Weak Drinks?? Tell Me No!

[Shore>Mom]

Looking for any experience with Cheers program. Reading some posts where OP's said they felt they were ignored by servers because of Cheers and/or given weaker drinks. Just wondering about anyone with experience with Cheers. I usually slap a $20 the bar at the beginning of all inclusive and get to know my bartenders. Then tip them over and above the 15% for the remainder of the cruise. Anyone? Are my 15 drinks going to be mostly juice? Say it is not so!

[amsred2]

I have done the cheers program three times now and I didn't notice a difference in the service or the drinks. That being said, as with any trip, I find that service varies from place to place. On my last trip the Atrium bar was slow and inefficient but the casino and lido bars were terrific. If someone had bad service, it was either due to an inexperienced bar staff or possibly they were obnoxious guests. If you find a good bartender and tip your servers (and treat them courteously), you are sure to get the service you are looking for.

[GROUCHPUSS]

I have had Cheers 5 times and never thought that my drinks were weak. Just like all bars some bartenders had a heaver pour than others. I normally tip 1 extra dollar. I also will go out of my way to use certain bartenders that I like.

[JillySue]

My drinks were all quite strong, and I had wonderful service...at the bar. The only place it was tougher to get a drink was dinner, and even then it was a second drink, the first was easy.

[Rod in Az]

Looking for any experience with Cheers program. Reading some posts where OP's said they felt they were ignored by servers because of Cheers and/or given weaker drinks. Just wondering about anyone with experience with Cheers. I usually slap a $20 the bar at the beginning of all inclusive and get to know my bartenders. Then tip them over and above the 15% for the remainder of the cruise. Anyone? Are my 15 drinks going to be mostly juice? Say it is not so!

 

We have done cruises before the Cheers program was available, and since it has been available. I have not noticed any difference in the service with or without Cheers. Our servers have always been attentive, and like you, I do include an occasional tip over an above the tip paid with the program.

 

As for the quality of the drink (including amount of alcohol), other than having the bartenders ask if I prefer the premium alcohol in my Bloody Mary or other mixed drink (as part of the Cheers Program), I have never had a light drink.

 

We drink enough to make the Cheers Program worth our while on the whole.

 

Good luck, I hope you have a great experience like we have.

[Shore>Mom]

Thanks for the replies guys! DH is a server at a casino and I am a bartender. We always hit them hard with extra tips but was hoping my "cheers" status was not going to get me lousy pours. Do we have the same bartenders at each bar? Always love to find the one that makes me laugh. Not often we get to be the "guests" LOL

[Rod in Az]

Thanks for the replies guys! DH is a server at a casino and I am a bartender. We always hit them hard with extra tips but was hoping my "cheers" status was not going to get me lousy pours. Do we have the same bartenders at each bar? Always love to find the one that makes me laugh. Not often we get to be the "guests" LOL

 

We have some favorite bartenders. We even friended one on that dreaded social media site that "shall not be named", and our next cruise was selected based on his current contract.

 

They move around during the day, but we have found that they are usually at the same bars during the same hours. For example, our favorite bartender was at the casino bar from 2PM till 6Pm, then Moved to the sports bar from 6PM to 10PM, then back at the casino bar at 10Pm.

 

We have never had a cruise where we didn't identify a "favorite bartender" or two, and migrated to where they were serving.

[Cruisegirl6]

I am fussy as can be as I want a good drink and not all ice and filled to the top...I get it all the time, the only issue that I have are depending upon which drink you get you get these little than larger than those juice glasses, usually in a gin and tonic, vodka and juice, jack and coke and smilier, to me two of those drinks is what I normally get when I get out which means one "Lynda" drink is two drinks on Carnival..but to avoid this, I don't get those drinks d on't want to use up my 15 drink max so I order martini's, long island iced teas and margaritas which are given in large glasses.

 

I never got a weak watered down juiced down drink, they fine, but then again, I do extra tip and use the same bartenders.....

Edited February 19, 2015 by lyndamr

[sid_9169]

I've had mixed results with Cheers!. First, I always tip $1 per drink on average, and sometimes I would get an incredibly strong drink. Other times, I would get a precisely measured amount... At one point, I just switched to straight Patron Silver shots, and at least got a decent sized pour of premium spirits...

