One of the most popular questions I get asked is ‘Is the drinks package worth it?’ Princess Cruises offers a selection of drinks packages, but which is the right one for you? Do you need one? In this post I take a look at the Princess Cruises drinks package options, including the new Princess Premier.
What drinks are free on Princess Cruises?
The following drinks are included in your cruise fare:
- non-bottled water
- iced tea
- lemonade
- tea
- non-specialty coffees
Some Princess cruise will have kettles in the staterooms. These tend to be those cruising out of the U.K. and Asia. A selection of tea and coffee making sachets will be available in the staterooms and replenished daily.
Can you bring your own alcohol on Princess Cruises?
Each passenger of drinking age (this differs depending on the embarkation port) can bring one bottle of wine or champagne onboard. If you wish to enjoy this bottle onboard, there is a corkage fee of $15.
If you decide to purchase alcohol in port during your cruise, it will need to be declared when you return to the ship. It’s safely stored for you and returned on the evening before you disembark. The same happens with alcohol purchased in the onboard shops.
You can pre-purchased drinks on the Cruise Personaliser before the cruise. For example, you can purchase your favourite bottle of wine or spirit to enjoy during your cruise. This does not attract an additional corkage fee.
Princess Cruises Drinks Package Choices
Like many of the other cruise lines, Princess offer a selection of drinks packages to cater for different needs. There are five drinks packages now available:
- Premier Beverage Package ($79.99 USD pppd incl. 18% gratuities)
- Plus Beverage Package ($70.79 USD pppd incl. 18% gratuities)
- Premier Coffee and Soda Package ($23.59 USD pppd incl. 18% gratuities)
- Classic Soda Package ($11.79 USD pppd incl. 18% gratuities)
- New Grounds Coffee Package (price varies depending on number of servings)
Princess Plus Beverage Package
What’s included?
- Cocktails
- Wine by the glass
- Beer
- Spirits
- Fountain sodas
- Fresh juices
- Gong Cha (bubble tea)
- Specialty coffees/teas
- Frappes from Coffee and Cones
- Milkshakes (when available)
- Red Bull energy drinks
- 500ml bottled water
- One litre bottle of still/sparkling water (if dining in a specialty dining restaurant)
- Any other drink up to value of $12 each
- Gratuities
- Canned soda
- Bottled juices
- One litre bottles of water
- Bottles of wine
My advice would be to order your favourite wine by the glass instead. Take a look at the newest wine list for Princess Cruises.
If you want to take a bottle of soda, water or juice back to your stateroom or when you are visiting a port, bring a reusable drinks cup like this one that you can fill with the draught beverages. This way you can still take full advantage of the drinks package (whilst reducing the amount of single-use packaging used).
Everyone of legal drinking age staying in the same cabin must purchase this drink package. This means that if you’re travelling as a couple, both must purchase this Princess Cruises drinks package even if one person isn’t going to drink as much.
This is so that people don’t share a beverage package.
Princess Premier Beverage Package
The newest Princess Cruises drinks package to be introduced in 2022 is the Princess Premier package. It offers everything in the Plus Beverage Package as well as the following additions:
- Top shelf spirits, reserve wines by the glass and new high-end crafted cocktails up to $18
- Selection of 75+ spirits, 40+ wines by the glass, 20+ high-end, crafted cocktails
- Premier wines by the glass
- Private Woodford Reserve Bourbon Selection created exclusively for Princess
- Personalized Jack Daniel’s Whiskey Single Barrel Select
- 25% discount on rare vintage wine bottles
- 25% discount on large bottles of water and cans of soda
As with the Plus Beverage Package, the following items are not included, but a 25% discount is given:
- Canned soda
- Bottled juices
- Large bottles of water
- Large bottles of wine
Everyone of legal drinking age staying in the same cabin must purchase this drink package. This means that if you’re travelling as a couple, both must purchase this Princess Cruises drinks package even if one person isn’t going to drink as much.
This is so that people don’t share a beverage package.
Princess Premier Coffee and Soda Package
What’s included?
- Fountain soda
- Mocktails
- Juices
- Complimentary hot chocolate.
- Premier coffees/teas
- Gong Cha (bubble tea)
- Frappes from Coffee and Cones
- Smoothies
- Milkshakes (when available)
- Red Bull energy drinks
- Souvenir tumbler
- Gratuities
What’s not included?
