How do you find out if there is a group rate on your cruise

[boomonster]

We (4 cabins , 9 people) are planning on doing the Freedom out of FLL Dec 9, 2012. I have read about group cruises with an all you can drink if everyone buys into that. My question is how do you find out if that's available on your cruise or how to join . We do not have a TA we usually just book through Carnival. Only 4 of us want to join so I can book the others separetly right? Any help or knowledge would be great . Usually just book hubby and me but bringing the whole fam damily this time(hence the drink package ;)). Thanks in advance

[trbost]

We (4 cabins , 9 people) are planning on doing the Freedom out of FLL Dec 9, 2012. I have read about group cruises with an all you can drink if everyone buys into that. My question is how do you find out if that's available on your cruise or how to join . We do not have a TA we usually just book through Carnival. Only 4 of us want to join so I can book the others separetly right? Any help or knowledge would be great . Usually just book hubby and me but bringing the whole fam damily this time(hence the drink package ;)). Thanks in advance

You must book 8 cabins to qualify for a "group" rate and Carnival doesn't have an "all you can drink" alcohol policy, like some of it's competitors. Here is a copy of Carnival's drink prices. I hope this helps.

 

http://www.*****/carnival/docs/barmenuoutdoor.pdf[/url]

[sharecruises]

We (4 cabins , 9 people) are planning on doing the Freedom out of FLL Dec 9, 2012. I have read about group cruises with an all you can drink if everyone buys into that. My question is how do you find out if that's available on your cruise or how to join . We do not have a TA we usually just book through Carnival. Only 4 of us want to join so I can book the others separetly right? Any help or knowledge would be great . Usually just book hubby and me but bringing the whole fam damily this time(hence the drink package ;)). Thanks in advance

 

You could try googling for your ship and date, but honestly those "all you can drink" cruise groups seem to be few and far between. It is a hard deal to set up, the agent/group doing it has to have every one in the group on the plan.

 

I have read about someone who does do this , it is a once a year thing for that group

 

You might try : having everyone over 21 in your group carry on a bottle of wine, rum runner flasks dot com, portashots dot com

 

If you want an "all u can drink day" check out the port boards ...many of the islands have beach clubs and/or all inclusives that sell an all you can drink day pass

 

Have fun!

[sharecruises]

You must book 8 cabins to qualify for a "group" rate and Carnival doesn't have an "all you can drink" alcohol policy, like some of it's competitors. Here is a copy of Carnival's drink prices. I hope this helps.

 

http://www.*****/carnival/docs/barmenuoutdoor.pdf[/url]

 

Actually they do have an all you can drink deal for groups, must be 30 in the group, and everyone in the group must buy it

 

It is not easy to get that together and most travel agents and group leaders don't even bother to try. I have seen a couple "party people" groups that do this every year, and that is probably what OP was looking for??

 

Actually any group of 8 cabins can get amenity points and thus get some free wine and/or open bar. We had 2 bottle wine each and one hour open bar, any thing we wanted, on the Spirit.

 

So while you "google for groups" you may not find an "open bar" group but you may find another "group" who has some free parties and you might be able to put your reservations in with their travel agent.

 

Another idea for OP : join your roll call and see if someone *(you?) wants to set up an open bar party for one or two hours for the roll call...you will need 20 people for that. The prices are pretty good

 

That might be a good option since they have ELIMINATED THE FUN FAREWELL PARTY>OUCH

[Carnival_Brides]

Those drinks cards are only for larger groups (I've seen anywhere from 30-300 people as the minimum) and EVERYONE from the 6 month old baby to the 102 year old grandparent must purchase it. I've also read on one of the threads that it's a few hundred dollars.

[rob352]

I have found that unless you have 30 people or more the group rate is higher then the Early Saver fares

[firefly333]

That drink rate, everyone in the group has to pay for it, and its quite expensive. Adds about $300 to the cost of your cruise. I dont drink that much, but Im sure some do.

 

I too would like to be able to find who has groups, but for another reason .. just to find out if there is a way to get a discounted rate from a group TA .. it would be great if there was a way to discuss this and find these group TAs who might highly discount.

[sharecruises]

I have found that unless you have 30 people or more the group rate is higher then the Early Saver fares

 

Do you actually have experience with groups?? Early saver can be a slippery slope with groups

 

The more people you have the more chance that someone will want to cancel..and no matter how well you "explain" the early saver program to them they will not like it when they hit the "wall" of facts..

At any rate that is NOT what the OP asked about...they asked about joining an existing "open bar" group.

[rob352]

Do you actually have experience with groups??

 

i have set up and booked 3 small groups and each time there has been a bigger and bigger gap in price from the group price to the early saver price it is a big pain in the ass to explain to everyone that looks up the cruise on the CC site why they are selling the same cabin for anywere from $50 to $100 cheaper