The plus and minus of the drink package?

[nyhitmen]

Hey All

 

First time on a cruise. We are not heavy drinkers maybe one or two drinks a day at most on the cruise. Is it more beneficial to get the drink package even though we light drinkers or just get drinks as we go? Cause $51 a day seems like a lot for people who drink one or two each a day. There is only my wife and I going. 

 

Thanks 

[bury me at sea]

I've never come close to a beverage bill of $50 a day, and I drink what I want when I want.

 

Others easily do spend that much.

 

Cheers is pretty clear cut for those in either category.

 

Those in the middle have to decide if it would be beneficial.

 

From your post it sounds as though you would be far better off to pay as you go.

[memoak]

Drink packages are really not meant for people who only drink one or two a day.  Remember you will each have to get the package and I really doubt that you will save any money, I would just pay as you go

[Darwal]

Don’t forget that it also includes shakes, specialty coffees, bottled water and energy drinks.  Everyone always makes it seem like its just about the alcohol.   say you have 2-3 $9 alcohol drinks and then grab a couple $5 shakes and coffees and maybe a water, etc you can hit $50/day no problem.

[Garth2]

I believe the $50 per day does not include the gratuity which is now 18% so now you're at almost $60 a day.

[K_e_short]

I didn't do the alcohol package on my last cruise but my whole family did the unlimited pop package.

I did the math and figured out exactly how many drinks a day we needed to drink to break even.

We did not break even because:

 

1 - not all the bars were open when it was busy so sometimes we just gave up and waited to get a drink until later

2 - we were charged an extra tax when we were in port which was not part of the original price

 

[NotTooCritical]

Don't just look at the alcohol you drink because CHEERS includes more than that. People often make that mistake when arguing against it. It may not be for you, but take the entire offering into account. Take a look at what it includes below, look up the menus online and write down what you think you'd order in a day, then decide. It's been beneficial for me and I only drink about 2-4 alcoholic drinks a day (when on a cruise). Specialty coffee in the morning, fruity drink in the afternoon, a glass of wine at dinner and maybe something if I go to the comedy show. The rest was made up with bottled and flavored waters and Honest Teas. One of the main things I like is that besides knowing you have everything paid for upfront, it allows for some experimenting. Not sure if you'd like a particular drink by the description, try it. If you don't like it, wait 5 mins and get something else. You don't have to force yourself to finish something just because you paid for it and don't want to pay for something else. With CHEERS you've paid for up to 15 alcoholic drinks and unlimited non-alcoholic. It's like creating your own drink flight! 

 

• All spirits, including cocktails, cognacs, whiskies and other spirits, as well as beer (including self-serve beer stations) and wine and champagne by the glass, with a $20 USD or lower menu price per serving 
• Sodas (including specialty sodas), Zero-Proof frozen cocktails (including smoothies) and juices 
• Specialty coffees and hot tea served in the main dining rooms, specialty restaurants and coffee bars
• Milkshakes, where applicable  
• RockStar energy drinks, Powerade, Vitamin Water, Coconut Water and Honest Tea
• 500ml bottled water and other non-alcoholic bottled beverages served in bars and lounges
• Large format (1 liter and 1.5-liter) bottles of water in the main dining rooms and specialty restaurants
• 25 percent discount off the menu price for any spirit, cocktail or wine by the glass, costing above $20 USD per serving
• 25 percent discount off the menu price for wine and champagne by the bottle 
• 25 percent discount off beverage seminars and classes

[PhillyFan33579]

Lots of good points about Cheers including more than just drinks with alcohol.  However, I don’t see any way Cheers would be a good deal for the OP if they only have 1-2 drinks per day. 

[GUT2407]

2 hours ago, nyhitmen said:

Hey All

 

First time on a cruise. We are not heavy drinkers maybe one or two drinks a day at most on the cruise. Is it more beneficial to get the drink package even though we light drinkers or just get drinks as we go? Cause $51 a day seems like a lot for people who drink one or two each a day. There is only my wife and I going. 

 

Thanks 

Don’t buy it, for some it’s a bargain for others it’s not.

 

Id say the pluses are

 

Not having to think will I have a drink or leave it

 

Trying something new, if you hate it, it hasn’t cost you

 

certainty about your final bill.

 

but a drink or two a day you’ll never be in front.

[Darwal]

14 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Lots of good points about Cheers including more than just drinks with alcohol.  However, I don’t see any way Cheers would be a good deal for the OP if they only have 1-2 drinks per day. 

 

not enough info to go on, the OP probably means 1-2 alcohol drinks...we don’t know.  maybe they love coffee and drink a few cups a day, maybe they want a shot in the coffee because its vacation.  

