Tom So, is the Royal Caribbean Cruise Deluxe Beverage Package worth it? We’ve been asked this questions several times and in this Deluxe Beverage Package Review, we’ll find out what exactly this drinks package is all about and how to fully utilise it on your next Royal Caribbean Cruise!
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What is included in the Royal Caribbean Cruise Deluxe Beverage Package?
If you have read our Royal Caribbean Cruise Refreshment Package Review, you’d know what are all the drinks included, except the alcoholic options. According to the description of the Deluxe Beverage Package on Royal Caribbean Cruise, this is what is included in the drinks package:
Enjoy unlimited drinks and options all-cruise long*. Start the day off with a premium cup of coffee, sip on a poolside piña colada, rehydrate with a fresh juice and wind down with the perfect wine pairing or classic cocktail. – Plus, receive a 40% discount on bottled wines priced up to USD 100, and 20% discount on wine prices above USD 100. Onboard pricing is currently USD 63.00 – USD 89.00/per day.
• Fountain soft drinks and refills at any venue
• Coca-Cola Freestyle drinks*
• Coca-Cola® souvenir cup
• Non-alcoholic cocktails (mocktails)
• Still and sparkling water
• Premium coffees and teas
• Fresh-squeezed juices
• Cocktails
• Beer
• Wine by the glass
Deluxe Beverage Package Offerings
If you’re wondering what are available for the hard liquour / spirits, we’ve done a quick research and identified some of the more expensive spirits, marked with (*):
VODKA
Absolut • Belvedere* • Grey Goose* • Stoli • Tito’s Handmade Vodka
RUM
Bacardi • Bacardi 8* • Captain Morgan Spiced Rum • Malibu • Miami Club
GIN
Aviation* • Beefeater • Bombay Sapphire • The Botanist*
TEQUILA/MEZCAL
1800 • Avion Silver • Patron Silver*/Anejo*
SCOTCH
Chivas Regal 12 Year Old • Dewars 12 Year* • Glenfiddich* • Johnnie Walker Black • The Glenlivet*
WHISKEY/BOURBON/RYE
Buffalo Trace • Canadian Club • Crown Royal* • Jack Daniels • Jameson • Maker’s Mark • Whistle Pig Rye*
COGNAC
Hennessy VS • Remy Martin VSOP
During our cruise to nowhere from Singapore, we were able to try most of the hard liquors onboard. There were a couple of options that were not available during the trip – Whistle Pig Rye, Aviation and The Botanist. However, we found that Patron had other high quality tequila that were available, including the Patron Anejo Tequila.
Another point to note that as long as a drink is $13USD or below, it will be included in your Deluxe Beverage Package. This means that most cocktails, wines, beers and spirited coffees are included and there is no limit to the number of drinks that you can order each day – a truly unlimited drinks package! For drinks that are priced above $13USD, you’ll just have to pay the difference and the 18% gratuity. This means that for a $15USD wine, you’d pay $2USD+$0.36USD (18% gratuity), which isn’t too bad.
What are the Cocktails included in the Royal Caribbean Cruise Deluxe Beverage Package?
During our cruise to nowhere, we realised that all the bars offer the same menu. These are all the cocktails that are available with your Deluxe Beverage Package:
The Deluxe Beverage Package includes popular cocktails such as Appletini, Long Island, Mojito, Pina Colada, Tequila Sunrise, Shanghai Sling and Washington Apple…
We also wondered whether shots were included in the Deluxe Beverage Package. We’re happy to report that yes, shots are included in the Deluxe Beverage Drinks Package and this time, we enjoyed our tequila and whiskey shots as well…
During our Quantum of the Seas Cruise, we were also introduced to the world of cocktail shots where our bartender, George, concocted several delicious tasting cocktails as well…
As for beers, the only selections available are Asahi, Tiger, Corona, Heineken, Stella, Somersby Apple Cider, Guinness and Foster’s. We wanted to try other beers such as Blue Moon but had confirmed during this cruise that it was not available. Only those listed above are. The other thing about beers on Royal Caribbean is that they’re all bottled, unlike Dream Cruise, which had Heineken on draft…
You may also like: Spectrum of the Seas Review: 4D3N with Royal Caribbean Cruise!
What are the Wines included in the Royal Caribbean Cruise Deluxe Beverage Package?