[winddawn]

Looking for any experience with Cheers program. Reading some posts where OP's said they felt they were ignored by servers because of Cheers and/or given weaker drinks. Just wondering about anyone with experience with Cheers. I usually slap a $20 the bar at the beginning of all inclusive and get to know my bartenders. Then tip them over and above the 15% for the remainder of the cruise. Anyone? Are my 15 drinks going to be mostly juice? Say it is not so!

My best advice is to develop a strategy after you've ordered some.

 

I think it depends more on the individual bartender than the Cheers program. Like the others, I've found that additional tipping will ensure me a decent drink. But that strategy works best when you are requesting the drink right from the bartender. If a server is taking your drink order, that strategy might not work. Getting to know your bartenders and tipping them extra is your best bet for cocktails.

 

It can depend on the bartender though. On my last cruise on Elation, I got watered down drinks every time at the casino bar, but got really good drinks at the Lido bar. So I would order my margaritas at the Lido bar and just drink beer in the casino. Its hard for a bartender to mess up a beer. ;-) As long as a beer is cold, its good to go!

 

I have run into a few situations where I noticed servers would avoid me after they realized I had purchased Cheers. But that isn't too common in my experiences.

 

Have a great cruise!

[dadroy]

Like you, I tip $20 at the start of the cruise and stay at the same bar every day. I have had them make a sign with my name for my stool. Always had a stiff pour and that includes the wife stopping by to check on me, as well as friends who stop by to say YO! Cheers will not matter on the pour and if you tip the servers they will be around all day.

[Velvetwater]

I cant believe people tip the bartenders so much to ensure strong drinks.

 

Our drinks were always strong and sometimes stronger than normal but a young female British accent can work wonders on some folk. :D

[doneinne]

All of the drinks that I had were strong. I experience the same service speed as everyone else.

[Cruisegirl6]

I don't tip to get strong drinks I never have any problem in not getting a decent drink but I tip extra because 15% is not the way we tip, we generally give 25% when we go out here at home anyways.

[Velvetwater]

If you want strong drinks every time then always order the ice tea anyway!

 

I am pretty sure they were responsible for a multitude of drunk atrium moments on my first cruise. :)

[mzloolue]

In May last year on Elation we got two weak Long Island Iced

Teas.

It is a sail away ritual with us.

 

My husband became disabled last year and we have to be very careful about spending now and the weak teas kind of ticked me off.

It takes some skrimping to make a weak Long Island Tea.

So I called the purser's desk and explained.

She told me to come down.

She said that she could not refund the money, but she would give us a credit for the same amount and send a message to the bar manager.

 

It made me feel better about it.

I am not all that picky, but I don't like being taken advantage of.

 

And now I tell them not to make it weak.

The replacement drinks were not weak.:)

[Jenner9]

If you have the Cheers program and tip an extra $1.00 do you just pay cash?

[Boatsandplanes]

Never had a weak drink on Carnival and never tipped extra. Sit at the bar where you can watch them pour if you have doubts.

[margoann99]

We always had great drinks and great service but we always tip on each drink. Bartenders and waiters knew my husband and his order. Worth the extra tip money.

[Boozebabe]

In spite of my screen name, I don't tollerate liquor very well. One drink and I feel it. I have NEVER gotten a buzz from a drink on a cruise, let alone 3 or 4 in a few hour period. At nearly $9 per drink I want a little sumpin' sumpin' in my glass. I am not a smuggler but I can see why some do it. Since I am in the liquor business I have a sneaky feeling that they might be using low-proof liquor in some drinks.

 

On our last cruise in January we got the poorest bar service ever. You would have thought MADD was looking over their shoulder. It took my husband a half hour to get a waitress in the casino and 35 more minutes to finally get that drink. Walk up at the bars was no better. We were extremely disappointed.

[v3cruiser]

Looking for any experience with Cheers program. Reading some posts where OP's said they felt they were ignored by servers because of Cheers and/or given weaker drinks. Just wondering about anyone with experience with Cheers. I usually slap a $20 the bar at the beginning of all inclusive and get to know my bartenders. Then tip them over and above the 15% for the remainder of the cruise. Anyone? Are my 15 drinks going to be mostly juice? Say it is not so!

 

I might buy a few mixed drinks of the day but most of time I stick to what I bring on, beer, or straight up martini's without mixers.