The sober cruises pattern: Greatest cruise strains for mocktails, plus alcohol-free charters

Cruises are sometimes seen as one huge booze fest at sea, and for good motive. As quickly as you step on board, pleasant servers make the rounds with trays teeming with rum punches and glasses of Champagne to have fun the start of your trip. That occasion vibe usually continues all through your time on the ship.
Nonetheless, many cruisers do not imbibe for varied causes. They may be in restoration, pregnant, taking medicine that may’t work together with alcohol or abstaining from alcohol as a part of their wholesome life-style. The sober-curious motion is rising, and cruise strains are responding.
Sober cruises are sometimes organized by distributors specializing in them (extra on that under) and can be found on varied main cruise strains corresponding to Royal Caribbean, Holland America and Princess Cruises. These cruises supply a bevy of cruise actions and leisure you’d discover on a conventional cruise. The distinction is these sailings do not contain alcohol.
You needn’t ebook a selected alcohol-free crusing, although. A number of cruise strains are becoming a member of the mocktail motion. Passengers have many extra nonalcoholic choices — from separate zero-proof menus to a couple nonalcoholic concoctions on the common beverage menu.
In case you’re searching for a totally alcohol-free expertise at sea or simply wish to pattern extra zero-proof cocktails throughout your cruise trip, we’ve you lined. Here is every part it’s good to find out about sober cruises and which cruise strains supply the very best alcohol-free drink choices.
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Cruise strains with the very best nonalcoholic cocktails
Planning a sober cruise or just wish to combine up your consuming with some alcohol-free cocktails? Just a few cruise strains stand out as offering implausible zero-proof drinks for nondrinkers. Whereas some strains supply a separate mocktail menu, others present a pleasant record of nonalcoholic drinks on customary bar menus.
Carnival Cruise Line
You do not have to drink alcohol to get pleasure from your time on a Enjoyable Ship due to Carnival’s partnership with Lyre’s, the world’s most awarded line of nonalcoholic spirits.
Passengers can order spirit-free variations of seven traditional cocktails within the line’s Alchemy Bar. This well-liked venue is on 19 ships in Carnival’s 27-vessel fleet. Choices embrace the refreshing Martini Seduction, made with Lyre’s White Cane, purple ardour fruit nectar, freshly squeezed lime juice and a smidgen of orange. The Spicy Chipotle Pineapple Martini showcases Lyre’s Agave Blanco, handcrafted chipotle pineapple syrup, pineapple juice and mint leaves. Nonalcoholic variations of Restorative Basil Drop, The Treatment, The Good Storm, Hearts of Hearth and Cucumber Dawn cocktails are additionally out there. Nonalcoholic cocktails at Alchemy Bar value $10.
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Carnival’s major eating rooms additionally serve Lyre’s alcohol-free Prosecco.
Mocktails and zero-proof frozen drinks are lined below the road’s Cheers drink bundle. Buy your bundle on-line earlier than you sail for a reduced value.
Celeb Cruises
Celeb Cruises incorporates nonalcoholic choices inside its common cocktail menus. Zero-proof cocktails embrace Glowing Mint Lemonade (recent lemon juice, mint, agave nectar and soda water) and the Watermelon Tropic (watermelon syrup, pineapple juice and recent lime juice). You may also order O’Doul’s nonalcoholic beer on board.
Moreover, the road has a nonalcoholic drink bundle for zero-proof drinks. Water and sodas are included within the bundle and never provided as a separate bundle as some cruise strains do.
Each Celeb drink bundle contains mocktails, premium coffees and teas. Nonetheless, the nonalcoholic drink bundle additionally contains Vitamin Water, Crimson Bull and premium waters like Evian and San Pellegrino, in addition to recent juices and smoothies from The Spa Cafe. In case you drink few, if any, alcoholic drinks however want your each day morning latte, this bundle is for you. Plus, you’ll be able to splurge on smoothies and virgin frozen drinks.
