Cheers + "Happy Hour" specials

[mferris77]

Hi all - How does Carnival handle the happy hour specials if you have the Cheers program?  I was just watching a video where certain bars/drinks (including that fishbowl thing at Red Frog Pub) are half priced when in port.  So if you have the Cheers program, how does that work, if at all?  I just watched a video of them making that fishbowl 'painkiller' drink at a happy hour special where it was half price, but I'm wondering if it - or any drinks during a "buy one get one" special - actually gets you more than your Cheers limit?  (Which, while I know it's hard to hit your Cheers limit, I have done it on a few occasions).

 

Adding to that, how does the Cheers program handle non-traditional drinks like the fishbowl?  Are you simply not allowed to order that *at all* if you have Cheers?  That would kind of suck.  I am traveling with two other people and we've all purchased the Cheers program and it would be nice to share a fishbowl drink at some point for the novelty of it.  I know the Cheers program only covers single drinks, but I guess I'm wondering what if you do want to buy a non-Cheers-covered drink?  Are you simply not allowed or can you still get it as long as you pay for it like a non-Cheers passenger?

 

Thanks!

[coevan]

 CHEERS! excludes:

• Beverages promoted and sold in souvenir glasses
• Bottles of liquor
• Beverages offered at the gangway 
• Beverages offered through room service and/or other in-stateroom beverage programs
• Beverages purchased off the ship at any port of call, including Princess Cays and Half Moon Cay
• Sharing cocktails, floaters, pitchers, tubes and buckets 
• Beverages offered through enomatic wine machines
• Freshly squeezed orange juice served in the Havana Bar
• All other beverage-related programs including merchandise, cigars and cigarettes
• Food items

I don't see happy hour excluded, so you can probably use and it will count toward your 15. I have paid for pitchers to share with friends in the sports bar and have not been declined, no cheers though. 

[DallasGuy75219]

20 minutes ago, mferris77 said:

I know the Cheers program only covers single drinks, but I guess I'm wondering what if you do want to buy a non-Cheers-covered drink?  Are you simply not allowed or can you still get it as long as you pay for it like a non-Cheers passenger?

I've seen others report that you can pay for as many drinks as you want until you reach your 15th Cheers drink.  After your 15th Cheers drink, your S&S is blocked from drink purchases until the Cheers day restarts at 6:00 am.

[mferris77]

Thanks.  I know there are exclusions with Cheers, and that there is a 15 drink per day max.  I guess my rambling question was:  

 

What if you do want one of those excluded items?  For instance, I'm cruising with two other people - what if we wanted to share the fishbowl drink?  Are we simply unable to purchase it at all because we're on the Cheers program? 

 

I suppose maybe we'd need to sit there and let them swipe our card every 5 minutes until we've 'banked' enough liquor to make a fishbowl drink (if they'd even do that).

[j1d1]

My understanding is that you would have to purchase it entirely separately from the Cheers package.  You would have to pay full price and wouldn't get any discount because of Cheers.  I do think you would be allowed to purchase it, but don't know this for sure as I've never tried it.  You can certainly buy bottles of wine separate from Cheers.  I'm not entirely sure how buying a fish bowl it would apply to the 15 limit if at all.  I've seen differing reports on how alcohol drinks purchased separately from Cheers impact the 15 limit.

[Don Kehote]

23 hours ago, j1d1 said:

I've seen differing reports on how alcohol drinks purchased separately from Cheers impact the 15 limit.

I agree with this.  Realistically, I can't see a good reason to stop a customer from outright purchasing drinks when on Cheers.  If nothing else, it averages down any losses they (Carnival) takes on Cheers from someone who's definitely using it to the fullest.

[ishap]

On 7/27/2019 at 7:33 PM, coevan said:

Sharing cocktails, floaters, pitchers, tubes and buckets

 

I'm assuming the fishbowl is a sharing drink made for multiple people, which is NOT covered by Cheers.  You can certainly buy one, but you will be charged to your sign and sail account for the cost.  As far as the 15 drink max, this is NOT exclusive to Cheers.  Any guest is held to a 15 drink max per day.  This is tracked by your sign and sail.  That being said, it will should only count towards the maximum for the guest that actually purchases it.  I do not believe any other guests have to show their card when you buy this.  (I've never purchased one so I can't be sure, but they let me buy a bucket of beer for just myself without asking for other cards)

[pacruise804]

On 7/29/2019 at 1:20 PM, ishap said:

 

I'm assuming the fishbowl is a sharing drink made for multiple people, which is NOT covered by Cheers.  You can certainly buy one, but you will be charged to your sign and sail account for the cost.  As far as the 15 drink max, this is NOT exclusive to Cheers.  Any guest is held to a 15 drink max per day.  This is tracked by your sign and sail.  That being said, it will should only count towards the maximum for the guest that actually purchases it.  I do not believe any other guests have to show their card when you buy this.  (I've never purchased one so I can't be sure, but they let me buy a bucket of beer for just myself without asking for other cards)

 

The fishbowl is an extra large drink, presumably for sharing 😉, which is not covered.  Only one guest would be charged, and would be charged the full price.  Someone on Cheers should be able to purchase it, but they may need to explain to the server they understand it will be a full charge and not part of the package.  

