Camden72 Posted March 14, 2021 #1 Share Posted March 14, 2021 With the new casino offers where is says free drinks anywhere on board (not drinks on us in the casino), is there a catch to that? Seems too good to be true that they will basically give us the cheers program. Is there a lower drink minimum than the cheers program or only certain drinks applying? We booked the promotion so I assume we would not need to buy Cheers but I don’t want to be disappointed if there is some catch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaded Lady Posted March 14, 2021 #2 Share Posted March 14, 2021 This must be new but there will be a huge outcry if it turns out to be less than they describe! Hope for your sake it's as they put it out there... maybe it's an incentive to get people to cruise that may not last forever... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBBucman Posted March 14, 2021 #3 Share Posted March 14, 2021 We got a Carnival casino offer two weeks ago that included "Free Drinks Anywhere" and $500 OBC. After we booked a 7 day cruise, our TA checked with Carnival after reviewing our booking and learned that there had been a "mistake" in the email offer and only "Drinks in Casino" would be included. After numerous calls to the Casino it was determined that they would not be honoring the initial offer that was received. If our TA hadn't been so diligent, we would have boarded that ship and had a huge problem at Guest Services. Not a good way to start a vacation. I hope by posting this, anyone who had booked with this Carnival Casino offer double checks their booking to ensure they are getting the perks they were offered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBBucman Posted March 14, 2021 #4 Share Posted March 14, 2021 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdr69 Posted March 14, 2021 #5 Share Posted March 14, 2021 They have many different versions from drinks on us in casino for you and a guest to drinks anywhere on board to sometimes just you and not a guest. No catch other than you got the offer. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camden72 Posted March 14, 2021 Author #6 Share Posted March 14, 2021 I got nervous about which offer I booked and just called to confirm. She said I booked the free drinks on board so hopefully everything goes smoothly on check in and there is no bait and switch happening! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwokpot Posted March 14, 2021 #7 Share Posted March 14, 2021 3 hours ago, Camden72 said: I got nervous about which offer I booked and just called to confirm. She said I booked the free drinks on board so hopefully everything goes smoothly on check in and there is no bait and switch happening! Just remember that's only for you, not for the 2nd passenger, assuming there is one. If you look at the casino offers in the initial ads if it applies for 2 people it clearly states it. When it doesn't say drinks for you and a passenger it's only for you. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRVEGAS711 Posted March 15, 2021 #8 Share Posted March 15, 2021 YES THERE IS A CATCH. Book the cruise ala carte and it cost you $1000. Book the same cruise with "Free Drinks on Board" and the cruise costs you $1625. Free isn't free like you were taught in school. (Cheaper than $700 per person YES, Free NO) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkintheplank Posted March 15, 2021 #9 Share Posted March 15, 2021 1 hour ago, MRVEGAS711 said: YES THERE IS A CATCH. Book the cruise ala carte and it cost you $1000. Book the same cruise with "Free Drinks on Board" and the cruise costs you $1625. Free isn't free like you were taught in school. (Cheaper than $700 per person YES, Free NO) Exactly. I got an offer for "free cheers" cruises. When I did a fake booking without the "free Cheers" the prices were $800 lower. They gonna get yo $$$ one way or another. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d12j28 Posted March 15, 2021 #10 Share Posted March 15, 2021 1 hour ago, MRVEGAS711 said: YES THERE IS A CATCH. Book the cruise ala carte and it cost you $1000. Book the same cruise with "Free Drinks on Board" and the cruise costs you $1625. Free isn't free like you were taught in school. (Cheaper than $700 per person YES, Free NO) 10 minutes ago, walkintheplank said: Exactly. I got an offer for "free cheers" cruises. When I did a fake booking without the "free Cheers" the prices were $800 lower. They gonna get yo $$$ one way or another. This is for a casino offer, not the Cheers promo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkintheplank Posted March 15, 2021 #11 Share Posted March 15, 2021 5 minutes ago, d12j28 said: This is for a casino offer, not the Cheers promo. Correct, but the point is still valid. It is not free. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d12j28 Posted March 15, 2021 #12 Share Posted March 15, 2021 Just now, walkintheplank said: Correct, but the point is still valid. It is not free. It is not valid under a casino offer. The cruise will be cheaper than other rates and the free drinks is just that, free. Now if you are talking about the Cheers promo I would agree that the cost of the cruise is jacked up and it would not be totally free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkintheplank Posted March 15, 2021 #13 Share Posted March 15, 2021 🙂 It's still not free. You are dropping $$$ in their casino with a very high probability that there will be no return. There is a much higher chance that you will get lung cancer though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwokpot Posted March 15, 2021 #14 Share Posted March 15, 2021 (edited) 49 minutes ago, walkintheplank said: 🙂 It's still not free. You are dropping $$$ in their casino with a very high probability that there will be no return. There is a much higher chance that you will get lung cancer though. The general logic for cruisers on comped casino offers is that if one is a regular gambler and enjoys gambling as a leisure pastime