If you’re looking for a Disney cruise drink package, you might be disappointed. That’s because Disney Cruise Line doesn’t sell a traditional all-inclusive beverage package like other cruise lines do. Still, passengers have plenty of ways to get alcohol or other specialty drinks on the ship at a discount.
Guests who look forward to a glass of chardonnay with dinner, umbrella-clad drinks by the pool or a nightcap on their balcony can save with wine- and beer-focused packages or even by bringing their own drinks on board with Disney’s generous policy.
After sailing on seven Disney cruises, I’ve tried just about every trick to get a deal on drinks. Here’s what you need to know to decide if any of Disney’s cruise drink packages or money-saving hacks are worth it for your family.
Which drinks are included on a Disney cruise?
Your Disney cruise fare includes some beverages but not others; alcohol is not included, so a glass of wine, beer or cocktail will cost you extra.
One of the biggest perks of a Disney cruise, however, is that soda from specific onboard locations is included in the cost of your sailing. Soft drinks can be found at the beverage station on Deck 9 of Disney Magic and Disney Wonder and at two beverage stations on Deck 11 of Disney Wish, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. Teens can also find complimentary sodas in the teen-only lounge, Vibe. Soda is included at meals as well.
However, if you order a soft drink from a bar or lounge, you will be charged a per-drink fee. Be careful about what you order so you don’t pay for a drink that’s free elsewhere on the ship.
Related: Are cruises all-inclusive? What’s actually included in your cruise fare
Besides soda, other free-of-charge, nonalcoholic options available at beverage stands include coffee, milk and juice. At dinner, you can get soda, coffee and tea for free.
Disney cruise drink packages for wine
Wine lovers don’t have the option of an all-inclusive drink package, but they can take advantage of discounted pricing by prepurchasing wine bundles. Disney Cruise Line says the packages offer a 25% savings over ordering bottles a la carte on board.
Wine packages range from $105 to $220 for three, four, five or seven bottles of wine from a preselected “classic” list of white, red or sparkling wines. The package goes up to $155 to $330 for three to seven bottles of wine from the premium wine list.
You can choose different vintages or the same for each night of your cruise. One perk of this package is that you don’t have to order the number of bottles corresponding to your sailing length. You can order more than one bottle per night, and what you don’t finish can be taken back to your cabin or enjoyed the following evening in the dining room. Or, you can order just a few bottles for a weeklong cruise if you’d like to split a bottle over two dinners.
Disney cruise drink packages for beer
If you want a beer package, the options are slightly more limited than the wine offerings. You can choose from seven different beers, including Blue Moon, Corona and Budweiser, and each comes in a six-pack for the price of five beers at $36.25.
If you’re a hard seltzer fan, you can also order a six-pack of Truly pineapple or wild berry for $32.50. These can be delivered to your cabin for you to enjoy at your leisure around the ship.
Related: Are cruise line drinks packages worth the price? What to know before you buy
How to book Disney’s beer and wine packages
You can book Disney’s cruise drink packages for beer and wine online before your sailing or after you get onto the ship.
To book before boarding your cruise, go to Disney’s onboard gifts webpage and choose the beer or wine package that works for you. According to Disney Cruise Line, most items can be delivered to your cabin on embarkation day, but you can also choose to have them delivered to a dining room to enjoy at dinner.
Once you’re on the ship, you can order packages in the main dining room on the first night of your restaurant rotation, from crew selling beverage packages at kiosks around the ship or by calling guest services or room service.
Disney Cruise Line’s bring-your-own-alcohol policy
If you’re looking for additional ways to save on cruise drinks, you might want to consider bringing your own alcohol.
Compared to most cruise lines that allow guests to bring only a small amount of wine with them upon embarkation, Disney’s alcohol policy for guests is generous. Every person 21 or older can bring two bottles of unopened wine or Champagne or six 12-ounce beers on board at the beginning of the cruise and at each port of call.
All drinks that you are bringing with you must be put in your carry-on bag. If you accidentally pack these drinks in your checked luggage, they will be removed and not returned, even at the end of the sailing.
If you bring wine with a cork, your stateroom host can provide you with a corkscrew and glasses. Those who want to enjoy the wine they brought on board in the dining room must pay a $29 corkage fee per bottle, so factor that cost into your decision to bring your own wine to save money.
