Unlimited Drink Options Included with other lines: will you still book Carnival?

[pcrum]

I have 3 cruises booked right now. One 15 day on NCL, an 11 day on Celebrity and a 5 day to Cuba on Carnival. The drink packages on the two other than the one we have on Carnival has been the reason we booked them, Whenever we find a similar criuse on Carnival, the price of Cheers vs. the free package we get from Celebrity and NCL makes the Carnival cruise more expensive. When you get a 15 day drink package on NCL for under $500 and Carnival wants $1800 for Cheers for the same duration it's a clear choice. If you don't drink and don't use NCL or Celebrity's drink package then that is different. You aren't forced to take any drink package or pay for it contrary to what a poster above said. Free drink packages have been a better deal than paying for Cheers on Carnival has ever been on sailings of our liking.

 

Yes, I agree. Carnival's price for the drink package is outrageous! And, NCL does not limit the amount of drinks you have (not that 15 would not be enough!), but it's just the idea. I'm just wondering if Carnival is going to have to make some changes. We are platinum on Carnival, but are finding better value on other lines with the recent perks being added in.

[Keys2Heaven]

Oh, I did not know this...so if you are Platinum on Carnival, MSC will honor that? That is definitely something to consider.

 

Thank you!

 

Yes, they have a match program. You enroll, send them proof of your VIFP status and you are matched to their program. It does expire.

 

Our gold VIFP status put us in their silver tier.

[pcrum]

I'm sure most people know that nothing is really free and NCL and Celebrity do figure that cost in. It's when you get into longer cruises, above 10 days, where the value of a "free" dink package starts to become more visible versus a 5 day cruise and such.

 

Very true. Our transatlantic on NCL is 15 days, so to us the value of the drinks package with all of the sea days is a big incentive! When I book a cruise, I do a spreadsheet of the price/day including the drinks package and gratituties. For us, the lines with the perks are coming out cheaper compared with Carnival.

[AmBear]

Hi:

 

We are platinum on Carnival, but have taken a few years off from cruising. In the time we've been away, both NCL and MSC have started to offer fares with the Unlimited Drink Option included as a perk. Now that we are looking to book another cruise, I have to admit that these perks are very enticing and swaying us away from Carnival, whose drinks package is very expensive to book. I'm just wondering if others are feeling the same?

 

Nothing is free, those lines add to the cost of your cruise to get back the $ for the drinks!

As a Carn. plat., you get your free cocktail at lunch, and a party with free drinks, and both of those are free!

[AmBear]

Yes, they have a match program. You enroll, send them proof of your VIFP status and you are matched to their program. It does expire.

 

Our gold VIFP status put us in their silver tier.

 

The match is only good 'once', and points on MSC expire if you don't cruise every so often!

[BNBR]

Interesting. Is that everything on RCCL or just beer and wine? In any case, re: NCL's, yes, they don't include water or specialty coffee but I found they included most premium brands of hard liquor and they had an outstanding selection of draft beers in the District Brewhouse. And bottled beers. I forget the number but you could have easily had a six pack of beer each day for a week and never try the same thing twice if you didnt want do. I can't find it right now but there was a list of the "super-premiums" they excluded at the time but it was a very short list. I think I paid $1 more twice when I ordered a $16 martini made with some very, very good things. Seems like many more choices and variety of liquors and drinks on NCL (on paper/sample menus). Perhaps I'll change my mind once on board Carnival for the first time.

 

When I sailed Escape this year, I was flat out told "Nope" when I asked for something as basic as Gentlemen Jack. "Not included, sorry" - there were a couple of others, too. And we were pretty shocked when we couldn't even get bottled water at the bars on our package. Lame. That was actually a pretty big deal. I mean, you are on a cruise, you need to hydrate regularly and we like to have bottled waters with us. And it's lousy not including specialty coffees either. It's a nice thing to have a much more all inclusive experience on Carnival and Royal with their package.

 

I agree that they had an outstanding selection of beers at District, but that's not terribly important to me, personally.

[pspercy]

I revisited BNBR's Norwegian Getaway example to try to book without any "freebies" in order to get a stripped-down, apples-to-apples comparison. It only presented options to pick 2. Apparently NCL doesn't allow you to just book a cabin anymore?

 

You can but in effect it's a guarantee rate, cat BX, they pick the cabin. They call it "Sail Away" rate.

 

As far as grats on NCL UBP, it works out at about 18/pp/pd, about the cost of two drinks a day. Trivial. I've never noticed service suffering because of it either.

