Any way around buying Cheers for EVERYONE?

[firemanbobswife]

What people fail to see is that it's not a 15 drink a day prepaid program. It's UP TO 15 per day per person. If they went back to the drink coupons like they used to have, then yes. But they are different programs and no longer offer that option.

[mcgore83]

Computer nerd, you missed the point. We are paying for 22 drinks between the two of us, not 30. We would still be cut off at 22 instead of 30. Would it matter if I drank 16 and my spouse only drank 6? Really.

[Jdfireman]

yes leave the non drinkers at home thats what we do

[Elaine5715]

15 drinks in a cabin with 4 "young" people wouldn't last an hour sharing.

 

It could last with 2 paying and 3 sharing.

[pafoster62]

yes leave the non drinkers at home thats what we do

 

 

[emoji12]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[Kanyon71]

I get the whole thing on making money and there are rules and such but the thing I don't understand is why it matters to them. Even if you share you're drinks they are making the same amount. They have that 15 limit so you aren't getting more than 15 drinks out of that package no matter what. If someone doesn't drink in the cabin and is above 21 then what should it matter to Carnival. Even if they DO drink and you decide to share with them they are getting the same money for those 15 drinks. Any outside of that (before you hit their silly no more than 15 wall) you are still paying for.

 

I love Carnival but some things they do seem silly to me.

[Mtngal33]

I'm sure they're banking on you NOT hitting your 15 drink limit! I never hit it, and neither does my husband. On our last cruise we didn't get the pkg, and we didn't drink any differently than we ever do, and we came out better by NOT getting the pkg.

[bigman01]

I get the whole thing on making money and there are rules and such but the thing I don't understand is why it matters to them. Even if you share you're drinks they are making the same amount. They have that 15 limit so you aren't getting more than 15 drinks out of that package no matter what. If someone doesn't drink in the cabin and is above 21 then what should it matter to Carnival. Even if they DO drink and you decide to share with them they are getting the same money for those 15 drinks. Any outside of that (before you hit their silly no more than 15 wall) you are still paying for.

 

I love Carnival but some things they do seem silly to me.

 

Sorry, but your thinking is wrong. Yes, they'll get the same amount of money from you, however, the more alcohol you drink, the more it costs Carnival, ie the less their profit is. So no, they don't make the same amount of money no matter how much you drink.

[sparks1093]

I get the whole thing on making money and there are rules and such but the thing I don't understand is why it matters to them. Even if you share you're drinks they are making the same amount. They have that 15 limit so you aren't getting more than 15 drinks out of that package no matter what. If someone doesn't drink in the cabin and is above 21 then what should it matter to Carnival. Even if they DO drink and you decide to share with them they are getting the same money for those 15 drinks. Any outside of that (before you hit their silly no more than 15 wall) you are still paying for.

 

I love Carnival but some things they do seem silly to me.

 

*sigh*. You buy one package and share it with the other person in the cabin. CCL makes the money it makes from one package. Since you are both required to buy the package CCL doubles it's money from Cheers package sales than it would. That's why it matters.

[ray98]

LOL...it is pretty easy to see who has experience in business or marketing and who doesn't. None of this is a mystery or a shot in the dark.

 

Carnival knows exactly what the drink per customer average is on Cheers guests down to a decimal. They can probably tell you a Cheers guest drinks on average 6.8 drinks per day. They will also break down what is consumed so they know their product cost. This stuff is known down to the cent, that is how you determine if you will make a profit, especially at that scale.

 

The 'everyone in the cabin must buy' and '15 drink limit' policies are to keep costs in check. They probably have a determined roughly what percentage of their guests who would share one package if possible. For each of those you lose the profit potential of two customers when judged by the average consumption. Instead of making profit each would not directly deduct from it. The 15 limit is probably near the break even point and eliminates those who are at the extreme end of the scale.

 

I bet they are trying to keep costs in check to keep the price point competitive. If you can't control costs you have to raise prices which brings a who different affordability formula in play.

Edited February 1, 2017 by ray98

[Nightrythm]

And here I thought the drink limit was not just about money, but also about trying to keep people from getting plastered. Especially since Carnival has a lingering "party boat" reputation.

[sparks1093]

And here I thought the drink limit was not just about money, but also about trying to keep people from getting plastered. Especially since Carnival has a lingering "party boat" reputation.

