Are bar drink coupons $21.25 for 4 worth it?

[serene56]

Do you recall what bars on the ship you saw them at (Pool bar... etc)?

 

What time of the day did you see them... early afternoon?

 

Also from what I have read the gratuity is included (or not charged to you) so...even if you are buying beer (16oz) you save a little....

 

Combined with prepaying and not seeing a massive bill this looks like a good deal to me if the gratuity is not charged to you .....

 

 

For the coupon-- the gratity is included with the coupon. (i dont know if you can get a bucket using the coupons. Never tried it that way.

 

Mostly we saw the buckets at the pool bars. (you can ask the bar waiter at dinner if you can get it then-- maybe room service.

[Deptacon]

For the coupon-- the gratity is included with the coupon. (i dont know if you can get a bucket using the coupons. Never tried it that way.

 

Mostly we saw the buckets at the pool bars. (you can ask the bar waiter at dinner if you can get it then-- maybe room service.

 

Thanks for the info...

 

Looks like if you drink say.... 4 Captain and Cokes a day for say 6 days.... you would save roughly 25 dollars over 6 days....

 

Being how I would mostly likely drink more than that a day... these appear to be somewhat of mild money saver.... if not just the fact of prepaying drinks before the cruise.

[dobiemom]

if you dont get to dinner that first night --AFTER dinner hours are done you can request them from the pursers desk. Its more of a hassle then its worth and better to wait til the next night at dinner

My question is - if you don't get these until dinner, I guess you can't use them for your DOD at sailaway? :(

[CruisnMom007]

We are getting 4 drink coupons for our 45 day letter "prize". Does this cover the price of the drink or do you have to pay the difference ?

 

:confused:What is the 45 day "letter" ?

[serene56]

My question is - if you don't get these until dinner, I guess you can't use them for your DOD at sailaway? :(

 

 

correct- those drink of the day in the soverneir cups are a lot more then what the coupon is worth anyways.

[NanaOfBKM]

I sent my daughter coupons as a Bon Voyage gift. She sailed on Saturday. She called from the ship to say thank you BEFORE they sailed. Her drink coupons were in the room waiting for her. There was only one card. I don't know if that made a difference or not. I was really shocked. I had sent the grandkids t-shirts and the drink coupons for the adults. Everything was waiting for them in the room - very surprised as I thought they would get a dinner. She's on the Carnival Liberty.

 

Marlene

[starlight0229]

I sent my daughter coupons as a Bon Voyage gift. She sailed on Saturday. She called from the ship to say thank you BEFORE they sailed. Her drink coupons were in the room waiting for her. There was only one card. I don't know if that made a difference or not. I was really shocked. I had sent the grandkids t-shirts and the drink coupons for the adults. Everything was waiting for them in the room - very surprised as I thought they would get a dinner. She's on the Carnival Liberty.

 

Marlene

 

 

I wonder if they're replacing the four drink coupons with the new drink card. the drink card seems to be a better value as you get 5 for $23, but I think they're only good on specials...

[NanaOfBKM]

I hope they don't do away with the coupons. The drink card limits drinks to more of what a female would drink. LOL I like the coupon idea as you can use for the drink you want (even if you have to pay extra) and can use 4 of them for a bottle of wine. I don't know too much about the drink cards but I read somewhere that you get those once you are on the ship. May do that one or two days, but still think I'll buy a stack of the drink cards for my DH and myself.

[MILEMRKR63]

I like the fact that the coupons don't expire after the cruise is over. I have left over coupons from my previous cruise (19 coupons) and am glad they can be used on future cruises, like the one I am sailing next week. Since they were paid for in May on my last cruise, I feel like I am 19 drinks ahead of the game.

 

Just my theory.

[cruzinnluvinit]

My DH enjoyed his 16 coupons on the Freedom. He used them for giving other people drinks too. He seemed to enjoy them. I know he liked the idea that the bill wasn't increasing everytime he got a drink.

 

It doesn't make sense if they like beer only though. The cruise lline makes extra money then.

[aggieastrosfan]

What is the drink card? I haven't heard of this one before.

[kelz66]

I wonder if they're replacing the four drink coupons with the new drink card. the drink card seems to be a better value as you get 5 for $23, but I think they're only good on specials...

 

What is a drink card? and when did they start offering it?

 

:confused:

[starlight0229]

What is a drink card? and when did they start offering it?

 

:confused:

 

 

From what I understand it's a recent additon. Appartently you can get 5 daily specials for $23. You get your first one in a souvenir glass and the others in a regular glass. It's supposed to be a savings of 20% over regular prices. There's also a new coffee card for the specialty coffee shop as well, but I'm not sure on the details on that one...

[A&Jfamily]

From what I understand it's a recent additon. Appartently you can get 5 daily specials for $23. You get your first one in a souvenir glass and the others in a regular glass. It's supposed to be a savings of 20% over regular prices. There's also a new coffee card for the specialty coffee shop as well, but I'm not sure on the details on that one...

 

I take it you purchase these daily?

[dobiemom]

From what I understand it's a recent additon. Appartently you can get 5 daily specials for $23. You get your first one in a souvenir glass and the others in a regular glass. It's supposed to be a savings of 20% over regular prices. There's also a new coffee card for the specialty coffee shop as well, but I'm not sure on the details on that one...

