Another stupid Cheers Question; Am I missing something?

[Kirbit62]

Has anyone ever bypassed buying the Cheers package with all its limits and restrictions and used Cruise Cash or Bar Cash instead, with no restrictions?

[coevan]

depends how much you drink, ala carte can add up really fast, 10 drinks would be $100 a day, about

[mdsgu]

I've had Cheers several times, and I wouldn't do a Carnival cruise without it now.  Yes, you can use Cruise Cash or Bar Cash, but it's the same as paying cash.  You can have as many drinks as you can handle, but you have to pay for each one.

 

Frankly, I've never found the "limits and restrictions" to be either limiting or restricting.  15 drinks is fairly generous (I've hit that limit twice but I had to really try) and the dollar amount is better than NCL's.

[hotsauce126]

Why would you use cruise/bar cash instead of regular money?

[mdsgu]

Just now, hotsauce126 said:

Why would you use cruise/bar cash instead of regular money?

Exactly.  Cruise cash, bar cash, swiping your Sign&Sail card are all, basically, the same.

[Kirbit62]

You are all correct.  I am not worried about a limit I will, most likely, never reach.  However, with Cheers you cannot buy a bucket of beer for your friends when it's your turn to buy.  You cannot buy room service beer when you are in your room.  You cannot buy the "drink of the day" souvenir cup.  Also, with Cruise Cash and/or Bar Cash, you can pay this ahead of time, just as you would when you buy Cheers.

Coeven, you mentioned 10 drinks per day would add up to roughly $100 per day.  $700 for a 7 day cruise.  If I buy $500 Cruise Cash and $200 Bar Cash it would still be less expensive than Cheers, with no restrictions. (sorry for the math lesson, I'm still trying to work this out myself) 

[chrislaurn]

9 minutes ago, Kirbit62 said:

You are all correct.  I am not worried about a limit I will, most likely, never reach.  However, with Cheers you cannot buy a bucket of beer for your friends when it's your turn to buy.  You cannot buy room service beer when you are in your room.  You cannot buy the "drink of the day" souvenir cup.  Also, with Cruise Cash and/or Bar Cash, you can pay this ahead of time, just as you would when you buy Cheers.

Coeven, you mentioned 10 drinks per day would add up to roughly $100 per day.  $700 for a 7 day cruise.  If I buy $500 Cruise Cash and $200 Bar Cash it would still be less expensive than Cheers, with no restrictions. (sorry for the math lesson, I'm still trying to work this out myself) 

I'm confused.  The Cheers program runs about $55/day so $385 for a 7 day cruise.   How is that more expensive then spending $700?   

[Kirbit62]

Okay, you got me.  I'm hoping my DW will be in the cabin with me.

[schazzy]

6 minutes ago, Kirbit62 said:

You are all correct.  I am not worried about a limit I will, most likely, never reach.  However, with Cheers you cannot buy a bucket of beer for your friends when it's your turn to buy.  You cannot buy room service beer when you are in your room.  You cannot buy the "drink of the day" souvenir cup.  Also, with Cruise Cash and/or Bar Cash, you can pay this ahead of time, just as you would when you buy Cheers.

Coeven, you mentioned 10 drinks per day would add up to roughly $100 per day.  $700 for a 7 day cruise.  If I buy $500 Cruise Cash and $200 Bar Cash it would still be less expensive than Cheers, with no restrictions. (sorry for the math lesson, I'm still trying to work this out myself) 

 

We are fans of Cheers, but from what I gather from what you are saying you'd like to do, you might be better off doing pay as you go. If you want to do the cruise cash so that you can pay in advance or set up a cash account once on-board, I'd highly recommend looking in to the ways of getting Carnival gift cards for a discount. That $700 could only cost you $630 with the 10% off you get with something like the AARP Rewards for Good.

[Kirbit62]

Schazzy, that's good advice I will definitely look into.  Thanks!

 

 

[mapman_2004]

41 minutes ago, Kirbit62 said:

You are all correct.  I am not worried about a limit I will, most likely, never reach.  However, with Cheers you cannot buy a bucket of beer for your friends when it's your turn to buy.  You cannot buy room service beer when you are in your room.  You cannot buy the "drink of the day" souvenir cup.  Also, with Cruise Cash and/or Bar Cash, you can pay this ahead of time, just as you would when you buy Cheers.

