Anyone regret purchasing the Cheers program

[PhillyFan33579]

2 hours ago, TNcruising02 said:

My husband and I purchased it for one of our cruises, but ended up cancelling it on day 2.  We realized we could never drink enough to make it worth it.  On our last cruise, our total bill was $230, which included drinks for the two of us, T-shirts, and a few items purchased in the stores. I can't imagine drinking 5 alcoholic drinks in one day.  The calories alone would be shocking.  It makes sense for people who like to drink a lot.  It doesn't for people who don't drink much.

How were you able to cancel Cheers, since it is non-refundable?

[VentureMan_2000]

9 hours ago, coevan said:

 

 

you lost me on this one how is 18% of $10 not $1.80?

 

Coevan,  work with me here.... please read the whole mathematical explanation.  I stated, "paying the 18% TIP on the CHEERS package is likely not 18%".  Key subject here is CHEERS package.  As explained in my previous post... while you pay 18% on the $51.95 CHEERS package, you pay more (or less) than the 18% based on the number of drinks you purchase, with 5 being the break-even point -- where nearly an 18% TIP is paid on average, between the 5 drinks.  If you purchase less than 5 drinks at $9.95 average price, then you are actually paying more than an 18% TIP on your drinks.  Purchase more than 5 drinks, then your average TIP is below 18%.  

[TNcruising02]

7 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

How were you able to cancel Cheers, since it is non-refundable?

Sorry, I should have specified that we got the refund when we cruised on Royal.  The rest of the post was about our cruise a week ago on Carnival's Panorama.

Edited December 26, 2019 by TNcruising02

[coevan]

13 hours ago, VentureMan_2000 said:

 

Coevan,  work with me here.... please read the whole mathematical explanation.  I stated, "paying the 18% TIP on the CHEERS package is likely not 18%".  Key subject here is CHEERS package.  As explained in my previous post... while you pay 18% on the $51.95 CHEERS package, you pay more (or less) than the 18% based on the number of drinks you purchase, with 5 being the break-even point -- where nearly an 18% TIP is paid on average, between the 5 drinks.  If you purchase less than 5 drinks at $9.95 average price, then you are actually paying more than an 18% TIP on your drinks.  Purchase more than 5 drinks, then your average TIP is below 18%.  

 

 

you're good at math, I was being more simplistic. I do have to say, think I burned a small hole in my brain 😁

[bahacca]

I travelled with a group who all got cheers except me. The people who loved it were moderate to heavy drinkers who had older kids and were traveling with a spouse. The people with regrets were those who had small children, so felt they couldn't ever be drunk and those who got sea sick (and refused to listen to me when I told them to take meds). I had my 2 tweens with me, no husband, so I knew I needed to be coherent the whole trip. I enjoyed a couple Alchemy cocktails each night and had a bottle of wine I carried on. 

[dogtaur]

We have purchased the Cheers program for all 4 cruises we have been on. And never regretted it! Have fun!

[cheermomof2girls]

On 12/24/2019 at 1:39 PM, Roscoe13 said:

18% is small? 

 

Yes, when I factor in that it's done on the purchase price of the package, not the amount of drinks/coffee, etc that I am served.  If I typically tip $2 a drink, but on cheers I drink 10-12 including coffee, etc, my around 9 dollars a day on the cheers  would make the tip much smaller than what I would otherwise tip.  SO, I add a little to it to it in appreciation for great service.  If the service is not great, I dont add to it.  Outstanding service and a lot gets added.  

 

And, I'm not entirely sure how the tips are divided up when you purchase Cheers, so I do what suits myself and tip extra.  It's a personal choice though, and no one is under any obligation to.

[jdemps]

7 minutes ago, cheermomof2girls said:

 

Yes, when I factor in that it's done on the purchase price of the package, not the amount of drinks/coffee, etc that I am served.  If I typically tip $2 a drink, but on cheers I drink 10-12 including coffee, etc, my around 9 dollars a day on the cheers  would make the tip much smaller than what I would otherwise tip.  SO, I add a little to it to it in appreciation for great service.  If the service is not great, I dont add to it.  Outstanding service and a lot gets added.  

 

And, I'm not entirely sure how the tips are divided up when you purchase Cheers, so I do what suits myself and tip extra.  It's a personal choice though, and no one is under any obligation to.

