Cocktails and Calculations: Is the Drink Package worth it on Carnival?

Some people assume that the only way to get your money's worth out of the drink package on a cruise is to drink from sun-up to sun-down. Even for the thirstiest of people, this can take a real toll over the course of a few days.  I went back and forth for a couple months before deciding to go all-in on Carnival's drink package on my most recent Caribbean Cruise on the Mardi Gras - an Excellence Class ship that carries up to 6500 passengers.  I like my drinks when on vacation, but thought it might be hard to justify the hefty $70 per-person/per-day cost - especially considering a few long days out at port. It was hard to swallow the near-$1000 total for our cabin for the 8 days (Carnival requires each person in a cabin to purchase the package, likely as a way to prevent sharing). After only a couple days of calculations on-board, though, I found that it would be very easy to make it all worth it. If you're not much of a drinker and won't have more than a a couple alcoholic beverages per day, I can save you time and advise you right away not to buy it...but here's what I liked about it and what made it worth it for me.  Hopefully this helps YOU make your decision. 

1. No surprise bill: One of the things I considered when buying the drink package was that even if I came short of getting my money's worth, that there wouldn't be any surprises at the end of our cruise.  Drinks were already paid for. I could drink what I wanted (aside from the higher-end drinks above $20) when I wanted and not have to think about how much financial damage was being done. Even if I had fallen slightly short of obtaining full value, it was worth it alone to know that everything was essentially pre-paid. Carnival doesn't start cutting people off until they have reached 15 alcoholic drinks - and that's hard to reach for most people. 

2. Tips included: Gratuity is worked into the cost of the drink package. Although you can tip more if you'd like, gratuity is already worked into the drink package - so it's not necessary.  If you're a standard 20 percent tipper, factor in that  a good chunk of what you're paying for when you buy the package is gratuity alone.  

3. Specialty coffee, tea, energy drinks, and small bottles of water are included.  I'd usually stop at the coffee shop at least twice per day for a specialty coffee.  Once in the morning for an Americano and once in the afternoon for a quick espresso boost.   Every time you get a coffee or a drink, you're eligible to take a bottle of water.  The price of coffee and water alone can add up - with most coffee bar drinks coming in anywhere between $3 and 6 dollars. 

4. No penny pinching: Even though Carnival will charge you a discounted price for cocktails over $20.00, you can get just about any beer, cocktail, spirit, or wine for free with the drink package - and you won't find yourself feeling limited in options.  Prices of beers ranged from about 6 to 8 dollars with cocktails in the $12 dollar and up price range.  I occasionally like sipping a good whiskey and so with the drink package, I felt good about ordering premium single-pour $16.00 bourbons - something that would have cost close to $20.00 after tip.  

5. Cost savings: Ultimately for me, the Cheers package was worth it.  Between ordering the higher-end whiskeys, getting water bottles several times per day, and taking advantage of the specialty coffees, I probably got on average about $100 or more dollars in value per day, having only paid $70 per day for the package. Even considering the lighter days (where I was in Port or needed a little break), the 4 other at-sea days more than made up for it.  

When it might not be worth it 

As with any ship's drink package, the decision to buy or not to buy the drink package comes down to unique individual circumstances, preferences, and budget.  Here are a few reasons you might not want to buy the package on Carnival or on any other ship that has a similar program.

1. If you don't drink much (or any) alcohol: You clearly get the most value if you like to drink and if you plan to drink each day. Carnival and other cruise lines also often offer non-alcoholic drink packages. 

2. If you're on a strict budget: There are certainly ways to still enjoy drinking on a ship while spending less than you would spend on the drink package. If I had been on a tighter budget, I might have opted out and stuck to lower-priced drinks and picked the ship's free coffee over specialty coffee.

3. If you plan to take extended breaks from drinking: on a several-day cruise, it might not be a good idea to buy a drink package if you plan not to drink alcohol for a significant portion of days. Even if you try to take full advantage on other days, you might be better off paying for drinks as you go. 

As you can see, there are a lot of considerations as it relates to whether you should or shouldnt