Worth It? Complete Guide to MSC Cruises Drink Packages (Updated)

Sailing on MSC and ready to really go on vacation? Then you might start with a drink package. Instead of worrying about the price of your bar bill, you can pay one set daily fee and get your drinks included for the entire cruise.

MSC ship at Ocean Cay with lighthouse
MSC Divina docked at Ocean Cay. Drink packages allow you to have your fill on the ship, but one nice perk is that it also extends to the cruise line’s private island.

On the surface, the MSC drink package is pretty simple. You pay the daily cost, and you get to drink your fill of whatever you want. However, with any drink package there are always a lot of options, fine print, and caveats.

To help you sort through the details and make sure you get the right deal for you, we’ve covered all the ins and outs of MSC’s drink packages below. This includes how to figure if the package is worth it for your cruise.

What Drink Packages Are Offered on MSC?

Following an announced revamp in late 2024, MSC has pared down the number of drink packages offered. The change includes going from three different alcoholic drink packages to only one.

Alcoholic Packages
MSC used to offer several different options for those wanting to drink their fill of cocktails and beer on the ship. It has now removed the Easy Package and Easy Plus Package, and now offers only the Premium Extra Package.

Easy Package: This deal offers selected drinks aboard the ship. Your options are somewhat limited, but it does include some beers, well cocktails, house wines, soft drinks, juices, bottled mineral water, and coffees. (Note: This package has now been removed from new bookings but if already booked, it will be honored.)

Easy Plus Package: A step above the Easy Package is the Easy Plus Package. Here you’ll find a much wider selection with cocktails, wines, and beers, as well as sodas, juices, energy drinks, and more. (Note: This package has now been removed from new bookings but if already booked, it will be honored.)

Premium Extra Package: After the revamp of offerings, MSC’s sole alcoholic drink package is known as  Premium Extra. With this package you get drinks by the glass up to $16 each. If you want a beer, cocktail, wine, specific brands of liquor, water, coffee, energy drinks, juices, and more, it’s almost surely included in this offer.

Non-Alcoholic Packages
MSC also has two non-alcoholic packages that feature drinks across the ship that don’t have alcohol. This includes non-alcoholic cocktails, soda, energy drinks, juice, water, coffees, tea, and even ice cream. They are known as the Alcohol-Free Package and the Minors Package. These appear to have the same beverages offered, but a cheaper price for those under 21 sailing from the United States. 

How Much Does the MSC Drink Packages Cost?

Your drink package gives you a run of drinks across the ship, from liquor to beer to non-alcoholic beverages.

Drink package pricing can be a bit confusing. Cruise lines can charge different rates for different length cruises and different amounts based on if you buy in advance or if you wait until you are on the ship.

We called MSC and were quoted a cost of $980 for the Premium Extra package for a couple sailing on a 7-day cruise. That comes out to a price of $70 per day.

Our phone call told us that the price was the same on the ship as buying ahead of time. MSC’s website says “beverage packages can be purchased before your cruise at a discount up to 20% compared to onboard prices.

This amount includes gratuity charges, unlike other lines.

Is Gratuity Included? Do I Need to Tip More?

Yes, gratuity is included in the cost of the package, according to MSC. So the price you see is the price you’ll pay.

And once at the bar, you don’t have to worry about additional charges or gratuity. It is already taken care of. You can tip more if you feel generous, but it’s not expected or required.

You should note that if you use the package to buy a drink while in port, you may be charged tax on the purchase.

Do I Have to Buy the Package For Each Day of the Cruise?

Yes. MSC requires guests who want the package to buy it for every day. You can’t purchase for single days. So if your cruise is a week, you’ll be charged for seven days, whether you have 10 drinks in a day or don’t drink anything at all.

Keep this in mind when considering the drink package. If you have a cruise with several days in port, you’ll still pay for the package even if you are off the ship and don’t use it (with the exception of Ocean Cay, where the package works on the island).

Also note that the package is not charged for debarkation day when your cruise arrives back home.

Does Every Person in a Cabin Have to Buy It If One Person Does?

Yes. MSC says that all guests sailing in a cabin must purchase the drink package if one person does. According to the terms posted on MSC’s website:

“Packages must be booked by all guests occupying the same cabin, and who are traveling together and wishing to dine at the same table. This includes minors, for whom the Minors Package must be booked. Packages are not obligatory for infants under three years of age.”

This is likely designed to limit sharing (one person buying the package and then getting drinks for someone without the package).

It’s important to note that this extends to kids as well. So if you are traveling with a minor that is three years or older, then you will have to purchase the non-alcoholic beverage package for them.

