Taxes / Gratuity and CHEERS Program

[jmm881]

So when I go on to my Carnival site to purchase the CHEERS program, it tells me that gratuity of 15% is included. Does that mean the drinks "charged" to my folio on the cruise I won't owe gratuity on??

 

We have gone back and forth on if CHEERS is worth it for us - or if we buy a bottle of Crown and have it delivered to our room, bring two bottles of wine, and get the Unlimited Bubbles package.

[dforeigner]

So when I go on to my Carnival site to purchase the CHEERS program, it tells me that gratuity of 15% is included. Does that mean the drinks "charged" to my folio on the cruise I won't owe gratuity on??

 

We have gone back and forth on if CHEERS is worth it for us - or if we buy a bottle of Crown and have it delivered to our room, bring two bottles of wine, and get the Unlimited Bubbles package.

 

Yes, the final price includes the 15% gratuity

[kapcruiser]

What is the final price? We also can’t decide, we are a party of 5 and to get the package for all of us seems like a lot of money.

[winddawn]

Gratuity is added to the entire Cheers package when you purchase it. You do not pay additional gratuity each time you ask for a Cheers drink (unless you choose to tip extra at the time of purchase). You will pay tax on each drink you purchase on embarkation day until the ship reaches international waters regardless of whether you have Cheers or not.

[mdsgu]

Cheers is a really good package if you enjoy imbibing. If you only like to have a drink or two per day, just buy them a la carte.

 

The final price shown when you are checking out includes the gratuity. Each time you buy a drink onboard, you will get a receipt showing a balance of $0.00. If you wish to add an additional gratuity, you can do so either on the receipt or with cash. (In some US ports, you will get charged state tax, which is less than $1 per drink.)

 

For 5 adults, the price of the Cheers package would add up. But, we've found, it is a lot better to pay it up front than to get a 15 page bill at the end of the cruise!

[ray98]

What is the final price? We also can’t decide, we are a party of 5 and to get the package for all of us seems like a lot of money.

 

It is....but 5 people paying by the drink is also a lot of money if they have a few each day.

[beerman2]

What is the final price? We also can’t decide, we are a party of 5 and to get the package for all of us seems like a lot of money.

Just went up $2.00 a day so your final all in price is 51.95 a day per person.

[Pops, Esq.]

Just went up $2.00 a day so your final all in price is 51.95 a day per person.

Plus 15% gratuity, so final all in price is $59.74 per day.

[kapcruiser]

Is it cheaper if I buy ahead of time?

Can you buy it second day into cruise?

[mdsgu]

So, for 5 people, for a 7 day cruise, your total comes to $2090.90. That's the all-in price, and the only thing not accounted for is any state tax that may be collected. Of course, you have to pay that whether you buy your drinks a la carte or through Cheers.

 

You can buy it on the second day. In fact, if you are sailing out of Galveston, you cannot buy it until the second day. However, if you buy it on the boat, it is $5 more per day than if you buy it ahead of time.

[Pops, Esq.]

Is it cheaper if I buy ahead of time?

Can you buy it second day into cruise?

Yes and Yes.

 

Details:

 

Cheers is $51.95 per person per day prepaid ($59.74 pp per day with tip)

Onboard, it is $56.95 per person per day ($65.49 pp per day with tip)

 

You can purchase the second day into the cruise, although there have been conflicting reports whether your pay for the remaining days or you pay for all days and get the first day drinks "credited" to Cheers.

 

Texas and New York can't get Cheers until day 2.

[jmm881]

Gratuity is added to the entire Cheers package when you purchase it. You do not pay additional gratuity each time you ask for a Cheers drink (unless you choose to tip extra at the time of purchase). You will pay tax on each drink you purchase on embarkation day until the ship reaches international waters regardless of whether you have Cheers or not.

 

How far out is international waters?? I assume tax isn’t too bad?

[beerman2]

Plus 15% gratuity, so final all in price is $59.74 per day.

Forgot the tax thanks!!

