Welcome aboard drink for gold platinum diamond

[dcwalker]

I have DOU in the casino. If the first drink I order is in the casino, will that use up my welcome aboard free drink?

[sparks1093]

I don't believe they do a welcome aboard drink. They offer one the last night of the cruise (for cruises more than 5 days?). We've had Cheers the last couple of sailings and I never even paid attention to this.

[Elaine5715]

24 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

I don't believe they do a welcome aboard drink. They offer one the last night of the cruise (for cruises more than 5 days?). We've had Cheers the last couple of sailings and I never even paid attention to this.

Carnival improves a VIFP benefit

Carnival recently made a change to the two free drinks it offers top tiers of its VIFP program. Under the old system, the drinks could only be redeemed at very specific times. 

That's something that has changed and Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald explained the changes in a July 21 Facebook post.   

"So, as you are aware today marks the start of cruises where guests no longer have to wait until the last day of the cruise and the previous restrictions on being served their complimentary drink and it was brilliant to see how most were very, very pleased," he wrote.

Heald noted that he has received a lot of questions about how the various bartenders and waiters will know that a passenger is entitled to the free drinks.

"The complimentary drink will now become the Welcome Aboard – Welcome Home beverage," he said. "So, if you are Gold, Platinum, or Diamond the bartenders and bar waiters will see from your Sail and Sign card (or boarding pass if you haven’t collected it yet from outside your cabin) that you are entitled to your complimentary beverage and so will not charge you anything at all."

 

[ProgRockCruiser]

29 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

I don't believe they do a welcome aboard drink. They offer one the last night of the cruise (for cruises more than 5 days?). We've had Cheers the last couple of sailings and I never even paid attention to this.

Yes there is, it's a new thing.  From the VIFP benefits page:

 

Gold:

Appreciation drink on 5+ day cruises
Redeemable at any venue; Will be automatically applied to the first transaction once onboard

 

P/D:

Complimentary beverage
Redeemable at any venue; Will be automatically applied to the first transaction once onboard

 

How these interact with DOU I have no idea.

 

Ah, someone beat me to it.  Jinx!

Edited August 19 by ProgRockCruiser

[Elaine5715]

Just now, ProgRockCruiser said:

Yes there is (not by that name, per se), it's a new thing.  From the VIFP benefits page:

 

Gold:

Appreciation drink on 5+ day cruises
Redeemable at any venue; Will be automatically applied to the first transaction once onboard

 

P/D:

Complimentary beverage
Redeemable at any venue; Will be automatically applied to the first transaction once onboard

 

How these interact with DOU I have no idea.

 

Ah, someone beat me to it.  Jinx!

You owe me a Coke.  Do you have Bubbles?

[ProgRockCruiser]

Just now, Elaine5715 said:

You owe me a Coke.  Do you have Bubbles?

Lol!

[hurricane0226]

Just now, Elaine5715 said:

You owe me a Coke.  Do you have Bubbles?

pepsi

[sparks1093]

12 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

Carnival improves a VIFP benefit

Carnival recently made a change to the two free drinks it offers top tiers of its VIFP program. Under the old system, the drinks could only be redeemed at very specific times. 

That's something that has changed and Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald explained the changes in a July 21 Facebook post.   

"So, as you are aware today marks the start of cruises where guests no longer have to wait until the last day of the cruise and the previous restrictions on being served their complimentary drink and it was brilliant to see how most were very, very pleased," he wrote.

Heald noted that he has received a lot of questions about how the various bartenders and waiters will know that a passenger is entitled to the free drinks.

"The complimentary drink will now become the Welcome Aboard – Welcome Home beverage," he said. "So, if you are Gold, Platinum, or Diamond the bartenders and bar waiters will see from your Sail and Sign card (or boarding pass if you haven’t collected it yet from outside your cabin) that you are entitled to your complimentary beverage and so will not charge you anything at all."

