Carnival Drink Package Breakdown: Is “Cheers!” Right for You?

One of the best ways to save some cash and inject some peace-of-mind into a Carnival cruise, is by pre-booking a Carnival drink package before you set sail. Like any cruise line’s beverage offerings, Carnival drinks can be as pricey as they are delicious, leaving unprepared cruisers with the conundrum of whether to order that next drink or try to keep their vacation under budget. Do away with all that drama by getting a drink package before your cruise and you won’t have to worry about your bank account when you are supposed to be kicking back and enjoying your vacation!

Cheers! Carnival Drink Package

With the aptly named Cheers! package, you will enjoy unlimited Carnival drinks for the duration of your cruise for one flat price paid up front. This way, you can enjoy your vacation without having to worry about how much you are spending at the bar. There is one caveat for ships sailing from Texas and New York, which is that the package activation starts at 6:00 AM on the second day of your cruise, but it will still cover you all the way until you disembark. Additionally, you can save 10% by pre-booking, meaning before 11:59 PM the day before embarkation or before 9:00 PM EST over the phone.

What Carnival Drinks Are Included?

The Carnival drink package includes all spirits (including cocktails), beers, and glasses of wine that are under $20. If you want drinks over $20, wine or champagne by the bottle, or a beverage seminar or class, those will be reduced by 25%. Additionally, non-alcoholic beverages are also fully covered, such as sodas, Zero-Proof frozen cocktails, energy drinks, specialty coffee, hot tea, and bottled water. Alcoholic drinks may be your reason for getting this package, but non-alcoholic drinks are just as crucial. Whether you need a pick-me-up from coffee or tea in the morning, or a nice cold water to cool you down during the day, you’ll be glad to have the Cheers! package in your corner.

What is Not Included?

What drinks are not covered or discounted by Cheers! are any Carnival drinks that are sold in souvenir glasses, bottles of liquor, beverages offered at gangway, room service drinks, mini bar drinks, or in-stateroom beverage programs. It also only covers drinks for one person, so sharing cocktails, floaters, pitchers, tubes, and buckets will be full price. Enomatic wine machines are also not part of the Carnival drink package, nor are any other beverage-related programs that include merchandise, cigars, or cigarettes.

Bottomless Bubbles

If you are not a big alcohol drinker, then there is still a Carnival drink package that might be good for you. The Bottomless Bubbles package gets you unlimited soda and juice for the full duration of your cruise. This includes at restaurants, during shows, or anywhere else on the ship, excluding room service and mini bar drinks. You can pick this package up at the lobby, casino, or at any pool bars, or you can pre-purchase before your cruise (although you won’t get a discount like with the Cheers! package).

Is a Drink Package Worth It?

Getting a drink package can save you money while also adding convenience to buying and budgeting your drinks. But if you don’t use it enough, you could end up leaving money on the table. Whether or not a Carnival drink package is worth your investment is going to depend on your own drinking habits. Check the current pricing for a drink package and weigh that against how much you think you are likely to drink in a day to determine if you will be saving money. Remember to factor in drinks other than just alcoholic Carnival drinks. A coffee in the morning, a couple of bottles of water during the day, and a few cocktails in the evening can quickly add up to outpace the cost of the Cheers! package. If you are booking with a Cruises.com travel agent, then they will be happy to assist you in pre-booking to get that extra 10% discount!

To pre-book a Carnival drink package for Carnival cruises, visit Cruises.com — we can help you book the smart way! We give you our exclusive bonus offers and all qualifying cruise line offers, plus all of the cruise line loyalty program benefits. Book online at Cruises.com or call 800-288-6006 today.

Related: Cruise Drink Package Lowdown