A drink package on a 17-night Spain & Morocco transatlantic cruise will cost roughly $850–$2,040 per person total, depending on the cruise line and tier — pre-cruise rates typically run $50–$120/person/day before gratuities, and a sea-heavy transatlantic almost always makes the math work in your favor.
Photo: Carnival Cruise Line
A 17-night transatlantic to Spain and Morocco is one of the best itineraries to actually profit from a drink package. You're looking at a serious chunk of sea days crossing the Atlantic, and that's exactly the scenario where the package math tips in your favor. Here's what you need to know before you click 'add to booking.'
What a Drink Package Will Actually Cost You Over 17 Nights
Pre-cruise drink package rates across mainstream lines run $50–$120/person/day in 2025–2026. Multiply that across 17 nights and the total range is wide — but here's the breakdown by tier:
| Tier | Est. Daily Rate | 17-Night Total (Per Person) | Gratuities Included? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget (basic/alcohol-free) | $30–$50/day | $510–$850 | Varies by line |
| Mid-Range (standard alcohol) | $55–$75/day | $935–$1,275 | Usually extra on RC/Celebrity |
| Premium (top-shelf package) | $85–$120/day | $1,445–$2,040 | Usually extra on RC/Celebrity |
| MSC Premium Extra Package | ~$50–$70/day | ~$850–$1,190 | Included |
| Celebrity All Included fare | Bundled in fare | N/A — baked into cruise price | Included |
Important: Most mainstream lines (Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Princess) add an 18–20% service charge on top of the package price. MSC is a notable exception — gratuities are included in all MSC pre-paid beverage packages, per MSC's own FAQ. Factor this in when comparing sticker prices.
Photo: Carnival Cruise Line
Key Factors That Drive the Total Cost
Sea days are your friend here. A Spain-Morocco transatlantic typically features 5–8 open-ocean sea days just crossing the Atlantic, plus potential sea days between ports. The industry break-even point is roughly 5–6 drinks per day (including specialty coffee and non-alcoholic beverages). On sea days, that's easy. On port days in Seville, Casablanca, or Malaga, you may drink less — but you've already locked in the rate.
Individual drink prices without a package (with 18–20% gratuity added):
| Drink | Base Price | With 18–20% Gratuity |
|---|---|---|
| Well cocktail | $11.50 | ~$13.50–$13.80 |
| Signature cocktail | $13.50 | ~$15.90–$16.20 |
| Imported/craft beer | $9.00 | ~$10.60–$10.80 |
| Wine by the glass | $11.00 | ~$12.98–$13.20 |
| Specialty coffee | $6.00 | ~$7.08–$7.20 |
Two cocktails and a coffee per day = roughly $35–$38 out of pocket. At a $55/day package rate, you need to hit closer to 4–5 drinks to break even — very achievable on a transatlantic sea day.
Line-specific pricing matters a lot. Celebrity's "All Included" fare bundles drinks and Wi-Fi into the base fare on transatlantic itineraries, making it worth pricing both options side-by-side. Royal Caribbean caps included drinks at $14/drink on their Deluxe Beverage Package — premium cocktails over that cap trigger an upcharge. MSC's Premium Extra Package covers specialty restaurants; their basic packages do not.
MSC Grand Voyage note: If you're booked on an MSC Grand Voyage, beverage packages are NOT automatically included — that depends on your travel agency's promotion. MSC World Cruise is a different story (Dine & Drinks Package is included), but a 17-night Spain/Morocco sailing is a Grand Voyage, not a World Cruise. Verify with your booking agent.
Duration penalty is real. Longer cruises cost more in absolute terms, obviously — but some lines cap the per-day rate when you book longer sailings, or offer loyalty discounts. Check your Cruise Planner early, as pre-cruise pricing is consistently 10–20% cheaper than buying the package onboard.
Photo: Carnival Cruise Line
Practical Tips to Get the Best Value
Book the package pre-cruise. Onboard prices are almost always higher. Watch your Cruise Planner for flash sales — cruise lines regularly discount beverage packages by 20–30% in the weeks leading up to sailing. Set a calendar reminder to check at the 90-day, 60-day, and 30-day marks.
Do the honest math for your drinking habits. Don't romanticize it. If you typically have 2 drinks at dinner and a beer at the pool, you're at 3 drinks/day — that probably doesn't break even at $75+/day. If you're a coffee-at-breakfast, cocktail-at-sailaway, wine-with-dinner, nightcap type (4–5 drinks), the package likely pays off, especially across 17 nights.
Factor in your travel companion. Most lines require both guests in a cabin to purchase the same package (MSC explicitly states this). A non-drinker partner buying a $935–$1,275 package is dead money. In that case, consider the alcohol-free package for the non-drinker and price the difference honestly.
MSC travelers: check the dining restriction. On MSC, only the Premium Extra Package works in specialty restaurants. If you're planning multiple specialty dining nights on a 17-night voyage, the basic package won't cover your wine with dinner at the steakhouse.
Celebrity transatlantic travelers: Seriously price out the All Included fare vs. adding a package separately. Celebrity's transatlantic repositioning cruises are frequently sold as All Included, which bundles Classic beverage package plus Wi-Fi. On a 17-night sailing, that Wi-Fi savings alone (worth ~$425 at $25/day) can tip the math heavily toward the bundled fare.
Which Lines Run Spain & Morocco Transatlantics?
For 2025–2026, the primary lines operating Spain/Morocco transatlantic itineraries include:
| Cruise Line | Typical Package Option | Pre-Cruise Daily Rate | Gratuity on Top? |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSC Cruises | Premium Extra Package | ~$50–$70/day | No — included |
| Celebrity Cruises | Classic / Premium / All Included | $75–$95/day (or bundled) | +18–20% if added separately |
| Royal Caribbean | Deluxe Beverage Package | $75–$105/day | +18% |
| Norwegian (NCL) | Free at Sea bundle or standalone | $109–$120/day standalone | +20% |
| Princess Cruises | Plus / Premier fare bundles | Bundled or ~$60–$80/day | +18% |
For a 17-night voyage, MSC and Celebrity tend to offer the most transparent all-in pricing — MSC because gratuities are included in the package, Celebrity because the All Included fare bundles everything upfront.
Bottom line: On a 17-night Spain and Morocco transatlantic, a drink package is more likely to pay off than on a short Caribbean cruise, purely because of sea day density. Budget $900–$1,400 per person as a realistic all-in range for a solid mid-tier package with gratuities on a mainstream line. Check your specific Cruise Planner for exact sailing prices — drink packages are dynamically priced and your rate will differ from the averages above.
Use CruiseMutiny to model the exact break-even math for your itinerary, drinking habits, and line — so you're not guessing when the upsell pop-up hits your inbox.