Cheers on Half Moon Cay?

[mz-s]

28 minutes ago, Island Dog said:

"However, when Holland America ships visit Half Moon Cay, they usually offer the opportunity to buy a 15-drink beverage package for $24.95 (not including gratuities) that is good only on Half Moon Cay"-Cruise Radio

 

I wish Carnival would do this, but I guess they figure there are a lot more drunks on Carnival than HAL....

 

I don't even drink and even I would buy that deal.

[sparks1093]

19 hours ago, Joebucks said:

The technology explanation is a farce. If Carnival wanted to do it, they could. The truth is, they have all of these drink packages down to a science. While people try to justify it as "wow I can definitely justify $60-$70 in one day" they fail to realize the full scope. Port days have to be big savings for the cruise lines. Just because it is their private island, why should they spend more on alcohol costs? If people expect it at half moon, why not at other "private" Carnival ports?

 

Sure some lines may have written it into their cost structure. It doesn't mean all lines have to follow. You are free to go sail there if it is that important.

People fall into the trap of thinking that cruise lines sell drink packages to save the passenger money. They don't. They sell the drink packages to make money for the cruise line (but of course it is marketed as a cost savings for the passenger). I personally do factor the port stops into the equation when deciding whether or not to buy Cheers and even with a port intensive itinerary it is usually worth it to us.

[Purvis1231]

On 11/4/2022 at 5:21 AM, sparks1093 said:

If you drink beer you can swing by a bar during the day and ask for an unopened beer. Do that several times and you'll have several to take ashore with you. When you get ashore ask a bartender for a bucket of ice. (I have not tried this but it was suggested to me when I mentioned we had to buy our drinks.)

May or may not work. Generally. They do not serve unopen beers and now the crew is activity looking for people trying to smuggle alcohol off the ship. 

[Purvis1231]

On 11/2/2022 at 5:53 PM, kittymommax4 said:

I have to assume this question has been asked/answered but no matter what search terms I use I can’t find it!  If you have the Cheers package does it include your drinks on Half Moon Cay, or only on the ship?

IT is funny that there are many complaints on Cruise Critics about Carnival not allowing people on Cheers to buy drinks in excess of the 15 included drinks. At Half Moon Cay, Carnival allows this but people are not happy. 

[Island Dog]

1 minute ago, Purvis1231 said:

May or may not work. Generally. They do not serve unopen beers and now the crew is activity looking for people trying to smuggle alcohol off the ship. 

Have you seen any crew doing this? I have never seen any screening for any passengers leaving the ship. Only through customs or the adorable food sniffing mutts on the pier in Cozumel.

[Purvis1231]

10 minutes ago, Island Dog said:

Have you seen any crew doing this? I have never seen any screening for any passengers leaving the ship. Only through customs or the adorable food sniffing mutts on the pier in Cozumel.

Yes, I have seen them making people pour out their cups and looking in bags while exiting the ship and there are signs and intercom announcements that bring alcohol off the ship is not permitted. 

[Island Dog]

4 minutes ago, Purvis1231 said:

Yes, I have seen them making people pour out their cups and looking in bags while exiting the ship and there are signs and intercom announcements that bring alcohol off the ship is not permitted. 

Wow. That must create quite a backup searching everyone's bag. They do this while people are boarding the tenders?

Edited November 6, 2022 by Island Dog

[Purvis1231]

2 minutes ago, Island Dog said:

Wow. That must create quite a backup searching everyone's bag.

You are right, on our last trip there was a big back-up getting off the ship. 

[1kaper]

6 hours ago, sparks1093 said:

People fall into the trap of thinking that cruise lines sell drink packages to save the passenger money. They don't. They sell the drink packages to make money for the cruise line (but of course it is marketed as a cost savings for the passenger). I personally do factor the port stops into the equation when deciding whether or not to buy Cheers and even with a port intensive itinerary it is usually worth it to us.

 

I hardly think that Carnival is selling me $900 drink package to save me money. I’m also well aware they use upsells like the restaurants, alcohol, excursions to make money.  I generally don’t have a problem with this. 
It doesn’t change my feeling of annoyance  that I am spending a ridiculous amount of money on a drink package that doesn’t cover their private island. 

[Island Dog]

6 minutes ago, 1kaper said:

 

I hardly think that Carnival is selling me $900 drink package to save me money. I’m also well aware they use upsells like the restaurants, alcohol, excursions to make money.  I generally don’t have a problem with this. 
It doesn’t change my feeling of annoyance  that I am spending a ridiculous amount of money on a drink package that doesn’t cover their private island. 

