The Lesser-Known Tip To Save Money On Wine While You Cruise That Changes The Game

Seasoned cruisers know the deal: If you're going to have fun at sea, you've got to pony up for booze. Okay, maybe it's not mandatory, but plenty of people love to get their buzz on while they're drifting in the middle of the ocean. And why not? It's still a holiday, and nothing can make you feel like you're on a vacation quite like a cocktail in hand. According to data from Cruiseline, passengers consume an impressive amount of alcohol — an average of almost five drinks a day and $34 spent per cruiser, with around 62,000 drinks being guzzled over a week-long sailing. That's a whole lot of overpriced margaritas and rum punches! But if you want to get what they call "ship-faced" without draining your wallet, there's a trick that not many may know: buy a bottle of wine instead of ordering drink after drink.

Sure, there are ways to snag a free drink here and there (hello, happy hour), but drink packages often aren't worth the splurge. With your own bottle, you've got booze on tap almost whenever you want it — no waiting for happy hour or hitting the bar every time you want a refill. Didn't finish the bottle? No worries. Your server will happily save it for later or bring it to you at another venue if you request it. While wine prices onboard mirror those at restaurants — ranging from $30 to several hundred dollars per bottle — it's still more cost-effective than paying $10 to $15 per glass. So, if you don't want to spend your cruise vacation budgeting every sip, buying your own bottle is the way to go.

If you're really looking to cut down on cruise drink costs, another practical move is to bring your own wine. Thankfully, many cruise lines let you do just that — though, of course, they each have their own fine print. Take Carnival Cruises, for instance. They'll let you bring up to two bottles per stateroom, but if you want to pop them open in public spaces like the bar or restaurant, you must be willing to shell out $25 for the corkage fee. Disney Cruise Line plays by similar rules but gets picky about bottle size (a 750 ml limit) and charges $29 if you want to sip it in the dining rooms.

Norwegian, meanwhile, is more lenient with sizes, allowing 1.5-liter bottles and placing no cap on how many you can bring. But, of course, there's a catch: corkage fees range from $15 to $30 per bottle — even if you're enjoying it in your stateroom. And then there's MSC Cruises, which strictly bans all alcohol brought onboard, including ones you've scored at the duty-free shop.

Before you go, make sure to check your cruise line's policy so you don't end up sipping more desalinated water throughout the trip when you'd rather be uncorking a nice red. Wine aficionados on Reddit even have a handy tip: If you're bringing your own bottle, might as well make it a good one. "The point is this is an opportunity for you to (e.g.) drink a $100 retail bottle with dinner for $115, rather than the $300 the cruise line would charge for a similar bottle," one user advised. When packing for your cruise, don't cheap out — bring a bottle that'll make your dinner feel like a splurge, minus the outrageous price tag.