Drinks costs, which cruise line is the cheapest?

                                            Pound Sterling - US Dollar exchange rate

So, having just spoken to a returning passengers from a Royal Caribbean cruise who was talking of the high cost of drinks, I thought I'd pass on some thoughts about the relative costs of drinks on various cruise lines.

In the last 12 months the exchange rate as fallen from about 1.65 in July 2009 to a rate now nearer 1.45, this is a 12% fall and therefore a hidden price rise on those cruise lines which charge in dollars; this is even worse if you look at the rate 2 years ago of 1.97 a fall of 26%.

Don't forget that there is a similar effect with those lines who charge in Euro. If you compare to the last 12 months the Euro is now cheaper against sterling, but if yiou compare to rates of 3 years ago there has still been a fall of 20%.

These exchange rate changes are pushing up the relative costs of drinks and other purchases on those cruise lines which charge in dollars, Royal, Celebrity, Princess and Cunard, being the main ones even before any inflation price rises.

The cheapest bottle of white wine on Independence of the Seas was recently at $31 for a Chardonnay - a whooping £21.50. Now I was on Ventura in March and a nice Red was about £15, and a palletable house wine was about £8. A bottle of Budweiser $4.95, £3.40 against a pint of beer various on Ventura at nearer £2.50.

Now I am not advocating choising your cruise based on the relative costs of drinks, but the higher costs of those which charge in dollars does have to be considered.

Now there are a number of forums discussing drinks prices, why not have a look here and read what many other people are saying?