Not to mention, as a previous poster stated, searching everyone's bags leaving the ship while in line to board the tenders. Thus creating long lines in what would have to be stairways. Isn't tendering enough of a PITA? Good grief.

[Elaine5715]

3 hours ago, Island Dog said:

Wow. That must create quite a backup searching everyone's bag. They do this while people are boarding the tenders?

 

3 hours ago, Purvis1231 said:

You are right, on our last trip there was a big back-up getting off the ship. 

That is why there are a dozen crew members watching us leave..  Not so much Half Moo since it is a private island but port officials get testy when cruisers break import laws 

[1kaper]

1 minute ago, Island Dog said:

Not to mention, as a previous poster stated, searching everyone's bags leaving the ship while in line to board the tenders. Thus creating long lines in what would have to be stairways. Isn't tendering enough of a PITA? Good grief.

 

Guess we’ll see in about 2 weeks 😆

[Island Dog]

1 minute ago, 1kaper said:

 

Guess we’ll see in about 2 weeks 😆

Can't wait! Love HMC.....no matter how I "get my drink on" when I'm there! 

[Island Dog]

4 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

 

That is why there are a dozen crew members watching us leave..  Not so much Half Moo since it is a private island but port officials get testy when cruisers break import laws 

I'm confused. I thought this "searching" was just in regards to people sneaking off unopened beers onto HMC.

[1kaper]

12 minutes ago, Island Dog said:

Can't wait! Love HMC.....no matter how I "get my drink on" when I'm there! 

Maybe that’s why it bugs me so much. We’ve travelled quite a bit and I have to say the water at HMC was the prettiest I ever saw. I do like the island. 
 

The last time we went we got off late and had a clamshell. DH bought a Carnival cooler bag of beer right when we got off, not realizing we had to walk the whole beach to get to our clamshell. I actually rathered down there though. Then he realized they had shorted him one beer. He spoke to the server in our area and was told he had to go back to who he purchased it from. 😐. All the way back down the beach. 😂

He earned those beer that day. 

[Island Dog]

1 minute ago, 1kaper said:

Maybe that’s why it bugs me so much. We’ve travelled quite a bit and I have to say the water at HMC was the prettiest I ever saw. I do like the island. 
 

The last time we went we got off late and had a clamshell. DH bought a Carnival cooler bag of beer right when we got off, not realizing we had to walk the whole beach to get to our clamshell. I actually rathered down there though. Then he realized they had shorted him one beer. He spoke to the server in our area and was told he had to go back to who he purchased it from. 😐. All the way back down the beach. 😂

He earned those beer that day. 

Yeah he did. Lol. 

 

Great idea, as we like to get as far down the beach from the crowds as well. Looks like I'll be grabbing a bucket from the somewhat closer Capt. Morgan Bar and stuffing them in a cooler bag with ice from the Lido. 

 

If you haven't been to Bonaire before, maybe check out Klein Bonaire Island by water taxi. The water is just as beautiful as HMC, if not more so. Snorkeling is amazing too.

[1kaper]

6 minutes ago, Island Dog said:

Yeah he did. Lol. 

 

Great idea, as we like to get as far down the beach from the crowds as well. Looks like I'll be grabbing a bucket from the somewhat closer Capt. Morgan Bar and stuffing them in a cooler bag with ice from the Lido. 

 

If you haven't been to Bonaire before, maybe check out Klein Bonaire Island by water taxi. The water is just as beautiful as HMC, if not more so. Snorkeling is amazing too.

 

Oh really!  We haven’t. We were just going to rent a golf cart. I’ll check this out.  We plan to snorkel 

Edited November 6, 2022 by 1kaper

[Island Dog]

8 minutes ago, 1kaper said:

 

Oh really!  We haven’t. We were just going to rent a golf cart. I’ll check this out.  We plan to snorkel 

Water taxi stands are just to the left when you walk off the pier. If you want to snorkel, they will drop you up the beach from where the taxi normally drops off. The current will gently carry you back to that beach. Super easy and coral is very healthy. Just remember there are no facilities on Klein, just some shade huts. That and the wall at GT are the best snorkeling opportunities on this trip imo.

Edited November 6, 2022 by Island Dog

[sparks1093]

23 hours ago, Purvis1231 said:

May or may not work. Generally. They do not serve unopen beers and now the crew is activity looking for people trying to smuggle alcohol off the ship. 

