Celebrity's Classic Beverage Package runs $89–$99/person/day and covers drinks up to $10, while the Premium Package runs $109–$129/person/day and covers drinks up to $17 — the upgrade is worth it if you drink cocktails, premium wines, or specialty coffees regularly.
Photo: Royal Caribbean International
Celebrity Cruises bundles beverage packages into most fares these days, but when you actually dig into what each tier covers, the difference between Classic and Premium can mean the difference between sipping your preferred drink freely and constantly hitting an upcharge wall. Here's exactly what you're getting — and what you're not.
Classic vs Premium: The Core Numbers
Celebrity's beverage packages are priced per person, per day, and both adults in a cabin must purchase the same tier. The prices below reflect 2025–2026 sailing rates, either purchased in advance online or included via a promotional upgrade:
| Feature | Classic Package | Premium Package |
|---|---|---|
| Price (per person/day) | $89–$99 | $109–$129 |
| Per-drink cap | Up to $10 | Up to $17 |
| Beer | Draft & select bottled | Premium craft & imported |
| Wine by the glass | House wines | Premium wines incl. Riedel pours |
| Spirits & cocktails | Well & select call brands | Top-shelf spirits, signature cocktails |
| Specialty coffee | Café al Bacio basic drinks | Full menu incl. specialty lattes |
| Fresh-squeezed juices | No | Yes |
| Sparkling water (Perrier, etc.) | No | Yes |
| Red Bull / energy drinks | No | Yes |
| Milkshakes & premium mocktails | No | Yes |
| Gratuity included | Yes (18%) | Yes (18%) |
The upgrade cost is roughly $20–$30/person/day — so on a 7-night cruise for two people, you're looking at an additional $280–$420 total to move from Classic to Premium.
Photo: Royal Caribbean International
What Actually Drives That Per-Drink Cap Problem
The $10 cap on Classic sounds fine until you order a Johnnie Walker Black and Coke, a glass of Whispering Angel rosé, or basically anything at the Martini Bar that isn't the well gin. Most cocktails on Celebrity run $13–$16. That means Classic drinkers are paying out-of-pocket overages constantly — typically $3–$6 per drink — which quietly erodes the package's value.
Here's where the cap problem hits hardest:
- Martini Bar: Celebrity's signature experience. Nearly every martini runs $13–$15. Classic covers almost nothing here without overages.
- Wine by the glass: Anything decent starts at $12–$14. Classic pours are house-level and noticeably thin.
- Café al Bacio: Classic covers drip coffee and basic espresso drinks. Premium unlocks the full menu including cold brews and specialty lattes — a real daily hit if you're a coffee person.
- Retreat/Aqua Class guests: You likely already have Premium included, so this comparison is moot.
Photo: Carnival Cruise Line
Who Should Choose Each Package
| Traveler Type | Best Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Beer-and-wine-only drinker (budget wines OK) | Classic | You'll rarely hit the cap |
| Cocktail drinker (1–2 per day) | Premium | Avoids constant overages at the Martini Bar |
| Coffee addict + cocktail drinker | Premium | Pays for itself fast between lattes and cocktails |
| Non-drinker / light drinker | Neither — opt out if possible | Packages rarely make financial sense |
| Wine enthusiast | Premium | Access to genuinely drinkable by-the-glass pours |
| Sparkling water / Red Bull drinker | Premium | Classic doesn't cover these at all |
How to Get the Best Price on Either Package
Buy before you board. Celebrity's pre-cruise pricing — accessible through Manage Reservation — is almost always cheaper than the same package purchased onboard. The onboard markup can be 15–20% higher.
Watch for upgrade promotions. Celebrity frequently runs "Always Included" promotions that bundle the Classic Package into the base fare at no extra cost. During sales events, you can sometimes upgrade to Premium for $10–$15/person/day instead of the full $20–$30 delta.
Do the math on your actual drinking habits. If you drink 3 cocktails a day at $14 average and Classic's cap is $10, you're paying $4 in overages per drink — that's $12/day in overages, which closes most of the gap to Premium anyway. At that point, Premium wins on pure math.
Don't pay for packages you won't use. If you're a one-drink-at-dinner cruiser, even Classic may not pay off. A non-package drinker paying à la carte for 2 drinks/day spends roughly $28–$32/day — which is less than Classic's $89–$99 price tag.
Pre-purchase timing tip: Check pricing 60–90 days before sailing. Celebrity sometimes drops package prices during that window, and you can rebook at the lower rate if you haven't sailed yet.
Quick Verdict: Classic or Premium?
If Celebrity has bundled Classic into your fare for free via a promotion — take it, it's fine for casual drinkers. But if you're choosing between paying for Classic vs. paying slightly more for Premium, Premium wins for most active drinkers because the $10 cap on Classic is too low for Celebrity's actual drink menu pricing. You'll spend your cruise doing overcharge math at every bar, which is nobody's idea of a vacation.
For the sharpest price on your Celebrity sailing — with or without a beverage package — check available deals at CruiseHub, then run your full onboard budget through CruiseMutiny to see exactly what your Celebrity cruise will actually cost before you step foot on the ship.