The Cruise Drink Package: Let's Do the Math

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Who is ready for a mathematical experience with somebody that doesn't do math? I mean, I got my trusted calculator here, so we're going to do it this way. But I wanted to actually take you through an example of what we're looking at when we try to figure out whether something is worth it or not in terms of a drink package.

So I'm going to go with the specifics for an upcoming sailing I have on Legend of the Seas. We have a group going, so if this all appeals to you and you'd like to join us on this trip, please do reach out. But it is February 20th to the 28th, 2027 on Royal's newest ship, Legend of the Seas. It is an eight-night Southern Caribbean sailing. So we are stopping in Aruba for a very long day, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. We're going to Curaçao. We're going to Cabo Rojo in Puerto Rico from 12 to 7. And then we have three sea days and a day at Royal's Private Island, Perfect Day at CocoCay. So remember, we can use the drink package there. So that's going to factor into what's worth it and what's not. So let's start with...

the current rate as of May 2026 for the deluxe beverage package on Legend of the Seas for this particular sailing is $91.99 per person per day. So we've got 91.99 times that 18 percent gratuity, so that is 16.56. So we've got 91.99 plus 16.56 is $108.55 per day per person. So this is an eight-night cruise, so we're going to hit that times eight. And so for one person, that is $868.40. Now you have to buy it for both people in the room, and I am letting Eric go on this particular sailing, so we're going to hit times two for that one. So we're looking at a beverage package for this deluxe beverage package is $1,736.80. That's a lot of money. That's a lot of money.

Now, if we went with the refreshment package, which remember has everything included with the deluxe beverage package, except for the spirited beverages. So we've got mocktails, we've got specialty coffees, bottled water, they even have coconut water, they've got frozen drinks like without the spirits in them, they've got soda, like all of that stuff. It's all unlimited from the moment you step on the ship until the moment you get off, including on CocoCay. And that one is actually $32.99 without the tax. So let's do $32.99 times .18, so that is going to be $5.94. So we've got $32.99 plus $5.94, so that is going to be $38.93 per person per day for eight days, which is $311.44. Again, Eric is coming, so now we're looking at a total beverage package of $622.88 for the refreshment package.

Keep in mind that because we're adding that 18% on at the very beginning, which is required when you actually go to order your drinks, you're not paying any extra there. So you're literally walking up with your Royal Caribbean room card, they're scanning it, seeing that you are who you are because your picture is attached to it, and then they're handing over whatever it is that you're ordering. So Royal's drinks are really going to be right in that $14 mark unless you're going to add that top-shelf stuff, and that's what the drink package covers is 14. So we're going to use that $14 drink max to figure out how much you would need to break even if that's what you're trying to do. If we're trying to make the math math, we want to know how much do we need to drink every single day in order to get our money's worth. So $1,736.80 and divide that by 14, that means 124 and change over the eight nights. So let's divide that—this is actually 15 and a half adult spirited things is what we would need to do. Now, let's imagine that we're buying water bottles because I mean, you'd have to for that math, right? Specialty coffee in the morning, maybe you're getting some sodas, maybe you're really drinking a lot of coconut water because you've been in the sun and you're trying to keep hydrated. That's going to drop a little bit, but I think it's fair to say that you're probably looking at a total of maybe six or seven drinks per person per day in order to get the value of your plan. Will you be doing that? Something to think about, right?

Let's look at the refreshment package real quick, which is $311.44 per person. So it's that 62.88 and then we're going to divide that by eight, so that's 77.86. I don't even know what I'm doing the math for anymore, folks. What am I trying to figure out here? I don't—I don't know. Oh, so 77... So if we look at it this way with the two of us on the refreshment package, it's 62.88, and then that breaks down to about $77.86 per day. If you're looking at specialty coffees that are like, you know, five to seven dollars apiece—let's say six dollars for coffee, let's say $10 for those frozen non-spirited pool drinks, and let's see, maybe a couple of coconut waters, which are going to be about that $7—you're going to hit that much easier. The other thing to consider is if you buy that refreshment package, you can, a la carte, purchase a shot. So that's how you can get around that because it's going to be a lot less money for a little tiny glass of something than if you were going to buy the entire beverage with the spirits in it. Makes sense? All right.

So hearing this math, I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that we are going to go with that refreshment package because I love my coffee. I love a blueberry mojito, especially on Royal—they do such a good job with those. Love that. I'm definitely feeling the coconut water because when you're out in the Southern Caribbean, it's going to be sunny, hopefully, and I want to make sure that we have a lot of hydration and that is all going to factor into the fact that we have a lot of hydration. And I am somebody that likes to pay for it all upfront. Like if I pay for it now in May and I don't travel until February, it's basically free, right? It's basically free by that point. So why would I not? Tell me what you do.

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