CHEERS? Need advice

[Beachgirl676]

Did you purchase the beverage package? Is it worth it? I've never cruised on carnival before my last cruise was royal Caribbean and I bought the drink package and thought it was completely worth it. As I'm reading up on carnivals it has a 15 drink limit within 24 hrs and every person over 21 in your stateroom must purchase. I don't drink much maybe 3 or 4 however my boyfriend is a drinker. We're scheduled for a 5 night cruise 3 of those days we will be on islands for the majority of the day so we wouldn't even be drinking on the ship. I'm trying to figure out if we would be better off just paying for drinks out of pocket? How expensive are the drinks? Thanks for the help!

[MomtherOfDragons]

We bought it for ohr second cruise, in november. I didnt like having to keep track of how much we were spending and not being able to sample what I wanted last time. Plus now it includes a lot of other non alcoholic drinks that I would take advantage of (specialty coffee), so that makes it worth it to me. It's really a personal preference I think. We dont intend on leaving the ship on port days, but if 3 of 5 days for us would be spent off the ship, I probably would just forgo the package unless you can "make up for it" on those evenings.

[Jeremy1026]

My wife and I purchased the Cheers! package two years ago for a 6-night cruise. We were both 26 at that point. In order to get to the $60/day each of us needed to 'break even' with the Cheers! package became daunting. She was mainly drinking ~$6-8 glasses of wine, I was drinking mostly $8 jack and cokes. Despite having a drink in our hands at all times we were still struggling to get to the break even point. After Day 4 she gave up trying to get her moneys worth and the last day she didn't drink at all. I pushed on through the whole cruise but still ended up coming up short.

 

My take away here is: unless you are planning on drinking the $10+ drinks, I'd recommend just going a la cart.

[beerman2]

The Cheers Package includes energy drinks, bottled water, milk shakes, and specialty coffee also. Those don't count towards your 15 limit, that is alcohol type drinks only.

 

Now if you get a " spiked" specialty coffee or milkshake that does count.

 

Drinks can range from 6.00-7.00 ( Beers) up to 11.00 -13.00 in Achlemy Bar.

[Beachgirl676]

My wife and I purchased the Cheers! package two years ago for a 6-night cruise. We were both 26 at that point. In order to get to the $60/day each of us needed to 'break even' with the Cheers! package became daunting. She was mainly drinking ~$6-8 glasses of wine, I was drinking mostly $8 jack and cokes. Despite having a drink in our hands at all times we were still struggling to get to the break even point. After Day 4 she gave up trying to get her moneys worth and the last day she didn't drink at all. I pushed on through the whole cruise but still ended up coming up short.

 

My take away here is: unless you are planning on drinking the $10+ drinks, I'd recommend just going a la cart.

 

 

Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks so much!

[beerman2]

My wife and I purchased the Cheers! package two years ago for a 6-night cruise. We were both 26 at that point. In order to get to the $60/day each of us needed to 'break even' with the Cheers! package became daunting. She was mainly drinking ~$6-8 glasses of wine, I was drinking mostly $8 jack and cokes. Despite having a drink in our hands at all times we were still struggling to get to the break even point. After Day 4 she gave up trying to get her moneys worth and the last day she didn't drink at all. I pushed on through the whole cruise but still ended up coming up short.

 

My take away here is: unless you are planning on drinking the $10+ drinks, I'd recommend just going a la cart.

Not sure how you can have a drink in hand at all times and not get your monies worth.

On a cruise your probably awake ON the ship 9-10 hours, if you average 1 drink an hour, that would easily pay for it.

[beerman2]

Beachgirl676

This is a typical cruise day consumption

2 Bailey's with coffee ( Breakfast). $14.00

4-5 mixed drinks during day $30-35

2 Martini's pre-dinner. $ 18.00

3-4 walking ship at night $25-$30

Doing the low number 11 drinks over a 12 hour day is doable and you've spent about $80.

 

That's averaging about 1 drink an hour.

