Indulge in the Celebrity Cruise Line Beverage Package

Surprising fact: nearly one in three guests opt for a drink package to simplify onboard spending, and a well-timed sale can cut the nightly cost by more than 20%.

This short buyer’s guide helps UK travellers weigh whether a drink package suits their style and budget. It lays out three tiers, non‑alcoholic, Classic (drinks up to $10) and Premium (up to $17), plus how All Included fares combine the Classic bundle with basic Wi‑Fi.

The guide highlights real prices and savings: standard list rates sit around $85–$100 per person, per day, with common sale fares under $80 and a 20% service charge added at purchase. It also flags exclusions such as room service and the minibar, and notes the value ashore at ports like Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Read on to see which tier gives you the best value, how upgrades work during sales, and practical tips for ordering without surprise costs.

Key Takeaways

• Three tiers cover zero‑proof to top‑shelf choices; Premium suits frequent cocktail drinkers.
• All Included bundles can reduce decision fatigue and may be upgraded later for savings.
• Remember to add a 20% service charge when calculating cost per person, per day.
• Packages exclude room service, minibar and gift shop purchases, plan accordingly.
• Sales and Black Friday offers can lower upgrade costs to under £7 per person, per night.

At-a-glance: which Celebrity drinks package suits your cruise?

Deciding which onboard drinks option suits your trip starts with a clear, side‑by‑side look.

Non‑Alcoholic, Classic or Premium: a quick snapshot

Non‑Alcoholic covers mocktails, specialty coffees and teas, sodas, Evian and San Pellegrino, Vitamin Water and Spa Café juices and smoothies.

Classic package adds beers, house wines and spirits up to a $10 cap and gives 15% off bottled wine. Premium waters and energy drinks are excluded here.

Premium package raises the cap to about $17, includes premium waters and Red Bull, and gives 20% off bottled wine. It also covers Champagne by the glass and branded spirits.

Commercial intent check: save money or all‑inclusive ease?

If you mainly drink coffees, juices and waters, choose Non‑Alcoholic to save money.

Pick Classic for value beers and house wines. Choose Premium if you want branded spirits and crafted cocktails without surprise charges. All tiers work across bars, restaurants and private islands, so service stays seamless.

Tip: note your typical daily mix, coffees, waters, wines by the glass and cocktails, then compare to the per‑drink caps to judge if the packages are worth the price per person, per day.

Celebrity Cruise Line Beverage Package options explained

Here we unpack the three main drink tiers so you can match choices to how you actually sip on holiday.

Non‑Alcoholic (Zero Proof): coffees, mocktails, juices and premium waters

Non‑Alcoholic suits travellers who want specialty coffees, iced lattes, mocktails and premium water brands like San Pellegrino and Evian without paying per drink.

Spa Café juices and smoothies are included, making this ideal for wellness‑minded guests and busy sea days. Vitamin Water and Red Bull are also covered in this tier.

Classic package: beers, wines and spirits up to the lower price cap

The classic drink package covers beers, house wines and well/call spirits priced at or below the lower cap (around $10).

It gives a 15% discount on bottles of wines, handy if you prefer sharing a bottle at dinner. Note: premium waters and energy drinks are excluded from this tier.

Premium package: top‑shelf brands, Champagne by the glass and higher caps

The premium drink package raises the cap to roughly $17 and brings premium spirits such as Grey Goose, Bombay Sapphire, Crown Royal and Patrón Silver.

This tier includes Champagne by the glass, premium water and Red Bull, and boosts bottled wine discounts to 20%. If you favour named brands or crafted cocktails, Premium aligns with those tastes.

Tip: if you order an item above your cap, you pay just the difference plus a 20% gratuity on that extra amount.

Classic vs Premium: what you actually get for your money

The real value lies in matching typical orders to each tier's limits and brands.

Price caps: the classic package covers most items up to $10 per drink (some UK/AUS sailings quote a $12 equivalent). The premium package generally caps around $17 per drink (UK/AUS often show ~$19–$23 equivalent).