Holland America
Passengers on Holland America cruises will discover a choice of nonalcoholic drinks and mocktails all through the ship’s consuming and eating venues. Whereas the cruise line doesn’t supply separate zero-proof menus, mocktails are listed on the Lido, Seaview and Cabana bar menus. Select from the Ginger Mango Splash (made with mango puree and ginger), the Melon Mint No’jito (with recent mint, melon and Sprite) and a bevy of virgin frozen drinks (pineapple, pina colada, banana and extra.)
The fee for alcohol-free drinks (together with frozen drinks) is $7.50. In case you do not see one thing you want on the menu, bartenders can create a specialty mocktail to your liking, in keeping with the road.
Two nonalcoholic beverage packages can be found for Holland America cruisers: the Quench Bundle and the Coca-Cola bundle. Mocktails, together with limitless premium coffees (espresso and cappuccino), juices, Coca-Cola merchandise, Crimson Bull and bottled water, are included within the Quench Bundle. Because the identify implies, the Coca-Cola bundle contains limitless fountain sodas however not mocktails.
MSC Cruises
In case you’re scaling again alcohol consumption on an MSC Cruises crusing, you may have a wide selection. The road includes a separate premium mocktails menu with seven artistic zero-proof drinks. Amongst them are the Truthful Woman, made with honey and apricot marmalade, lemongrass syrup, recent lemon juice and egg white; the Cucumber Mojito, with recent lime juice, mint leaves, brown sugar, membership soda, cucumber and lime slices; and the Paloma Fizz, a mix of recent grapefruit and lemon juices, rose syrup, tonic water and rosemary.
MSC’s alcohol-free drink bundle contains nonalcoholic cocktails, recent fruit and protein smoothies, vitality drinks, sodas, flavored and bottled mineral water and quite a lot of sizzling drinks. The road’s Straightforward Bundle presents each alcoholic and nonalcoholic choices. Select this selection if not everybody in your cruise group imbibes; MSC requires that everybody sharing a cabin purchases the drink bundle if one particular person does. The bundle contains cocktails, spirits, beer, fountain drinks, specialty coffees, nonalcoholic cocktails and blended drinks.
Beverage bundle pricing is predicated on the size of your cruise, with longer voyages having a cheaper price per day. If you are going to buy the bundle earlier than your cruise, it can save you at the very least 15% on the value you’ll pay when you board. Word that gratuities are already baked into the value of the drink packages.
Associated: Cruise drink packages: A line-by-line information
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian’s mocktail recreation is robust. In 2023, the road earned an award for Greatest Grownup Alcohol-Free Program on the Vibe Vista Awards, which distinguishes excellent beverage applications throughout the journey business.
Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva characteristic essentially the most in depth nonalcoholic beverage menus. Nonetheless, ships with a Vibe Seaside Membership even have nonalcoholic beverage choices. Vibe Seaside Membership is an unique adults-only sundeck on Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva. Zero-free choices embrace the Espresso Notini, made with a nonalcoholic amaretto liqueur, and the Smoky Water, created with a nonalcoholic purple vermouth.
Moreover, the road options a few mocktail choices on common bar menus.
The mocktails are included within the Limitless Open Bar drink bundle. Reap the benefits of the road’s Extra at Sea promotion to get this bundle free of charge (although you may nonetheless have to pay a 20% gratuity, primarily based on the bundle’s record value).
Oceania Cruises
These crusing with Oceania Cruises have a pleasant choice of nonalcoholic cocktails featured on most of the line’s customary bar menus, in addition to a separate mocktail menu out there at Aquamar Kitchen. Standouts embrace the Pure Amalfi Spritz, made with Lyre’s Italian Spritz, nonalcoholic glowing wine and membership soda; the NO-Groni, a mix of Lyre’s Dry London Spirit, Lyre’s Italian Orange and Lyre’s Aperitif Rosso; and Orchard Fizz, Lyre’s Amaretto, recent lemon juice, maple syrup, apple juice, tonic water and rosemary. The price of mocktails is $12.