 

Policies can't have more than one purpose?

[texasharts1]

Policies can't have more than one purpose?

True but policies can curb more then one issue

 

Sent from my SPH-L710T using Forums mobile app

[CLS/KAS]

LOL...it is pretty easy to see who has experience in business or marketing and who doesn't. None of this is a mystery or a shot in the dark.

 

Carnival knows exactly what the drink per customer average is on Cheers guests down to a decimal. They can probably tell you a Cheers guest drinks on average 6.8 drinks per day. They will also break down what is consumed so they know their product cost. This stuff is known down to the cent, that is how you determine if you will make a profit, especially at that scale.

 

The 'everyone in the cabin must buy' and '15 drink limit' policies are to keep costs in check. They probably have a determined roughly what percentage of their guests who would share one package if possible. For each of those you lose the profit potential of two customers when judged by the average consumption. Instead of making profit each would not directly deduct from it. The 15 limit is probably near the break even point and eliminates those who are at the extreme end of the scale.

 

I bet they are trying to keep costs in check to keep the price point competitive. If you can't control costs you have to raise prices which brings a who different affordability formula in play.

 

This is why I love this site... clear answers to questions...you all have never let me down, when I need to know an answer..:D

[ray98]

And here I thought the drink limit was not just about money, but also about trying to keep people from getting plastered. Especially since Carnival has a lingering "party boat" reputation.

 

Rules can certainly have a dual role. When someone approaches 15 alcoholic drinks someone needs to ask the question is it safe to keep serving. Bartenders have a duty not to over serve even on the high seas. Carnival gave them a hard line cut off to eliminate the variables. 98% of Cheers drinkers will never be affected.

[Computer Nerd]

Computer nerd, you missed the point. We are paying for 22 drinks between the two of us, not 30. We would still be cut off at 22 instead of 30. Would it matter if I drank 16 and my spouse only drank 6? Really.

 

No, I didn't miss your point. You want something that isn't available. The point is, if everyone drank the full 15 drinks (which I know doesn't happen), there would be a different price point for the package. They know every cruise what the drink usage per person, per day is and if you increase that, then the price would change. What you are asking for is a full package and a "Lite" package. Since the Lite package would probably get used in full by everyone, then the price point would probably be the same as the Full one that not everyone uses up.Then people would complain that they should only pay half for the Lite package but in reality the same number of drinks would be drunk, on average. Carnival knows this and therefore doesn't offer it. They most likely don't offer a beer and wine only package like some other cruise lines for the same reasons.

 

Either way, the rules are what they are. Sail Carnival and live by carnival rules. If one doesn't like Carnival rules, find a cruise line that has the rules you prefer and sail with them.

 

BTW, the point you are missing is that you haven't paid for 16 or 22 or whatever number of drinks. You have paid to drink UP TO 16, 22, or whatever number of drinks. Huge difference. If you don't believe that, go to a bar on the last day and ask for your last 53 unconsumed drinks and see what happens.

Edited February 1, 2017 by Computer Nerd

[Computer Nerd]

I get the whole thing on making money and there are rules and such but the thing I don't understand is why it matters to them. Even if you share you're drinks they are making the same amount. They have that 15 limit so you aren't getting more than 15 drinks out of that package no matter what. If someone doesn't drink in the cabin and is above 21 then what should it matter to Carnival. Even if they DO drink and you decide to share with them they are getting the same money for those 15 drinks. Any outside of that (before you hit their silly no more than 15 wall) you are still paying for.

 

I love Carnival but some things they do seem silly to me.

 

If losing profit seems silly (because not everyone consumes their authorized amount of UP TO 15 drinks), then you just don't understand economics.

[Computer Nerd]

And here I thought the drink limit was not just about money, but also about trying to keep people from getting plastered. Especially since Carnival has a lingering "party boat" reputation.

 

If that were the case then RCCL and NCL should have the "party boat" reputation since neither of those lines have a drink limit.

[ray98]

I get the whole thing on making money and there are rules and such but the thing I don't understand is why it matters to them. Even if you share you're drinks they are making the same amount. They have that 15 limit so you aren't getting more than 15 drinks out of that package no matter what. If someone doesn't drink in the cabin and is above 21 then what should it matter to Carnival. Even if they DO drink and you decide to share with them they are getting the same money for those 15 drinks. Any outside of that (before you hit their silly no more than 15 wall) you are still paying for.

