Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line both go after the same passengers with their namesake cruise lines. They want families and they cater to people looking to party.
The party aspect is something Carnival has tried to play down a little given its not-entirely fair reputation for hosting unruly passengers. Royal Caribbean has actually embraced the party idea with its newest ship, Utopia of the Seas, which sails short 3-4 day “weekend” sailings.
Related: Carnival Cruise Line quietly made a major cabin change
And, while you certainly can have a wonderful time with either cruise line without alcohol, drinking, is a big feature on their cruise ships. Both companies offer an array of bars on every ship and have really focused on having truly distinctive bars on their newest ships.
For many cruisers, the wide array of bars and drinks makes getting a beverage package an important part of their trip. Royal Caribbean’s Deluxe Beverage Package (DBP) offers unlimited beer, wine, spirits, and cocktails along with fresh-squeezed juice, specialty coffee, soda, and milkshakes. Carnival’s Cheers package is very similar, but it cuts customers off after 15 alcoholic beverages per day (although all other drinks remain unlimited).
That’s a significant edge for Royal Caribbean as its package is truly unlimited (although visibly intoxicated passengers will be shut off). It’s not, however, the only advantage Royal Caribbean has when it comes to selling passengers its drink package.
Both cruise lines offer an incredible array of alcoholic beverages.
Image source: Carnival Cruise Lines
Royal Caribbean’s drink package works in more places
In addition to being truly unlimited (as long as you remain coherent), Royal Caribbean’s DBP has another major advantage over Carnival’s. In addition to being accepted on the cruise line’s ships, it can also be used on its private islands including Perfect Day at CocoCay and the currently-closed Labadee, Haiti.
It’s widely expected, but has not been confirmed, that the DBP will be accepted on Royal Caribbean’s upcoming “Royal Beach Club’s” in Cozumel and Nassau. Those will be private-island style destinations that cost an added fee to visit (CocoCay and Labadee are included).
Being able to the DBP at Royal Caribbean’s private islands makes it more valuable. On port days, people generally consume fewer drinks since many passengers are onshore for much of the day. CocoCay (and Labadee when it’s operational) offer multiple bars and waiters bringing you drinks pretty much everywhere.
Including those drinks in the DBP saves passengers money and likely entices some people to get off the ship, or stay off the ship longer, because they won’t have to pay extra for drinks. That’s not just about alcoholic beverages, the DBP also includes water, soda, and mocktails.
Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter to save money on your next (or your first) cruise.
Carnival has not changed its Cheers package
Carnival does not really make where its Cheers beverage package will be accepted. In fact, it’s provate islands are not mentioned on the current page which shares what’s included and what’s exlcuded in the package.
Another version of that page shows that “Beverages purchased off the ship at any port of call including Celebration Key, Half Moon Cay and Princess Cays,” Cruzely reported. That language is no longer on the Carnival website, at least on the page first found when you go to book Cheers, but the cruises line’s media relations team said that its policy has not changed.
The media team also denied that its website had changed and did not answer a request to clarify the current exclusion list not including the private destinations on the excluded list while the version shown on Cruzely does.
ALSO READ: Top travel agents share how to get the best price on your cruise
“We haven’t made any changes to that page,” the cruise line shared in an email response to Come Cruise With Me.
Celebration Key, the cruises line’s newest private destination, is expected to open in August, 2025.
Related: Get the best cruise tips, deals, and news on the ships from our expert cruiser
