Carnival Cheers Drink Package – Will It Save You Money on Your Next Cruise?

The Cheers! package looks tempting on the booking screen, but the honest answer to "is it worth it?" depends almost entirely on one number: how many drinks you realistically have each day at sea. This guide gives you a precise break-even formula, a worked example for a 7-night Caribbean voyage, a complete drinks-per-day verdict table, a rundown of the fine print that catches first-timers off guard, and practical tactics for squeezing the most value out of the package — or out of paying as you go. By the end you will have a personalized answer rather than a vague rule of thumb.

Here is the short version up front. Cheers! covers up to 15 alcoholic beverages per day plus unlimited non-alcoholic options, and it costs roughly $82.54 per guest per day when pre-purchased online before the cruise, or about $88.44 if you add it after boarding. The 18% gratuity is already included in both figures. Whether that price beats paying drink by drink comes down to your daily consumption habits, the average price of what you order, how many full days you spend on the ship versus ashore, and whether your cabin-mate also qualifies. Before you weigh the numbers, it helps to understand the alcohol policies on cruise ships more broadly, because rules about what you can bring aboard directly affect how much you end up buying at the bars.

What the Cheers! package actually covers

Carnival launched Cheers! as a flat-rate beverage program designed to replace the unpredictable bar tab with a single predictable charge. Understanding exactly what is in the package — and what is not — is the first step toward an honest cost comparison.

What is included:

• All alcoholic beverages priced at $20.00 or under per serving. This covers the vast majority of beers, cocktails, wines by the glass, spirits, and frozen drinks across Carnival's onboard bars and dining rooms.
• Unlimited sodas, including fountain drinks and canned options from the bars.
• Unlimited specialty coffees — lattes, cappuccinos, mochas, and similar espresso-based drinks from dedicated coffee venues and most bar stations.
• Unlimited bottled water (500 ml), juices, teas, and energy drinks.
• Non-alcoholic cocktails and mocktails.
• Milk, milkshakes, and smoothies at participating outlets.

What is not included:

• Beverages priced above $20 per serving. These receive a 25% discount rather than full coverage — a meaningful benefit for premium pours, but not free.
• Bottles of wine or spirits purchased in the duty-free shops onboard or ashore.
• Beverages from the minibar in your stateroom.
• Purchases at third-party venues operating within the ship (some specialty dining pop-ups or licensed partner outlets may fall outside the program).
• Souvenir cups or specialty merchandise cups billed separately.

The non-alcoholic component is frequently underestimated. A specialty latte typically runs $4.50 to $6.00 each when bought individually. Bottled water at the bar costs around $2.75. Two specialty coffees and three bottles of water per day add up to roughly $14 to $18 in à la carte spending — value that is invisible unless you factor it in when doing the break-even calculation.

How Cheers! pricing works in practice

Carnival charges Cheers! on a per-guest, per-day basis, and the published rate already folds in the 18% beverage service charge. As of 2026, the pre-cruise online rate sits at approximately $82.54 per adult per day, while the onboard rate climbs to about $88.44. Buying ahead of sailing saves roughly $5.90 per person per day — on a 7-night voyage, that is just over $41 per adult for the exact same coverage. There is almost never a financial reason to wait until you board.

One detail consistently surprises first-time buyers: the daily rate is applied across every night of the sailing, not just the days you expect to drink heavily. On a 7-night Caribbean itinerary at $82.54, the total per adult is approximately $577.78. On a 10-night voyage it reaches $825.40. Knowing that full-trip figure before you decide is precisely why the break-even math below matters.

Prices can vary slightly by ship, sailing date, and occasional promotional discounts. Always confirm the exact figure for your specific cruise on Carnival's website, since a $5 difference in the daily rate shifts the tipping point by roughly half a drink per day.

The break-even formula — calculate yours in two minutes

Ignore vague rules of thumb. Here is the three-step equation that tells you exactly where you stand:

1. Total package cost = daily rate × number of cruise nights. Example: $82.54 × 7 nights = $577.78 per adult.
2. Estimated à la carte cost = (your realistic daily alcoholic drink count × average price per alcoholic drink × number of nights) + 18% gratuity on top of that total. Then add the value of non-alcoholic items you would otherwise buy.
3. If your estimated à la carte cost exceeds the total package cost, buy Cheers!. If it falls below, pay drink by drink.