The following items are not included in the Premier Coffee and Soda Package but you can get a 25% discount on them:
- Canned soda
- Bottled juices
- One litre bottles of water
This package is ideal if you’re unlikely to drink very much during your cruise. Alcoholic beverages can be purchased individually and will be added to your on board account. There is no age restriction for this package so could be a good option for younger passengers.
The Premier Coffee and Soda Package cannot be used to purchase any items from the onboard shops or via Room Service.
Princess Classic Soda Package
What’s included?
- Fountain soda
- Mocktails
- Juices
- Smoothies
- Souvenir tumbler
- Gratuities
What’s not included?
- Canned soda
- Bottled water
- Bottled juices
- Specialty or premium coffees/teas,
- Hot chocolate
- Ice-cream based drinks or any
- Drinks from onboard shops
This package is ideal if you’re only likely to drink non-alcoholic cold drinks. Alcoholic beverages can be purchased individually and will be added to your on board account. There is no age restriction for this package so could be a good option for younger passengers.
The Classic Soda Package cannot be used to purchase any items from the onboard shops or via Room Service.
New Grounds Coffee Package
This package replaces the previous coffee cards.
How does it work?
You can pre-purchase a specific number of specialty coffees that can be used throughout the cruise. The number you are able to purchase will depend on the length of your cruise. Complimentary brewed coffee and hot chocolate is available and does not count towards the number of pre-perchased specialty coffees.
You can use the New Grounds Coffee Package at any venue onboard that serves espresso.
You cannot use this package for any canned or bottled cold coffees or Room Service. It can no longer be transferred to your next cruise.
Princess Cruises Drinks Package Calculator
If you like cocktails, you should consider how many you’re likely to drink, I estimate that you will need to drink at least 6 cocktails each day to cover the cost of the Premier Beverage Package. This leaves an additional 9 alcoholics drinks that you can have, as well as unlimited non-alcoholic drinks.
This Cruise Line Drinks Package Calculator is a great way to help you decide if you should get a Princess Cruises drinks package.
Should you buy a Princess Cruises Drinks Package?
There are a number of factors to consider when trying to decide if a Princess Cruises drinks package is worth it. The drinks package calculator (above) is a fantastic way to do the maths but you should also consider the itinerary and who you are cruising with.
Does your cruise have a lot of sea days? If so, it may be worth purchasing one of the drinks packages. In contrast, a port-intensive itinerary may mean that you are off the ship most days and wouldn’t use the drinks package as much.
If your itinerary includes a visit to Princess Cays, you can use your drinks package ashore.
If you’re cruising with children, it may be worth looking at the Classic Soda Package. They only need to have four or more drinks each day to make it pay. Find out how Princess Cruises caters for families.
Drinks Package Psychology
The beauty of a beverage package is that once you’ve got it, you don’t have to worry about the bar bill at the end of the holiday. If you fancy an extra Margarita, you don’t have to think about the cost, you can just sit back knowing that it’s already paid for. You can grab a coffee from the International Café in the morning, sip cocktails by the pool in the afternoon and enjoy wine with your dinner without that nagging feeling of ‘should I have another?’
What you shouldn’t do is feel that because you’ve bought the drinks package it’s essential that you get your money’s worth!
Princess Plus
This could be the answer to your dilemma. Princess Plus offers cruisers the Plus Beverage Package, Wifi and Gratuities (worth $95.28 USD pppd) for $50pppd (£40 pppd).
This means that a British passenger can enjoy around £70 worth of extras for just £40 each day.
If you breakdown the cost of drinks, wifi and gratuities, can can get an idea of the value.
Even if you don’t plan to use WiFi, it’s still cheaper to purchase Princess Plus if you are thinking about getting the Plus Beverage Package when combined with the gratuities.
Final Thoughts on Princess Cruises Drinks Packages
There is no definitive answer to the question ‘should I buy the drinks package?’ as it all depends on the number of port days and the amount of alcoholic drinks you are likely to get through.
Hopefully, this guide has helped to explain what each Princess Cruises drinks package includes and how you can calculate if it’s worth purchasing.
Princess Plus is a game changer, and is certainly worth considering, given the value it offers.
Further information about the drinks packages from Princess Cruises can be found here.
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