The definitive Cheers program Thread

[Scotch Mist]

We purchased the Cheers package on our Breeze cruise in September. I wouldn't hesitate to buy it again! Usually we "smuggle" some booze on board but this was really restrictive. With the Cheers package, we enjoyed wandering around the ship stopping here and there for a beer or cocktail. It made our cruise so much more enjoyable and we often found ourselves staying out later and making the most of our evenings.

 

Another plus point is trying cocktails we wouldn't normally as the cost put us off, especially if we didn't like it!

 

We definitely got value for money, easily halving our bar bill.

 

It's easy to work out if the Cheers package is for you - use the calculator posted in the first few pages. It's amazing how quickly you hit the $50 mark - a lunchtime cocktail, a pre dinner glass of prosecco, a glass of wine with dinner then another few drinks during the show or at the casino! It adds up really quickly!

 

I can highly recommend the strawberry and champagne cocktail served in the piano bar!

 

:beer::):beer::):beer::)

 

 

 

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[kcparrothead]

Yes, it's good anywhere on the ship for any alcoholic drink that is normally under 10 bucks before tip. Upgraded Grey Goose martini's that are 9.95 are included as well. The only exceptions to this rule is nothing with a souvenir glass, nothing from room service, nothing from your mini bar and nothing from the self serve wine dispensers. So the drinks you mentioned as well as the venues you inquired about are all good. Shots are good as well.

 

How about shots in the dining room? Can you just pay extra for the shot glass?

[jlindemer]

The shots in the dining room that come in the special shot glass are NOT included. You can not pay extra for the glasses. The shots are $7.50 plus gratuity.

[kcparrothead]

The shots in the dining room that come in the special shot glass are NOT included. You can not pay extra for the glasses. The shots are $7.50 plus gratuity.

 

That's what I thought. We had the all inclusive last January & we couldn't get them, but I thought I read a review here where they were able to. Thought something may have changed.

[sag1804]

Carnival is the WalMart of the Seas, SW / Frontier et al are the Wal-Mart of the skies. I have never sailed RCCL but I plan to soon.

 

Well then I should buy stock in wal mart then since I fly on southwest to get on my carnival cruises lol. Should I only shop target when I am planning my annual royal cruises but fly crappy us air? Lol

 

 

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[pbsteve]

ENOUGH ALREADY

 

Do you have any idea how long it took to track all the information here down to help people. You people keep bashing different cruise lines taking up pages of this thread that was meant to answer questions about the cheers program. No one opens this thread to discuss smoking on balconies what other lines offer. Who has a better "value"(which by the definition is unique to everyone). Knock it off, go elsewhere and have your passing match. I'm going to report every off topic post from now on and ask moderators to suspend accounts.

[mwood0612]

ENOUGH ALREADY

 

Do you have any idea how long it took to track all the information here down to help people. You people keep bashing different cruise lines taking up pages of this thread that was meant to answer questions about the cheers program. No one opens this thread to discuss smoking on balconies what other lines offer. Who has a better "value"(which by the definition is unique to everyone). Knock it off, go elsewhere and have your passing match. I'm going to report every off topic post from now on and ask moderators to suspend accounts.

 

Thank You!! Well said!! Now back on topic......Cheers :D

[mwood0612]

[32oz "Bikini Yard" glass (refills at $18,95)

28oz "Twister" glass (refills at $16,95)

19oz "Yard" glass (refills at $10,95)

"Monkey Head", Puffer Fish" & "Whale Tail" glasses

"Pirate's Skull" (take glass home + $10)

"Souvenir Disco Ball glass with Rum Punch Fever"]

 

If anyone has a picture of the above specialty glasses I would love to see them!!! Can you post them here please?

 

Also, If I am understanding the program correctly, I can purchase the cheers program and still purchase these specialty glasses and/or pitchers of beer just paying seperatley for these? Correct? And since I paid seperatley that shouldn't count toward my 15 drink limit??