We think the same on this tip situation.  The value of our drinks is typically about $100 per day, per person and we only tip around $9.50 per person on pre-purchased cheers price of $52 per day.  We always give an extra buck or two on every drink order.  

[grandmarnnurse]

On 3/5/2019 at 10:18 AM, l8cruiser said:

I am curious if anyone thought they made a mistake purchasing the Cheers program. I was thinking on port days , if we would be away too long to get our moneys worth. It would be nice to have mimosas in the morning along with special coffees. I would kick myself though if we didn’t drink enough to make it worthwhile. 

We never purchase the Cheers package because I know we would never drink that much. I know it includes coffee, milkshakes and water, but my hubby and I only drink about 3 alcoholic drinks a day when on a cruise, and even purchase coffee at the coffee bar. On our last cruise we had $300 bar credits, and our final bill was only $43. So, I know it would never be worth it for us. I think a lot of people feel pressured to “get their moneys worth” or to “break even”, and tend to over indulge. I just don’t care to spend my vacation drunk or hung over. But then again, I have a pretty low alcohol tolerance, so those three drinks are spaced hours apart, with plenty of water hydration between. Someone else may have a better alcohol tolerance and could come near that 15 drink limit without getting drunk. 

[grandmarnnurse]

On 3/5/2019 at 1:33 PM, mapman_2004 said:

And I just don't get people's response to they can now not worry about their budget.  huh?

I know my cruise budget will definitely be less buying my drinks outright. I would think the opposite would hold true, as I’d worry constantly if I was “breaking even” or getting my moneys worth”.  I don’t see how anyone could buy the package to feel they wouldn’t have to worry about a budget. There is no way most people would drink as much as the package costs. Cheaper to buy outright. I had $300 bar credits on last cruise, and my final bill was only $43. If we purchased the package, the cost for two would have been around $741.30. That figure just blows my mind! I’d never drink that much in a million years! Lol! At least if I wanted to remember my vacation, that is! 🤣🤣🤣

[cruisingguy007]

Nope. It's worth the expense if you are going to party it up on your cruise. There is a lot of down time on a cruise and being on vacation tends to lend it self to indulging more. It's nice to not have to worry about a bill at the end and not have to consciously keep track of expenses since it's all included. You want some wine with dinner, have some wine, try a few in fact. Want to try all the beers at Pig & Anchor, go for it! frozen drinks on deck? You bet! Premium coffee in the morning, Perrier at dinner, and some Gatorade in the afternoon; all good. Plus at night the bars are where all the action is. It's nice being able to bar hop and/or just hang out without stressing about every drink once you find a interesting group(s) that you can vibe with. You'll notice those having the most fun will be fellow Cheers passengers. It's worth it IMO. Sadly, my upcoming cruise will be my final drinking cruise as I will reach a milestone and need to focus on health as a priority but I have purchased it for this one last cruise and fully plan to enjoy it! BOTTOMS UP!!!!!!!

[SNJCruisers]

On 12/20/2019 at 1:14 PM, Sean_B said:

 

For context, my wife and I are going on an 8 day cruise and neither one of us will average 6 drinks per day because we have four port days.

Have to call BS on using port days as a crutch to not drinking your 6 per day.  On a port day if you are back on board by 430, and if you have a drink every 90 minutes, then you have drink number 6 in your hand at midnight.  Easily doable and if you drink at the Alchemy Bar, then you need less than 5 per day to break even and then all the non alcoholic  stuff is gravy.

[Sean_B]

6 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

Have to call BS on using port days as a crutch to not drinking your 6 per day.  On a port day if you are back on board by 430, and if you have a drink every 90 minutes, then you have drink number 6 in your hand at midnight.  Easily doable and if you drink at the Alchemy Bar, then you need less than 5 per day to break even and then all the non alcoholic  stuff is gravy.

You're assuming we can drink that much. One drink every 90 minutes would very likely kill me, thanks to a medical condition and my wife is <100 lbs, so a drink every 90 minutes would probably put her out cold in < 4.5 hours. We also have no plans to be awake at midnight. It's not a contest to see who can drink all night.

 

Thanks for your concern over how we spend our money.