Other ways to save money on drinks with Disney Cruise Line
Even without an all-inclusive drink package, you can save money on drinks on a Disney cruise. These are our six tried-and-true tips for ordering fun cocktails and specialty beverages for less.
Related: How to get free or cheap drinks on a cruise
Find happy hours across the ship
While alcohol isn’t free on board any Disney Cruise Line ship, you can take advantage of daily happy hours to save money. You can find out when and where happy hour is by browsing through the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app. Happy hour is listed under daily events, and the app will tell you when and where you can find drink specials.
On my most recent Disney cruise, happy hour rotated around the various adults-only bars and lounges, though times changed depending on the bar. Select drinks were half off.
Try the drink of the day
If you’re into tropical drinks, you’ll want to try your ship’s drink of the day every day, including on port days at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay. This rotating menu of drinks is offered at a discount.
Additionally, you can purchase a drink of the day souvenir cup, which is usually a plastic hurricane-style cup, to use throughout your cruise. This cup can only be used for a drink of the day purchase, but with the cup, you do get a larger serving of the daily cocktail special.
Check out the Sommelier Bin wines
Select bars on all Disney Cruise Line ships feature a menu with a small section called the Sommelier Bin. With this, you tell your server or bartender you want a glass of white, red or sparkling wine from the bin. They will select a wine based on the already open bottles, but you won’t know exactly what you’re getting until it’s poured and delivered.
If you want to try something new or feel adventurous one evening, the Sommelier Bin is a great way to sample wine at a discounted price.
Enjoy free drinks in the concierge lounge
If you splurge and book yourself a concierge-level room on any of the Disney Cruise Line ships, you’re privy to a host of extra amenities and benefits. One of them is free drinks.
All day, bottled water, soft drinks, milk and juice are available, and in the evening beer, wine and spirits are served by lounge bartenders. Upon arrival, you will get an information sheet with times for the daily food and beverage offerings, so you know when your family should show up for meals or drink service. If you get a cocktail or mocktail, you can take it outside the lounge if you have somewhere else to be around the ship.
Save with the Disney Cruise Line beer mug
For those who like to sip on a cold beer while enjoying a show, the pool or a game of trivia, the beer mug savings package could be worth buying. You can buy the mug online before your cruise from the Onboard Gifts and Amenities area of the Disney Cruise Line website for $15.25. You can also purchase it once you’re on the ship from one of the kiosks with crew selling drink packages.
The package allows you to get a 21-ounce refill of beer for the price of a 16-ounce beer from any bar on the ship that offers draft beer.
You also get a beer token with the package that entitles you to all the benefits of the package without having to carry the glass around with you. If you choose to go with the beer mug token, you can swap it in for a mug on the last night of your cruise. The mug makes a great souvenir to take home.
Get a coffee punch card
Just like other cruise lines, specialty coffee drinks are an added cost on Disney Cruise Line ships. You can find these drinks in the Cove Cafe, an adults-only coffee spot on every ship, or the inside coffee bars near the main atrium.
If you plan on drinking more than five specialty coffee beverages throughout your sailing, ask the crew member making your drink for a punch card. Every time you visit the Cove Cafe or one of the atrium coffee bars and order a coffee-based drink, you can get your card punched. After five punches, your sixth drink is free.
Pro-tip: Put your card in your lanyard or wallet with your room key so you always have it with you. When it’s time to pay for your coffee order, you don’t want to find out you don’t have your punch card with you.
Will you really miss the drink package if you’re sailing on Disney Cruise Line?
If you’ve sailed on other cruise lines and bought the drink package, you might think you will miss its benefits on Disney Cruise Line. The truth is that because Disney offers so many ways to enjoy specialty drinks and alcohol that are free or discounted, including being able to bring your own alcohol on board at every port of call, you might end up saving money on drinks while sailing with Disney, compared to other lines.
Should you choose to have cocktails or specialty drinks, just remember to set a drink budget and check yourself daily to be sure you’re not spending too much on beverages.
The bottom line is that even though Disney doesn’t have a traditional all-inclusive drink package, you can still find ways to save money on beverage purchases. Whether you bring alcohol on board at every port, try your luck with the Sommelier Bin or save with a beer or wine package, you’ll never go thirsty on Disney Cruise Line.
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