25 Best Cruise Drinks to Order If You Have a Drink Package

TL;DR: A cruise drink package can run $80 or more per person, per day after gratuity, so what you order matters. The cruise drinks that deliver the most value are the priciest specialty cocktails on the menu, top-shelf spirits you request by name, specialty coffees, and bottled water you’d otherwise pay for separately. This guide breaks down 25 drinks worth ordering, organized by category, so you always know what to sip and when.

Estimated reading time: 16 minutes

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Most people buy a drink package and then spend the whole cruise ordering the same two or three things they always drink at home. A rum and Coke here. A light beer there. Maybe a glass of house wine at dinner.

That’s leaving a lot of money on the table.

Cruise drink packages typically cost $60 to $110 per person, per day before gratuity. Once you add the standard 18-20% service charge, you’re often looking at $80 or more per person daily. According to CruiseShipTracking, most packages require 5-7 drinks a day just to break even. That number drops when you factor in specialty coffees and bottled water, but you still need a smart strategy.

The goal here isn’t to drink as much as possible. It’s to order the cruise drinks that give you the most value, the most fun, and the best experience at sea. This list is built around that idea.

Here are 25 cruise drinks worth ordering with your package, broken down by category so you can plan your sipping strategy from morning to midnight.

Why the Cruise Drinks You Order Actually Matter

Here’s the thing most cruisers don’t realize: your package has a per-drink price limit. On Royal Caribbean, that limit is $14 per drink. Carnival’s CHEERS! program covers drinks up to $20 per serving. Norwegian’s limit sits at $15 per drink. If you order a $7 beer when your package covers drinks up to $14, you’re getting half the value you paid for.

That’s why your drink choices directly affect whether the package pays off.

The fix is simple: order the most expensive drinks that still fall within your package limit. Specialty cocktails and craft options are almost always a better call than basic beers or well spirits. And when you do order a spirit on the rocks or a simple mixed drink, ask for a specific brand by name. Your bartender will pour whatever’s cheapest if you don’t ask. Requesting Belvedere instead of house vodka, or Hendrick’s instead of well gin, gets you a significantly better drink at no extra charge, as long as that brand falls within your package’s covered limit.

Keep that in mind as you read through this list.

The Best Frozen and Poolside Cruise Drinks

Poolside is where a drink package really earns its keep. The sun is out, you’re parked on a lounge chair, and ordering round after round without glancing at the bill is the whole point. These are the frozen and poolside cruise drinks worth having in your hand.

1. Piña Colada

Nothing says cruise vacation like a piña colada. This classic is made with rum, coconut cream, and pineapple juice, blended with ice into something cold and creamy. It runs around $13-14 on most major lines, which means it sits right at or near your package limit. That’s the sweet spot. Order it frozen every time.

2. Frozen Mojito

The mojito is one of my personal go-to poolside drinks on Royal Caribbean. Made with rum, lime juice, fresh mint, and simple syrup, it’s refreshing in a way that other cocktails just aren’t in the Caribbean heat. I always order mine frozen rather than on the rocks. The blended version hits differently when the sun is at full blast. Add a strawberry flavor if you want something a little sweeter.

3. Miami Vice

Can’t decide between a piña colada and a strawberry daiquiri? Order both at once. The Miami Vice is exactly that: half frozen piña colada, half frozen strawberry daiquiri, layered in the same cup. It looks great and tastes even better. This one is a crowd-pleaser and a genuinely fun drink to have while you’re relaxing at Perfect Day at CocoCay or floating in the pool on a sea day.

4. Strawberry Daiquiri

A frozen strawberry daiquiri is one of the quintessential cruise drinks, and for good reason. It’s made with rum, strawberries, lime, and sugar, blended into something cold and sweet that you can sip all afternoon. A few of these on a sea day and you’ll feel like you got your money’s worth from the package before dinner even starts.

5. Bahama Mama

The Bahama Mama is rum punch with a little more going on. It typically combines white rum and dark rum with pineapple juice, orange juice, and grenadine. The result is sweet, fruity, and dangerously easy to drink in warm weather. Most cruise lines have their own version, so don’t be shy about trying each line’s take on it.

6. Blue Hawaiian

If you’ve ever wanted to walk into the main dining room with a blue tongue and watch your waiter do a double take, this is your drink. The Blue Hawaiian is made with white rum, blue curaçao, pineapple juice, cream of coconut, and lemon juice. It’s bright blue, tropical, and tasty. Order one before dinner just for fun.

7. Lava Flow

The Lava Flow is a layered frozen cocktail made with rum, coconut cream, pineapple juice, and a swirl of strawberry puree that runs through it like, well, lava. It’s visually impressive and genuinely delicious. This one photographs well too if you’re into posting your cruise content.