 

Edited December 28, 2019 by Sean_B

[SNJCruisers]

27 minutes ago, Sean_B said:

You're assuming we can drink that much. One drink every 90 minutes would very likely kill me, thanks to a medical condition and my wife is <100 lbs, so a drink every 90 minutes would probably put her out cold in < 4.5 hours. We also have no plans to be awake at midnight. It's not a contest to see who can drink all night.

 

Thanks for your concern over how we spend our money.

 

If you can't  drink because of a medical condition and your wife is a waif and you go to bed before midnight  on vacation,  then why on Earth are you posting on an alcoholic thread.. 

If you started with...Cheers is not for us because of a medical condition I have and my wife is a light drinker, then that is acceptable.   Just don't  use the port  excuse as a reason to not buy the program.  There are many who can drink 2  alcoholic drinks per day and after supplementing with many variations of non alcoholic  consumption, they still reach their numbers.  Happy cruising without Cheers.

[lensonlife]

We’ve been on a 4 night and an 8 night cruise and have yet to purchase with no regrets! That said, neither of us are coffee drinkers. I fancy and bring my own tea bags. My husband might drink a bucket of beer on ship days, and I will likely have a few glasses of wine/Prosecco, or a cocktail. Together we did not spend more than $500 on our last 8 night and that included a few sodas, milkshakes. I also brought home one of the bottles of wine I brought onboard. There were 4 ports- and I think that makes a big difference. We drank off the ship too, and the heat from the day just whipped us! I’ve been thinking of not purchasing the package for our 9 night this June with 4 ports, but we still have plenty of time to decide. The extra sea day is the one reason I would be tempted. I still think I might not though. 

[grandmarnnurse]

7 hours ago, Sean_B said:

You're assuming we can drink that much. One drink every 90 minutes would very likely kill me, thanks to a medical condition and my wife is <100 lbs, so a drink every 90 minutes would probably put her out cold in < 4.5 hours. We also have no plans to be awake at midnight. It's not a contest to see who can drink all night.

 

Thanks for your concern over how we spend our money.

 

You both actually sound like my hubby and me. He used to be able to drink more, but I never have been able to. I have always been small in stature, 5’ (barely), and never even hit 100lbs until I was in my 50s. Now, I am much older yet, and retirement and bilateral TKRs has helped me gain some unwanted weight, but I STILL have a low alcohol tolerance. Hubby just drinks beer, never any hard liquors or wine, and watches how many because of the carbs. So, it IS relevant for people like us to comment on threads like this, because the question to whether the drink package is worth it, or you would regret buying it, is a question asked time and time again. People need to realize that if you are fairly light alcohol drinkers, adding in non alcohol beverages, you still may never come near breaking even or getting your moneys worth. And there are a lot of passengers out there just like us, that do more on our cruises than drink alcohol, and it is far cheaper to just pay as you go. People need to really think about how much they are willing to imbibe. As for staying up after midnight with a drink in our hand—-LOL—it’s a rare night that I can keep the hubby up that late, unless he takes a nap in the afternoon. Lol! Just a fact of life as you age. 🤣🤣

[mslhb]

We will always get Cheers. It is nice not worrying about what the bar bill will be at the end of the trip. Our 1st Cruise was close to 20 years ago. We were a group of 4 adults and I remember my friend and I checking every couple of days at the front desk to see what our balance was. And this was a European port intensive cruise. That was a very high final bill! We are older and don’t drink as much but I still feel like we get the value of cheers. I like to try some of the expensive cocktails that I normally wouldn’t order. To me that is part of the fun of vacation. It definitely isn’t for everyone.

[Brittanynichole]

We were just deciding to purchase Cheers or not for our 7 day cruise. (Which we did) We don't drink a ton but I can see hitting $55 during a 12 hour day. We also don't really drink on port so that is money saved for us. We don't drink a ton but like iced coffee and energy drinks so two of those a day. A drink in the morning, drinking in the afternoon, and 2-3 glasses of wine in the evening I think we are about breaking evening and I'm sure on sea days it may be a couple drinks in the afternoon. We aren't the type of people who will worry about making our money back but we are definitely the type who will be calculating what we are spending every time we purchase drinks if we didn't purchase the package. We aren't drinkers while not on vacation but we like to not worry and feel like we can indulge and drink on vacation and try cool drinks I would never ever think about ordering not on a ship. Haha.