Wines are included in the Deluxe Beverage Package as well. You may be able to enjoy wines at Vintage Wine Bar as well as Main Dining Room. Do note that, surprisingly, Main Dining Room has a larger (and better) selection of wines as compared to Vintage Wine Bar under the Deluxe Beverage Package. Here are some of the wines listed on both the menus of Vintage Wine Bar and Main Dining Room…
Vintage Wine Bar Wine Menu
Main Dining Room Wine Menu
We also learnt that Main Dining Room offers “blends”. Blends are wines where wine-makers pick and choose different varietals to “concoct” that wine that master blenders want to achieve. We did not have the opportunity to try the blends as the variety for the wines were already too much for us to try on one cruise alone. Hence, if you have the opportunity to try the wines, do let us know what you think in the comments section below.
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Reds were definitely our favourite on the cruise. We enjoyed the Merlot, Malbec and of course the Cabernet Sauvignon. Both 877 – Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve and 879 – Andrew Peace Wines “Winemakers Choice” were excellent wines. If you’re not sure which wines to try, we’d recommend the following:
Champagne and Sparkling
851 Ruffino, Prosecco
217 Domaine Ste. Michelle, Brut
223 Chandon Brut, “Classic”
Riesling
857 – Durnberg Riesling Falkensteiner Lagen Weinvertel
Blush & Rose
295 – Beringer White Zinfandel
Moscato
144 Chateau Ste. Michelle
Sauvignon Blanc
164 Robert Mondavi Private Selection
Chablis
866 Domaine William Fevre Chablis Burgundy France
Chardonnay
659 Chateau d’Aussieres Vin de Pays d’Oc
Malbec
675 Trumpeter by Rutini
Merlot
495 Wolf Blass Merlot, “Yellow Label”
Cabernet Sauvignon
877 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve
879 Andrew Peace Wines “Winemakers Choice”
You’ll also notice that there’s a number before the names of the wines. This is because Royal Caribbean Cruise number their wines. In this way, guests would just have to say the number and the waiting staff will bring you the correct wine. Sometimes, staff may not be able to remember the full name of the wines that you order, especially if there are more than one wine selection in the category of wine. Hence, we’d also recommend that you order via the numbering system. That would ease your “burden” in ordering the various wines as well. I mean, who knows how to pronounce “Merlot” (Meh-lot / Mer-loh) or “Cabernet Sauvignon” (we prefer to say “Cab” just to be cool about it)?
Still on the wines, you can order mimosa for breakfasts as well! That’s a drink that would accompany our breakfast each morning too!
You may also like: Quantum of the Seas Royal Caribbean Cruise to Nowhere Day 1: Departing from Marina Bay Cruise Centre
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What are the Spiked Coffee Cocktails included in the Royal Caribbean Cruise Deluxe Beverage Package?
Yes! Spiked coffees are included in your Deluxe Beverage Package as well! Think Irish Coffee, Kahlua and Bailey’s 😁 Here’s an idea of some of the spiked coffee cocktails available on Royal Caribbean Cruise…
Onboard the Quantum of the Seas, these Spirited Coffees are available at Two70 Cafe, La Patisserie and Windjammer. Main Dining Room should have these available as well – just probably with a longer waiting time. Having tried all of the Spirited Coffees, we found Royal Delight and Captain’s Call to be rather delicious. Another option would be to go with Caribbean Coconut with a dash of Bailey’s. Yum!
What other non-alcoholic Drinks are included in the Royal Caribbean Cruise Deluxe Beverage Package?
The other non-alcoholic drinks that are included in the Deluxe Drinks Package are freshly squeezed orange, gourmet coffee, mocktails, soft drinks and water. If you have read our post on the refreshment package, you’d know that these are included in both packages with Deluxe Drinks Package covering the remaining alcoholic drinks…
For water, you can also choose the more “atas” (high class), San Pellegrino, which is a sparkling water, similar to Perrier. Alternatively, bottled (non-sparkling) mineral water such as Evian is also available.
Where can you use the Royal Caribbean Cruise Deluxe Beverage Package?