Step two requires an honest average price per drink. Based on current onboard menu pricing across Carnival's fleet in 2026, here is what individual beverages typically cost before the 18% service charge:

• Draft beer or 12 oz can: approximately $6.50 to $8.50
• 16 oz imported or craft beer: approximately $8.00 to $9.75
• Frozen cocktails and blended drinks: approximately $10.50 to $13.50
• Spirits-based cocktails: approximately $11.00 to $15.00
• Wine by the glass: approximately $9.50 to $15.00
• Premium spirits poured straight or on the rocks: approximately $9.00 to $14.00
• Specialty coffee (latte, cappuccino): approximately $4.50 to $6.00
• Soda or non-alcoholic mixer: approximately $2.75
• Bottled water (500 ml): approximately $2.75
• Energy drink: approximately $4.00 to $5.00

A blended average near $11.00 per alcoholic beverage is a reasonable planning figure for cruisers who mix beers, cocktails, and wine throughout the day. If you drink mainly higher-end cocktails or premium wines by the glass, push your average toward $13. If you prefer draft beer or budget cans, drop it to $8. Your choice of average price has a significant effect on where your personal break-even point falls.

A worked example for a 7-night Caribbean sailing

The Cheers! package costs $577.78 per adult for this voyage. Now consider three realistic drinking profiles, each using an $11.00 average alcoholic beverage price with 18% gratuity applied to à la carte totals. Each profile also adds a modest daily non-alcoholic spend — two specialty coffees and one bottled water per day, worth about $10.50 à la carte — to the comparison.

• Light drinker — 3 alcoholic beverages per day. Alcohol: 3 × $11.00 × 7 nights = $231.00. Add 18% gratuity: $272.58. Non-alcoholic items at à la carte prices: $10.50 × 7 = $73.50. Total estimated spending: approximately $346. Against the $578 package, paying as you go saves roughly $232 over the week. The package is a clear loss at this consumption level.
• Moderate drinker — 6 alcoholic beverages per day. Alcohol: 6 × $11.00 × 7 = $462.00, plus 18% gratuity equals $545.16. Non-alcoholic à la carte: $73.50. Total estimated spending: approximately $619. In this scenario the package would actually save about $41 per adult after accounting for non-alcoholic items, placing this squarely in "borderline — lean toward buying" territory. Without the non-alcoholic factor, à la carte wins narrowly at this count.
• Frequent drinker — 9 alcoholic beverages per day. Alcohol: 9 × $11.00 × 7 = $693.00, plus 18% gratuity equals $817.74. Non-alcoholic à la carte: $73.50. Total estimated spending without the package: approximately $891. Cheers! at $578 saves this person roughly $313 per adult for the voyage — a compelling margin.

These numbers are illustrative. What matters is the pattern: at an $11.00 average and modest non-alcoholic purchases, the tipping point for alcoholic drinks alone sits around 6 to 7 per day. Factor in two specialty coffees and a few waters daily and that threshold drops closer to 5 to 6. The more expensive your average cocktail choice, the faster the math swings in favor of Cheers!.

Break-even table — daily drink count versus verdict

This table uses the $82.54 daily package rate and an $11.00 average à la carte alcoholic beverage price, with 18% gratuity applied to the à la carte column. The non-alcoholic column adds roughly $10 in daily à la carte non-alcoholic items (two specialty coffees and one bottled water) as a separate reference point. Use this as a starting guide, then adjust for your own average price if you favor premium cocktails or cheaper beers.

