Enhance Your Royal Caribbean Experience With Alcohol Packages

how to add alcohol package to royal caribbean

Royal Caribbean offers a range of beverage packages for guests to purchase before or during their cruise. These packages offer value for money and convenience, allowing guests to enjoy their favourite drinks without the hassle of individual transactions. The Classic Soda Package and Refreshment Package cater to guests of all ages, while the Deluxe Beverage Package includes unlimited alcoholic beverages and discounts on bottled wine. With the option to pre-purchase or buy onboard, guests can enhance their cruise experience and choose a package that suits their preferences.

Characteristics Values
Number of beverage packages Three: Classic Soda Package, Refreshment Package, and Deluxe Beverage Package
Package contents Unlimited fountain soda and Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages, mocktails, premium coffees and teas, fresh-squeezed juices, and alcoholic beverages (for Deluxe package only)
Purchase options Purchase online up to 72 hours before sailing or buy it onboard on the first day
Package identification Sticker or printed verification on SeaPass card
Sharing policy Packages are for single-guest use and cannot be shared
Additional benefits 40% off select bottled wine with the Deluxe package; complimentary coffee and fruit-infused water at Coco Beach Club
Price Deluxe package: $60-$80 per day
Workarounds Bringing your own liquor onboard, sharing drinks with another member (against the rules), attending events with free drinks

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Purchasing the Deluxe Beverage Package

The Deluxe Beverage Package on a Royal Caribbean cruise offers unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks throughout your cruise. This includes a wide range of options, from fine wines and premium spirits to cocktails, beers, juices, and water. You can also enjoy 40% off select bottled wines with this package.

The package can be purchased before your cruise or while on board. You can buy it online through the Royal Caribbean Cruise Planner up to 72 hours before sailing, or you may purchase it at any bar on the first day of your cruise. If you purchase the package before your cruise, you will receive a sticker or printed verification on your SeaPass for identification when ordering drinks.

The Deluxe Beverage Package is a great way to enhance your cruise experience and enjoy a variety of drinks without worrying about the cost. You can sip on drinks by the pool, unwind with a glass of wine, or explore the ship's bars and lounges with this package.

It's important to note that the Deluxe Beverage Package is for individual guests and cannot be shared. The package must be purchased for all guests of legal drinking age in the same stateroom. An 18% gratuity will be automatically added to the purchase, but this can be modified at the Guest Relations desk if desired.

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Buying alcohol without the package

If you are sailing with Royal Caribbean and prefer not to purchase a beverage package, you can still buy alcohol without the package. Here are some options and considerations for buying alcohol without the package:

Bringing Your Own Alcohol:

  • On embarkation day, each guest of legal drinking age is allowed to bring one sealed 750 ml bottle of wine or champagne. Boxed wine and other containers are prohibited.
  • If you are on consecutive cruises, you are permitted to bring one 750 ml bottle of wine or champagne for each individual sailing. Additional bottles will be stored by the ship and delivered to your stateroom one bottle at a time.
  • It is important to note that bringing beer or hard liquor onboard for consumption is not allowed.
  • Any alcohol bottles purchased onboard or in a port-of-call will be stored by the ship and returned to you on the last day of your cruise.

Purchasing Alcohol Onboard:

  • You can buy alcoholic beverages without a package on Royal Caribbean ships. They offer a full selection of beers, fine wines, premium and frozen cocktails, and other spirits.
  • Alcohol can be purchased at any bar, café, lounge, or restaurant onboard.
  • If you wish to consume your own wine or champagne in public areas, a corkage fee of $15 per bottle may apply.

Beverage Packages:

  • While not a requirement, Royal Caribbean offers beverage packages that can be purchased before or during your cruise. These packages provide unlimited alcoholic beverages (with the Deluxe Beverage Package) or non-alcoholic options (with the Refreshment Package).
  • Beverage packages are for individual use and cannot be shared.
  • An 18% gratuity is typically added to the purchase of a beverage package, but this can be modified at the Guest Relations desk.

Whether you choose to bring your own alcohol, purchase it onboard, or opt for a beverage package, Royal Caribbean offers flexibility in enjoying your favourite drinks during your cruise vacation.

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Sharing drinks with another guest

Royal Caribbean does not allow guests to share drinks with other guests. The cruise line aims to profit from each drink sold individually. There is also no way to confirm if the person you are sharing a drink with is legally allowed to drink. To prevent sharing, bartenders only serve drinks to guests who present their own SeaPass cards. This verification is required so that no one tries to buy a drink using someone else's card or package. Drink package benefits are reserved only for the person who purchased them.

If you are caught sharing your drink package, the cruise line may cancel your drink package without a refund and charge you for all the drinks you previously ordered. A former bartender shared on Reddit that one man who tried to outsmart the crew had his drink package revoked and was charged $3,000 for all the drinks he consumed during the cruise.

There is a workaround to avoid buying multiple packages: book each adult in a separate room. If you are travelling with children and have multiple staterooms, you can book each adult separately.

