Drink Program

[Tgrubbs]

No. Sodas are not included in the count of 15 drinks. You can have as many sodas as you want.

[kimmyg726]

We just got off the Victory on Sunday. 4 of the 8 in our group bought the package.

 

The two guys hit their 15 on one of the days and they were told that they were cut off. They were not drunk at the time either. They told the bartender that the paperwork said unlimited and the bartender responded with..."The paperwork was wrong."

 

Neither of them chose to fight it but we all felt it was wrong since the paperwork CLEARLY states unlimited. I personally would have spoken to a supervisor-- IMHO

 

Kim

[Wildgrits]

I agree with them Kimmyg726.

 

My hubby and I were just talking about that. I'm trying to figure out how it's unlimited if the is a set amount. :confused: We will be purchasing it in March if they put it on the Valor when it takes the Victory's place. I really don't have a problem withthe 15 drink per day limit, but I think if your going to do that then they should carry over the drinks you didn't use the days before. So if I only have six the first day, they should carry over 9 to the next.

 

I plan on having Mimosas every morning. Wine with dinner and a shots with my coffee every evening. There's my six right off the bat.

[rudechuck]

We just got off the Victory on Sunday. 4 of the 8 in our group bought the package.

 

The two guys hit their 15 on one of the days and they were told that they were cut off. They were not drunk at the time either. They told the bartender that the paperwork said unlimited and the bartender responded with..."The paperwork was wrong."

 

Neither of them chose to fight it but we all felt it was wrong since the paperwork CLEARLY states unlimited. I personally would have spoken to a supervisor-- IMHO

 

Kim

 

Were you guys "sharing" with the other four?

[jkss000]

I just got off the splendor Sunday. As for the Splendor I can 100% tell you-

 

Order anything from the bar under $10 except water, rockstar and fruit juice

 

Sodas, are not even rung up, similar to the bubbles card, just flash the card with the sticker and they give you soda.

 

They tell you specifically prior to purchase 15 drink limit. After 15 here is what happens....drum roll.... You pay for them. No they do not refuse you, etc etc. You can also buy drinks for anyone else at any time. Your free VIFP drink doesnt count towards 15 neither does free drinks at VIFP parties etc. I was served over 15 on a few occassions. Bartenders that I knew and I tipped kept serving no questions asked. Bartenders I didnt know said I was at my limit and had to pay.

 

System is NOT accurate. Drinks for others, or free coupons seem to screw up the count. I had to ask the bartender to review my purchases as I knew I wasnt at max. After them scanning through purchases on the screen they began serving free drinks again, seemed to be at their discretion.

 

My experience is the cutoff is midnight. Here is why. Day two I used my families four VIFP drink coupons in the MDR, kids got smoothies wife and I had adult bev. All four coupons were "rung up" through my card by mdr bartender for some reason. When I hit 11 drinks, at around 1100pm bartender I never had ordered through before advised me I was at limit. You see the coupon drinks showed up as a $0 sale on my card, and caused it to be flagged as if the two smoothies were an adult bev and all drinks were consumed by me which they werent. After the review by the bartender she explained what had happened and served me. Prior to midnight I ordered another drink through another bartender, same thing happened. However after midninght on Lido, different area altogether no one mentioned the limit again.

[ND Cruisers too]

I know it says no non-alcolic beverage other than soda and frozen drinks.....so what's everyone's opinion on this drink:

 

My husband loves his 'red beer'...which for those not in the midwest (since this seems to be a midwestern drink) is Beer mixed with Clamato or Tomato Juice......

Are they going to charge him extra for the juice each time?

 

Why can't all inclusive drink package just be all inclusive????

[kimmyg726]

Were you guys "sharing" with the other four?

 

On the day that the guys got cut off, us ladies were on their own and we were not around them. We didn't find this out until late when we went to the comedy club. Our guys are big drinkers and can handle their booze well.

 

Now to be honest...there was a day that my sister gave me a drink or two of her package while we were gambling.

