You absolutely can buy alcohol by the drink on any Carnival ship without purchasing the CHEERS! package. Individual cocktails typically run $9–$15 before the mandatory 20% gratuity, so the package only makes financial sense if you're drinking 5–6+ beverages per day.
Photo: Travel Mutiny
The CHEERS! package is optional — not a toll booth. Every bar on every Carnival ship will happily take your money one drink at a time. The question is whether doing that is smarter for your wallet, or whether Carnival has structured the pricing to make the package feel inevitable. Let's run the real numbers.
Buying Per Drink on Carnival: What It Actually Costs
Carnival charges 20% gratuity on every individual drink purchase — that's one of the highest service surcharges in the industry, raised from 18% in recent years. Here's what you're actually paying at the bar:
| Drink Type | Menu Price | With 20% Gratuity | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic Beer (e.g., Bud Light) | $7.50 | $1.50 | $9.00 |
| Imported/Craft Beer | $9.00 | $1.80 | $10.80 |
| Well Cocktail | $11.50 | $2.30 | $13.80 |
| Signature Cocktail | $13.50 | $2.70 | $16.20 |
| Premium/Top-Shelf Cocktail | $16.00 | $3.20 | $19.20 |
| Wine by the Glass | $11.00 | $2.20 | $13.20 |
| Specialty Coffee | $6.00 | $1.20 | $7.20 |
Sodas are typically $3.50 at the bar (with gratuity) but free at the buffet. Bottled water runs about $4–$5 with gratuity.
Photo: Carnival Cruise Line
CHEERS! vs. Pay-As-You-Go: The Break-Even Math
CHEERS! is currently priced at approximately $65–$85 per person per day when purchased in advance through Carnival's Cruise Planner (check your specific sailing — pricing is dynamic and varies by itinerary and booking window). On board, it costs more. Gratuity is included in the package price.
| Daily Drinking Habit | Pay-Per-Drink Cost | CHEERS! Cost | Better Option |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 cocktails + 1 beer | ~$43–$50/day | $65–$85/day | Pay per drink |
| 3 cocktails + 2 beers + 1 coffee | ~$70–$85/day | $65–$85/day | Break-even zone |
| 5+ drinks (mixed) | $90–$120+/day | $65–$85/day | CHEERS! wins |
| Sea-heavy itinerary, poolside all day | High volume likely | $65–$85/day | CHEERS! wins |
Important caveat: CHEERS! caps drinks at 15 alcoholic beverages per person per day and has a $20-per-drink maximum — meaning premium cocktails above $20 on the menu are fully covered (one of the more generous caps in the industry). Specialty coffees, Red Bull, and bottled water ARE included in CHEERS!, which is actually better than some competing packages.
Photo: Carnival Cruise Line
Key Factors That Determine Which Is Right for You
Itinerary type matters most. A 7-night Caribbean sailing with 4+ sea days creates the conditions where package drinking happens naturally — you're at the pool, it's hot, there's nothing to do but relax. A port-heavy itinerary (say, a 5-night Bahamas run where you're off the ship most days) cuts into your package usage significantly.
Who you're sailing with. CHEERS! must be purchased for everyone in the cabin aged 21+ on the same booking. If your partner doesn't drink much, the math falls apart fast — you can't buy it solo to subsidize yourself.
Carnival's 25% rule. You cannot purchase CHEERS! if the ship is sailing anywhere in or around the Bahamas for more than 25% of the itinerary... actually, the real rule is Carnival requires the package to be purchased for the entire length of the cruise — no day-by-day purchases are allowed. That means a 7-night package commitment, not just buying it for sea days.
Pre-cruise pricing vs. on-board pricing. Always buy CHEERS! before you board through the Cruise Planner if you've decided you want it. On-board pricing is noticeably higher.
Practical Tips for Pay-Per-Drink Cruisers
- Bring wine aboard at embarkation. Carnival allows 1 bottle of wine (750ml) per adult at embarkation — no corkage fee in your cabin. This alone can replace 3–4 bar purchases per person.
- Drink beer instead of cocktails. The per-drink gratuity math hurts less on a $9 beer than a $16 premium cocktail.
- Get sodas and water at the buffet. Never buy bottled water at the bar — the buffet has it free. Soda fountains at the buffet are free on Carnival.
- Watch for happy hour deals. Some Carnival ships run buy-one-get-one specials or flat-rate pricing at certain bars during slower hours — ask your bartender.
- Set a daily drink budget. It's genuinely easy to spend $80–$100/day without a package if you're not paying attention. At the end of a 7-night cruise, that's $560–$700 per person in bar charges — more than CHEERS! would have cost.
Bottom Line: Who Should Skip CHEERS!
Pay per drink if you're a light-to-moderate drinker (3 or fewer alcoholic drinks per day), on a port-intensive itinerary, or sailing as a solo drinker whose cabin partner doesn't drink. The math simply doesn't work in your favor, and Carnival will take your money just fine at the bar.
Buy CHEERS! if you're on a sea-heavy itinerary, drink 5+ beverages daily (mixing alcohol, specialty coffee, and water counts), or want the freedom to order without watching the tab. The 20% gratuity-included price and the $20 drink cap make it one of the more reasonable packages in the mainstream cruise market when used properly.
Not sure whether the package pencils out for your specific sailing? Run your numbers with CruiseMutiny — it'll show you the real break-even point based on your itinerary and drinking habits before you commit.