Cruise lines would have you believe the drink package buys you freedom. It doesn’t. I discovered that by skipping the “drink as much as you like” mentality, I actually enjoyed one of the best cruises of my life. I laughed harder, slept better, and caught every sunrise I used to sleep through.
Don’t get me wrong—this isn’t about quitting. I still drink at home. But once I stopped chasing “getting my money’s worth,” cruising hit different. I treated myself to a spa day and the best excursion of my life.
The reality? The real upgrade isn’t the drink package—it’s refusing to buy into the cruise line’s illusion of “fun and freedom” at sea.
Here’s what the cruise lines don’t want you to realize until it’s too late.
Everyone Thought I’d Ruin My Carnival Cruise — But I Proved Them Wrong
I didn’t plan to skip drinking on a cruise—I just wanted to try one cruise without heading to breakfast with my head pounding. Friends said I was mad, that I’d ruin the entire cruise. “A Carnival cruise without cocktails, where’s the fun in that?” they said. Thing is, they were wrong.
By day three, while they were groaning through breakfast, I was watching dolphins off the aft deck, and enjoying coffee—not to mention a clear head. Turns out, the joke was on me. I’d spent years paying hundreds to forget the best parts of a cruise vacation.
Ask around any Cruise Critic forum, and you’ll see debates raging about “cheers packages” and overpriced drinks. Many swear that no cruise is complete without a drinks package. For them, it’s their definition of “freedom at sea.” Others? They’ve wised up to what’s really going on.
More and more cruisers realize the beverage package is a clever upsell that makes you feel social while quietly draining your wallet. The cruise lines say paying between $80 and $100 per day is “something to cheer about.” Add on gratuities, and we all know who’s really cheering—the cruise line accountants!
I used to roll my eyes at those who skipped the drinks package. Now I get it. Sometimes the real rebellion isn’t skipping the drinks—it’s realizing you never needed them to have fun in the first place.
Let’s be honest, do you always cave to the pressure and grab the drink package—just in case? Or do you have the willpower to skip it, walk past that embarkation-day sales pitch, and see what cruising feels like without the built-in buzz?
Why I Skipped the Drink Package — and Didn’t Regret It for a Second
Cruise lines promote the drink package like it’s the ultimate deal. Drink when you want, what you want, no guilt, no math. Sounds like freedom, right? Except it’s not. But let’s be honest: since when did spending over $400 a week on alcohol qualify as a smart move?
The reality is, I’ve saved hundreds by skipping the unlimited-beverage rip-off. That money now covers spa days, private beach excursions, and specialty dining. My friends? Usually missing the real fun because they’re napping off daiquiris. For once, my splurge actually felt like luxury instead of a hangover.
That “freedom” quickly feels like a financial anchor. I was no longer drinking for fun—it was for the math. Unless I snagged my quota of eight to ten drinks per day, I felt I was wasting money. For me, absolute freedom is not having to justify what I’ve spent or go chasing “value” just to get my “money’s worth.”
Be honest—do you actually think the drink package pays off on every cruise you’ve been on?
Cruise Lines Don’t Want You to Know How Many People Are Going Dry
Here’s something cruise lines don’t advertise: more people are skipping the drinks package than ever before. Ask any bartender off the record on Royal Caribbean, NCL, or MSC, and they all say the same: “more cruisers opting for mocktails.” Or, they’ll tell you that there’s been “a lot of dry cruisers lately.”
Cruise lines offer “unlimited soda” packages or “zero-alcohol refreshments,” but why would they heavily promote them? That’s because the entire cruise industry depends on booze. It’s not just ingrained in the culture, but it’s the engine powering those mega ships.
Once you see through the fog of cruise marketing, it’s hard to unsee. Every “bottomless” deal feels more like a leash than freedom. It’s not rebellion to skip it—it’s awareness. And that might be the one thing the cruise lines can’t sell back to you.
Let’s be honest—are cruise lines really trying to get you “faster to the fun,” or just faster to the bar tab? Every cheer, swipe, and refill keeps their pockets full while yours spring leaks.
What You Start Noticing When the Buzz Isn’t Yours
When I stopped chasing refills and trying to get my “money’s worth,” the ship transformed. Of course, the cruise ship didn’t change, but my experience did. Walking around with a clear head, the lights seemed sharper and the music warmer.
I realized that without the usual “bar buzz” in my head, I enjoyed the vacation even more. I noticed more of what was going on. The artwork in stairwells, crew members joking as they polished railings, and staff rehearsing for the evening show. I thought, “Wow, there’s so much going on that I never noticed before.”
It’s strange when you stop focusing on grabbing the next round or staggering back to your cabin, how much the cruise experience changes.
Mornings Hit Different When You’re Actually Rested for Them
Mornings onboard used to be rough. Pounding headache, dry mouth, and hoping black coffee could fix bad choices. Anyone in the habit of chasing “value” from their drinks package knows what I’m talking about. But without the hangover, I started seeing what I’d been missing.