8. The Lime and Coconut (Royal Caribbean)

If you’re sailing on a Royal Caribbean ship that has the Lime and Coconut bar, including Navigator, Freedom, Oasis, Odyssey, Wonder, Icon, or Utopia of the Seas, this is a must-order. The cocktail combines Malibu Coconut rum with coconut milk, coconut syrup, Monin guava syrup, and lime juice. According to the Royal Caribbean Blog, guava tastes like a cross between strawberry and pear, and the coconut milk brings it all together. It’s a signature drink you can only get in one spot on the ship, which makes it worth seeking out.

Cruise Drinks That Hit Different at Dinner

The bar experience at dinner is completely different from the pool deck. You’re settled in, the food is good, and the right drink can make the whole meal feel like more of an occasion. These are the cruise drinks worth ordering when the sun goes down.

9. Espresso Martini

This is my favorite drink on any cruise. An espresso martini is made with vodka, coffee liqueur, and freshly brewed espresso, and it’s the perfect drink after a big dinner. It’s classy without being pretentious, and that hit of caffeine is exactly what you need to keep the night going after a full day at sea or at a port. If you’re sailing on an Oasis class ship, order it at the Trellis Bar in Central Park. An espresso martini, live music, and the Central Park atmosphere at night is genuinely one of the best experiences Royal Caribbean offers. It’s the kind of drink that justifies the whole package.

10. Aperol Spritz

The Aperol Spritz is one of those drinks that feels like a treat even when you’re not on vacation. It’s made with Aperol, prosecco, and club soda, garnished with an orange slice. On Royal Caribbean ships, the Royal Caribbean Blog notes that it tends to be less bitter than what you’d get in a restaurant at home, which makes it more universally enjoyable. It’s a great pre-dinner drink or a companion to a lighter meal.

11. Old Fashioned

An Old Fashioned is one of the best ways to use your package’s top-shelf benefit. Ask for Buffalo Trace or Woodford Reserve bourbon by name. A well-made Old Fashioned, built with quality bourbon, a sugar cube, bitters, and an orange peel, runs $13-14 at most ship bars. That puts it right at the package limit and gives you a genuinely premium pour.

12. Cosmopolitan

The Cosmopolitan is vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and lime. It’s a classic for a reason. Request Ketel One or Grey Goose vodka specifically, and you’ll get a noticeably better drink than what you’d get with a generic pour. The martini glass makes it a little trickier to carry around the ship, so this one is better enjoyed sitting at a bar than walking the promenade.

13. Wine by the Glass

If you’re a wine drinker, always order by the glass, never by the bottle. Your package covers wine by the glass at no extra charge. Bottles still cost money, even though most packages offer a discount. Stick to the glass and you’re getting full value. Most ships have a decent enough selection that you’ll find something you enjoy with dinner.

Top-Shelf Spirits: The Best Cruise Drink Package Hack

One of the most underused tricks with any cruise drink package is asking for premium spirits by name. When you order a vodka soda, the bartender will pour whatever is cheapest. That’s not what you paid for. Asking for Tanqueray or Bombay Sapphire in your gin and tonic, or Belvedere in your vodka soda, gets you a dramatically better drink at no extra cost, as long as that brand falls within your package’s per-drink limit.

The Points Guy confirms this is one of the highest-value moves you can make with a drink package. Check that the brand you want is covered before you order, especially on lines with a $14 or $15 limit, since some ultra-premium selections sit just above that threshold.

14. Top-Shelf Gin and Tonic

Order Hendrick’s or Tanqueray No. Ten with tonic and a lime. Both are significantly better than a well gin, and both should fall within Royal Caribbean’s $14 limit and Carnival’s $20 limit. This is a simple drink that gets a huge upgrade just by asking for it properly.

15. Premium Vodka Soda or Martini

Ask for Belvedere or Grey Goose. On Celebrity Cruises, where the per-drink limit runs higher, you can even request Ketel One Botanical for something a little more interesting. A vodka soda with premium vodka is clean, easy, and genuinely better.

16. Whiskey on the Rocks

Jameson, Bulleit, or Woodford Reserve all tend to fall within standard package limits on mainstream lines. Ordering one of these neat or on the rocks is a much better use of a package scan than a cheap blended whiskey. If you like smoky Scotch, ask what’s available within the limit before you order.

Non-Alcoholic Cruise Drinks Worth Every Sip

Here’s something a lot of cruisers overlook: non-alcoholic drinks don’t count toward daily limits on most lines, so they’re pure bonus value on top of whatever you’re drinking. Specialty coffees run $5-7 each on most ships. Bottled water costs $3-5. Add two specialty coffees and a few bottles of sparkling water to your day and you’ve added $15-20 of value without touching your drink count.

17. Morning Latte or Cappuccino

A specialty latte or cappuccino costs $5-7 individually on Royal Caribbean and most other lines. If you start every morning with one, that’s $35-49 of value over a 7-night cruise just from coffee. It sounds small until you do the math. Your package covers this, so use it. Cruise.Blog notes that specialty coffees are one of the easiest ways to lower your effective break-even point.

