What are the Royal Caribbean Drink Packages? In this 2025-2026 guide, we’ll cover Royal Caribbean Beverage Packages and what they include.
Your cruise fare covers basics like water, coffee, tea, milk, and juices at breakfast. If you want a wider variety, Royal Caribbean offers three beverage packages: Classic Soda, Refreshment, and Deluxe. There are also extras like bottled water packages and a specialty coffee card.
I usually go with the Refreshment Package, which takes care of my morning lattes, bottled water for port days, and mocktails by the pool. For some, the Deluxe Beverage Package makes more sense if you plan to order multiple alcoholic drinks a day.
Royal Caribbean Beverage Packages Available
- Classic Soda Package: Unlimited Coca-Cola fountain sodas with a souvenir cup for the Freestyle machines.
- Refreshment Package: Everything in the soda package plus bottled still and sparkling water, premium coffees and teas, fresh juices, mocktails, smoothies, and milkshakes at Johnny Rockets.
- Deluxe Beverage Package: All alcoholic drinks (cocktails, beer, wine by the glass, spirits, liqueurs) plus everything in the Refreshment Package. You also get discounts on bottles of wine.
- Evian Water Package: Order 12 or 24 bottles of Evian to be delivered to your stateroom.
- Café Select Coffee Card: A punch card for 15 specialty coffees at select onboard cafes.
- Royal Caribbean drink packages with alcohol are only available to guests 21 and over (18 on select international sailings).
- Prices are dynamic and vary by sailing. Discounts often appear in the Cruise Planner or app when purchased ahead of time.
- An 18% gratuity is automatically added at the time of purchase.
- If one adult in a stateroom buys the Deluxe Beverage Package, all adults of legal drinking age in that stateroom must also purchase it — no exceptions. Royal recently made this policy stricter.
- Tasty Itinerary is not affiliated with or employed by Royal Caribbean International.
Royal Caribbean Drink Packages Explained
Deluxe Beverage Package
- Retail Cost: Dynamic pricing, usually $56–$105 per person, per day, plus 18% gratuity. Discounts often show up in the Cruise Planner or app.
- Included: Cocktails, spirits, liqueurs, beer, wine by the glass, fountain sodas with a Coca-Cola Freestyle cup, premium coffees and teas, fresh juices, bottled still and sparkling water, mocktails, smoothies, and milkshakes at Johnny Rockets. 40% off bottles of wine under $100 and 20% off bottles over $100.
- Excluded: Starbucks, minibar items, room service drinks, souvenir cups, and super-premium liquors or wines above the package limit.
- Important to Know: If one adult in a stateroom buys the Deluxe Beverage Package, all adults of legal drinking age in that stateroom must also buy it — no exceptions.
HOW MUCH DOES THE ROYAL CARIBBEAN REFRESHMENT PACKAGE COST?
Expect to pay between $29–$38 per day, plus gratuity. Like the Deluxe Package, the rate changes by sailing, and you’ll often see sales if you check the Cruise Planner before your cruise.
Can minors receive this package?
No. Only guests of legal drinking age (21 in the U.S., 18 on select international sailings) can purchase it. If one adult in a cabin buys it, all adults of legal drinking age in that cabin must also purchase it, no exceptions.
Is bottled water included?
Yes. The package covers both still and sparkling bottled water.
What happens if you order a drink over the limit?
The Deluxe Beverage Package covers drinks priced up to $14. If your drink costs more, the package applies a $14 credit toward it, and you pay only the difference — plus the 18% gratuity on that difference.
Example: If you order a $16 cocktail, $14 is covered by the package. The remaining $2, plus 18% gratuity on that $2, will be charged to your onboard account.
How many drinks can you order at once?
One drink per transaction per guest. You can order as often as you like throughout the day, but sharing is not allowed.
Refreshment Package
- Retail Cost: Dynamic pricing, usually $29–$38 per person, per day, plus 18% gratuity. Discounts often appear in the Cruise Planner or app when purchased ahead of time.
