Drinks on Us and Cheers - Need advice

[pfleer]

Hi all!  

 

We are booked on a spring break cruise next year and we booked one of the casino offers that includes Drinks on Us.  We've never had Drinks on Us before (except one cruise where I earned it on the very last day).  For our last couple of cruises, we bought the Cheers package.  This cruise we are also getting two cabins as our daughters are now old enough to have their own room (surprisingly, only $200 more to book 2 rooms, then to book 4 in one balcony).

 

So, we've been thinking about our drink package options.  We are traveling with 2 other families, so I imagine we will be spending lots of time drinking and not just drinking in the casino (love the piano bar!).  

 

We do drink throughout the day, but we don't get sloshed every night.  We also like that Cheers includes waters, milkshakes, coffees, etc.

 

Options:

1. Drinks on Us only and pay as we go when we purchase drinks outside of the casino.  Question - Do we actually have to be playing in the casino or can we just walk up to the Casino bar and order drinks?

 

2.  Drinks on Us and then we both also buy Cheers.

 

3.  Drinks on Us and only 1 of us buys Cheers (since we have two cabins).  Seems like this would be a real pain in the butt to try to share the drink package outside of the casino.  Plus, seems a bit shady.  Although, in the past, even when we tried to buy non-alcoholic drinks for our kids, the servers or bartenders just gave us those free included in our Cheers package anyway.

 

What is everyone's experience with having Drinks on Us and possibly buying Cheers as well??

 

Thanks in advance!

[SNJCruisers]

I will have firsthand experience with the Cheers program for the fourth time later this week, so I can only give your secondhand knowledge regarding the Drinks On Us program.  I have read that the two programs can't be combined so if you purchase Cheers any drinks obtained in the casino through Drinks on Us still count towards your 15 alcoholic drink limit.  The way around this if you're going to consume more than 15 is to purchase some on your S & S card at the 13 drink limit and then consume your last two on Cheers before you go to bed. 

YMMV regarding utilizing the Drinks On Us card while playing in the casino only or getting a drink at the casino bar and not playing.  I believe it depends on the ship and your particular sailing as to how it's enforced.  I have read contrasting reports on the boards.

Since you're traveling with two other families, I would just buy Cheers for the two of you and if the servers hook up your kids with non alcoholic stuff, it's on them.  You'll be enjoying Cheers at various locations, so it's better than being tied down to the casino.  You can also save 10% by pre-purchasing Cheers and save another 10% on Cheers as well as all of your spending on board and your final cruise balance for your fare by utilizing the AARP and Allstate gift cards.  If you're not familiar with them, there are multiple threads you can search.  And you don't need to have Allstate insurance or be an AARP member to get the 10% off cards.  Good luck and enjoy your cruise next spring.

[PhillyFan33579]

On my most recent cruise two weeks ago I had the Drinks On Us card and I also bought Cheers. I used the Drinks On Us card a grand total of zero times.  The problem with the Drinks On Us card, at least for me, is you have to be gambling and the servers in the casino are on the slow side. I usually don’t spend too long in the casino at once because of smoke, so the way I gamble is not conducive to the Drinks On Us card.  On the other hand if you tend to gamble for long stretches of time, the Drinks On Us card works better. 

 

There are also two big reasons why I buy Cheers even with a Drinks On Us card. First, I enjoy drinking at multiple bars throughout the ship and not just when I am gambling in the casino. Second, I love the Alchemy Bar and the Drinks On Us card doesn’t include drinks that you can only get at the Alchemy Bar.  

[my kids mama]

We pretty much always get the cheers program. We have an upcoming 5 day cruise and the DOU cards for me and my husband.  He doesn't gamble at all and the rule is that you are supposed to be gambling to get an included drink.  I think you could be standing behind someone that is gambling and get one but not at the casino bar.  My husband won't stay in there long enough to get a drink because the smoke bothers him too much.  We will go ahead and get the cheers package.  We really take advantage of the water and specialty coffees at breakfast.  The only time that I don't think it paid off for us was on a 10 day med cruise.  We had 8 ports in 10 days and we were gone all day.  If I did that one again, I would just pay as I go.  On a 5 day, we will come out ahead having cheers. I also love the Alchemy bar and love to see what varieties of wine they might have at the MDR at dinner.  You can also go to the bar at the steakhouse and they have a very nice selection of wines there.  

[pfleer]

Thanks everyone for the feedback! Looks like we’re buying cheers!

[The7Harrisons]

WELL, not to confuse the issue, but we almost always have drinks on us card and I use it instead of buying cheers because for me its no big deal to swing into casino and grab 2 drinks from the bar and go on our merry way, if the bar is too busy I tip a waiter/waitress and presto I have my drinks! THEN, if we are in the comedy club or elsewhere and I don't feel like going to casino, I just use S&S card, I have done this many cruises and come out way cheaper than buying cheers package! Whatever you decide it will be right for you and you will have fun!!!!