 

 

Edited December 28, 2019 by Brittanynichole

[Luckiestmanonearth]

I regret it every morning following a long day of drinking !!

[Theosprey247]

I have never regretted “not” getting Cheers!

[heffy2]

I've purchased Cheers on three sailings now, and I've never regretted it. Well, on the Panorama earlier this month I did, but only because I hit 15 for the first time.🤣 On a cruise I'll always drink at least 5 drinks a day, and then with the coffee and water, I always feel like it was worth it. 

[Sean_B]

5 hours ago, grandmarnnurse said:

You both actually sound like my hubby and me. He used to be able to drink more, but I never have been able to. I have always been small in stature, 5’ (barely), and never even hit 100lbs until I was in my 50s. Now, I am much older yet, and retirement and bilateral TKRs has helped me gain some unwanted weight, but I STILL have a low alcohol tolerance. Hubby just drinks beer, never any hard liquors or wine, and watches how many because of the carbs. So, it IS relevant for people like us to comment on threads like this, because the question to whether the drink package is worth it, or you would regret buying it, is a question asked time and time again. People need to realize that if you are fairly light alcohol drinkers, adding in non alcohol beverages, you still may never come near breaking even or getting your moneys worth. And there are a lot of passengers out there just like us, that do more on our cruises than drink alcohol, and it is far cheaper to just pay as you go. People need to really think about how much they are willing to imbibe. As for staying up after midnight with a drink in our hand—-LOL—it’s a rare night that I can keep the hubby up that late, unless he takes a nap in the afternoon. Lol! Just a fact of life as you age. 🤣🤣

 

I'm 51 (turning 52 on the cruise) and my wife will be 47 and it's also a rare night that we're awake at midnight, even on vacation. Different people have different vacation styles and because we're both health-conscious, gym people, we rarely indulge in things that take away from that lifestyle. We want to relax on vacation, not party all night. We've budgeted for 5 drinks per day combined between the two of us, which will be well below the cost of Cheers. We also plan to take two bottles of wine onboard, which we may or may not drink and we also get a free bottle of wine for dining at the steakhouse on the first night. We would have to combine for 10 drinks a day to break even on the cost of Cheers and that would definitely not happen. An additional factor is that we're Canadian, and the cost of Cheers for our 8-day itinerary (including gratuity and exchange rate) works out to just under $1300 CAN for the two of us, which is well beyond a reasonable price in our eyes. Our 5 drink average will be 1/2 the price of purchasing Cheers.

Thank you for your post and assuring us that there are others who feel the same way 🙂

[WhaleTailFlCruiser]

I don't buy it because I don't drink lol. Thought about buying it just so I can consume large amounts of non-alcoholic strawberry daiquiris. But I will stick with my Bubbles package. 

[grandmarnnurse]

38 minutes ago, Sean_B said:

 

I'm 51 (turning 52 on the cruise) and my wife will be 47 and it's also a rare night that we're awake at midnight, even on vacation. Different people have different vacation styles and because we're both health-conscious, gym people, we rarely indulge in things that take away from that lifestyle. We want to relax on vacation, not party all night. We've budgeted for 5 drinks per day combined between the two of us, which will be well below the cost of Cheers. We also plan to take two bottles of wine onboard, which we may or may not drink and we also get a free bottle of wine for dining at the steakhouse on the first night. We would have to combine for 10 drinks a day to break even on the cost of Cheers and that would definitely not happen. An additional factor is that we're Canadian, and the cost of Cheers for our 8-day itinerary (including gratuity and exchange rate) works out to just under $1300 CAN for the two of us, which is well beyond a reasonable price in our eyes. Our 5 drink average will be 1/2 the price of purchasing Cheers.

Thank you for your post and assuring us that there are others who feel the same way 🙂

You are very welcome. 😎

[HockeyMom24]

Question to the group.........

 

With the Cheers program, can we buy drinks for other people and put them on our sign and sail card separately and not on our Cheers account? 

 

We understand the Cheers program has limits of 15 drinks per person per day. If not on the Cheers program are we still limited to 15 drinks per day per person or is it then unlimited? Example, buying a round of drinks for our friends......

 

Thanks for any insight you can provide.