Carnival does not have this on the website yet. I just bought my 4 drink coupons for $21.25. And no coffee card yet, either. Maybe you can buy these on the ship?

[kelz66]

From what I understand it's a recent additon. Appartently you can get 5 daily specials for $23. You get your first one in a souvenir glass and the others in a regular glass. It's supposed to be a savings of 20% over regular prices. There's also a new coffee card for the specialty coffee shop as well, but I'm not sure on the details on that one...

 

OH...they are only good for the DOD's?

 

That kinda stinks. :(

 

Thanks for the info.

[Thirsty Cruiser]

I take it you purchase these daily?

 

Um, some of us will need to purchase them hourly. :o :D

 

Edit: I saw this post from December re: a coffee card. Anyone know more about the drink cards? Where they are available? http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=17571652&postcount=10

[RVman]

The drink cards are 26.00 and you get 5 DOD. They had them on the Legends last week. Each drink you get they just punch out a hole on your card.

You can purchase the cards at any bar but the servers that walks around want accept them because they use a different style glass.

[serene56]

The drink cards are 26.00 and you get 5 DOD. They had them on the Legends last week. Each drink you get they just punch out a hole on your card.

You can purchase the cards at any bar but the servers that walks around want accept them because they use a different style glass.

 

did they raise the prices for the DOD? Does the price include the soverneier cup?

 

without the soverneir cup those drinks were less then 25.00 for 5.

[gibsones175]

Yoiu buy these through Carnival prior to sailing date, they are in the gifts section. They cost 21.25 for a sheet of 4 drink coupons. Any waiter will accept them. They are given to you on the first night at your dining table. You can buy as many sheets of coupons as you like. I buy and use them as a way to lessen the shock of the sign and sail charges when you complete the cruise. It allows you to prepay for you r drinks. I put that on a separate credit card so that I don't run my card balances too high.I also buy my excursions from vendors on the internet, saving about half what the ship charges for the same excursion. Just make sure your timing is correct for the excursions. You do not want to risk missing the ship. :)

[cvanhorn]

Just back off the Conquest. Bought 3 of the $21.25 drink coupon cards prior to sailing through Carnival's site. On boarding there was a letter in our cabin saying we had the cards and would be delivered at dinner. As we changed our assigned dining time after boarding we told our waiter, who told the Maitre D, who told the Host who rounded our coupon cards up and gave them to us. Each coupon is for a drink up to $5.25 drink cost. There is no gratuity added to this when a coupon is used so you basically save 78 cents per drink. Not good on the DOD in Souvenier glass as those are $6.95 or $9.95 depending on the type of souvenier glass, but are okay on the refills. Not usefull on the DOD in the regular glass as those only cost $4.50 anyway, or on the $3.75 beers as you are losing money. Sometimes you might get a waiter who will accep the coupon in full for a $5.50 or $6 drink, but not often. As most mixed drinks without the premioum liquor are $5.25, such as rum & cola, gin and tonic, irish cream on the rocks, mudslide, dirty banana, etc the coupons can be a good value. Basically the DOD card you can purchase at the bars just saves you the gratuity also. Good for 5 of the $4.50 DOD's for $23.00 I believe. I do not know anything about the coffee cards, as the Conquests coffee from the buffet was fine for me. :)

 

Hope this helps.

[5waldos]

I'm not sure that I would buy the coupons to save money- we don't drink enough that a couple of dollars savings would be meaningful. But- if I buy and pay for it in advance then on board they appear to be FREE. (I am good at fooling myself). And I like free drinks. So, we are buying several sets of them this month and next prior to sailing, just so I can pretend.

[Thirsty Cruiser]

I'm not sure that I would buy the coupons to save money- we don't drink enough that a couple of dollars savings would be meaningful. But- if I buy and pay for it in advance then on board they appear to be FREE. (I am good at fooling myself). And I like free drinks. So, we are buying several sets of them this month and next prior to sailing, just so I can pretend.

I agree about the savings aspect, especially if you are a beer drinker the savings are minimal or not at all. In addition, you have to carry the coupons with you, and I have been charged extra in some cases where the drink cost exceeded the coupon value. Just too much hassle, IMO. A much better option is to buy fun ship dollars ahead of time so you have "prepaid" your drinks.

[aggieastrosfan]

I agree about the savings aspect, especially if you are a beer drinker the savings are minimal or not at all. In addition, you have to carry the coupons with you, and I have been charged extra in some cases where the drink cost exceeded the coupon value. Just too much hassle, IMO. A much better option is to buy fun ship dollars ahead of time so you have "prepaid" your drinks.

 

As I've mentioned earlier in this thread, I've done the math on this. If your drink's menu price is $4.61 or higher (this being the price without gratuity), you will at least break even (breaking even at $4.61, and saving money as you get higher up, with the savings being about $.73 on a $5.25 drink, the max value the coupon is good for). Anything priced under $4.61 (such as beer), you are LOSING money - buy fun ship dollars instead.

[kelz66]

As I've mentioned earlier in this thread, I've done the math on this. If your drink's menu price is $4.61 or higher (this being the price without gratuity), you will at least break even (breaking even at $4.61, and saving money as you get higher up, with the savings being about $.73 on a $5.25 drink, the max value the coupon is good for). Anything priced under $4.61 (such as beer), you are LOSING money - buy fun ship dollars instead.

 

From experience, I know that for some of the more expensive drinks they take two coupons for them. :eek: