How much is a beverage package on Princess Cruises?

When you cruise with Princess Cruises, one of the big decisions many guests face is whether to buy a beverage package for their trip. These packages let you pay a fixed daily rate for a bundle of drinks instead of paying for each drink individually. The cost of a package varies depending on which one you choose and how “premium” the included drinks are. Below is a breakdown of the main options, their prices, what you get, and some advice on whether the cost makes sense for you.

Types of Beverage Packages on Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises offers several beverage packages to suit different kinds of travelers and drink habits. Broadly, there are:

Alcohol-inclusive packages (for those who want beer, wine, cocktails, spirits, and nonalcoholic drinks)
Non-alcoholic packages (for those who only want soft drinks, specialty coffees, mocktails, water, energy drinks, etc.)

The two most common all-inclusive (alcohol) packages are called the Plus Beverage Package and the Premier Beverage Package, while non-alcohol packages include things like a zero-alcohol package and a soda-only package.

Package Pricing

Here is how much these beverage packages typically cost on Princess Cruises (in US dollars, before service charges):

Plus Beverage Package: Approximately $64.99 per person per day for most itineraries. This does not include the service charge.
Premier Beverage Package: About $84.99 per person per day, again excluding service charge.
Zero-Alcohol Package: Priced at $29.99 per day, to which an 18% service charge is added, bringing the total to about $35.39 per day for most itineraries.
Classic Soda Package: Around $14.99 per person per day, for unlimited sodas, fruit juices, mocktails, and smoothies.

Note: The service charge (gratuity) is not included in the base package rates. For most itineraries (outside Australia) this 18 percent service charge is applied.

Also, the daily rates are calculated for the full duration of your cruise. If you buy the package, you generally need to buy it for every day of your sailing.

What You Get for Your Money

Knowing what is included in each package is very important for understanding the value.

Plus Beverage Package (about $65/day)

With the Plus Beverage Package, you have access to:

Beer, wine by the glass, cocktails, and spirits — but only up to a certain menu-price cap (in U.S. cruises, drinks up to about 15 USD are covered).
Non-alcoholic drinks — bottled water (500 ml), fountain sodas, fresh juices, specialty coffees and teas, frappés, Red Bull, smoothies.
A 25% discount on excluded items, like bottles of wine, one-liter bottles of water, and canned sodas.

There is also a daily limit on alcoholic drinks: you can have up to 15 alcoholic drinks in a 24-hour period.Importantly, non-alcoholic drinks like sodas, coffee, and water do not count toward this 15-drink limit.

Premier Beverage Package (about $85/day)

This is the more premium all-inclusive package, and for that price you get:

Everything from the Plus Package (beer, wine, cocktails, spirits, non-alcoholic drinks)
Higher priced drinks — cocktails, wine, spirits up to a higher menu-price cap (in U.S. itineraries, that cap is about 20 USD per drink).
A much wider selection of spirits (75+), more than 40 wines by the glass, and a range of high-end crafted cocktails.
A 25% discount on wine bottles (including rare vintages) and larger bottled water / canned sodas, just like the Plus package.

The same 15-drink daily limit for alcoholic beverages applies here too.

Non-Alcoholic Beverage Packages

If you do not want alcohol, Princess also provides two good options:

Zero-Alcohol Package
- Cost: $29.99 per day + 18% service charge = about $35.39 daily.
- Includes: specialty coffees and teas, hot chocolate, fountain sodas, canned sodas, fresh juices, smoothies, mocktails, Red Bull, bottled water (500 ml), and even one-liter water bottles in some dining venues.
- There is also a 25% discount on canned soda and liter-sized water if you buy those separately.
Classic Soda Package
- Cost: $14.99 per person per day.
- Includes: unlimited sodas, fresh juices, mocktails, and smoothies.

Other Pricing Notes and Policies

On certain sailings (especially those based in Australia or New Zealand), the pricing and limits may differ. Local currency and cap values may change.
Service charge is not optional: the 18% is added to the daily price (for most non-Australian itineraries).
You must purchase the package for all days of the cruise; you cannot usually do a partial-day or skip days.
Once purchased, the package is non-transferable (you cannot share it with someone) and non-refundable in many cases, especially as you get close to sailing.
On Australian ships or sailings, different price points apply. For example, the updated Premier Package for sailings departing after a certain date is $100 USD per day or corresponding AUD rates.

Is It Worth the Cost?

Whether a beverage package is worth it depends a lot on your personal drinking habits.

When it makes sense:

If you drink several alcoholic drinks each day — for example, a beer or wine with lunch, a cocktail during happy hour, and a drink with dinner — then a package can quickly pay for itself.
If you also enjoy specialty coffees, mocktails, fresh juices, or bottled water, the non-alcoholic part of the package provides good value.
A lot of guests like the convenience of not having to worry about paying for each drink. With the package, you can order freely (within limits) and just charge to your room.

When it may not be worth it:

If you are a light drinker or mostly drink water or sodas, paying daily for an alcohol-inclusive package may cost more than just buying a few drinks when you want them.
If you stick to very inexpensive drinks, you might not hit enough value to justify the daily cost.
Reaching the 15-drink limit: even with the package, you are capped for alcoholic beverages. If you do go beyond that, additional drinks will be charged separately.
If your itinerary is very short, you might not recover the package cost fully.

Example Calculation

Imagine you are on a 7-day cruise and you pick the Plus Beverage Package at $64.99/day. Without service charge, that comes to about $455 for the week just for your drink package. With the 18% service charge, you would pay more on top of that. Now, consider how many drinks you would typically have in a day — if you are having 3-4 drinks (say a couple of beers and some soda or coffee), and each costs $8-$12, the package could save you money. On the other hand, if you only have one drink a day, it might be more cost-effective to pay as you go.

Conclusion

Princess Cruises offers multiple beverage packages, including both alcohol-inclusive and non-alcohol options.
The Plus Beverage Package costs around $64.99 per person per day, excluding service charge.
The Premier Beverage Package costs around $84.99 per person per day, excluding service charge.
For non-alcoholic drinks, you can pick a Zero-Alcohol Package (around $29.99 + service charge) or a Classic Soda Package (~ $14.99/day).
There is an 18% service charge on beverage packages (for most itineraries).
Alcoholic drinks are limited to 15 per person per day, but non-alcoholic drinks are not.
Whether the package is “worth it” depends on how much and what kinds of drinks you plan to consume on your cruise.

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