Alcohol Included?

[JTAIME]

How do find out which cruises have alcohol included? I have seen Carnival offer these on some cruises. Do you have to ask for this to be included during booking (and pay extra)

Thanks:p

[barbarah33]

Perhaps for very limited special cruises on mainstream lines alcohol is included but in general it is not ever! (I suppose if Bacardi or Budweiser rented the entire ship.) And there is no 'up-front' amount you can pay to have it included with you cruise. You order the drinks you want and get the bill at the end of the cruise.

 

If you want a cruise that includes alcohol you need to look at the 'upper' cruise lines like Crystal or Seabourn.

[JTAIME]

I know they have cruises like that on Carnival, because a friend of mine has been on one before. Perhaps they were with a large group and this was an option for them.

[barbarah33]

It must have been something they worked out ahead of time. I once had over 100 in a group I organized on Carnival and the cruise line did give us lots of options and extras for being such a large group but including alcohol for the entire cruise was never one of them. And back then with that group it would have been a deal for us! I would ask your friend what he/she did.

[richwmn]

How do find out which cruises have alcohol included? I have seen Carnival offer these on some cruises. Do you have to ask for this to be included during booking (and pay extra)

Thanks:p

 

There is an option that has been discussed on several boards, including Carnival. This can be requested by groups over a certain size (about 30 I think), but there are several restrictions. The one that stands out the most is that it is an "all or nothing" situation. The entire group has to pay the extra for the package, or nobody can get it. There was a suggestion that two groups could book together (1 with, 1 without) but I don't remember anyone reporting success this way

 

Rich

[cruiseco]

This happens quite often with corporate groups. Perhaps the CEO wants to treat the top 100 salespeople and spouses to a cruise. The bar tab for all of the guests can be included this way along with things like tips or pre-arranged shore excursions to make it as close to a true all-inclusive event as possible.

[shopril]

We are booked on a Carnival Cruise in Jan. that is “all-inclusive”. This is a group that is offered thru our local TA. Last year I think they had about 75 in the group. They have done several of these, but this is the first one we have taken so I really do not know many details. I am guessing we will get a card like the soda card to use for our drinks.

[JTAIME]

Thanks. I think they are offered on special groups. My friend just told me they were with the tavern league. That explains it.

[neverpar]

There was a suggestion that two groups could book together (1 with, 1 without) but I don't remember anyone reporting success this way

 

Rich

 

That is exactly how we booked our cruise, one group with the "bar card" and one group without....not a problem at all!

[Wylie Coyote]

Hey... check out the luxury lines...like Regent Seven Seas...their lines have all inclusive cruises....including alcohol, but they cost ALOT more than Carnival or Norwegian.

 

On Norwegian and Carnival...Groups (more than 20) can purchase the Beverage Package. The one on NCL offers an all you can drink alcohol package for $46 per day ($322 more per 7 night cruise per person)for groups of 20 or more.

 

If you are not on a luxury line, did not book with a large group or did not book on an "All INclusive" voyage...you will be paying for your drinks one at a time as they get added to your sail and sing card. Wow, how fast that can add up too!!!

 

Happy Sailing!!! :D

[Teetype]

How do find out which cruises have alcohol included? I have seen Carnival offer these on some cruises. Do you have to ask for this to be included during booking (and pay extra)

Thanks:p

 

We don't do all-inclusives and most people shouldn't. Why? Because while we do drink, we're, like most, pretty minimal which means we pay for the guy who guzzles. No thanks. But, well, if you wanna pay for my gambling, I'll go for it. :)

 

Tee

[cruiseco]

We don't do all-inclusives and most people shouldn't. Why? Because while we do drink, we're, like most, pretty minimal which means we pay for the guy who guzzles. No thanks.

 

Tee

 

By that reasoning most people should avoid cruising also. There's always those on board who have two entrees every night, two desserts, load up at the buffets, and have room service every night. Why should I subsidize their gluttony? I guess the only way to make sure you're not paying more than you should is to only take vacations that are 100% pay as you go.

[Wylie Coyote]

I can only imagine that if all cruiselines had all inclusive cruises at an affordable price.... two things would happen.....

 

1 - The cruiseline would loose money....

2- There would be so many drunks....that it would be a problem safety wise.

 

Now having said that, the cost of drinks on a cruise never kept me from enjoying as many drinks as I cared to enjoy. However, I am not one that has to stagger back to my stateroom before I think I had a good time.

 

The cost of cruise lines with all inclusive are far more expensive than the additional cost for my drinks on a standard non all inclusive cruise.

