Cheers or not?? (just for fun)

[bargainsniper]

I am so ready for august to get here!. Just for fun I am daydreaming about my cruise. As part of that, whether or not to get Cheers based on (I am a math nerd.)

 

 

What do you think? I am leaning towards no. I don't think we will even drink as much as I have listed below, we are moderate drinkers. Listed for both of us (in the same cabin.) prices pre-gratuity

 

Embarkation day:

 

1. Whee!!! embarkation on the ship fruity drink $16 for two (whatever is on special, I am assuming an $8 drink special without souvenir glass)=2 drinks

2. OOH!! Taste bar opens at 5:00--Two $5 specials please! ($10) =2 drinks

3. pre-dinner cuba libre in room for two ($14 from BV bottle prepaid and carry-on cokes)--this is made with 2 oz of liquor each, more like 1.5 drinks each = 3 drinks

4. late Dinner seating- $36 bottle , drink one glass each save the rest, =2 drinks

5.after dinner--go to party, split disco ball ($14.00)=2 drinks

 

onboard drinking total embarkation: 11 drinks, $90

 

Day 2- sea day

 

1. brunch mimosa/screwdriver (pre 11:00 am special, $16)= 2 drinks

 

2,3. bucket o'beers at serenity ($22)= 4 drinks

 

4. after lunch cuba libres in room for two ($14 from BV bottle prepaid and carry-on cokes)--this is made with 2 oz of liquor each, more like 1.5 drinks each = 3 drinks

 

5. dinner-finish wine from night before ($0)= 2 drinks

 

6. after dinner cocktails (MDR, $1 off MDR elegant night special, $16)=2 drinks

 

7,8. after dinner beers in casino ($24)=4 drinks

 

onboard drinking total day 2: $92, 17 drinks

 

day 3-port

wake up. go to breakfast. Get off in port. Have drinks all day at cheap prices.

Come back at 4:00 and shower, etc.

 

1.Pre-dinner cuba libres in room for two ($14 from BV bottle prepaid and carry-on cokes)--this is made with 2 oz of liquor each, more like 1.5 drinks each = 3 drinks

 

2,3.. dinner: corkage fee $15, bottle was $11 at home, drink whole bottle ($26 total)= 4 drinks

 

4,5. Whatever is on special, (at Comedy show or whatever, two rounds) ($36)=4 drinks

 

onboard drinking total day 3: $76, 11 drinks

 

day 4- port

 

hit a snorkeling excursion, come back mid-afternoon.

 

1,2. Drink Cuba Libre each while relaxing in our room-last of the bottle ($14)=3 drinks

 

3. Dinner: cocktail for hubby, wine for me, ($17) = 2 drinks

 

4. each have a beer at casino or show ($11)= 2 drinks

 

7. Champagne in our room, 1/2 the bottle, we bought for $12 at home = 2 drinks

Onboard drinking total day 4: $54, 9 drinks

 

Day 5-sea day

 

1. Order room service, make mimosas in room for breakfast out of leftover champagne ($0)= 2 drinks

 

2. Bucket of beers onboard ($22)=4 drinks

 

3,4. martini tasting ($34)=4 drinks

 

5. Glass of wine each with dinner ($18) =2 drinks

 

6. Nightcap celebrating the end of our cruise ($18)= 2 drinks

 

Total onboard drinking, day 5: $92, 14 drinks

 

total number of drinks on cruise: 63

 

total onboard drinking cost all of cruise: $404 (less than $500, so no to Cheers)

 

About $6.50 a drink, 6 drinks each a day average.

 

 

anybody else a math nerd on here who likes figuring this stuff out? does this sound about right for my drink price estimates? Also figuring 4 glasses per bottle of wine, so those are generous pours (isn't is supposed to be more like 5 glasses each bottle?)

Edited July 17, 2015 by bargainsniper

[Sparky2]

I vote "NO".

[dna529]

I vote no to cheers. We don't get to use it at Half Moon Cay. Not worth it.

[rnoli32]

I am doing the same thing...figuring out if cheers will be worth it for us. My husband likes his drinks but not an extreme drinker. I am a light drinker but on vacation i'm pretty sure i will a few more than i usually do.

 

I called Carnival yesterday and i feel like i keep getting different answers? The rep told me i have to purchase the program on the day we board (only day allowed to sign up) and that the cheers program goes into effect the next day. So i said will you be charging me 7 days or 6 days on the program. She said for 6? I swear when i called a few months ago they said the charge would be the full length of the cruise. I sail out of long beach,ca . Think i will call back and see what the next rep tells me LOL !

[Otowncruiser]

I am doing the same thing...figuring out if cheers will be worth it for us. My husband likes his drinks but not an extreme drinker. I am a light drinker but on vacation i'm pretty sure i will a few more than i usually do.