[AmBear]

Very true. Our transatlantic on NCL is 15 days, so to us the value of the drinks package with all of the sea days is a big incentive! When I book a cruise, I do a spreadsheet of the price/day including the drinks package and gratituties. For us, the lines with the perks are coming out cheaper compared with Carnival.

 

Transatlantic on carnival? I think you're confused with another line!

[pcrum]

This.

 

Jimbo, I think we could be friends. :)

 

I am amazed that people don't run the numbers until they can approximate an apples-to-apples comparison.

 

Oh, I not only run the numbers, but have a spreadsheet with the drinks package, other perks being offered (internet, photo package, etc.) and gratuities for each line. I do a per night cost of the cruise for comparison and I'm finding better value on other lines. Carnival has very few transatlantic cruises, but comparing a 14 night cruise on Carnival (12/2/18 Miracle from Tampa and 1/19/19 Freedom from Galveston) to the TA on NCL with the free drinks package (for 15 nights), Carnival is just about the same price we are paying, but without a drinks package.

 

I'm just wondering if Carnival is going to make changes. We are not huge drinkers, but do like the idea of all inclusive and not having to think about whether or not we want a glass of wine with our meal.

[Keys2Heaven]

The match is only good 'once', and points on MSC expire if you don't cruise every so often!

 

Thank you and I did mention that this expires.

[Alaskan Joe]

First of all, the perks are not free. They are worked into the cost of the cruise. It’s a sales gimmick. So no, I wouldn’t booked these fares because my husband doesn’t drink and I never have more than one, maybe two, drinks per day. So I don’t want to pay for something I’m not going to consume.

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Where does it say you have to pay for something you don't want? Are you confused? Have you sailed any other line besides Carnival? You are not forced to pay for a "free" drink package nor choose to have it. You are misinformed.

 

I just priced out two different cruise line and although its not the exact same cruise but both 7 day western Caribbean. Dates are one day off carnival leaves sat and NCL leaves sunday. However, I added Cheers and on both I add pre-paid tips and vacation protection plans. After adding cheers I was about $300 less on carnival than NCL. If the drink package is "FREE" then why is the total cruise price $300 more? Because they have worked the "FREE" package into your total cruise price. In conclusion, some people love NCL some love RCCL, and some love Carnival. However, no matter which cruise line you choose remember nothing is "FREE". P.S. I have cruised other lines besides Carnival and I am in no way promoting Carnival just pointing out the facts.

[Alaskan Joe]

Also I am going on my Carnival Alaskan cruise this Aug. and I am paying around $10,000 w/first class air fare Detroit to LAX. Now with this cruise I compared to RCCL they did not do a round trip it was like starting in Vancouver, Seattle ect. ending in Seward or where ever just not round trip. Now buying air fare one way first class Detroit to LAX for two different ports would cost a hell of a lot more. I believe the cost of RCCL was around $8,000 without airfare which does leave us $2,000 for the first class one way flights. However, the RCCL cruise was 7 days and Carnival is 14 days. The only different I could see is RCCL entertainment is way better than Carnival, but this way I got an extra 7 days out of it, to each his/her own. P.S.S. I have sailed RCCL also.

[TEXSUN46]

I don't drink enough on a cruise to buy the Cheers package and I wouldn't pay more to cruise another line just because they build the price of drinks into the rate to give the impression it is included. If you buy Cheers you are paying for your drinks, if you choose NCL because they include drinks and you pay a higher fare then you are paying for your drinks.

[BlerkOne]

 

No you aren't forced to take, but there is no price reduction if you pass. The price of the package is still factored into the cruise price. You are still paying for it. You just don't have to pay the 20% gratuities.

[BlerkOne]

I don't drink enough on a cruise to buy the Cheers package and I wouldn't pay more to cruise another line just because they build the price of drinks into the rate to give the impression it is included. If you buy Cheers you are paying for your drinks, if you choose NCL because they include drinks and you pay a higher fare then you are paying for your drinks.

 

I have no interest in a drink package or in subsidizing drink packages for others.

 

 

The increase in liver cancer deaths, especially due to alcohol consumption, is alarming.

[LPut714]

Hi:

 

We are platinum on Carnival, but have taken a few years off from cruising. In the time we've been away, both NCL and MSC have started to offer fares with the Unlimited Drink Option included as a perk. Now that we are looking to book another cruise, I have to admit that these perks are very enticing and swaying us away from Carnival, whose drinks package is very expensive to book. I'm just wondering if others are feeling the same?

 

We have found that port taxes and fess are higher with NCL vs Carnival

[coevan]

I have no interest in a drink package or in subsidizing drink packages for others.