Kids under three don’t have to get a drink package.

What’s Included/Not Included in the Packages?

It used to be somewhat confusing with different packages and what was included. Now that the offers are streamlined into one offer, it’s much simpler. 

Premium Extra Package (Up to $16 per drink)
With the alcoholic drink package, you get your run of items across the ship. The official list from MSC includes:

  • Premium-brand spirits, liqueurs, and cordials
  • Wine and Champagne by the glass
  • High-end cocktails
  • Draft and bottled beers
  • Specialty coffee, tea, and hot chocolate
  • Fruit juices and smoothies
  • Soft drinks
  • Still and Sparkling water
  • All non-alcoholic beverages including beers and cocktails

In reality, this means if you want to go up to a bar and order something, it’s likely included.

There are two big exceptions that aren’t included: room service drinks and mini-bar items. For these, you’ll pay normal prices.

You can view the complete list of what’s included for each package on MSC’s website.

Does the Drink Package Work on Ocean Cay?

Coconut drink on MSC's Ocean Cay
Ocean Cay is MSC’s private island in The Bahamas. In a nice perk, your drink package extends to the island as well.

Ocean Cay is MSC’s private island (see our complete guide to the island here), and yes, the MSC drink package works on Ocean Cay just as it does on the ship.

Since cruises aboard MSC from Florida typically include a stop here, it’s an extra day that you can get your money’s worth from buying the drink package. Simply head up to any of the numerous bars on the island and place your order.

One thing to keep in mind is that the menu on the island may be slightly different than what’s found on the ship.

Is There a Daily Limit on How Many Drinks I Can Get?

Yes, with the revamp of packages in late 2024, MSC also implemented a new drink limit.

Passengers are now allowed 15 alcoholic drinks per day included with the package. Each day runs from 6 a.m. to 6 a.m. and resets each morning.

What if you want more than 15 drinks? You are allowed to purchase alcoholic drinks past that limit. So if you drink 20 alcoholic drinks in a day, the first 15 are included but you’ll pay menu price for the remaining five. There is no limit on the number of alcoholic beverages you can buy.

Also, non-alcoholic drinks do not count toward the 15-drink maximum.

What if I Buy a Drink Above the Dollar Limit for the Package?

Say you really want to try a fancy high-end drink that’s more than the $16 per drink limit with the Premium Extra package. Do you have to pay full price?

On MSC, you are given a discount and only pay the difference between the per drink allotment and the menu price. So in this case, on a $20 drink you would only pay $4 for the higher-priced drink.

Is the MSC Drink Package Worth It?

A sample of drinks offers aboard MSC at different price points.

For some people the drink package is a great way to save money. For others, it can be a waste as you’ll spend more than you would otherwise. In general, we think many people that buy an MSC drink package will get their money’s worth due to the relatively affordable cost — although the price has increased recently, making the deal a little less attractive than it used to be.

Before you buy the package, it’s important that you do the math and think about how you will use it.

The first thing to do is figure out what sort of drinks you’ll want on the cruise and how many per day.

Beer drinker? Most beers run about $7-8 each. If you plan to drink five a day, then that’s $35-$40, compared to the $70 per day for the Premium Extra package that’s needed to purchase them.

Cocktail prices vary widely, but many more options available in the $10-14 range.

But you also don’t want to forget other drinks that you might have, including non-alcoholic drinks that can add up. To give you an idea of what things cost, we have general prices below that we’ve seen:

  • Beers: ~$7-$8
  • Cocktails: ~$10-$16
  • Soda: ~$3.50
  • Juice: ~$3.50
  • Energy Drinks: ~$4.50-$5
  • Bottled Water (Spring & Sparkling): ~$3.25-$6.50
  • Coffees: ~$3-$5

Beyond considering how much you will drink each day, consider the number of ports of call on your cruise. Remember that you can’t use the package while off the ship, unless you are visiting Ocean Cay, MSC’s private island. There, you can use the package on the ship while it is in port.

If you’re the sort of person who likes to get out and explore, then that’s a lot of time that you won’t be able to use the package.

Finally, remember that if one person buys a drink package, then everyone in the cabin has to buy it. So if you are a couple and one person drinks and the other doesn’t, then it’s going to be much harder to get your money’s worth.

Bottom Line: We like to tell people our rule of thumb. If you’re the sort of person that is excited when you hear about a drink package, then you’ll likely get your money’s worth. If you’re someone that doesn’t think alcohol is central to your vacation then you should likely hold off.

