Are you wondering if you should purchase a Princess Cruises drink package? You are not alone, as it is a question we get quite often from fellow cruisers. While there are many pros for buying a beverage package, there are also some reasons why cruise ship drink packages might be waste of money.

Further, with the Princess Plus and Princess Premier cruise packages, you might be wondering if it is worth upgrading to one of these more all-inclusive offerings. So, in this complete guide to Princess Cruises drink packages for 2024, we detail all the beverage package options, drink prices, and FAQs to help you decide if one is right for your next cruise.

Complete Guide to Princess Cruises Drink Packages (2024)

Are drinks included on Princess Cruises?

While some beverages are included in the standard Princess Cruises fare, many drinks will cost you extra money.

Princess Cruises does offer a variety of complimentary beverages. These include juice during breakfast, non-bottled ice water, iced tea, hot tea, lemonade, and brewed coffee.

Other beverages like specialty coffees, smoothies, fresh juice, soft drinks, bottled water, and energy drinks are all an additional fee. Likewise, all alcoholic beverages cost extra.

What are the Princess Cruises drink packages?

Princess Cruises has recently revamped its drink package offerings to now include two alcoholic drink package options, the Plus Beverage Package and the Premier Beverage Package. There are also two non-alcoholic Princess Cruises drink packages: the Zero Alcohol Drink Package and the Classic Soda Package.

Princess Cruises also includes beverage packages within its Plus and Premier packages, which we’ll discuss a bit later.

Princess Cruises Drink Package Basics

There are a few basic things you need to know about the Princess Cruises drink packages before we dive into the details of each option.

• Each drink package is priced per day, per person.
• Packages must be purchased for the entire duration of the cruise.
• A service charge of 18% will be added to the total purchase price of a drink package at checkout (excluding Australia itineraries). Additionally, a tax may be added at the time of purchase for certain itineraries or ports of embarkation. 
• These packages may be purchased online pre-cruise up to four days prior to sailing or once onboard the ship. The package is offered onboard on embarkation day only.
• Beverage packages are non-refundable and non-transferable within three days of sailing and/or once onboard the ship.
• There is no sharing of the package or using your drink package to order drinks for other cruisers.
• You are limited to only one beverage per order, alcoholic or non-alcoholic.
• Unlike many other cruise lines, all passengers staying in the same stateroom do NOT have to purchase the Princess Cruises drink package.
• Alcoholic beverages are limited to 15 drinks in a 24 hour period (6 AM to 6 AM). Non-alcoholic drinks do not have this limitation.
• The packages may be used at private destinations, at all food and beverage venues, and other areas such as the theater that offer beverage service.

How do you purchase Princess Cruises drink packages?

Guests can purchase add-ons including drink packages via the online cruise planner up to four days prior to their sail date. Princess Cruises alcoholic drink packages can also be purchased onboard during the first day of the cruise only. The non-alcoholic packages can be purchased pre-cruise or on the first or second day of the cruise.

Unlike most cruise lines, just one person can purchase a drink package if they so desire. This means that not every person in a cabin that’s of legal drinking age has to purchase a package just because one person does.

Similarly, guests can upgrade to Princess Plus or Princess Premier up to four days before the sail date or on embarkation day. However, both the first and second guest on the reservation will need to purchase the same pricing fare.

Age restrictions apply for purchases of the Plus and Premier drink packages.

How much are the Princess Cruises drink packages?

When it comes to different drink packages on Princess Cruises, cruisers can select from both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options. Of course, you will want to know the Princess drink package prices when considering if one is worth it for you.

Plus Beverage Package is US $64.99 per day plus 18% service charge (totaling $76.70 per day) for all itineraries except Australia. For all Australian-based vessels, the package is AUD $110.00 per day which includes a service charge.

Premier Beverage Package is US $84.99 per day plus 18% service charge (totaling $100.30 per day) for all itineraries except Australia. For all Australian-based vessels, the package is AUD $140.00 per day which includes a service charge.