If you are dead set on not purchasing the Deluxe Beverage Package but would still like to drink alcohol, look for events that offer free drinks. Art auctions and other fancy events will often splurge on beverages for guests. The VIP lounge, or Suite Lounge, also provides free drinks all day, but only for guests that are Grand-Suite Level and above.

You can also bring your own liquor onboard if you can slip it past security. While alcohol (except one bottle of wine) is not allowed on a Royal Caribbean cruise, some guests have poured liquor into disguised flasks, such as shampoo bottles or empty mouthwash containers, and packed them in their luggage.

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Bringing your own liquor onboard

Royal Caribbean offers a range of beverage packages for guests to purchase, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic options. These packages can be purchased online up to 72 hours before sailing or onboard on the first day of the cruise.

When it comes to bringing your own liquor onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise, there are some important restrictions to keep in mind. Firstly, guests are not permitted to bring their own beer, hard liquor, or fortified wines such as vermouth, sherry, sake, or port wines. This means that any hard liquor or beer brought onboard will be confiscated and will not be returned, even if it is still sealed.

However, guests of legal drinking age are allowed to bring their own wine or champagne onboard, but this is limited to one 750 ml bottle per guest for each individual sailing. For consecutive sailings, guests can bring one bottle per sailing, and the additional bottles will be stored and delivered to the stateroom on the first day of each new voyage. It's important to note that boxed wine and other containers are prohibited, and only sealed bottles are allowed.

If you plan to bring your own wine or champagne, it's recommended to carry it on rather than pack it in checked luggage. Luggage containing alcohol will not be delivered to the stateroom, and guests will need to retrieve it from security once the ship has set sail. Additionally, security may inspect containers such as water bottles, soda bottles, and mouthwash, and they will dispose of any containers holding alcohol.

To avoid any issues, it's recommended to carefully review Royal Caribbean's policies before bringing any alcohol onboard. These policies are designed to ensure the safety and comfort of all guests while providing a range of beverage options to enhance their cruising experience.

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Free drinks at events and lounges

Royal Caribbean Cruises offers a range of beverage packages for guests to purchase, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic options. While these packages provide access to a wide selection of drinks, there are also several opportunities to enjoy free drinks at events and in lounges during your cruise.

For guests who are at least Gold members of the Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society, there is the opportunity to attend a Welcome Back party, where complimentary wine and cocktails are served. There is also a Top Tier event for Platinum members and above. Keep an eye out for invitations placed in your stateroom when you board the ship.

In addition to these exclusive events, Royal Caribbean Cruises also offers complimentary alcoholic drinks during happy hours in the VIP lounge, typically between 5 pm and 8 pm. This is a great opportunity to unwind and socialise while enjoying a variety of beverages without incurring additional costs.

When it comes to non-alcoholic options, Royal Caribbean has you covered as well. The Windjammer Marketplace Cafe and the main dining rooms offer a selection of complimentary drinks. While most bars and lounges may only provide tap water as a free option, the Windjammer is known for its accessibility and variety of free drinks. You can enjoy flavoured waters, lemonade, coffee, and iced water, ensuring you stay hydrated throughout your cruise without extra expenses.

Additionally, if you're looking for a refreshing cup of coffee or tea, you're in luck. Royal Caribbean Cruises provide complimentary coffee and tea services in various locations, including the main dining room, Windjammer buffet, Cafe Promenade, Lafe Latte-tudes, and the Park Cafe. You can even order these hot beverages through room service, ensuring you can start your day with a warm drink in the comfort of your stateroom.

Lastly, don't forget that you are allowed to bring your own drinks on board. Each stateroom may bring up to two 750ml bottles of wine or Champagne. These can be enjoyed in your stateroom free of charge, and if you wish to drink them in a public area, a corkage fee will apply. Additionally, Royal Caribbean's soda policy allows you to bring up to 12 cans or bottles of your preferred soft drinks, providing further flexibility and the potential for additional savings during your cruise.

Frequently asked questions

You can purchase the Deluxe Beverage Package, which includes unlimited alcoholic drinks and a 40% discount on select bottled wines, online via the Royal Caribbean Cruise Planner up to 72 hours before you sail or onboard on the first day of your cruise.

While Royal Caribbean prohibits sharing beverage packages, some guests have reported success with this tactic. You can purchase one Deluxe Beverage Package and another Refreshment Package for a different guest, and give them some of your alcoholic drinks. However, note that if you are caught, your package will be canceled without a refund.

Yes, some events onboard will offer free alcoholic drinks to guests, such as art auctions and other fancy events. Additionally, the VIP lounge, or Suite Lounge, provides free drinks all day for guests that are Grand-Suite Level and above.

While alcohol (except for one bottle of wine) is not allowed onboard, some guests have managed to sneak liquor by pouring it into disguised flasks, such as shampoo bottles or empty mouthwash containers, and packing it in their luggage. However, if your liquor is found by security, it will be confiscated.

Your SeaPass® card will have either a sticker or a printed verification of your package. The bar staff will ask to see your SeaPass for verification before serving you, so keep it handy.

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