On Royal Caribbean, the best time to book the Deluxe Beverage Package is 3–6 months before sailing via the Cruise Planner, where prices typically run $56–$80/person/day versus $90–$120/day onboard. Shore excursions follow a similar pattern — book early for availability and watch the Cruise Planner for flash sales that can cut 20–30% off listed prices.
Photo: Royal Caribbean International
Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner is basically a second pricing game running parallel to your cabin fare — and most cruisers completely ignore it until they're standing on the gangway. The Deluxe Beverage Package alone can swing from $56/person/day on a flash sale to $120/person/day if you wait and buy it at the pool bar on Day 1. Timing this right is real money.
The Core Answer: When to Buy and What to Expect
Both drink packages and shore excursions use dynamic pricing on Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner. That means prices change based on demand, how close you are to sailing, and whether Royal Caribbean decides to run a flash sale. The golden window for pre-cruise purchases is roughly 90–180 days before your sail date — prices are typically at their lowest, and excursion slots still have full availability.
Dave's take: Royal Caribbean holds pricing tighter than Carnival in the final weeks before sailing, so that flash-sale mentality backfires on RC — booking drink packages 90–180 days out typically saves you $40–$60/person/day versus waiting. The math only works if you're actually drinking 5–6 drinks daily though, including port days when you're halfway off the ship; calculate for real habits, not optimistic ones.
— Dave Giovacchini, Travel Mutiny
Onboard pricing is almost always the most expensive option. Don't wait.
| Purchase Timing | Deluxe Bev Package (per person/day) | Shore Excursion Discount vs. Onboard | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6+ months out (at booking) | $65–$80 typical | 10–20% savings | Good baseline price; flash sales may beat this later |
| 3–6 months out | $56–$80 (flash sale lows possible) | 15–25% savings | Sweet spot — best combo of price and availability |
| 30–90 days out | $70–$95 | 10–15% savings | Prices creep up; popular excursions selling out |
| Final weeks pre-cruise | $85–$110 | 5–10% savings | Diminishing returns; some excursions gone |
| Day 1 onboard | $100–$120 | 0% — this IS the full price | Worst value by far |
Key stat: The typical pre-cruise Deluxe Beverage Package price is around $80/person/day. Buying it onboard can push that to $100–$120 — a difference of $140–$280 per couple on a 7-night sailing before the mandatory 18% gratuity surcharge is even added.
Photo: Royal Caribbean International
What Drives the Price at Any Given Moment
1. Flash Sales Are the Real Game Royal Caribbean runs Cruise Planner sales tied to holidays (Black Friday, Memorial Day, Labor Day, New Year's) and sometimes with zero warning. Sales of 20–35% off drink packages and excursions are common. The catch: these sales are time-limited, often 48–72 hours, and Royal Caribbean doesn't email you when they happen.
2. Dynamic Pricing Moves Both Directions Prices don't only go up as your sail date approaches — they can dip if Royal Caribbean is trying to fill capacity on an excursion or push package sales. This is rare but real. If you see a price you like, buy it. You can cancel and rebook if a better sale appears later (packages are fully refundable up to 2 days before sailing).
3. Demand and Inventory Popular shore excursions — especially limited-capacity ones like helicopter tours in Alaska or swim-with-dolphins in the Bahamas — sell out months ahead. Price isn't the issue there; availability is. Book these the day your Cruise Planner opens (usually 6+ months out).
4. Ship and Itinerary Matter The Deluxe Beverage Package price ranges from $56 to $120/person/day depending on the ship, sailing date, and route. A 3-night Bahamas sailing on a smaller ship will price differently than a 7-night Mediterranean sailing on Icon of the Seas. Always check your specific sailing — don't assume.
5. The Cabin Rule All adults in the same cabin must purchase the same drink package. If your travel partner doesn't drink much alcohol, the Royal Refreshment Package at a typical $35/person/day may make more sense, but you both have to buy it.
Photo: Royal Caribbean International
Practical Tips to Get the Best Price
Set a price alert routine. Check your Cruise Planner every 2–3 weeks starting from when it opens. There's no official price alert system, so you're doing this manually. Takes 2 minutes.
Buy, then rebook if prices drop. Royal Caribbean allows full refunds on Cruise Planner purchases up to 2 days before sailing. If you buy the Deluxe Beverage Package at $80/day and it drops to $65/day in a flash sale, cancel and rebuy immediately. This is completely legitimate and I'd argue it's mandatory due diligence.
Target these specific sale windows:
- Black Friday / Cyber Monday (November) — historically the deepest discounts
- Memorial Day weekend (late May)
- Labor Day weekend (early September)
- Fourth of July
- Random mid-week flash sales — no pattern, just check regularly
For excursions, split your strategy:
- Book limited-capacity or high-demand excursions immediately when your Cruise Planner opens — availability beats price here
- For commodity excursions (city tours, snorkel trips with 100 spots), wait and watch for sales
- Compare Royal Caribbean's excursion prices against independent operators — RC often runs 30–50% higher for the same activity, though you get the guaranteed ship-wait protection
The math on the drink package break-even: At $80/person/day (pre-cruise typical), you need roughly 5–6 drinks per day (cocktails at $11–$14 pre-gratuity, specialty coffees at $6) to break even. On sea-heavy itineraries that's easy. On port-heavy itineraries where you're off the ship 8 hours a day, run the numbers honestly.
Note on the Deluxe Beverage Package coverage: It works at Perfect Day at CocoCay and Labadee, but is NOT valid at Royal Beach Club Paradise Island. If your itinerary includes Royal Beach Club, factor that lost day into your break-even math.
When to Book Excursions Specifically
| Excursion Type | When to Book | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Helicopter / small plane tours | Day Cruise Planner opens | Capacity of 4–6 guests; sells out months out |
| Swim-with-animals (dolphins, sharks) | Day Cruise Planner opens | Strict capacity, popular at all times |
| Snorkel / beach / city tours | 90–120 days out, or on sale | High capacity; watch for flash sale discounts |
| Submarine / underwater experiences | 90–120 days out | Moderate capacity, sells steadily |
| Independent operator alternatives | Any time | Compare prices at port — often 40% cheaper for generic tours |
The Bottom Line
For drink packages: buy pre-cruise in the 90–180 day window, set a recurring reminder to check for flash sales, and use the cancel-and-rebook trick without hesitation. For excursions: book limited-capacity tours immediately, and use the Cruise Planner sale cycle for everything else. Waiting until you're onboard for either one is the most expensive decision you can make.
Use CruiseMutiny to quickly compare whether the drink package math actually works for your specific itinerary before you pull the trigger — the break-even calculator cuts through the guesswork fast.
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