Drinks on cruise ships are quite expensive and passengers are always looking for methods to spend less.
Consider that on all major cruise lines, the price for a drink ranges from about $10 to $15.
A beer can costs between $6.50 and $8.50 per serving and wine by the glass typically ranges from $10 to $14.
Is there any possibility of saving this money? It’s not easy but there are some methods that can get you some free drinks. Let’s see which are the most common ones.
Become a loyal member
Several cruise lines offer loyalty programs that provide free drinks as one of the perks for their most dedicated customers.
Join the loyalty programs is always something I recommend. Membership is usually free and you earn points for each cruise you book, for the extra services you add, and for the money you spend aboard the ships.
Which members get free drinks?
Diamond members and above on Royal Caribbean receive a voucher for at least 4 daily drinks.
Elite members and above on Celebrity are invited to a nightly happy hour with complimentary cocktails, wine, and beer
Platinum level and above on NCL receive access to exclusive cocktail parties, where free drinks are provided
Travel in a suite
Passengers traveling in suites usually have access to exclusive areas of the ship and are entitled to certain services that are included in the cruise fare.
Before booking, I recommend carefully reviewing all the benefits so that you can make the most of them.
Just as guidance, passengers who travel in suites categorized as Sky Class and above on Royal Caribbean have access to the Suite Lounge, where they can enjoy complimentary alcoholic beverages during designated hours each evening.
Passengers who book suites with access to The Retreat on Celebrity have access to complimentary premium beverages throughout the ship.
Guests staying in The Haven on Norwegian, receive some drinks included as part of their suite benefits.
At the moment, all other cruise lines have limited offers in this regard, but don’t forget to ask about them when booking.
In addition, if you are thinking of booking a suite check out the 10 things you can find in a cruise suite that will make you feel poor.
Join the art auction
I don’t know if you knew, but on some cruise ships there are auctions where artworks are sold.
I recommend that you stop by, if you have time, for two reasons.
First, it is interesting to see a live auction if you have never attended one.
Second, during these kinds of events, the cruise lines usually offer complimentary champagne.
Tip the bartender
Before you start insulting me, I already know that it’s the wrong thing to do; everyone should pay for the drinks they consume.
However, we cannot deny that such behaviors exist and that they are even more frequent than one might imagine.
What am I talking about? Generously tipping the bartender to get a few free drinks.
In the article on how much extra should you tip cruise staff, I’ve explained to you how for these workers tips are an important addition to the salary they receive from the cruise line.
If the cruise ship is small enough and the bartender remembers you, you might get some free drinks.
Just remember that this behavior could cost them their job. You should never ask to receive free drinks.
Casino perks
Another interesting thing, that not everyone knows, is that you can get free drinks while you play at the casino.
Some cruise lines have a point system, and if you play enough you can receive free drink packages or “Drinks On Us” cards.
As you can imagine, this is not something I recommend and is not a good strategy if your goal is solely to drink for free.
You could lose more money than you would spend to buy a drink package. If you follow these tips you can even save some money.
Attend special events
I love how many special events and parties you can find during a cruise, I usually try to attend as many as I can.
To know where and what time they are held, remember to check the daily planner.
You can usually find it in your cabin or on the cruise line app.
It will be your best friend during the cruise, as I said in the article on the 10 things I wish I knew as a cruise rookie.
Generally, the most common events are welcome parties, Captain’s receptions, or loyalty member events and all of them have free drinks included.
Some drinks are free on every cruise
The last piece of advice I can give you is to go for the drinks that are generally free on all cruises.
Some people think that only water is included in the price, but that is not the case at all.
You can check the full list of free drinks here, and as you will see there are at least 10 different ones.
In addition, remember that sometimes the drink package is really worth it, especially if you drink enough and get it at a discounted price.
If you’re unsure, you can check the list of extras that are usually worth adding on a cruise.
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