IF I DON'T BUY CHEERS

[Cruisegirl6]

We always had the cheers but now considering not getting it as there are limited to the type of alcohol we can request for certain drinks, question, if we don't get the package and order a drink do they add the 18% on per drink on the bill?

[mrpayroll]

16 minutes ago, Cruisegirl6 said:

We always had the cheers but now considering not getting it as there are limited to the type of alcohol we can request for certain drinks, question, if we don't get the package and order a drink do they add the 18% on per drink on the bill?

Yes.

[Cruisegirl6]

Thank you!

[cmichael1279]

What limits are there to the type of alcohol you can get with certain drinks???  I never ran into that in the past

[xDisconnections]

2 hours ago, Cruisegirl6 said:

We always had the cheers but now considering not getting it as there are limited to the type of alcohol we can request for certain drinks, question, if we don't get the package and order a drink do they add the 18% on per drink on the bill?

Why wouldn’t they? 

[johno1234]

19 minutes ago, cmichael1279 said:

What limits are there to the type of alcohol you can get with certain drinks???  I never ran into that in the past

I am also interested to hear about this. AFAIK it covers any coffee/water/juice/smoothie/wine/beer/cocktail etc up to $20/glass.

For bottles of wine it gets a discount.

[Bookbug53]

9 hours ago, Cruisegirl6 said:

We always had the cheers but now considering not getting it as there are limited to the type of alcohol we can request for certain drinks, question, if we don't get the package and order a drink do they add the 18% on per drink on the bill?

We have never had a request for certain alcohol refused. It certainly is not in the policies. The only limitation set for the alcohol is the $20 top limit. To what specifically are you referring? Can you give us an example?

[PhillyFan33579]

Add me to the list of people wanting to know what types of alcohol you can’t get with Cheers. 

[Palmetto Pilot]

23 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Add me to the list of people wanting to know what types of alcohol you can’t get with Cheers. 

Me too, I haven't ran into a single drink yet......

[ProgRockCruiser]

So the OP is referring to drinks such as the Drink of the Day, or a pre-made mix drink like Kiss on the Lips (edit: or Miami Vice, very popular) where they have jugs of it sitting around to make serving the popular drinks go faster.  In those cases, they don't want to take the time to make up a special version just because the customer wants Grey Goose vs Tito's (completely picked at random).  I'm not sure if it is official Carnival policy or a "tribal policy" of the staff just to keep things moving.

 

In general, if they have to mix it up for you, then you can change up from whatever they normally reach for to a better version.  Most of the time when I order a drink at my favorite bars on board, they ask me would I like it with one of the top-shelf liquors.

 

So the trick is to order something they have to make up for you anyway.  Even at the Blue Iguana, the headlining drink Blue's Patron Margarita is made up for you, not from a pre-made mix (as far as I have experienced), so if you wanted you could swap out the Patron for something else (not sure why, though).

Edited May 17, 2019 by ProgRockCruiser

[beerman2]

OP , you can request your specific brand ( if available and under 20.00). Sure there may be something not included , but I certainly didn't find it.

 

Just to see how We did with Cheers, I check our final bill ( yes it does show every drink you had). Had we not had Cheers our total would have been $1,350.00. Cheers cost me around 940.00.

 

Without Cheers I certainly would have checked my expenses daily and probably wouldn't have had that 1 or 2 more.😂😂

 

15 drinks a day is a lot and gives you an opportunity to try something without having to sit there and finish it if you don't like it.

[PhillyFan33579]

4 minutes ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

So the OP is referring to drinks such as the Drink of the Day, or a pre-made mix drink like Kiss on the Lips (edit: or Miami Vice, very popular) where they have jugs of it sitting around to make serving the popular drinks go faster.  In those cases, they don't want to take the time to make up a special version just because the customer wants Grey Goose vs Tito's (completely picked at random).  I'm not sure if it is official Carnival policy or a "tribal policy" of the staff just to keep things moving.

 

In general, if they have to mix it up for you, then you can change up from whatever they normally reach for to a better version.  Most of the time when I order a drink at my favorite bars on board, they ask me would I like it with one of the top-shelf liquors.

 

So the trick is to order something they have to make up for you anyway.  Even at the Blue Iguana, the headlining drink Blue's Patron Margarita is made up for you, not from a pre-made mix (as far as I have experienced), so if you wanted you could swap out the Patron for something else (not sure why, though).

 

I understand your post, but what does it have to do with the OPs comment about Cheers limiting types of alcohol?

[ProgRockCruiser]

8 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

 

I understand your post, but what does it have to do with the OPs comment about Cheers limiting types of alcohol?

 

Because on Cheers you are likely to want to upgrade to top shelf, since there is no additional charge.  Someone not on the Cheers package will probably be happy with whatever is the regular pour for the pre-made drinks and not pay the extra.  But if they were willing, the bar staff would likely do it because it is extra revenue.

 

So I don't think it is Cheers-specific in policy, just a reflection of the reality of who wants to exercise that option and whether the bar staff are capable and willing to accommodate.

 

I suspect if you know & tip your bar staff well and they aren't too busy they will accommodate an upgrade for a pre-mix drink, even if you have Cheers.  But if they are slammed, I can see them saying "no upgrades".

Edited May 17, 2019 by ProgRockCruiser
grammar

[PhillyFan33579]

4 minutes ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

 

Because on Cheers you are likely to want to upgrade to top shelf, since there is no additional charge.  Someone not on the Cheers package will probably be happy with whatever is the regular pour for the pre-made drinks and not pay the extra.  But if they were willing, the bar staff would likely do it because it is extra revenue.

