Drinking Culture on Carnival

[g8rfan17]

First timer. I am curious what the drinking culture is like on Carnival. I've heard the atmosphere is a bit different depending on what time of year you sail. I'm heading out the Monday right after school ends, so I'm betting there will be a bunch of families. My friends and I are all 23-25 and we enjoy some good cocktails. We're not looking to be incapacitated and we're not wild and reckless, but we'll probably imbibe quite a bit. I will likely have a drink in my hand all day. Will there be a lot of other drinkers? Will people be really tame? Will they be wild and crazy? I guess I just want to know that the vibe is like were alcohol is concerned.

 

Thanks.

[WindsorFred]

How many days is your cruise? Shorter cruises tend to attract more "party" people. Our shortest cruise was an 8 day and nothing crazy. Our 15 day Hawaii with a total of 8 sea days, mostly an older crowd and again nothing crazy. BTW I am retired so guess I fit into the older crowd and also have a drink in-hand all day and into the night.

[meatloafsfan]

I've seen lots of people drinking and lots of people not drinking.

 

As long as you're not too loud, falling down, being an obnoxious drunk, I don't think most people will notice what beverage you have in your hand (or how many you've had).

[hawaiissunshine1]

You will see it all. You will see many people like you (I fit into your same category... usually with drink in hand, may be warm and fuzzy, but not obliterated). You will see people who are obliterated all the time, and you will see people judging you for having a Mimosa or Bellini at 8am (Sorry to be overly honest). Do what works best for you, it's your vacation after all!

[g8rfan17]

How many days is your cruise?

 

5 days. Bahamas and Grand Turk.

[TheTravelista]

I fall into your category as well. Mid to late 20's, drink in hand all day, but very cool and classy with it lol

 

People indulge and people are definitely having a good time but I've never ever seen full out obliterated falling all over yourself drunken behavior. Then I again I only take 7/8 day cruises.

 

I think you'll be fine on the Freedom. Enjoy your cruise!

Edited May 29, 2014 by TheTravelista

[aaron3219]

On our 7 day I don't think I seen anyone person that was obnoxious drunk.

 

I got "drunk" one day. The 4 year old was at Camp Carnival all day, my wife is pregnant so she can't drink, and I decided to live it up a little.

 

I found being drunk on a cruise isn't the best feeling. My wobbles didn't match the ships wobbles. I had a hard time maneuvering...Then I had a head ache the next day. I don't drink often anymore, and it doesn't take a whole lot.

[CoconutJD]

5 days. Bahamas and Grand Turk.

While not a "short" cruise, a 5-day kinda falls inbetween. On the 3-day cruises, you see people trying to get as much in as possible :P But on the longer cruises, while people still have a good time, it's not the constant party atmosphere. You might see a little of both on a 5-day.

[tphitman]

If you aren't bothering anyone, who cares how much you drink? I have seen some suspect behavior before, but that happens sometimes even without booze.

 

 

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[Fitzget]

I don't know, I'm usually too drunk to notice. ;)

[AK Wife]

Spring break time cruises - usually short ones - attract drinking crowds. Depending on where you are sailing out of, school may or may not be out. We've been out a week already here (Alaska) but I know east coast still has almost another month! So it really depends on when & where you're sailing out of and for how long. I have found that Carnival is a great ship to have fun on, whether you're drinking or not. And there's not a lot of obnoxious people, at least not any more than you would see in your hometown bar or on the street corner. :p

[TPFKAH]

The only fall down drunks I have ever seen on any ship was always into the wee hours of the morning. I stopped seeing any of it when I stopped hanging out into the wee hours of the morning.

[driver899]

We are Platinum with Carnival and are in our late 60's now. We love carnival and have never had a problem with people who drink [ I drink wife does not]. As was already said the shorter the cruise the more of a party atmosphere. Our only complaint with all cruise lines is people who let their kids loose to run wild with no supervision.

[Miller_KC]

I have not experienced much in the way of drunks on the ships. We boarded behind a 19 year old girl that took advantage of Cozumel's lax drinking age and was falling down while boarding. Security explained to her that even though the drinking was done ashore, she was now an underage drunk on the ship and escorted her away to be confined to her cabin until she sobered up.

 

There is a party somewhere on the ship most of the day so I consider it encouraging that the one experience is the most extreme behavior I have encountered. You won't be out of place having a few drinks and having fun but I don't think you'll need to worry too much about sloppy drunks either.

[marshhawk]

One sobering fact on all the cruises is the price of your drinks.:D:eek:

 

I gave up drinking a long time ago, but I do enjoy a fruit punch with an umbrella in it. Even these that are liquor free are around 5.00 with the rum, 8.95-12.95 with. You will have a great time! But I do agree with the ship wobbles differently than you do.

