full image - Repost: Drink Hacks for 2024 --Drink Packages vs No Drink Package (from Reddit.com, Drink Hacks for 2024 --Drink Packages vs No Drink Package)
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Just wanted to post some hacks as I've successfully done a cruise w/ a drink package and without a drink package. Both cruises were 7 day cruises. One was in the Carribean, and one was in Alaska. Drink Package Experience. I am a heavy drinker when I'm on a cruise. When I get off the ship aside from doing excursions, I plan to drink. Drinking means 4-5 drinks minimal while at port. When I got back on board from a heavy drinking day, the MOST I could consume in addition to what I had in port was maybe about 4-5 drinks on average. There was one instance where I couldn't drink a single damn drop: Cozumel port I spent a beach day at Mr. Sanchos and had ZERO drinks back on board as I was completely loaded.With all that said, I got my money's worth with the drink package as I averaged about 8-9 drinks a day. This by the way is marginally better, not a lot better. A few days I was able to max it. A few days I had very little due to heavy drinking at ports. This wasn't super easy as there were times where I didn't really need a drink but because I could, what the hell, let's have 2 bloody marys at breakfast instead of 1! No Drink Package Experience Hacks:With Royal, you can pre-purchase liquor for your stateroom. I'm not sure if there really is a limit, but it's something like $36-40 for a 375ML w/ 6 cans of mixers. This sounds expensive, but it's really not and actually works out to a pretty reasonable cost per ounce. I puchased two and consumed them by Day 6 of a 8 day cruise. Carnival has removed this hack, so this is not available on carnival.If you are traveling with a group, you are each allowed to bring wine onboard on most cruises. If anyone in your party doesn't like wine, or is getting the drink package, or cannot/doesn't drink, have them STILL bring on a bottle. Grab their bottles. We accumlated 4-5 bottles of wine in our stateroom and knocked them out in tumblers over the first few days along with our spirts in our room.Embarkation sometimes will have drink deals on the top deck. Carnival has "bucket of beer" deals for half off. Definitely go buy those (and get your spouse or friend buy them as well) and store them in your state room.Carnival used to have a good price on growler refills on ships that have a brewery. I've last seen it at $20 per a growler fill. This is an exceptional price. Not sure if it's still going on.If traveling in a group of drinkers and non-drinkers, there is the ol' switch-a-roo hack that you can do, but is probably frowned on since you're staying in a room that you're actually not technically assigned to. Never have done this before, but google it.There is some casino hacks that you can do, but there is a minimum buy-in and stuff that's needed before you get drinks served. To my understanding, you can just sit down and start playing and get served free drinks. I've never experienced that before, but I'm also not a gambler. Using these hacks, I spent $350 on drinks between my wife and I on our last 8 day cruise. This was much cheaper than $800. I always had a beer/alcohol in my hand. I was never without a drink when I wanted one. This also includes purchasing alcohol several times on multiple days from onboard.Rarely ever is buying the drink pass a good deal for most people. I know lots of people like to THINK this. The biggest issue is simply because the whole stateroom (over 21) has to purchase the pass. I rarely "shack" with people that drink hard. I shack with my wife, who drinks little. So now instead of having to hit 6-7 drinks to break even, I have to actually drink more than that collectively to make hers break even. Drink Package Conclusion Points.1) Drink Package can be worth it, but typically the following needs to be met: (1) The ship has more than 1 or 2 sea days, (2) both people in a state room need to be heavy drinkers if one person is funding the trip. The famous "6-7" calculation is for one person to break even, but consider that the second person also needs to be breaking even, especially if traveling with someone that doesn't drink--you will go up against some unwinnable odds. 2) The drink package is heavily slanted in the ship's (aka, the "House") favor. Why would they create a package that wouldn't allow them to have increased revenue?3) Beers are still relatively cheap on cruises. If you are a beer drinker, or will be consuming beer a significant amount of time, then the golden "6-7" rule increases to break even. 4) Someone will undoubely bring up soda and coffee being included. Unless you are someone that drinks specialty coffee multiple times a day, you really shouldn't let this weigh heavily on your decision. And Soda? Most cruise lines allow you to bring a limited (but good) amount on board, so disregard the soda. There's always someone that's 60 or above that will bring up "Free milkshakes", but I personally do not go on cruises to drink milkshakes. Share your hacks here!
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