We usually get Drinks on Us! in the casino now with our casino offers, but the first time we cruised, I went 11 days without a drink package — and still managed to get drunk most nights quite affordably. I did a lot of research before I left to figure out exactly how to spend the least amount drinking possible. These are my best tips for drinking on a budget on Carnival Cruise without the Cheers! package.
Should I get the Carnival Cruise Cheers! package?
Drinks on a cruise are expensive. Most alcoholic drinks are $16-18. The Cheers! package ends up being a good deal for you if you plan on drinking at least 5 drinks per day. The package also includes specialty coffees, milkshakes, soda, and several other nonalcoholic drink options as well.
Why the Carnival Cruise Cheers! package isn’t a budget option
If you are cruising with someone who doesn’t drink, chances are unlikely that the Cheers! package will be worth it for you as everyone in the cabin has to purchase it. It is very rare that Carnival makes any exception to this rule.
Tips for drinking on a budget on Carnival and cruising without the Cheers! package
If you decide on cruising without the Cheers! package, the following tips should help you save money on your drinks while aboard.
Bring the allowed bottles of wine and cans as mixers
Each person gets to bring one bottle of wine. They aren’t supposed to be fortified, but I’ve never had mine checked. You can also bring 12 standard size cans of nonalcoholic drinks. This is a great way to bring aboard some mixers. All drinks have to be brought on board in your carryon luggage (or otherwise carried by you onto the ship) so keep that in mind. And yes, you can just carry that 12 pack right on. No alcoholic cans though!
Get free and discounted wine
On the first night, you get a free bottle of wine if you eat dinner at certain premium dining options. The second night you get a bottle at 50% off. No need to have a glass with dinner unless you want to, and if you do, they will send the rest of the bottle back with you to your room. They also offer a three pack of bottles for a discounted rate. These savings can add up if you are a wine drinker who is drinking on a budget on Carnival without the Cheers! package.
Buy a bottle and mix your own drinks
Bottles are $100-150 each, but that is still more affordable than buying drinks at the bar. Use the mixers you brought or try the passionfruit juice as a mixer. It is only available in the morning, but I fill up a bottle when I grab my morning coffee and keep it in the mini fridge. Often, servers will bring you a glass with ice and a mixer or two if you ask nicely and tip a dollar or two. Want even more mixer options? Consider powdered cocktail mixers which just require water and alcohol to mix up and can be brought onboard without a problem. Here are a couple of options I found on Amazon after an EXTENSIVE search.
CraftMix powdered drink mixes: https://amzn.to/3OjuXxR (paid link)
several Margarita options and a few specialty cocktails including an espresso martini that would be fun to mix with ice cream
Leisuremann's powdered drink mixes: https://amzn.to/3Zh6src (paid link)
variety pack with one of each of 14 flavors or choose your favorite flavor as a multipack. There are a lot of drink options with this brand.
Drink a bottle of sake
If you’re drinking on a budget on Carnival and cruising without the Cheers! package, the cheap bottle of sake at the sushi restaurant is your best bet. It’s about $23 for a 750 mL bottle — so just a few dollars more than a mixed drink. And I can tell you from experience, it hits hard. I may or may not have carried this around in my cute little black leather backpack along with my other essentials. Was it delicious? No, but it wasn't horrible, and it got the job done more affordably than anything else. Most nights, I started with sake (or wine I'd brought onboard) to get a buzz and then splurged on one or two fancy cruise drinks.
Order drinks wisely
Most of the alcoholic drinks cost about the same, around $16-18 after the 18% gratuity. Usually, the price isn’t dictated by how strong the drink is. Ask the bartenders to make you their favorite strong drink or try a blue Long Island iced tea which was introduced to me on my first cruise. Another great drink to really feel it is the bushwhacker. This is like a grown-up milkshake but contains way more liquor than you expect. It's not as strong as a Long Island iced tea, but it still hits well and is perfect for relaxing by the pool or on the beach.
Make friends who have the Cheers! package
The reason everyone in your cabin has to purchase the Cheers! package is so that people don't share drinks, but you'll realize that this problem has not been stopped at all. By day 5 of our 11 day cruise without a drink package, I had made several friends who were eager to offer me an occasional drink. Some did it discretely even though it was against the rules. Others just offered the occasional drink they didn't end up liking as much as they thought they would. Between the two scenarios, I ended up only paying for about half of the drinks I actually had onboard. The rest were given to me by new friends.
Drink duty free on the last night
All that duty free liquor you buy onboard isn't delivered until the last night of your cruise. But if you have a large enough group and/or are staying close to port the day of disembarkation, go ahead and splurge on that affordable alcohol on the last night. Stay up as late as possible and drink to the dregs of your cruise experience.
With these tips, it is definitely possible to get quite drunk for less than the cost of the Cheers! package each day. Especially if you are traveling with people in your cabin who don’t drink, the cost savings of using these tips vs. everyone in your cabin getting the Cheers! package can be significant.