 

I was in another cabin and decided that it wasn't worth it for me and the person who roomed with me didn't want it either. I think I spent $150 on drinks for the week. Now I must say that if it was a different cruise with more sea days, I would have done it. I think its a great deal and you break even much quicker than one would expect.

 

Kim

[kimmyg726]

I just got off the splendor Sunday. As for the Splendor I can 100% tell you-

 

They tell you specifically prior to purchase 15 drink limit. After 15 here is what happens....drum roll.... You pay for them. No they do not refuse you, etc etc. You can also buy drinks for anyone else at any time. Your free VIFP drink doesnt count towards 15 neither does free drinks at VIFP parties etc. I was served over 15 on a few occassions. Bartenders that I knew and I tipped kept serving no questions asked. Bartenders I didnt know said I was at my limit and had to pay.

 

 

 

 

Interesting on the Victory they did not tell you that at all. I was standing with my sister and brother in law when the bought the package. They were told unlimited and given a flyer that said unlimited.

 

So many kinks to a program that should be simple. Buy that package, drink what you want, it is what it is. Who knows...maybe one day they will find some even ground with what to do.

 

Kim

[spikester]

It seems it is applied differently on each ship/bartender. On the Victory they didn't offer the option of purchasing drinks after the 15 drink limit. I didn't get there any day, but I talked to a couple people who did. The bartender told me that after midnight they have to manually count up the drinks because it counts your drinks for the day, but the ones after midnight and before the bars close are supposed to be on that day.

 

I did put on my comment card that if it is advertised as "unlimited" then it should be unlimited, or just be a 15 drink card.

[rudechuck]

On the day that the guys got cut off, us ladies were on their own and we were not around them. We didn't find this out until late when we went to the comedy club. Our guys are big drinkers and can handle their booze well.

 

Now to be honest...there was a day that my sister gave me a drink or two of her package while we were gambling.

 

I was in another cabin and decided that it wasn't worth it for me and the person who roomed with me didn't want it either. I think I spent $150 on drinks for the week. Now I must say that if it was a different cruise with more sea days, I would have done it. I think its a great deal and you break even much quicker than one would expect.

 

Kim

 

Thank you. If Carnival is going to offer an all-inclusive drink program, it should be all-inclusive. It's been rumored the 15-a-day drink limit was to "evaluate" the "condition" of the customer and/or to curtail "sharing." But it appears that is not the case.

 

I don't know that I'll be drinking 15 drinks on any particular day, but I'd rather not have to count. I know my friend Rod could probably polish off a case of beer in a day.

[JaniceB]

Sounds like the program might not work for a beer drinker if they can drink a case in a day. They might want to stick to buying buckets.

[rudechuck]

Sounds like the program might not work for a beer drinker if they can drink a case in a day. They might want to stick to buying buckets.

 

Actually, his wife would be very happy if they did cut him off ;)

 

P.S. 15-a-day limit or not, if this is available next year on the Liberty, all four of us are getting it.

[SNJCruisers]

While reading the fine print of the program, it mentions that floaters are not included. You can order a Long Island Iced Tea or a Frog's Island Iced Tea at the Red Frog Rum Bar or the Iguana's Iced Tea or the Agave Pineapple Tea at the Blue Iguana Bar which all contain 5 different liquors. But you can't get a floater of rum or tequila on top of a frozen drink, which even with the floater included, contains less alcohol than all of the aforementioned drinks. Makes no sense to me whatsoever. :confused::confused::confused: And even with the floaters, they're only 9.25.

[lbfluffy]

So if I tip the bartender and reach my limit then does he or she decide not to ring up the drink to keep me under the limit? I just wish they would change the flier to avoid the confusion,

[shellsd]

so, a 15% tip is added automatically but I see a lot of people seem to still tip the bartenders more anyway. Is this the only way to get good service? I am a good tipper, but tipping twice is annoying. I normally tip 20% but if they take 15% off the bat, that just leaves 5%. A small tip seems more of an insult. How much are you guys tipping in addition to the 15% and what does that do to the total cost of the program over a week?