[thistoo]

[32oz "Bikini Yard" glass (refills at $18,95)

28oz "Twister" glass (refills at $16,95)

19oz "Yard" glass (refills at $10,95)

"Monkey Head", Puffer Fish" & "Whale Tail" glasses

"Pirate's Skull" (take glass home + $10)

"Souvenir Disco Ball glass with Rum Punch Fever"]

 

I only have a picture of the monkey head, but it's a start. There should be another umbrella on the other side, but I'd already taken it out and stuck it in my hair when I remembered to snap a photo.

 

[KG1924]

That's what I thought. We had the all inclusive last January & we couldn't get them, but I thought I read a review here where they were able to. Thought something may have changed.

 

If you want the after dinner cordials, just ask for whatever it is in a glass as a regular "drink". I had one as a martini one night (something mixed with baileys...not sure what it was) and it's covered under the package. Now depending on your drink service, it may take awhile get them....it may be an after dinner, walking out of the dinning room kind of drink :p

 

Also, if you want coffee but don't want to pay for it, the Dream allowed us to get a spiked specialty coffee under the Cheers program. So for those days that we were in port, we stopped there before getting off the ship. Never hurts having a little pick me up early in the morning! It had to have liquor in it tho, we would have had to pay for just plain coffee.

[KG1924]

[32oz "Bikini Yard" glass (refills at $18,95)

28oz "Twister" glass (refills at $16,95)

19oz "Yard" glass (refills at $10,95)

"Monkey Head", Puffer Fish" & "Whale Tail" glasses

"Pirate's Skull" (take glass home + $10)

"Souvenir Disco Ball glass with Rum Punch Fever"]

 

If anyone has a picture of the above specialty glasses I would love to see them!!! Can you post them here please?

 

Also, If I am understanding the program correctly, I can purchase the cheers program and still purchase these specialty glasses and/or pitchers of beer just paying seperatley for these? Correct? And since I paid seperatley that shouldn't count toward my 15 drink limit??

 

I literally just threw out my disco ball drink from the Magic a couple years ago!! So no pics, sorry! It's a plastic disco ball with a VERY small plastic cup inside (makes for a very expensive drink....but at 2am I just HAD to have it :p) I will say, I did not like the Rum punch that was in it (not surprising since I don't like rum...again, it was 2am) and the server in the night club was nice enough to make something else in it for me and gave my husband the rest of the rum punch. The staff was so great on the magic!!

 

Oh, and I'm not sure about purchasing separately-they didn't have Cheers when I was on the Magic and we didn't even try getting specialty cups/glasses on the Dream when we did have Cheers. I miss the actual glasses-some of my favorite bar glasses at home were from an RC cruise-very pretty and not obnoxious advertising for RC either. But that was a long time ago, now everything is plastic.

Edited January 15, 2014 by KG1924

[pbsteve]

Just thought I'd add that the drinks in souvenir glasses are not part of the program and should not count towards your 15.. unless you become belligerent

 

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[mwood0612]

Just thought I'd add that the drinks in souvenir glasses are not part of the program and should not count towards your 15.. unless you become belligerent

 

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That's good to know!! I love getting at least one souvenir cup per cruise to use at home when I'm trying to pretend I'm still on vacation!!!

 

 

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[Salt Wind]

Don't drink too much, guys. You could fall overboard. I hear rumors that it happens more often than the big corporate fat cats will admit. :eek:

 

Stay safe and have fun out there!

Edited January 15, 2014 by Salt Wind

[mwood0612]

After much reviewing and calculating I think the Cheers program will really save my DH and I some money! I looked back at what we spent on previous cruises and most of those we were pretty conservative about how much we drank because of the expense. Our problem was that we liked the $8-10 drinks and wine. So with the Cheers program we will be able to relax, know up front what we are spending, and enjoy ourselves without having to overindulge to "get our money's worth"!! One less thing I have keep up with!! :D

[Tgianco]

My biggest complaint on the Cheers program was the tipping of the staff. They all split the tips that you have paid Carnival up front. So there is no incentive to hustle. Or to come back & check on you. If you sit at the bar all day long & get your own drinks, you should be fine however.

