To Cheer or not to Cheer - Menu price questions)

[Maplemoose]

That currency exchange is the very reason I am asking the questions! 

 

Sayvan, NCL is actually a whole lot cheaper because you can choose the package as a perk and only pay the tips. 

[strangstalien]

The one thing I never see mentioned is the benefit of not talking yourself out of having a drink and enjoying yourself. If you buy the package upfront you will be more likely to enjoy yourself. You will stop and have a specialty coffee in the morning, a Bloody Mary at breakfast, a milk shake in the afternoon, and grab a glass of wine to bring back to your room. If you were paying for each drink separately, you might talk yourself out of most of those extra items. The next thing you know your vacation is over and you wished you would have enjoyed yourself more. Just like at dinner, if you had to pay for each appetizer, you might only have one or skip entirely. Since they are included, many people try a couple of appetizers. The last cruise I was on, I think I would have saved $40 by not purchasing the package. But I am glad I did, because I never second guessed myself when I ordered a drink. I was also able to splurge on top shelf drinks, which I may not have ordered if I was paying per drink. 

[MississippiMom]

1 hour ago, strangstalien said:

The one thing I never see mentioned is the benefit of not talking yourself out of having a drink and enjoying yourself. If you buy the package upfront you will be more likely to enjoy yourself. You will stop and have a specialty coffee in the morning, a Bloody Mary at breakfast, a milk shake in the afternoon, and grab a glass of wine to bring back to your room. If you were paying for each drink separately, you might talk yourself out of most of those extra items. The next thing you know your vacation is over and you wished you would have enjoyed yourself more. Just like at dinner, if you had to pay for each appetizer, you might only have one or skip entirely. Since they are included, many people try a couple of appetizers. The last cruise I was on, I think I would have saved $40 by not purchasing the package. But I am glad I did, because I never second guessed myself when I ordered a drink. I was also able to splurge on top shelf drinks, which I may not have ordered if I was paying per drink. 

You have NO idea how much I appreciate your post.  It is EXACTLY what I needed to read.  My DH loves his top shelf bourbon and his top shelf vodka.  He also loves his Diet Coke.  Additionally, his CPAP will require bottled water, so if bottled water is included in Cheers, this will save us from having to worry about everyone drinking any pre-ordered bottled waters for the cabins.

 

I didn’t even think about milk shakes (Yum!) and specialty coffees.  If it’s part of Cheers, I suspect my husband will happily indulge.

[coevan]

if you are a moderate drinker, don't leave home without it. I was even under the weather one day and they whipped me up some herb concoction at the Alchemy Bar. Every time you pass a bar grab a water and stock you cabin fridge

[sb4ever]

13 hours ago, coevan said:

if you are a moderate drinker, don't leave home without it. I was even under the weather one day and they whipped me up some herb concoction at the Alchemy Bar. Every time you pass a bar grab a water and stock you cabin fridge

 

 AnnaMarie on Horizon did the exact thing for us at Alchemy; it was a nice drink we could carry and sip. 

I didn't buy the package when we did our European sailing because it was too port-intensive and we would not have gotten the value out of it.  Also, on European sailings, they do not "check" your wine that you bring back on board.  We bought several bottles at each port and had lovely wine each night.

Now, on our 8-day Horizon this past summer, we had four sea days and two port days.  The package totally made sense.  Also, when Amber Cove got canceled, we utilized it more than we would have that day as well.

 

I like being able to try new drinks without feeling "guilty" if I don't like them as much.  Cheers helps me be a little more experimental in that regard.  I also like that specialty coffees are included because at $4-5 a pop, those can add up 🙂

 

 

[Eliot Ness]

19 hours ago, strangstalien said:

The one thing I never see mentioned is the benefit of not talking yourself out of having a drink and enjoying yourself......

 

That is so very true.  We did our first Cheers package on a B2B and while I didn't calculate the numbers, I probably didn't come out ahead.  But I got a water when I wanted one, a soda whenever I wanted, and don't forget the milkshakes.  Before this cruise we never sat at the Alchemy Bar before and what a treat that was.  In planning a mid-February cruise I told the wife my only requirement was the cheers package.  I'll find a lounge chair somewhere, breakout my Kindle and tip a waiter $5 to keep the Twilight Zones, Miami Vices, and the occasional beers flowing