For frequent drinkers who enjoy cocktails, wine, beer, specialty coffee, bottled water, and other eligible beverages, a package can provide convenience and potentially reduce overall spending. The unlimited structure also makes it easier to enjoy drinks without thinking about every individual charge.
For light drinkers, guests who spend most of their time ashore, or passengers who are happy with included beverages, buying drinks individually may be the smarter financial decision.
The best approach is simple: calculate what you would actually spend each day, include applicable gratuities, check the package requirements for everyone in your stateroom, and compare that number with the price Celebrity shows for your sailing. That gives you a much more reliable answer than relying on a general rule about whether cruise drink packages are worth it.
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