I find it hard to believe that when a bar server types in their ID number that Carnival in their infinite wisdom can't figure out how to tip based on what was worked? Had really looked forward to it, but I won't be getting it again. :(

I was curious about that, as I remembered that happening a few years ago even with the soda program.

Edited January 16, 2014 by Tgianco

[gemsm]

I was curious about that, as I remembered that happening a few years ago even with the soda program.

 

I have found that if you tip a buck or two on the first day and sporadically on the rest of the 7 this isn't much of a problem

[ashburncruisefan]

Can anyone confirm if Carnival has jacked up the price of certain drinks to put them outside of the Cheers program? I was on the Pride last summer and one of my go to drinks as part of the Cheers program was the Kendal Jackson VR Pinot Noir. I just got back from a new year's cruise on the Dream and was not able to order it as part of my Cheers program because the cost was $10.25 per glass. Unfortunately you don't have the option of paying the additional quarter since the program provides you can't pay the difference and only get a 25% discount on the $10.25 price. Which means that little .25 cent price difference really equates to a $7.68 charge for that glass of wine under the program. Needless to say I am sure that Carnival doesn't see a lot of Kendal Jackson Pinot Noir going to cheers program participants. Seems a little like a sneaky way of excluding certain types of beverages they may not be getting deep volume discounts on from their distributors.

[1kaper]

I did not read the whole thread, but I did use the search feature.

 

On the original post, it says that pregnancy is not an exception to the program. We just booked our cruise and I am pregnant. We were told by Carnival that my husband can purchase the drink and I am not require (I am also required to provide a medical form from my doctor regarding my pregnancy anyway).

Did the rules change or am I getting bad information?

[bigdog1958]

I did not read the whole thread, but I did use the search feature.

 

On the original post, it says that pregnancy is not an exception to the program. We just booked our cruise and I am pregnant. We were told by Carnival that my husband can purchase the drink and I am not require (I am also required to provide a medical form from my doctor regarding my pregnancy anyway).

Did the rules change or am I getting bad information?

 

The rules must have changed, if what you were told by the Carnival rep is accurate. It will be interesting to see when you get on the ship they will allow your exemption from the cheers program. Sometimes Carnival Customer service gives incorrect info... Hopefully, it is correct, as this should be a valid exception

[1kaper]

The rules must have changed, if what you were told by the Carnival rep is accurate. It will be interesting to see when you get on the ship they will allow your exemption from the cheers program. Sometimes Carnival Customer service gives incorrect info... Hopefully, it is correct, as this should be a valid exception

 

 

We plan on checking it out even if he decides not to go with the program to know for sure. We sail Feb 23 so I'll update when I get back.

[Scotch Mist]

I have been following this tread since it started and from postings from pregnant passengers they also had to buy the package - even with a letter from their doctor.

 

Some unscrupulous passengers have provided these letters when not pregnant just to abuse the system. That may be why Carnival are reluctant to offer exemptions. I do think that legitimate passengers like yourself should be exempt so I honestly hope that Carnival has amended their policy.

 

Hopefully someone who has cruised in similar circumstances as yourself can give you a definitive answer!

[kstater]

So with the Cheers program we will be able to relax, know up front what we are spending, and enjoy ourselves without having to overindulge to "get our money's worth"!! One less thing I have keep up with!! :D

This was the biggie for me. Even if I didn't hit the cost, I was more at peace knowing had budgeted for the program and didn't have to spend time worrying about if was spending too much. And was able to try different things. One night tried all the different scotches, another night different martini's etc.

[FTLCruiseGal]

Sorry if this has been posted, but I guess I am kind of lazy to read through all the pages. Where on board do you purchase the program? On the Victory Sept 25, and am going to purchase.

[PugGeek]

Our first cruise they sold it at the lobby bar and on lido deck. Brochures at the bars... just request it from the bartender. You can purchase it all through the first and second day of cruises.

 

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