On MSC Caribbean sailings, the only alcoholic drink package is the Premium Extra at $85/person/day (4+ nights) or $95/day (3-night cruises), with WiFi adding roughly $15–$25/day — bringing a combined drink + wifi bundle to approximately $100–$110/person/day before any onboard price hike.
Photo: MSC Cruises
Most cruisers assume MSC will have a cheap-ish drink package tucked in somewhere. Not anymore — at least not on North American sailings. As of December 2024, MSC eliminated the Easy and Easy Plus packages for Caribbean, Alaska, and Canada/New England departures. There's now exactly one alcoholic drink package choice, and you need to know what WiFi adds before you budget.
The Real Numbers: MSC Drink + WiFi Costs
Let's cut straight to it. All prices below are for Caribbean and North American sailings (4+ nights unless noted). WiFi is sold separately — MSC does not bundle drinks and WiFi into a single package the way Norwegian or Royal Caribbean sometimes do.
| Package | Pre-Cruise Price/Day | Onboard Price/Day | What You Get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium Extra (alcoholic) | $85 (4+ nights) / $95 (3-night) | ~$98 / ~$109 | Cocktails/spirits up to $16, wine by glass, draft beer, specialty coffee, sodas, juices — unlimited non-alcoholic |
| Alcohol-Free | $33 (4+ nights) / $35 (3-night) | ~$38 / ~$40 | Mocktails, sodas, specialty coffee, juice, water, hot chocolate |
| Minors Package (ages 3–20) | $22 (4+ nights) / $25 (3-night) | Higher onboard | Non-alcoholic only; requires at least one adult to have purchased a drink package |
| WiFi | $15–$25/day | Higher onboard | Hybrid VSAT + SES O3b; speed varies by ship and route |
Total for one adult wanting drinks + WiFi: roughly $100–$110/person/day pre-cruise. On a 7-night sailing, that's $700–$770 per person just for drinks and internet — before you've paid a cent for gratuities, specialty dining, or excursions.
⚠️ Critical warning: The onboard price is 15% higher than the pre-cruise rate. If you want the Premium Extra package, buy it before you board. That's a $12–$14/day difference — real money on a week-long cruise.
Photo: MSC Cruises
Key Factors That Drive Your Final Cost
Cruise length matters. MSC prices its packages differently for 3-night versus 4+-night sailings. A 3-night Bahamas weekend will cost you $10/day more than a 7-night Caribbean run. On a short trip that's only a $30 premium per person — but it's worth knowing.
The 15-drink daily alcohol limit. MSC caps the Premium Extra package at 15 alcoholic drinks per day (effective across all sailings April 1, 2025 onward). Non-alcoholic items — sodas, specialty coffees, water, juices — are truly unlimited with no daily cap. For most travelers 15 drinks is more than enough; for a pool-heavy sea day crowd, plan accordingly.
The $16 drink price cap. Any drink priced above $16 requires you to pay the difference out of pocket. Most standard cocktails and draft beers fall under this threshold, but top-shelf pours and some premium cocktails can push past it.
WiFi quality caveat. MSC runs hybrid VSAT + SES O3b technology — it's functional, but noticeably less consistent than Starlink-equipped lines like Royal Caribbean or Virgin Voyages. If you're planning to video call or work remotely, factor that in before you decide WiFi is worth $25/day.
Yacht Club guests get Premium Extra included. If you're sailing in the MSC Yacht Club, drinks are already covered — and the 15-drink daily alcohol limit does NOT apply within Yacht Club areas. You'd still pay separately for WiFi.
Adults can opt out individually. Unlike most cruise lines, MSC does not require everyone in the same cabin to purchase the same drink package. Each adult can choose independently — a genuine money-saver if one person barely drinks.
Photo: MSC Cruises
How to Get the Best Value
Buy the drink package before you board — always. This one tip alone saves you $12–$14/day on the Premium Extra. Log into your MSC account after booking and watch the Cruise Planner for price drops; MSC does occasionally discount packages on promotional weeks.
Do the math before you buy. The Premium Extra at $85/day breaks even at roughly 5 cocktails ($14 avg) plus a couple of specialty coffees per day. Light drinkers — two drinks at dinner, maybe a cocktail by the pool — will not break even. If that's you, paying per drink is cheaper.
Don't double-pay for WiFi if you won't use it. MSC's WiFi runs $15–$25/day. If you're on a 7-night trip and truly unplugging, skip it. If you need it for one or two days, consider buying day-passes onboard rather than the full package — though check pricing at Guest Services once aboard.
Skip WiFi, get the drink package, use port WiFi. In Caribbean ports — Cozumel, Nassau, Nassau, Ocean Cay — most restaurants and shops have free WiFi. Many cruisers connect on port days and disconnect at sea.
Premium Extra works at Ocean Cay (MSC's private island). That's legitimately useful — some lines' drink packages don't extend to private island venues.
The 25% bottle discount is a sleeper perk. Premium Extra gives you 25% off bottled wine purchased onboard. If your group drinks wine at dinner, ordering a bottle instead of glasses can be a solid deal even on top of the package price.
Specific MSC Sailings Where the Combo Makes Most Sense
The drink + WiFi combo makes the most financial sense on sea-heavy Caribbean itineraries — 7-night Eastern or Western Caribbean routes with 3–4 sea days. More time at sea = more bar time = better chance of breaking even on the Premium Extra.
On shorter sailings (3-night Bahamas runs out of Miami or Port Canaveral), the math gets tighter. You're paying the higher $95/day rate, you have fewer drinking days, and port stops eat into onboard time. Evaluate carefully.
If you're sailing MSC Seashore, MSC Meraviglia, or MSC Seascape out of Miami or New York — these are the newest, most popular North American ships. WiFi quality on these newer vessels tends to be better than on older MSC hardware.
If budget is the real driver and you just want something cold in your hand, the Alcohol-Free Package at $33/day is genuinely decent value — specialty coffees, mocktails, and unlimited sodas are all included, and MSC's non-alcoholic options are better than you'd expect.
Prices on MSC shift regularly, and your exact sailing's package pricing may differ from the baseline figures above. Use CruiseMutiny to model your full MSC trip cost — drinks, WiFi, gratuities, and specialty dining — so you know your real number before you book. And if you're ready to lock in your sailing, compare fares through our booking partner CruiseHub to make sure you're not leaving money on the table at checkout.