Travel agent reveals amount of alcohol you need to drink to make cruise drinks package worth it

A travel agent who specialises in cruise ship holidays has revealed all when it comes to drink packages and if they're really worth it.

Those heading on a cruise ship can make the experience truly immersive and all-inclusive by upgrading to premium drinks packages.

The prices can differ significantly depending on who you're sailing with and what you're booking. P&O Cruises will cost you between £44.95 and £54.95 per day for its alcohol packages. In comparison, Royal Caribbean's booze option is around $89 (£71) a day.

Then there's the alcohol-free packages, which for P&O are £24.95 a day or up to $38 (£30) a day with the likes of Royal Caribbean.

Sure, it's not for everyone and they add to a cruising experience that certainly isn't cheap. One former cruise-worker-come-traveller even explains why she would never pay for one again.

But they are chosen by so many travellers year in, year out, that some people might feel peer pressured into it from the off.

Well, listen to the experts is our advice. And over on TikTok, one travel agent has revealed all when it comes to making that big decision.

Elisa, who runs The Paradise Travel Group, has posted a handy explainer to all her viewers that's been viewed thousands of times already.

"As a travel agent that specialises in cruises the number one question I get is 'should I purchase the drinks package?'" Elisa says.

"Let's talk about it. On average, the drink package typically pays off once you've had about six or seven drinks per day on your cruise. That's typically the point in which you're going to break even with your drink package.

"Now any drink above and beyond that is what you're benefiting from when you're purchasing the drink package. You're almost getting them for free.

"If you're the type of person that knows they're going to drink probably less than six to seven drinks per day, then that's the point in which you really want to ask yourself if the drink package is worth it for you.

"Because nine times out of ten, at that point it is just going to be less expensive to go a la carte for all your drinks. The one exception I say to this is if you are looking to go in to your cruise with an all inclusive mindset, you don't want to have to think about the drink prices, you don't want to have to worry, you want to know that it is prepaid and you can get whatever you want.

"In that case yes it's probably worth it to just splurge and get the drink package."

Elisa also shares a handy hack when it comes to getting the best price for your package, with the cost of them fluctuating significantly prior to sailing as cruise lines put on sales.

Well, you can take advantage of this. Elisa says: "The cruise lines totally vary but something I tell my clients is, especially on Royal Caribbean, those drink package prices are going to fluctuate a lot from the time you book your cruise up until the day of your cruise.

"It's always cheaper to purchase the drink package before your cruise but the day on which you purchase it might be a bit more expensive than two weeks later when they throw in a great sale.

"A lot of people don't know that these cruise add ons are refundable. So if you purchase the drink package and then three weeks go by... you find the drink package has dropped in price you can cancel your drink package and rebook it for the new lower rate. You can do this up until the week before the cruise."

There's so much more than alcohol too.

With Carnival cruises for example you get speciality coffees, energy drinks, bottled water, teas, and carbonated drinks.

"For Royal Caribbean you're getting all of that plus Johnny Rockets [milkshakes] which is a great perk," Elisa says.

"And for Celebrity Cruise Lines Premium drink package you're getting specialty coffees, teas, bottled water, mocktails."

So before booking, it's worth thinking how much you're actually going to drink and weighing up the costs.

Please drink responsibly. If you want to discuss any issues relating to alcohol in confidence, contact Drinkline on 0300 123 1110, 9am–8pm weekdays and 11am–4pm weekends for advice and support.