 

I have never heard of 15 max for anything beyond Cheers.  Bar servers always have the right to refuse service to visibly intoxicated persons regardless of number of drinks purchased.  I don't think the purchase will count against the 15 drinks since it isn't part of the Cheers program.  Cheers allows a discount for bottles of wine, and I don't think the bottle counts against your drink limit either (based on reading - I've never had Cheers).

 

 

[ishap]

50 minutes ago, pacruise804 said:

 

The fishbowl is an extra large drink, presumably for sharing 😉, which is not covered.  Only one guest would be charged, and would be charged the full price.  Someone on Cheers should be able to purchase it, but they may need to explain to the server they understand it will be a full charge and not part of the package.  

 

I have never heard of 15 max for anything beyond Cheers.  Bar servers always have the right to refuse service to visibly intoxicated persons regardless of number of drinks purchased.  I don't think the purchase will count against the 15 drinks since it isn't part of the Cheers program.  Cheers allows a discount for bottles of wine, and I don't think the bottle counts against your drink limit either (based on reading - I've never had Cheers).

 

 

 

You may be correct on the 15 drink limit.  I've read it someplace before, but can't seem to find it on the Carnival site besides the cheers program.

[DGP1111]

Apologies for the hijack of the original question to ask mine, but . . . 

How exactly does a "shared beverage" (fishbowl, etc.) work with straws being discontinued??

I don't recall anyone around doing one of these on my earlier sailings.

 

.

[PhillyFan33579]

2 minutes ago, DGP1111 said:

Apologies for the hijack of the original question to ask mine, but . . . 

How exactly does a "shared beverage" (fishbowl, etc.) work with straws being discontinued??

I don't recall anyone around doing one of these on my earlier sailings.

 

.

 

Straws aren’t being discontinued, plastic straws are being discontinued. 

[Elaine5715]

7 hours ago, pacruise804 said:

 

The fishbowl is an extra large drink, presumably for sharing 😉, which is not covered.  Only one guest would be charged, and would be charged the full price.  Someone on Cheers should be able to purchase it, but they may need to explain to the server they understand it will be a full charge and not part of the package.  

 

I have never heard of 15 max for anything beyond Cheers.  Bar servers always have the right to refuse service to visibly intoxicated persons regardless of number of drinks purchased.  I don't think the purchase will count against the 15 drinks since it isn't part of the Cheers program.  Cheers allows a discount for bottles of wine, and I don't think the bottle counts against your drink limit either (based on reading - I've never had Cheers).

 

 

 

6 hours ago, ishap said:

 

You may be correct on the 15 drink limit.  I've read it someplace before, but can't seem to find it on the Carnival site besides the cheers program.

The 15 drink limit is also for the Drinks on Us card

[SNJCruisers]

On 7/27/2019 at 7:20 PM, mferris77 said:

I am traveling with two other people and we've all purchased the Cheers program and it would be nice to share a fishbowl drink at some point for the novelty of it.

 

Thanks!

Here's a way for you to have your cake and eat it too.  Go to the bar that has the fishbowl drink.  Have yourself and your two traveling companions each order a Long Island Iced Tea from your Cheers allotment and then ask the bartender for an empty fishbowl.  Pour contents into fishbowl and then the three of you get the fishbowl sensation and it's on Cheers.

[kylesplash]

On our last cruise there were several nights where I got more than 15 drinks using the cheers program. I got in good with several bar tenders, and they would charge drinks to my wife's cheers account for me (without her being with me). If they know you, and know you will tip them accordingly, they are pretty cool about it. There were several times that I got sample drinks too, "here try this martini and tell me what you think"

[mferris77]

8 hours ago, kylesplash said:

On our last cruise there were several nights where I got more than 15 drinks using the cheers program. I got in good with several bar tenders, and they would charge drinks to my wife's cheers account for me (without her being with me). If they know you, and know you will tip them accordingly, they are pretty cool about it. There were several times that I got sample drinks too, "here try this martini and tell me what you think"

 

This reminds me of my first cruise that had Alchemy Bar.  We loved it, the two bartenders were from Eastern Europe, and we got along well. We went there every day.  In the course of talking we both discovered we shared the same favorite drink - a 'caiparinha' which is made with sugar cane rum, which isn't available on board.  Our next port of call was Curacao and she said to come back the next day as she had time to get off the ship.  When we went to the bar the next day, she went into the back room, showed me the bottle of sugar can rum she'd bought, then came out with two drinks - one for me, one for her, and no charge to my card.   I tipped her very well. 😄

Edited August 7, 2019 by mferris77