Is the bar free on a cruise?
Most luxurious cruise lines have bars that provide you with all that you require for a fee. However, what you might not know is that some cruise lines also have some drinks that you can enjoy without having to pay anything for them.
How much do alcoholic drinks packages cost on cruise ships? The cost of cruise line drinks packages varies widely by line. At several of the biggest cruise brands, including Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America, the main drinks packages that include all types of drinks cost about $60 per person per day.
Prices for cocktails on cruise ships usually run about $10-14 per drink, before gratuity. So expect to spend about $12 to $16.50 per beverage when gratuity is added.
Your cruise fare always includes food for breakfast, lunch and dinner on a cruise ship. However, not all venues that offer food will be free. The main dining room and cruise ship buffet will always be included in your cruise fare, though a few specialty items might cost extra.
Since cruise ships are in international waters, there aren't restrictive laws about when bars can open. No matter the time of day (outside of possibly the early morning hours), you'll be able to find somewhere open.
As part of the cruise price, there is always complimentary food of many types and flavors. Drinks included are tap water, some juices and iced tea on most lines; everything else typically costs extra. Coffee and tea are complimentary, but you'll need to pay for specialty coffee beverages.
If you decide not to buy a Royal Caribbean drink package, then you will buy drinks individually. Plus, each time you order a drink, there will be an 18% gratuity on the bill. What is this? This can make drinks pricey, but it might be a better option than buying the deluxe package if you don't drink much.
Most cruise lines allow 2 bottles of wine or sparkling wine per cabin and some do allow liquor or beer. You can enjoy that in the stateroom, or pour a glass and walk freely with it, but if you want to bring the bottle to the dining room they will charge you a corkage fee.
While most cruise lines allow you to carry on a bottle of wine or two, they also forbid passengers from bringing additional beer, liquor or other alcoholic beverages on board.
Yes. Every major ship will have at least one place where you can get something to eat around the clock. For some it is a sit-down restaurant, such as The Local on Norwegian Cruise Lines.
Can you bring food back to your room on a cruise?
On most cruises, nobody will object if you take food from the buffet or another casual restaurant and bring it back to your room. However, you can always ask your server to plate up your meal to take with you or if you need to sit down at a specialty venue early for some reasons or leave the main dining room.
Guests may also bring non-alcoholic beverages as carry-on items on boarding day. Non-alcoholic beverages may not exceed 12 standard (17 oz.) cans, bottles or cartons per stateroom. Milk and distilled water brought on for infant, medical, or dietary use are permitted.

Royal Caribbean allows the use of drink packages right from the start. Just don't be surprised if you can't get your favorite drink the moment you step on board.
Legal Drinking Age on Cruise Ships
That said, you'll notice that most cruise ships sailing from North America have a minimum drinking age of 21 years to abide by United States law. This is despite Mexico and some places in Canada having minimum drinking ages of 18 or 19.
One of the most beloved cruising traditions that has been phased out is the midnight buffet. Back when cruising had a more structured dining schedule, most cruisers only had the option to eat at the buffet or dining room during an early or late night seating for dinner.
A small quantity is considered a maximum of 12 sealed, unopened cans/cartons of 12-ounces/354-ml each or less, per person.
Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle Members can enjoy beverages from this happy hour menu at any bar or lounge onboard*. *Select bar locations are excluded from Happy Hour. Menu items are subject to change at any time. Happy Hour times vary by ship.
There is no limit on a Royal Caribbean drink package in terms of how many drinks a guest may consume in a day or throughout the cruise. The only limit on a drink package is that you may only order one drink per order, per drink package.
Yes, you can buy a beverage package. These all-you-can-drink packages allow passengers to pay a set fee up front for unlimited drinks (of a certain type, as outlined by the package's fine print), rather than pay per drink once onboard the cruise ship.
If you go on an all-inclusive vacation, it means your stay, unlimited food, drinks, activities and entertainment are included in the booking price of the resort – without any surprise costs.
