A parent’s question about buying one non-alcoholic beverage package for two children set off a debate I discuss in my latest video. With four port days on a seven-day cruise, the parent did not expect the kids to drink enough to justify separate packages. To me, that is a reason to reconsider the purchase—not work around the rules.
Royal Caribbean’s answer is straightforward
The cruise line’s official beverage-package FAQ says packages are per guest and cannot be shared. That answers the central question, including when the proposed sharing involves non-alcoholic drinks rather than alcohol.
The separate requirement about adults in the same cabin purchasing an alcoholic package is a different issue. It does not turn one child’s package into a family package.
Is it stealing? My view
I think deliberately using one person’s package to supply someone else crosses the line. I describe that as stealing in the video. That is my ethical judgment about knowingly taking something outside the agreement—not a claim that the parent committed a crime or that a court has made such a finding.
I am discussing a proposed workaround, not reporting that this family actually used it onboard. There is no need to identify the parent or direct people toward their account to make the point.
We can disagree with a cruise line’s prices and still follow its rules. If the value is not there, do not buy the package. There is nothing wrong with making that choice.
A better question: what is the cheapest option that follows the rules?
Start by estimating the drinks each child would actually buy onboard, including how much time you will spend ashore. Compare that with the full package price shown for your sailing, including any applicable charges.
Paying individually may be the better fit. You do not need to make a package worthwhile just because other families buy one.
There is also a carry-on option. Royal Caribbean’s published boarding-day policy permits up to 12 standard cans, bottles or cartons of non-alcoholic beverages, no larger than 17 ounces each, per stateroom, carried onboard.
Do not assume a particular punishment
My video warns that breaking cruise-line rules can have serious consequences. But I am not reporting an announced automatic ban or removal policy specifically for this scenario, and I am not saying this parent was punished.
The verified point is enough: package sharing is prohibited. My recommendation is to choose a permitted alternative, not gamble on whether somebody will notice.
Sources: Royal Caribbean’s package-sharing FAQ and carry-on beverage policy, checked October 28, 2026. The social-media question is discussed in my video; the ethical assessment is my opinion.
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