Nervous about this cruise!

[CoolOne56]

CozGurl, have you thought of purchasing Carnival's Cruise Cash Bar card?  You can purchase in $25 increments and you don't have to purchase them all at once.

 

Cruise Cash Bar provides an immediate credit to a guest's Sail & Sign account which can be applied toward any bar purchases.  This credit is good for any bar charge made to their account including alcoholic drinks, juice, soda, water, and coffee shop charges.  Cruise Cash Bar is valid for a single voyage and cannot be transferred to future bookings.  Cruise Cash Bar is non-refundable and any unused credits will be forfeited.

 

*Cruise Cash Bar purchases limited to $500 per cabin.

[xitappers2bx]

I'm not usually a big drinker, mostly just all the wine... what I do, since the cheers package is silly for me, is for several weeks before the cruise i buy cruise cash and just use that and then I feel like i'm not really spending money because it's already bought and paid for.  

[duhwitt]

Get the balcony.  It's still a vacation - why make it more stressful?  Instead of getting Cheers, maybe think about getting bottomless bubbles - that way if you do mixed drinks (e.g. rum and coke, jack and coke) you can order them separately, only paying for the shot, and mix them yourself!

Whatever you do - enjoy!

[Markmom18]

Hi,

  We've cruised in practically all Cabins except Presidential & Guarantee.  I thought once I had Balconies I couldn't do an Inside. Turns out I can and have a great trip too!  

  For my little 4 day cruises out of my local port, Long Beach on the Inspiration, I've been booking Inside. The cabin has a faux window area with curtains 😂. 

 Today I booked a cruise for next month on the Inspiration. I paid the extra dollars to get the window (for my Mom), but if it's just me. I'd rather save the money towards a 7 Day with my sweet hubby. 

 I'm a non-drinker now, almost 7 years, my hubby almost 15! 🤗🤗.  So no comment on Cheers.  Do what makes sense to you.

  🛳🛳

 Bobbi 

[hotsauce126]

13 hours ago, 2wheelin said:

Based on the stated expected bar tab of $600 your 30 drinks are rather expensive.

 

OP is going on a 5 day cruise. At $52 per day that's $260 per person. Alchemy cocktails are $11/per, others are $8-$10. 

Even on the lower end $9*30=$270.

[Joebucks]

4 minutes ago, hotsauce126 said:

 

OP is going on a 5 day cruise. At $52 per day that's $260 per person. Alchemy cocktails are $11/per, others are $8-$10. 

Even on the lower end $9*30=$270.

 

You have to pay gratuities on Cheers too. So that will be a $600 tab for two people. Paying $12 a drink, that is 50 cocktails to break even.

 

Most couples just aren't spending that. They just aren't

[hotsauce126]

44 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

 

You have to pay gratuities on Cheers too. So that will be a $600 tab for two people. Paying $12 a drink, that is 50 cocktails to break even.

 

Most couples just aren't spending that. They just aren't

 

You have to pay gratuities on individual drinks from the bar too. You don't think people are drinking 25 cocktails over a 5 day period on vacation?

[Bases5]

Guess I'm the opposite.   

  I would buy the cheers for a 5 day cruise but never for the 11,  We could never drink that much that many days in a row.  Even on a 7 we don't come out ahead with cheers. 

As for OV cabin  you will be fine.  The DW loves the balcony so I do get them but when we are budgeting we are fine with a OV.

[CozGurl]

The 11 day cruise is on Norwegian and the drink package is part of the perks so we "aren't paying extra" for it ha ha. 

 

I was rounding with gratuity to $600 for both of us for the package. If our drinks average $10 we'd have to drink 60 to break even, which is 30 each or 6 per day. I'm sure there will be a day or two where I'll have 6 but not all 5 days. The hub will probably average 6 or more a day on vacation so if I could get it for just him it would be a no brainer. 

 

We are going to track our drinking just for giggles. We're on vacation so we aren't going to freak out about it, but I am curious when we cruise on Carnival & Royal whether the package is worth it or not. It'll be a game with us to see which bars we can find drink special in lol. I'm also going to use the 2nd shot for $3 idea. Hmmm, if you want just a shot, like tequila or something is that $3 also? Or does that fee only apply to a second shot to put in an existing cocktail?

[amyotravel]

No the second shot is the same liquor in the same drink. Making a single a double of that drink/cocktail.

[Sea Hag]

You'll be fine. It's a short cruise, and you'll probably be busy enough that you won't miss the balcony. 

[Stick93]

20 hours ago, CozGurl said:

The 11 day cruise is on Norwegian and the drink package is part of the perks so we "aren't paying extra" for it ha ha. 

 

I was rounding with gratuity to $600 for both of us for the package. If our drinks average $10 we'd have to drink 60 to break even, which is 30 each or 6 per day. I'm sure there will be a day or two where I'll have 6 but not all 5 days. The hub will probably average 6 or more a day on vacation so if I could get it for just him it would be a no brainer. 

 

We are going to track our drinking just for giggles. We're on vacation so we aren't going to freak out about it, but I am curious when we cruise on Carnival & Royal whether the package is worth it or not. It'll be a game with us to see which bars we can find drink special in lol. I'm also going to use the 2nd shot for $3 idea. Hmmm, if you want just a shot, like tequila or something is that $3 also? Or does that fee only apply to a second shot to put in an existing cocktail?