Is it worth it to get the drink package on Carnival?
Are Carnival drink packages worth it? Generally speaking, a Carnival drink package is worth it if you drink five or more alcoholic drinks per day. The unlimited soda package is worth it if you drink four or more sodas or juices per day. The exact number of drinks depends on what it is that you drink.
Cash is not accepted at the onboard shops. All purchases made at the Royal Shops must be made using your Seapass® card.
Are cruise ship bars open day and night? Cruise ships make it easy for you to buy drinks at all hours; on most large cruise ships, you can start with Bloody Marys and mimosas in the morning, move on to fruity drinks by the pool, grab pre-dinner martinis and finish up your night with an Irish coffee.
Alcoholic beverages (beer, seltzer or hard liquor) seized on embarkation day will not be returned. Guests may also bring non-alcoholic beverages as carry-on items on boarding day. Non-alcoholic beverages may not exceed 12 standard (17 oz.) cans, bottles or cartons per stateroom.
11. Don't buy drinks for anyone underage. The drinking age on all U.S.-based cruise lines is 21 -- even when sailing international waters. (Under special circumstances, some cruise lines allow 18- to 20-year-olds to purchase and consume alcohol with a parent's consent.)
Do cruise lines check for alcohol? All cruise lines will check luggage for alcohol as well as drugs, weapons, irons, drones and other prohibited items during the embarkation process. They will check all checked and carry-on luggage with scanners as well as manual spot checks.
Specifically, “the law limits personal importation by an adult to once every 30 days with limits of: 1 gallon of distilled spirits, 3 gallons of wine, and 288 ounces of malt beverages (24 12-ounce containers). “ Keep in mind that this is per adult. So a couple can bring in twice as much.
Yes, there will food provided for lunch once you get onboard the ship. Depending on which ship you are boarding, the options can vary, but in general the Windjammer buffet will be your go-to spot for an embarkation day lunch.
Your choices vary by ship, of course, but your basic cruise fare entitles you to eat three meals a day in the main dining room or the buffet, as well as free venues that can include Guy Fieri's Burger Bar, a Mexican restaurant open for breakfast and lunch, a deli, soft-serve ice cream, various snack spots, and 24-7 ...
If it's homemade, not in a sealed package or needs refrigeration or to be cooked, it's prohibited. The only food allowed on cruise ships is store-bought items in sealed, shelf-stable packaging. If you're tempted to try to smuggle something on board, it's not recommended.
Are there fridges in cruise ship rooms?
Most cruise lines do usually have a fridge of sorts in the cabins. These fridges are really “mini-bars.” Sometimes they are stocked full of snacks, drinks and alcohol that you can buy at an inflated price, others are empty for you to put your own drinks or snacks in.
If you miss the ship, you'll have to either meet it in a subsequent port of call or call it a wash and head home. Your cruise line, travel agent or travel insurance provider might be able to help you make the plans; otherwise, you'll have to make arrangements on your own.
Many luxury cruise lines, higher-end river lines, and some British and Australian lines have a no-tipping policy, and gratuities are not required. You can always tip at your discretion, though some crewmembers are not allowed to accept monetary gifts.
MSC Cruises Bottled Water Policy
MSC Cruises, like several other cruise lines, has also completely banned guests from bringing their own bottled water onto its ships. This is most likely a part of their effort to prevent alcohol smuggling and speed up the embarking process for its guests.
Whether you order from the bar, main dining room, or a specialty restaurant, soda will cost extra on all Royal Caribbean cruise ships. Currently, the price for a can of soda is $3.50, before the 18% gratuity.
Each Interior stateroom includes: Either a Royal king size bed or two twin beds, private bathroom with shower, vanity area, a TV and telephone, fridge or minibar, hair-dryer and 24 hour room service.
Don't Forget Lunch
Many first-time cruisers don't realize that they won't be able to go directly to their staterooms upon boarding. Pass the time while you wait for your room to be ready and for the ship to set sail by enjoying lunch on the Lido Deck of the ship.
