First time Cruiser with questions

[Cindy45106]

Leaving on the Carnival Escatsy on the 26th of this month and was wondering if it would be cheaper to purchase the alcohol beverage package or buy drinks as we go? How much do mixed drinks cost if we buy them out right?

 

Thanks!!

 

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[SonOfSailor]

Take a look through these forums and you'll find plenty of analysis on the number of drinks you drink etc etc etc.

 

Mixed drinks go for $8 - $10 each.

[Shaded Lady]

They say that if you drink 6 drinks on average (mixed drinks, not beer) a day then you will probably break even. Anything over that would be a savings. Also remember that the Cheers program includes specialty drinks like milkshakes, specialty coffees, bottled water. Those are not included in your 15 drink limit.

[attran99]

This is a personal preference based on how much you plan to drink while on board. The package is about $52 per day (not including the 15% gratuity charge), and allows for 15 drinks in a 24 hour period. Also worth noting that the ship usually offers a cocktail special every day, and that special runs about $7-8 each (not including gratuity). The drinks on board run about $10-15 each (not including gratuity) with beers being slightly cheaper. Also worth noting that every adult in your cabin would have to purchase it if one person decides to purchase. They make no exceptions to this rule.

I've gotten pretty close to the limit if it's a sea day and I start my day with champagne or a mimosa for Sea Day Brunch and keep going steadily during the day and well into dinner. I've seen some folks do it by ordering a beer and a shot together. I will say that it's a lot of drinking and you may be tired of the drinking into the 4th or 5th day into your journey...especially if you don't regularly drink this way at home.

[asalligo]

Specialty coffee and Milkshakes are about $4 and cokes are $2, just to help decide. Remember, you have to drink that average 6 drinks a day including sea days when you are off the ship most of the day also, and your drink package does not work anywhere off the ship. I personally can not drink enough to break even throughout the whole cruise and would love a smaller package.

[Cindy45106]

Thanks everyone! Your input will definitely help us decide which course we shoukd take.

 

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[Cindy45106]

Thanks everyone! Your input will definitely help us decide which course we should take.

 

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[Cindy45106]

[emoji568] [emoji568][emoji572] [emoji2]

 

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[ProgRockCruiser]

I dunno if this will work for most folks, but consider how much you might drink over the Christmas holidays, or Memorial Day, or 4th July, or whatever you consider a couple of back-to-back "good times" days/nights, assuming you had two or three good parties to go to. If you will drink 5 or more drinks at those parties, you might be a candidate for the Cheers package.

 

If the thought of having six drinks one day/night, and then even three drinks the next day makes your stomach churn, then perhaps you are not going to get the value you might think from Cheers.

[BNBR]

A big factor is the "all inclusive" aspect. If you think you would be likely to drink 6 drinks if they were "free" - then go for the package. It's quite fun wandering by a random bar and just grabbing a drink - often they have specialty drinks, etc. You don't have to think about the charges. Bars are everywhere and for many it's a big part of cruising. I find my experience much more relaxing with a drink package, you enjoy yourself guilt free. If you just prefer to have a few drinks throughout the day, then the package may not be worth it though.

[Knights Templar]

Cold hard numbers....we are going on a 5 day in April, got the Cheers package, with gratuity added in, it comes to $600 for 2 people (the exact number was $598 and change, making it $600 for simplicity). At one port, we already know that we are staying on the ship. As others have said, if you like mixed drinks, you can roughly figure on 6-7 mixed drinks to break even for that day....Beer works out to roughly 7-8 beers to break even. Keep in mind, it also includes bottled water, powerade, specialty coffee, milkshakes. So if in the morning you like a mimosa or 2, grab a water, maybe get thirsty and down a powerade. Hang by the pool most of the day and get 2-3 cocktails, grab another water. 2 glasses of wine at dinner then maybe a cocktail or 2 during the shows. It would probably work out for you. If you are the type that has maybe 2 or 3 drinks a day and drinks water, then i would recommend pay as you go and maybe buy 2 or 3 cases of water from the fun shops at $5 per case. Keep this in mind, on our cruise, one of the stops is Half Moon Cay....You can purchase cocktails/beers on HMC and use your sign and sail card.....Here is the big disclaimer. Even tho you use your S&S card, Cheers IS NOT honored on the island. So even tho you have the Cheers program, you will be paying for your drinks while on the island. If you are going on a ship with an Alchemy Bar, that will push the prices up a bit more (Alchemy cocktails usually run $11-12, so on any given day, you pop back 3 of those drinks, you are already at roughly $35)

 

Have a good cruise!!!!

