Royal Caribbean Is Rolling Out 2 New Cocktail Menus — And One Could Save You Money Before Dinner

Royal Caribbean is adding two new drink menus across its ships, and one of them could be a very popular move for cruisers who don’t want to pay full cocktail prices every time they order.

Couple wearing sunglasses holding frozen cocktails with pineapple garnishes on a cruise ship deck. — My husband and I enjoying a frozen cocktail on Liberty of the Seas.

Early coverage and Royal Caribbean beverage chief Ed Eiswirth’s public posts point to a fleetwide rollout of two separate drink ideas: a new Aperitivo Hour and a second menu called “Cheers to Her,” tied to International Women’s Day.

A New Happy Hour With $10 Cocktails

The first menu is Aperitivo Hour, a pre-dinner happy hour running from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Vintages and Giovanni’s Wine Bars. The concept is based on the Italian aperitivo tradition, where lighter pre-dinner drinks are meant to kick off the evening and stimulate the appetite.

In a LinkedIn post, Eiswirth wrote, “Join us for five cocktails for $10 from 4-6 PM at our Vintages and Giovanni’s Wine Bars.”

The menu includes an Aperol Spritz, Hugo Spritz, Miami Spritz, Campari Spritz, and Negroni.

That’s a smart little move by Royal Caribbean. Cruise drinks can add up quickly, so a lower-priced pre-dinner menu could appeal to guests without a drink package.

Guests with a beverage package can also order the cocktails as part of their package, making the new menu more of an added option than a separate incentive.

Not sure whether a Royal Caribbean drink package is actually worth it for your cruise? Use our drinks package calculator to compare the cost against what you’re likely to drink before you book.

A March Menu Called “Cheers to Her”

The second menu has a different feel. Called “Cheers to Her,” it was created for International Women’s Day and highlights cocktails and wines tied to female master distillers and winemakers.

Eiswirth said the cocktails are “available fleetwide in the month of March,” and he named Mijenta Tequila, Woodford Reserve, Appleton Rum, Zolo Malbec, and Villa Maria Wines as the brands being featured.

The menu list shared in early coverage includes Strawberry Sunset, She Shines, Coffee Boulevardier, Desert Light, Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc, and Zolo Malbec.

Reports also suggest the drinks may appear in places like Schooner Bar, Colony Club, Vintages, and Giovanni’s Wine Bar, with availability shifting a bit by ship and sailing. The menu is available for a limited-time but it is unclear exactly how long it will be offered.

Wrap Up

These menus look like part of a broader push by Royal Caribbean to give its bar program more distinct themes and partnerships instead of simply adding a few extra cocktails. Aperitivo Hour gives the line a more defined pre-dinner offering, while “Cheers to Her” adds a story tied to the people behind the featured spirits and wines.

That fits with Royal Caribbean’s wider push toward more thought-out beverage programs, which has also included expanded cocktail menus on newer ships and rare bourbon pours at Mason Jar on Allure, Wonder, and Utopia of the Seas.

So yes, this is a small change. But it’s the sort of small change people really do talk about on cruises. A cheaper spritz before dinner, or a limited menu with something less predictable than the usual daiquiri, can turn into part of someone’s routine by night two.