Cruise ship brewery tours and beer tastings typically cost $25–$75 per person, depending on the cruise line and format — from a basic guided tasting flight to a full behind-the-scenes brewery tour with exclusive pours.
Photo: Carnival Cruise Line
Most cruisers don't realize that several major cruise lines have actual working microbreweries onboard — and that getting access to them costs real money on top of your already-paid beverage package. Here's exactly what you'll pay and whether it's worth it.
What Cruise Ship Brewery Tours and Tastings Actually Cost
Onboard brewery experiences fall into two categories: guided tasting flights (sit down, drink, learn a bit) and full brewery tours (behind-the-scenes access plus exclusive pours). The price gap between them is significant.
| Experience Type | Price Per Person | What's Included | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic beer flight (no tour) | $15–$25 | 4–6 sample pours, no guide | Casual drinkers |
| Guided tasting experience | $30–$50 | 5–8 curated pours, food pairing, host | Beer enthusiasts |
| Full brewery tour + tasting | $55–$75 | Behind-the-scenes tour, exclusive brews, keepsake glass | Serious craft beer fans |
| Private/VIP brewery event | $85–$150 | Private access, brewer Q&A, custom pours | Groups, special occasions |
The most common experience — a guided tasting with 5–6 pours and a food pairing — lands right around $35–$50 per person across most lines.
Photo: Carnival Cruise Line
Which Cruise Lines Have Onboard Breweries
Not every line has a working microbrewery. Here's who's actually brewing beer at sea and what their experiences cost:
| Cruise Line | Brewery Name | Tasting Cost | Tour Available |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norwegian Cruise Line | The Bier Garden / Brew House (select ships) | $30–$45/person | Limited |
| Royal Caribbean | Playmakers Sports Bar craft taps (not a brewery) | $15–$20/flight | No |
| Carnival Cruise Line | RedFrog Pub (craft beer bar, not brewery) | $12–$18/flight | No |
| Holland America | New York Deli & Bar, curated craft tastings | $25–$40/person | No |
| Celebrity Cruises | Craft social tastings, rotating beer menus | $30–$45/person | No |
| MSC Cruises | Selected beer pairing dinners | $40–$60/person | No |
| Princess Cruises | Craft beer tasting events (select sailings) | $25–$35/person | No |
Important reality check: Only a handful of ships have actual onboard microbreweries with fermentation tanks. Norwegian and a small number of boutique expedition ships are the main exceptions. Most "brewery experiences" on other lines are curated tasting events using craft beer brought onboard — still worth doing, but not the same thing.
Photo: Carnival Cruise Line
Key Factors That Drive the Cost
1. Whether it's a real working brewery Ships with actual microbrewing operations charge a premium because those exclusive house-brewed beers can't be bought anywhere else. Expect to pay $55–$75 for genuine brewery-access experiences versus $25–$40 for a curated tasting bar event.
2. Food pairing inclusion Many mid-range tastings bundle 3–4 small bites with your pours. This bumps the price by $10–$20 but dramatically improves the value — you're essentially getting a meal credit alongside the experience.
3. Beverage package coverage Here's the part that stings: most brewery tours and specialty tastings are NOT covered by the standard beverage package, even if you paid $75–$95/day for one. They're classified as "specialty experiences," not standard drinks. Always confirm before booking.
4. Ship and sailing itinerary These events run on select sea days only. A 7-night Caribbean cruise might offer the tasting twice; a 3-night Bahamas run might not offer it at all. Check the ship's activity calendar once you board.
5. Booking timing Booking onboard experiences through the cruise line app or at the venue on day one is usually same price — but popular sessions sell out fast. Pre-booking via the cruise line website before sailing sometimes gets you a 10–15% discount.
Practical Tips to Get the Best Value
- Pre-book through the cruise line's website before you board — discounts of 10–15% are common and spots fill up on sea days.
- Skip the VIP upsell unless you have a specific reason (celebrating something, genuinely want a brewer Q&A). The standard guided tasting at $35–$50 delivers 80% of the experience at half the price.
- Ask explicitly whether it's covered by your beverage package — front desk staff sometimes say yes when the answer is no. Get it in writing (or at least confirmed on the app).
- Go on embarkation day or day two — by the middle of the cruise, popular tasting sessions are booked solid.
- Compare shore excursion brewery tours — in ports like Victoria (BC), Juneau, or San Juan, you can book a local craft brewery tour for $30–$55 per person that often blows the onboard version out of the water for authenticity and variety.
- Check Norwegian's brewery ships specifically if this is a priority — the Norwegian Bliss, Joy, and Encore are among the best bets for genuine onboard brewing experiences in the 2025–2026 fleet.
Shore Excursion Breweries vs. Onboard Tastings
If craft beer is genuinely important to you, the math often favors going ashore:
| Option | Cost | Beer Quality | Authenticity | Convenience |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onboard guided tasting | $35–$50/person | Good | Moderate | High |
| Onboard brewery tour (real) | $55–$75/person | Excellent | High | High |
| Port brewery shore excursion | $30–$65/person | Excellent | Very High | Low |
| Independent port brewery visit | $15–$30/person | Excellent | Very High | Very Low |
For ports like Juneau, Alaska (multiple craft breweries walkable from the dock), Nassau, or Cozumel, it's genuinely worth skipping the ship's tasting and exploring independently. You'll spend less and drink better.
Want to see how brewery tastings and other onboard add-ons stack up against your cruise budget before you book? Run the numbers with CruiseMutiny — it breaks down exactly what you'll spend on experiences, drinks, and extras so there are no surprises at the end of your sailing.