Cheers! Beverage Package medical exemption?

[Joebucks]

10 hours ago, Elaine5715 said:

The break even point is 5

 

5 cocktails that is. For the group. Every day.

[1kaper]

On 9/11/2022 at 2:24 AM, Illbcruzn4life said:

so the policy is both people in the cabin with no exceptions even for pregnancies but if both by the pregnant person is cut off with no refund when they see she is pregnant.

 

seems counterintuitive.

 

 

 

 

 

As others have pointed out, there are non-alcoholic drinks available on Cheers.  So she isn't totally cut off from the package she purchased.  

I sailed pregnant. For those who aren't aware, you aren't allowed to sail past your 24th week.  I am 95% sure I had to get a letter from my doctor allowing me to sail (at 16 weeks) but maybe I did that because we were trying to get an exemption on the Cheers package.  This was more than 8 years ago though.  My husband wanted the package, when we called, he was told that we could get a medical exemption. 
When onboard we were denied a medical exemption and we simply did not buy the package.  

Edited September 12, 2022 by 1kaper

[Drazil65]

I just hate that there isn’t a package that includes all non alcoholic beverages. RCL allows exemptions by requiring the non drinker to get their refreshments package.

 

I’m not a big soda drinker and certainly won’t drink 15 alcoholic drinks in a day. So only having bubbles and cheers just doesn’t sit well with me.

 

Then this is really simple, sail with RCCL so you can get what you want.  This is how it has been  with cheers for a very long time, not quite sure why it is still being debated.  Dead Horse...it is what it is...period...

[Elaine5715]

1 hour ago, 1kaper said:

 

As others have pointed out, there are non-alcoholic drinks available on Cheers.  So she isn't totally cut off from the package she purchased.  

I sailed pregnant. For those who aren't aware, you aren't allowed to sail past your 24th week.  I am 95% sure I had to get a letter from my doctor allowing me to sail (at 16 weeks) but maybe I did that because we were trying to get an exemption on the Cheers package.  This was more than 8 years ago though.  My husband wanted the package, when we called, he was told that we could get a medical exemption. 
When onboard we were denied a medical exemption and we simply did not buy the package.  

They stopped asking on Online Check-in if you are pregnant that popped up the requirement for a physician's letter verifying gestation length and buried that in the contract.  Of course, if you answered "No", no letter was needed.  There were occasional stories of a friend's sister's niece was that stopped in the terminal  and required to "take a pregnancy test" (like they would have them) but was just overweight and they wanted compensation for them.    

[1kaper]

17 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

They stopped asking on Online Check-in if you are pregnant that popped up the requirement for a physician's letter verifying gestation length and buried that in the contract.  Of course, if you answered "No", no letter was needed.  There were occasional stories of a friend's sister's niece was that stopped in the terminal  and required to "take a pregnancy test" (like they would have them) but was just overweight and they wanted compensation for them.    

 

Thanks!  I was pretty sure it had been a requirement. 

[Elaine5715]

22 minutes ago, 1kaper said:

 

Thanks!  I was pretty sure it had been a requirement. 

It was and it was impossible to miss at check-in plus you could compete it months before sailing unlike now. 

[Tierun]

1 hour ago, Drazil65 said:

I just hate that there isn’t a package that includes all non alcoholic beverages. RCL allows exemptions by requiring the non drinker to get their refreshments package.

 

I’m not a big soda drinker and certainly won’t drink 15 alcoholic drinks in a day. So only having bubbles and cheers just doesn’t sit well with me.

 

Then this is really simple, sail with RCCL so you can get what you want.  This is how it has been  with cheers for a very long time, not quite sure why it is still being debated.  Dead Horse...it is what it is...period...

Haven’t been on Carnival since 2010. Been on a kick of sailing new ships from multiple lines since the restart and Celebration is the next thing coming. 

[jsglow]

9 minutes ago, Tierun said:

Haven’t been on Carnival since 2010. Been on a kick of sailing new ships from multiple lines since the restart and Celebration is the next thing coming. 

12 years.  Be interesting if you like the product going forward.

Edited September 12, 2022 by jsglow

[Tierun]

1 minute ago, jsglow said:

12 years.  Then why on earth are you here commenting?  Seriously. I mean the Carnival product certainly isn't for you. So why they Sam Hill do you care?  I spend exactly zero time on the RCCL board complaining about the ice rink.

