Cheers! and it's value....

[nickel1522]

Our last cruise (summer 2015) we got it on the Magic, and even though it was nice to have things paid before, it was difficult for me to break even. My husband had no problem since he drinks soda and can drink a lot of beer. However, I don't drink soda and even though I like to drink, I only get to a couple times a year so the mixed drinks I was trying to break even with eventually caused me to feel bloated the first couple days in. In addition, on port days, we were so busy and it was so hot I didn't feel like drinking. Not to mention we had our young kids with us which caused me to be cautious about drinking too much. So unless we leave the kids behind, I don't think it will ever be worth it for us, and it's easier to simply just budget out a few drinks a day. This way if I don't drink too much a day, my husband can simply indulge instead.

[ADD Boy]

Couple years ago CCL had a silent promotion, whereby you received a casino match play coupon with the purchase of one of six classic cocktails (margarita, mai tai, etc). If you played those right, it could offset the total price of your Cheers package, don't know if that's still in place...

Edited June 15, 2016 by ADD Boy

[Dixie24]

Couple years ago CCL had a silent promotion, whereby you received a casino match play coupon with the purchase of one of six classic cocktails (margarita, mai tai, etc). If you played those right, it could offset the total price of your Cheers package, don't know if that's still in place...

 

I would get about 7 drinks I actually drink, and just order the classic cocktails the rest of the time to get the coupon and not actually drink the drink. Some bartenders would even ring it up, not make the drink, and hand me the receipt.

[Laurie S.]

I can assure you that the price of the Cheers package for myself does not come close to doubling my cruise price. However cruising on Celebrity would. :rolleyes:

 

Yes, that's actually laughable. Cheers for me would be less than one-eighth the cost of my upcoming cruise.

[imluvncruzn]

I've yet to purchase the Cheers package but I am considering it for my September cruise. My question is: Are you allowed to order a beer either from server or at a bar and ask them not to open it? I like the idea of taking beer back to the room to enjoy on my balcony at my leisure.

[evandbob]

Yes, that's actually laughable. Cheers for me would be less than one-eighth the cost of my upcoming cruise.

 

I looked at the ads on Carnival's site for 6 or 7 day cruises out of Florida this coming December and January and the range for the lowest fares was $339 to 399.

 

Cheers when pre-purchased is $50/day, so that's $300 to 350 for a 6 or 7 day cruise. If they add an 18% tip, then Cheers pre paid goes to $354 for a 6 day and over $400 for a 7 day.

 

In my post I said that Cheers would come close to doubling the fare for SOME cruisers. The numbers and math support my statement.

[zabaco]

I talked my husband into it for our upcoming July Valor cruise. I may or may not have told him how much it actually cost, though.... #Don'tAskDon'tTell

 

I am pretty sure we will not break even, as he is not a big drinker...but I don't care--because he can be very CHEAP when it comes to the added costs on a cruise. For example, he won't get a glass of wine even when he wants one, just because he doesn't want to pay $10 for it. :)

 

So the beauty of having Cheers is that he will have a drink whenever he feels like it, rather than being reluctant to spend the money.

 

And THAT is going to make it all worthwhile to me. :) He can relax and have a good time--the bar bill has already been paid.

[sushi_tampa]

Couple years ago CCL had a silent promotion, whereby you received a casino match play coupon with the purchase of one of six classic cocktails (margarita, mai tai, etc). If you played those right, it could offset the total price of your Cheers package, don't know if that's still in place...

 

Any idea if they may still be doing this silent promotion?

[cruzin Phillis]

I just got off of the Breeze on Sunday. I had never opted to buy an all you can drink package on any of my priors but with the enhancements, I decided to and highly encouraged all of my newby cruisers going with me to do the same. There was so much push back from them but they DID end up with it! Here are my thoughts:

 

1) First let me say that I never even came close to my 15 a day.

 

2) Many of my fellow travelers didn't come close either, but they DID get to try things they never would have before without thinking too hard on it!

 

3) The additional options of soda, water, coffees, milkshakes etc. were wonderful.

 

4) It did not matter one bit to me if I drank all of the drinks allotted, or even had one perk off of it each day (which I am sure I did!). What mattered was the amount of freedom it gave me to not have to make any hard choices while on vacation and not have to think about my spending too much! WELL WORTH THE MONEY! And this isn't my first rodeo and I do not always have the funds to go crazy! This way I could go a little out there and still remain in my comfort zone! I have had $1500 bills at the end!

 

5) The ONLY drawback is.....when you get your Drinks On Us card the 3rd day and you have both! LOL! But don't count on that!!!! And that has limitations!

 

Happy Cruising!

I agree with you. When we brought drinks on broad, we never thought that we spent that much until the final bill. Then my eyes were rolling out of my head...lol. On my B2B i will purchase it as I want to be able to try different things without the eye gauging bill at the end!!

 

Question: Did you still place money on your S&S account?

[bigdog1958]

Any idea if they may still be doing this silent promotion?

 

This was not a silent promotion, signs were in the casino about it.. Carnival has it on all ships for at least 4 years, but about a year ago they did away with this promotion of getting a 5.00 match play coupon when showing your receipt for a classic cocktail purchase

[cactus_baby]

dawnjam1, I love your name…it's my name too!

 

Thanks for your review on the drink package. I've never purchased one on Carnival because the last time I was on Carnival they didn't even offer this, but I have been on another cruise line and got the drink package one year and the following year didn't. For me it wasn't worth it. For my husband it was worth it. I can't even come close to drinking more than 5 drinks a day, but I must say I loved getting the coffee's too! Is it also true on Carnival both in the cabin have to get the drink package?

