My Cheers! Experience

[ryanpatricksmom]

Just back yesterday from a B2B on the Fantasy. We bought the Cheers! program for the first leg. I have to say that we gave the program a big thumbs down....in fact, I met with the Food and Beverage Manager to explain exactly why we would not be purchasing the program again.

 

To begin with, as we boarded even the rate online and the amount posted in the Funtimes per day was $42.50, the price had been raised to $49.95 per day for our cruise. I was sort of peeved, but worked thru that. I did understand that they advertise that the price could be changed at any time, but the Funtimes printed for our first day clearly said $42.50. Anyway, we sign up a little more reluctantly.

 

First problem. I like a Miami Vice with a floater shot. Total price would be $9.50. The transaction however, is treated as two transactions. The workaround....buy the Miami Vice wait for the 10 minutes and ask for a Bacardi straight up. Fine if the bartender has nothing better to do than wait on me, not so fine in reality when other people are constantly being served. Long story short, even though the all in price was less than the $10 price point, it counted as two drinks and required a waste of my time and the servers. I wouldn't even have cared if they could have written it up as two transactions at the same time (although that's still outside the spirit of the deal, imo) but that was a no go. For people who don't get free drinks in the casino, this would be a big problem, because you would use up 2 drinks on each transaction.

 

Second problem. After I get a little buzz on I like to watch my alcohol intake. I like rum and diet sprite in a tall glass, lots of sprite. Again, can't do that. Have to give me the first drink, wait 5 minutes and order a soda. Deja Vu. No drinks in a doubles glass unless it's a specialty cocktail. Now I'm really getting annoyed.

 

So...after much frustration, I asked to speak to the F&B manager and voiced my displeasure and suggested that if they want the program to succeed, they need to streamline the process. I let him know that I wasn't expecting any special treatment, nor did I blame him or his staff for following the rules, but that the rules were absurd, and not in accordance with the program as explained. If it's less than $10, it should be one drink, any way it is poured.

 

My recommendation to all would be, unless you are a beer drinker, plan on ordering LIITs or some other cocktail that is in the $9 range, or glasses of wine, forget it. It's way too much trouble.

 

I should also add that we tipped an additional .50 to 1.00 per drink depending upon how quickly we were acknowledged to begin with, and it never seemed to help. The servers are generally getting stiffed on Cheers, the program is a huge hassle for them, and it's a huge hassle for the passenger. I also was never able to get a can of soda, only a certain amount poured into a glass.

 

We get Drinks of Us from day one of every cruise, and in the casino we had better luck, but they still were less accommodating than in the past as far as getting my drink in a tall glass.

 

All in all, they seem to have tightened down the hatches. Good news though, because we did the B2B, we drank duty-free liquor in our cabin the second week.

[tkportersat]

Thanks for the insight. Based on them raising the price back up I had pretty much decided not to go with Cheers but seeing your post makes it even less likely. Why can't they make it like an all inclusive? You pay a flat fee and get what you want, otherwise what is the point?

[winddawn]

Thanks for sharing your experiences with us. I've been buying Cheers on past cruises, but, like you, I think I'm going to skip it in the future. Having so many rules is like having an uninvited cruise nanny. :-(

 

Vacation should be carefree, and not a hassle dealing with a cruise nanny doling out my beverages as they see fit. I don't think it is a very good value either at the new price. It's really funny how Carnival bends over backwards trying to market beverages to you until you purchase Cheers, and then they seem to do everything they can to keep you from using it.

[imfunny]

We are doing a b2b this month. How did you get you duty free alcohol? I thought they held onto it until the last day of all of your cruises...

[ryanpatricksmom]

If you go to the gift shop the last night of the cruise after a certain time they will give it to you "to go".....at least that's how they are doing it as of this minute. They way things are changing, they may have the B2B folks flagged on the last night so that it won't work anymore.

[THL1313]

We bought the cheers program on cruise on dream last year at thanksgiving. we had no problem with getting a "double" drink in a tall glass at one time. have they changed that?:confused:

[ryanpatricksmom]

We bought the cheers program on cruise on dream last year at thanksgiving. we had no problem with getting a "double" drink in a tall glass at one time. have they changed that?:confused:

 

The program was very regulated on our cruise. I don't know if it's a change fleet wide or if it was a Fantasy thing, but I wouldn't do it again. The servers, bartenders, etc. (not just one, every one) were insistent that they had to "follow the rules". Apparently the size of the glass was a huge problem.