 

 

The increase in liver cancer deaths, especially due to alcohol consumption, is alarming.

 

 

 

Thanks Doc

[dna529]

We are platinum on both Carnival and NCL. We definitely have had to compare the fact that we can get the drink package on NCL, when deciding who to cruise with. It seems like when we add the cost of Cheers to a Carnival cruise, it doesn't come out better than NCL pricing. I love not having to worry about what I'm drinking on NCL. I think Carnival is going to have to make some changes to compete with other lines. We also have to consider the fact that being platinum on NCL gives us significantly more perks than platinum on Carnival. Free specialty restaurants and discounts on photos, compared to what-free laundry? I like both lines, but we always just add things up and see where they fall.

[theboatahoy]

In this case if you add Cheers and a wifi package to the Carnival, the prices are identical. No more or less expensive.

I've sailed both Carnival and NCL. I love both but NCL gives you more options (especially the getaway vs any current carnival ship) as far as bar/dining options. That's what you end up paying for in my eyes.

 

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[sgttami]

I've come to the point in life where I just do what I do...

 

I drink. I enjoy it on land and sea. I just don't drink as much as I used to.

 

I"ll buy Cheers on Carnival or whatever packages other cruise lines offer.

 

I've done casino offers on Carnival where I get DOU (free in casino) from Day 1 but will still buy a few here and there in other venues..

 

All works out for me...:)

[sparks1093]

Yes, I agree. Carnival's price for the drink package is outrageous! And, NCL does not limit the amount of drinks you have (not that 15 would not be enough!), but it's just the idea. I'm just wondering if Carnival is going to have to make some changes. We are platinum on Carnival, but are finding better value on other lines with the recent perks being added in.

 

And if you bought NCL's package it would be $80 a day (and that is the price your tips, 20%, are calculated on for the "free" package you are getting). If NCL truly is offering the best deal by all means go for it, but don't let their slick marketing blind you as a consumer.

[sparks1093]

I've seen a lot of comments that Carnival needs to change to stay competitive. NCL has been engaging in their slick marketing campaign, including the ''free" drink packages, for several years now since Del Rio took over and it doesn't appear that Carnival is losing that much business because of it. So, if they aren't losing business why do they have to change?

[tallnthensome]

I just priced out two different cruise line and although its not the exact same cruise but both 7 day western Caribbean. Dates are one day off carnival leaves sat and NCL leaves sunday. However, I added Cheers and on both I add pre-paid tips and vacation protection plans. After adding cheers I was about $300 less on carnival than NCL. If the drink package is "FREE" then why is the total cruise price $300 more? Because they have worked the "FREE" package into your total cruise price. In conclusion, some people love NCL some love RCCL, and some love Carnival. .

If the price of the cruise on NCL without the package is the same (minus the service charge) what makes you think the price is included in the base cruise price for those who don't want it? The way I read it is you are simply paying for the service charge of the UBP. You can speculate all you want but nowhere does it show that you somehow pay extra for it beyond that service charge. If you chose not to pick the UBP and the base price was lower than it would be clear that you are paying for it. Who's to say what Carnival hides or includes in their base fees. Like I mentioned before. The real value of NCL's drink package is on longer cruises . The more days the better the value vs. Cheers. Our 15 day Panama Canal on the Bliss with UBP was $600 less overall than the 14 day Panama Canal on Carnival with Cheers. Until someone can actually prove that NCL raises the prices for everyone on the ship beyond the service charge, then its all just speculation.

[The4Cruisers]

The free drinks promo has no affect on me. We bring our own wine and we really don't rack up a huge bar bill when we cruise.

 

Carnival has been just fine for us and this is not a reason to switch up at this time.

[sparks1093]

If the price of the cruise on NCL without the package is the same (minus the service charge) what makes you think the price is included in the base cruise price for those who don't want it? The way I read it is you are simply paying for the service charge of the UBP. You can speculate all you want but nowhere does it show that you somehow pay extra for it beyond that service charge. If you chose not to pick the UBP and the base price was lower than it would be clear that you are paying for it. Who's to say what Carnival hides or includes in their base fees. Like I mentioned before. The real value of NCL's drink package is on longer cruises . The more days the better the value vs. Cheers. Our 15 day Panama Canal on the Bliss with UBP was $600 less overall than the 14 day Panama Canal on Carnival with Cheers. Until someone can actually prove that NCL raises the prices for everyone on the ship beyond the service charge, then its all just speculation.

 

So you really believe that NCL can include for free something they retail at $80 pd/pp and still stay in business? My reason tells me that it has to be rolled into the cruise fare somehow.