 

I love Carnival but some things they do seem silly to me.

 

 

The model probably wouldn't be even be profitable if everyone maxed out. You build a program like that on averages. Some will be low, some high and the majority will fall somewhere in the middle. The overall average is how you determine profitability.

 

If everyone maxed out the price goes up, no other way to counter it.

[boxman]

Here is a way they could make more money and probably please more people...Raise the price of Cheers package to let's say $75 and sell it per cabin and not per person. They wouldn't have to worry about sharing and there would be no argument, either the cabin purchases it or it doesn't.

[ray98]

If that were the case then RCCL and NCL should have the "party boat" reputation since neither of those lines have a drink limit.

 

Both normally come with a higher priced fare which creates a different passenger profile. A by-product of the financial burden minimizing the college age crowd is more control.

 

Give the average 50 year old and the average 21 year old the same drink package and the majority of the problems will consistently fall on the younger age range.

Edited February 1, 2017 by ray98

[sanger727]

Here is a way they could make more money and probably please more people...Raise the price of Cheers package to let's say $75 and sell it per cabin and not per person. They wouldn't have to worry about sharing and there would be no argument, either the cabin purchases it or it doesn't.

 

 

Nice idea. But there would be a huge difference in profit if that option was available to both 2 adults sharing a balcony and 4 21 year olds sharing an inside cabin. Then they may as well just start doing what NCL and celebrity figured out. They offer the beverage package for free with booking but it only applies to the first two passengers in the room BUT, no one else in the room is required to purchase it. They've both been doing it for over a year so clearly it's profitable.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Computer Nerd]

Both normally come with a higher priced fare which creates a different passenger profile. A by-product of the financial burden minimizing the college age crowd is more control.

 

Give the average 50 year old and the average 21 year old the same drink package and the majority of the problems will consistently fall on the younger age range.

 

I don't know which ships you've sailed but on the Indy last November there were as many college kids as I have ever seen on any Carnival cruise.

 

That being said, when my Dad was in his late 30s and 40s, he and his friend could put away as much liquor as any college kid without puking or falling down to boot. ;)

[n6uqqq]

The model probably wouldn't be even be profitable if everyone maxed out. You build a program like that on averages. Some will be low, some high and the majority will fall somewhere in the middle. The overall average is how you determine profitability.

 

If everyone maxed out the price goes up, no other way to counter it.

 

All you need to do is make a trip to Costco and you will realize that even if someone drinks all 15 drinks every day Carnival will still profit quite well. Take a look at the price of the 1.75 liter bottles of the most common favorites. Most all are 30 dollars or under for the popular brands. Each of those 1.75 liter bottles has 39 shots in it. You will not be getting close to 39 shots worth of alcohol in a day. Now figure that if an everyday Joe like myself can secure a 1.75 liter bottle for $30 or less in most cases, imagine what kind of price Carnival can command with their huge buying power. They will not lose money or even be close to breaking even on 15 drinks a day. The people who drink less are just even more profit gravy. There is a cost for the mixers, but that is relatively dirt cheap for soda, juice etc.

[ray98]

All you need to do is make a trip to Costco and you will realize that even if someone drinks all 15 drinks every day Carnival will still profit quite well. Take a look at the price of the 1.75 liter bottles of the most common favorites. Most all are 30 dollars or under for the popular brands. Each of those 1.75 liter bottles has 39 shots in it. You will not be getting close to 39 shots worth of alcohol in a day. Now figure that if an everyday Joe like myself can secure a 1.75 liter bottle for $30 or less in most cases, imagine what kind of price Carnival can command with their huge buying power. They will not lose money or even be close to breaking even on 15 drinks a day. The people who drink less are just even more profit gravy. There is a cost for the mixers, but that is relatively dirt cheap for soda, juice etc.

 

Not really. The cost of the product is only one portion in the overall cost to serve that product. Business overhead can cost the customer significantly more than the actual product many times. I have seen bars financially struggle selling $4 beers which have a true cost of $0.75ea. The costs of rent, labor, utilities, insurance, supplies and the product itself quickly eat any profit up.

 

Bottom line....It costs money to serve a product, especially on a cruise ship.