Drinks and Onboard Extras

Drinks and small onboard charges are easy to overlook when you compare river cruises, and easy to control once you know where they come from.

What Usually Comes With Dinner

Many European river lines pour wine and beer with lunch and dinner at no extra charge, along with soft drinks, coffee and tea. The more inclusive lines go further, with drinks throughout the day and a fuller bar list. Lines with a lower fare may keep complimentary drinks to mealtimes only, or charge for wine. If you enjoy a glass with dinner and little else, a mealtime-wine line may suit you perfectly. If you like a cocktail before dinner and a nightcap after, compare the price of the line’s drinks package with a line where the bar is already included.

Before you buy a drinks package

• Check what is free at lunch and dinner on your line already.
• Count honestly how many drinks outside meals you will have each day.
• Remember long port days, when you may be ashore through the afternoon.
• Ask whether a package must be bought for every guest in the cabin.

Inclusive Fare or Pay as You Go?

There is no universally cheaper approach. An inclusive fare simplifies the trip and can save money for travelers who would otherwise buy drinks, tours and tips separately. A pay-as-you-go line rewards light drinkers and independent explorers. Work out which kind of traveler you are, then compare lines on that basis. Our sister site Discount River Cruises sets out what each line includes, and if you are sailing alone, Singles River Cruises covers how solo cabins and supplements affect the total.

One more saving: protection. Buying travel insurance soon after you book can matter for pre-existing-condition cover, and comparing a line’s plan with an independent policy is worth a few minutes. Cruise & Travel Insurance explains the main types of cover.