Royal Caribbean drinks package hack will save you money on future cruises

In this economy, it feels like everything is constantly getting more expensive, whether it's your electric bill or the price of your annual family holiday.

While the latter certainly feels like more of a luxury, savvy savers have found a clever loophole for anyone travelling on a Royal Caribbean cruise this summer, to ensure you make the most of every last penny spent.

Earlier this year, it was announced the cruise line would be making some major changes to its drinks packages that would give passengers more for the same amount of money.

But while these beverage packages can only be used for one cruise journey, it turns out there's one specific drinks bundle that can be used on more than one trip — though few passengers even know about it.

Not everyone knows about this bundle (Gerard Bottino/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Anyone who has ever been on a cruise and bought a drinks package will know it can sometimes feel like a bit of a race to get your money's worth, but that's not the case when it comes to Royal Caribbean's specialty coffee bundle.

The coffee bundle includes 15 tokens and comes in the form of a punch card to redeem a number of different hot beverages.

Passengers can access basic coffee on board free of charge, however, those who have purchased the coffee card can save on a number of different drinks, including; single espresso, tall espresso-based beverages, tall chai latte, tall hot specialty tea and hot chocolate.

Meanwhile, some larger hot drinks are redeemed as two punches, such as double espresso or grande chai lattes and hot chocolates.

Getty Stock Images

The biggest difference, however, between the specialty coffee bundle and the other drinks packages, is that any unused beverages on the card can be redeemed on subsequent Royal Caribbean cruises.

The Specialty Coffee Card package costs around $35 (£26) and can be purchased from Café Promenade or Café Latte-tudes. Or, if you're sailing on Icon of the Seas, Pearl Café.

One caveat is that passengers on board ships that boast a Starbucks cafe will not be able to redeem drinks inside the chain coffee houses, however, they can be used on Starbucks brand coffees brewed at Café Promenade.

All in all, it might not seem like the biggest saving in the world, but if you're a regular cruiser and you happen to like your coffee, it's well worth knowing how you can save a penny or two without sacrificing your favourite brew.