One of the factors which causes confusion for a lot of first time cruise passengers is around the drinks on board. Unless the site you are booking from says that they are offering all inclusive cruises including alcohol it is highly unlikely that the drinks will be included.
The reason that this is important is because cruise ships tend to charge high prices for their drinks. Obviously most people want to enjoy their once in a lifetime holiday without getting drunk or waking up with a hangover. However, you may just want to finish off an excellent meal with a glass or two or wine or watch the sun sink into the horizon with a cocktail in your hand.
These pleasurable moments become a little bit less special when you know that the drink you are holding has just cost you a lot of money. The five options we have listed below all include alcohol at the time of writing, although you should check again before booking.
- Carnival Cruises Caribbean Cruise. This is one of the big names in the cruise ship world. If the idea of raising a toast to your incredible island adventure appeals then this is a good choice.
- Royal Caribbean Cruises. With this line there is a nightly self service bar on offer, and more drinks perks for people who are in their loyalty scheme.
- Silversea Cruises. In the likes of their Alaska cruises you will get free alcohol included[1]. As with most lines, this offer doesn’t extend to the expensive brands.
- Princess Cruises. You will find that with these all inclusive cruises alcohol included comes during the special evenings such as the captain’s welcome event.
- Seabourn Cruises. As with just about all of the different cruise lines, the minimum age for consuming on these ships is 21[2] regardless of which country you are in.
If you go with a trip which isn’t one of these all inclusive cruises including alcohol you should check whether you can take your own beverages on board. In many cases you can’t and even if you can there may be a high corkage fee in the restaurants. A final point is to note that these are unlikely to be among the cheapest cruises you will come across. Choosing an option without alcohol included will generally be less expensive, although the cost of your evening tipple may eat up that difference.
[1] http://www.alaskabysea.com/small-ship-cruises-faq.php
[2] http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=245
Photo by Bernt Rostad
