Boozy Deals Without Cheers?

[violetsmile]

I just saw the thread on the Steakhouse wine discount on the first night, and it got me wondering...what other "Deals" are out there for drinking on a Carnival Cruise?

 

We used to be people who pre-purchased drink coupons when they existed back in the day (I don't know...three or four years ago?!). Cheers isn't worth it for us. I have no doubt it would be worth it for me, but my partner would never drink enough to save any money. We've smuggled in the past, but haven't bothered on the last few cruises because the stashed booze in the cabin was never as enticing as the pretty drinks on deck. We'll also bring our allotted wine on board, though we usually drink that as we get ready for dinner. Do they still offer wine packages?

 

We'll purchase Carnival gift cards to help offset the cost while earning gas points at the local grocery store, but does anyone have other cost saving tips, tricks or little-known secrets to reducing that S&S alcohol bill?

[evandbob]

If you are looking for drinking discounts, Carnival isn't the line that offers them. Both NCL and Celebrity offer free drink packages rather often, have you explored those options?

Edited November 2, 2015 by evandbob

[violetsmile]

If you are looking for drinking discounts, Carnival isn't the line that offers them. Both NCL and Celebrity offer free drink packages rather often, have you explored those options?

 

No, I haven't. Perhaps in the future. For now, our next cruise is in March on the Valor. Drinks aren't the reason we cruise, so it's not a deal-maker or a deal-breaker for us. Just wondering if others had any tips.

[evandbob]

Then maybe casino action is your only recourse.....gamble enough to get a free drinks on us card or become eligible for a casino cruise rate.....where you should get a bottle of wine and/or champagne delivered to your cabin....

 

BTW, my booze bill is zero since I don't drink.

[RiotAct]

they have a "Drink of the Day" every day, which they'll discount by... a buck or two? Meh.

[ScottsSweetie]

Have you ever ordered a bottle from Bon Voyage?

 

If you have one particular type of liquor that you go to over and over, it can save you money over buying mixed drinks at the bars. We usually purchase a bottle of Captain Morgan's, and we bring on our own Coke Zero to mix with. We did the math once, and it comes out a little cheaper this way than purchasing at the bars. You could think about ordering something that you could mix with their juice or lemonade at the buffet and not have to purchase or bring mixers.

 

Also, you can get the small discount on buckets of beers.

 

If you order a drink of the day, make it clear to the server that you do not want the souvenir glass - it will be a little cheaper that way.

 

Most mornings there are bloody mary and mimosa specials (on lido deck, I think).

[JAGR]

I just saw the thread on the Steakhouse wine discount on the first night, and it got me wondering...what other "Deals" are out there for drinking on a Carnival Cruise?

 

We used to be people who pre-purchased drink coupons when they existed back in the day (I don't know...three or four years ago?!). Cheers isn't worth it for us. I have no doubt it would be worth it for me, but my partner would never drink enough to save any money. We've smuggled in the past, but haven't bothered on the last few cruises because the stashed booze in the cabin was never as enticing as the pretty drinks on deck. We'll also bring our allotted wine on board, though we usually drink that as we get ready for dinner. Do they still offer wine packages?

 

We'll purchase Carnival gift cards to help offset the cost while earning gas points at the local grocery store, but does anyone have other cost saving tips, tricks or little-known secrets to reducing that S&S alcohol bill?

 

To answer one of your specific questions, they do offer wine packages (usually in counts of 3 or 5). Nice thing is that there are three price/quality tiers, and you get coupons for your bottles. What makes it nice is that you can use them in the dining room and there is no base 15% serving tip, nor is there the ubiquitous "corkage charge."

[sternfanla]

violetsmile,

between the 2 of you, you don't think you will drink 12 to 14 drinks? That's about all that it will take to break ever.

Make sure your partner knows that they can try different drinks that they may never try.

[draco_m]

Good thread!

 

My last Carnival cruise (2014) I purchased a small bottle of booze in port. I thought I had to turn it in when boarding and pick it up after the cruise. Turns out I just walked back on the ship with it and no one ever asked me any questions. So I just mixed some drinks in my room the next couple days.

 

I dunno - maybe I was supposed to turn it in?

[tonit964]

violetsmile,

between the 2 of you, you don't think you will drink 12 to 14 drinks? That's about all that it will take to break ever.

Make sure your partner knows that they can try different drinks that they may never try.

 

That's everyday. You have to purchase the package for each day of the cruise, even port days.

 

In that case, the OP should just buy the drinks as they want. The only way the drink package is advantageous, is if you are drinking more than the break even point.

If most guests that purchase this are getting more than their monies worth, Carnival would have discontinued it by now.

[HawkIVette]

violetsmile,

between the 2 of you, you don't think you will drink 12 to 14 drinks? That's about all that it will take to break ever.

Make sure your partner knows that they can try different drinks that they may never try.

 

Also, Is it not between the two of you? I thought each person in the cabin had to purchase the package.

[Pops, Esq.]

