Bar Credits / Coupons

[joker0227]

Sorry to start a thread that's gotten lots of play in the past. After an hour of searching older threads I figured I'd just go ahead and post my question(s).

 

What I'd like to know, from those that have experience using bar credits, is how much over do you have to go before they charge your S&S?

 

• Example, if I give a coupon for a $5.95 Guinness, Grolsch or Boddingtons, do they really charge me 20 cents + gratuity?
  
• How about if I order a $6.75 Fosters? Will they let a dollar over go or have you found that they charge you the dollar + gratuity?
  

Last few questions, we have My Time dining so I was just wondering how we go about getting our hands on the coupons. Can we stop by the dining room early to pick them up? Is there any way to have them delivered to our stateroom instead?

 

We've been on a few cruises and I know what we typically spend on our bar tab so I figure if I can cut 15% off of it that would be great. Every little bit helps, I suppose...

 

Thanks much all :)

[BUBBASCRUSIN]

Sorry to start a thread that's gotten lots of play in the past. After an hour of searching older threads I figured I'd just go ahead and post my question(s).

 

What I'd like to know, from those that have experience using bar credits, is how much over do you have to go before they charge your S&S?

 

• Example, if I give a coupon for a $5.95 Guinness, Grolsch or Boddingtons, do they really charge me 20 cents + gratuity?
  
• How about if I order a $6.75 Fosters? Will they let a dollar over go or have you found that they charge you the dollar + gratuity?
  

Last few questions, we have My Time dining so I was just wondering how we go about getting our hands on the coupons. Can we stop by the dining room early to pick them up? Is there any way to have them delivered to our stateroom instead?

 

We've been on a few cruises and I know what we typically spend on our bar tab so I figure if I can cut 15% off of it that would be great. Every little bit helps, I suppose...

 

Thanks much all :)

 

If you go over the face value of the drink coupons they will cahrge you the diffrence and the graiuty now matter how much it is is what i was cahrged on my last cruise

 

on the your time dinning just ask the matra d for them when you come into the dinning room and they should have them i dont think you can have them delivered as you have to sign for them

[girlscruise2011]

I've used the bar coupons for 2 cruises. On the first cruise I wasn't charged anything extra but mostly drank beers. This past October, I drank more frozen drinks and was charged the upcharge and the 15%. Not sure if this is the new norm or just because the frozen drinks are about $2 more.

 

I've read on here that you can go to the dining room when it opens in the afternoon and tell them you aren't sure you'll be eating in the MDR that night and they will give them to you early. I was going to try that in October but by the time we got onboard, had lunch, got settled in our room, had a few, it was dinner time so I didn't try.

 

I just purchased the drink coupons for my upcoming May cruise. I'm with you. Any savings is a savings so I'm happy with the 15% too.

[dbrucern]

We always buy the bar coupons and it has varied from ship to ship, sometimes we are charged the extra sometimes we have not been charged extra and yes we have even tried to give them an extra coupon to cover and they would not take it but instead charged the small amount of difference to our S&S account. This last cruise in December the bar coupons were waiting in our room when we boarded on the first day. Usually we get them at the dining room on first night but they will get them to you on the first day without any problem.

[maryred]

I think it really depends on the server or bartender if they will charge the difference if the the regular drink price alone is less than $1 above the value of the drink ticket. From what I have experienced though if the stated drink price itself is more than a $6.25, they will charge you the difference with the gratuity being calculated on the actual amount being charged to the S&S account. Example have not be charged for a shot of Absolut which is $5.75, but have been charged $1.43 for a shot of 1800 which lists for $6.50.

 

The drink tickets in my experience were always presented at the 1st night dinner and signed for by the person that the booking # was primary to. But I have heard of passengers having the tickets delivered to their cabin or picking them up at designated spots upon boarding.

[jsjjkelly]

Just wanted to chime in what happened to us. We bought the drink coupons for our cruise on the Splendor. Well, my inlaws were travelling with us, and the Carnival rep we worked with didn't put our reservations together, so we were in completely different dining rooms.

 

We ended up going to dinner the first night in their dining room. Someone called our room later that night saying we didn't come to dinner and we have our drink coupons. They wanted us to go down to our old dining room assignment to pick them up. So we start to get shoes on to go, and lo and behold there's a knock on the door! They already had made their way down to deliver them!! We thought it was very nice.

 

Just chiming in on another scenario!

Shawn

[fliprcruzr]

Sorry to start a thread that's gotten lots of play in the past. After an hour of searching older threads I figured I'd just go ahead and post my question(s).

 

What I'd like to know, from those that have experience using bar credits, is how much over do you have to go before they charge your S&S?

 

• Example, if I give a coupon for a $5.95 Guinness, Grolsch or Boddingtons, do they really charge me 20 cents + gratuity?
  
• How about if I order a $6.75 Fosters? Will they let a dollar over go or have you found that they charge you the dollar + gratuity?
  

Last few questions, we have My Time dining so I was just wondering how we go about getting our hands on the coupons. Can we stop by the dining room early to pick them up? Is there any way to have them delivered to our stateroom instead?

 

We've been on a few cruises and I know what we typically spend on our bar tab so I figure if I can cut 15% off of it that would be great. Every little bit helps, I suppose...

 

Thanks much all :)

 

Just got off the Valor, and I was charged 23 cents, 20 cents + 3 cent tip when I bought my buddy a heinekin with bar coupon.