Alcoholic beverages per day	Approx. à la carte alcohol cost/day (incl. 18% gratuity)	Add daily non-alcoholic à la carte (~$10)	Verdict vs. Cheers! at $82.54/day
1 to 2	$13 to $26	$23 to $36	Skip the package — significant savings paying as you go
3 to 4	$39 to $52	$49 to $62	Skip; pay as you go
5	about $65	about $75	Borderline — à la carte still wins narrowly without non-alcoholic items
6	about $78	about $88	Roughly break-even on alcohol alone; Cheers! pulls ahead when non-alcoholic is included
7	about $91	about $101	Buy Cheers!
8 or more	$104 or higher	$114 or higher	Buy Cheers! — clear savings, especially on longer sailings

The non-alcoholic column illustrates why daily coffee and water habits matter. Two lattes and a bottle of water already add $8 to $12 to your day at à la carte prices, and those items are unlimited under Cheers!. Frequent coffee drinkers who also enjoy five or six alcoholic beverages a day will typically find the package saves money even if pure alcohol math shows it as borderline.

Who the package is worth it for

Cheers! tends to deliver clear financial value — or at least peace of mind — for the following types of cruisers:

• Steady drinkers who genuinely average six or more alcoholic beverages per day across full sea days and evenings at the show lounge, casino bar, or pool deck. This is the core demographic the package was priced for.
• Premium cocktail drinkers. If your average drink costs $13 to $15, the break-even point falls to roughly four to five drinks per day instead of six to seven. A cruiser who orders mostly signature cocktails and premium wines can reach break-even with a much lighter pace.
• Coffee and soda enthusiasts who also drink alcohol. Unlimited specialty coffees alone can represent $30 to $40 in daily à la carte value for a habitual latte drinker. Combined with five or six alcoholic drinks, the package often pays off even by conservative math.
• Cruisers who want a fixed, predictable spend. Some guests find genuine value in eliminating bar tab anxiety entirely. Knowing the full beverage bill is settled before boarding lets you focus on enjoyment rather than mental arithmetic. That psychological benefit is real, even if it does not show up in a spreadsheet.
• Those on long sailings with mostly sea days. A 10- or 14-night voyage with few port stops maximizes daily onboard consumption and spreads the fixed cost over more high-value days than a short port-intensive Caribbean hop.

Who should skip the package

Cheers! will almost certainly cost you more than paying as you go in these situations:

• Light or social drinkers averaging one to four alcoholic beverages per day. Even generous estimates of non-alcoholic spending rarely close the gap at this consumption level. Paying drink by drink is the straightforwardly better deal.
• Beer-only drinkers sticking to draft or budget cans. If your average per-drink cost is $7 rather than $11, the tipping point climbs to roughly nine or ten drinks per day — a pace very few cruisers sustain. À la carte wins decisively for dedicated beer drinkers.
• Cruisers on port-heavy itineraries who drink mostly ashore. If five of your seven days end with dinner and drinks at a local restaurant instead of the ship's bar, your effective onboard count drops dramatically. Ports in the Caribbean and Mediterranean are often lined with reasonably priced bars and restaurants where you spend nothing against the package.
• Couples or cabin-mates with very different habits. The cabin-mate rule — covered in detail below — forces everyone of legal drinking age in a stateroom to buy the package. If one partner drinks heavily and the other nurses one cocktail at dinner, the math almost always fails for the cabin as a unit.
• Solo travelers or guests who primarily drink wine. Wine by the glass on Carnival ranges from roughly $9.50 to $15.00. At the lower end of that range, break-even shifts to seven or eight glasses per day — a pace that strains credibility for most vacationers.

The fine print that catches first-timers

Carnival's Cheers! terms include several rules that can quietly change your break-even calculation or create unexpected costs. Read these carefully before purchasing:

• Everyone 21 and older in the cabin must buy it. This is the most commonly misunderstood rule and the single biggest reason the package fails the math test for many couples and groups. If your stateroom has two adults and only one drinks regularly, you are paying double for a package that only one person will use heavily. There are no exceptions to this policy.
• It covers the entire voyage, not selected days. You cannot purchase Cheers! for just your sea days and opt out on port days. The package applies to every day of your sailing, so a 4-port, 7-night itinerary charges you for all seven days regardless of how little time you spend on the ship on port days.
• The daily ceiling is 15 alcoholic beverages. The package caps covered alcoholic drinks at 15 per guest per 24-hour window (measured from 6 a.m. to 6 a.m.). Non-alcoholic beverages remain unlimited throughout. In practice, the cap affects very few guests, but it is worth knowing it exists.
• One drink at a time, with a brief wait between orders. You cannot order multiple drinks in a single transaction, and the system enforces a short interval between rounds at the same bar. This prevents the package from being used to supply an entire group. Each person must present their own card.
• Beverages over $20 receive a discount, not free coverage. If you order a rare single malt or a premium Champagne by the glass priced above $20, Cheers! typically provides a 25% reduction rather than full coverage. This is still meaningful value on expensive pours, but plan accordingly if your tastes run premium.
• The 18% gratuity is already included in the daily rate. Unlike à la carte purchases where gratuity is added at the point of sale, the Cheers! price you see is the all-in price you pay. There are no surprise charges when you review your bill.
• Package availability and pricing vary by sailing. Some sailings, itineraries, or promotional periods may offer different rates or slightly adjusted terms. Always verify the current details for your specific cruise on Carnival's official site rather than relying on general figures.
• The package is non-refundable after sailing begins. Pre-purchased packages can typically be cancelled before the cruise departure date for a full refund, but once the voyage is underway the charge is final. If you realize on day two that you are not using it enough, you cannot get a partial credit.

How Cheers! compares to other Carnival beverage options

Cheers! is not the only way to manage your drink budget on a Carnival cruise, and understanding the alternatives helps confirm whether it is the right fit for your trip.

Bottomless Bubbles soda package. For guests who want unlimited fountain sodas but drink little or no alcohol, Carnival offers a non-alcoholic soda package at a significantly lower daily rate. This is the right choice for non-drinkers or designated drivers who still want unlimited soft drinks without paying for Cheers!.

Pre-purchased beverage credits and onboard credits. Carnival frequently bundles onboard credit (OBC) into promotional fares. Onboard credit can be applied directly to your bar tab, reducing your à la carte spend without committing to a daily package rate. If your sailing came with meaningful OBC, factor it into your à la carte estimate before deciding on Cheers!.

Dining package beverage inclusions. Some specialty dining packages and certain fare categories include a set number of complimentary drinks per meal. If you plan multiple specialty restaurant dinners, the included wine or cocktail service reduces your incremental bar spend and may tip the break-even point on Cheers! in the wrong direction.

Paying as you go. For a significant share of cruisers — particularly light drinkers, port-intensive sailings, or mismatched cabins — paying drink by drink remains the straightforwardly best financial outcome. There is no shame in skipping the package; it simply requires keeping an eye on your bar tab as the week progresses.

Practical strategies to get the most value

Whether you buy Cheers! or decide to pay à la carte, these tactics help you come out ahead:

• Purchase before you sail, not at the pier. The pre-cruise online rate saves approximately $5.90 per person per day compared to buying aboard. On a 7-night voyage for two adults, that difference amounts to roughly $83 before anything else changes. Log into your Carnival booking and add it under "Fun Shop" well before departure day.
• Be honest about your port day behavior. Think about your last port-intensive trip. How many evenings did you end up at a local bar rather than back on the ship by cocktail hour? Each port evening you spend ashore is a day's worth of package cost generating no return. Port-heavy itineraries like a Mexican Riviera sailing with five stops genuinely undermine the package's value.
• Count the non-alcoholic wins carefully. If you order two specialty coffees every morning, buy a bottle of water at every bar visit, and grab an energy drink before excursions, those purchases total $12 to $18 daily at à la carte prices. Track what you actually consume for a day or two at home and project it onto the cruise. Habitual non-alcoholic buyers often find the package pays off at a lower alcoholic drink count than the pure-alcohol break-even suggests.
• Watch for promotional discounts. Carnival periodically offers discounted Cheers! rates during pre-cruise sales events, holiday promotions, or as part of "Fun Bundle" deals. A 10% to 15% reduction in the daily rate moves your tipping point down by a full drink or more per day. When you book your Carnival itinerary, ask whether any current promotions bundle beverage packages at a reduced rate.
• Track your actual spend on day one if you skip it. If you decide to pay as you go, keep a running tally during your first full day at sea. Bar receipts add up quickly and looking at the total after dinner on day one is the most reliable reality check. Carnival allows you to add Cheers! while aboard — at the higher onboard rate — so if you realize you are consistently clearing $80 to $90 a day, you still have options.
• Consider your sailing length carefully. The package math generally improves on longer voyages. A 10-night sailing gives you more full sea days to reach your daily consumption target, and the higher total package cost is still worthwhile if your daily habits hold. Short 3- or 4-night "fun ship" sailings concentrated on party atmospheres may actually justify the package even at moderate drink counts, since sea days dominate the itinerary.

