Considering booking a cruise on MSC and curious about their alcohol drink packages? MSC’s “Easy Drink Package” is one of the alcohol packages offered by MSC Cruise Line. The “Easy Drink Package” is the base-level package and is sometimes included with a cruise booking as a perk. If you are considering booking with MSC, you should ask if the offer is available for your sailing. If not, packages are available after booking.
On our short 3-night sailing with MSC, our booking included the Easy Drink Package as well as a limited WIFI plan. While the included drink options are limited, it was very clear which beers/cocktails are available with the Easy Drink Package. Because this package is often included as a booking perk, the staff are very familiar with the items it includes.
It’s also helpful that many of the bar menus featured a special panel for this package’s offerings or were shown in price order, making it easy to see which items were available within the $6 budget.
The pool menu below shows the panel highlighting the Easy Drink Package cocktail options.
Important things to know about the MSC Easy Drink Package
It is important to note that this package includes items up to $6. If you decide to purchase a $9 cocktail, you will be charged the full $9, not the $3 difference between your chosen beverage and the allowable amount. Norwegian Cruise Line has a similar policy; however, at the time of this post, Royal Caribbean’s policy is to charge the price discrepancy.
Additionally, both still and sparkling bottled water, as well as most specialty coffees, are included in the MSC Easy Drink Package. But there were a few specialty coffees with alcohol that were above the $6 limit. But the basic Latte, cappuccino, etc., were included.
The package does extend to their new private island, MSC Ocean Cay Marine Reserve. During our visit, some substitutions were made. However, it is NOT included in the specialty restaurants.
Similar to other cruise lines, which insist that if one person in a stateroom purchases the drink package, all adults of legal drinking age must purchase it as well. MSC takes this a step further to include minors (purchase of the non-alcoholic package option) as well. The exemption applies only to minors under the age of 3!
Like other cruise lines, they offer exemptions for special circumstances, but those are made on a case-by-case basis.
Description from the MSC brand website –
Selected Drinks up to $6! *The package must be purchased by all guests occupying the same stateroom or traveling together, including minors who must purchase a non-alcoholic beverage package. The purchase of a beverage package is not required for children under the age of 3. – https://www.msccruisesusa.com/en-us/Discover-MSC/All-Inclusive-Packages.aspx
What is interesting about this scenario is that while I find the standard rate of $35 per adult quite reasonable compared to other lines (although much more restrictive), the minor counterpart is sold for $29. Furthermore, you could be set back $17 per day for your 3-year-old!
I guess this is when you need to remember that kids sail free is standard for them, and you’re still ahead of the budget game.
Another consideration to keep in mind is that on sailings of 7 days or more, you may purchase an upgrade to your Easy Drink Package to a more inclusive drink package after you’re on board. This upgrade was not an option for our short 3-night sailing. The cost of the upgrade to one of the premium packages was not available and may vary by sailing.
Would we book with the MSC Easy Drink Package again?
Much to my husband’s dismay, Corona was not included as a beer option with this package. The only included beer choices were Miller Lite or Heineken. Coors Lite was substituted if a bar was out of Miller Lite.
Inventory management seemed to be an issue during our short sailing. Even though he didn’t order beer often, we noticed that various bars seemed to be out of one of the beers each time he ordered.
All things considered, for our short 3-night sailing, there were enough options that we enjoyed. The included Cabernet Sauvignon was quite good, and I enjoyed a glass or two each evening. Additionally, our personal cocktail of choice is a 7 & 7, which was included in the easy drink package. Between these options, my morning latte, and available bottled water, it was a good value for us.
If we were to book again for a 7+ day sailing, we would likely opt for a package with more variety, but only if it were offered at a discounted price.
Speaking of the more inclusive drink package options.
MSC Premium Drink Package Options.
There are two additional alcohol drink packages offered by MSC – Premium and Premium Plus.
The Premium Drink Package includes drinks up to $12 and is available at an average price of $47-$63 per person, per day.
The Premium Plus Drink Package advertises no price or consumption limits and ranges in price from $66 to $79 per person, per day. The price per day varies by sailing itinerary and is based on a 7-day sailing.
Check out a video tour of our aft-facing balcony stateroom on the MSC Divina here.
Thanks for reading!
Jillian
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