[Kckamel]

My husband and I have previously gotten the Cheers package twice, once a few years ago and the second time a week ago. We loved having it the first time, but having it this last time with all the new additions was GREAT! We were able to get more expensive wines with dinner, the huge bottles of water at dinner including S. Pellegrino, I was able to be more adventurous with my drinks too and tried some new things. It wasn't a big deal if I didn't like something because I could replace it with something I did like after 5 min. We never hit our 15 drink limit, but we did end up saving quite a bit of money than if we had been buying our drinks a la carte. We loved having the specialty coffee's throughout the day and our servers at dinner loved that we had the Cheers program because they had the ease of knowing when our glasses got lower than a certain point to bring on another one. The money is worth it to us because we can truly relax knowing everything is already paid for. Otherwise, I'd spend the entire day adding up what we were spending as we were spending it and that is just no fun. I'm a big budgeter in every day life, and very on top of our finances. I don't want to have to do that on vacation and Cheers allows someone like me to really not have to think about it at all. Happy cruising!!

[cb at sea]

Not everyone is into specialty coffees or "energy" drinks or wants to drink all day long! I only drink the regular coffee....no sodas, and while I might have a frozen drink at the pool on some days, I tend to do my drinking from 3pm until dinner. Seldom do I drink after dinner. The package wouldn't be worth it, for my drinking habits.

 

You need to realize the package is not for your "convenience"....it's a profit maker for the cruise line!

[katiel53]

My husband and I had Cheers on one of our cruises. We averaged 6-7 drinks a day. I drank mostly Pina Colada type drinks except at dinner I had 2 glasses of wine. He drank rum and coke so it wasn't worth the price for him. This was a few years ago and we decided it wasn't really worth it to get it again.

 

Neither of us would drink the fancy coffee or milkshakes. I guess it all depends upon how you drink and what you drink. I rarely drink anything but Scotch and soda now, so I'd have to think about it long and hard before I'd buy it again.

[yaddayaddayadda]

I have bought the Cheers package on my past two cruises and will purchase it on my 3rd cruise next year. It's totally worth it, IMO. My wife likes carbonated waters and liked that she could get cans of perrier all day long to sip on.

 

We both have a minimum of 6 alcoholic drinks a day, so we're coming out cheaper with the cheers package.

[cruise_everywhere]

This will be the biggest "Yes" "No" topic... For some it's the best thing they could do and for others it wouldn't be worth $25.

 

My typical Port Day... 2-Specialty Coffee, 1-Mimosa, 1-Powerade (to take off), 1-DOD once back onboard, 1-Pre-Dinner Drink at Alchemy, 1-Wine at Dinner, 3-4 After Dinner at Alchemy Bar = 10+ drinks total

 

My typical Sea Day... 2-Specialty Coffee, 1-Mimosa, 5+ -poolside drinks, 1-Pre-Dinner Drink, 1-Wine at Dinner, 3-4 After Dinner at Alchemy Bar = 13+ drinks total

 

Pending on what you drink that can be the kicker - Alchemy Bar with Premium Liquor (since you have the drink package why not) - break even is 6 drinks there per day, I do at least 4 there per day and at least 2 coffees in the morning + other drinks.

 

Most people don't hit the 15 drink max and if you keep doing math the entire cruise it may not be worth it anyways for you.

Remember even if it is "Jack and Coke" with the drink package you can get a higher level/more premium liquor with all your drinks.

[carib1]

We (DH & I) just got off a 5 day cruise and our bar bill was $235.00, we did not keep track of our drinks and ordered whatever we wanted to. If we would have gotten Cheers, we would have been out some $$. We both had double bloody Mary's in the morning, then switched to buckets for mid-morning/afternoon drinking, then had a couple mixed drinks after dinner. We do not drink energy drinks, coffee, soda or milkshakes. On port days our drinking was done off the ship and then we would only have maybe 2 drinks in the evenings.

 

So it just depends on what you drink or what you might think you are going to drink.

