I Upgraded to Marella’s Premium Drinks Package – Here’s Why

Note: This post is sponsored by Marella Cruises. All thoughts and opinions are my own based on my 8+ Cruises with Marella. My cruises with Marella were not press trips and I paid full price for them.

Marella Cruises includes a standard drinks package in the fare, which is already pretty generous – but when I last cruised with Marella, I decided to upgrade to the Premium Drinks Package for one reason.

I didn’t actually pay much for this last minute cruise, so spending a little bit more on the drinks felt worth it for the upgrade in quality and choice.

The main reason, which might seem a bit strange at first, is that I like to be able to have cans of Coke rather than the fountain soda that is included in the standard package. In this article I’ll explain in more detail. 

What’s Included in the Standard Drinks Package?

The majority of cruise lines do not offer a free drinks package, and Marella’s standard package includes:

• House spirits and basic cocktails.
• Draught beers and house wines.
• Soft drinks (fountain sodas), juices, and hot drinks.

Branded spirits, premium cocktails, and bottled or canned drinks aren’t included in the standard drinks package.

One of the biggest downsides of the standard package for me was that sodas are fountain drinks only – I much prefer cans over the fountain versions of popular soft drinks.

What Do You Get with the Premium Package?

For £13.50* per night, the Premium Package includes:

• Branded spirits.
• A bigger selection of wines.
• All cocktails.
  • Including frozen and premium options.
• Bottled and canned drinks.
  • This includes beer and soft drinks.
• Lavazza coffee.
• Red Bull and premium mixers.

*Although I paid £13.50 for the Premium Package, all prices are subject to change.

Why I Upgraded

• Cans Over Fountain Soda.
  • I wanted the option of getting canned soft drinks instead of fountain drinks.
• Better Cocktails.
  • I wanted to try a few more unusual cocktails.
• The Price Was Low
  • Since I got a bargain, last-minute deal, spending £13.50 per night felt like great value for the extra drinks that were included.

How Does It Compare to American Cruise Lines?

On Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, or Norwegian, the premium drinks package typically costs £60-£100 per night, which is nearly five to seven times more than Marella’s £13.50 per night.

Even on more budget cruise lines, such as Carnival, P&O, or MSC, where drinks packages are cheaper, the average cost is still £40-£60 per night.

Marella’s premium package is one of the cheapest at sea, and the fact that the standard package is already included makes the upgrade feel like even better value.

Is It Worth It?

If you only drink a little or are happy with fountain sodas and house spirits, you might not need the upgrade.

But if you enjoy cans of soda, branded drinks, premium cocktails, and great coffee, the small extra cost is absolutely worth it.

When you consider what other cruise lines charge, it’s an absolute bargain.

Would I Upgrade To Premium Drinks Again?

Yes, 100%. The upgrade was a small price to pay to have access to unlimited canned drinks onboard.

I could also put the odd can in my bag to take with me when I got off the ship in the ports.

I tried a few different cocktails too – if I didn’t like them, I didn’t have to drink them. If I was paying for each individual cocktail, I would have been far more cautious about the cocktails I tried!

If you are undecided, consider how much you’d spend on individual drinks – at £13.50 per night, it doesn’t take much to get your money’s worth.

It is great that a good range of drinks are included within the basic cruise fare.

If you don’t buy an expensive drinks package on Celebrity, for example, you need to factor in the 20% service charge as well as the cost of buying the individual drinks.

Costs will soon mount up, and you will have a large onboard account to settle at the end of your cruise. It can be quite depressing when that credit card bill comes in, weeks after your cruise has finished!

There is no such worry with Marella. All tips/service charges are included in the cruise fare, so you are very unlikely to end up with a large onboard account at the end of the cruise.

I am not sure if I drank enough to make back the extra cost, but I don’t mind. I wanted to treat myself.

Never worrying about the cost of drinks or signing for them individually was great.

I sometimes found bottles of Pepsi and 7Up on the pool deck (in the drinks carts).

It’s always worth checking if you are a Pepsi fan like me!

Before You Go

Drinks packages on other mainstream cruise lines aren’t really worth it for me. Find out why here:

Drinks Packages Aren’t Worth it For Me – Here’s How I Decide (Price Lists & More)

Find out more how much drinks cost onboard other mainstream cruise lines here:

How Much Do Drinks Cost on Cruise Ships? Menus and Comparisons