Specialty coffees (lattes, cappuccinos, espresso drinks) are NOT included in standard cruise fares on most mainstream lines. They cost $4–$9 per drink before gratuity, and Starbucks locations on Royal Caribbean and Norwegian always charge extra even with a beverage package.
Photo: Carnival Cruise Line
Specialty coffee on a cruise ship is one of those things that catches first-timers completely off guard. You waltz up to the coffee bar expecting a free latte the same way you grabbed free drip coffee at the buffet — and then you get handed a $6–$9 bill. Here's the full breakdown so you're not surprised.
The Core Answer: What's Free vs. What Costs You
Basic drip coffee and tea are included in your cruise fare on virtually every mainstream line — you can get those at the buffet all day long. Specialty coffee drinks (lattes, cappuccinos, espresso, macchiatos, Americanos) are almost universally a paid extra, averaging $6 per drink before gratuity. Add 18–20% gratuity and a daily latte habit runs you $7–$11 per drink depending on the line.
Starbucks is its own category. Both Royal Caribbean and Norwegian operate licensed Starbucks locations onboard — and Starbucks is always charged at full retail price, no beverage package coverage, ever.
| Coffee Type | Included in Fare? | Typical Price (before gratuity) |
|---|---|---|
| Buffet drip coffee | ✅ Yes, all mainstream lines | Free |
| Buffet tea & hot chocolate | ✅ Yes, all mainstream lines | Free |
| Espresso / Americano | ❌ No | $4–$6 |
| Latte / Cappuccino | ❌ No | $5–$7 |
| Specialty / flavored latte | ❌ No | $6–$9 |
| Starbucks (RC / NCL) | ❌ No — ever | Full Starbucks retail pricing |
| Specialty coffee at luxury lines | ✅ Included | N/A (bundled in fare) |
Photo: Carnival Cruise Line
What Affects Whether Your Coffee Is Covered
Your cruise line matters enormously. Luxury and ultra-luxury lines like Regent Seven Seas, Silversea, Seabourn, Viking Ocean, and Virgin Voyages include specialty coffee as part of their all-inclusive fare. On those ships, walk up to any bar and order a cappuccino — it's yours. On Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, MSC, and Princess, specialty coffee is a revenue item.
Your beverage package may (or may not) cover it. This is where it gets nuanced:
- Carnival: The Cheers! package ($50–$75/person/day pre-cruise) covers specialty coffee drinks up to $20 per item. Basically everything is covered.
- Royal Caribbean: The Deluxe Beverage Package ($75–$95/person/day pre-cruise) covers specialty coffee at their in-house coffee bars — but NOT Starbucks, which requires a separate Starbucks card or cash.
- Norwegian: Similar to RC — the Free at Sea beverage package covers house specialty coffee bars, but the Starbucks onboard is fully excluded.
- Celebrity: The Classic Package ($75–$85/person/day) covers specialty coffee; the Premium Package ($95–$105/person/day) also covers it. Celebrity is generally more generous here.
- MSC: Beverage packages cover specialty coffee at included bars — read your package details carefully as coverage varies by tier.
- Princess: The Plus and Premier fare bundles include specialty coffee through the package.
| Cruise Line | Specialty Coffee w/ Drink Package | Starbucks Covered? | Without Package |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carnival (Cheers!) | ✅ Yes (up to $20/drink) | N/A — no Starbucks | $5–$8 + 20% gratuity |
| Royal Caribbean (Deluxe) | ✅ Yes (in-house bars) | ❌ Never | $5–$8 + 18% gratuity |
| Norwegian (Free at Sea) | ✅ Yes (in-house bars) | ❌ Never | $5–$8 + 20% gratuity |
| Celebrity (Classic/Premium) | ✅ Yes | N/A — no Starbucks | $5–$8 + 18% gratuity |
| Princess (Plus/Premier) | ✅ Yes | N/A — no Starbucks | $5–$7 + 18% gratuity |
| MSC (varies by tier) | ⚠️ Check your tier | N/A — no Starbucks | $4–$7 + 15% gratuity |
| Virgin Voyages | ✅ Included in fare | N/A — no Starbucks | N/A |
| Regent / Silversea / Seabourn | ✅ Included in fare | N/A — no Starbucks | N/A |
Photo: MSC Cruises
Practical Tips to Keep Your Coffee Budget in Check
Tip 1: Calculate your break-even before buying a package. Beverage packages typically run $70–$95/person/day (pre-cruise pricing) before gratuity. You need roughly 5–6 drinks per day to break even — and that count includes specialty coffees. If you're ordering 2 lattes and a couple of cocktails daily, the math can work in your favor.
Tip 2: Avoid Starbucks onboard if you have a package. This sounds obvious, but passengers with beverage packages routinely spend $30–$50 extra at the Starbucks kiosk because they don't realize it's excluded. The house specialty coffee bars on RC and NCL are covered and the drinks are nearly identical.
Tip 3: Load a Starbucks gift card before you sail. If you're sailing Royal Caribbean or Norwegian and you love Starbucks, load your existing Starbucks app with credit before you board. The onboard Starbucks accepts the app, so you're at least earning rewards points and not putting it on your room tab at a markup.
Tip 4: Pack a small portable espresso maker. It sounds extreme but it's 100% legal on most cruise lines (check your line's prohibited items list — heating elements are the concern, not espresso). A Wacaco Nanopresso or similar hand-pump device plus a bag of your favorite beans costs less than two days of lattes. This is especially worth it on longer voyages.
Tip 5: Buy the package pre-cruise, not onboard. If you decide a beverage package makes sense, always buy through your cruise line's vacation planner before sailing. Onboard pricing is typically 10–20% higher than the pre-cruise rate.
Tip 6: Check if Princess, Celebrity, or MSC fares include bundles. Princess's Plus fare (around $60/person/day above base fare) bundles specialty coffee, drinks, Wi-Fi, and gratuities together. If you'd buy those anyway, the bundled fare is often cheaper than buying them à la carte.
Which Lines Are Best for Coffee Lovers
If specialty coffee is genuinely part of your daily ritual and you don't want to think about it, rank your options this way:
- Virgin Voyages, Regent, Silversea, Seabourn, Viking — fully included, no tracking needed
- Celebrity — generous package coverage, no Starbucks complication to worry about
- Carnival — the Cheers! package has the highest per-drink cap ($20), so almost nothing is extra
- Princess — Plus/Premier fares make it seamless
- Royal Caribbean / Norwegian — covered with packages, but the Starbucks trap is real; stay disciplined
- MSC — read your specific package tier carefully before assuming anything is included
Before you book any package or plan your budget, run the numbers for your exact sailing using CruiseMutiny — it'll show you whether a beverage package actually pays off based on your drinking habits, itinerary length, and the current pre-cruise pricing for your specific ship.