Cunard’s Drink Packages: Buy One or Pay As You Go?

Have you recently booked a cruise with Cunard and are wondering if you should purchase one of Cunard’s drink packages?  Well, you aren’t alone. One of the most frequent questions I get as a travel consultant when clients book a cruise is “Does it include a drink package?”  And if the fare doesn’t include a drink package (which it often does not), the next question is “Should I buy one?” These two frequent questions are the main reason I decided to do a series of blog posts on cruise drink packages.

So far I have covered drink packages on the following cruise lines:

Cunard’s drink packages can be found in what they refer to as “A World of Drinks” options.  Inside a World of Drinks you will find the following drink packages:

Table of Contents

Beers, Wines & Spirits Option

The Beers, Wines & Spirits Option is the most inclusive of Cunard’s drink packages, as it includes the largest variety of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

This drink package includes:

  • Up to 15 alcoholic beverages per day priced at or below $13 USD
  • Soft drinks, fruit juices, mocktails, and bottled mineral water
  • Specialty coffees, teas & hot chocolates
  • 20% discount on any drinks not included in this package (with the exception of bottles of wine over $150)
Excluding the following:
 
  • Alcoholic beverages priced above $13 USD
  • Beverages in shops on board
  • Room service and mini-bar items
Package price as of September 2023:
 
Voyages 5 Nights or More:  $75 US per day on board, or $70 US per day prior to sailing through MyCunard platform.
Voyages 5 Nights or Less: $90 US per day on board, or $85 US per day prior to sailing through MyCunard platform.
 
 

Premium Soft Drinks Option

Cunard’s Premium Soft Drinks Option is the non-alcoholic equivalent of the Beers, Wines & Spirits Option.  This drink package is probably the best option for cruisers who want a large variety of drinks on board, but do not require a package that includes alcoholic beverages.  

The Premium Soft Drinks Option includes:

  • Mocktails, soft drinks, fresh squeezed juices, smoothies, and bottled mineral water
  • Specialty coffees, teas, and hot chocolates
  • 20% discount on any non-alcoholic drinks not included in this drink package

This package excludes the following:

  • Room service and mini-bar items
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Items in shops on board
Package price as of September 2023:
 
$35 US per day on board, or $30 US per day prior to sailing through MyCunard platform for all voyages.

Specialty Hot Drinks Option

Arguably the least inclusive of Cunard’s drink packages, the Specialty Hot Drinks Option was designed for cruisers who really just drink coffee and/or tea and not much else. 

As you have probably already guessed, this drink package includes specialty coffees, teas and hot chocolates.  It does not include any alcoholic beverages (yes, even the ones that contain coffee).  It also excludes room service or mini-bar items.

Package price as of September 2023:
 
$15 US per day on board, or $12.50 US per day prior to sailing through MyCunard platform for all voyages.
 

Soft Drinks Option

If you rarely drink anything other than soda, you will probably gravitate towards the Soft Drinks option when deciding to purchase one of Cunard’s drink packages.

This drink package includes:

  • Fountain sodas such as Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, R Whites Lemonade, Britvic Indian Tonic Water, and Soda Water
  • Select Long-Life Juices
  • Select Fruit Squash and Cordials

The Soft Drinks Option excludes the following:

  • Bottled water, canned/bottled soft drinks and juices
  • Alcoholic beverages, smoothies, and mocktails
  • Specialty coffees and teas
  • Room service and mini-bar items
Package price as of September 2023:
 
$12 US per day on board, or $10 US per day prior to sailing through MyCunard platform for all voyages

Wine Collections

Calling all wine connoisseurs, this is the Cunard drink package for you!

The expert sommeliers at Cunard have designed two different wine collections that you can choose from to create your very own wine selection of 6-48 exceptional bottles of wine.  The two collections you may choose from are: 

  • Commodore’s Collection
  • Captain’s Collection

These wines can be enjoyed throughout your voyage in restaurants, bars, or your personal stateroom.

Package prices as of September 2023:

Number of Bottles

6 Bottles

12 Bottles

24 Bottles

36 Bottles

48 Bottles

Bottle Discount

Captain’s Collection

$310

$550

$1,050

$1,495

$1,925

Up to 10% off

Commodore’s Collection

$445

$750

$1,375

n/a

$2,600

Up to 20% off

Cunard's Drink Packages: To Buy or Not To Buy?

Ultimately, when deciding whether or not to buy one of Cunard’s drink packages, it really comes down to how much you drink.  This is true for both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink packages.

While Cunard’s drink packages keep things simple by only offering 4 basic packages to choose from, their Beers, Wines, and Spirits option has two different pricing tiers based on the length of your cruise.  You will pay $15 US less per day on cruises that are 5 nights or more, which is an important consideration.  Up until recently, however, there wasn’t even an option to purchase a drink package on cruises less than 5 days.  

So for cruises less than 5 days, if you plan on drinking more than 7 alcoholic beverages per day, you will probably find that a drink package is worth it.  Similarly, on cruises that are longer than 5 days, it is probably worthwhile to have a drink package if you drink more than 5 alcoholic drinks per day.

Convenience is also a consideration when deciding whether or not to purchase a drink package. I prefer to have the majority of my vacation paid for up front, so I like the idea of a drink package. Not to mention the fact that I tend to indulge more when on vacation so that means more of everything, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks included. I find that after a couple of specialty coffees, a mocktail or two throughout the day, and a few cocktails in the late afternoon and evening, a drink package is money well spent.

However, one very important consideration to keep in mind, is how many port days are on your cruise itinerary. If you will be spending the majority of your time exploring ports of call for long days, buying a drink package may not make financial sense. 

Only you can decide if a drink package makes sense for you, but hopefully this information will assist you in making the best decision based on your individual drinking habits and the itinerary of your upcoming Cunard cruise.  Cheers!

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