Cruise drinkers and teetotallers alike have been watching one policy closely: Royal Caribbean's rule that if one adult in a cabin buys a drinks package, every adult in that cabin has to buy one too. For couples or friends where one person doesn't drink, that rule used to sting — paying several hundred dollars a head for unlimited cocktails you'll never sip.
There was previously a way out. Guests could request an exemption and swap the full drinks package for a much cheaper refreshments package covering soft drinks, juice, coffee and other non-alcoholic options. Then last year, the exemption disappeared entirely. The line blamed widespread package sharing between cabin mates and shut the loophole down, to loud grumbling from cruisers.
Now it's back — but with tighter gates. According to Royal Caribbean Blog, the exemption is no longer granted over the phone after a quick chat with a representative. Instead, guests must complete a dedicated form, and the only listed reasons are disability, a medical condition, or pregnancy. Anyone who simply prefers not to drink, or avoids alcohol for personal or religious reasons, is not catered for under the new system.
The form includes an optional section for supporting documentation. It's not stated to be mandatory, but travellers are bracing for scrutiny — and nobody yet knows how strictly applications will be assessed until the process has been running a few months. The practical advice for Australian cruisers is to arrive prepared: a doctor's note noting a health-related reason to abstain is likely your strongest supporting evidence if you fall outside the three official categories.
There are also real teeth attached. The form's terms warn that anyone providing false or misleading information could be charged for a full drinks package, put off the ship at the next port, banned from future Royal Caribbean sailings, or face legal action. That's a steep escalation from a drinks-ordering dispute, and it signals how seriously the line is taking repeat rorting of the rule.
Why does this matter if you're booking? The all-adults-buy rule isn't unique to Royal Caribbean — most major cruise lines run something similar. What set Royal Caribbean apart was the exemption, and it remains one of the few lifelines for non-drinkers stuck sharing a cabin with a package-buyer. If you or your travel companion doesn't drink, check whether you qualify under the new categories before you sail, and get any paperwork in order early. For everyone else, expect the cheaper refreshments package to be much harder to access than it used to be.
The change reads as a compromise: Royal Caribbean clearly wants to keep the exemption for people with genuine medical needs, while closing the door on casual requests. Whether that balance holds — or frustrates the many cruisers who simply don't drink by choice — will become clear over the coming months.