Women can simply wear a cocktail dress or a nice blouse with pants. For men, it's fine to wear a suit, or even a buttoned-down shirt and a pair of slacks if you don't want to get too fancy. Nice jeans would also be ok, although we'd suggest something slightly more dressy.
Avoid arriving at peak boarding time
We recommend getting to the terminal either early, before the rush, or late (after 2 p.m.), when most people are already onboard. You might still have a little wait, but it won't be anything compared to peak boarding time.
Prices for cocktails on cruise ships usually run about $10-14 per drink, before gratuity. So expect to spend about $12 to $16.50 per beverage when gratuity is added.
Can a 20 year old drink on a Royal Caribbean cruise?
ALCOHOL POLICY
The minimum age to consume alcohol on Royal Caribbean International ships on sailings originating in North America or the Caribbean is twenty-one (21).
Cruise ship tap water is safe to drink unless you are told otherwise by the ship's authorities. The water throughout the ship has been treated, filtered and frequently tested to meet the standards of the World Health Organization and the U.S. Public Health Service on ships sailing into and out of U.S. ports of call.
Yes, food can be delivered to your cabin 24/7 on most major cruise lines' ships. Typically, the room service menu features a Continental breakfast (some lines offer a few hot items, sometimes for an extra fee), plus an all-day menu of sandwiches, salads, pizza, perhaps a few hot items or appetizers, and dessert.
At night for dinner guests can go for casual or smart casual clothes at most of the restaurants. Although for specialty restaurants in cruise ships a formal dress code is suggested. The cruise line does not have any kind of formal nights but 'Norwegian's night out' can be considered as the formal night.
Cruise ships are good at making food available 24/7, so if you're hungry, there's usually no one to blame but yourself. The main dining room usually has set meal times, but sections of the buffet will always be open, and you'll usually be able to find a diner, cafe, or pizza shop that's open at all hours.
Most cruise lines allow 2 bottles of wine or sparkling wine per cabin and some do allow liquor or beer. You can enjoy that in the stateroom, or pour a glass and walk freely with it, but if you want to bring the bottle to the dining room they will charge you a corkage fee.
Guests are prohibited from bringing alcoholic beverages on board with the following exception - at the beginning of the cruise during embarkation day only, guests (21 years of age and older) may bring one 750-ml bottle of sealed/unopened wine or champagne, per person, in their carry-on luggage.
Specifically, “the law limits personal importation by an adult to once every 30 days with limits of: 1 gallon of distilled spirits, 3 gallons of wine, and 288 ounces of malt beverages (24 12-ounce containers). “ Keep in mind that this is per adult. So a couple can bring in twice as much.
How much are drinks on a cruise? On most cruise lines' ships, alcoholic drinks cost extra and incur an automatic 15 to 20 percent service fee. Pricing will vary by line, but it's akin to restaurant and nicer bar prices -- about $12 per cocktail, $8 to $10 per glass of house wine, $14 to $25 for nicer wines.
Can guests purchase the all-inclusive beverage packages for selected days? The package is sold for the first 2 days of the voyage and can only be purchased for the length of the voyage. On a 2 or 3-night cruise, guests must purchase on the first day.
Can one person get a drink package on Carnival?
Does the package have to be purchased for the entire week or can it be purchased on a daily/a la carte basis? The beverage package can only be purchased for the entire voyage at a rate of $59.95 USD per person, per day via Carnival's website and $64.95 USD per person, per day if purchased once on board.
What drinks are free on Carnival cruises? Carnival Cruise Line is pretty generous with the free drinks on offer in the main dining room, buffet and room service. The free drinks include water, lemonade, fruit juice, coffee, hot tea, iced tea, hot chocolate, milk and chocolate milk.
This menu is up-to-date as of March 2023 and reflects the latest price increase. Prices on alcoholic beverages have been raised to $13 and non-alcoholic beverages have been raised to $9.50. Available on most Carnival ships.