[SNJCruisers]

so, a 15% tip is added automatically but I see a lot of people seem to still tip the bartenders more anyway. Is this the only way to get good service? I am a good tipper, but tipping twice is annoying. I normally tip 20% but if they take 15% off the bat, that just leaves 5%. A small tip seems more of an insult. How much are you guys tipping in addition to the 15% and what does that do to the total cost of the program over a week?

When you normally buy a drink on board, an additional 15% is added. With the awesome program, the 15% is added on the front end (42.95 x 15%) and pooled so that the bartenders each get a cut of the pool. If you get to know a certain bartender and you wish to give him extra, it is totally up to you as to how much and how often.

[JaniceB]

I will be tipping the bartender I see most often if I am over the $50 amount in a day if I purchase the program. ;)

[Sugar67]

Does anyone know if they let you use the plan while in Half Moon Key? Thanks

[absolutely brilliant]

Does anyone know if they let you use the plan while in Half Moon Key? Thanks

I was wondering this too. I don't see why not since the the drinks are purchased with your sign & sail card.

[SNJCruisers]

I was wondering this too. I don't see why not since the the drinks are purchased with your sign & sail card.

Drinks in Half Moon Cay go on your sail n sign, so it would make sense that they are included when the Victory and the Splendor stop there.

[ohiogymrat]

Does anyone know if they let you use the plan while in Half Moon Key? Thanks

 

On his fb page JH said the drink program wouldnt be offered in HMC, but who knows how accurate that information will be in the future.

[ccruisequeen]

I can't believe that if cabin mates are non drinkers for any reason (AA, medical, not interested) that they are forced to get one too.

 

Will they accept letters from a MD or AA advisor to get out of it? I can just see lawsuits caused by these cards. I can't drink Coke products, or any adult beverages and water isn't offered. I know I can't drink $42 worth of frozen drinks an entire cruise (let alone a day) to make it worth my while!

[LizaMM]

While reading the fine print of the program, it mentions that floaters are not included. You can order a Long Island Iced Tea or a Frog's Island Iced Tea at the Red Frog Rum Bar or the Iguana's Iced Tea or the Agave Pineapple Tea at the Blue Iguana Bar which all contain 5 different liquors. But you can't get a floater of rum or tequila on top of a frozen drink, which even with the floater included, contains less alcohol than all of the aforementioned drinks. Makes no sense to me whatsoever. :confused::confused::confused: And even with the floaters, they're only 9.25.

 

Where did you see no floaters??

 

I had bookmarked the flier but can't find it!!

 

 

 

 

Also.....My friend just set sail on the Victory this past weekend and he called me after boarding. He said that when he purchased the package they told him there was a 15 drink (alcohol) limit.

[SNJCruisers]

Where did you see no floaters??

 

I had bookmarked the flier but can't find it!!

.

 

 

http://www.carnival.com/Funville/blogs/faqs/archive/2012/09/26/what-is-the-quot-my-awesome-bar-program-quot.aspx

 

 

Beverages excluded from the program are:

 

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

 

· Beverages promoted and sold in souvenir glasses.

 

· Bottles of liquor

 

· Bottled water

 

· Beverages offered at gangway while debarking

 

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

 

· Sharing cocktails, floaters, pitchers, tubes and buckets.

 

· Wine and champagne by the bottled (offered at 25% discount)

 

· All spirits, beer or wine above $10.00 per drink (offered at a 25% discount).

 

· Beverages offered through enomatic machines.

 

· Coffee beverages and food items.

 

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

Read the 7th bulletpoint starting with Sharing cocktails....

[rudechuck]

I can't believe that if cabin mates are non drinkers for any reason (AA, medical, not interested) that they are forced to get one too.

 

No one is being forced to purchase the program. If it doesn't work for everyone in the cabin, then you all simply pay as you go like we always have. You have the choice.

 

This is why they are testing it. If it doesn't work for enough people to be profitable, they will discontinue it.

 

Keep in mind, when you go to an AI resort (where the AI is mandatory), the price is the same whether you are a drinker or not. You don't get a choice.