If you order above your cap you pay only the difference plus a 20% gratuity on that extra amount. For example, ordering a $12 cocktail on classic means paying $2 plus 20% on $2.

Brand tiers: a classic drink typically includes Absolut, Kahlúa and well liquors. A premium drink adds Grey Goose, Bombay Sapphire, Crown Royal, Patrón Silver and Champagne by the glass.

Where it matters onboard: speciality coffees at Café al Bacio are covered across tiers, while Spa Café juices and premium water appear in Non‑Alcoholic and premium plans, not classic. Many martini bar and World Class Bar signatures sit above classic limits, so frequent visits there favour the premium package.

Practical tip: state “classic” or “premium” when ordering to avoid surprise bills, and scan sample menus before sailing so your chosen package matches your likely orders.

All Included fares vs buying drink packages separately

Bundling drinks with basic Wi‑Fi for every guest in a cabin often gives clearer value than buying items separately.

What All Included covers: the fare adds the Classic drinks selection plus Basic Wi‑Fi for each guest in the stateroom. That means the same benefit for every adult in the cabin, billed on one tidy line.

How to price‑compare: take the bundled fare difference versus a cruise‑only price, divide by nights and by guests to find the effective cost per person, per day. This reveals whether the bundle beats buying in the Cruise Planner or onboard.

Upgrades to the premium package are available post‑booking. Typical asks run about $20 per person, per night but promos have dropped as low as $6.99. Remember a 20% gratuity applies to any upgrade amount when you tally the true daily uplift.

Practical point: All Included reduces admin for multi‑cabin families and can save you time. Track GBP deals during Black Friday and set app alerts so you can re‑price if a better pre‑cruise sale appears on Celebrity Cruises website.

Pricing, gratuities and how to do the maths

Price maths matters: knowing the true daily cost with gratuities will tell you if a drink deal saves money. Below are typical per person, per day figures and simple ways to test value against onboard prices.

Typical rates per person, per day (present)

Non‑Alcoholic: $35 per day. With a 20% gratuity this becomes $42 per day.

Classic: $89.99 per day. Add 20% and the real charge is $107.99 per day.

Premium: $104.99 per day. With gratuity the total equals $125.99 per day.

True totals and an example seven‑night cost

Example sale fares narrow gaps: Classic sometimes drops to $67.99 and Premium to $79.99 (gratuity extra).

A published 7‑night Classic total after gratuities is $1,142.12, which helps set expectations for a full week.

Break‑even thinking: a quick scenario

Typical 2025 single‑drink prices to plug into a calculator: beers $8–$11; wines by the glass $10–$17; cocktails $10–$17; soft drinks ~$4; speciality coffees ~$5; bottled water/San Pellegrino ~$4.

Sample daily consumption that approximates a Classic rate: one speciality coffee, two bottles of water, one soda, two beers, one wine by the glass and two cocktails can reach or exceed the Classic per day amount.

Soft‑heavy day example for the Non‑Alcoholic option: a latte, smoothie, two waters, two sodas and a mocktail commonly approach the Non‑Alcoholic rate.

Tip: if you order above a cap you only pay the difference plus 20% on that extra amount, which preserves value for occasional splurges. Consider sea days and hot climates when modelling likely consumption.

Use a simple spreadsheet or the ship app to track daily spend so you can compare actual costs against the per person, per day rates and decide whether to buy a package or pay à‑la‑carte.

Rules, limits and legal drinking age you must know

Before you order, learn the cabin rules, age limits and common exclusions that govern onboard drink purchases.

One package per adult in the same cabin for Celebrity Cruise Line Beverage Package

All guests of legal drinking age in a cabin must buy the same alcoholic package tier. This prevents sharing and stops bill disputes at checkout.

If one adult upgrades to Premium, the other adult must match that upgrade.

Legal drinking age and where packages apply

The legal drinking age varies by itinerary: 18+ for UK departures and 21+ on US sailings. Check your departure port and itinerary nationality before you book.

