AndrewD65

I've been looking at cruise critic for a few months and I finally decided to register so I could thank you for your wonderful review. I will now start reading your B2B2B2B review. :D

Warning Joe all of Mikey's reviews are very addicting.

Like chair hogs, chair savers, and smugglers, all VIFP Red passengers, attending this elite function, should have to walk the plank into shark infested waters. Just kidding, the waters don't have to be shark infested. :D

Lol good morning laugh their..

Wow... have a wonderful time..

Mikey,

I took a year leave of Absence from cruising. I am now set sail on Feb 8th. My first mission was to return to Cruise critic and search to see if you and your family went on another cruise. With my Luck you had taken not just one but two. Thank you so much for providing this for us, and I am more excited to go then ever before...

I booked on Tuesday almost here..

Have an awesome time.

We are leaving on Sat. on the Freedom. Been on her many times!! Did you stop in the piano

bar at all and how was the entertainer?? This will be our 23rd Carnival cruise and 75th over all!! Love to travel at sea!! John F :)

I saw you are from Punta gorda, I grew up in port Charlotte and went to high school at Charlotte... small world... anyway I sail on the freedom on Feb 2nd can't wait.. this will be my second time sailing with her.

Congrats I still have four weeks to go, but I just booked on Tuesday...

Good afternoon everyone. Can someone clarify the “…beer and wine by the glass…” statement. That can easily be interpreted to mean only draft beer is included, and NOT bottle/can beers. And if that is the case, count me out. So, can someone please let me know if the 16oz aluminum bottle Bud Lights are included in the program? Thanks!

16OZ bottles are included because they are less then 10.00...

I will post my findings soon enough. I want to add won't any bar cut you off if you are stumbling around??

See so many different experiences with this 15 drinks or so Limit. Some say you have to pay, some say the manager will take a look and see your level of intoxication. JH says no limit nor a mention of anything, I am inclined to believe him more then anything.

Well My cheers experience is soon approaching.. I of course will post my findings

My daughter, who is 11, was able to purchase an empty souvenir cup on her last cruise - I'm not sure why the system wouldn't even allow you to purchase a cup?

So I can buy a Souvenir cup then transfer my drink into it every time?

It seems there is so much difference across the board. I think we can all agree that no two posts seem to be the same, until carnival releases a press release about what is what.

We all have seen many different experiences, and I am sure we will see many more.

Going in 10 days on the Magic and plan on purchasing for me and the DW.

I'll start a drunkards thread about it. No posting in it unless you are intoxicated, might cut you off at 15 posts, might not. :D

I'll post from the ship. :cool:

Hahahaha.... Well I will have to Opt my self out now.

I really think you're over reacting. The experience that you're upset about happened on an early sailing of when the program became available on the Miracle. Have you read any similar experiences similar to this reported on any of the other numerous threads on CC about the program? If you're still questioning it, then wait till day two of your cruise to purchase it after you have witnessed how the bartenders are pouring drinks on the first day. If it's the way you're accustomed to, then partake from day two forward.....if they are being chintzy with the pours, then forgo the program.

I agree, as this progrtam may be in a trial I have never heard of anyone else talking about this kinda of problem. and I am sure you are not the first person to hit the 15 drink limit.

Can you use this kind of math logic if your cruise will stop at 4 ports? The question is whether you can maintain this drinking pace if you're not on the ship for 8 hours on a port day.

Yes you can still use this math, as You have a drink when you get up in the morning with breakfast. A drink when you get back on the ship after the port of call. If the ship is docked for 8 hours only you are not going to spend all 8 hours off the ship, and expect to be back on in time for sail away. Dinner you may have a few drinks, as well as the Piano Bar, Comedy Club, Show, Casino, Sports bar, Outdoor movie on the big screen you name it.

They pour the drinks the same way whether you are on the cheers program or not. I rarely see the bartenders on Carnival free pour alcohol, and I have been on 24 Carnival cruises.

 

I was able to order all the drinks from the Classic cocktail menu, and they were all in their "normal" glasses. (the only thing is that you might not get the $5.00 match play. They let me at first, but then they told me no)

 

If you get a regular rum and coke, they put them in the small glasses, with a shot of rum, and the rest the coke. So, I wouldn't say they were necessarily "watered down". I don't like my drinks super strong, so I get 1 shot in a tall glass. If you order a "tall" one, they put in 2 shots.

 

Any drinks under $10.00 are included. And sodas are not supposed to be included in the 15 drinks.

 

As I said earlier, I really really wish Carnival would be consistent with what John H says, what the web site says and what happens on the ships. Also what happens from ship to ship varies.

If we are all questioning the 15 drink/Soda on the cheers program, why don't we just posted on JH facebook and ask him?

Just Follow the Cheers comparison examples.