 

A reason for cheers is not to have to track your drinks and not to have to bar hop to get the best deals. I agree there are ways to come up ahead of cheers and drink quite a bit. Me personally - I am on vacation, I want to relax and not think of this and drink what I like. If its in my budget and I can, then I buy the package. On a shorter cruise I would feel I defiantly drink more per day.

 

That said - You do what's right for you and the hubby. Make your decision and don't look back!

[DebJ14]

On 8/9/2019 at 1:34 PM, trvlgirlmq said:

We did the same as you last year.  Just needed a cheap getaway and booked a GTY Inside.  Cabin location was fine but we hated being in an Inside (had previously only done OV/Balcony).  My mom and I both felt like we were sardines and it was claustrophobic.

 

This year's quick trip is back to a balcony!  Money well-spent in my opinion.

 

I would pass on the cruise if I could not have a balcony.   I look at the ship as my transportation to the ports and I hate the noise on the Lido deck, so the balcony is my salvation. 

Can't comment on the cheers package as we maybe buy 2 or 3 drinks each on a 5 day cruise total, if that.  Just don't need booze to have a good time.

We were just on the Valor in May for her last cruise out of Galveston.  We love the Valor and miss having a Conquest Class ship in Galveston for the shorter cruises.  

 

Edited August 11, 2019 by DebJ14

[pacruise804]

On 8/9/2019 at 6:08 PM, hotsauce126 said:

 

You don't have to drink 50-60, you only have to drink 25-30

 

I'm pretty sure the math works out to 50-60 drinks combined between the two of them.  Since both have to buy Cheers and sometimes one drinks more than another, it can be good to look at the math that way.

 

On 8/10/2019 at 11:39 AM, CozGurl said:

The 11 day cruise is on Norwegian and the drink package is part of the perks so we "aren't paying extra" for it ha ha. 

 

I was rounding with gratuity to $600 for both of us for the package. If our drinks average $10 we'd have to drink 60 to break even, which is 30 each or 6 per day. I'm sure there will be a day or two where I'll have 6 but not all 5 days. The hub will probably average 6 or more a day on vacation so if I could get it for just him it would be a no brainer. 

 

We are going to track our drinking just for giggles. We're on vacation so we aren't going to freak out about it, but I am curious when we cruise on Carnival & Royal whether the package is worth it or not. It'll be a game with us to see which bars we can find drink special in lol. I'm also going to use the 2nd shot for $3 idea. Hmmm, if you want just a shot, like tequila or something is that $3 also? Or does that fee only apply to a second shot to put in an existing cocktail?

 

One thing to remember with the NCL package is the cruise fare is generally higher to include the cost of the perks, and the perks are valued much higher (I think around $100/day) so you are "paying extra" in the gratuities.  It still often works out, but something you should consider.

 

Someone else had a really good breakdown of their Cheers experience and found they didn't come close since only one of they was a moderate drinker and the other on the lighter end.  If you are sure you won't come close but want the "freedom" of not thinking about your drinks then you can just put $600 cash on your account, order whatever you want, and not have a bill at the end.

 

Enjoy whatever you decide 🙂 

[mom2oneXY]

Last year, on a 7 night, we barely broke even with Cheers!  We stayed on the ship in every port, but one and indulged a LOT!  We had mimosas, iced coffees, cocktails, wine, beer, water - we drank a LOT!!!  We were without the kiddo so lived it up!  Had we gotten off the ship at each port we wouldn't have even come close to drinking our money's worth.  Basically we didn't walk way thinking we were sooooo glad we got Cheers.  We walked away thinking our livers were angry with us and wondering if we broke even.  

 

This year we went back and forth because we're also just on a 5 night, but decided against it.  We plan to get of the ship at both ports and we're sailing with kiddo.  We did buy $500 in Cruise Cash just to prepay as much as we could.  We know we'll be using the cruise cash to purchase a few things other than drinks (HMC clamshell, chatting feature, arcade, night owls, etc.) but this will be a good experiment to see how we do.  We won't skimp on drinks so we'll see how it goes.  If we go over the Cruise Cash by more than $100 we'll know we need the drink package in the future.  

[2wheelin]

46 minutes ago, mom2oneXY said:

  We did buy $500 in Cruise Cash just to prepay as much as we could.  We know we'll be using the cruise cash to purchase a few things other than drinks (HMC clamshell, chatting feature, arcade, night owls, etc.) but this will be a good experiment to see how we do.  We won't skimp on drinks so we'll see how it goes.  If we go over the Cruise Cash by more than $100 we'll know we need the drink package in the future.  

But it sounds like you plan to use a lot of that $500 for other things so you would have to go over by that amount plus the $100.

[mom2oneXY]

35 minutes ago, 2wheelin said:

But it sounds like you plan to use a lot of that $500 for other things so you would have to go over by that amount plus the $100.

Yes, we'll account for that.  My guess is that our non drink purchases will total less than $100.  

[elcuchio24]

Did a non-balcony ONE time.....never again. 

[Jenn1974]

I've done balcony, ov, suite and inside and you know what while I prefer the balcony the others are just fine too.   Did my first inside last AUgust on the Liberty and it was just fine. Great for sleeping.     As for Cheers.  On my next cruise my mother doesnt want to get it as she has DOU and spends most of her time in the Casino.  I am going to go broke buying drinks.  I love my bottled water, powerades, and my chocolate martinis at dinner and umbrella drinks on the deck so its gonna be a wash for me later this month.   If you can afford cheers its worth it to not have to worry about the bill.