- Included: Fountain sodas with a Coca-Cola Freestyle cup, premium coffees and teas, fresh-squeezed juices, bottled still and sparkling water, mocktails, smoothies, and milkshakes at Johnny Rockets.
- Excluded: Alcoholic drinks, Starbucks beverages onboard, minibar items, and room service drinks.
- Great for: People like me who don’t drink much alcohol but still love having specialty coffee, sparkling water, and a few poolside mocktails included.
This is usually the package I choose when sailing with Royal Caribbean. It works well for us since my husband is sober, and I don’t drink enough alcohol to make the Deluxe worth it. If I want a cocktail, I pay for it à la carte. What we really use it for are the espresso drinks and sparkling water, which we love.
Is the Refreshment Package worth it?
If you don’t drink alcohol but still want specialty coffee, bottled water, and mocktails, this package is a solid value. On my cruises, it easily pays for itself with just a couple of coffees and bottled waters each day, plus the bonus of smoothies or mocktails.
Can minors purchase this package?
Yes. The Refreshment Package is available to guests of any age. It’s a popular choice for kids, teens, or anyone who doesn’t drink alcohol but wants more than soda.
Is bottled water included?
Yes. The package covers both still and sparkling bottled water.
Classic Soda Package
- Retail Cost: Around $12.99 per person, per day, plus 18% gratuity.
- Included: Unlimited fountain sodas at any bar or restaurant onboard, plus a Coca-Cola Freestyle souvenir cup for use at the soda machines.
- Excluded: Bottled sodas, bottled water, mocktails, Starbucks, and energy drinks.
- Great for: Kids, teens, or anyone who mainly drinks soda on a cruise.
Is the Classic Soda Package worth it?
It depends on how much soda you drink. At about $3.50 per soda onboard, you’d need to drink at least four a day to break even. For kids and teens who refill often at the Freestyle machines, it usually pays for itself.
Coca-Cola is the official soda on Royal Caribbean
All drink packages that include soda come with a Coca-Cola® Freestyle souvenir cup, which lets you access 100+ flavors at the Freestyle machines around the ship.
Other Drink Options on Royal Caribbean
Evian Water Package: Delivered to your stateroom in packs of 12 or 24 one-liter bottles. A good option if you want bottled water on hand for excursions or don’t want to rely on filtered tap water. If you already have the Refreshment or Deluxe Package, bottled water is included.
Café Select Coffee Card – A prepaid punch card for 15 espresso-based drinks like lattes, cappuccinos, or iced coffees at select onboard cafés. Handy if you plan to order specialty coffee but don’t want to commit to a full beverage package.
Side-by-Side Comparison of Royal Caribbean Beverage Packages
|
Features 67828_85b0cd-1a> |
Deluxe Beverage Package 67828_7e8991-c9> |
Refreshment Package 67828_0c3be5-c1> |
Classic Soda Package 67828_83c6ff-af> |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Alcoholic Drinks 67828_3a9bf0-34> |
Yes, up to $14 67828_516304-62> |
No 67828_fd0092-04> |
No 67828_bb0beb-ac> |
|
Non-Alcoholic Drinks 67828_5cf45b-57> |
Yes 67828_aab13b-62> |
Yes 67828_8ae041-fe> |
Yes (soda only) 67828_2e6c83-9e> |
|
Bottled Water 67828_cb7727-1f> |
Yes (still & sparkling) 67828_899ef1-a2> |
Yes (still & sparkling) 67828_3cfe30-58> |
No 67828_21fde1-19> |
|
Specialty Coffee/tea 67828_336080-2c> |
Yes 67828_e29953-1d> |
Yes 67828_8a9925-1f> |
No 67828_924394-0b> |
|
Fountain Sodas 67828_97ffcd-2a> |
Yes 67828_ecd106-fb> |
Yes 67828_db44dc-74> |
Yes 67828_07dde6-ce> |
|
Mocktails & Smoothies 67828_ca5271-33> |
Yes 67828_cb0143-23> |
Yes 67828_3f8df1-30> |
No 67828_b80456-a2> |
|
Milkshakes (Johnny Rockets) 67828_62a5aa-c7> |
Yes 67828_c7432d-f2> |
Yes 67828_23c0c7-6f> |
No 67828_ac1be4-54> |
|
exclusions 67828_630236-c3> |
Starbucks, minibar, room service drinks, souvenir cups, premium liquors/wines above limit 67828_4de552-6a> |
Alcoholic drinks, Starbucks, minibar, and room service drinks 67828_e43ba3-58> |
Bottled water, mocktails, Starbucks, energy drinks 67828_0b06db-cb> |
Drink Prices on Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean’s drink prices can help you decide if a package is worth it or if paying per drink makes more sense. Here’s a breakdown of the current onboard prices (before the automatic 18% gratuity is added):
- Cocktails: Most are $13–$15 each across the fleetwide and specialty bar menus.
