All-inclusive cruises alcohol included: Which cruise lines offer all-inclusive and is it worth it?

Author: Susan Johnson

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Do all-inclusive cruises include alcohol? An approving nod to this question is perhaps one of the biggest allures of a cruise for many vacationers.

All-inclusive cruise deals including alcohol let people know that a lot is included in the fare – so are they worth it?

Drinks are rarely included in a standard cruise fare because it is one of the biggest onboard money-makers. Someone who orders three margaritas a day could easily be paying a bill exceeding £300 on a seven-night cruise.

What’s more, on some cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, a premium cocktail such as an appletini will set you back over $11, including the gratuities that most cruise lines add to the drink’s bills.

For this reason, all-inclusive cruises, including alcohol and food, might be your ideal option if you are looking forward to kicking back with a few beverages on your next cruise.

To help you out, here are the five best all-inclusive cruises across river and ocean including alcohol-no additional package purchase required. Cheers!

AmaWaterways

River cruise line AmaWaterways puts forward a wide selection of complimentary local wines and beers on itineraries in Europe, Vietnam, Africa, and Cambodia.

If you are travelling on one of the European itineraries, you will also get to sip on sparkling wine for breakfast, mimosas and complimentary happy hours right before dinner. However, know that you will have to pay additional for drinks outside of mealtimes and also for imported wine and premium alcoholic beverages.

- READ MORE: Are all-inclusive cruises worth it? 10 tips to get the most of them -

Celestyal Cruises

Based in Greece, Celestyal Cruises is an all-inclusive cruise line that offers unlimited complimentary alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

Cognac, vodka, draft beer, tequila, wine by the glass, cocktails, rum, port, whisky, brandy, speciality martinis, you name it. You can have it all and more with no one keeping tabs.

Enjoy a drink onboard without stressing about cost with an all-inclusive package. Credit: Shutterstock

Find your ideal cruise

Search cruises with Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Your all-inclusive cruise package on a Regent Seven Seas ship means you will not be paying additional charges for mixed drinks, beer, wine, and coffee.

What’s more, your room will feature an in-room mini-bar that will be restocked with soft drinks, beer and water free of charge.

Seabourn Cruise Line

Seabourn cruises will gift you a bottle of complimentary champagne as part of welcoming you on board. But that’s just the beginning, free drinks will continue flowing, whether that is through your in-room bar or as premium wine and spirits throughout the ship.

- READ MORE: Seabourn Venture glance: Explore the new ship here -

Scenic Luxury Cruises

Scenic Luxury Cruises offer a wide array of river and ocean cruises worldwide. Complimentary regional wines, liquors, and beers are offered throughout your cruise. The in-room mini-bar is restocked regularly, free of charge.

Do note, top-shelf whisky, a small range of fine and vintage wines, and champagnes might incur an extra charge, but everything else is free.

Enjoy complimentary champagne to welcome you onboard from Seabourn Cruises. Credit: Shutterstock

Are cruise drink packages worth the money?

If you prefer a lot of drinks on your holiday, then cruise drink packages are almost always worth it. Nonetheless, if you have two kids to keep an eye on or work you should attend to, then you might not be able to drink as much as you want to. So, what should you do?

Whether a drink package is worth it or not depends on how much and how often you drink. Imagine, a beer on the ship costs around £6-£8. By purchasing a drink package of £60 per day, you would have to drink around eight to ten beers each day and every day of your cruise to get your money’s worth.

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However, the maths will work a bit more in your favour if you prefer more expensive drinks like cocktails. A cocktail running at £10-£14 means you could drink about five to seven drinks a day to make it worth it.

Think about how much you plan on drinking and work out whether it’s worth it for you.

A benefit to consider is that with a drinks package, you will know exactly what you will spend, so you won’t have to worry about every pound and penny you spend on drinks while cruising.