 

So I don't think it is Cheers-specific in policy, just a reflection of the reality of who wants to exercise that option and whether the bar staff are capable and willing to accommodate.

 

I suspect if you know & tip your bar staff well and they aren't too busy they will accommodate an upgrade for a pre-mix drink, even if you have Cheers.  But if they are slammed, I can see them saying "no upgrades".

 

I have spent a lot of time at bars on my 27 cruises on Carnival (probably not a good thing but that is another story). I have never heard a bartender tell someone they were too busy to make a requested drink. The only time I have heard a bartender say no to something is when a guest asks for a certain type of alcohol that they don’t have at that bar. Plus there is always the Alchemy Bar where every cruise I hear at least a few people order something they don’t have there like a beer or frozen drink. 

[Cruisegirl6]

On our last cruise in February on the Elation, I asked for a Miami vice but to use Kraken said they couldn't do it wasn't part of the package, mentioned that it is under $20 they said they have to make the drink Carnivals "recipe" with the liquor that they suppose to use, same happened to my Black Russian,  I asked for absolute they said they couldn't give me that with the package it had to come with Tito's (I am allergic to Tito's give me one shot I get very nasty or silly and same with grand mariner).  So, when I ordered the Black Russian and unable to get absolute I asked if I can have a patron and orange juice and they said yes and that is what I had go figure...patron more costly than absolute!  

 

Our friends a month later went on the Liberty had the very same problem.

[Jenjer]

Is it easy to tell what is premade? It make sense to me for them to have popular drinks made with well alcohol ready to go. If I want something better it just easier to order something not premade

[Cruisegirl6]

The drinks are not premade, they are made to order, and I was unable to get a few brands of liquor and not asking for the highest end brands.

[Jenjer]

ok, did they not have it? or was it beyond the 20 price point? 

 

cruising in a couple of weeks with cheers, we have had alcohol packages on other lines and never had issues. 

[Cruisegirl6]

It wasn't beyond the $20 point that was my argument and I asked three different bartenders in different bars.  Your correct, with other cruise lines never had any issue, in fact no limits too.  

[cmichael1279]

36 minutes ago, Cruisegirl6 said:

On our last cruise in February on the Elation, I asked for a Miami vice but to use Kraken said they couldn't do it wasn't part of the package, mentioned that it is under $20 they said they have to make the drink Carnivals "recipe" with the liquor that they suppose to use, same happened to my Black Russian,  I asked for absolute they said they couldn't give me that with the package it had to come with Tito's (I am allergic to Tito's give me one shot I get very nasty or silly and same with grand mariner).  So, when I ordered the Black Russian and unable to get absolute I asked if I can have a patron and orange juice and they said yes and that is what I had go figure...patron more costly than absolute!  

 

Our friends a month later went on the Liberty had the very same problem.

I'll be on Horizon in two weeks, will definitely be testing this out, as I've never had it happen in the past...

[Cruisegirl6]

I be on the Breeze next week, hoping the newer larger ships they more lenient.

[Ariel1985]

Just off the Dream this past Sunday, and I asked for a margarita w/ Herradura. The bartender said she could do it, but I would only get half the amount of tequila. She "suggested" I go with the El Jimador in order to get the full pour. This was at the Serenity bar.

[dlphn501]

1 hour ago, Cruisegirl6 said:

On our last cruise in February on the Elation, I asked for a Miami vice but to use Kraken said they couldn't do it wasn't part of the package, mentioned that it is under $20 they said they have to make the drink Carnivals "recipe" with the liquor that they suppose to use, same happened to my Black Russian,  I asked for absolute they said they couldn't give me that with the package it had to come with Tito's (I am allergic to Tito's give me one shot I get very nasty or silly and same with grand mariner).  So, when I ordered the Black Russian and unable to get absolute I asked if I can have a patron and orange juice and they said yes and that is what I had go figure...patron more costly than absolute!  

 

Our friends a month later went on the Liberty had the very same problem.

Ohhh, this is interesting!  I had no issues getting Grey Goose and diet coke, but I never thought to ask for top shelf in one of the mixed drinks (not sure why either).

[PhillyFan33579]

2 hours ago, Cruisegirl6 said:

On our last cruise in February on the Elation, I asked for a Miami vice but to use Kraken said they couldn't do it wasn't part of the package, mentioned that it is under $20 they said they have to make the drink Carnivals "recipe" with the liquor that they suppose to use, same happened to my Black Russian,  I asked for absolute they said they couldn't give me that with the package it had to come with Tito's (I am allergic to Tito's give me one shot I get very nasty or silly and same with grand mariner).  So, when I ordered the Black Russian and unable to get absolute I asked if I can have a patron and orange juice and they said yes and that is what I had go figure...patron more costly than absolute!  

 

Our friends a month later went on the Liberty had the very same problem.

 

Maybe you have had bad luck, but I have never encountered a problem asking for any type of alcohol (tequila, vodka, etc.) at any bar on any ship on 27 cruises on Carnival (one week to cruise 28!). 

Edited May 17, 2019 by PhillyFan33579

[ProgRockCruiser]

58 minutes ago, dlphn501 said:

Ohhh, this is interesting!  I had no issues getting Grey Goose and diet coke, but I never thought to ask for top shelf in one of the mixed drinks (not sure why either).

 

Normally in a fruity-type mixed drink (i.e. not a martini) with a reasonably good mixer I don't usually notice what type of liquor is used, unless really bottom shelf/well stuff.  I do like my margaritas with Patron, though.

 

But I have had a couple of Bloody Marys where I should have specified the vodka - not sure what rotgut they put in, but it wasn't anything I would normally use.