[JMKreno]

I just wish they offered a package between "bottomless bubbles" and "cheers" allowing someone like my wife and I who don't really drink alcohol much but I do enjoy specialy coffees, some diet cokes, a milkshake or 2, and an occasional fru-fru cocktail.

[JaniceB]

Thanks for letting us know how Cheers worked for you. I feel it is a good value for me.

[Cruisin 4 Ever]

I've yet to purchase the Cheers package but I am considering it for my September cruise. My question is: Are you allowed to order a beer either from server or at a bar and ask them not to open it? I like the idea of taking beer back to the room to enjoy on my balcony at my leisure.

 

They are supposed to open them but there's only been one bartender out of 2 cruises where we asked and they said they had to open it. My husband has taken dozens of beers back to the room to drink on the balcony

[marley22]

'free' drink package on ncl isn't so free.

 

Agreed. I priced a 4 day Bahamas cruise for 2 on NCL and carnival. I added drink package on Carnival to my final total. NCL was $50.00 cheaper. I would rather cruise Carnival for $50.00 more. Better selection of drinks in my opinion.

[sternfanla]

I have seen so many posts about someone not being able to drink 15 drinks a day so they will not purchase it.

It's not about drinking 15 a day but it's about at least breaking even and having the availability to try things will will normally will not try if you had to pay full price.

and now with the enhancements that were made you can try a lot more.

Just my 2 cents.

[AK Wife]

I have seen so many posts about someone not being able to drink 15 drinks a day so they will not purchase it.

It's not about drinking 15 a day but it's about at least breaking even and having the availability to try things will will normally will not try if you had to pay full price.

and now with the enhancements that were made you can try a lot more.

Just my 2 cents.

 

Yes! ;) That's what I tried to say before! It's not about 15 drinks. If you drink 5-6 alcohol drinks a day you could easily make the $50. Alchemy has awesome new drinks to try! Now that they've added other beverages that don't count towards the 15 you could still make the $$ with only drinking 4 alcohol drinks, a couple coffees, a shake, & sodas throughout the day. Easy peasy! :p

[Laurie S.]

I looked at the ads on Carnival's site for 6 or 7 day cruises out of Florida this coming December and January and the range for the lowest fares was $339 to 399.

 

Cheers when pre-purchased is $50/day, so that's $300 to 350 for a 6 or 7 day cruise. If they add an 18% tip, then Cheers pre paid goes to $354 for a 6 day and over $400 for a 7 day.

 

In my post I said that Cheers would come close to doubling the fare for SOME cruisers. The numbers and math support my statement.

 

 

I didn't say you were wrong. Obviously there are some very cheap fares. Seven days in an aftwrap suite isn't one of them.

[sternfanla]

I totally agree with you AK Wife. but so many people right away say, I cannot drink 15 alcohol drinks in 1 day.

[evandbob]

I didn't say you were wrong. Obviously there are some very cheap fares. Seven days in an aftwrap suite isn't one of them.

 

And if Cheers is 1/8 of your fare on your upcoming Miracle cruise, then you paid between $2400 and $3200 pp for your aft wrap suite?????

Edited June 16, 2016 by evandbob

[AK Wife]

I totally agree with you AK Wife. but so many people right away say, I cannot drink 15 alcohol drinks in 1 day.

 

I know! I don't get it :confused: Maybe it's the teacher in me but I don't understand why people get stuck on the number over the cost. Usually it's all about the $! :p

[AK Wife]

I just wish they offered a package between "bottomless bubbles" and "cheers" allowing someone like my wife and I who don't really drink alcohol much but I do enjoy specialy coffees, some diet cokes, a milkshake or 2, and an occasional fru-fru cocktail.

 

The new Cheers! does offer all those "extras". Check the Carnival page to see the full list. I copied part of it here:

 

The following beverages are now available within the enhanced CHEERS! program:

All spirits, including cocktails, cognacs, whiskies and other spirits, as well as beer and glasses of wine, with a $50 USD or lower menu price per serving

Zero-Proof frozen cocktails, sodas (including specialty sodas) and juices

Specialty coffees and teas served in the main dining rooms, specialty restaurants and coffee bars

Milkshakes

:cool:

[Sabalon]

I think on my last one, I had 4 drinks total. Guess I'm not the profit center Carnival wants. Though I hear from friends of the $2k alcohol bills.

 

Yikes.

 

Something in between would be nice. Lower the limit of drinks and charge less and maybe (if I didn't have to buy it for my non-drinking wife).

 

Would love to have a coffee shop card though.

[patrice1]

We love Cheers and have bought it ever since it was offered. On vacation, we usually drink 6 -7 drinks a day, between Bloodies in the morning , martinis before dinner, wine with dinner and after dinner fun. We've never hit the 15 limit, but found that 5-6 is where we broke even. Now, with the enhancements, DH's cruise milkshake is included & our daily lattes from the coffee bar are, too. Sparkling water for the table at dinner and Earl Grey tea are also included, usually extra.

 

It's also a benefit to be able to pay your whole cruise in advance and have no bill when getting off the ship. We used to put $200/day in onboard credit before we cruised to cover everything - now it's just the tip money as we can buy everything in advance. To us, that's a huge benefit! I know we could pay for the tips in advance, too, but I don't mind having enough onboard credit to cover that small amount. We also bring extra tip money for bartenders & servers - $1 per drink. Our last cruise, the casino bartender told us we didn't have to tip her $1 every drink, even tho we said we did & kept doing it. She was a sweetie!:D

[Rh2458]

Is it also true on Carnival both in the cabin have to get the drink package?

 

Yes