The Ultimate Guide to Drinking Alcohol on Cruise Ships

Welcome to Cruise Critic's guide to (responsible) drinking at sea. On this page, you'll find a breakdown of each cruise line's alcohol policy, ways to score free drinks, tips on how to decide if a beverage package is right for you and more. Click on the links for more info, and check out pictures of some of our favorite cruise ship bars.

Know Before You Go

Cruise Line Alcohol Policies

Some cruise lines allow you to bring your own wine onboard, while others will confiscate any ounce of alcohol you try to pass through at embarkation. Check out the each cruise lines' alcohol policies to plan appropriately.

Guide to Cruise Line All-You-Can-Drink Packages

It's easy to lose count of frozen umbrella drinks by the pool and rack up quite the bar bill. Consider a cruise line "all you can drink" package that can save you big bucks versus buying a la carte.

The Best of the Best

Best Cruise Ship Bars

Sip and socialize. From glitzy wine bars to English pubs, we round up our favorite bars at sea.

Best Cruise Cocktails

Herbs, bitters, egg whites … oh my! Quench your thirst for handcrafted concoctions with our eight favorite cruise cocktails.

Best Wine Bars on Cruises

Whether you prefer reds, whites, roses or bubbly, our five favorite cruise ship wine bars are sure to spark your grapelust.

Best Ships for a Craft Beer Cruise

Beer snobs, rejoice. See where you can get quality suds at sea, in our list of the best ships for craft beer.

Best Carnival Cruise Cocktails

Suffering from post-cruise depression? Re-create the five best Carnival cruise cocktails in your own kitchen.

Tips & Advice

Ways to Get Free (or Cheaper) Drinks on a Cruise

At-sea alcohol prices are anything but cheap. Stretch your wallet with these helpful tips.

Is a Cruise Drink Package Right for You?

We compare the benefits and drawbacks of drink packages to help you decide whether or not it's a good deal.

Caribbean Beer Checklist

Drink like a local with our guide to Caribbean beers.

New to Cruising

What to Expect on a Cruise: Alcoholic Drinks on Your Cruise Ship

Get the scoop on alcoholic drinks at sea as we break down what to expect.

Food, Wine & Beer Theme Cruises

Does wine tasting at vineyards along a European river sound like your perfect vacation? Consider a food, wine or craft beer theme cruise.

What to Expect on a Cruise: Drink Packages on Cruises

Beverage packages allow you to prepay for all your drinks instead of paying per drink. Learn more about what's included and how much they cost.