18. Bottled Sparkling Water

Grab a bottle of Evian or San Pellegrino every time you walk past a bar. Put one in your cabin, take one to the pool, bring one when you’re heading to a show. Bottled water runs $3-5 a bottle on most ships. Five bottles a day adds up to $15-25 in value that most people never claim. It’s one of the simplest ways to get more out of your package.

19. Fresh-Squeezed Juice

Not all ships offer fresh-squeezed juices as part of the package, but Royal Caribbean’s Deluxe Beverage Package includes them. Fresh-squeezed OJ in the morning costs around $5-6 on its own. If your package includes it, order it at breakfast instead of fountain juice.

20. Mocktails

If you’re taking a break from alcohol mid-cruise or it’s earlier than you want to start drinking, mocktails are a great package use. They’re zero-proof cocktails that still taste good, and because they don’t count against alcohol limits, they’re pure bonus value. Most bars can make a solid virgin mojito or passionfruit mocktail on request. Here are some of our favorites:

• Virgin Strawberry Daiquiri or Pina Colada
• Nojito (Try Strawberry or even Blueberry)
• Tropical Crush (Royal Caribbean)
• Strawberry Hibiscus Limeade
• Phony Negroni

21. Johnny Rockets Milkshake (Royal Caribbean)

On Royal Caribbean ships with a Johnny Rockets, milkshakes are included with the Deluxe Beverage Package. A shake runs around $7 individually. Order one when you’re between pools and you’ve added solid value without taking up a spot in your alcohol budget.

Classic Cruise Cocktails You Should Order at Least Once

Some drinks are classics because they’re simply good. These are the cruise cocktails that belong on every vacation at sea at least once.

22. Mojito

The mojito is a traditional Cuban cocktail made with white rum, sugar, lime juice, soda water, and fresh mint. It’s refreshing in a way that few drinks can match. I love a frozen mojito poolside, but a traditional mojito on the rocks at Boleros on Royal Caribbean, while the band plays salsa and merengue, is one of those cruise memories that sticks with you. If you’re sailing Norwegian, look for the Sugarcane Mojito Bar, which has creative variations like the spicy passion mojito and raspberry guava mojito.

23. Caribbean Rum Punch

Rum punch is one of the most authentic cruise drinks you can order. Most lines have their own version. A classic rum punch usually combines dark and light rum with orange juice, pineapple juice, lime juice, and grenadine. It’s always served over ice, always refreshing, and always goes down easier than it should. Order the cruise line’s signature version when you can.

24. Caribbean Mule

The Caribbean Mule is Royal Caribbean’s spin on a Moscow Mule. It’s made with Absolut vodka, coconut syrup, lime juice, and Gosling’s ginger beer. The Royal Caribbean Blog describes it as having the perfect balance of flavors, with the ginger present but not overpowering. If you like Moscow Mules at home, this one is worth ordering. It’s one of those line-specific drinks that you can only get onboard, which makes it more memorable.

25. Bloody Mary

The Bloody Mary is an underrated morning package drink. Made with vodka, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and spices, it pairs surprisingly well with a cruise ship breakfast spread. Ask for Ketel One or Tito’s by name. Some ships, including Celebrity, have a house Bloody Mary recipe that’s worth trying. It’s a good first drink of the day that won’t knock you sideways at 9am.

Drinks to Skip (or Order Carefully) With Your Package

Knowing what not to order is just as important as knowing what to get. If you’re paying $80/day for a package, a $6.50 domestic beer is one of the worst things you can order. You’d need to drink 12 of them just to break even, which isn’t a great plan for anybody.

Cheap domestic beers, well spirits ordered without specifying a brand, and basic fountain sodas when you could be getting specialty coffees are the package’s biggest value leaks. None of these are bad drinks. They’re just bad choices relative to what your package is capable of getting you.

The Starbucks kiosk is another one to watch. It’s excluded from virtually every major cruise line’s drink package, including Royal Caribbean’s Deluxe Beverage Package. If you’re a daily Starbucks drinker, budget for it separately or use the ship’s own coffee bar, which is included. Royal Caribbean’s Cafe Promenade coffee is included with the Deluxe Package and is a solid substitute.

Bottles of wine fall into the same trap. Your package offers a discount (usually 20-40%) on bottles, but you’re still paying extra for alcohol you’re already covered for by the glass. Unless you’re celebrating something special, stick to wine by the glass and put that money back in your pocket.

For more detail on what’s included and excluded at each line, our cruise drink packages guide breaks it all down line by line.

Make the Most of Every Drink on Your Cruise

A drink package is one of the more expensive add-ons you’ll buy for a cruise. But when you use it right, it genuinely delivers. Order the specialty cocktails that sit at the top of your package’s price limit. Ask for top-shelf spirits by name every single time. Start your mornings with a specialty coffee. Grab a bottle of sparkling water every time you pass a bar. And save the Espresso Martini for after dinner when you need the energy to keep the night going.

If you haven’t booked your cruise yet and want help figuring out which line, ship, or package makes the most sense for your trip, reach out for a free travel quote. We’ll help you plan the whole thing, drinks and all.

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