- Beer: Regular domestic and imports are $7.49–$8.99.
- Wines by the glass: Standard wines run $9.99–$13.99, with premium selections going $15–$25.
- Spirits: Standard liquors (vodka, rum, gin, tequila, whiskey) are typically $9.99–$13.99. Premium pours range higher, $15–$30+, depending on the brand.
- Non-alcoholic drinks: Mocktails are $7.00–$8.00, fountain soda $3.50, bottled water $3.25–$4.25, specialty coffees $4.25–$5.50.
- Starbucks: Specialty espresso and cold drinks are generally $4.25–$7.25.
Estimate Your Royal Caribbean Drink Costs
Not sure which drink package is right for you? Use our cruise drink package calculator to see if one of Royal Caribbean’s beverage packages makes sense, or if paying as you go is the better choice.
This will help you compare the cost of the Deluxe, Refreshment, and Classic Soda Packages against what you’d typically spend onboard. You may find that you won’t drink enough to justify the cost of any package, making à la carte pricing the smarter option.
Cruise Drink Package Calculator
Things to Know About Royal Caribbean Drink Packages
Drink packages do go on sale
Royal Caribbean often discounts them in the Cruise Planner before your sailing, sometimes by 20–40% off the onboard price. It’s worth checking regularly, if not daily, after you book. If the price drops after purchasing a package, you can cancel and repurchase at the lower rate.
Local sales tax applies while in port
When the ship is docked, some ports (like Florida and Texas) charge local sales tax on drinks. This applies even if you have a drink package. Taxes disappear once the ship sails into international waters.
Drink packages work on Royal’s private islands
The Deluxe, Refreshment, and Classic Soda Packages are all valid at Perfect Day at CocoCay and Labadee.
No daily limit, but one drink per order
You can order as many drinks as you want throughout the day, but only one per transaction. The Deluxe Package covers drinks up to $14 each; if your drink costs more, you just pay the difference. Sharing isn’t allowed.
If one adult buys the Deluxe, all adults in the cabin must too
No exceptions. As of 2025, every adult of legal drinking age in the same stateroom is required to purchase the Deluxe Beverage Package if one person does.
Each package comes with a souvenir cup
Every Soda, Refreshment, and Deluxe Package includes a Coca-Cola® Freestyle souvenir cup. You’ll use it at the Freestyle machines around the ship. If you lose it, a replacement costs $9.95.
Crown & Anchor members may get free drinks
Starting at the Diamond tier, loyalty members receive 4–6 daily drink vouchers, redeemable at most bars and lounges. If you qualify, this perk can cut down or eliminate the need for a beverage package.
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Meet Kathy Ava, a food, travel, and cruise writer based in Los Angeles/Pasadena, and the owner and main writer of Tasty Itinerary. With over 20 years of experience planning trips and logistics at her full-time job and for herself, she’s become a pro at crafting unforgettable tasty itineraries. She’s always on the hunt for delicious, fun travel destinations and cruise itineraries. She firmly believes that life is short and we must make the most of it, so always say yes to dessert.