Zero-Alcohol Package is USD $29.99 per day plus 18% service charge (totaling $35.39 per day) for all itineraries except Australia. The package is AUD $45 per day which includes a service charge for all Australia based vessels.

Classic Soda Package is USD $14.99 per day plus 18% service charge (totaling $17.69 per day) for all itineraries except Australia. The package is AUD $23 per day which includes a service charge for all Australian based vessels.

When looking at the prices of the alcoholic drink packages, you will notice that they are about the same as upgrading to one of the more all-inclusive pricing fares. The Plus package is $60 per person, per day and the Premier package is $90 per person, per day.

Princess Cruises Drink Package Prices:

• Plus Beverage Package – $64.99 per person, per day plus 18% gratuity
• Premier Beverage Package – $84.99 per person, per day plus 18% gratuity
• Zero Alcohol Package – $29.99 per person, per day plus 18% gratuity
• Classic Soda Package – $14.99 per person, per day plus 18% gratuity

Is there a limit on drinks with Princess drink packages?

Unlike some cruise lines like Royal Caribbean or Celebrity Cruises which do not have any limits, Princess Cruises drink packages DO have a daily limit.

Alcoholic beverages are limited to 15 drinks in a 24 hour period (6 AM to 6 AM). However, non-alcoholic drinks do not have this limitation and do not count towards the 15 drink limit.

Of course, staff have the right to refuse you bar service if you are intoxicated, whether or not you’ve reached your daily limit. Knowing your limits is just as important on a cruise ship as it is during your regular life!

What is the difference between the Princess Cruises Plus Beverage Package and Premier Beverage Package?

Previously, Princess Cruises only offered one alcoholic drink package. The former “Premier” drink package is now the Plus Beverage package. This package features all the previous inclusions. Now, there is also a new Premier Beverage package which is a more inclusive drink package option.

In short, the Plus drink package covers drinks up to $15, and the Premier covers drinks up to $20.

Princess Cruises Plus Beverage Package

The Princess Cruises Plus Beverage Package is priced at $64.99 per person, per day plus an additional 18% gratuity.

This drink package includes beer, spirits, wine by the glass, and cocktails up to $15 USD ($22 AUD). It also includes non-alcoholic beverages such as bottled water (500ml or less), fountain sodas, juices and smoothies at the Juice Bar (if available), specialty coffees and teas, frappés at Coffee & Cones, and Red Bull energy drinks.

Further, the package includes a 25% discount on bottles of wine and one-liter bottles of water. 

This package has a daily limit on alcoholic beverages of 15 beverages over a 24-hour period.

Princess Cruises Plus Beverage Package does not include bottled spirits or bottled wine, any items offered in retail venues, Mini-Bar items, and souvenir Glassware.

Additionally, the package excludes events such as Wine Tastings, Chef’s Table, Buckets of Beer, Specialty Dining cover charges, or food items for sale such as ice cream.

Summary of what’s included in the Plus Beverage Package:

• Cocktails, wine by the glass, beer, specialty coffees, fountain sodas, bottled water, fresh juices, smoothies, and mocktails
• 50 spirits, 25 wines by the glass, 25 beers, all specialty coffees, and non- alcoholic drinks
• 25% discount on wine bottles
• 25% discount on large bottles of water and cans of soda

Princess Cruises Premier Beverage Package

The Princess Cruises Premier Beverage Package is priced at $84.99 per person, per day plus gratuity.

This drink package includes everything from the Plus Beverage Package as well as additional top-shelf premium beverages. It includes a premium selection of beer, spirits, wine by the glass, and cocktails up to $20 USD ($30 AUD).

Further, guests can enjoy all non-alcoholic beverages including bottled water (500ml only), fountain sodas, fresh juices from the Juice Bar (if available), specialty coffees and teas, frappés at Coffee & Cones, and Red Bull energy drinks. 

The package also provides guests a 25% discount on all bottles of wine and one-liter bottles of water.