Passengers can select between two beverage packages, each of which embrace nonalcoholic drinks. The Home Choose bundle comes with premium Champagnes and wines, beers, nonetheless and glowing water, premium coffees and teas, freshly squeezed juices, cocktails and spirits. Nonetheless, it may possibly solely be used throughout meals or room service and never at onboard bars or lounges. The fee for the Home Choose bundle is $39.95 per visitor, per day. It’s included within the line’s SimplyMore program.
You possibly can improve your Home Choose bundle to the Status Choose bundle, which gives limitless drinks anyplace on the ship, for an extra $30 per visitor, per day.
Princess Cruises
Nonalcoholic choices on Princess Cruises ships hold getting higher. The road just lately introduced the addition of Kylie Minogue’s No Alcohol Glowing Rose to the road’s “Love Line Premium Liquors Assortment.” The gathering features a bevy of celebrity-branded spirits and wines but in addition presents Blake Vigorous’s Betty Buzz (the nonalcoholic model of her Betty Booze merchandise).
Moreover, cruisers have a handful of nonalcoholic choices on bar and lounge menus. Do not miss the Key West Cooler (ardour fruit, watermelon, cranberry and Sprite) or Strawberries on Hearth (strawberries, lime, agave syrup, jalapeno and soda).
Whereas No Alcohol Glowing Rose and Betty Buzz are each out there with Princess’ Plus or Premier drink packages (or you’ll be able to get them organized a la carte with no bundle), they don’t seem to be included within the Zero Alcohol bundle.
The road’s Zero Alcohol bundle contains mocktails, in addition to specialty or premium coffees and teas, sizzling chocolate, fountain and canned soda, recent juices and smoothies, bottled water, Crimson Bull and bottled water (glowing and flat).
Royal Caribbean
Cruisers on Royal Caribbean sailings could have an excellent choice of nonalcoholic drinks. The road first added a zero-proof menu to its fleet in 2021 and has since curated a artistic menu of specialty mocktails and added it to every bar’s drink menu. Among the many out there drinks are the All Aboard Spritz, with lime juice, cranberry juice, desert pear syrup and membership soda; the Blueberry Nojito, with blueberry puree, lime juice, easy syrup and recent mint; and the Tropical Crush, a mix of pineapple juice, mango and Crimson Bull Yellow Version. Zero-proof cocktails are priced at $7.
The road’s Refreshment Bundle and Deluxe Beverage Bundle embrace mocktails (together with premium coffees and teas, freshly squeezed juices, bottled water and milkshakes from Johnny Rockets). Buy a Royal Caribbean drink bundle on-line upfront of crusing for the very best costs.
Seabourn
In 2024, Seabourn rolled out a strong new zero-proof mixology program known as Zero @ Sea. This system debuted a powerful choice of artistic alcohol-free variations of well-liked cocktails.
The menu options the Amalfi Spritz, made with nonalcoholic rose wine and Lyre’s Italian Orange; a Ginny ‘n Tonic, with Optimist Vibrant (a botanical-forward alcohol-free spirit), grapefruit and elderflower; and Ginger Blossom, with Seedlip Groove 42 (a citrus-flavored nonalcoholic spirit), elderflower and ginger ale, amongst different mocktails.
Zero @ Sea cocktails can be found fleetwide in all bars and lounges aboard the ships. Moreover, Seabourn upgraded its choice of nonalcoholic wines, glowing wines and beers, offering extra choices for passengers who do not drink alcohol. Seabourn’s cruise fares embrace premium wines and spirits, plus Zero @ Sea cocktails.
Silversea Cruises
Recognized for its SALT (Sea and Land Style) culinary program, luxurious line Silversea Cruises places as a lot consideration into what passengers drink because it does into what they eat. That ethos flows into its artistic mocktail choices.