[Beachgirl676]

Not everyone is into specialty coffees or "energy" drinks or wants to drink all day long! I only drink the regular coffee....no sodas, and while I might have a frozen drink at the pool on some days, I tend to do my drinking from 3pm until dinner. Seldom do I drink after dinner. The package wouldn't be worth it, for my drinking habits.

 

You need to realize the package is not for your "convenience"....it's a profit maker for the cruise line!

 

Thank you for your reply. You described me perfect haha I wouldn't be drinking all day long either so the more I think about it I don't think it will be worth it.

[Beachgirl676]

I appreciate all your responses they've really helped me decide and I don't think I'll be purchasing. I'm not into energy drinks coffee or any of that and can't see myself drinking all day long anyway. I wouldn't probably have a drink until after 2 pm and I don't know that I plan on having more than 6 drinks Each night anyway I'm a light weight....my bf likes to drink but it just doesn't seem worth it money wise because we both would have to purchase the package so I think we'll be better off la carte! Thanks all😁

[Samanthamelody3]

For those that do not drink all day, and also do not enjoy sugary milkshakes and pop, probably not worth it.

Unless you're going to go crazy at the night club every night, I guess.

We are not purchasing it for our cruise, there's no way we'd drink that much!

[watermelonqueen99]

100% worth it for us and we don't cruise without it.

[coevan]

you can't say you drank all day if you don't start in the morning

[A&Jfamily]

For us it isn’t worth it. Even at $12 a martini we each have to drink 5 to come close to breaking even. I am not a coffee or soda drinker and DH might do an occasional espresso or diet soda. For a day or two that is doable but we found by day 3 or 4 it was just too much.

 

 

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[naxer]

You need to realize the package is not for your "convenience"....it's a profit maker for the cruise line!

 

Well, I find it convenient, and they make less of a profit from me buying Cheers! than if I paid for everything individually. I'm glad they offer it.

 

It's just a matter of math if it's the money you're wondering about. If you figure you'll come out ahead, it's worth it; if you don't think you'll come out ahead, then don't get it.

[Bosrox]

I appreciate all your responses they've really helped me decide and I don't think I'll be purchasing. I'm not into energy drinks coffee or any of that and can't see myself drinking all day long anyway. I wouldn't probably have a drink until after 2 pm and I don't know that I plan on having more than 6 drinks Each night anyway I'm a light weight....my bf likes to drink but it just doesn't seem worth it money wise because we both would have to purchase the package so I think we'll be better off la carte! Thanks all😁

 

Probably a good idea to skip it. There’s no way I could keep up that schedule of 6-8 drinks a day, for a week. Especially with the port days, we don’t do coffee or shakes.

[sweets2323]

Beachgirl676

 

This is a typical cruise day consumption

 

2 Bailey's with coffee ( Breakfast). $14.00

 

4-5 mixed drinks during day $30-35

 

2 Martini's pre-dinner. $ 18.00

 

3-4 walking ship at night $25-$30

 

Doing the low number 11 drinks over a 12 hour day is doable and you've spent about $80.

 

 

 

That's averaging about 1 drink an hour.

 

 

 

Would this make getting the package better? What does the package average at?

 

 

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[Jeremy1026]

Would this make getting the package better? What does the package average at?

 

 

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Cheers! is $55 per day. So, this person makes out on the deal by about $15-$20 a day.

[beerman2]

Cheers! is $55 per day. So, this person makes out on the deal by about $15-$20 a day.

Exactly so saves about $200.00 or so on an 8 day cruise.

 

I will add we usually only spend about 3 hours in Port.

[taram999]

We are excited. We have it for the first time ever (15 cruises). We sailed a few months ago and I think between two of us our bar tab was about 900. And we definitely didn't drink all we would have liked, because we didn't want to pay that much. And that doesn't include the two bottles of liquor and two bottles of wine we had in the room. I am so excited that it's paid for and I can drink whatever I want. My husband does coffee and we both drink espresso (with sambucca). I don't do energy drinks but I know the people I am cruising with do, so I will get some, and definitely some Gatorade to take to the beach. My baby neice will definitely be having her first (and second and third) milshake ever! Yep, planning to enjoy this trip!

 

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