To help you plan, we put together a drink package calculator that you can use to estimate what you’ll spend.

Have more questions about MSC’s drink package? Let us know in the comments below.

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111 COMMENTS

  1. Are these prices still pretty current? i.e. is Jameson, Tito’s and Captain Morgan still in the Easy Plus category ($10)? Other than maybe one or two specialty drinks, that’s pretty much our drink of choice so I don’t think it’s worth upgrading to premium. Thank you!

  2. Thanks for your article.
    Some questions for you about easy package:
    1) Include alcoholic aperitives? (Bacardi Breezer and similars)
    2) Include any cocktel with chocolate licor or any licor of chocolate or cream similar to Bayleys?
    Thanks for all!

  3. Does MSC offer any non-alcoholic beverage (water, juice, soda) as part of the price? What happens if you don’t buy the drinks package? Is there any beverage included as part of the rate?

  4. My partner mostly drinks prosecco. What level of package do we need to gdt so the prosecco is included?. I am happy to drink whatever is going 😉

  5. I am looking at the MSC Australia website. It says the easy plus package is $560 per adult. Is this Australian currency or USD

  6. Could you provide the 2023 price list for alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks in order to figure out if is worthed or not to buy any of the beverage packages?

    • No. The duty-free store that sells alcohol will package it up and hold it for you until the last night of the cruise.

  7. If one of the guests in the room is pregnant could they get the nonalcoholic and the other person get the drink package? I know I will probably need to call just curious if it’s an option or no because the same room

      • On Princess all adults must purchase a beverage package in the same cabin even if its a soda or coffee package to go with another guest beverage package.

  8. We have booked a cruise that includes the Easy Plus drinks package. I will probably pay the additional amount for the Premium Extra Package…. Will my wife have to upgrade also? She is more than satisfied with drinks on the Plan included?

  9. Good Day (once again),
    We have an Easy-Plus package, can you tell me if the drinks in the mini-fridge in our room are included with our drink package. Thank you

  10. We are leaving this Sunday on a 7-night MSC cruise. We prepurchased the Easy Plus Package. My travelling partner is concerned that the well drinks will not be of good enough quality. Do you have any way of checking which brands are included in each of the higher level packages? Thanks.

  11. Hello, thank you very much for the info. Just 1 quick question, I know the drink package works on Ocean Cay, but just to make sure, does the easy plus package works w/ the smiling fish and coffee bar (specifically the coffee bar)?

    Thanks!!!

  12. Hi, is it true that there’s a limit of how many times you can drink with the drink package? I heard 15 times per day??

  13. Tanner, if my drink package includes up to $15 alcohol and I order $17 alcohol, will I be charged the difference in price or the full $17?

    • I have seen a few youtubers in the recent sailings confirming that MSC does it differently. It charges full price, not the difference.

      I personally has never sailed w/ MSC before, but do have a sailing coming up in a few months, I can double check.

  14. Thank you so much for posting the individual prices on drinks, Tanner. You’ve helped me decide not to get a drink package. Makes no sense being off the boat at excursions all day!
    Am I understanding this correctly- I’m cruising to Spain, Italy, and France and if I buy a local wine during the day, I can’t come back and enjoy it on my very expensive balcony in my very expensive room at night because they will confiscate said wine until the end of the cruise? (side eye on this).

  15. Can you bring non alcoholic drinks on board that you purchase in port? (Ie. Juice/soda)
    Is there a fridge in the room to keep drinks?

    • To my knowledge, MSC doesn’t allow you to bring on beverages. So if you bring them, they will be held until the end of the cruise and returned. There should be a small fridge in your cabin.

  16. We have an Easy Plus Package included with our cruise, and have prepaid the “Hotel Service Charges”. Will we still have to pay the 15% Bar Service Charge every time we have an alcoholic drink over and above what is included in the package price?

  17. We’re about to go on our cruise in a couple weeks and have one question I haven’t seen yet. While coming from different places across the US and even out of the US, we’re meeting up with five other couples that are family or friends. We’ve been able to arrange us being grouped for dinners together. One couple in the group believes this means ALL parties (2 per cabin) would be forced to buy the same drink package. Any idea?

    • Did you all buy your cruise as one group or separately? I would think that the requirement to buy the package if another person does would apply only to those in the same cabin, or at most those who bought the cruise together. So if all the couples purchased cabins apart from each other, I doubt you’d have to all get the package.