 

The ridiculous part, to me, as I explained to the manager, was that I could have ordered 15 LIITs and gotten bombed over a couple of hours. I was actually trying to drink responsibly, and they were making it nearly impossible. I would say we used on average a total of 7-8 drinks each day on Cheers and then another 4 adding floater shots. It just took forever.

[Tampa8]

Great first hand account thanks. I think your observations (complaints) are legitimate.

[bigdog1958]

The program was very regulated on our cruise. I don't know if it's a change fleet wide or if it was a Fantasy thing, but I wouldn't do it again. The servers, bartenders, etc. (not just one, every one) were insistent that they had to "follow the rules". Apparently the size of the glass was a huge problem.

 

The ridiculous part, to me, as I explained to the manager, was that I could have ordered 15 LIITs and gotten bombed over a couple of hours. I was actually trying to drink responsibly, and they were making it nearly impossible. I would say we used on average a total of 7-8 drinks each day on Cheers and then another 4 adding floater shots. It just took forever.

 

While you are correct the rules seem crazy, they are the rules and our specifically stated on the carnival website and the flyer that is given to you on the ship. Floaters are excluded, as it states plainly in the rules and you cannot get more then one drink at a time, you need to wait 5min.. I am not sure why you think that when you bought the cheers program that they would not follow the rules..

[gardengirl2011]

On the Liberty last week they had raised the price of Cheers to $49.95 also. So many people complained they changed it back to the $37.50. Carnivals Cheers program is a joke! I want to know before I get on board what it's going to cost. Since they can choose to raise the price whenever they want, we have decided to just order from Bon voyage or drink in port.

[tkportersat]

Well the rules are ridiculous quite frankly...I just visited my first all inclusive resort and could order as many drinks as I wanted. We are adults on vacation, the point of Cheers is to not be hassled and seems like more of a hassle than just doing your thing. If they don't want a drink program then get rid of it all together, otherwise they should model it as an all inclusive and let people be. It's like Carnival is trying really hard to not make the program appealing.

 

While you are correct the rules seem crazy, they are the rules and our specifically stated on the carnival website and the flyer that is given to you on the ship. Floaters are excluded, as it states plainly in the rules and you cannot get more then one drink at a time, you need to wait 5min.. I am not sure why you think that when you bought the cheers program that they would not follow the rules..

[ryanpatricksmom]

While you are correct the rules seem crazy, they are the rules and our specifically stated on the carnival website and the flyer that is given to you on the ship. Floaters are excluded, as it states plainly in the rules and you cannot get more then one drink at a time, you need to wait 5min.. I am not sure why you think that when you bought the cheers program that they would not follow the rules..

 

Where in the rules does it say that the size of the glass that they pour my drink in is a problem? I wanted a single pour of liquor in a doubles glass.

 

And frankly, given that the Funtimes on the first day of my cruise clearly stated that the program was $42.50 per day, and they were charging $49.95, I'm not sure if their published materials are always that reliable, lol.

 

It was the logistics of the program, not the limits that I took issue with. I was fine with paying for the extra shot, unfortunately what was within the rules as a 5 minute transaction invariably became a 20 minute one.

[rferr]

You say that the servers are getting stiffed but isn't the gratuity added to the 49.95 at fifteen percent every day automatically?

[tkportersat]

I would have fought the price...regardless of the change they made, it was in writing. It would have been the right thing for them to do.

 

And frankly, given that the Funtimes on the first day of my cruise clearly stated that the program was $42.50 per day, and they were charging $49.95, I'm not sure if their published materials are always that reliable, lol.

[ryanpatricksmom]

You say that the servers are getting stiffed but isn't the gratuity added to the 49.95 at fifteen percent every day automatically?

 

You are correct. If you receive a total of $49.95 worth of drinks, then yes the servers are being properly compensated. If you use the program less, then you are tipping more than 15%, if you use the program more you will be tipping less than 15%. I would venture a guess that the latter is more frequent. And before we get into a debate on extra tipping, I'm not suggesting that it's the passengers' requirement to right that wrong. It's just another example of why the program is generating less enthusiasm amongst the staff.

[SadieN]

About the soda.....