I booked Celebration after sailing new ships from X, MSC, and RCCL. So I am getting reacquainted with Carnival via CC. If my commenting gets under your skin, then my inner troll is smiling.

[ProgRockCruiser]

On 9/11/2022 at 8:24 AM, Tierun said:

I just hate that there isn’t a package that includes all non alcoholic beverages.

John Heald (Carnival brand ambassador) has been noted as saying that if they were to offer a non-alcoholic all-inclusive drink package, it wouldn't be that much cheaper than Cheers!

 

When you factor in that the shot (maybe two) of liquor you get in a frozen drink costs Carnival maybe 50cents, then that makes a little sense: the "cost" of a drink is everything else: the mix, the amortized cost of the glass, washing, serving, storage, etc.  Virgin drinks at shore-based bars are often only a dollar cheaper than their fully-fueled equivalents.

 

OTOH, I have found I can drink very few virgin drinks before getting "full", but I can enjoy several pina coladas without batting an eyelash and moving on to a martini or two.

[Illbcruzn4life]

19 hours ago, Elaine5715 said:

I bet this is not the whole story..

probably not. I remember being told that there are 3 sides to every story.

[Illbcruzn4life]

9 minutes ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

John Heald (Carnival brand ambassador) has been noted as saying that if they were to offer a non-alcoholic all-inclusive drink package, it wouldn't be that much cheaper than Cheers!

 

When you factor in that the shot (maybe two) of liquor you get in a frozen drink costs Carnival maybe 50cents, then that makes a little sense: the "cost" of a drink is everything else: the mix, the amortized cost of the glass, washing, serving, storage, etc.  Virgin drinks at shore-based bars are often only a dollar cheaper than their fully-fueled equivalents.

 

OTOH, I hadrnkve found I can drink very few virgin drinks before getting "full", but I can enjoy several pina coladas without batting an eyelash and moving on to a martini or two.

I wonder why RCL can sell the refreshment package for $25-$30 and the drink package for $65 and up but it would almost be the same on CCL?

[cruisingguy007]

21 minutes ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

I wonder why RCL can sell the refreshment package for $25-$30 and the drink package for $65 and up but it would almost be the same on CCL?

 

Alcohol is dirt cheap, especially if you have tax offsets and such that the cruise lines do. Some folks that live in states that artificially tax alcohol higher or have state run stores can forget that. Some even think they are "getting over" by maxing out at 15 drinks on their packages lol. Booze is super cheap, doesn't really expire and has huge markup potential; many restaurants make way more on booze than their food sales. Operationally, it takes the same amount of effort as ProgRock pointed out, loading, dishes, staff etc, so I certainly see that point being valid if you measure not by procurement/serving coats, but as total revenue generation in relation to said costs. Corn syrup, artificial flavoring agents, food coloring and water sales are also profitable as well but don't command the same profit margins (generally).         

[Elaine5715]

47 minutes ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

I wonder why RCL can sell the refreshment package for $25-$30 and the drink package for $65 and up but it would almost be the same on CCL?

Rum to rum... their soda/coffee/mocktail packes is now about $38 plus tips and their comparable CHEERS is dynamic pricing (closer to $90 plus tip) and the pricing changes per ship/sailing.  

Soda only is $9.95 plus tip.

[Elaine5715]

3 hours ago, Drazil65 said:

I just hate that there isn’t a package that includes all non alcoholic beverages. RCL allows exemptions by requiring the non drinker to get their refreshments package.

 

I’m not a big soda drinker and certainly won’t drink 15 alcoholic drinks in a day. So only having bubbles and cheers just doesn’t sit well with me.

 

Then this is really simple, sail with RCCL so you can get what you want.  This is how it has been  with cheers for a very long time, not quite sure why it is still being debated.  Dead Horse...it is what it is...period...

RCL "may" allow exemptions if the guest calls and they are likely will be required to purchase the Refreshment package.  Add the cost of the NCL Deluxe beverage packages and the NCL Refreshment packages and CHEERS for two is comparable.

[DrSea]

4 hours ago, mz-s said:

How many people would write affidavits saying they cannot drink any alcohol during check-in, but once onboard they'd be spinning every night knocking back their partner's drinks.

That means you beat the system!

 

jk of course

[Essiesmom]

On 9/10/2022 at 9:28 PM, ChutChut said:

A "doctor" advised an alcoholic pregnant woman to continue to drink and endanger the baby? Unreal.