[bury me at sea]

9 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Lots of good points about Cheers including more than just drinks with alcohol.  However, I don’t see any way Cheers would be a good deal for the OP if they only have 1-2 drinks per day. 

 

I agree that Cheers can be a good deal.

 

With readily available coffee, tea, milk, lemonade (and other juices in the mornings), and water all included with the cruise fare, it doesn't make sense for me.

 

 

[ober134]

We are moderate drinkers. 3-5 drinks per day depending if we are off ship or shore excursions for many hours. We have 12 pk water ordered in advance from FunShop, bring a bottle of wine with us. Pay as we go and have never spent close to the cost of Cheers. For a 7 day it would be $842... I could stock my home bar with A LOT for that amount. I think I would be tempted to overdrink to make sure I got my monies worth.... While that may work for many, not for us. There are many drink calculators on the web. Play with those to see if the pkg makes sense for you. 

[Nic6318]

2 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Lots of good points about Cheers including more than just drinks with alcohol.  However, I don’t see any way Cheers would be a good deal for the OP if they only have 1-2 drinks per day. 

 

Hi

 

Agreed. It doesn't matter how many coffees, or milkshakes you drink, unless you are prepared to drink 4 or 5 alcoholic drinks every day, it doesn't make sense.

 

Many people opt for it because they are willing to drink more, just because they are on vacation. Some say they find it convenient not having to worry about what their bar bill will be. For me, even when I drank too much, I wouldn't worry about what my bar bill would be. Most people don't drink alcohol every day, even on vacations. The idea of spending close to $900 on beverages on a one week vacation, for many couples is not realistic.

 

Obviously, it is very popular. For those that feel that a beverage package is necessary, I think they should keep an eye out for some of the other cruise lines. When they have their promotions that include beverages and gratuities, the bottom line price will be very competitive with Carnival and will allow them to try different cruise lines.

[nyhitmen]

24 minutes ago, Nic6318 said:

 

Hi

 

Agreed. It doesn't matter how many coffees, or milkshakes you drink, unless you are prepared to drink 4 or 5 alcoholic drinks every day, it doesn't make sense.

 

Many people opt for it because they are willing to drink more, just because they are on vacation. Some say they find it convenient not having to worry about what their bar bill will be. For me, even when I drank too much, I wouldn't worry about what my bar bill would be. Most people don't drink alcohol every day, even on vacations. The idea of spending close to $900 on beverages on a one week vacation, for many couples is not realistic.

 

Obviously, it is very popular. For those that feel that a beverage package is necessary, I think they should keep an eye out for some of the other cruise lines. When they have their promotions that include beverages and gratuities, the bottom line price will be very competitive with Carnival and will allow them to try different cruise lines.

 

 

Well what would say the average price on the cruise for a beer be? Or say a glass of sangria ?

 

That might help me decide but its a 4 day cruise I aint gonna spend $400 for liquor lol

[Joebucks]

For 1-2 drinks a day, it's not worth it. Don't let others talk you into a bunch of milkshakes, bottles of water, and coffees to justify $860 in liquids you wouldn't otherwise buy. You aren't "breaking even" by spending way more than you would normally spend. 

[nyhitmen]

Just now, Joebucks said:

For 1-2 drinks a day, it's not worth it. Don't let others talk you into a bunch of milkshakes, bottles of water, and coffees to justify $860 in liquids you wouldn't otherwise buy. You aren't "breaking even" by spending way more than you would normally spend. 

 

 

Well what drinks are free? I must have misread but I thought I say you can go into the buffet at anytime to grab a free coffee or something

[GUT2407]

7 minutes ago, nyhitmen said:

 

 

Well what drinks are free? I must have misread but I thought I say you can go into the buffet at anytime to grab a free coffee or something

Yeah free coffee and tea in the buffet, but the coffee can be pretty ordinary.

[BENHANDEL]

We are light drinkers at home, moderate drinkers on vacay. We got Cheers! and got our money's worth...but we will not get it again. 

 

I enjoyed a couple of glasses of wine with dinner. If payitng for each drink, I would have enjoyed a couple glasses of beer just as much.

 

I hated standing in lines at the bars. They were very long, except at pig and anchor, which was our go to on Horizon. 

 

In order to make it worthwhile, I was always chasing a beverage, whether to drink then or put in the fridge. The coffee shop was great, but the lines were also very long. We wasted too much time trying to find beverages. When we disembarked, we left 4 beers in the fridge. 

