cheers program questions

[TerReuv]

Cutiepie, did you note the post that said you do not have to buy it for your whole booking? As mentioned, you can rearrange the people in the cabins so that it works out. Put hubby in a cabin with just a minor and he can get Cheers. Then when on board (after you purchase Cheers) go to GS and switch rooms around.

 

While I agree with you about not wanting everyone in the cabin to have to purchase Cheers, you have to remember that there are probably still people out there who will drink while pregnant.

[xeroxme]

Hubby will easliy hit the 15 mark if he is only drinking beer, i on the other hand maybe drink a total of 15 on the whole cruise. its cheaper if he has the package then buy drinks seperate, but we will lose money if i buy it. if the above said is true and they no longer let you purchase anymore after 15, arnt they then losing money?

 

Sorry to see the harsh comments to your question. I understand your question and would do the math on how many drinks you think you would have and what your husband would have and choose whatever is the cheapest route. I will have some drinks on a few times during a cruise but not daily so the drink package is not for me and DW will be lucky to drink three drinks period. Hopefully you can decide the best alternative for you. Being drunk all day just isn't fun to me and if there was an emergency on the boat such as a Concordia like disaster etc. I want to be in a physical condition to make it to safety and help my DW. Anyways happy cruising!

[cutiepiefred]

Sorry to see the harsh comments to your question. I understand your question and would do the math on how many drinks you think you would have and what your husband would have and choose whatever is the cheapest route. I will have some drinks on a few times during a cruise but not daily so the drink package is not for me and DW will be lucky to drink three drinks period. Hopefully you can decide the best alternative for you. Being drunk all day just isn't fun to me and if there was an emergency on the boat such as a Concordia like disaster etc. I want to be in a physical condition to make it to safety and help my DW. Anyways happy cruising!

 

Thanks we arnt going to be getting the drinking plan as its not worth it to us. I have spoke with carnival on 3 differant occasions an dto my personal cruise consultant and was told that our whole booking has to get the plan not just the stateroom as if you are all booked together can share that is exact quote from carnival rep. A booking of 7 people which only a few drink is a waste of money we will be doing our drinking in port

[oneillcd73]

From the carnival website....your whole party does not have to purchase, just every adult in the same stateroom

 

The following restrictions apply:

•******** Package must be purchased for the entire duration of the voyage – it is not sold on a per day basis

•******** CHEERS! is only sold to guests 21 years of age and older and agree not to give to minors

•******** Each adult assigned to the same stateroom must purchase the package

•******** Only one drink at a time may be ordered using CHEERS! - sharing is not permitted

•******** Guests may purchase a round of drinks for themselves and friends. One drink will count towards the CHEERS! package and the remaining drinks will be charged to the guest’s Sail and Sign account

•******** Package allows for up to 15 alcoholic drinks per 24 hour period (6:00am-6:00am); once the limit is reached, the guest will not be served any additional alcoholic drinks

•******** Package allows for unlimited soda and non-alcoholic frozen cocktail

•******** Carnival reserves the right to refuse service for any reason

•******** Applicable state and local taxes will be charged to the guest folio when this package is used within US waters. The tax is based on the particular state’s tax structure and the cost of the individual drink purchased (not the daily package rate). For example: if the drink price is $5 and the tax is 10%, the guest’s Sail & Sign card will be charged $0.50 for tax. This applies to all US ports (embarkation home ports and ports-of-call)

•******** Due to Texas State laws, CHEERS! will not be offered until the second day of the cruise for voyages departing from our Texas home ports.* In this case, please know the daily rate will be based on the full cruise duration price but only charged from day 2 forward. Guests may purchase drinks in the usual manner.

•******** Package not available for purchase on cruises sailing from Australia

•******** Package is non-refundable

[Havingfun2010]

I read all the post, and not one hits the reason why. Carnival offers cheap cruises without much included. They have cut back. Because of that, they require "extra's" to bring in the money. Look at everything they do. Can you get off the ship, without pushing through a photographer? What about the endless long lines to get off, because they force everyone to get a picture? What about the casino offers for the high rollers? You get a bunch of people on a cheap cruise, and it becomes a party boat. So, you have those looking for a cheap cruise. Do you think, that group is not going to try to "save" money by sharing drinks? Go to McDonald's and watch. You will see a percentage of the group, sharing sodas and getting "free" refills. Pay one price for two.

 

What works on the more expensive cruises will not work on Carnival. Not only would they not trust you, they have many reasons to prove it.

[MarcelLucSell]

We loved Alchemy Bar and the martinis there are 9.95, so it really made our Cheers package worth it.

[KevInPitt]

Thanks we arnt going to be getting the drinking plan as its not worth it to us.

 

So it appears your decision has been made. You understood the terms of the Cheers! Program on your last cruise and claim to have purchased no alcohol at all on principle.

 

Will you be withholding all spending again on your next cruise? For someone so annoyed at the terms of the program, who seems so frustrated by a limit of 15 drinks per day and has spent over $1000 on alcohol on other cruises, I think I know the true answer.