 

I called Carnival yesterday and i feel like i keep getting different answers? The rep told me i have to purchase the program on the day we board (only day allowed to sign up) and that the cheers program goes into effect the next day. So i said will you be charging me 7 days or 6 days on the program. She said for 6? I swear when i called a few months ago they said the charge would be the full length of the cruise. I sail out of long beach,ca . Think i will call back and see what the next rep tells me LOL !

 

You can start using cheers as soon as you purchase it. So if you are on board at noon and purchase it then, you can use it the rest of the day. That's one of the best days to get your money's worth.

Edited July 17, 2015 by Otowncruiser

[bargainsniper]

Everything I have heard is that you can purchase Cheers the second day, but they will make it retroactive to the first day, so you will be charged for every day. there might be a couple of ports with weird rules though. I seem to remember something about Galveston, TX that was different.

 

We are not huge drinkers (although, it seems like we are when I add up 63 drinks in a 5 day period! yowsa!)

 

At home, we probably have 2-3 drinks a week each with the occasional tailgating/BBQ where we drink more.

 

We are on vacation so we want to live it up a little, but we are not the drink-in-our-hand-constantly types. By my calculations, by bringing our own 2 bottles of wine and buying a bottle of rum for the room, as well as taking advantage of drink specials, we can average 6+ drinks (mixed, wine, and beer) on board a day and still come out ahead of Cheers by 20%.

 

Who's next?

[crzndeb]

And if you are a moderate drinker and don't normally drink multiple drinks every day at home, you may not want any alcohol by the 3rd or 4th day, or want to skip a day.

[kona_wahine]

When they lowered the price I was set to buy it. Then they raised the price back. That was it for me. I knew I'd be over indulging and trying to get my money's worth. That would have meant more booze, felt like dog poop all week. And gained an extra 5-10. No thanks.

[Rudyard]

No way I could make it work on port days as I'm not a huge drinker. Sea days I could maybe come out a little ahead. Another problem for me is that if we have rough seas I have to cut way back on my drinking as alcohol doesn't sit well on my stomach in those kinds of conditions.

[othersomethings]

I actually made a spreadsheet, lol - My husband is a light drinker, and I don't have to drink at all but I CAN be a heavy drinker if I want.

 

So I did the math on it. Turns out we had a bunch of gift cards coming our way and we decided to just use those and buy cheers so we don't have to think about it at all on the boat. But in case you want some extra data...

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MzzUPeiO7-4NNis0hQdLxtflx7viiQel4RSzrJ667Vo/edit?usp=sharing

[AmandaV]

I love the Cheers program, mainly because I can pay a set price for alcohol and know I am good for the week. I hate being surprised by expenses! I like to drink on vacation, and especially on sea days- just something about a fruity drink and a lounge chair that gets me every time...I did not buy it once I think in 2013 and I regretted it- I spent wayyyy over the money that Cheers costs because with the prices of drinks, it adds up quick. Plus, after a few drinks I wanted to buy drinks for all my friends, and you can't do on Cheers, so that helps save a bunch of money. :)

 

As far as getting my money's worth every day- I have found that most days I drink enough to cover the costs- fruity drinks at pool, wine at dinner, drinks at shows later- but there is usually a day where I won't feel like drinking, but I will make up for it the next day. :D

Edited July 17, 2015 by AmandaV
changed year from 2012 to 2013

[RumpunchGirl]

Our last cruise on Carnival was January 2012 and I'm pretty sure they didn't have the Cheers program then. But we were able to purchase a bottle of Rum from Carnival and it was in our cabin when we arrived. We brought our own soda and wine on board and made drinks in the cabin. We enjoy having drinks on our balcony while relaxing or getting ready for the evenings activities. We always bring our "Bubba Kegs" to keep our drinks cold while walking around. We do seem to purchase a few drinks everyday from the bars or at dinner. But purchasing a bottle of liquor for $80 or $90 and mixing our own drinks saves a lot of $ for other fun things!

[nomadron]

On a 7 night cruise with 4 port days I can't make it work for us.

[MasterMason]

From a previous post of mine:

 

On a 7 day cruise, the break even point is 6 cocktails a day per person.

 

1. Bloody Mary/Mimosa/Bellini at breakfast

2. Cocktail on the Lido deck after breakfast

3. Margarita after lunch

4. Wine with dinner

5. Whiskey Sour at the show

6. Tequila Sunrise at the casino/disco

 

I really don't see how people who SAY they drink, can't justify the savings with the Cheers Program. You don't have to be an alcoholic to benefit, but it seems like some people think so.

 

Now, if you're going to have 2-3 drinks daily, then no, it's not a program for you.

 

You've qouted a few "drink specials". I wouldn't bank on them if I were you, Carnival changes things as often as the wind blows. On another note, I for one (and my wife, for 2), can't be bothered with too much math on a vacation, and stuck to too much of a rigid regimen. The Cheers package just works for us.