 

My hubby was sick of drinking that much by day 4. As light drinkers at home, we can only keep up the pace of 5-6 drinks a day for a couple days. 

[MississippiMom]

I’m agreeing that the OP does not sound like they need to purchase Cheers.

 

We are purchasing Cheers for the first time this Spring.  It will be, totally, worth it for my husband, who only likes certain liquor brands, likes the fancy coffees, and he will drink a ton of sparkling water, bottled waters & bottled teas.  I’m in the middle ground.  It might be worth buying the package or it might not.  I’m not a big drinker, but when I do drink, it’s the $10+ cocktails.  I also LOVE a milkshake, and the sparkling water, bottled water & bottle teas.  I am looking forward to visiting The Alchemy Bar for the first time, and trying everything on the menu at some point during our cruise.  Will I finish each drink?  Heck, no!  But I will get to taste it, and not have to worry about the bill, because it’s all covered under Cheers.

[tonit964]

7 hours ago, nyhitmen said:

Hey All

 

First time on a cruise. We are not heavy drinkers maybe one or two drinks a day at most on the cruise. Is it more beneficial to get the drink package even though we light drinkers or just get drinks as we go? Cause $51 a day seems like a lot for people who drink one or two each a day. There is only my wife and I going. 

 

Thanks 

You will be financially better off just purchasing drinks as you go.

Enjoy your first cruise!

[sanger727]

Cheers can be a good deal to people who drink a lot. It can also turn into a trap for people who don’t that now feel the need to

jusyify their purchase. Could you break even with 2 alcoholic drinks plus several coffee drinks, sodas, milkshakes, etc. sure. Do you normally drink several of those a day? And if not, do you want to feel compelled to just go get your ‘moneys’  worth.  Carnivals drink prices are not excessive. You shouldn’t have any trouble getting 2 drinks for under $20. So that leaves you with $30 to spend on $2-$5 non-alcoholic drinks.

 

As far as free drinks, you’ll get standard drip coffee, hot tea, water, lemonade, and iced tea in all dining venues. Plus there are some additional kool aid like drinks in the buffet and juice/milk at breakfast.

 

i personally haven’t purchased cheers because it’s not worth it for me. I have cruised lines that include the drink package as a booking perk. It is nice to have when it’s ‘included’. Mostly because none of the bars are big on providing free drinks. I’m sure you can get a cup of ice water but there’s certainly no other options. So usually on a cruise I carry a large mug around that I fill at the buffet. It’s nice to not carry it and just grab a bottled water or soda as I’m out and about on the ship. But for me, it’s not worth $50 pp pd.

Edited January 29, 2019 by sanger727

[beachbum53]

A couple of other points regarding Cheers. If you're planning to attend a Meet & Greet party that's been organized through Carnival and you have to pay to attend, the Cheers package is not applicable. Cheers can only be used on the ship and not in port.  So, if one of your ports happens to be HMC (for example), you won't be able to use Cheers.

[schazzy]

Since this is your first cruise, and you feel you will only have a couple drinks a day, I wouldn't get Cheers. Basically you should do as we did when we went on our first cruise after taking a 7 year hiatus, we weren't sure how much we would drink or if we would even spend that much we on drinks for the week. So, did the "pay as you go" thing and figured that depending on how much we spent, it would help us decide for future cruises if Cheers would be worth it or not. We decided that it was worth it considering we spent almost as much as Cheers would have costed us, and that was with trying to be conservative.

 

So, basically, you can get others opinions, you can study the menus and use the calculators, but the only way to truly find out for certain how much you will drink and spend on a cruise is to go on one and see for yourself.      

[Nic6318]

11 hours ago, nyhitmen said:

 

 

Well what drinks are free? I must have misread but I thought I say you can go into the buffet at anytime to grab a free coffee or something

Hi

 

Coffee, tea, water, is available all of the time. Juices, milks, are out at breakfast (many will grab extra for later, you can also ask at mealtimes).

 

Don't forget, you are allowed to bring on board cans of pop. Also on embarkation day you are allowed to bring one bottle of wine each. 

 

Beers are $5-6 each plus gratuity. A big thing for many is that at those port of calls, after your tours/shopping, on the beach, you will be able to enjoy much less expensive drinks. 

[ProgRockCruiser]

15 hours ago, K_e_short said:

 

2 - we were charged an extra tax when we were in port which was not part of the original price

 

 

You would have been charged that extra tax with or without Cheers!  So it shouldn't be a factor.

 

If the OP and Sig Other only drink one or two drinks each, heck maybe even three, I would say Cheers is not for them, unless they drink top-shelf liquor every single time and consume a lot of specialty coffees/milkshakes.