Riviera Travel Drinks Package Guide

This is a guest post by Kate Holroyd.

One of the most frequently asked questions when booking a Riviera River Cruise is about the drinks package.

As a more budget-friendly river cruise line, Riviera Travel has slightly different inclusions to the all-inclusive ultra-luxury lines. The drinks package details aren’t straightforward which can make guests feel unsure, but this guide can help!

I’ve been working with Riviera Cruises for over a decade and have sailed with them twice in the last 12 months. Read on to find out what you can expect on board with a Riviera River Cruises drinks package. 

Are drinks included on Riviera River Cruises?

Riviera Travel doesn’t include many drinks in its standard cruise fare. Just tea, coffee and filtered water are available. The drinks package includes wine, beer and soft drinks served with lunch and dinner.

The actual drinks that are included depend on the fare that you choose, as well as the itinerary.

Some river cruises include wine, beer, and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, while some just have coffee, tea, and water throughout the day. Some cruise itineraries may also include additional drinks such as cocktails or local spirits as part of onboard entertainment or shore excursions. 

Riviera Plus guests (when you stay in an upper deck cabin or suite) also receive a complimentary bottle of Prosecco on arrival, as well as daily aperitif drinks vouchers.

How much are drinks on Riviera River Cruises?

Drinks onboard Riviera river cruises are really great value. You can enjoy a glass of wine from €3.75, cocktails are €9, a pint of beer from €5.50 and a gin and tonic from €7.00 .

Riviera river cruise drinks prices may vary depending on the specific itinerary and fare type you choose.

The Riviera Travel Drinks Package

While their standard fare covers hot drinks and filtered water, Riviera Travel also offers a drinks package that includes unlimited wine, beer, and soft drinks with lunch and dinner. Sip on your favourite beverages as you soak in the stunning views along the river. It also includes unlimited drinks in the evening.

This is a new drinks package introduced for the 2024 river cruise season. It’s called the Superior Drinks Package, and it costs more than older packages offered by the cruise line – but it is being included as a special offer for many cruise bookings in 2024 and 2025. So, you might actually get a better deal!

The drinks package doesn’t have a daily cost like other cruise lines. They have a flat price based on the duration. 4 nights costs from £230 per person and the 7-night drinks package is available from £400 per person.

The cost of the package varies based on the length of the cruise and may not be worth it for everyone, as it may not be necessary for those who do not drink much or who prefer to pay for their drinks individually.

So, it’s worth carefully considering your drinking habits and budget before deciding whether the Riviera Travel drinks package is right for you.

What’s included the Riviera Travel drinks package

The Riviera cruises drinks package includes all wine, beer, and soft drinks served with lunch and dinner in the restaurants. There is a fantastic selection of wines, including sparking, red, white and rose. They tend to be locally sourced too which is a fabulous way to get a taste of the destination.

Then from 6pm until midnight, you get to enjoy the cocktail and mocktail of the day, house spirits with mixers, a recommended regional wine, and both martini and sherry drinks pre-dinner along with port and brandy afterwards.

With beer, you can have it on draught or in bottles and soft drinks are both fountain and bottled too. If you like your wine topped up with a little lemonade, you have that covered too!

Don’t be afraid to get your glass topped up before you leave at the end of the meal too, it’s allowed and encouraged. Just make sure to get your order in before the end of the meal’s official dining times. 

How it works

Onboard my Riviera Travel river cruises this year I really enjoyed the drinks packages, I simply let the crew and servers know that I was on the package and from there it was just easy.

No ordering (my wine glass was topped up periodically throughout the meal), no signing receipts during the meal. Just great service as the crew topped up our glasses throughout.

If I was looking for an alternative to the wine, ordering soft drinks and beer was easy too. I really enjoy wine at mealtimes and to me, it improved the dining experience without worrying about the bar bill!

How much it costs

The Riviera Travel drinks package is a ‘per cruise’ price and the cost of the package varies based on the length of the cruise. Packages start at £230 per person for a 4-night cruise.