Also, Is it not between the two of you? I thought each person in the cabin had to purchase the package.

 

 

You are right. But, break even is about 6-7 drinks for one person. Two people, therefore would break even in the 12-14 drink range. If one is a "lightweight" and drinks only 3-4, they can still break even if the other drinks 9-10.

[Pops, Esq.]

That's everyday. You have to purchase the package for each day of the cruise, even port days.

 

 

 

In that case, the OP should just buy the drinks as they want. The only way the drink package is advantageous, is if you are drinking more than the break even point.

 

If most guests that purchase this are getting more than their monies worth, Carnival would have discontinued it by now.

 

 

It's not like you have to go out and down 7 drinks a day, every day. That's an AVERAGE day. You could be at only 3-4 on port days, but 12-14 on sea days (each, average) and still make it work. But, a zero day or could could put you in the red.

 

You gotta figure most people who buy the Cheers! package don't beat the average. Otherwise, it goes away, or costs more, or gets a lower limit....

[berrieh]

To those who say Carnival wouldn't offer it if most people got their money's worth, I think as long as Carnival isn't getting killed by the vast majority of Cheers! purchasers (like everyone maxing out their 15 with drinks with the highest drink cost), it's still a benefit to Carnival to collect the money upfront, be guaranteed those funds, etc, even if people regularly hit the break-even point with Cheers. A bird in the hand and all. It's not an uncommon business strategy. I imagine it's the same with the wine packages.

 

Basically: Carnival serves these drinks at a high enough mark-up that even if you "make out" with Cheers, they aren't "losing" money. And you've guaranteed them enough dollars that they feel it's worth it. Edit: Plus if you, as the guest, drink enough that you feel you're making out (and feeling that satisfaction) because you would've spend more without it while still providing them a nifty profit, they've made out on both ends!

 

The fact that they put it back up to $50 says to me that people were getting their money's worth at $37.50 easily. I don't think they'd put it above $50 even if the average person gets $50+ booze out of it (retail price, not drink cost), but we shall see.

 

At any rate, I don't think the break-even point is hard to hit if you plan to drink on the cruise. I'm not a drinker most of the time, but on vacation, if I plan to drink, it's not hard to have 6 on a port day and 12 on a sea day (that's still less than 1/hour I'm on the ship and awake). But I'm the sort who if I start drinking, I want to keep drinking at a steady pace (I don't get sloshed) and try new things and just enjoy. If we go on a trip that is less focused on relaxing and more on adventure or something, I may not drink a drop!

 

I just don't think once you've started drinking that 6 drinks over the course of an evening that often spans from at least 5pm-midnight is that much. Of course, if your port days are: get back to the boat, deal with the kids, have dinner, go to bed, then squeezing in more than 1 at dinner may be hard. But that's not our cruise. I have to think it's not the cruise of anyone who's asking about drink prices, drink specials, packages, etc, though. But who knows? Some people may pick ONE day to indulge and not any of the others. Everyone does different things.

Edited November 3, 2015 by berrieh

[violetsmile]

I completely agree that the "break even" point for Cheers is entirely based on retail costs saved, not actual cost. Both Carnival and Cheers buyers make out if done right.

 

The truth is, we're moderate drinkers in our day-to-day life, but actually tend to drink less on vacation. I often have a glass of while I'm cooking dinner, and another glass or two while eating dinner. If we're out to eat, it's rare for me to have only one drink. I would probably opt for Cheers on a shorter cruise with fewer port days. As it is, a 7 day cruise would cost us $700, and we have four port days. I just wrote out what I'd expect us to drink, and it totaled to around $400. That hinges on a bottle of wine with dinner on sea days, plus a few drinks in the sun. It also takes into account the fact that we plan to do the Chef's Table, and in my experience, the wine is free flowing at that event. Sure, we're paying for that, but we're paying for the experience, not the wine specifically.

 

As someone prone to sea sickness, part of my hesitation with Cheers is "losing" a day of drinking to being woozy over boat motion. I use Transderm Scop patches, which are very effective, but if we have a particularly rough day I will still feel off. It would just be sad to not be able to drink if I had Cheers! (And, before the flames start, I'm aware of potential alcohol and scopalamine interactions, and tolerate the combination just fine. I've discussed with my doctor, and it's all good.)

 

I might just look into an all-inclusive during one of our port days. Get one day of lazy beach time and heavy drinking, and that'll be enough. Thanks to everyone who said the wine packages do still exist. I'm going to look more into that, because I think we probably will do that!

 

Do they still do pitchers of margaritas or sangria on the Serenity Deck? We enjoyed those a time or two...

[RiotAct]

I mean, I'd have to imagine Carnival actually LOSES money on very few, if any, Cheers! purchasers. They probably get a liter of a decent, mid-range liquor (think Sauza Gold or Skyy) for, what? Maybe $12 a pop from their distributor?

 

Then of course there's the cost of transporting it to / loading it on the ship, and storing it, but still...