 

We had conventional late seating, so can't tell you how to get tix when doing YTD.

[joker0227]

Thanks for all the good info. I might just give our carnival rep that we always work with a call to see if he can work something to have the coupons delivered to our room - figure it's worth a try and can't hurt and if not I'll try to hit the dining room as soon as it opens to give that a try. I'll update this post with the results of my attempts to get my hands on the coupons early. We're pretty dedicated Carnival customers, hopefully this factors into the equation - again probably wishful thinking but it's worth a shot :)

 

I suppose as long as we end up using them all, which I have a sneaking suspicion we will, we'll save the $0.86 per coupon which will add up. I figure if I purchase 18 packets of 4 totaling 72 coupons that'll add up to $61.92 in savings...I suppose every little bit counts and if we're going to drink we might as well save as much as we can.

 

Thanks again everyone and happy sailing - only 8 more days for us. Can't wait!!!

 

Joker

[MikeHem510]

good question that was one of my concerns or questions.....when do you get your coupons....are they delivered to your stateroom??? or ar eyou saying you have to pick them up at dinner...?? cause we have the steakhouse the first night is that where they will be??

[girlscruise2011]

good question that was one of my concerns or questions.....when do you get your coupons....are they delivered to your stateroom??? or ar eyou saying you have to pick them up at dinner...?? cause we have the steakhouse the first night is that where they will be??

 

They are usually given to you at dinner in the MDR the first night. If you have steakhouse reservations instead, I would probably head to the MDR during the day while the Maitre D is there and ask him. Maybe he'll let you get them then instead.

 

Good luck

[nw2this]

Does adding a dollar cash tip make any difference in whether they charge the extra?

I don't want to add a cash tip and then also be charged another tip on my s&s.

[bzpilot]

Drink Coupons

Both Alcohol and Soda Drink coupons are available for purchase through Bon Voyage. You can purchase them through Bon Voyage By Phone or through Bon Voyage Online. They are sold in groups of four coupons. They do not save you anything other than the 15% added gratuity that is applied when paying for drinks with your Sail & Sign Card. This DOES NOT stop your waiter/bartender from getting a tip on your purchase with drink coupons. They still get a tip and the actual price savings you are getting is coming from a reduced drink price. The drink price reduction occurs when the coupon is entered into the computer system.

 

Any drinks valued over the face value of the drink coupon (over $5.75 for alcohol, and over $1.95 for soda) will have the difference in value charged to your Sail & Sign account, in most cases. Sometimes, when the value is close you will not be charged the difference, this is all dependent on your bartender. Carnival's policy is to charge any difference. On a $5.75 alcoholic drink the savings comes to $0.87 cents, on a $1.95 soda the savings comes to $0.30 cents.

 

One of the few instances I have seen where drink coupons have generally saved cruisers more is if you are a Guinness drinker. Guinness is priced at $5.95/beer onboard, which is only $0.20 cents over the coupon value, and in many instances cruisers have not been charged this difference. So, you are paying $5.75 for a Guinness instead of $5.95 + 15% gratuity = $6.85. The savings in this case is $1.10/beer by using a drink coupon.

 

Drink Coupon Facts:

 

• Drink coupons are nonrefundable.
  
• Drink coupons do not expire and can be used on future cruises.
  
• Drink coupons do not stop your waiter/bartender from getting a tip.
  
• Drink coupons cannot be used for room service or drinks in the mini-fridge in your cabin.
  
• Drink coupons are delivered to you in the Main Dining Room by the Maître d on the first night you choose to dine there. If you do not plan on dining in the Main Dining Room but still want your coupons just stop by and pick them up from the Maître d any night.
  
• Carnival's policy is to charge your Sail & Sign Card for the difference in price from the face value of the drink coupon to a higher priced drink. You may get lucky and not be charged.
  
• If you use a drink coupon for a drink of lesser value than the face value of the drink coupon you will lose that money.
  

[Iamthesea]

I would like to order drink coupons as a gift. If he coupons are delivered to the recipient on the first night at dinner, will the coupons have a gift card with them?

 

Also, on the Wine Packages, are the 3 and 5 wine packages bottle coupons or or coupons for glasses of wine?

[umpalumpa14588]

When you order online you can include a message or note.

[GLENANDT]

Does anyone know the number to call and order alcohol to be delivered to our cabin?

[Delta Dear]

I always buy them ahead and I always save two to four coupons for our sailaway on the next ship.

[ChefSusan]

The coupons will be delivered to your table at dinner regardless of whether you book traditional or your time. Usually it is one of the hostesses who delivers them.

 

We've used the coupons on three cruises so far, and will be rolling a bunch over to our next cruise in August. I love that there is not expiration date!

[Iamthesea]

When you order online you can include a message or note.

 

Thank you!

[Froufie]

I would like to order drink coupons as a gift. If he coupons are delivered to the recipient on the first night at dinner, will the coupons have a gift card with them?

 

Also, on the Wine Packages, are the 3 and 5 wine packages bottle coupons or or coupons for glasses of wine?

 

The Wine package is for 'bottles' not glasses! ...and you can keep any leftover coupons for your next cruise :)

[joker0227]

Does anyone know the number to call and order alcohol to be delivered to our cabin?

 

http://www.*****/Carnival/alcohol.html