Beverage Policies can vary dramatically from one river cruise line to the next. While nearly all of the major lines offer at least some complimentary beverages, some are more inclusive than others.
What beverages are included on your river cruise? Photo © 2016 Aaron Saunders
Even if you’ve sailed with a particular line in the past, you may notice that beverage policies can change from year-to-year. Both Tauck and Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection have gone all-inclusive in recent years, and AmaWaterways has begun offering up an inclusive “Happy Hour” in the lounge onboard its European-based river cruise vessels for the 2018 season.
Other river cruise lines have beverage packages or policies that make all-inclusive cruising affordable. Viking River Cruises leads the way in this respect, offering up its reasonably-priced “Silver Spirits” beverage packages that allow for inclusive beverages outside of mealtimes, in addition to a generous “bring-your-own” policy that doesn’t charge corkage for personal bottles of wine brought on board and consumed in the ship’s restaurant or lounge.
Keep in mind, however, that beverage policies can vary for non-European river cruise itineraries. It is always a good idea to check with your cruise line of choice beforehand to determine what beverages are included with your cruise, and these should also be spelled out in your pre-cruise documentation.
For now, here is a rundown of 2018 river cruise line beverage policies:
Beverage Policies Across Major River Cruise Operators
| Complimentary? | AmaWaterways | Avalon | CroisiEurope | Crystal | Emerald | Riviera | Scenic | Tauck | Uniworld | Viking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All-Inclusive Beverages | Select Voyages |  | | | | |||||
| Bottled Water | | | | | | | | | |
|
| Tea and Coffee | | | | | | | | | | |
| Beer, Wine and Soft Drinks with Lunch and Dinner | | | | | | | | | |
|
| Happy Hour | | | | | | | ||||
| After Dinner Drinks | | | | | | |||||
| Optional Beverage Package? | | | |
|||||||
| "Premium" brands at additional cost? | | |
Beverage Policies By River Cruise Line
- Coffee and Tea: Yes – includes specialty coffees, such as espresso and café late.
- Bottled Water: Yes – replenished in staterooms daily.
- Soft Drinks: Yes – served with lunch and dinner.
- Beer and Wine: Yes – served with lunch and dinner.
- Premium Beer, Wine and Spirits: Additional Cost.
- New for 2018: complimentary Happy Hour
- Coffee and Tea: Yes – always available free of charge.
- Soft Drinks: Yes – served with lunch and dinner.
- Beer and Wine: Yes – served with lunch dinner.
- Premium Beer, Wine and Spirits: Additional Cost.
- Coffee, Tea, Mineral Water and Fruit Juice: Yes – served with every meal.
- Beer and Wine: Yes – select beer and wine are served with every meal.
- Premium Beer, Wine and Spirits: Additional Cost.
- Note: Some itineraries feature an open bar. For cruises that do not have an open bar, a drink card can be purchased for less than $35 per person. Any remaining balance at the end of the cruise is credited back to the purchaser’s account.
- Unlimited beverages (coffee, tea, soft drinks, beer, wine and spirits) featured onboard for the duration of your river cruise.
- Coffee and Tea: Yes – always available free of charge.
- Bottled Water: Yes – replenished in staterooms daily.
- Soft Drinks: Yes – served with lunch and dinner.
- Beer and Wine: Yes – served with lunch and dinner.
- Premium Beer, Wine and Spirits: Additional Cost.
- Coffee, Tea: Yes, available free of charge.
- Mineral Water, Beer and Wine, Spirits and Premium Spirits: Additional cost
- Unlimited beverages (coffee, tea, soft drinks, beer, wine and spirits) featured onboard for the duration of your river cruise.
- Bottled Water – replenished in stateroom daily.
- In-Suite MiniBar – replenished in stateroom daily.
- Unlimited beverages (coffee, tea, soft drinks, beer, wine and spirits) featured onboard for the duration of your river cruise.
- Uniworld is one of the most all-inclusive river cruise lines. The company does feature unlimited beverages, which includes “an extensive selection of distinctive wines, crafts and regional beers, spirits, cocktails, soft drinks, juices and specialty teas and coffees.”
- Note: Uniworld’s “unlimited beverage policy” does not include premium wine and premium spirits, which are available at an additional cost.
- Coffee and Tea: Yes – always available free of charge.
- Bottled Water: Yes – replenished in staterooms daily.
- Soft Drinks: Yes – served with meals.
- Beer and Wine: Yes – house wines and beers are served with meals. You may purchase your own local wine and bring it onboard to enjoy with your meals. There is no charge for corkage.
- Premium Beer, Wine and Spirits: Additional Cost (A Silver Spirits’ beverage package is available for purchase that makes these inclusive.)
What about policies re bringing your own alcohol on board river cruises?