At-sea alcohol prices are anything but cheap, yet savvy cruisers know how to keep from drowning in their bar bill. We polled our editors and readers to compile these 14 great tips and tricks for scoring free or discounted pours on cruise ships.
One quick caveat: With a few justified exceptions, the following tips do not include wine. Policies vary, but most mainstream lines allow passengers to bring vino onboard in some fashion, though you'll likely have to pay a corkage fee to drink it in a restaurant.
Check out our full rundown of cruise line alcohol policies for more information.
On This Page
- Loyalty Pays ... in Booze
- Attend a Party
- Be Nice to the Bartender
- Check Out an Art Auction
- Look for Two-for-Ones
- Sit Down at the Game Tables
- Use a Travel Agent Who Loves You
- Opt for In-cabin Bottle Service
- Buy Yourself the Gift of Liquor
- Consider an All-You-Can-Drink Package
- Upgrade to Luxury
- A River of Beer and Wine
- Suite Guests Stay Lubricated
- Liquid Courage?
1. Loyalty Pays ... in Booze
2. Attend a Party
Disney Cruise Line's captain's cocktail party, which is open to all passengers on formal night, provides complimentary drinks. Princess Cruises and Oceania Cruises have similar welcome parties with free cocktails or Champagne.3. Be Nice to the Bartender
4. Check Out an Art Auction
At-sea art auctions and free, cheap sparkling wine go together like surrealists and curly moustaches. Whether you bid, buy or pass, the drinks are free. (Should you bid, buy or pass? Learn more about cruise ship art auctions.)5. Look for Two-for-Ones
Happy hours with discounted or two-for-one drinks and drinks of the day can give your wallet a break, especially if you save your cocktail purchases for these hours. Oceania has nightly happy hours with two-for-one specials at 5 p.m. and again at 10:30 p.m. in select bars. Princess and Holland America also tend to have BOGO specials at certain times. Always peruse the daily newsletter in your cabin for time and place, and note the fine print, such as drink exclusions or a requirement to purchase two of the same drink.6. Sit Down at the Game Tables
7. Use a Travel Agent Who Loves You
There are few better ways of saying, "Thanks for your business" than with the gift of vino. "Our travel agent buys us a bottle of wine for every cruise we book through her," writes reader Gloria. Be loyal to your travel agent, and you might find complimentary wine or Champagne waiting in your cabin on embarkation day.8. Opt for In-cabin Bottle Service
"Some of the lines offer bottles of liquor via room service," writes Scott. "So, we often will order a bottle of vodka, and a six pack of 7 Up or Sprite, and mix our own vodka-seven cocktails. It actually can save a lot of money, and you can have a cocktail in your room instead of having to go find a bar and wait in line." Not all lines offer this bottle service option, but those that do include Oceania, Holland America and Princess. Prices do vary by line, and so, too, will savings. (Bring your own cans of soda to save more.)9. Buy Yourself the Gift of Liquor
"We always buy ourselves a 'bon voyage' gift or two," writes Kim, referring to the pre-cruise order options, which can be delivered to your cabin. "Liquor is a particularly good deal. You are not supposed to take these drinks out of the cabin, but we have never been questioned when doing so." Lines that allow you to gift yourself alcohol include Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Oceania. As with the previous advice, you'll need to do some math to determine whether the liquor purchases will save you money compared with ordering drinks a la carte.10. Consider an All-You-Can-Drink Package
11. Upgrade to Luxury
On upscale lines like Seabourn and Silversea, all alcoholic beverages -- including Champagne -- are included in the fare, plus there's a stocked bar in every suite. (Note: Ultra-premium wines typically cost extra.) However, you'll be paying a pretty penny to book passage on one of these small, luxury ships.12. A River of Beer and Wine
"Take a river cruise," suggests reader Drew G. "We are taking a Viking cruise in Europe, and were told we could bring anything we wanted onboard. Booze. Beer. Wine. They volunteered the information. Plus, wine and beer are complimentary at night." Indeed, most river cruise lines include wine and beer, often locally sourced, with your evening meal and some offer these drinks at lunch, as well. Most are also liberal about passengers taking on local ales or vintages. River cruise fares are certainly more expensive than those found on a mainstream mega-ship line, but the inclusivity and hassle-free attitude is a welcome touch. Read more about this type of sailing on our River Cruises page.13. Suite Guests Stay Lubricated
14. Liquid Courage?
While we can't condone alcohol smuggling -- mainstream mega-ships are nearly unanimous in their restrictive policies (save for the aforementioned wine) -- many of you offered various means of subterfuge. But, be warned: Cruise lines have gotten savvy to smuggling tricks and have tightened rules for bringing any beverages onboard. Carnival, for example, no longer allows passengers to bring onboard nonalcoholic beverages in bottles (often used to hide clear booze like vodka), requiring water, soda, juice and tea to be brought onboard in unopened cans. Norwegian prohibits passengers from bringing onboard any drinks, other than a limited amount of wine (which is then charged a corkage fee).Updated April 24, 2020
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