 

Happy sailing!!! :D

[bar_20]

Lot's of people spend more then $100.00 a day on booze on a cruise. If it included wine at dinner it's a good deal.

[Sundagger]

I can only imagine that if all cruiselines had all inclusive cruises at an affordable price.... two things would happen.....

 

1 - The cruiseline would loose money....

2- There would be so many drunks....that it would be a problem safety wise.

 

Now having said that, the cost of drinks on a cruise never kept me from enjoying as many drinks as I cared to enjoy. However, I am not one that has to stagger back to my stateroom before I think I had a good time.

 

The cost of cruise lines with all inclusive are far more expensive than the additional cost for my drinks on a standard non all inclusive cruise.

 

Happy sailing!!! :D

 

Are there a lot of drunks on Regent Seven Seas, et al? Or do drunks head for affordable cruises?

[PennyAgain]

As of right now Crystal is not all inclusive for ordinary passengers. Folks who book the most expensive suites do have liquor available in their suites.

 

There are all sorts of rumors that Crystal is going all inclusive for all passengers, but that is what they are.....at this time....rumors.

[Wylie Coyote]

Are there a lot of drunks on Regent Seven Seas, et al? Or do drunks head for affordable cruises?

 

Well, I have never been on a RSS cruise. However, from my understanding, the travelers on the luxury cruises don't seem to be the same type of party cruiser you will find on Carnival sailings during Spring Break.

 

So to answer your question... Hmmmm Yes, Yes indeed, ALL drunks head for the affordable cruises. :D

 

Happy Sailing!!

[Hlitner]

You can go on one of the really ultra-deluxe lines like Silverseas, Sea-Goddess, or Seabourn, and they will happily give you all the top-shelf booze and wine you can drink. Of course you will have to pay their price which generally starts at about $1000 per person/day (although sometimes you can get a discount to about half that price).

 

Hank

[nhlshenderson]

I just went on a Royal Carribean cruise with work, and as part of a corporate package, you can buy a package that includes alcohol. When we got our seapass card, there was a blue sticker on it that said "call brand drink program." We could drink whatever we wanted, even shots.

 

It wouls be worth looking into for large groups to see if you could get away with getting a corporate package just for the alcohol!

[PennyAgain]

This happens quite often with corporate groups. Perhaps the CEO wants to treat the top 100 salespeople and spouses to a cruise. The bar tab for all of the guests can be included this way along with things like tips or pre-arranged shore excursions to make it as close to a true all-inclusive event as possible.

 

This used to happen more often than it does now. My outfit no longer pays for any alcohol at all. Anything we want, we have to buy.

[kitty9]

I know they have cruises like that on Carnival, because a friend of mine has been on one before. Perhaps they were with a large group and this was an option for them.

 

Carnival requires a group of at least 30, and everyone in the group must participate. If even one does not, they don't offer the package. They don't offer all inclusive drinks to individuals on any of their cruises.

 

The only lines that are all inclusive are the luxury line's, and you'll pay 4 times what you pay on Carnival.

 

Celebrity has a drinks package whereby you pre-pay for a specific package and get your beverages. For example, if you purchase their premium package, for just under $400 including gratuity, you get all beverages, including soft drinks, bottled water, specialty coffees and all alcohol up to $12 a glass.

[kitty9]

As of right now Crystal is not all inclusive for ordinary passengers. Folks who book the most expensive suites do have liquor available in their suites.

 

There are all sorts of rumors that Crystal is going all inclusive for all passengers, but that is what they are.....at this time....rumors.

 

Not rumors, Penny. Crystal will be going all inclusive next spring.

[LHT28]

The thread is from 2008 :rolleyes:

[PennyAgain]

Not rumors, Penny. Crystal will be going all inclusive next spring.

 

Yes, Darcy, you picked up a really old post I made.

 

From how I read the information on Crystal for 2012, it will be all inclusive to include SOME types and grades of liquor and wine but not all and everything on the ships. That is fair. Folks with expensive taste and desires will still have some bar bills to pay.

 

The all inclusive pricing on Crystal is, however, pricing up out of the market for cruising on Crystal. Crystal is now well out of our comfort zone.

[Downdie]

As usual when this question is asked on CC's boards the majority of respondents to the OP give misleading information. Agreed, no American based mainstream cruise line is all-inclusive for all beverages including alcohol,but all mainstream Spanish cruiselines are all-inclusive, including Carnival,s Iberocruises and especially Royal Caribbean's Pullmantur which is being increasingly marketed in USA and Canada.