Anyone else notice drinks went up?

[bobsfamily]

If you are willing to look in some of the doors that say "crew only" you can find a soda machine that is $.75 to a $1... we found one on a cruise last year on the Sensation... it was right inside the door... never got caught.

[gman0119]

Don't know if it was just the bartender(s) being in a grouchy mood or not, but I noticed on my last cruise that when I used the drink coupons, the bartenders treated me with a "different" attitude then if I was using my S&S card. That "different" attitude was one of those look down your nose at the po folks look. I would usually come up with a smart aleck comment that would either make them blush, or tick them off. I would let them know that I really didn't care what they thought of me and my finances, and that I was just trying to have a good vacation. Some of them loosened up and treated me decent after that. Some, I didn't go back to!

 

Just a ramble for the day, since I am FORCED to work on a holiday!!!

[G'ma]

We just got off the Imagination this morning and were shocked how much they have raised the prices for drinks on board.

 

Frozen drinks are now $7.95 plus tip!

 

Mixed drinks started around $5.95 plus tip!

 

The DH got a shot of kahlua and it was $6.50 plus tip!

 

They did have a DOD card where you could get 1 per day of the DOD for around $25.00 which was a good deal. Just have to watch for the specials and take advantage of those free cocktails too!

 

Guess we will have to adjust our drinking budget more for our cruise in September. That bar bill could be more than the cruise cost!

 

Guess with the prices being lowered they had to make it up in other places.

 

We also noticed they raised the prices of the smaller pictures to $11.99 when they used to be $8.99

 

I'm not surprised at all. They are trying to keep cruising at a price people can afford so I can see them raising prices on the Optional things. It makes good sense.

[salty dingo]

Makes sense for the cruise line's profits, maybe, but not too much sense for drinking passengers.

 

The way I look at it, the cruise line buys alcohol at wholesale duty-free prices, but does not pass along any savings. That's not too fair.

 

Also, drinkers end up subsidizing non-drinkers. Boozers pay more than they should and cruises are cheaper than they should be for non drinkers. That's not too fair either, unless you don't drink, in which case you love the current policy.

 

My choices are to:

1. Bite the bullet and pay for the overpriced drinks
   
2. Smuggle
   
3. Visit a store in port and drink on the beach
   
4. Snag a drink or two at one of the parties
   

Still some good options left ;)

[mafig]

also if you drink wine or beer, you can't water that down.

 

also, stick to simple drinks where you're supposed to taste the alcohol, like martinis, manhattans....:D

 

 

although those fruity drinks are so tempting!:D

[cathyoo]

Inquiring minds want to know.....Please

 

I think someone else mentioned it. It is a card that entitles you to unlimited drinks under $7.25. Everyone over 21 must purchase the bar card and those under 21 must purchase a soda card. You must be with a group. This is the only way some of my friends and family will cruise. I generally don't cruise with them because it is a little steep for my DH who only drinks beer. I think it is costing us each an extra $300 on a 7 day cruise. We normally don't have a $600 bar bill. So we are really paying for the company.

[stampinrobin]

Does anyone know how much a glass of wine is at the bar?

 

I was just in Vegas and paid $14 for a glass of house wine anywhere I went, now that is crazy, I hope I won't have to pay that much when I cruise.

 

I love wine and at least they can't water that down!

 

Thanks if you know the price!

[candigirl41]

Wine is about 7.00 or so. That was for sauvignon blanc, white zine was a little less. Pinot Grigio was 12.00 a glass.

 

Candi

[crazy cajun]

Find that perfect bartender, tip them and they will make your drinks as stong as you want!

Have to agree w/ this post. drinks allways seemed to be better at below deck bars.

Dw and i are what you consider heavy drinkers. we found a bartender in our favorite area and all we drank on the cruise were long island teas. As a former bar tender i know what it's supposed to taste like and how much of a wallop it should have. The first ones were weak but i tipped him a lil on the second round. they got better. on the third rd i walked up called him by name and placed a 5 under my S&S card and told him to pour me two good ones.

he said yes sir and poured them in front of me.

these were killer! FROM THEN ON I TOOK CARE OF HIM AND HE TOOK CARE OF US.

Our drink bill for an 8 day was around 1k.

That includes 2 or 3 shots or double shots of jagermiester for the piano player in the piano bar each night. We enjoyed our cruise and were not worried about the cost.

Next time we may have to watch our expenses

a little more closely but this time it was all out all over. Did cash out my casino S&S for a lil over $600 so that much was a wash.

Hope everyone enjoys themselves as much as we did. doing it again next year.gotta go start planning .:D

[cathyoo]

Have to agree w/ this post. drinks allways seemed to be better at below deck bars.

Dw and i are what you consider heavy drinkers. these were killer! FROM THEN ON I TOOK CARE OF HIM AND HE TOOK CARE OF US.

Our drink bill for an 8 day was around 1k.

 

Now you would be a perfect AI cruiser...

[stampinrobin]

Wine is about 7.00 or so. That was for sauvignon blanc, white zine was a little less. Pinot Grigio was 12.00 a glass.

 

Candi

 

 

Ugh, then my guess is Pinot Noir would be about $12 too, I guess Vegas wasn't that out of line!

 

I'm afraid to pack my own wine on the airline to carry on (1 bottle per person), I'm afraid it would break in my luggage.......but 8 glasses times $12.........

[RAE6]

I was on Conquest two weeks ago and one afternoon I decided that I wanted a diet coke........no liquor....just a diet coke. The price on the in-room mini bar said they were $1.95 so I took one. The next afternoon I did the same thing.

 

Checked my bill on the TV and I was charged $4.95 for each of those! Didn't do that anymore.