Onboard the Quantum of the Seas, you can utilise the Deluxe Beverage Package at these venues:
Main Dining Room / Windjammer – Wines, Beers, Coffee, Soft Drinks, Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice
Vintage Wine Bar – Wines
Solarium / Pool Bar / North Star Bar – Cocktails, Mocktails, Beers, Wines (limited)
Bionic Bar – Cocktails and Mocktails
La Patisserie / Two70 Cafe / Windjammer – Gourmet Coffee, Spirited Coffee, Freshly Squeezed Orange
Specialty Restaurants
Worth a special mention. There are some cocktails and mocktails that are unique to the specialty restaurants onboard Quantum of the Seas. With the refreshment package, we were able to try Berry Blast Mocktail at Jamie’s and also the She’s a Geisha and Japanese Strawberry from Izumi…
Tips to FULLY Utilise Royal Caribbean’s Deluxe Beverage Package
As you know, the Deluxe Beverage Package costs between $69USD to $89USD per day per person. This means that one has to have at least 6 cocktails or a mix of cocktails, beers, juices, coffees and water to fully utilise the drinks package. Hence, our tip to fully utilise the Deluxe Beverage Package are:
1. Build a Routine. We found that if we build a daily routine, we would definitely meet the “value” of the Deluxe Beverage Package. This is why we would wake up with orange juice and gourmet coffee each morning to catch the sunrise. This would be followed by a couple of mimosa for breakfast. Prior to meals, we would squeeze in pre-dinner drinks and definitely one before dinner at Bionic Bar. Lastly, all meals would be accompanied by 2 to 3 drinks of wines or beers…
2. Bionic Bar. With the Deluxe Beverage Package, you’d be able to try out the different cocktails available at Bionic Bar. Observing the robotic arms during “stir” and “shaken” motions was really quite interesting. Though you are able to try out mocktails like Flutely at Bionic Bar with the Refreshment Package, it is definitely more shiok to try out the various cocktail bases with the Deluxe Beverage Package. Plus, it’s like a little game to place our Seapass on the conveyor just before our drinks are delivered right up to us!
3. Self Concocted Wine Tasting at Vintage Wine Bar. With the Deluxe Beverage Package, you can actually concoct your own wine tasting sessions at Vintage Wine Bar. All you need to know is some basics of white before reds, pinot grigio/pinot noir before chardonnay/cabernet sauvignon (light wines before full-bodied ones) and lastly Sparkling before all of the above. Think about it, joining a wine trolley tour would set you aside at least 60USD. With the Deluxe Beverage Package, you have all the wines included (unlimited) and if you really need to rest, just head upstairs to have a rest in your staterooms…
4. Wine Pairing In Main Dining Room. This is probably our favourite perk of having the Deluxe Beverage Package. With every dish, you’d be able to pair your appetizer, entrees and desserts with a suitable wine. Reminded us of our session with Chef’s Table with Royal Caribbean Cruise on Quantum of the Seas. We’d like to start with Chandon/Rose with the Cheese Plate and have the whites/reds with the entrees before rounding the meal with a gourmet coffee…
5. Making Friends with the Bartender. As we’ve mentioned above, George took great care of us while we were in the Solarium. The various kinds of cocktails and shots came incessantly. That really made our rest and rejuvenation on the last day at sea, that much more enjoyable.
Check out this video review of the Deluxe Beverage Package by Royal Caribbean Cruise on how to fully utilise it on yuor next cruise!
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We hope you have enjoyed this comprehensive review of the Deluxe Beverage Package. If you enjoy a couple of drinks with your meals and can hold your liquor, we’d definitely recommend have the Deluxe Beverage Package. If you had tried the Deluxe Beverage Package, do share your tips on how to fully utilise this drinks pacakge with fellow readers below in the comments section!
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Thank you for the wonderful sharing! I will be visiting RC soon. May I check for the refreshment package. After making the purchase will I still have to pay the 18% gratuity and service fee each time I order a drink onboard?
Hi Chua,
Nope, you don’t have to pay the 18% gratuity fee each time. You’ll just have to acknowledge the drinks served and the receipt will show a zero charge.
Enjoy the cruise ahead!
Something to note that we did not know before our cruise is that if you have 2 people in one stateroom, both will be charged. However, if 1 person does not drink, the other could just get the cheaper Refreshment Package and pay an overall cheaper price.
Cheers!
That is true. However, for the Deluxe Beverage Package, it has to be applied to both occupants.
Thanks for sharing Adam! Hope you’ve had a great time aboard too!
Tom & Kate,
2bearbear.com