Imagine expecting a Christmas bonus and instead getting a bill from your boss for missing office supplies.
That's essentially what happened to Carnival Cruise Line passengers waiting for a holiday season sale on the Cheers beverage package. Instead of getting a deal on the unlimited beverage package (which in fact limits alcoholic beverages to 15 per day), they got a price increase.
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Carnival previously offered Cheers at $70.74 per night for cruises six nights or longer and $82.54 per night for trips five nights or less. (All packages now include taxes and an 18% gratuity in the advertised prices.) If you waited until you were on board to purchase, the price rose to $76.64 per night on the longer cruises and $88.54 per night for the shorter ones.
Now, the cruise line is offering only the $82.54 pre-cruise and $88.54 on-board prices, no matter how long your cruise is. That change was made without notice, which outraged a number of Carnival passengers.
It also set off debates about the cruise line's overall beverage policies.
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Image source: Carnival Corp.
Carnival does it differently than Royal Caribbean
The beverage packages at Royal Caribbean and Carnival differ in two major ways.
First. Carnival has a 15-drink limit on alcohol (whether you buy a package or not. Some passengers wanted that changed after the surprise price increase.
Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald gets questioned a lot on the 15-drink limit (which also applies to people who do not buy the Cheers package).
"I can reach the 15 from time to time but I only drink hard liquor," Barry Walker wrote on Heald's Facebook page. "I do have many friends who are beer drinkers who could have 15 beers and barely be tipsy. I do understand their point. I am drinking 90-proof liquor and they are drinking beer with 6% alcohol."
Heald was clear about the cruise line's plans in his response.
"Honestly, I do not get it but perhaps that’s because I don’t drink any alcohol," he said on Facebook.
"We are not changing anything despite the barrage of requests I have every week. We will stay at 15 drinks in a 24-hour period (unlimited non-alcoholic drinks) and despite requests like this I wanted to save you the trouble of writing to me and say again we will not be changing anything."
In addition to the drink limit, Carnival is also very strict on applying the rule that if any passenger age 21 or older in a cabin buys Cheers, every passenger has to do so.
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"Good morning. What is the process please to get a medical exemption for the cheers program? My husband can drink but I can’t. I am sailing on the Vista in April," posted Lori Marynowycz.
Heald was direct in his answer.
"Hello, unfortunately, we do not give any medical exemptions. I’m so sorry that in this case then you will not be able to use the Cheers program," he answered.
Royal Caribbean passengers can call and book the nonalcoholic-refreshment package instead of its Deluxe Beverage Package for lighter or nondrinkers in the same cabin.
Carnival shoots down alternative package ideas
The reason for the no-exceptions policy, Heald has made clear, is partly that doing so is the only way to cut down on people sharing packages. In addition, Carnival does not have an unlimited beverage package like Royal Caribbean's refreshment package, which includes everything except alcohol.
Nearly every day passengers ask Heald variations of why Carnival does not offer an alcohol-free package.
"Good morning. Would Carnival ever consider adding a drink package that includes soda, mocktails and milkshakes for the kids?" Tara Ann asked.
Heald repeated the response he shares multiple times most days.
"Thank you so much, we have looked at doing this, but unfortunately at the moment it’s more expensive to do it than a program that contains alcohol," he wrote.
Heald has also politely shot down other requests for enhancements to Cheers.
"Good morning John Heald. I too like many others was sad to see this higher increase for Cheers," posted Billy Miciche. "Please have The Beards consider offering different packages, or at least for that price some more should be included, like internet or a specialty meal like your sister brand." (Both Carnival's Princess and Holland America divisions offer such deals.)
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Heald, who calls Carnival's upper management "The Beards," has previously pointed out that Carnival cruises have been selling so well that the company does not need to offer packages. He took a different approach this time.
"Thank you for being so kind with this," he wrote. "Not everybody has been today and while I absolutely understand everybody’s frustration or disappointment at any time we increase a price in something, some of the personal attacks on me have been, well, deflating to say the least.
"So thank you for expressing your thoughts so graciously and I promise I will make sure the right people see them. I also promise to be here if you need anything else."
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