Royal Caribbean charges $3.50–$5.00 per can or glass of soda if you pay as you go, or you can buy the Refreshment Package for around $29–$35 per person per day, which covers unlimited sodas, juices, and non-alcoholic drinks.
Photo: Royal Caribbean International
Royal Caribbean's à la carte soda pricing will quietly drain your wallet if you're not paying attention. A family of four grabbing a few Cokes a day can easily rack up $50–$80 in soda charges before they've even thought about alcohol.
What Royal Caribbean Actually Charges for Soda
There are three ways to get soda on a Royal Caribbean ship, and the price differences are dramatic depending on which route you take.
À la carte (pay per drink): Individual cans or fountain sodas run $3.50–$5.00 each, plus an automatic 18% gratuity. That $4 Coke becomes $4.72 before you blink.
Refreshment Package: This non-alcoholic drinks package covers unlimited sodas, juices, mocktails, specialty coffees, and bottled water. It's the sweet spot for non-drinkers and kids.
Deluxe Beverage Package: Covers everything including alcohol — sodas are included, but you're paying a premium for the booze umbrella.
| Option | Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Single can/fountain soda (à la carte) | $3.50–$5.00 + 18% gratuity | Occasional soda drinkers (1–2/day) |
| Refreshment Package | $29–$35/person/day | Non-drinkers, teens, heavy soda drinkers |
| Deluxe Beverage Package | $75–$110/person/day | Adults who drink alcohol + soda |
| Souvenir Cup (refillable) | ~$10–$14 one-time fee | Budget-conscious cruisers, short sailings |
Prices reflect 2025–2026 Royal Caribbean market rates. Package prices vary by ship, sail date, and booking promotions.
Photo: Royal Caribbean International
Key Factors That Drive Your Soda Costs
How many sodas you drink per day. The math is simple: if you drink 3+ sodas a day, the Refreshment Package pays for itself. At $4.72 per soda (with gratuity), three sodas = $14.16/day — well below the package price. But if you're a one-soda-with-dinner person, just pay as you go.
Gratuity on packages. The Refreshment Package is typically sold with gratuity included — but verify at checkout. Some promotions strip the gratuity out and add it at the end, bumping the real cost to $34–$41/person/day.
Kids and teens. Royal Caribbean requires that all guests in the same cabin 21+ must purchase the same alcohol package. However, kids and teens can be on a different (non-alcoholic) package, which makes the Refreshment Package a smart move for families with soda-hungry teenagers.
Pre-cruise vs. onboard pricing. This is where Royal Caribbean gets you. Buying the Refreshment Package before you sail — through the Cruise Planner — is almost always 10–25% cheaper than buying it at the bar on Day 1. Watch the Cruise Planner obsessively in the weeks before your sailing; prices fluctuate and sales pop up regularly.
Ship and venue. Specialty restaurants sometimes charge separately for sodas even if you have a package — always ask before ordering.
Photo: Royal Caribbean International
Practical Tips to Save Money on Soda
1. Do the daily math before buying. Multiply your typical daily soda intake by $4.72 (à la carte with gratuity). If it's close to the package price, buy the package. If it's half the package price, skip it.
2. Watch the Cruise Planner for flash sales. Royal Caribbean discounts beverage packages by 20–30% during promotional windows — sometimes dropping the Refreshment Package to $22–$25/day. Set a reminder to check weekly starting 90 days out.
3. Consider the souvenir cup. On some ships and itineraries, Royal Caribbean sells a refillable souvenir cup for around $10–$14 that gets you discounted refills at self-serve stations. It's not unlimited, but it's a good budget hack for short 3–4 night sailings.
4. Bring your own — carefully. Royal Caribbean's policy allows passengers to bring one 750ml bottle of wine or champagne per adult at embarkation, but does not allow bringing your own soda or water. Don't try to sneak a 12-pack aboard — it'll get confiscated.
5. Pair packages strategically. If one adult in your cabin drinks alcohol and one doesn't, the drinker must buy the Deluxe Beverage Package, but the non-drinker can downgrade to the Refreshment Package. That's a legitimate way to cut household beverage costs significantly on a 7-night sailing.
Which Royal Caribbean Ships Have the Best Soda Value
Oasis-class and Icon-class ships (Icon of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas) have the most self-serve drink stations and venues, which makes the Refreshment Package feel more valuable — there are simply more places to use it. On shorter 3–4 night Bahamas runs on smaller ships, you'll likely drink less and the package math works less in your favor.
If you want to lock in beverage package pricing before it goes up again, CruiseHub often bundles drink packages with cabin fares at rates you won't find going direct.
Before you commit to anything, run your numbers through CruiseMutiny to see exactly whether a soda package makes financial sense for your specific sailing and drinking habits — because Royal Caribbean is counting on you to guess wrong.