On the ship I can certainly understand but off the ship I doubt. They don't go through bags at security when you are leaving (Edited to add that I've never seen or experienced this at any port, on any line). It does sound like having the beer unopened might be problematic but it's worth a try since it doesn't cost extra (I would ask and if they indicated they couldn't then I would tell them to forget it, since at that point in time I'm not looking for a drink).

Edited November 7, 2022 by sparks1093

[sparks1093]

19 hours ago, 1kaper said:

 

I hardly think that Carnival is selling me $900 drink package to save me money. I’m also well aware they use upsells like the restaurants, alcohol, excursions to make money.  I generally don’t have a problem with this. 
It doesn’t change my feeling of annoyance  that I am spending a ridiculous amount of money on a drink package that doesn’t cover their private island. 

If it's not saving you money why buy the package? That's the first and foremost consideration for most people when deciding whether or not to buy it. I also wish that Cheers worked on any of the private islands, but it doesn't. A minor annoyance at best but as I said, when determining if Cheers is a good purchase we factor in all of the port days (and sea days).

[1kaper]

1 hour ago, sparks1093 said:

If it's not saving you money why buy the package? That's the first and foremost consideration for most people when deciding whether or not to buy it. I also wish that Cheers worked on any of the private islands, but it doesn't. A minor annoyance at best but as I said, when determining if Cheers is a good purchase we factor in all of the port days (and sea days).

 

 

I'm confused.  That was a response to you saying people believe Carnival is selling them the Cheers package to save them money, but they are not.  I was agreeing and stating that I am well aware. 

But to answer - it does save us money.  I also like the idea of being able to order what I want without worrying about price because it is already paid for. I like top shelf. If I was paying per drink I wouldn't pay the extra.  
It does save us money, but I know that isn't why Carnival is selling it.  Carnival is selling Cheers to make money and are selling it a price point in which they make money.  They may even make more money in some cases for people who buy Cheers but don't use it enough to make it "worth it". 
I'm well aware Carnival doesn't make their money by selling cabins on the ship, they make it up in other places. 

[sparks1093]

22 minutes ago, 1kaper said:

 

 

I'm confused.  That was a response to you saying people believe Carnival is selling them the Cheers package to save them money, but they are not.  I was agreeing and stating that I am well aware. 

But to answer - it does save us money.  I also like the idea of being able to order what I want without worrying about price because it is already paid for. I like top shelf. If I was paying per drink I wouldn't pay the extra.  
It does save us money, but I know that isn't why Carnival is selling it.  Carnival is selling Cheers to make money and are selling it a price point in which they make money.  They may even make more money in some cases for people who buy Cheers but don't use it enough to make it "worth it". 
I'm well aware Carnival doesn't make their money by selling cabins on the ship, they make it up in other places. 

I misunderstood your response then. I apologize for the confusion.

[ray98]

I have found it much harder to get unopened beers now that everything is cans instead of the aluminum bottles.

[Joebucks]

On 11/6/2022 at 10:12 AM, 1kaper said:

 

I hardly think that Carnival is selling me $900 drink package to save me money. I’m also well aware they use upsells like the restaurants, alcohol, excursions to make money.  I generally don’t have a problem with this. 
It doesn’t change my feeling of annoyance  that I am spending a ridiculous amount of money on a drink package that doesn’t cover their private island. 

 

It's just that, a feeling. Why is there an expectation of drinks at private islands but not private ports? Also compared to what? Royal Caribbean's private island that has "dynamic pricing drink packages?" Where you pay extra for their fare and extra for the drink package that can be used on the island. All for a "feeling". 

 

Nothing comes for free. Even though people obsessively chase free, it comes for a cost. 

[Island Dog]

1 hour ago, Joebucks said:

 

It's just that, a feeling. Why is there an expectation of drinks at private islands but not private ports? Also compared to what? Royal Caribbean's private island that has "dynamic pricing drink packages?" Where you pay extra for their fare and extra for the drink package that can be used on the island. All for a "feeling". 

 

Nothing comes for free. Even though people obsessively chase free, it comes for a cost. 

I agree, nothing is free. But comparatively, NCL, RCCL, MSC, and Princess (a Carnival brand) all honor their drink packages at their respective Private Islands. Private ports are usually run by someone locally, contracted by the lines. Harvest Caye, while billed as NCL' s Private Island, does not honor the pkg there because of this. Almost the entire industry does this, Carnival doesn't so I understand the frustration.