the amount of money that is allocated to gambling on a cruiseship would have been spent regardless of getting a comped cruise. On our latest comped cruise the comp was worth over $2300 for the cabin. That's not including the free drinks and casino free play that was offered. My gambling budget probably will be $3-4,000 on this particular trip, so more than half of my gambling allotment came from NOT having to pay for the cruise directly. This is the calculus for gamblers on land based casinos. The 'agreement' between the gambler and casinos is "We come and gamble for our enjoyment in your casino, and you will give us return benefits such as free rooms, food, gifts, and gambling money". When casino companies tinker with that formula gamblers will show their displeasure but not patronizing those casinos that gamblers feel don't reward enough complementaries commensurate to the money spent. Edited March 15, 2021 by kwokpot 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgrmini Posted March 15, 2021 #15 Share Posted March 15, 2021 (edited) 5 hours ago, MRVEGAS711 said: YES THERE IS A CATCH. Book the cruise ala carte and it cost you $1000. Book the same cruise with "Free Drinks on Board" and the cruise costs you $1625. Free isn't free like you were taught in school. (Cheaper than $700 per person YES, Free NO) It's free, just like NCL's 'Free at Sea' promo has free drinks, specialty dining, shore excursion credits, internet, gold plated diamond encrusted unobtanium rings, and tap water. Just pay gratuities, a 40% higher base fare, and your 2nd born uncle's roommate's lawyer's son's soul! Edited March 15, 2021 by bgrmini 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Envelope21 Posted March 16, 2021 #16 Share Posted March 16, 2021 On 3/15/2021 at 2:22 PM, bgrmini said: It's free, just like NCL's 'Free at Sea' promo has free drinks, specialty dining, shore excursion credits, internet, gold plated diamond encrusted unobtanium rings, and tap water. Just pay gratuities, a 40% higher base fare, and your 2nd born uncle's roommate's lawyer's son's soul! Good One! So true! LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRVEGAS711 Posted March 19, 2021 #17 Share Posted March 19, 2021 On 3/15/2021 at 10:55 AM, walkintheplank said: 🙂 It's still not free. You are dropping $$$ in their casino with a very high probability that there will be no return. There is a much higher chance that you will get lung cancer though. OMG HATE THE SMOKE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgrmini Posted March 19, 2021 #18 Share Posted March 19, 2021 24 minutes ago, MRVEGAS711 said: OMG HATE THE SMOKE While not for the entire casino, on my last cruise (March 2020 on Paradise) they had made the casino bar non-smoking. The cruise prior to that, January 2020 on Paradise, smoking was allowed at half the casino bar. Not sure if it was a fleetwide change, but it was a welcome change none the less. With some other major cruise lines having non-smoking casinos, perhaps Carnival will move in that direction within a few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakeT Posted March 22, 2021 #19 Share Posted March 22, 2021 But you get hours of fun in the casino. If you are into it. Free drinks are a nice perk for casino guest. Plus you get money off of cabin rate and casino money Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twpion Posted March 23, 2021 #20 Share Posted March 23, 2021 I have kind of same question, got an offer that was too good to pass up for next January (hopefully), but when I called it seems the drink package is only for me. I need to find out what best course of action will be for my wife...pretty sure she will be able to get through the casino by first night, but know Carnival can be kind of picky when only one person has a drink package? I would rather not pay for Cheers deal. Kind of thinking it may be best to actually call a host when we get closer to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetsfan58 Posted March 23, 2021 #21 Share Posted March 23, 2021 On 3/15/2021 at 8:46 AM, MRVEGAS711 said: YES THERE IS A CATCH. Book the cruise ala carte and it cost you $1000. Book the same cruise with "Free Drinks on Board" and the cruise costs you $1625. Free isn't free like you were taught in school. (Cheaper than $700 per person YES, Free NO) Teach Mr. Vegas711!!! Great analysis. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twpion Posted March 23, 2021 #22 Share Posted March 23, 2021 gamblers may well pay way more for their cruises after all said and done 😄 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNJCruisers Posted March 23, 2021 #23 Share Posted March 23, 2021 3 hours ago, twpion said: gamblers may well pay way more for their cruises after all said and done 😄 Top 3 money makers on board. 1. casino 2. bars 3. excursions Top 3 money losers on board. 1. cruisers removing gratuities 2. see #1 3. see #1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hurricane0226 Posted March 23, 2021 #24 Share Posted March 23, 2021 We received the offer, it states as follows: Plan now, Play later. Get a free ocean view room, plus 500.00 in fun play credits plus free drinks everywhere on board the ship. From 200.00 per person that gets back too 400.00 obc. Rate code FVO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rch3 Posted March 24, 2021 #25 Share Posted March 24, 2021 Yesterday we received casino promotion offering free balcony stateroom (or below) requiring a non refundable deposit of $200, $200 OBC, “Free drinks on us, everywhere on the ship,” and $200 in “FunPlay Credits.” Limited number of fall and winter sailings. Many of the offered sailings were sold out of balcony cabins, but several were open. Booked Horizon 6-day Western for Feb. 2022. Balcony cabins available “free” were Coves or unassigned. Was able to “buy up” to an 8T spa balcony for $20pp/day. Best offer we’ve ever received, but screen-shot taken to be safe. Seemed too good to be true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now