Coeven, you mentioned 10 drinks per day would add up to roughly $100 per day.  $700 for a 7 day cruise.  If I buy $500 Cruise Cash and $200 Bar Cash it would still be less expensive than Cheers, with no restrictions. (sorry for the math lesson, I'm still trying to work this out myself) 

 

If you had Cheers, you wouldn't let your friends buy you beer!  You'd be able to run up to the closest bar and get beers to bring back to your room.  Can't help you with the souvenir cup though....

[Organized Chaos]

I'm too lazy to type it all out again LOL so I'll just paste my comment from another thread. In case you're not familiar with the AARP discounted Carnival gift cards...

 

On 3/18/2019 at 3:55 PM, Organized Chaos said:

You don't have to be a member of AARP to get the discounted Carnival cards. You just have to create a free account with their Rewards for Good program (you can google that). You should earn some initial points for signing up. Then you can subscribe to email newsletters. Some of them will contain promo codes that you enter on the Rewards for Good site for points (150 points each). In addition, you can complete quizzes on the site that will earn you more points. It varies, but it's usually a few hundred points per quiz, give or take. You can then cash those points in for 10% off the gift cards. 1,000 points for every $100 gift card and 5,000 points for every $500 gift card. Making them $90 and $450, respectively.

 

Most gift cards in stock lately have been physical cards that are mailed to you (you have to pay S&H, I think .59 each). If you buy less than $500 worth of cards in a single order, they'll come through USPS. If you buy $500 or more, they'll arrive UPS and require a signature. They also sold e-cards (via email), but I haven't seen those for a while. If you're an actual AARP member (again, not required for this) you'll get more points for each quiz you complete. Incidentally, you don't have to be 50 & up to be a member anymore. I'm in my early 40's and became a member a year ago. Our first year's membership paid for itself many times over with the money we saved on a rental car and hotels. I went ahead and renewed my membership since we just booked our next cruise, so hoping it'll pay for itself again. Here's the main AARP gift card thread if you're interested:

 

[chipperberg]

I believe that with Cheers you are allowed to purchase items, such as a bucket of beer and you most certainly can order from room service, but it is not covered under the cheers program.  you can also get the drink of the day in the specialty glass, but that is also not covered under cheers, but Carnival won't turn your money or cruise cash away.  I personally use the AARP gift cards.  And if I wanted something not covered under cheers, I guess I would purchase it, however, I have not been in that situation.  

[xostacylee]

34 minutes ago, Kirbit62 said:

You are all correct.  I am not worried about a limit I will, most likely, never reach.  However, with Cheers you cannot buy a bucket of beer for your friends when it's your turn to buy.  You cannot buy room service beer when you are in your room.  You cannot buy the "drink of the day" souvenir cup.  Also, with Cruise Cash and/or Bar Cash, you can pay this ahead of time, just as you would when you buy Cheers.

Coeven, you mentioned 10 drinks per day would add up to roughly $100 per day.  $700 for a 7 day cruise.  If I buy $500 Cruise Cash and $200 Bar Cash it would still be less expensive than Cheers, with no restrictions. (sorry for the math lesson, I'm still trying to work this out myself) 

 

If you're cruising with friends and they're sharing the room - they can't buy buckets either haha. I've heard mixed reviews if you buy for you + your cruising partner, you can do so with both S&S cards. Though again, mixed reviews depending on the ship and bartender. 

 

Secondly, if you're NOT going to do Cheers, I would not buy cruise cash or bar cash - simply because those are nonrefundable. If you are worried about not breaking even on the Cheers package, I wouldn't spend the money on those either. They're also the same as cash, so there's no benefit to using those over straight cash.

 

As Schazzy says, I would suggest spending the $$ on Carnival gift cards vs. cruise cash.

 

Also, don't forget that the Cheers package also includes bottled water, coffees, top shelf liquor, milk shakes, and any soda. 

[DiverJohn]

You can use the carnival gift cards from Allstate or aarp for cheers package as well, just used a 500.00 to pay my 490.00 cheers package for me  and girlfriend, so in reality cost 441.00 for both of us, (only a four nite cruise)

[jdoc2007]

You can still buy the DOtD cup/souvenir glass without the drink in it (get the drink separately and it will be covered under cheers).  I love the coconut heads with the smiley monkey faces.  They are about 6 dollars for the cup.  I get a drink and drop it right in.