[Hoosierpop]

Lots of good info. One aspect I like is the ability to try different things. If I don’t like it, so be it. Hard to put a value on that but it’s nice to not have to worry about drinking something new.

 

 

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[Joebucks]

It's a tough sell for me. At $60 a day (with gratuity), it can be a good deal depending on your situation. The biggest thing that absolutely kills it for me is both people in the cabin have to buy it. My girlfriend drinks maybe 3 times throughout the cruise. It makes sense for Carnival to do that, but makes no sense for me to buy it. For my upcoming 7-night cruise, that would be about $840 for me to drink (on the ship only). Even for someone like me who likes to drink, I wouldn't get my money's worth. Even if I "got my money's worth" by "breaking even" that much alcohol does not make the vacation for me. Plus, that leaves me to zero access to alcohol while I'm at ports and on beaches. Not to mention how much I don't want to drink because of how full I am from the food.

 

 

As much as I think the bottles you can buy are overpriced, they are a good deal compared to cheers for some. Especially for someone like me who drinks Whiskey and Coke almost exclusively. The pour your own beer stations are also great to a get a beer for a decent price.

[famof4togo]

It's a tough sell for me. At $60 a day (with gratuity), it can be a good deal depending on your situation. The biggest thing that absolutely kills it for me is both people in the cabin have to buy it. My girlfriend drinks maybe 3 times throughout the cruise. It makes sense for Carnival to do that, but makes no sense for me to buy it. For my upcoming 7-night cruise, that would be about $840 for me to drink (on the ship only). Even for someone like me who likes to drink, I wouldn't get my money's worth. Even if I "got my money's worth" by "breaking even" that much alcohol does not make the vacation for me. Plus, that leaves me to zero access to alcohol while I'm at ports and on beaches. Not to mention how much I don't want to drink because of how full I am from the food.

 

 

As much as I think the bottles you can buy are overpriced, they are a good deal compared to cheers for some. Especially for someone like me who drinks Whiskey and Coke almost exclusively. The pour your own beer stations are also great to a get a beer for a decent price.

 

If hubby and I didn't both drink I wouldn't buy it that is a raw deal for only 1 person in a cabin to want to buy Cheers.....while I understand their logic...its a crappy rule....

[oddly excitered]

Leaving on the Carnival Escatsy on the 26th of this month and was wondering if it would be cheaper to purchase the alcohol beverage package or buy drinks as we go? How much do mixed drinks cost if we buy them out right?

 

Thanks!!

 

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On my first cruise I really pained over this decision but my wife decided for me, it was no. I wanted to save money and heard all of the horror stories of thousand dollar bar tabs at the end of the cruise, turns out she was right, we saved a couple hundred by not having the package. I like to drink but found myself having so much fun I wanted to stay lucid to enjoy it. I say first time try without and see how it goes. you might be surprised at how much you dont drink!

[Nic6318]

Hi

 

Just so you are aware, there are other options also available.

 

You are allowed to bring a bottle of wine each onto the ship at embarkation day (only). If you do have a preference for drinking wine, there are wine packages available.

 

You are allowed to bring soft drinks on (limit 12 cans at a time) at each stop including embarkation day.

 

You are allowed to purchase bottles of alcohol for delivery to your cabin. The prices are high, but as a per drink it works out not unreasonable. Here is a link to Carnival site with prices for everything. https://www.carnival.com/Funshops

 

Don't forget when you are off the ship, very often you might find yourself buying drinks while you are in port and they will typically be less expensive that those sold on the ship. Your decision really comes down to your drinking habits. If both of you like to or are in the habit of drinking more than a few drinks (alcohol) every day, then the Cheers package will likely work for you. If not, consider one of the other options.

 

have a great cruise