Deciding whether a drink package is worth buying

A drink package is worth buying when the drinks you would actually order, at the prices you would actually pay, add up to more than the package costs. The break-even point depends on three things: which drinks the package covers, how many covered drinks you would buy without it, and how many days the package applies to. Work out those three numbers before you pay, rather than relying on the general impression that a package always saves money.

Packages also differ widely in what they include. Some cover only standard alcoholic drinks. Others add soft drinks, coffee, bottled water or juices, and some include wine or premium spirits up to a stated price. A package that looks generous can leave out the drinks you like most, so the comparison has to be made on the drinks you would really order rather than on the headline price.

What the package covers

Before you compare any figures, read the description of the package and note the following:

• Which drink types are included, such as beer, wine, spirits, cocktails, soft drinks, specialty coffee, bottled water and juice
• Any price limit per drink, and whether a drink above that limit is excluded or charged the difference
• Whether the price is per person per day, and whether every guest in the cabin must buy it
• Whether an automatic gratuity is added on top of the package price

Many packages are sold for every day of the sailing, but some can be bought for a set number of days or for part of the cruise. Check whether that option exists, because it changes the break-even calculation. Packages also commonly have a minimum age for purchase, so check the rule before you add a guest to the booking.

Estimate your real daily consumption

Count the covered drinks you would order on a typical day at sea, and do the same for a typical day in port. Keep the two counts separate, because your pattern on a port day may be different, especially if you plan meals and drinks ashore. Use a realistic count rather than an ideal one. It is easy to underestimate the number of drinks when they are included in the price and easy to order, and it is equally easy to overestimate when you have not been counting.

Think about the drinks by type as well as by number. Four glasses of wine and four cocktails are not the same figure for the comparison, even though the count is identical, because they usually carry different prices. Note the price you would normally pay for each type, since that is the figure the package has to beat.

Compare the package with paying per drink

Divide the package price per day by the average price of a covered drink to find the number of covered drinks you need each day for the package to break even. If you expect to order fewer than that number, paying per drink costs less. If you expect to order more, the package is likely to cost less, but only for the drinks it actually covers.

Use the prices of the drinks you order, not the cheapest item on the menu. A package that covers beer and wine but not the cocktails you choose offers less saving than its headline suggests. Compare the two options on the same basis. If the package price includes an automatic gratuity, compare it with the per-drink total including any service charge that would be added to those drinks.

Read the fine print

Restrictions often matter more than the price. Common limits include a maximum number of drinks in a given period, a restriction on the hours when service is included, a rule against ordering drinks for others, and exclusions for items sold in shops or served through room service. Some packages apply only at certain venues, which can leave the pool bar or a particular restaurant outside the deal.

Look also at the cancellation and refund rules, and check whether the package can be upgraded or added after you board. A package bought before the cruise may have different terms from one bought on board, so compare them at the point of purchase. If you are unsure what a term means, ask guest services to explain it in writing before you pay.

Watch for costs around the package

Some costs sit outside the package but still change the total. Gratuities and service charges may be added to bills separately. Bottled water, specialty coffee or non-alcoholic drinks may be charged per item even when a general package is in place. Most lines restrict bringing your own alcohol on board and may charge a corkage fee for certain items, so plan around the line's policy rather than assuming a bottle from a shop is a substitute.

Track your spending during the first few days. A quick check of the onboard account shows whether your estimate was realistic. For a guest who pays per drink, that record also helps decide whether to buy a package if the line still sells one on board. A package once started usually cannot be cancelled, so check the terms before you pay.

When a package is a poor fit

A package is usually a poor fit if you drink little alcohol, if the drinks you like are excluded, or if you spend many of your days ashore. In ports where you eat and drink away from the ship, the package applies only on board, which reduces its value. A package is also a poor fit if you have been advised to limit alcohol for health reasons. In that case, speak with your doctor before the trip, because a package that encourages higher intake works against that aim.

Once the numbers are in, the decision is simple. Choose the package only when your realistic daily count, at the prices you actually pay, beats the cost of paying per drink, and when the terms cover the drinks you prefer. Otherwise, a per-drink plan with a daily limit usually gives you more control over the total.