 

 

11 minutes ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

Yes there is, it's a new thing.  From the VIFP benefits page:

 

Gold:

Appreciation drink on 5+ day cruises
Redeemable at any venue; Will be automatically applied to the first transaction once onboard

 

P/D:

Complimentary beverage
Redeemable at any venue; Will be automatically applied to the first transaction once onboard

 

How these interact with DOU I have no idea.

 

Ah, someone beat me to it.  Jinx!

Thanks for the info! My kids are right- I am old and behind the times.

[mz-s]

1 hour ago, dcwalker said:

I have DOU in the casino. If the first drink I order is in the casino, will that use up my welcome aboard free drink?

“Will be automatically applied to the first transaction once onboard”
 

https://www.carnival.com/vifp

[dcwalker]

3 minutes ago, mz-s said:

“Will be automatically applied to the first transaction once onboard”
 

https://www.carnival.com/vifp

So don't waste it in the casino?

[pinto18]

1 hour ago, dcwalker said:

I have DOU in the casino. If the first drink I order is in the casino, will that use up my welcome aboard free drink?

I had the same question ...would a free drink in the casino count as the first transaction?

 

[Illbcruzn4life]

1 hour ago, sparks1093 said:

 

Thanks for the info! My kids are right- I am old and behind the times.

welcome to the club! They aren't shy about letting you know either. lol

[mfs2k]

Since I have free drinks in the casino, and a free platinum drink and we also have the Cheers package, I'd like the beverage department to set us up with a bottle of Bulleit bourbon in our cabin with glassware and replenished ice.  I think that's more than a reasonable accomodation considering how much we're paying for alcohol we probably won't consume nearly as much as we're paying for. 

[Elaine5715]

1 hour ago, dcwalker said:

So don't waste it in the casino?

 

1 hour ago, pinto18 said:

I had the same question ...would a free drink in the casino count as the first transaction?

 

It is possible it might but who can wait until the casino opens for that first Funship!

[slavigne5577]

It's the first drink ordered. No matter where you are and even if it's water. You can get it in Galveston on first day. We did, then started drinking our wine.

[Mike45LC]

Casino doesn't open until a few hours after sail-away.  So you can easily order that first drink before the casino opens, such as when you muster.  Problem solved!

[simplelife]

6 hours ago, sparks1093 said:

I don't believe they do a welcome aboard drink. They offer one the last night of the cruise (for cruises more than 5 days?). We've had Cheers the last couple of sailings and I never even paid attention to this.

The welcome aboard drink is new and replaces the drink on the last night of the cruise for golds and the last seaday brunch drink for plats

[mz-s]

14 hours ago, dcwalker said:

So don't waste it in the casino?

 

That's up to you, you're an adult. I wouldn't.

[johnboy036]

19 hours ago, hurricane0226 said:

pepsi

In Europe this summer it was coke and coke products. Don’t know if there is an issue getting Pepsi in large quantities in UK. 

[mfs2k]

Is there still a cocktail party for Platinum and higher tiers? 

[johnboy036]

18 hours ago, pinto18 said:

I had the same question ...would a free drink in the casino count as the first transaction?

 

It doesn’t count as first transaction. I sailed with someone who had DOU in the casino and all her drinks were free ones there. She used her “welcome aboard” drink in the dining room on the last night of the cruise. 

[mz-s]

1 hour ago, mfs2k said:

Is there still a cocktail party for Platinum and higher tiers? 

 

As of TODAY, yes. Who knows when that will change.

 

https://www.carnival.com/vifp

[dcwalker]

11 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

That's up to you, you're an adult. I wouldn't.

Ha ha! Thanks! I've been getting those senior discounts for a number of years now. It's been awhile since anyone has had to remind me that I'm an adult 😅

Edited August 20 by dcwalker
typo

[jimbo5544]

On 8/19/2024 at 1:34 PM, sparks1093 said:

I don't believe they do a welcome aboard drink. They offer one the last night of the cruise (for cruises more than 5 days?). We've had Cheers the last couple of sailings and I never even paid attention to this.

They did for us on our last cruise

[ledges1]

If you get your welcome aboard drink before leaving port, does Carnival charge you tax on the drink? They did on the free water in the Port of Mobile.