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CHEERS... $50 per serving? Seriously??

DrHfuhruhurr

By DrHfuhruhurr,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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DrHfuhruhurr

DrHfuhruhurr

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Hi all, I'm sorry if this has been asked before--there are a LOT of threads about CHEERS, and I couldn't find an answer after moderate digging. Probably because my question is more of a "is that really true?" sort of thing.

 

We are sailing on the Breeze in November 2016, and I'm giving a serious look at the CHEERS package. According to the CHEERS info on the Carnival webpage, participants in the program are limited to 15 drinks per day, and there is a $50 limit per serving.

 

I'm having a really hard time believing the $50 per serving limit is the real deal... it certainly sounds too good to be true. How can Carnival make any money on that? If it is really $50 per serving, I will be drinking top-shelf spirits throughout the day, and my wife will surely find whatever wine is closest to $50 a glass at dinner.

 

So, what am I missing? Where is the catch? We're only paying ~$50 per day for the program, and two glasses of wine each with dinner will be ~$200 value. What I'm suspecting is there are different selections for the CHEERS crowd--a different wine menu, a list of excluded spirits, something.

 

Can anyone with experience help me make sense out of this? Tell me if it really *is* too good to be true? ;)

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DrHfuhruhurr

DrHfuhruhurr

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You won't be paying $50 per day, it would be $100 per day, if you purchase prior to cruise. I think you would have a hard time finding wines for $50 per glass. That is not to say that Cheers wouldn't be a good deal.

 

Good catch. Yes, I meant $50 each, per day. Still, that's only $100, and it seems like a steal if the per drink limit is $50.

 

I guess what I'm asking is, what are the top end options for various drinks on a Carnival cruise? You say there are no wines at $50/glass, but what's the top end for wine? Or whisky? As I said, I'm assuming unavailability of pricier options must be the catch. Otherwise, Carnival would lose money on this deal.

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First and Ten

First and Ten

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You may find a scotch or a cognac that is $20 or $30 per shot, but if you don't drink scotch or cognac, doesn't do you a whole lotta good. Some people think they can order an expensive champagne like Dom Perignon, but since that isn't served by the glass, you have to buy a bottle. A bottle goes for about $175 a bottle, so it isn't covered under Cheers. If you are drinking top shelf mixed drinks, they go about $8 - $10.... Figure about 5-6 of those each if you want to break even for the day

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

Edited by First and Ten
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jgskes

jgskes

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Good catch. Yes, I meant $50 each, per day. Still, that's only $100, and it seems like a steal if the per drink limit is $50.

 

I guess what I'm asking is, what are the top end options for various drinks on a Carnival cruise? You say there are no wines at $50/glass, but what's the top end for wine? Or whisky? As I said, I'm assuming unavailability of pricier options must be the catch. Otherwise, Carnival would lose money on this deal.

 

 

I didn't read all of the responses. However, what we pay 50.00 for, they do not pay 50.00 for. If we want a bottle of rum sent to our room(I know it is not included in cheers) it would cost 70-80 and at home we would spend 20 They will still make money.

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poobears

poobears

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You have to remember that may be what they charge on a few select drinks but that isn't what they have in them. So they still come out way ahead. Especially on port days when a lot of people get plastered in port and don't drink much when they get back on. Most people are drinking low end average drinks and most aren't even close to breaking even, they just buy it because they don't want to worry about tracking expenses.

 

Trust me if Carnival wasn't raking in the cash they wouldn't be offering the program.

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sana216

sana216

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I read on here awhile back that the steakhouse has a champagne and a whiskey that reaches close to the $50. Only in the steakhouse. I am sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Yes the steakhouse has a Hennessy for $65 a glass.

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MasterMason

MasterMason

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On my last cruise, I'd get the Long Island Iced Tea's and up the spirits:

 

Grey Goose VX - $15.00

Patron Reposado - $10.95

Appleton Estates VX - $5.75

 

So that one was a minimum of $30. I only asked 1 bartender to make it this way, and I tipped him $2-3 each time. YMMV.

 

 

 

.

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Sweet Dutch Girl

Sweet Dutch Girl

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Unless someone is an alcohol connoisseur people rarely indicate the exact spirit they want in a mixed drink...the bar keep will use the house bottle when mixing a drink, and the house bottle is far from the most expensive. If you want the most expensive you need to hone up on alcohol and specifically ask for a certain pour. Guaranteed that most people don't give a darn...vodka to them is vodka and a bloody mary is a bloody mary whether you use absolute or poponov. Besides, unless you watch your barkeep mix every drink you won't have a clue which brand they are using.