[Alaskan Joe]

Let me see if I can help? I have attached a price calculator what you have to do is input in the yellow sections. First, how many days is the cruise, how many sea days, and lastly how many of each item you would be having p/day (port/sea). Also you can input how much the package will cost per day along with the total price with package, by per person or total of your group play around with it have fun. You can see we have some filled out because my DW and I are having the same issue if we should get it or not. As you fill out what you will drink you will see the total price without package go up. If you hit the total price with package you will see the worth it section go green. In our case the price is 1594.60 and as you can see we have added up to 1643.10 which makes it green. Also another note this calculator was made for Princess cruise line prices, so prices may very. If you search the Carnival boards you can find prices on some of the drinks and input them into the appropriate spot. I tend to lean toward getting the package for multiple reasons. The big one for me is I know what my bill is going to be at the end of the cruise. Also, you can get specialty coffees (instead of the crappy coffee at the buffet), fresh squeezed OJ (which I would not get if I did not have package), bottled water, milk shakes ect...... So in the end I hope this helps everybody make a sound decision.

Carnival Beverage Package Evaluator.xls

[ricew001]

Let me see if I can help? I have attached a price calculator what you have to do is input in the yellow sections. First, how many days is the cruise, how many sea days, and lastly how many of each item you would be having p/day (port/sea). Also you can input how much the package will cost per day along with the total price with package, by per person or total of your group play around with it have fun. You can see we have some filled out because my DW and I are having the same issue if we should get it or not. As you fill out what you will drink you will see the total price without package go up. If you hit the total price with package you will see the worth it section go green. In our case the price is 1594.60 and as you can see we have added up to 1643.10 which makes it green. Also another note this calculator was made for Princess cruise line prices, so prices may very. If you search the Carnival boards you can find prices on some of the drinks and input them into the appropriate spot. I tend to lean toward getting the package for multiple reasons. The big one for me is I know what my bill is going to be at the end of the cruise. Also, you can get specialty coffees (instead of the crappy coffee at the buffet), fresh squeezed OJ (which I would not get if I did not have package), bottled water, milk shakes ect...... So in the end I hope this helps everybody make a sound decision.

 

This is beautiful! Excel spreadsheets make it all better! And I REALLY like that you included non-alcoholic too!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Couple things to add:

I purchased ahead of time so I saved money.

I puchased with the gift cards I had bought at a 10% discount, so I saved additional money.

 

I liked not be surprising at the end of the cruise.

I liked the variety of being able to try different drinks.

I liked being more "free" to replace a drink I didn't like or if it was watered down or if we were leaving one activity to go to another and I didn't want to carry a 1/3 of a drink with me.

It "enhances" your cruise experience.

[EllaDuChien]

Let me see if I can help? I have attached a price calculator what you have to do is input in the yellow sections. First, how many days is the cruise, how many sea days, and lastly how many of each item you would be having p/day (port/sea). Also you can input how much the package will cost per day along with the total price with package, by per person or total of your group play around with it have fun. You can see we have some filled out because my DW and I are having the same issue if we should get it or not. As you fill out what you will drink you will see the total price without package go up. If you hit the total price with package you will see the worth it section go green. In our case the price is 1594.60 and as you can see we have added up to 1643.10 which makes it green. Also another note this calculator was made for Princess cruise line prices, so prices may very. If you search the Carnival boards you can find prices on some of the drinks and input them into the appropriate spot. I tend to lean toward getting the package for multiple reasons. The big one for me is I know what my bill is going to be at the end of the cruise. Also, you can get specialty coffees (instead of the crappy coffee at the buffet), fresh squeezed OJ (which I would not get if I did not have package), bottled water, milk shakes ect...... So in the end I hope this helps everybody make a sound decision.

 

Oh be still my number crunching heart!! This is AMAZING!! Thank you!! I always buy the package, mostly for the ability to be prepaid before I go on vacation but it was good to see that I am making the right call (after my first cruise without the package I knew that anyway! ;p;p )

[ProgRockCruiser]

Alaskan Joe, thanks for the Excel file! Not that I needed - we know the Cheers! package is right for us.