[bradm77]

We have done casino cruises with the DOU and we STILL get Cheers even though we gamble quite a bit.  I'm on vacation, I want to drink what I want, when and where I want, and not have a big bar tab at the end of the cruise.  I always pre-book cheers for the 10% savings as well.

 

We only get to sail once or at most, twice a year, so it's worth the extra money for cheers to be able to relax and enjoy!

[PhillyFan33579]

51 minutes ago, The7Harrisons said:

WELL, not to confuse the issue, but we almost always have drinks on us card and I use it instead of buying cheers because for me its no big deal to swing into casino and grab 2 drinks from the bar and go on our merry way, if the bar is too busy I tip a waiter/waitress and presto I have my drinks! THEN, if we are in the comedy club or elsewhere and I don't feel like going to casino, I just use S&S card, I have done this many cruises and come out way cheaper than buying cheers package! Whatever you decide it will be right for you and you will have fun!!!!

 

What ship(s) allowed you to get drinks at the casino bar when you weren’t gambling?  I was on Victory earlier this month and Breeze last month and on several occasions heard bartenders at the casino bar on both ships tell guests they couldn’t used the Drinks On Us card at the bar. 

Edited August 23, 2019 by PhillyFan33579

[Jenn1974]

1 hour ago, The7Harrisons said:

WELL, not to confuse the issue, but we almost always have drinks on us card and I use it instead of buying cheers because for me its no big deal to swing into casino and grab 2 drinks from the bar and go on our merry way, if the bar is too busy I tip a waiter/waitress and presto I have my drinks! THEN, if we are in the comedy club or elsewhere and I don't feel like going to casino, I just use S&S card, I have done this many cruises and come out way cheaper than buying cheers package! Whatever you decide it will be right for you and you will have fun!!!!

So you were able to use it at the bar at the Casino?   What ship? I was pretty sure you had to be actively gambling and have the waitstaff bring it to you!   Cruising next week with DOU and the person I am cruising with doesn't want Cheers.  So I am going to be left with a hefty bar tab because I don't spend much time in Casino. 

[Jenn1974]

18 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

 

What ship(s) allowed you to get drinks at the casino bar when you weren’t gambling?  I was on Victory earlier this month and Breeze last month and on several occasions heard bartenders at the casino bar on both ships tell guests they couldn’t used the Drinks On Us card at the bar. 

I asked the same thing. lol

[sc4125]

I spend way too much time in the casino - but if I'm on a 4 or 5 day cruise, I typically purchase CHEERS just because I hate waiting around for a drink when the casino is busy. 

 

On my next cruise which is a 7 day Premier Cruise, I've decided not to purchase CHEERS.  Though I know the casino is much busier on the Premier cruises because so many have the DOU card, I'm just not sure I will break even with CHEERS. 

 

My plan is to order what I normally order - coffees, drinks at bars when not in the casino and going to the casino bar to order my own drinks when the casino is crazy busy - and see if I would have been better off with CHEERS.  We'll see what happens.

[coevan]

1 hour ago, Jenn1974 said:

So you were able to use it at the bar at the Casino?   What ship? I was pretty sure you had to be actively gambling and have the waitstaff bring it to you!   Cruising next week with DOU and the person I am cruising with doesn't want Cheers.  So I am going to be left with a hefty bar tab because I don't spend much time in Casino. 

 

 

remember this is the same guy who brags about wearing shorts and T's on elegant night. No, you can not get drinks on DOU unless you are gambling.

[Jamman54]

My son and I just got off of a five day cruise on the Ecstasy and we both had the DOU card and Cheers. We wanted our bases covered when we weren't gambling in the casino. We maxed out every day, but we also had sodas and coffees. When all was said and done 30% of our drinks went on the DOU card, and the balance was on Cheers. Also, there was no way you were getting served at the casino bar using a DOU card. Our favorite casino bar waiters extended a few liberties during our cruise, but that wasn't happening.

[PhillyFan33579]

3 hours ago, coevan said:

 

 

remember this is the same guy who brags about wearing shorts and T's on elegant night. No, you can not get drinks on DOU unless you are gambling.

 

I just read a bunch of his posts and concluded his posts are not worth too much, which I assume you knew already. 

[The7Harrisons]

5 hours ago, Jenn1974 said:

So you were able to use it at the bar at the Casino?   What ship? I was pretty sure you had to be actively gambling and have the waitstaff bring it to you!   Cruising next week with DOU and the person I am cruising with doesn't want Cheers.  So I am going to be left with a hefty bar tab because I don't spend much time in Casino. 

 

5 hours ago, Jenn1974 said:

I asked the same thing. lol

Our last 3 cruises were on Glory, Vista and Legend, and if you go to the bar area closest to casino you can order drinks, and also just stand in casino, order from a waiter/waitress, and no problems!

Edited August 23, 2019 by The7Harrisons
miss spelled

[lazydayz]

If the casino is super busy, it is usually easy to get drinks from the casino bar if you tip the bartender.  If you don’t, they are likely to tell you, no, you have to be playing.

 

I will test my theory on Sept. 29 on the Miracle. It is a Premier cruise and I expect the casino to be packed.