A number of cruise lines have either brought back, or are continuing to offer free beverage packages as an incentive to book a cruise on one of their cruise ships.
Which cruise lines are currently offering free drink packages? Here is a rundown of all cruise lines offering these special promotions on future cruises.
Princess Cruises – Princess has brought back their Sip and Sail Cruise Promotion that offers free drink packages on six to 56 day cruises. This is good for balcony, mini-suite, or suite staterooms for two people in each cabin. The Premier Beverage Package includes all drinks $12 and under. View Prices on Cruises on Princess
Celebrity Cruises – Celebrity is offering a summer of savings where you not only save up to $300 per cruise, but you also get to choose one free perk. One of those perks you can choose from is the Classic Beverage Package. View Prices on Cruises on Celebrity
MSC Cruises – MSC is celebrating July 4th with a huge cruise sale that not only offers unlimited drinks throughout your cruise, but also free balcony upgrades. Kids cruise free on select sailings and deposits are reduced to $99. Sale on the Hottest New Cruise Ship sailing from Miami to the Caribbean. View Prices on Cruises on MSC Seaside
Norwegian Cruise Line – Norwegian is not only continuing to offer their Free at Sea promotion, but cruise deposits are currently reduced to just $1 per person. Yes, for just $1, you can reserve your next cruise and lock in extra savings. Norwegian Cruise Line’s Free at Sea promotion includes free drink packages that can save you over $500 per person per cruise. View Prices on Cruises on Norwegian
Oceania Cruises – Luxury cruise line Oceania Cruises is offering their OLife Choice special that give you your choice of either free beverage packages, free shore excursions, or free shipboard credit. View Prices on Oceania Cruises
This is Marketing at its finest. All of the cruise ships are doing this because it’s a sneaky way of them making more money while selling it as a benefit.
Even though the drink package is “free” you are forced to prepay all gratuities (~20%) for all of the drinks up-front that the cruise line has decided to set it at, whether you use them or not. On Norwegian this was 10 drinks per day! Depending of how much you plan to drink, take this into consideration…
It is profitable for the cruise lines to do this because the “average” customer is not going to drink 10 drinks everyday of the cruise…You have to buy these pacakages for the entire trip duration, not just a day or two.
Sure sounds nice ”free beverage package” but you end up paying for it anyways. Let me give you an example, we have been travelling with Princess for quite a while (Elite member )and probably will continue cruising with them. When we first booked our most recent cruise which included the beverage package which initially seemed attractive, it was followed shortly afterwards by a new offer with a substantial savings but excluded the beverage package. When we calculated the savings and accepting that our package of wine, beer, sodas, coffees has never exceeded 100$ per day we immediately opted for the reduced price and decided to forego the beverage package (very easy decision) the new offer was a no brainer. Not only we saved about 27% of the original price but got free gratuities. From the time we booked the cruise to our time of payment there were 3 price drop. And this goes for most cruise line, Celebrity does the same thing. Therefore do your homework.
Sure would have been nice on my 60 day Princess cruise around South America earlier this year. Having to pay double as a single traveller was a disadvantage from the start. Needless to say, my beverage bill was a stunner.
Come on carnival. Look at what some other cruise lines are doing. Adjust your beverage package. Do it per person…. Not by stateroom. Not everyone drinks everyday or for that matter drinks 15 drinks per day. It would be a huge deal for your cruise line. Thank you