If you spend less then the example it's not worth it for you.

If you pay more then the example then it is..

That's for days 1 & 2, what about days 3-7? :D

hahahahahaha

I will be able to share my experience as of Sunday, I can't wait..

One thing to consider is when you are traveling with a large group. There is always the I'll get this one you get the next round. This is fine with a small group but doesn't seem to ever work for me in the large groups. I end up with a much higher tab. We have 20 some people going and all will be using the cheers program. This eliminates paying for rounds since that is not an option. This will make the cruise so much more enjoyable not having to look at the running tab I am accumulating.

Prime example as for some it works and some it does not..

That sounds more logical. I think they will see if you can not walk or if you walk after few Drinks.. I hope they don't use a method like " We annoy our guests, and we want not that they can drink more than " X " Drinks "

 

Because its my first Carnival Cruises, hope it will be awesome..

I have Asked John Heald about the 15 drink minimum and he has confirmed there is not one. After listening to a lot of people on there and Carnival using there judgement after 15 drinks is a good idea. It's a safety issue for your self and the other passengers.

The rules they copied are not from carnival directly, but rather someone who combined the stuff from carnival with what others have said.

 

Most recent passengers said they do not cut people off unless acting like fools. I'm sure if you control yourself you can have your 20, and if someone is a jerk after 5 they will be cut off until the supervisor decides its safe to serve them.

 

I honestly think its more intended for safety and they don't want to cut ppl off and have to deal with complaints unless the person seriously is in need of being cut off.

Exactly, as said in my first post I found this and wanted to share with everyone..

I can drink more then 15 beers in a day, and of course spacing it over time I am not inebriated beyond my control.

I also wanted the throw in a little program info...Sorry I did not include it at the beginning of my posts.

The Carnival unlimited drinks (alcohol and soda) program.

Currently Available On

(last list update 12/31/2012)

Carnival Breeze

Carnival Conquest

Carnival Dream

Carnival Freedom

Carnival Glory

Carnival Legend

Carnival Liberty

Carnival Magic

Carnival Miracle

Carnival Pride

Carnival Splendor

Carnival Valor

Carnival Victory

The "Cheers" Beverage Program is flat-rate daily pricing for unlimited alcoholic drinks, non-alcoholic frozen drinks, wine by the glass and soda.

The per-cruise cost for the "Cheers" Beverage Program is $42.95 per person per day, plus a 15 percent gratuity (for a total of $49.40 per person per day). The program "day" is a 24 hour period starting at 9:00AM and ending at 8:59AM the next day. The program must be purchased on the embarkation day or the next day. Beverages, including beers, individual cocktails, wines by the glass, and non-alcoholic frozen drinks all must have a $10.00 or lower menu price to qualify for inclusion in the program. For drinks with a menu price over $10.00 a 25% discount is offered, this includes wine and champagne by the bottle. Sodas are also included in the program for free. Bottled water is offered at a 25% discount.

Restrictions:

Each adult (21 and over) assigned to the same stateroom must purchase the program - NO EXCEPTIONS.

Only one drink at a time may be ordered. No sharing is permitted.

Applicable state and local taxes will be applied when in US waters.

There is no drink limit set per day.

Carnival reserves the right to refuse service for any reason.

Program does NOT include the following:

Beverages offered through room service as well as mini bars and/or other in-stateroom beverage programs.

Beverages purchased on Half Moon Cay.

Non-alcoholic beverages other than soda and non-alcoholic frozen cocktails.

Beverages promoted and sold in souvenir glasses.

The sharing of cocktails and floaters.

Buckets of beer, pitchers of beer or beer tubes.

Beverages offered at gangway while debarking.

Beverages offered through enomatic (wine serving) machines.

Coffee beverages and food items.

Bottles of liquor.

All other beverage-related programs including cookbooks and bar books, beverage seminars and classes, as well as cigars.

How to Sign Up:

On embarkation day or the next day: You can sign up at the Lobby Bar or one of the Lido Deck bars.

On embarkation day only: You can sign up at the temporary area set up on the Lido Deck where you previously signed up for the Bottomless Bubbles (Unlimited Soda) Program.

You currently CAN NOT sign up prior to boarding.

Notes:

1) After transitioning to Australia the Carnival Spirit will not be offering this program.

2) There are absolutely NO EXCEPTIONS to the rule that everyone in the same cabin (21 years of age or older) most purchase the program. If they allowed one exception it would open the door to everything.

3) From Carnival: "There is a flag in the system that shows when the 15th drink is served [in a "day"] and then a manager will judge if for the guests safety we will continue to serve them or not."

4) You still must sign all of your drink slips after getting a drink, just like you would if you weren't on the Cheers program.

Yes even though you do factor in port days, I can see the program Benefiting myself when the ship sets sails, cocktails at sail away are awesome.