looking to save on bar tab, any recommendations? Im not talking rum runners :)

[PittsburghGirlee]

On the Glory last year, they let me use my drink ticket for a Kiss on the Lips. No other charges were applied:D. I had 4 tickets thus 4 drinky poo's:eek:.

Compliments of the 45 day letter.......:o

[highbridge5]

Is the Bon Voyage department on line? I see where you can order wine/room decorations ,etc but not liquor. Thanks.

 

You have to call them if you want to order liquor. I got a bottle of scotch for DH. (Dewars Black Label 12). It was a 1 Liter bottle. I paid 60 something. Retail it is just under 40. We took most of it home since scotch drinkers don't generally pound it down.:D

 

This is the ONLY way to get a bottle of liquor to have in your room. Anything you buy in the duty free shop, they hold for you. Anything you buy on shore, they hold for you. Anything you smuggle and get caught, they hold for you (or maybe not).

 

The bar coupons save you the gratuity (about 75 cents a drink) since it is built into the coupon and the coupon is worth the price of one domestic beer or bottom shelf drink (4.95). Look at the bar menu when you get to the bar- you'll see which liquors are considered the cheap ones. As long as you order a drink with those brands that contains only one kind of liquor, you'll not find yourself going over.

 

4 coupons can be used together toward a bottle of wine.

 

We brought 1 bottle of wine each (as was allowed), a box of wine (which put us "over" our limit. We had all of it in our carry-ons and were allowed on with it anyway.) I bought a "deluxe assortment" basket from Bon Voyage for each room (3 rooms) that each contained a bottle of wine. This gave us 5 bottles of wine to bring to dinner and a box to drink in the room. Plus munchies (fruit, cheese, crackers). I had my room steward keep us supplied with red wine glasses.

 

I got one sheet of bar coupons (which fell out of my pocket somewhere so I did not get to use) and a sheet of soda coupons for my mom.

 

We brought with us almost 24 cans of soda (allowed) and 24 large bottles of water (also allowed).

 

The only money we spent on the bar bill was a $10 corkage fee we paid in the MDR for one bottle that we brought and the $20 worth the drinks that we had to buy because I lost the coupons :(.

 

My kids all drank water or lemonade or juice. My mom drank all the soda and used the soda coupons. The adults drank water or iced tea or coffee.

 

If you like Captain and Coke or something, I would order the booze from bon voyage and bring the Coke. If you like complicated drinks - like long island iced teas, you might not have many options.

 

hb5

[anjoliza]

If you are a wine drinker, the wine packages are a good deal!! 5 bottles for $104 and then no corkage. You can order that at the Formalities shop once on board or from your waiter in the dining room.

[Teala]

I notice you said DH and friends are pretty big drinkers. Just a warning, no matter what you do to trim costs...expect a pretty hefty S&S bill. Partying on a cruise ship ain't cheap no matter how you slice it!:eek:

 

lol thanks, but im all too aware of that, we've done 4 cruises together! last bill was around 1,000 for the two of us, and that was no photos, spa or specialty restaurants! its always like that and i wanted to find ways to cut it down :)

[Teala]

Also, you can order your drinks with the house liquor instead of premium liquor. For some stuff, such as fruit and/or soda - Vodka based drinks, most people can't tell the difference. (no offense meant to any connoisseur's out there).

 

this is a great tip as well, i will have to remember this one, and remind DH and friends!

 

 

i need to start making a list for all these great tips.... i think they will come in handy :D

[staceyvols]

If you are a wine drinker, the wine packages are a good deal!! 5 bottles for $104 and then no corkage. You can order that at the Formalities shop once on board or from your waiter in the dining room.

 

I had wondered about the wine package. On our last cruise(Princess), we learned we could buy a bottle at the wine bar, and they would send what we hadn't finished to our dinner table. Is it something like that? That definitely is something I am going to look into. Thanks!

[anjoliza]

I had wondered about the wine package. On our last cruise(Princess), we learned we could buy a bottle at the wine bar, and they would send what we hadn't finished to our dinner table. Is it something like that? That definitely is something I am going to look into. Thanks!

 

http://www.carnival.com/cms/Static_Templates/carnival-wine-packages.aspx

 

The above site will explain what you get and the prices. From what I understand, you will receive 5 coupons and on the back will be listed the wines you are eligible to receive and you just check off the one you want and can give it to any bartender or to the waiter in the dining room. You can take the bottle to your room or from bar to bar or wherever you want to go on the ship or if you bring it to dinner or get it at dinner and don't drink it all they will save it there for you if you ask.

[poly1]

Best way to lower your bar bill is to drink a less!!