Edited March 20, 2019 by jdoc2007

[cajunfla]

At this point in our life, on the cruise is about the only time we drink alcohol. Been there, done that. We're over it.  Never tried Cheers, but we are pretty sure it wouldn't work for us. DW drinks only Miller Lite, maybe 1 margarita, and only black coffee.  7 day cruise would run us $730 for the week.  I can't drink enough cocktails/speciality drinks to make up for her.  As for the souvenir cups, mere dust collectors. No thanks.

Edited March 20, 2019 by cajunfla

[emoorehead]

If buying buckets of beer or drinks for others is something that you do regularly when you cruise, then Cheers may not be the way to go for you. 

Everyone's situation is different and I can definitely see how Cheers would make sense for some people and not others. There are way too many variables in each person's individual situation.

For me the decision boiled down to being able to prepay for my drinks and not have to worry about my spending every time I swipe my S&S card.

If you decide against purchasing Cheers, I would do as others have said and get the AARP gift cards rather than cruise cash or bar credits. Heck, if you decide to purchase Cheers do that with the gift cards, too. Whatever you decide, have a great cruise!

[Organized Chaos]

4 hours ago, Kirbit62 said:

Okay, you got me.  I'm hoping my DW will be in the cabin with me.

 

Your wife will have to buy Cheers, too. If one person in a cabin buys it, everyone of drinking age in that cabin has to buy it. For your 7 day, that's about $860 (including the 18% gratuity). Even if you paid for Cheers using the 10% off gift cards, that's still over $770. So you have to ask yourselves, will she use Cheers that much? Will you actually drink $700 worth like you mentioned earlier?

[Joebucks]

6 hours ago, chrislaurn said:

I'm confused.  The Cheers program runs about $55/day so $385 for a 7 day cruise.   How is that more expensive then spending $700?   

 

Cheers is about $61 per day after 18% gratuity. He is not traveling solo. $860 > $700. 

 

5 hours ago, mapman_2004 said:

 

If you had Cheers, you wouldn't let your friends buy you beer!  You'd be able to run up to the closest bar and get beers to bring back to your room.  Can't help you with the souvenir cup though....

 

But if you are going to drink mostly beers, Cheers goes down in value. 

[Heathbuck]

10 hours ago, cajunfla said:

At this point in our life, on the cruise is about the only time we drink alcohol. Been there, done that. We're over it.  Never tried Cheers, but we are pretty sure it wouldn't work for us. DW drinks only Miller Lite, maybe 1 margarita, and only black coffee.  7 day cruise would run us $730 for the week.  I can't drink enough cocktails/speciality drinks to make up for her.  As for the souvenir cups, mere dust collectors. No thanks.

 

Cheers for two for 7 day cruise is $858.22

[beerman2]

If you purchase "Bar Cash" it is non-refundable , use it or loose it! Purchase  OBC certificate(s) which ARE refundable .

 

OBC can be used in shops or drinks whereas " Bar " cash is exactly that.

Edited March 20, 2019 by beerman2

[tonyhb12]

Won't you still be able to pay out of pocket for the buckets of beer and souvenir cups?  I was unaware that carnival will completely forbid you from buying these if you have cheers.  I thought you just had to pay out of pocket.  If that's the case, if the majority of your alcohol consumption is via buckets of beer rather just getting 1 beer at a time, cheers probably wouldn't make sense.  I personally would just get a good server and tell him to refill your beer when done.  Or you could go order 4 beers (waiting 5 mins) in between (10 min total with your wife) and ask for a bucket of ice.  

[ProgRockCruiser]

22 minutes ago, tonyhb12 said:

Won't you still be able to pay out of pocket for the buckets of beer and souvenir cups?  I was unaware that carnival will completely forbid you from buying these if you have cheers.  I thought you just had to pay out of pocket. 

 

Your first assumption is correct - you can still buy buckets'o'beer or DotD.  They don't count towards your drink limit, either.

[mdsgu]

22 minutes ago, tonyhb12 said:

Won't you still be able to pay out of pocket for the buckets of beer and souvenir cups?  I was unaware that carnival will completely forbid you from buying these if you have cheers. 

 

You can still buy buckets of beer, but you just have to pay regular price for them.  Or, as tonybh12 suggests, find a good server and tip well -- they'll give you a bucket of beer and charge your Cheers account every 5 minutes for 1 beer.  Been there, done that.