Years ago, before there were drugs specific to treat preterm labor, one of the treatments was an alcohol drip.  I also had a patient in the NICU, born very early, whose mom had been told to drink a cocktail daily or more often to decrease the chance of preterm labor.  We are talking early 1970’s.  Also had a patient in ICU who was an alcoholic and on an alcohol drip to keep him out of DT’s.  Don’t discount things you have no knowledge of.  Is it done today? Probably not, in the case of pregnancy.  But in 40+ years of nursing, I saw a lot of things that would amaze you, lots of changes since 1964 when I started nursing school.  EM

[DrSea]

2 hours ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

Alcohol is dirt cheap, especially if you have tax offsets and such that the cruise lines do. Some folks that live in states that artificially tax alcohol higher or have state run stores can forget that. Some even think they are "getting over" by maxing out at 15 drinks on their packages lol. Booze is super cheap, doesn't really expire and has huge markup potential; many restaurants make way more on booze than their food sales. Operationally, it takes the same amount of effort as ProgRock pointed out, loading, dishes, staff etc, so I certainly see that point being valid if you measure not by procurement/serving coats, but as total revenue generation in relation to said costs. Corn syrup, artificial flavoring agents, food coloring and water sales are also profitable as well but don't command the same profit margins (generally).         

Agreed. 

 

You're hitting it on the head. CCL and all these cruise lines jack up the price on everything onboard bc they can. We all are a captive audience. The break even point is 5 drinks per day only bc CCL is charging so much for ea drink. It's all made up. I get it. It's a business.

[1kaper]

33 minutes ago, DrSea said:

Agreed. 

 

You're hitting it on the head. CCL and all these cruise lines jack up the price on everything onboard bc they can. We all are a captive audience. The break even point is 5 drinks per day only bc CCL is charging so much for ea drink. It's all made up. I get it. It's a business.

 

It's pretty cheap to get on the ship. You get a hotel for a week and lots of food to eat.  They need to make up their costs somewhere.  
I can't even do a weekend in a nearby city for the price it costs me to go on a week cruise on Carnival. 

[DrSea]

Just now, 1kaper said:

 

It's pretty cheap to get on the ship. You get a hotel for a week and lots of food to eat.  They need to make up their costs somewhere.  
I can't even do a weekend in a nearby city for the price it costs me to go on a week cruise on Carnival. 

Yea. I get it. It's a business and they have to make money.

 

My issue is targeting pregnant patients. It is morally bankrupt to screw over pregnant pax by making them buy things that they don't want or need or can't use. The average cruising age is already like 197. These policies are designed to squeeze money out of ppl <55 yo, yet cruise lines wonder why they have difficulties drawing a younger crowd. It's not like hoards of pregnant women are boarding CCL. They won't lose that much money by making exceptions for a few pregnant patients here and there. 

[1kaper]

Just now, DrSea said:

But if you are in a room where someone buys it, then the pregnant pax has to buy it. I think that is immoral. 

 

We all have different values. But that to me is just wrong.

As I said, I was in the situation.  We did not HAVE to buy Cheers, but if we chose to buy Cheers, both of us had to. We simply chose not to as it did not make financial sense to buy it.  

[DrSea]

Just now, 1kaper said:

As I said, I was in the situation.  We did not HAVE to buy Cheers, but if we chose to buy Cheers, both of us had to. We simply chose not to as it did not make financial sense to buy it.  

Right. But not everyone in your situation would/could have the freedom made the same decision.

[jkneern]

Used to be able to purchase drink coupons from the fun shop prior to sailing.  

This was before Cheers

Would much rather have this option again.

 

[DrSea]

4 hours ago, 1kaper said:

I recognize my privilege. I also spent many years in a profession where I saw the absolute worst of society. I still think this is quite a stretch to blame Carnival. 
This would still be at least one partners choice to make the purchase. Would it often be the financial responsibility of the woman in a situation like that? 
 

 

We are drifting off point. If a doctor writes a note where something is contraindicated, the pax should be able to opt out of being forced to buy something. 

[mz-s]

8 minutes ago, DrSea said:

We are drifting off point. If a doctor writes a note where something is contraindicated, the pax should be able to opt out of being forced to buy something. 

 

Nobody is forced to buy Cheers...