 

I will note that I don't see the prices from the Alchemy Bar listed, where everything is $10.95. I would use the Remy XO as a substitute, if you don't feel like modifying the individual fields.

[sflanigan1110]

What is the final price? We also can’t decide, we are a party of 5 and to get the package for all of us seems like a lot of money.

Are you all five in the same room? When my wife and I cruise with our three sons we always book two adjoining rooms rather than having all five in the same room. In doing this we have myself as the adult in one room and my wife in the other from a reservation standpoint. This also then allows us to only buy one cheers package rather than two. My wife isn't a huge drinker, but us sharing one (and yes I know technically you're not supposed to share) is plenty for the two of us. We have rarely maxed out at the 15 drinks per day.

[sflanigan1110]

Let me see if I can help? I have attached a price calculator what you have to do is input in the yellow sections. First, how many days is the cruise, how many sea days, and lastly how many of each item you would be having p/day (port/sea). Also you can input how much the package will cost per day along with the total price with package, by per person or total of your group play around with it have fun. You can see we have some filled out because my DW and I are having the same issue if we should get it or not. As you fill out what you will drink you will see the total price without package go up. If you hit the total price with package you will see the worth it section go green. In our case the price is 1594.60 and as you can see we have added up to 1643.10 which makes it green. Also another note this calculator was made for Princess cruise line prices, so prices may very. If you search the Carnival boards you can find prices on some of the drinks and input them into the appropriate spot. I tend to lean toward getting the package for multiple reasons. The big one for me is I know what my bill is going to be at the end of the cruise. Also, you can get specialty coffees (instead of the crappy coffee at the buffet), fresh squeezed OJ (which I would not get if I did not have package), bottled water, milk shakes ect...... So in the end I hope this helps everybody make a sound decision.

 

This spreadsheet is AWESOME!!!

 

 

I will make it simple for someone that is trying to decide if they should buy the Cheers package. If you will drink 6 drinks per day then you are at worst breaking even.

[cyntil8ing]

How far out is international waters?? I assume tax isn’t too bad?

 

It depends on the departure port. On the Pride, leaving out of Baltimore, we were charged tax until midnight. It was about $.80/drink.

[kapcruiser]

Are you all five in the same room? When my wife and I cruise with our three sons we always book two adjoining rooms rather than having all five in the same room. In doing this we have myself as the adult in one room and my wife in the other from a reservation standpoint. This also then allows us to only buy one cheers package rather than two. My wife isn't a huge drinker, but us sharing one (and yes I know technically you're not supposed to share) is plenty for the two of us. We have rarely maxed out at the 15 drinks per day.

We have 2 rooms...we are all adults.

[ProgRockCruiser]

Minor note about the spreadsheet:

 

Cell E3 isn't a calculated value, but should be: it should be "=C3*C1".

 

The current value is the value Alaskan Joe entered for his drink pkg total.

[sflanigan1110]

We have 2 rooms...we are all adults.

 

The two rooms at least gives you options if not everyone drinks much. I know groups like that have have purchased the three from the same room and then knew they had 45 drinks between all of them (9 drinks each in your case). That can also turn into a hassle though trying to decide who's had what.

 

 

Like I said before, I think it's a bargain to get the cheers package because I know the break even point for the average drink price is 6 drinks each day. Those frozen concoctions go down way too easy to not hit that number!!!

[firemanbobswife]

Since all the people over 21 in the cabin must purchase the package if one of them wants it due to sharing, pretty soon it will be the same for bookings linked together or family members in different cabins. Carnival monitors these boards and if y’all think they don’t know how people are skating the system, you are mistaken. Flaunting it on here doesn’t help your cause, either.

 

Remember what happened right before Carnival banned bottles from being brought on? Yep someone posted it in their review that she had alcohol in her “water” and walked right past security. Coincidence? I don’t personally think so. Could people sharing possibly be part of the recent price increase of Cheers? Maybe, maybe not.

[letscruisegd]

Let me see if I can help? I have attached a price calculator what you have to do is input in the yellow sections...... So in the end I hope this helps everybody make a sound decision.

Thank you so much. This is perfect to help with the drink package decision. Awesome work.:)