[sid_9169]

I always get Cheers. It's worth it for the amount I plan on drinking. I do sometimes find myself having a few more than I should just to feel like I'm getting my moneys worth... I wish they would let you pay the difference over the $10 per drink limit like the NCL Ultimate Beverage Program allows...

Edited July 17, 2015 by sid_9169

[bobsfamily]

I do know that my wife and I are considering not buying the Cheers for our next 7 night cruise. We are thinking of buying a couple of bottles thru Bon Voyage and some beer.

 

Cheers program cost:

7 nights x $49.95 = 349.95 x 18% gratuity = 412.87 x 8.5% state tax = 447.66. Which means in reality the daily cost is 447.66/7 = 63.95 per person per day.

Double for 2 = 895.32

 

Alternative thru Bon Voyage:

2 bottles of booze with six pack of coke/sprite/whatever each (rum 90/vodka 85) $175 x 8.5% state tax = 189.88 - delivered to sate room

2 quarts of booze equals just over 40 drinks at 1.5 oz a drink - or just about 6 drinks a day for a 7 night cruise.

4 - 16 beers = $24 x 8.5% state tax = 26.04 x 7 = 182.20

4 x 7 = 28 beers or 4 beers per day

 

so for $372.08 I can have 10 drinks a day, every day.

we don't have to buy double so another bottle and maybe 8 more beers would do it so about $550 for 2.

 

I do not drink heavily every day, some days I may not drink at all. 3 days we are in port, one of them at HMC which the Cheers program does not count at BUT you can take booze OFF the ship (if you have it).

 

$895.32 - $550 = $345 that I could spend on drinks here and there and still be at the price of the cheers program. Plus most likely by the 3rd-4th day we both will have the "drinks on us" cards in the casino.

 

Edited July 17, 2015 by bobsfamily

[YubaSutter]

No way would we pay over $800 for alcohol for the week. It's usually around $20 and we smuggle a lot of booze and beer. We also take full advantage of cheap drinks at ports of call.

[Vitamin_Sea]

I would not ever do cheers. Dont need to be drinking all the time

[bobsfamily]

No way would we pay over $800 for alcohol for the week. It's usually around $20 and we smuggle a lot of booze and beer. We also take full advantage of cheap drinks at ports of call.

 

Booze I get smuggling, but beer?

 

$900 does seem kinda steep but I do remember years ago having a bar bill that was a bit shocking for a 3 night cruise... BUT I don't think I could keep that up for 7 nights (and I am a good bit older!)

[Jana60]

From a previous post of mine:

 

On a 7 day cruise, the break even point is 6 cocktails a day per person.

 

1. Bloody Mary/Mimosa/Bellini at breakfast

2. Cocktail on the Lido deck after breakfast

3. Margarita after lunch

4. Wine with dinner

5. Whiskey Sour at the show

6. Tequila Sunrise at the casino/disco

 

I really don't see how people who SAY they drink, can't justify the savings with the Cheers Program. You don't have to be an alcoholic to benefit, but it seems like some people think so.

 

Now, if you're going to have 2-3 drinks daily, then no, it's not a program for you.

 

You've qouted a few "drink specials". I wouldn't bank on them if I were you, Carnival changes things as often as the wind blows. On another note, I for one (and my wife, for 2), can't be bothered with too much math on a vacation, and stuck to too much of a rigid regimen. The Cheers package just works for us.

 

If they allowed us to only purchase it on Sea days, and allowed only the person who drinks to purchase, then yes it would save money but on days when I'm a shore all day long there's no way I'm going to drink 6 drinks before bedtime. The deciding factor is: Do I usually spend a higher or lower amount on drinks than the amount they charge for the cheers program or not? If not I'd be stupid to drink more just to make the program worth the money!

[singbluesilver1]

We get cheers and for us it's worth it, I can try drinks I would never try and if they are gross no big loss

 

Plus I know I won't have a surprise bill at the end

[YubaSutter]

Booze I get smuggling, but beer?

 

$900 does seem kinda steep but I do remember years ago having a bar bill that was a bit shocking for a 3 night cruise... BUT I don't think I could keep that up for 7 nights (and I am a good bit older!)

 

Brought 4 bottles of wine, 32 oz of rum, 16 oz of vodka, and 16 oz of bourbon at embarcation. At first port, brought on 3 six packs of beer and another bottle of wine.

[Vitamin_Sea]

Brought 4 bottles of wine, 32 oz of rum, 16 oz of vodka, and 16 oz of bourbon at embarcation. At first port, brought on 3 six packs of beer and another bottle of wine.

 

:eek:

 

How do you get the beer past the security screener?

[anonmom]

:eek:

 

How do you get the beer past the security screener?

 

This!

[crusinhokie91]

We saved about $200 with cheers. We even took a evening off from drinking and spent the night hanging out in our stateroom and ordering room service. The best part about cheers for me is that I don't have to worry about how much I'm drinking because it's already paid for. I also am more willing to venture out and try new things since if I don't like it I can always order something else.