 

I think that the difference here is, that the soda drinks in the cabin are alot more expensive then the soda drinks you get from the bar or server.

 

Although next time check with your cabin steward, because on the last ship hubby was a little under the weather and drank the Sprite in the cabin. I asked the cabin steward and she said don't worry about it, she had plenty of extras and it didn't show up on our bill. Although I was more than willing to pay for it, she was a wonderfully steward and well tipped because of it...sorry if I am off topic, just that I would respond to this.

[cathyz]

I was on Conquest two weeks ago and one afternoon I decided that I wanted a diet coke........no liquor....just a diet coke. The price on the in-room mini bar said they were $1.95 so I took one. The next afternoon I did the same thing.

Checked my bill on the TV and I was charged $4.95 for each of those! Didn't do that anymore.

That sounds like a mistake to me. On our last cruise, we had happy hour in our cabin and used some of the soft drinks for mixers and were charge $1.95+15% gratuity each time.

[dan40]

The $4.95 is for the large bottle of water in the room.

[cruisinbuddy]

We just got off the Imagination this morning and were shocked how much they have raised the prices for drinks on board.

 

Frozen drinks are now $7.95 plus tip!

 

Mixed drinks started around $5.95 plus tip!

 

The DH got a shot of kahlua and it was $6.50 plus tip!

 

They did have a DOD card where you could get 1 per day of the DOD for around $25.00 which was a good deal. Just have to watch for the specials and take advantage of those free cocktails too!

 

Guess we will have to adjust our drinking budget more for our cruise in September. That bar bill could be more than the cruise cost!

 

Guess with the prices being lowered they had to make it up in other places.

 

We also noticed they raised the prices of the smaller pictures to $11.99 when they used to be $8.99

Just so you know, the DOD card can be used all in one day, hey buy 3.

[bigdaddyvoges]

I think someone else mentioned it. It is a card that entitles you to unlimited drinks under $7.25. Everyone over 21 must purchase the bar card and those under 21 must purchase a soda card. You must be with a group. This is the only way some of my friends and family will cruise. I generally don't cruise with them because it is a little steep for my DH who only drinks beer. I think it is costing us each an extra $300 on a 7 day cruise. We normally don't have a $600 bar bill. So we are really paying for the company.

 

What is under $7.25 now, beer??? How does this work and how many people have to do it? We have 4 people that would drink the $300pp worth for the week. Please advise. Thanks!!!

 

Bob

[cathyz]

What is under $7.25 now, beer??? How does this work and how many people have to do it? We have 4 people that would drink the $300pp worth for the week. Please advise. Thanks!!!

 

Bob

I think this is only possible for large groups, like 150 people or more, and also read on here that Carnival is phasing this out, but others may have more info.

[cathyoo]

It does have to be a group. I believe the group must be at least 30 people and all must buy the bar card. I think only certain TAs book these AI cruises. I know some CCers mentioned their TA were told this option was not available and a month later my cousin got this group together.

 

My cousin only runs AI group cruises and generally uses RCI for her booze cruises. She was determined to get me and my DH to cruise with her bunch and moved over to Carnival. That was always my excuse for not participating. We have 115 partiers on our upcoming cruise in Nov. I'm counting on the fun more than the booze to make the price worthwhile.

[G'ma]

Just off the Pride yesterday and noticed the same. A flavored martini will now run you over $10 with tip. Any drinks with mixers were VERY weak - I was actually starting to wonder if they were watering the stuff down. I'm a complete lightweight - usually one drink and I can feel it. With these - nothing. All the bartenders were very carefully measuring shots, and even then the drinks seemed weak.

 

Not a complaint really - just an observation. We were on a six day and our s&s bill was definitely higher and we don't drink all that much. But a couple drinks before dinner and maybe 2 more after dinner and you've alredy spent close to $40 just for 2 drinks a day for 2 people.

 

If you stick to the basics and leave those pre-mixed frou-frou drinks alone, you'll get your moneys worth. Anything that has to be made to order will be poured fairly.

 

Gin and tonic

Rum and coke

vodka and orange juice

screwdrivers

mai-tai's

 

Things like that......

[G'ma]

Until about 15 years ago, Carnival drink prices ran well below land prices. Even below 'corner bar' prices. Even 5 years back, they were at the low end of hotel or nice bar prices But more and more smuggling went on anyway. Many of us have said for a long time that smuggling RAISES the drink prices. Smugglers poo-poed that like we were radical nutjobs. Well here we are at today's prices. Why?

 

Does it matter why? It is and that is that.

 

Correct, for sure.

 

Each cruise has a bar revenue target... when that target is not met over the long-haul, prices will go up.

 

As usual, the few make it tough on the many........

[creempuff0530]

Okay this may be a dumb question but....where do you get the DOD cards??

[cathyz]

Okay this may be a dumb question but....where do you get the DOD cards??

On the Spirit last month, they had a table set up on embarkation day selling them, then after that you could buy them at almost any bar.

[pamouselover]

When I sailed on Splendor, the wash and fold promotion was $10/bag. On the Paradise one month later, it was $15/bag. Did it go up fleetwide, or is it just on the Paradise?

 

Frozen drinks on Paradise were $5.75 and were a "push" with the drink coupons! I drank lots of Miami Vice.:p

 

That's why I smuggle!:D

Wow, How do you smuggle?

 

Another good reason to take your own booze with ya!

Are you allowed to bring your own on board?

 

I dont drink much, but on vacation!

[cathyz]

Wow, How do you smuggle?

 

 

Are you allowed to bring your own on board?

 

I dont drink much, but on vacation!

No, it's against Carnival's rules, but many folks do smuggle in 'rum runners' or just wrapped really well in their checked luggage, not their carry-ons.