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RHilla619

RHilla619

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OP, the "$50 limit" was advertising to make customers think "oh wow, I can get some real good stuff on board". Unfortunately that's not the case, don't get me wrong you will be able to select top shelf vodka/rum/tequila all week, however I was very disappointed with the wine selection on my cruise back in August. Even though there's a $50 limit Carnival only sells certain bottles by the glass, the most expensive I found in the dining room by the glass was the different varieties of kendall jackson.

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StolidCruiser

StolidCruiser

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The $50 cap is purely a marketing ploy to make people go "Wowee!". And it's working.

 

There are few high dollar value beverages that would come close to that figure that even the most seasoned drinker would guzzle down in volume.

 

Don't question how Carnival can make a profit. It's clear they do. Just enjoy it.

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kilmer17

kilmer17

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The Steakhouse on Magic had a few different bottles of Hennessy. Some over 50 and a few under 50. They also had some single malt scotch around the 50 dollar mark (The Macallan and a few glens) and a few other cognacs that I didnt know. And some decent reds by the glass around 20-25 dollars.

 

Never a crowd at the bar.

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drerickson77

drerickson77

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Hi all, I'm sorry if this has been asked before--there are a LOT of threads about CHEERS, and I couldn't find an answer after moderate digging. Probably because my question is more of a "is that really true?" sort of thing.

 

We are sailing on the Breeze in November 2016, and I'm giving a serious look at the CHEERS package. According to the CHEERS info on the Carnival webpage, participants in the program are limited to 15 drinks per day, and there is a $50 limit per serving.

 

I'm having a really hard time believing the $50 per serving limit is the real deal... it certainly sounds too good to be true. How can Carnival make any money on that? If it is really $50 per serving, I will be drinking top-shelf spirits throughout the day, and my wife will surely find whatever wine is closest to $50 a glass at dinner.

 

So, what am I missing? Where is the catch? We're only paying ~$50 per day for the program, and two glasses of wine each with dinner will be ~$200 value. What I'm suspecting is there are different selections for the CHEERS crowd--a different wine menu, a list of excluded spirits, something.

 

Can anyone with experience help me make sense out of this? Tell me if it really *is* too good to be true? ;)

 

Dr. Michael Hfuhruhurr?

 

man-with-two-brains-quotes.jpg

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DrHfuhruhurr

DrHfuhruhurr

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Unless someone is an alcohol connoisseur people rarely indicate the exact spirit they want in a mixed drink...the bar keep will use the house bottle when mixing a drink, and the house bottle is far from the most expensive. If you want the most expensive you need to hone up on alcohol and specifically ask for a certain pour. Guaranteed that most people don't give a darn...vodka to them is vodka and a bloody mary is a bloody mary whether you use absolute or poponov. Besides, unless you watch your barkeep mix every drink you won't have a clue which brand they are using.

 

Eh... I know my spirits, and I most definitely specify which brand of alcohol I want in any mixed drink I order. I will know if they serve me something I didn't order.

 

Having said that, I don't necessarily favor the most expensive varieties of any given alcohol (though my whisky habit is expensive). So, it will probably be a wash, in the end. :)

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DrHfuhruhurr

DrHfuhruhurr

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OP, the "$50 limit" was advertising to make customers think "oh wow, I can get some real good stuff on board". Unfortunately that's not the case, don't get me wrong you will be able to select top shelf vodka/rum/tequila all week, however I was very disappointed with the wine selection on my cruise back in August. Even though there's a $50 limit Carnival only sells certain bottles by the glass, the most expensive I found in the dining room by the glass was the different varieties of kendall jackson.

 

Thanks, this is exactly what I was looking for. My wife will be disappointed by the limited wine selection, but I'm sure we'll still come out ahead.

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DrHfuhruhurr

DrHfuhruhurr

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The Steakhouse on Magic had a few different bottles of Hennessy. Some over 50 and a few under 50. They also had some single malt scotch around the 50 dollar mark (The Macallan and a few glens) and a few other cognacs that I didnt know. And some decent reds by the glass around 20-25 dollars.

 

Never a crowd at the bar.

 

This is also what I needed to hear. :) I will definitely make my way down to the Steakhouse bar, then. Thanks!

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