This drink package also has a daily limit on alcoholic beverages of 15 beverages over a 24-hour period.

Similarly, Princess Cruises Premier Beverage Package does not include bottled spirits or bottled wine, any items offered in retail venues, Mini-Bar items, and souvenir Glassware.

Just like the Plus package, the Premier package also excludes events such as Wine Tastings, Chef’s Table, Buckets of Beer, Specialty Dining cover charges, or food items for sale such as ice cream.

Summary of what’s included in the Premier Beverage Package:

• Top shelf spirits and reserve wines by the glass
• Selection of 75+ spirits, 40+ wines by the glass, and 20+ high-end crafted cocktails
• Premier wines by the glass including Duckhorn, Stag’s Leap, Grgich Hills, and Cattier Champagne
• Private Woodford Reserve Bourbon Selection created exclusively for Princess
• Personalized Jack Daniel’s Whiskey Single Barrel Select
• 25% discount on wine bottles
• 25% discount on large bottles of water and cans of soda

Princess Cruises Non-Alcoholic Drink Packages

Zero Alcohol Drink Package

The Zero Alcohol Drink Package is $29.99 per person, per day plus 18% service charge.

The Zero Alcohol Drink Package includes specialty coffees and teas, hot chocolate, sodas, fresh juices, smoothies, bottled water, mocktails, milkshakes (if available), and Red Bull Energy Drinks.

This package does not include bottled items, mini-bar items, or vending machine items. Of course, the package also excludes all alcoholic items and does not provide a discount for any alcoholic drinks.

Classic Soda Package

The Princess Cruises Classic Soda Package is $14.99 per person, per day plus 18% service charge.

This package includes all fountain sodas, cans of soda and juices, mocktails, and smoothies.

However, the package does not include any bottled, specialty, or premium coffees and teas, hot chocolate, ice-cream based drinks, mini-bar items, or alcoholic beverages.

Princess Cruises Drink Prices:

Below are a list of the sample drink prices on Princess Cruises. You can also check out our bar menus from a recent Sun Princess cruise to determine the cost of your favorite beverages.

• Beers: $7 to $8
• Wines by the glass: $10 to $20
• Cocktails: $12 to $14
• Specialty Cocktails: $16 to $19
• Specialty coffee and tea: $3 to $5.50
• Bottled water: $2.65

If a drink does cost more than the maximum dollar amount of the drink package, guests will only pay the the difference (+18% gratuity on the difference).

Are Princess Cruises drink packages worth it?

This brings us back to the original question. Are Princess Cruises drink packages worth it? That is a question that only you can answer based on your own drinking habits. Essentially, will you consume enough to make the purchase “worth it”? Do the math on what drinks you’re likely to drink and how often, and determine the answer from there.

For us, beverage packages usually save us money. Though, we also just enjoy the added convenience of not worrying about the bill the end of the cruise.

Now, you should also take into account a few other things before deciding whether you should purchase a drink package or not.

Other Considerations

Some considerations include the length of the cruise and how many ports of call are on the itinerary.

For instance, will you be able to sustain the same drinking pattern over the course of a 10-day or 14-day cruise? If your cruise is port intensive, will you be on the ship enough to make good use of your Princess drink package?

Further, each passenger can bring one bottle of wine or champagne (no larger than 750 ml) onboard in their carry-on luggage during embarkation. Any additional bottles of wine can be brought onboard for a $20 corkage fee.

The final, and perhaps the most important consideration, are the new all-inclusive packages. The new Princess Plus and Princess Premier packages make it difficult to justify purchasing just a beverage package alone.

The price of a Plus drink package is $64.99 per day, while upgrading to the Princess Plus fare is only $60 and provides additional benefits.

The same is true for the Premier pricing. The Premier drink package is $84.99 per day, while the Princess Premier fare is just $90 with even more benefits.