For more on timing your purchases and planning your overall cruise budget, see our guide on when to book your cruise to save the most money, and pair it with these practical tips for booking a cheaper cruise holiday to keep your total spend in check.

Frequently asked questions

How much does the Cheers! package cost per day in 2026?

As of 2026, the Cheers! package costs approximately $82.54 per adult per day when pre-purchased online before sailing, and about $88.44 per adult per day if you add it after boarding. Both figures already include the 18% beverage service gratuity. Because pricing can vary by sailing date and itinerary, always confirm the current rate in your Carnival booking portal for your specific cruise.

How many drinks do I need per day to break even?

At an average alcoholic beverage price of $11.00 and with moderate non-alcoholic purchasing factored in, the break-even threshold falls at roughly 5 to 6 alcoholic drinks per day. If you favor premium cocktails averaging $13 to $15, break-even drops to around 4 drinks. If you drink mainly draft beer at $7 to $8 each, break-even climbs toward 9 or 10 drinks. Use your own honest average price rather than the general $11 figure for the most accurate result.

Do both adults in a cabin have to buy the package?

Yes, without exception. Carnival's policy requires every guest aged 21 or older sharing a stateroom to purchase Cheers! if any one of them buys it. This rule exists to prevent package sharing. It is the single biggest reason couples with mismatched drinking habits opt out — if one partner drinks enthusiastically and the other has one cocktail at dinner, the combined per-couple math almost always favors paying as you go.

Can I buy the package for just part of my cruise?

No. Cheers! must be purchased for the full duration of the voyage. There is no day-by-day option and no ability to pause coverage on port days. This all-or-nothing structure is why the package works best on sailings with several consecutive sea days rather than port-heavy itineraries where you spend much of each day off the ship.

What exactly does Cheers! include and exclude?

The package covers up to 15 alcoholic beverages per day, plus unlimited sodas, specialty coffees, teas, bottled water, juices, and energy drinks — for any item priced at $20 or under. Beverages priced above $20 receive a 25% discount rather than free coverage. The package does not cover minibar items, duty-free bottle purchases, or beverages from venues outside Carnival's beverage program. The 18% gratuity is already included in the daily rate, so there are no additional charges when you order.

Can I add Cheers! after the cruise has started?

Yes, Carnival allows you to purchase Cheers! at the guest services desk or at a bar after the ship has sailed, but you will pay the onboard rate of approximately $88.44 per day rather than the lower pre-cruise rate of $82.54. The charge applies retroactively to all remaining days of the voyage, not from the day you purchase. You cannot add it for days already passed.

Is Cheers! available on all Carnival ships and sailings?

Cheers! is available on virtually all Carnival fleet ships, but there are occasional exceptions for certain sailings, embarkation ports, or promotional itineraries. Carnival cruises departing from Texas ports have historically had different alcohol service rules due to state regulations, though these policies have evolved over time. Always verify availability for your specific itinerary.

The bottom line

Cheers! is neither a guaranteed deal nor an overpriced gimmick. It is a straightforward math problem with one variable only you can supply: how many drinks you will genuinely consume each day on the water. Run the break-even formula using your own average price per drink, consult the table above, account for the mandatory cabin-mate rule, and be realistic about how much time you will actually spend on the ship during port calls.

If you land at six or more alcoholic beverages per day — especially when combined with regular specialty coffees and bottled water — buying Cheers! before you sail is almost certainly the right financial move. If you are under that threshold, ordering round by round will cost you less and leave you with no regrets. The goal of this analysis is not to push you toward the package; it is to give you the tools to decide confidently before you reach the check-in counter.

For further guidance on planning your cruise budget from the very beginning, explore our full resource on cruise ship alcohol policies and the broader travel research guides on this site. Questions about your specific sailing? Reach out via the contacts page and we will help you work through the numbers.