Packages commonly work on private islands such as Perfect Day at CocoCay, so they still add value ashore.

What’s excluded and operational limits

Do not assume room service drinks, gift shop purchases or the in‑cabin minibar are covered, these are excluded.

Bars normally allow one drink order at a time. Staff often permit adding a bottled water with an alcoholic order.

Stewards may refuse service if a guest appears intoxicated. You may bring permitted items (for example, one bottle of wine per person on embarkation day) to supplement if not buying a package.

Buying smart: when and where to purchase for the best price

Locking in a pre‑cruise deal often saves the most money and removes the risk of higher onboard rates. Pre‑cruise buys in the Cruise Planner usually undercut pay‑as‑you‑go costs and let you lock an effective per‑person, per‑day rate.

Pre‑cruise sales, Black Friday and app flash deals

Watch Black Friday and promo windows in the Cruise Planner app. Historic lows appear then, especially for the premium package, and flash deals can drop Premium to as little as $6.99 per person, per night.

Onboard upgrades and port taxes

Upgrading onboard is possible but may attract local taxes depending on embarkation port. That can erode value versus pre‑booking, so compare the final price before committing.

Loyalty savings and casino play

Captain’s Club members get tiered pre‑cruise discounts; Zenith guests sometimes receive complimentary packages. Elite members enjoy a 5–7pm happy hour, and casino play can win you complimentary drinks while playing.

Tip: set calendar reminders 90, 60 and 30 days before sailing to check for price dips, then lock in when you see a genuine deal. Rebook in the planner if a better rate appears.

Onboard reality: bars, example prices and where packages shine

Bar menus and signature cocktails reveal where your chosen package will save or cost you. Seeing live prices at popular venues makes it easy to match tastes with value.

Martini Bar and World Class Bar

The martini bar and World Class Bar host many crafted martinis and signatures that typically exceed the Classic cap. For guests who favour mixology and Champagne by the glass, a premium drink plan usually fits better.

Café al Bacio and bottled water strategy

Start with a latte at Café al Bacio, sip mocktails midday and choose premium cocktails in the evening if on Premium. Buy bottled water to stock the cabin for sea days and excursions; premium bottled water like San Pellegrino and Evian is included on higher tiers.

Sample 2025 price points

Typical 2025 prices: beers $8–$11 (Stella Artois $11, Heineken $9); wine by the glass $10–$17 (Prosecco $10, Whispering Angel $17); cocktails $10–$17 (Frozen Daiquiri $10, Espresso Martini $17); soft drinks ~$4; speciality coffees ~$5; bottled water ~$4.

Tip: Classic suits casual bars for beers and house wine. Premium shines for mixology, branded spirits and a better wine list. Order by brand (for example Grey Goose) or say “premium” to ensure the correct spirit is poured. You can always pay the small difference for the odd above‑cap drink.

Conclusion

Finalise your plan by weighing day‑time softs and evening cocktails against the true daily cost. Pick non‑alcoholic drink package if you mostly want speciality coffees, mocktails and premium waters. Choose the classic drink package for value beers and house wines. Opt for the premium drink package when branded spirits, Champagne by the glass and Martini Bar signatures matter.

All Included often gives the simplest route to Classic plus Basic Wi‑Fi, and sales can make an upgrade to premium package very economical. Always add a 20% gratuity when you do the sums and compare per person, per day totals to your likely orders.

Remember the rules: all adults in a cabin must hold the same alcoholic tier, legal ages vary by sailing (UK 18+, US 21+), bars limit orders and room service and minibars are excluded. In short, premium pays off at mixology bars, for premium waters and better bottle discounts.

Be savvy: buy pre‑cruise during Black Friday or app flash sales, use loyalty discounts and set alerts. If unsure, start with Classic (All Included) and watch for a low‑cost Premium upgrade before boarding. Check your Cruise Planner today to lock the right package for your holiday.