It's not uncommon to see people on cruise ships wearing "I beat the drink package" T-shirts. That phrasing generally means: "I drank so much that the cruise line lost money on selling me the package."
Now, given the difference between the wholesale prices the cruise line pays for beer, wine and liquor and the retail prices passengers pay, that would take a lot more drinking than most people think.
But "beating the drink package" can also involve passengers finding ways to get free drinks, so they don't need the package.
Related: Carnival Cruise Line shares grownup answer to ‘adult’ question
That's especially hard to do on Royal Caribbean ships unless you have a suite booked or have status in the casino. In both cases, the "beat" has a serious drawback: You get free drinks only in one specific location.
The Suite Lounge offers complimentary beverages during the evening hours. It's a nice selection of beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails offered to people in Grand Suites or higher, as well as Crown & Anchor loyalty members who've reached Pinnacle status.
Prime and higher members of the casino loyalty programs get access to waiter-served drinks while they play and a full bar in the casino that can be accessed while the casino is open. You don't have to play to get a drink at the bar, and many people will grab a cocktail and then take it someplace else.
The casino bar, however, is open only at night, on sea days, and in company-owned ports like Perfect Day at CocoCay or Labadee, Haiti.
It's easy to see how these are both ways to avoid paying for a drink package, but they're geographically challenged choices.
Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter to save money on your next (or your first) cruise.
Image source: Dan Kline/ComeCruiseWith.com
Get twice the bar value on Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean Crown and Anchor Society top-tier loyalty members get four drinks per day at Diamond level, five at Diamond Plus and six at Pinnacle. Those can used on any beverage up to $15, which includes nearly everything aside from some fancy wines and liquors.
Doug Brown, a regular contributor to a Facebook group devoted to the Crown & Anchor Society, shared a novel idea to make those free drinks go further.
"Great idea for you Diamond and Diamond Plus members that get five free drinks. You can double your drink capacity by ordering Fosters. There’s two drinks in one can only counts for one drink on your card. You can actually get 10 drinks on one card assuming you like beer," he wrote.
Each Fosters can is 24 ounces and is 5% alcohol by volume. That makes it essentially two drinks per can.
Related: Royal Caribbean CEO makes unintentional point for Kamala Harris
Nathan Boal endorsed this strategy and paired it with another one.
"I do this every cruise, perfect way to stretch the free drinks until the casino opens and the free drinks continue," he wrote.
ALSO READ: Top travel agents share how to get the best price on your cruise
Tom Magee had some added advice.
"Keep that quiet! They always run out on cruises. We don’t want too many people to know this," he wrote.
Are you taking a cruise or thinking about taking one? Visit our Come Cruise With Me website to have all your questions answered.