Now, I’ve got the energy to get up early, head to the buffet before most passengers have surfaced, and eat in peace. After that, I’m on deck just after sunrise, hot coffee in hand, and watching the ocean glide past. Honestly, I don’t miss the crowds, thumping music from the pool deck, or that groggy feeling after overindulgence.
People say vacations are for sleeping in. Maybe. But watching the sun crawl up over open water while half the ship’s still dead to the world is the kind of peace not included in drink package perks.
What do you think’s better? One more round at midnight to meet your quota, or watching the ocean wake up before anyone else?
The Awkward (and Funny) Moments No One Warns You About
One of the funniest things about avoiding booze onboard is people’s reactions. I’ve heard them all. At the start, I was confused by some comments, others were worth a visible eye-roll, and some people came out with ridiculous opinions.
“Oh, I understand, if you’re on medication,” one couple said. Another asked if I’d “found religion.” Still, another non-drinker asked me if I wanted to join him at the “Friends of Bill” meet-up. Only later did I realize it was an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.
But the ingrained drinking culture on a cruise ship really hit when my tablemates were straight out with, “Come on, you’re on vacation!” like it was some kind of unwritten cruise law. Some bartenders would say, “Here’s your Virgin Piña Colada. Try not to overdo it this time,” with a wink.
Funny thing is, once the awkward stage passed, it started to feel good. No excuses, no stories, just cruising on my own terms. And watching people stumble and trip their way back to their cabins at midnight? Let’s just say, true freedom has its perks.
Be honest—do you assume something’s wrong, or can someone just choose not to drink for once?
The Drink I Thought I’d Miss Most Ended Up Being the One I Didn’t Need
I used to think mocktails were just fancy juice for people on antibiotics. Then I ordered one out of curiosity—a pineapple-basil spritzer—and it was a game changer. The bartender grinned, said, “Zero-proof, but full flavor,” and started mixing like he’d been waiting for someone to ask.
Before long, I had a rotation: Mojitos, Shirley Temples, Arnold Palmers, Mango Mules, even an Espresso Martini that didn’t ruin my morning. Same garnish, same glass, same vibe—just no hangover. What I didn’t expect was other passengers asking what I was drinking.
Even the zero-proof beers now taste like the real thing. The only type of non-alcoholic drink that doesn’t do it for me is wine. But with so many alternatives, there’s never been an issue.
Where do you stand? Would you try a mocktail if it looked exactly like the “real thing”?
The Crew Treats You Differently (And It’s Not in Your Head)
One of the surprising things I discovered on a “no-booze cruise” was the crew’s attitude. Bartenders weren’t just drink slingers anymore; they started talking. One night, the guy who usually handed me beer told me he was saving up for a music school in Manila. Another waiter showed me photos of his kids during a quiet lunch rush.
When you’re clear-headed, you actually listen. The jokes land differently, and the smiles feel genuine rather than transactional. One bartender even said, “You’re the only one who remembers my name the next day.” Then it hit me—how much garbage do these guys have to put up with from drunk guests?
These people work brutal hours, deal with every type of guest imaginable, and still find time to make your vacation feel effortless. Treating them like humans instead of background noise? That’s the easiest tip I’ve ever given someone.
The Night That Changed How I See Cruising Forever
It hit me one night around midnight. The deck was empty, finally quiet, just the sound of waves slapping the hull. Usually, I’d be at the bar or half asleep on a lounge chair by now—but this time, I was gazing at a full moon shimmering on the water.
In the past, I’d been paying hundreds to do something I could do any weekend at home—hit a bar, drink too much, and hope I remembered how I got home, but this? Walking a quiet deck under a sky full of stars? You can’t buy that view anywhere. It was the first time I realized I’d been wasting the best part of cruising.
What do you think: which version of me was really enjoying the cruise—the one chasing shots or the one actually seeing the sea?
Turns Out, Picking the Right Cruise Can Change Everything
I’ve realized over the years of cruising that some itineraries practically dare you to drink. I’m talking about three-day Caribbean party routes, short weekend runs, and the like. But sail somewhere like Alaska or the Mediterranean and it’s a different story. The pace slows, the crowds are calmer, and suddenly, not drinking doesn’t feel like rebellion—it just fits.
So here’s the question: are you picking itineraries for the destination, or for the open tab that comes with it?
The Takeaway the Cruise Lines Don’t Want Going Viral
I’m not saying everyone should skip the cruise drink package. For some, the package makes sense. But if you’ve ever wondered what cruising might feel like without it, try it once. See what happens when you trade the bar tab for something that actually lasts—a balcony upgrade, a spa day, a dream excursion you thought you couldn’t afford.
Cruise lines want you to believe fun comes in a glass. Maybe it does. Or perhaps the real luxury is remembering every moment you paid for. Would you risk finding out?
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