Every business today faces rising costs. These costs are particularly challenging for companies that are highly exposed to the global labor market. These include cruise lines, which have to feed people and pay for the fuel to operate their ships.
Even as fuel prices fall, Royal Caribbean (RCL) Carnival Cruise Line (CCL) Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH) , and every other cruise line faces some kind of perfect storm. They have to pay higher costs, but ongoing concerns related to the pandemic, as well as widespread economic fears, have limited their ability to raise prices.
Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Norwegian have been able to return customers to their ships. After their capacities were limited by Covid, the ships can now accommodate and often sail with full loads of customers. But ticket prices have generally been modest compared to 2019 fares.
That’s not uniform — newer ships still have some ability to sell higher-priced tickets — but cruise lines have attracted customers largely by keeping cabin prices reasonable. However, they have seen more spending across the board, which has kept revenues growing at or even exceeding historical rates.
For this to work, cruise lines have to get people to do more onboard shopping and make advance purchases or make them pay more for what they do. And while it may be painful, cruise customers have shown they’re willing to pay (and pay dearly) for unlimited beverage packages.
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Cruise line beverage packages are expensive (but probably worth the cost)
All three major cruise lines offer an unlimited beverage package, including everything from soda and bottled water to spirits. And while Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Norwegian all have slightly different approaches to selling beverage packages, all three sell them on a per-cruise basis, not daily.
In addition, with a few exceptions, all three major cruise lines require all adults staying in the same cabin to purchase the same beverage package. This is to prevent people from buying a bundle and sharing (which is not allowed, but hard to police).
Beverage packages are very popular on these three cruise lines because the basic fares only cover water, basic coffee and tea, and some liquids. Alcoholic drinks cost extra and the numbers add up quickly, with an average mixed drink costing $12 to $15, a beer $6 to $10, and wine $10 to $15.
Beverage packages also include sodas, flavored coffees, fresh juices and even, in some cases, milkshakes. This makes them a good economy choice for many cruise passengers, even as prices continue to rise.
Carnival recently raised the price of its Cheers unlimited drinks package, and now Norwegian Cruise Line is set to do the same.
Norway charges a lot for drink packages
Norwegian already has the most expensive standard beverage package, which comes in at $99 per person per day.
Carnival recently increased the price of the beverage package to $59.95, per person per day plus an 18% service charge if purchased before your cruise. If you wait until you’re on board, Carnival customers will pay $64.95 per person per day plus an 18% service charge.
Royal Caribbean does not use set prices for its beverage packages. Prices vary based on your cruise and they change often, but in most cases the cruise line costs less than what Norway does.
Now, Norwegian has decided to raise the price on its two top-tier beverage packages — the Unlimited Open Bar Package and the Premium Plus Beverage Package — effective Jan. 1, Cruzely reported.
The Open Bar Unlimited Package, which includes all drinks up to $15, will cost $109 per person per day. The Premium Plus beverage package, which includes nearly every beverage the cruise line serves, will increase from $128 to $138 per person per day.
Norway did not raise the price of its $65-a-day “Caps and Corks” package, which includes beers and wines. The new price comes into effect on January 1, but people can book at the old prices until that date.