      • We all booked individually and have our own booking numbers. I have tried talking to MSC on the phone and get disconnected when the initial people can’t answer without speaking to someone else. I haven’t received any calls back either, pretty sure all my information is in front of them on their computer screen. Anyway, too late to book a drink package at this point so I’ll have to wait until we board to ask in person. I will update this thread to help any others that have the same question.

  18. Hello. If I have the easy plus drink package it seems to cover drinks up to $9. If I want a more expensive drink a time or two, does MSC allow you to get it with the package and pay the difference?

    • I believe MSC has a different policy that means the entire drink costs extra. So a $12 drink costs $12, not $3. However, that might have changed.

  19. So just to be 100% clear, you don’t have to buy a drinks package with them, you can just purchase as you want if you aren’t a big drinker?

    • I would check into this. I did some research, and it appears that you can purchase dinks on the ship. You have a gratutity added to the price. The drinks package has this already included. Trust me, they do not want to leave money on the table. If someone wants to buy something from them, they will allow it. Again, I would reach out directly to MSC to ask just to be sure.

  20. What about if i want just rum nd no coke, thats the tricky part. They put more coke than rum and the the drink is undrinkable.

    • This may be where finding a bartender, tipping them well at the beginning of the cruise, and then going back to visit them may help get a drink mixed how you like it!

  21. If you have the Easy or Easy Plus drink package, and you want to get a drink on the premium list, do you have to pay the full list price? Or do you get any sort of discount?

  22. This was really helpful, thank you! I was wondering can one person in the room get the easy package and the other person get the easy plus package? Or do they both have to get the higher option?

  23. hi, great read thank you just a few questions
    if you buy a drink either water coffee or beer can you bring to your room?
    how do they know what package you are on do you have a card?
    if you buy no package and just buy as you go do you have to tip?
    is water free any where on the ship with out any package or is it only by bottle and has to be paid for ? surely they have to supply water ?
    thanks again

    • – Yes, you can bring drinks back to the room
      – Your card may have a sticker on it, or when they scan it, the drink package will show up
      – If you buy as you go, a gratuity will automatically be applied to the menu price
      – You can get water around the ship. The easiest place is the buffet, but you can also get a glass from the bars.

      • Would it be easier to either bring a refillable bottle with you or just purchase a bottle of water and then refill it? Also, I read that the water is mineral water. So, wouldn’t that be different from distilled or spring? Would kids balk at the taste?

        • I’d suggest just bringing a refillable bottle. Holds more than the little cups you get at the buffet and you don’t have to head to a bar for a bottle each time.

  24. I read that the kid’s package also includes soft server ice cream. Is that true? Also, when can you choose the drink packages (how many days after you reserve your cruise)?

    • Yes, it included soft-serve ice cream.

      Are you not able to reserve? How long is your cruise? I’ve had the same issue and a call to MSC told me that you couldn’t buy a package before if the cruise was under 4 days long. (Mine is 3 days).

      • It’s not showing up, but maybe it’s because the cruise isn’t until March of 2024. So, they are probably waiting to publish the packages closer to sailing.

  25. Thanks a lot for this complete review on the drinking package. Just realized they are not worth it. Saved me a lot of money. =)

    • I think the biggest part that may not make it worth it is having to get a drink package for the kids. My kids don’t drink soda or energy drinks. I don’t think it’s worth it for us, but we have until May to figure that out.

  26. There are 3 of us sailing, The Mrs with me and the Grand daughter.We are not interested in the drinks packages for ourselves but can we purchase the kids one just for the Grand daughter. T.I.A

  27. This is the most detailed and probably up-to-date breakdown of MSC drink packages I have seen. Makes a lot of sense now and I know what I’m getting myself into now. Thank you!

    • Our understanding is that MSC charges the full price for a drink over the package limit. So in your example, you’d be charged $10.

    • You’ll want the higher package. The drinks on the Easy Package largely consist of simple two ingredient cocktails like rum and Coke, Cape Cod (cranberry vodka), etc.

  28. Hello, so i know that each person in the cabin has to order a drink package. Will my husband be able to buy the Premium drink package, myself the Easy drink package and our daughter (19) the soda package?
    Regards, Rhonda

    • I believe you and your husband will need to get the same level drink package. Since your daughter is under 21, she can get the soda package.

    • When I was looking at ordering the drink package, it made me select the same drink package for me and my wife. They kids had to get the minors package.

    • Great question. I just looked through all the photos of menus taken onboard and don’t see a wine list anywhere.

      I do notice that MSC makes no mention of wine in the Easy Package, but they do in the Premium Package. It could be that you need to have the Premium Package to have wines included.

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