Essentially, if you want to purchase an alcoholic drink package, it’s a no-brainer to upgrade. If just one person in the stateroom wants a drink package, or if the second guest is under 21 years old, it makes the decision a bit harder.

If you want a non-alcoholic package, you may not think that it’s worth upgrading to Princess Plus or Premier. But if you’re planning to take advantage of just one or two other add-ons like WiFi or fitness classes, it may actually be the same or better to go for Princess Plus. For example, if you were thinking about purchasing the Zero Alcohol package ($30) and wifi ($25), that comes to $55. With the Princess Plus package coming in at just $60, your best bet is to purchase Princess Plus and enjoy the other inclusions that come along with it for a mere $5 extra per day.

Princess Plus and Princess Premier Cruise Packages – What’s the difference?

So, what exactly are these all-inclusive packages we keep talking about and what do they include?

Basically, when you book a Princess cruise, you will now have the option of three different price levels. These levels are Princess Standard, Princess Plus, and Princess Premier.

The Princess Standard fare is basically a cruise-only rate.

Princess Plus

Guests can upgrade to the Princess Plus fare for $60 per person, per day. This fare includes daily gratuities, MedallionNet Max wifi for one device per guest, and specialty and alcoholic drinks worth up to $15 each — including bottled water. It also includes two meals per day from casual upcharge venues such as Alfredo’s Pizzeria or O’Malley’s Irish Pub. Free OceanNow and room service delivery, two premium desserts per day, and two fitness classes for the duration of the cruise are also included.

The Plus Beverage package alone is $64.99 per day. The WiFi for one device is $25 per day. The Crew appreciation is based on stateroom category. For Interior, Oceanview, and Balcony, it is $17 per person, per day; Mini-Suite and Reserve Collection $18; Suites $19.

As you can see, you are basically getting WiFi and gratuities for free by choosing this rate instead of just purchasing a drink package. Not to mention, you also get the other perks like dessert, fitness classes, and the juice bar.

Summary of what’s included in Princess Plus pricing:

• Princess dining, accommodations, and entertainment
• Plus Beverage Package (drinks up to $15 each)
• MedallionNet Max wifi (1 device per guest)
• Daily gratuities
• Premium desserts (2 per day)
• Fitness classes (2 per cruise)
• Unlimited juice bar

Princess Premier

Guests can also upgrade to the Princess Premier fare for $90 per person, per day. This fare includes daily gratuities, MedallionNet Max wifi for four devices per guest, and premium and alcoholic drinks worth up to $20 each — including bottled water. Unlimited specialty and casual meals, digital photos from the ship’s photographers plus three prints, premium desserts, room service, fitness classes, and reserved theater seating are also included.

Additionally, Premier guests have the chance to win Princess Prizes. Princess Prizes is a promotion on board that allows guests to win prizes through their stateroom door portal. The prize portal is activated when a guest opens their stateroom door using their Medallion device. Prizes currently include entry into an end-of-cruise drawing for $5,000 or more in cash, onboard credits, onboard dining experiences, free cruises, and $100,000 cash.

The cost of the Premier Beverage package is $84.99 per day. The cost of WiFi for four devices is $44.99 per day.

Running the numbers, even if you planned to purchase just a Plus drink package, along with WiFi or specialty dining, you should consider this upgrade as it does include quite a bit more for only $90 per day.

Summary of what’s included in Princess Premier pricing:

• Princess dining, accommodations, and entertainment
• Premier Beverage Package (drinks up to $20 each)
• Wi-Fi (up to 4 devices per guest)
• Daily gratuities
• Specialty dining
• Photo package (unlimited digital + 3 prints)
• Princess Prizes
• Premium desserts (unlimited)
• Fitness classes (unlimited)
• Unlimited juice bar
• Medallion accessory
• Reserved theater seating (for production shows only)

Comments

Have you purchased one of the Princess Cruises drink packages? Do you think upgrading to Princess Plus or Princess Premier is worth it? Drop us an anchor below to share your experiences with drink packages on a cruise.