[hftmrock]

nope he did not have one alcoholic drink the whole time, we demed its not fair they were making me buy a plan when you could clearlya nd medical notied that i was pregnant and would not be drinking any alcohol so tehy got no money from us for alcohol

 

regarding pregnant women and drinking alcohol. do you really believe no one that is pregnant will drink alcohol?

 

Here are the sad facts. I dont blame Carnival to sticking to the policy even for pregnant women

 

on the CDC site (2006 - 2010)

 

 

• 7.6% of pregnant women (or 1 in 13) and 51.5% of nonpregnant women (or 1 in 2) reported drinking alcohol in the past 30 days.*
  
• Among pregnant women, the highest estimates of reported alcohol use were among those who were:
  
  • Aged 35-44 years (14.3%);
    
  • White (8.3%);
    
  • College graduates (10.0%);
    
  • Employed (9.6%)
    

  [*]1.4% of pregnant women (or 1 in 71) and 15.0% of nonpregnant women (or 1 in 7) reported binge drinking in the past 30 days.†

  [*]Among binge drinkers, the average frequency and intensity of binge episodes were similar, about three times per month and approximately six drinks on an occasion, among those who were pregnant and those who were not.

  [*]Among nonpregnant binge drinkers, binge drinking prevalence, frequency, and intensity were highest among those aged 18-24 years.

[alreadypacked]

This is why, unfortunately, my annual guys-cruise group had to move on to RCI for this year's trip. We used to have the old open bar package, but they canceled it last year and told us we'd have to do their lame Cheers program.

 

RCI doesn't cap their packages, and they have tiers, so it was a no-brainer. I wish Carnival would get with the times and drop their arbitrary cap, it should be left to the staff to determine who has been over served. We much prefer the Carnival nightlife, I hope we get to come back someday.

 

Agreed, Grady!

 

I have utilized the beverage package on another line that didn't make everyone over 21 in the cabin purchase it. This worked for us on one cruise when DH wasn't drinking due to a medical reason. Further, DH was on a guys cruise (not Carnival) and his cabin-mate went and purchased the beverage package before he did, and no one questioned who else was in the cabin with him. DH purchased his package not long after.

 

When I go on my annual girls' Carnival cruise and share a triple cabin with my sister and friend, both of whom will not spring for Cheers, I am penalized!

 

Other cruise lines have no such rule and must be making a profit otherwise I'd think they'd discontinue the program.

 

Carnival's Cheers doesn't even include bottled water like the other lines' beverage programs!

 

Carnival caps the per-program drinks to 15 per day (with no bottled water included). I'm not advocating sharing but even if some passegers did--as some inevitably will--it seems like they should still profit. Other lines apparently do, while including bottled water and without everybody-in-cabin purchase requirements.

Edited March 5, 2015 by alreadypacked

[Mommabear2Five]

We just did our first cruise with the Cheers program and I have a mixed review.

 

We knew going in to it that I was going to get more value from it than my husband, but after an $800 bar tab on our previous cruise, I figured the $575 for even just me was worth a try.

 

We actually both maxed out or program one of the days of the 5 day cruise. Other than that, he averaged 6 drinks and I averaged 9. This is not including the dozens of sodas and juices we enjoyed.

 

While I felt we got a good value (we figured we would have spent around $900 without the program) my husband said he felt pressured to drink since it was paid for (he's not much of a drinker) Also, and this might have been in part due to a completely booked ship, the bar service was so slow on the Lido deck and the Cheers program was not honored on Half Moon Cay.

 

We will not be doing the program on our upcoming cruise, for two reasons. One, it's a 7 day and $800 upfront is just too much and, two, this cruise is just me and my husband, no friends or family, and it's more of a romantic thing than a party cruise like our last 2.

 

If you're are going to party, if you drink throughout the day, I would recommend it. If you're not sure if it's worth it, wait until the second day (most cruises will have it until midnight the second day) and see how much you're trending in bar charges. Even if one of you drinks much less than the other, it can really be a value. Those Mocha Chocolate Getaways add up!

[AZ Karaoke Girl]

Can someone clarify for me that sailing out of Texas, you will pay for day 2 and forward and not be charged for day 1? Day 1 is buy per drink as if no package.

 

•******** Due to Texas State laws, CHEERS! will not be offered until the second day of the cruise for voyages departing from our Texas home ports.* In this case, please know the daily rate will be based on the full cruise duration price but only charged from day 2 forward. Guests may purchase drinks in the usual manner.

 

The verbiage is misleading in my opinion. Daily rate will be based on the full cruise duration price sounds like I will pay for all days including day 1. It does say but only charge from day 2 forward so I believe I pay day 2, 3, 4 & 5 of a 5 day cruise but just clarifying for those that have done this.

[CarenBear]

You are correct AZ Karaoke Girl. Day 1 is "pay as you drink". Day 2 and after are on the program.

We really like the program. Hubby drinks just beer but I drink mixed drinks. The great thing is that I can try a new drink and if I don't like it I have 14 more tries to find one I like.