Carnival Beverage Policy / Dining Room & Buffet

Hello,

First time cruiser here. I know I can bring on 12 soda cans per person. I also understand that sodas aren't included in the standard package purchase price.

I understand that if I purchase the bottomless bubbles package I will be served soda in the dining room/buffet when requested. Is this accurate or do you have to purchase at these venues if you want a soda regardless or the bottomless bubbles package.

My other question is, if I do not purchase the bottomless bubbles package am I allowed to bring my carry-on soda into the dining room/buffet in lieu of purchasing a soda there? If I am able is it kosher to do so?

I called Carnival and was told I cannot. The representative seemed unsure so I called again, spoke to someone different and was told I am allowed to.

I'm guessing I may need to call a 3rd time to try and get a solid answer but thought I'd ask here as well.

If I cannot bring my own in and am forced to purchase a soda (not liking the standard options) at these venues then I would just as well purchase the bottomless bubbles package.

How do people who like a soda with their meal handle this on a cruise?

Thanks in advance.

Mike

You may also want to post this on the dedicated Carnival forum: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=215

You may also want to post this on the dedicated Carnival forum: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=215

I did do that. Thank you.

Bottomless Bubbles covers soda anywhere on the ship, including the dining room. However, like alcohol packages, it does not cover room service. Yes, if you bring on soda, you can take it to the dining room. EM

Bottomless Bubbles covers soda anywhere on the ship, including the dining room. However, like alcohol packages, it does not cover room service. Yes, if you bring on soda, you can take it to the dining room. EM

Exactly this.

You may also want to post this on the dedicated Carnival forum: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=215

That's like telling a beginning swimmer to jump into the deep end.;)

For the soda you carry on- you probably want to put it in a glass first. No one can give you trouble this way. You can find cups on lido, ask for an empty glass at a bar, and/or there are water glasses in your cabin.

People tried to tell me that I can bring a bottle of wine to the dining room and not pay corkage as long as it's already open. The first night I tried this I had no trouble but the second night I had to argue with the manager and promise not to do it again to not get charged.

After this one guy online INSISTED that you absolutely won't get charged corkage if you bring it open and that he's done it for millions of dining room meals, rudely disputing my saying "you have to bring it in a glass", and then they tried to charge me, I was SO mad.

Even if I ran into the one server who decided to be a jerk about it, I'm going to play it safe for the rest of my life and only bring wine in a glass from now on

For the soda you carry on- you probably want to put it in a glass first. No one can give you trouble this way. You can find cups on lido, ask for an empty glass at a bar, and/or there are water glasses in your cabin.

 

People tried to tell me that I can bring a bottle of wine to the dining room and not pay corkage as long as it's already open. The first night I tried this I had no trouble but the second night I had to argue with the manager and promise not to do it again to not get charged.

 

After this one guy online INSISTED that you absolutely won't get charged corkage if you bring it open and that he's done it for millions of dining room meals, rudely disputing my saying "you have to bring it in a glass", and then they tried to charge me, I was SO mad.

 

Even if I ran into the one server who decided to be a jerk about it, I'm going to play it safe for the rest of my life and only bring wine in a glass from now on

Thank you. Kind of silly to want to charge you when it's already open. Of course, charging $15 to open a bottle is silly too!

They’re not charging you for opening the bottle, it’s a service charge to offset profits lost by you not purchasing the wine from them, the same as land based restaurants.

They’re not charging you for opening the bottle, it’s a service charge to offset profits lost by you not purchasing the wine from them, the same as land based restaurants.

Yeah, I know. It's just silly. Either let people bring their own (without charging $15 for what could amount to an $8 bottle) or not.

Yeah, I know. It's just silly. Either let people bring their own (without charging $15 for what could amount to an $8 bottle) or not.

They could be like NCL I suppose and charge $15 for every bottle regardless of where you consume it. You could also not bring a bottle and pay $26 for the same $8 bottle of wine;).

They could be like NCL I suppose and charge $15 for every bottle regardless of where you consume it. You could also not bring a bottle and pay $26 for the same $8 bottle of wine;).

It could also be a $26 bottle of wine from your local grocery store plus the $15 corkage fee 😭

But that same $26 bottle of wine would probably cost $75 onboard.

For the soda you carry on- you probably want to put it in a glass first. No one can give you trouble this way. You can find cups on lido, ask for an empty glass at a bar, and/or there are water glasses in your cabin.

This is really not necessary. You will see people with cans of all different kinds of sodas everywhere. You can even bring a can into the MDR and ask for a glass of ice for it without issue.

I do agree with Lauren regarding the wine, though. If you plan to have just one glass at dinner, avoid the corkage fee by taking a glass of wine to dinner with you (not the entire bottle). In my experience, we were charged the corkage fee about 50% of the time.

For the soda you carry on- you probably want to put it in a glass first. No one can give you trouble this way. You can find cups on lido, ask for an empty glass at a bar, and/or there are water glasses in your cabin.

 

People tried to tell me that I can bring a bottle of wine to the dining room and not pay corkage as long as it's already open. The first night I tried this I had no trouble but the second night I had to argue with the manager and promise not to do it again to not get charged.

 

After this one guy online INSISTED that you absolutely won't get charged corkage if you bring it open and that he's done it for millions of dining room meals, rudely disputing my saying "you have to bring it in a glass", and then they tried to charge me, I was SO mad.

 

Even if I ran into the one server who decided to be a jerk about it, I'm going to play it safe for the rest of my life and only bring wine in a glass from now on

Corkage fee has not high to do with whether or how the bottle is opened; it is just the established term for the fee for consuming alcohol not bought on ghe premises. So bringing the bottle to the MDR triggers the fee, since they know you did not buy it there. However, if you pour a glass and bring it with you to the MDR, no one questions you (since many people carry purchased drinks asking the ship.) You can do the same with soda.

Thank you. Kind of silly to want to charge you when it's already open. Of course, charging $15 to open a bottle is silly too!

As others said, it’s not about opening it, it’s about the lost revenue. However, I believe that if you pay the corkage fee you will get the same service experience that you would get if you purchased a bottle - so they would hold it and chill it for you, serve it to you upon request, hold and chill any wine not consumed until you want it again. Not just pay $15 to have them carry a corkscrew to your table, open it, and then hand it back to you.

I believe that technically you are supposed to pay the corkage if you consume the wine in a dining/bar venue on the ship. However, since you are free to walk up to any bar on the ship and order a glass of wine to take with you, the only way they would know you were drinking your own wine would be if you brought it in the bottle.

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