Carnival recently increased the value (not the price) of its Cheers! beverage package for adults, which has in turn increased the number of cruisers interested in purchasing the program. But is the Cheers! package right for you?
Here are some pros and cons to help you make your decision.
Pros:
1. Worry-free
Since you prepay for your drink package (including 15% gratuities), drinking on your cruise becomes worry-free. You no longer have to worry about an alcohol budget and trying to ration how many drinks you have per day to stay within it. The Cheers! program gets you 15 drinks per day, each valued up to $50. So kick your feet up and keep the drinks pourin’.
2. Top shelf liquor
Thanks to that rule that each drink can be valued up to $50, you can now order top shelf liquors in your cocktails and frozen drinks. Mix your martini with Grey Goose VX, which is normally $15 per shot, or have a neat glass of Hennessy XO – also a $15 shot, also included in the program.
3. Wine
With Carnival’s newest changes to the program, you can now order any glass of wine valued under $50, which is the majority of wines. If you want to order the bottle, your Cheers! package will get you 25% off. How’s that for a sweet deal?
4. Basically all-inclusive
In addition to alcohol, now included in Carnival’s Cheers! program are sodas, zero-proof frozen cocktails, energy drinks, specialty coffees, hot tea, 500 mL bottled water and other non-alcoholic bottled beverages, so there’s almost not a drink on the ship that’s not included in your program. Not to mention, you also get 25% off the menu price for any spirit or glass of wine above $50, off wine and champagne by the bottle, and off beverage seminars and classes.
5. Controlled budget
By prepaying your drink package, you know exactly how much you’re spending on alcohol, which makes it a lot easier to budget for other things like excursions, pictures, or souvenirs once you’re on the ship. You won’t have to check your expense account to budget enough for alcohol or cut out other expenses to make room if you want to drink more because you’ve already paid for it!
Cons:
1. Everyone in the cabin has to purchase it
Before you get too excited about the Cheers! program, you better check with your cabin mate first, because if one person wants the Cheers! program, everyone in that cabin over 21 has to purchase the program as well. So if another adult cruiser in the same cabin is refusing to buy the package, you might have to opt out and miss out on the perks.
2. Port-intensive cruises
Does your cruise itinerary spend more days in port than at sea? You may want to consider how much time you’ll be spending in port versus how much time you will be on the ship taking advantage of the program. If you’re going on a 3-day sailing that spends two of those days in ports, would the program still be worth it?
3. Doesn’t start until 2nd day for cruises out of Texas, Alabama, and New York
This one is important: If you’re sailing on a cruise out of Texas, Alabama, or New York, your Cheers! program will not go into effect until the second day of your cruise due to state laws beyond Carnival’s control. That means all drinks you buy on that first day go on your Sign & Sail account, which takes away slightly from that worry-free feeling of knowing everything is pre-paid.
4. Some drinks not included
Okay, so one of the pros is that the program is “all-inclusive,” but that is admittedly a bit of a misnomer, as there are a few things that aren’t included. Drinks served in the souvenir glasses or served through room service are not included, nor are bottles of liquor. And those buckets of beers you see groups ordering on the lido deck? Those are out, too.
5. You can’t buy a round
If you’re traveling with a bunch of friends and family and plan to “buy them a round,” keep in mind that the Cheers! program won’t cover this. Actually, it will only cover your drink, and then you will be charged separately to your Sign & Sail account for all the other drinks. And if your friends or family all have the program as well, then it just doesn’t make sense for you to pay extra when they’ve already paid for their drinks to be included. Not to mention it can be a pain when you’re all sitting together at the Comedy Club and the bartender comes around and you have to each get out your Sign & Sail card for separate bills instead of one generous friend offering to pay for that round.
Do you buy the CHEERS! program when you cruise?
Find more about Carnival’s CHEERS! beverage program here.
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