 

Several years ago, due to a high tide, a low bridge, and a computer error, our cruise which was supposed to leave port at 4, left at 11:30. There were a lot of people who were imbibing on a non moving ship, we sailed down the river, and out into the ocean, and tropical storm Sean was developing. And people became ill, and the next day when we did our muster(muster has to be before sailing now) only half the guests attended muster. Go easy that first day, and have a great time!

[OCruisers]

I don't know, I'm usually too drunk to notice. ;)

 

FUNNY Above! :D

 

LuLu

[JasonV1]

I've been on everything from 3 to 8 day cruises, and the 3 day to nowhere (out of Charleston) was definitely the party boat of the bunch.

 

I only took it because I got a really good deal, and it was the extra cruise I needed to make Platinum ahead of the cutoff last year. I stick to the 7+ days now unless I plan on tacking a 5 day alongside a 7+ day that I'm already on.

[Xina143]

At 40, I'm a bit older than you, but I can tell you my husband and I ENJOY our cruises!

 

We've only done 7 days, but I've found the atmosphere pretty much the same on each of the boats-during the day it's a lot of family fun, but no one bats an eye if you have a drink-and we always had a couple.

 

But at night, if you look, you can find a great time. We went on the Dream on our first cruise, and since I love to dance I would drag my husband to the club. Everyone had a few drinks, and a great time, but I didn't see anyone drunk.

 

In fact the only drunk people I saw were during the day!

[Fitzget]

One sobering fact on all the cruises is the price of your drinks.:D:eek:

 

See, that sobering fact is a problem for me. Being from Los Angeles, the price of drinks on board is very cheap compared to what we're used to here in LA, or on most other vacations like to Hawaii. So I tend to drink more. :D In Hawaii, a teeny tiny poolside drink at a resort is $15. minimum. But in Hawaii, you can have your own liquor in your room, and make your own poolside drinks.

Edited May 29, 2014 by Fitzget

[sjn911]

I think right after school is a perfect time...there will be all generations of families celebrating graduations, teachers celebrating summers or semester breaks..and students starting their summer...it is a nice mix..you are not a dork for enjoying your morning mimosa..but lots of family graduate cruise people will be

keeping it cool in their imbibing..I loved a 4 day in early June back in 2009 from Long beach on the Paradise because of that mix of people...hard to describe...fun but not too much..in the sick abnoxious category..families enjoying Kareoke and getting everyone in the act...CUTE YOUNG GRADUATES..with their families..and solos your age..you will have a just right time on the Freedom I would guess...Sarah

Edited May 29, 2014 by sjn911

[watermelonqueen99]

We didn't see anyone falling down drunk on our 7 day in April. Sure, there were people who had a few and were a little loud, but I can't recall seeing anyone slobbering drunk or acting stupid. I had several drinks, all times of the day, and would have had plenty more if the cost weren't so high! :eek: I plan on getting the Cheers package on our Dream cruise next April so I can drink more. :D I will say, I had WAY too many on the last night of the cruise, and I had a hard time getting back to our room from the piano bar. My husband was there to help me of course, but he had drank an entire bottle of wine plus a cocktail over the course of a few hours (something he NEVER does), so we were the blind leading the blind! I honestly thought I was going to be sick before we made it back to the room. So just keep in mind that you still have to get back to your room! :D

 

And as far as the atmosphere, if you want peace and quite, you can find it. If you want a party crowd, you can find it. The "action" tends to take place on Lido during the day, so if that's your thing, that's where you'll wanna be. Have a great trip!

[Name Of The Game]

Sounds like you'd get your money's worth out of the Carnival drink package. Up to 15 drinks per day for one "low" price.

[winddawn]

On our 7 day I don't think I seen anyone person that was obnoxious drunk.

 

I got "drunk" one day. The 4 year old was at Camp Carnival all day, my wife is pregnant so she can't drink, and I decided to live it up a little.

 

I found being drunk on a cruise isn't the best feeling. My wobbles didn't match the ships wobbles. I had a hard time maneuvering...Then I had a head ache the next day. I don't drink often anymore, and it doesn't take a whole lot.

Congratulations on kicking the smoking habit, aaron!! That's awesome. Just think about all the extra money you'll have for cruising now!!

[Fitzget]

Congratulations on kicking the smoking habit, aaron!! That's awesome. Just think about all the extra money you'll have for cruising now!!

 

:confused::confused: Where does it say he quit smoking? :confused::confused:

[vacuman]

I concur the suggestion to get the Cheers package. On the Sunshine last October and having (almost) unlimited drinks actually meant that I was able to enjoy my drinking more. By not having too many (never got drunk in ten days) meant I could try drinks I would not normally want to risk my precious cash on.

 

Special rums, unfamiliar wines, off-the-menu cocktails, fancy vodkas etc. plus tasting all the different beers became part of the cruise experience and I wasn't going to mess it up by being too drunk one and too ill the next day.

 

I think the fact you get to eat so much helps absorb the alcohol as well....those burgers, pizzas, club sandwiches, Asian noodles.....yum yum