Dubbed “Zero Levels however equally as scrumptious,” the road’s designated alcohol-free menu lists refreshing signature drinks made with nonalcoholic distilled spirits like Seedlip and Martini Vibrante. Choices embrace Latitude, a botanical-forward and smoky beverage made with Seedlip Backyard 108, Seedlip Grove 42, pink grapefruit, honey, lime and Amalfi lime tonic; and Equatorial, a citrusy, fizzy mocktail that blends Martini Vibrante, orange and pink citrus tonic.
Every of the road’s bar menus includes a choice of zero-proof cocktails on the final web page.
Silversea’s all-inclusive mannequin means passengers can get pleasure from complimentary drinks, together with zero-proof cocktails, anyplace on the ship with out buying a separate drink bundle to take action.
Virgin Voyages
It may be stunning that an adults-only cruise line that gives the power to get a bottle of Champagne with a easy shake of your telephone would have such sturdy mocktail choices. Nonetheless, most of the 20-plus eating venues on Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Woman, Valiant Woman and Resilient Woman supply separate drink menus that characteristic handcrafted mocktails. You may also order spirit-free variations of traditional favorites like pina coladas, bloody marys and Moscow mules all through the ships.
The road’s Take a look at Kitchen options an intensive mocktail menu curated by mixologist Julia Momosé, James Beard Award-winning writer and the brainchild behind Kumiko, Chicago’s acclaimed Japanese eating bar. Friends also can get pleasure from nonalcoholic choices throughout the afternoon excessive tea service within the Sip Lounge.
The road would not promote conventional drink packages. Nonetheless, cruisers can prepurchase a Bar Tab (you’ll be able to’t purchase it when you’re on the ship) to make use of for themselves or purchase a spherical for fellow passengers. You should buy the tab in increments of $100, $200 or $300 and use it to purchase fresh-pressed juices, barista-crafted specialty coffees and mocktails.
Sober cruises and Pals of Invoice W.
In case you’re in restoration and planning to take a cruise, search for “Pals of Invoice W.” gatherings in your cruise line’s each day actions publication.
Invoice W. refers to Invoice Wilson, one of many founders of Alcoholics Nameless. “Pals of Invoice W.” is code for AA conferences, offering recovering alcoholics help throughout their sailings, particularly in the event that they discover it difficult to be round others consuming alcohol. Most sailings supply these meetups on board.
Whereas reserving a conventional cruise may be excellent for some, others would possibly want to be a part of a bunch of like-minded vacationers. If that is you, think about reserving your cruise by means of a journey firm that focuses on sober cruising packages. These itineraries transcend onboard Pals of Invoice W. conferences and have extra programming like particular restoration audio system, workshops and occasions that help an alcohol-free life-style.
Sober Celebrations, Journey Sober, One Day at a Time Cruises, Sober Holidays Worldwide and Hooked are just a few corporations price trying out. Via them, you may discover itineraries on cruise strains like Royal Caribbean, Holland America, Norwegian Cruise Line, AmaWaterways, MSC Cruises and Princess Cruises to numerous locations. Itineraries embrace Alaska, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. Christmas market river cruises are additionally out there.
Backside line
The alcohol-free trip pattern has gained momentum over the previous couple of years. In consequence, cruise strains have upgraded their zero-proof choices with designated mocktail menus and nonalcoholic cocktails included on conventional drink menus.
In case you do not wish to really feel like all of the exercise on board revolves round consuming, hunt down destination-intensive itineraries or cruises that supply plenty of actions. Ships that present plenty of top-deck points of interest, culinary lessons, trivia video games, exhibits or onboard workshops imply you will have extra methods to spend your time. Or, think about a sober cruise so you’ll be able to cruise with a bunch of nondrinkers who will be a part of you in alcohol-free enjoyable.
Planning a cruise? Begin with these tales:
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