I vacationed on one of the world's largest cruise ships and learned that drink packages aren't worth the hype

• I spent two weeks on P&O's Arvia, one of the world's largest cruise ships.
• I intended to get a drinks package but was prevented from doing so because of one key rule.
• I ended up saving money and didn't feel bad about buying drinks on shore.

In December 2023, my partner and I embarked on our first Caribbean cruise on P&O's Arvia, one of the largest cruise ships in the world.

Before setting sail, we asked family and friends who had been on cruises for their best tips. They all said the same thing: Make sure to get a drinks package.

A major rule prevented us from getting the drinks packages we wanted

Arvia is the largest ship built for the UK market, a P&O spokesperson previously told Business Insider. It has 30 bars and restaurants, including a swim-up bar.

P&O has a wide range of drink packages which can be viewed on its website and can be purchased before or during the first two days of your cruise. We waited until boarding the cruise to explore our options.

My partner wanted to purchase the classics drink package, which costs £44.95, or around $57.25, per person, per day, and includes beers and ciders, selected cocktails, and wine.

I rarely drink alcohol, so the alcohol-free package seemed like the best option for me. It costs £24.95, or around $31, per person, per day, and includes mocktails, soft drinks, fruit juice, tea, and coffee.

But when my partner tried to get two different packages, he was told by an employee that the same package must be purchased by guests who are sharing a cabin unless they're under 18 or have a health condition that would prevent them from drinking. (This rule is also stated in the drink package terms and conditions on P&O's website).

We had no idea about this policy, but after doing some research, we learned that it's a common rule among some other cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean.

We understood why the rule is in place; it likely prevents guests from using their package to purchase drinks for other guests, which is prohibited. But even so, there was no way that we could justify spending money on the same package when I wouldn't be drinking alcohol.

P&O did not respond to a request for comment regarding its drink packages.

We saved money by the end of the cruise

The two-week voyage ported in Tortola, the Dominican Republic, St. Maarten, Antigua, St. Kitts, Martinique, St. Lucia, and Barbados.

We had a fantastic time, and the fact that we didn't have a drinks package meant we could go to bars on shore without feeling like we were wasting money.

We did some calculations and realized that we ended up saving money by opting out of the drinks packages. The classic package would have cost £629.30, or around $803, per person for two weeks. That would have amounted to a total of $1,606 for both of us, which is around $600 more than we ended up spending on drinks on the ship.

Of course, everyone is different and some people may find that drink packages are worth it. But for us, paying as we went was the most sensible decision.