Star Clippers Drinks: Cost (Really Reasonable!) and Menus
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What do drinks cost on a Star Clippers cruise?
On most cruises – except for the luxury lines – drinks (along with shore excursions and cruise gratuities) are extra. If you’re not careful, those extras can sneak up on you. And suddenly your cruise costs a whole lot more than planned!
Star Clippers is different.
This niche line offers unique sailing adventures to off-the-beaten-path ports and islands – think Iles des Saintes in the Caribbean and secluded Corsican bays in the Med.
Its three ships – Star Flyer, Star Clipper and the stunning five-masted Royal Clipper (voted “Best Small Cruise Ship” in USA Today’s 10Best Awards) – are true sailing vessels, not floating resorts.
Alcohol isn’t included in the fares, but the prices are among the most reasonable we’ve seen at sea.
We’ve just returned from our fifth Star Clippers voyage – an October cruise on the Star Flyer from Nice to Corsica – and we’ve rounded up all the latest bar menus and prices, so you’ll know exactly how much your favorite cocktails, wines and nightcaps will cost!
Contents: Star Clippers’ bar menu, wine list and drinks prices
Alcoholic drinks (cocktails, beer, liqueurs, etc.)
Alcoholic drinks prices on Star Clippers
Filtered water, coffee and tea are complimentary on Star Clippers. But there’s a charge for alcoholic drinks, bottled water, specialty coffees and soft drinks.
Cocktails
The “daily” special cocktail is 7 Euros (about $8.20 USD).
Classic favorites like pina coladas, mojitos and daiquiris all ring in at 8 Euros (about $9.30 USD).
Other mixed drinks – think an Aperol Spritz or gin-and-tonic or Whiskey Sour – are a touch less at 7 Euros ($8.20 USD).
Just want something more simple, like a rum and Coke or vodka orange? Your shot of alcohol costs is 5 Euros ($5.75 USD) and the mixer adds 2 Euros (about $2.30 USD).
Wines by the glass (and after-dinner liqueurs)
As for house wines by the glass, they’re just 4 Euros each (about $4.65 USD). You can choose from two reds, two whites and two rosés.
On our Med cruise, the selections – mostly from France and Italy – were quite pleasant, and we were happy to order by the glass a lot of the time. The pours were generous too – no stingy little 4-ounce servings here!
And for something after dinner? A Grand Marnier, Limoncello or Baileys Irish Cream – just 5 Euros ($5.75 USD) – is a sweet deal in every sense!
Whiskey and brandy
Whiskey is priced at 6 Euros (about $7 USD); single malts are a touch more at 7 to 8 Euros ($8.20 USD to $9.30 USD).
Brandies and cognacs range from 6 Euros ($7 USD) for a Spanish Fundador brandy up to 10 Euros ($11.50 USD) for a French Courvoisier XO cognac.
Beer, soft drinks and bottled water
Beer lovers should be happy – draft and bottled beers run between 4 and 5 Euros ($4.65 to $5.75 USD).
Soft drinks like Coke, Sprite and ginger ale cost 3 Euros ($3.50 USD) each.
Heading ashore? If you forgot your own refillable bottle (more on this later), you can pick up a chilled plastic bottle of water to take with you for 2 Euros (about $2.30 USD).
Wines by the bottle in the dining room
For such a small cruise line, Star Clippers offers a surprisingly extensive wine list – more than 50 different wines.
And, except for the “Prestigious Wines,” bottles are quite reasonably priced. Most fall in the 20 to 30 Euro range (about $25 to 35 USD).
If you don’t finish your bottle, no problem. The friendly wine steward will label it with your name and cabin number and keep it safely stored for the next evening.
We noticed many guests ordering bottles throughout the cruise – it’s excellent value and adds to the relaxed European dining vibe onboard.
Red wines
White wines
Specialty coffees (and other “special” Star Clippers’ drinks)
Cappuccino costs 2.50 Euros (about $3 USD) each, even if you order one for breakfast in the dining room.
For some reason, a latte is more – at 4 Euros (about $4.65 USD).
Non-bottled drinking water
If you guzzle a lot of water (very healthy!), have no fear. There’s no need to rack up a huge bill for bottled water.
Filtered house water is poured in the restaurant during all meals. There’s also a self-serve water station in the Tropical Bar.
Tip
Bring your own refillable water bottle on the cruise, so you can refill it whenever you want. It’s “greener” too than buying bottled water.
We took our collapsible water bottles with us. We love them because they’re leak-proof and roll up for packing (making them very compact).
Coffee and tea
Coffee and tea is complimentary and offered at meals. As well, you can help yourself to coffee and tea at any time in the piano bar.
FAQs about Star Clippers’ alcohol and drinks policies
Are gratuities or service charges added to the cost of drinks?
No. Service charges for drinks are already included in the prices shown on the menus. There’s no extra charge on top (unlike, say, the 18% service charge typically tacked on for drinks on Holland America and other cruises.)
Does Star Clippers offer a drinks package?
No, there’s no beverage package like, say, the drinks package on Viking Ocean Cruises. You can’t prepay one flat rate for unlimited cocktails, wine, specialty coffee and soft drinks.
But honestly, with Star Clippers’ prices, you won’t miss it – drinks are so reasonably priced that there’s little danger of breaking the liquor bank!
Can you bring wine onboard Star Clippers?
Officially, no.
The documents we received before our most recent cruise state:
“For security reasons, it is forbidden to bring alcoholic beverages on board for personal consumption…
Bottles of alcohol purchased on land will be taken into safekeeping at the gangway of the ship, stored in a secure area, and returned when you disembark.”
But in practice? It seems to depend.
We hadn’t read the fine print before boarding on our most recent cruise (and on a previous Star Clippers cruise, we’d brought a bottle aboard without issue). Being in France this time, we couldn’t resist buying a lovely Saint-Émilion Grand Cru in Nice for our cabin.
When we were stopped at security, the Hotel Manager was called, but he simply smiled and waved us through.
So, unofficially, you might get lucky and be allowed to bring a bottle for your cabin.
As for paying corkage to drink it in the dining room, the ship’s wine prices are so reasonable it’s hardly worth the effort.
Sail, sip, repeat
Good wine, fair prices and ocean breezes – Star Clippers has its own recipe for smooth sailing.
Bon voyage and enjoy your Star Clippers sailing cruise!
See our other Star Clippers’ posts
- Corsica Dreams! Sailing With Star Clippers From Nice
- Star Clippers Review: Cruising the Caribbean on the Star Flyer
- Meet the Royal Clipper – the World’s Largest Sailing Ship!
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→ Tours: For the best local food, walking and other guided tours, plus skip-the-line tickets to attractions, check out Viator (a TripAdvisor company) and GetYourGuide.
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