Drink coupons

[CanadianTwosome]

I've just had a look at the Carnival website and saw the drink coupons - for bar drinks and for soda. Now I have a couple of questions for all of you seasoned Carnival cruisers:

 

1) The bar coupons look like a good deal. Are they? Can I purchase them for myself, or are they strictly something that someone else buys for the traveller?

 

2) Are the coupons the only way to pre-pay for soda? On NCL, you can purchase a 'soda program' and you get a sticker on your keycard and a go-cup and you just flash the sticker and they refill your cup. Is there a program like this on Carnival?

 

Thanks!

[Thundertouch]

Yes you can buy then for yourself ..click on the BV....there is already a thread on this subject. Soda cards can be purchased onboard if you drink large amounts ..this would be the way to go..you have to buy those on ship.. Wait till you get into international waters for no taxes...you'll get a sticker that is placed on your s&s card.

[CanadianTwosome]

Yes you can buy then for yourself ..click on the BV....there is already a thread on this subject. Soda cards can be purchased onboard if you drink large amounts ..this would be the way to go..you have to buy those on ship.. Wait till you get into international waters for no taxes...you'll get a sticker that is placed on your s&s card.

 

Thanks so much. :)

[cawagner]

Drink coupons, well your really not "saving" any money. We buy them for ourselves before our cruise, we are not big drinkers so we know about how many drinks we will have in a day, 2 each ;) so we buy x amount. That way at the end of the cruise we dont have a :eek: moment when we look at our SS bill. Of course it sure adds up with the other "incidentals" :D

[Thundertouch]

Thanks so much. :)

 

Your Welcome. Have a great cruise.

[Meyer2]

We buy some of the drink coupons ahead of time too, for us, it's just nice to 'pre-pay' what we can & not so much on the actual cruise.

 

For my upcoming cruise, I've already purchased the unlimited soda sticker/program. I did pay taxes, but for me it was easier to do so that I could, there again, 'pre-pay' the amount. So when I board, it's already done. For that, you have to call the BV phone #.

[CanadianTwosome]

Drink coupons, well your really not "saving" any money. We buy them for ourselves before our cruise, we are not big drinkers so we know about how many drinks we will have in a day, 2 each ;) so we buy x amount. That way at the end of the cruise we dont have a :eek: moment when we look at our SS bill. Of course it sure adds up with the other "incidentals" :D

 

So are you telling me that the drinks on board are only $6 including gratuity?

[*Mach*]

I've just had a look at the Carnival website and saw the drink coupons - for bar drinks and for soda. Now I have a couple of questions for all of you seasoned Carnival cruisers:

 

1) The bar coupons look like a good deal. Are they? Can I purchase them for myself, or are they strictly something that someone else buys for the traveller?

 

2) Are the coupons the only way to pre-pay for soda? On NCL, you can purchase a 'soda program' and you get a sticker on your keycard and a go-cup and you just flash the sticker and they refill your cup. Is there a program like this on Carnival?

 

Thanks!

 

 

Are they worth it? They're worth the face value toward a drink! If the drink is more money than the face value of the coupon expect the waiter or bartender to request your Sail & Sign card to charge the remainder of the cost. Sometimes... only sometimes... they'll let you skate on the cost difference so sometimes it's a good deal.

Once on board you can purchase a 'soda card' that's actually just a sticker, like you mentioned. Carnival calls it 'Bottomless Bubbles.' The cost is about $6/day for a guest over 17 and $4.50/day for those 17 and under. To that a 15% gratuity is added so it totals out at $6.90 for over 17 and $5.17 for 17 and under...

:)

[lumpkin8]

You absolutely do save money with the bar coupons. They are worth the face value towards a drink, but they include the tax! I am a big wine drinker. They sell Santa Carolina wine by the glass for $5.75/glass, which is the exact price of the coupon. If I buy it on my Sand S card, it costs me an additional 15% (about 80cents) gratuity. If I use the bar coupon, it only costs me $5.75. I can easily drink 3 to 4 glasses each day, which saves me about $3/day, which for a 7 day trip saves me about $20. It is a no brainer to buy them in advance. And if you drink a more expensive drink, you will be charged the difference and the gratuity on the difference only, so you still save about 80 cents each drink. Again, depending on how much you drink, this savings can really add up. And if you don't use all the coupons on the sailing, you can save and use them on your next sailing. They were easy to carry around, (small strips of paper) and easy to use.

[lumpkin8]

Sorry, I meant (above) that they include the tip,not the tax!

[Thundertouch]

I also use the bar coupons for the door deco contest that our roll call is having.....1st prize trophy and engraved medal & one bar coupon book..2nd prize trophy and an engraved medal & 15.00 photo coupon...3rd prize trophy and engraved medal & soda coupon book..then 5 honorable mention ribbons... :)