 

Only way to get a can of soda is to purchase it. Even with the Bottomless Bubbles soda package you only get a glass, not a can.

[ryanpatricksmom]

I would have fought the price...regardless of the change they made, it was in writing. It would have been the right thing for them to do.

 

I usually would have, but I knew that our second leg we'd be "sticking it to the man" drinking duty free, so I didn't want to test karma, lol!

[spikester]

I haven't found that the staff don't like Cheers, but I can't imagine that they would say if they don't like it.

 

By the way, I have purchased Cheers on all of my cruises that it has been offered on, and most of the time I haven't had any problems.

 

I also prefer to have a single shot in a tall glass, I did have 1 or 2 bartenders say they they couldn't do it, but most of them would. I also had my Carnival tervis mug, and some of the bartenders would make my drink in one of the silver cups, and pour it in my mug, and some wouldn't.

 

They all use the jiggers, some are a little freeer with overpouring it than others.

 

What I suspect is that the bar tenders on the Fascination are mostly newer/inexperienced staff, or the hotel/beverage manager is very strict.

My last 3 cruises were 2 on the Breeze and 1 on the Sensation, and most of the crew had been with Carnival for a long time.

 

ETA: the funtimes are the same every week, they only update the date on the front. My last cruise, there was a new cruise director, and he used the same ones from the previous CD. He also didn't change the name of the Piano Bar player either, so I am NOT surprised that the price of Cheers was incorrect. (A fun time waster game is "spot the typos" on the funtimes!)

Edited November 6, 2014 by spikester

[tkportersat]

;) Yeah, two cruises with Cheers would be a pretty hefty price to pay...especially with the issues you were having.

 

 

I would have fought the price...regardless of the change they made, it was in writing. It would have been the right thing for them to do.

 

I usually would have, but I knew that our second leg we'd be "sticking it to the man" drinking duty free, so I didn't want to test karma, lol!

[Bob NC]

You are correct. If you receive a total of $49.95 worth of drinks, then yes the servers are being properly compensated. If you use the program less, then you are tipping more than 15%, if you use the program more you will be tipping less than 15%. I would venture a guess that the latter is more frequent. And before we get into a debate on extra tipping, I'm not suggesting that it's the passengers' requirement to right that wrong. It's just another example of why the program is generating less enthusiasm amongst the staff.

 

I may be totally wrong, but I bet Carnival holds the $49.95 per day PLUS the 15% Grat and only pays it out when a drink is "purchased.

 

In that case the bartenders are getting the 15% for every drink they serve, but, nothing for the drinks you DON'T "redeem."

Edited November 6, 2014 by Bob NC

[serene56]

You say that the servers are getting stiffed but isn't the gratuity added to the 49.95 at fifteen percent every day automatically?

 

 

that tip is going into a shared pool. = 7.50 tip on the 49.95

 

now if you were drinking 10-15 drinks per day the particular waiter will get $1.12 on ever 7.95 drink

[serene56]

sorry

Edited November 6, 2014 by serene56

[alreadypacked]

Thanks for the insight. Based on them raising the price back up I had pretty much decided not to go with Cheers but seeing your post makes it even less likely. Why can't they make it like an all inclusive? You pay a flat fee and get what you want, otherwise what is the point?

 

That's what I'm wondering.

 

DH and I have purchased drink packages on Celebrity and Princess and there's not all of this rigmarole. Haven't sailed Carnival in over two years and would like to try the Cheers package on our upcoming sailing, but it's so restrictive. You can't even get bottled water!

[texas greeneyes]

Just off the Magic, debarked 11/02. Cheers price was $49.95 per adult in cabin, per day, GRATUITIES NOT INCLUDED.

 

Once DH and I presented ourselves together, no bartender refused to serve a drink for each of us when only one was present, as long as we provided both cards and signed both receipts. BTW, we tipped $1 per drink, and voila! Over pouring was the norm. :D

[thephillykid]

Last Thanksgiving week, my family and I cruised on Celebrity Reflection and had their drink package and there were not nearly the number of restrictions that I hear about on Carnival. No waiting between drinks. No signing for drinks, they just swiped your card sometimes. I am planning on purchasing the bubbles package and hear that you have to sign for every soda. What a hassle. we were on royal and they have coke freestyle machines that are activated by a chip and you help yourself.

Carnival has to change the program before everyone gets so pissed off and forgets about buying he packages.