The drinks package can be purchased in advance or on board. Sometimes they’re included in the cruise fare as a special offer.

Duration of Cruise	Total Cost	Cost Per Night
4 nights	£230 per person	£57.50
5 nights	£285 per person	£57
7 nights	£400 per person	£57.14
10 nights	£570 per person	£57
14 nights	£800 per person	£57.14
17 nights	£970 per person	£57.06
28 nights	£1,600 per person	£57.14

The older drinks package options with Riviera were much cheaper, and you saved money on shorter itineraries. Now the price is essentially £57 per day, regardless of how long you cruise, though if you book a cruise with the package included then you are saving money.

Is the drinks package on Riviera Cruises worth it?

Whether the Riviera Travel drinks package is worth it will depend on an individual’s drinking habits and budget. Drinks from the bar and spirits are not included in the package. The package can be a great option for those who enjoy drinking during meals and want to budget accordingly. 

The drinks package on Riviera cruises can be a good value for those who plan on drinking a lot during their trip. While that sounds great, it’s important to consider that the drinks at the bar on Riviera Travel cruises are cheap, with a small 150ml glass of white wine starting at only €4.50.

So in reality, it only makes sense to get the drinks package if you prefer the more expensive drinks, or if it’s included in your fare.

Pros

Some of the pros include being able to enjoy unlimited wine and beer throughout meals without worrying about the cost, as well as access to a range of soft drinks.

The crew constantly top up your glass, with no need to re-order, which makes for a really nice service and atmosphere. 

A Riviera Travel drinks package allows you to experience an all-inclusive cruise, similar to those offered by other companies such as Viking, Emerald Waterways, Ama Waterways, Amadeus, Avalon Waterways, and APT Touring. 

Cons

Drinks at the bar on Riviera Travel cruises are already reasonably priced, with a glass of white wine costing only €4.50. The drinks package is quite expensive, though with it being included on so many cruise fares, that’s not often an issue.

Basically, Riviera wants to make its cruises seem a lot better value, so has massively increased the price of drinks packages but then included it on most itineraries – so you’re actually paying less, but instead of saving £80-200 on a package, it now looks like you’re saving £400.

How to book the Riviera Travel Drinks package

You can book the Riviera Travel River Cruise drinks package at the time of booking and sometimes they have offers where drinks are included. These are usually for a limited time only and are used as an incentive for you to book at certain times of the year.  If you’re already booked you can add the package on by speaking to your booking agent.

To enjoy the best value for money, I recommend you book the package before you go. As the package is a total price and not by day like on ocean cruises. 

What guests say about the Riviera Travel River Cruises drinks package

It’s always good to get a riviera travel drinks package review, here’s what some guests had to say when we sailed together:

“It’s nice to have the wine flowing without signing for drinks interrupting your meal”

Bruce R

“I like to know what I’m paying before I get onboard, it helps me budget accordingly”

Kate H

On my Riviera Cruises this year the majority of guests had opted for the drinks package and were glad they did, as they felt they could relax more, and budget ahead of their trip. 

The Bottom Line

The Rivera Travel drinks package is perfect for guests that enjoy a lot of wine, beer and soft drinks while enjoying meals on board. If you have specific likes and dislikes the package may not be for you. If you are a light drinker, the package isn’t worth it for you, especially on the longer durations as the bar prices for individual drinks are such great value.

If you’re a wine drinker your break-even point per day on a 5-day cruise is five 150ml glasses of wine, for beer drinkers it’s more like 3 pints per day and if you’re all about the cocktails and G&T’s the package is definitely one to avoid.

The package can provide a more relaxed atmosphere and top-notch service, with the crew topping up your glass throughout your meals. And you can be safe in the knowledge your bar bill isn’t going to be a monster at the end of your cruise. If you’re planning a river cruise with Riviera Travel, the drinks package is definitely worth considering.

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