The Carnival Cheers beverage package costs $59.95–$79.95 per person per day (plus 18% gratuity), meaning you need to drink roughly 5–7 alcoholic beverages daily to break even — here's exactly how to run the math.
Photo: Carnival Cruise Line
The Carnival Cheers package sounds like a great deal until you do the actual math. At $59.95–$79.95/person/day before gratuity, you're committing to real money — and the cruise line is counting on you not breaking even.
What the Carnival Cheers Package Actually Costs in 2025
Carnival prices the Cheers package based on itinerary length and sailing. The gratuity is mandatory and non-negotiable, which is the number most people forget to factor in.
| Scenario | Base Price/Day | +18% Gratuity | Total Daily Cost | 7-Night Total (per person) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard/Caribbean sailing | $59.95 | $10.79 | $70.74 | $495.18 |
| Holiday/Peak sailing | $79.95 | $14.39 | $94.34 | $660.38 |
| Bahamas/Short sailing (3–5 night) | $64.95 | $11.69 | $76.64 | $229.92 (3-night) |
Important: Both guests in a cabin must purchase Cheers if either one does. That doubles every number above.
Photo: Carnival Cruise Line
The Break-Even Math: How Many Drinks Per Day?
To break even, your daily Cheers spend needs to match what you'd pay ordering à la carte. Here are the typical Carnival bar prices in 2025:
| Drink Type | Avg. à la Carte Price | Drinks Needed to Break Even (Standard) | Drinks Needed (Peak) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cocktails / Mixed drinks | $11–$14 | 5–6 drinks/day | 7–9 drinks/day |
| Draft beer | $7–$9 | 8–10 beers/day | 10–13 beers/day |
| Wine by the glass | $10–$13 | 6–7 glasses/day | 8–10 glasses/day |
| Specialty coffee | $5–$7 | 10–14 drinks/day | 13–19 drinks/day |
| Mixed realistic combo | ~$12 avg | ~6 drinks/day | ~8 drinks/day |
The honest break-even number: 5–6 drinks per day on a standard sailing, 7–9 on peak sailings. That's assuming you're ordering cocktails and not just draft beers.
Cheers also covers non-alcoholic specialty drinks, bottled water, specialty coffees, and sodas (up to $20 retail value each). If you're a big sparkling water or Red Bull mixer person, those count too — but they rarely swing the math dramatically on their own.
Photo: Carnival Cruise Line
Key Factors That Affect Whether You'll Break Even
1. Port days kill your value. On a 7-night Caribbean cruise, you'll likely have 4–5 sea days and 2–3 port days. On port days, most cruisers are off the ship from 8am to 6pm — you might have 1–2 drinks max. That means your sea days need to carry the weight of your entire package.
2. The 15-drink daily cap. Carnival caps Cheers at 15 alcoholic beverages per person per day. This isn't a concern for the average drinker — it's just there to prevent reselling drinks to non-package holders.
3. Casino drinks don't count. Alcohol ordered through the casino bar while actively gambling is typically comped separately. If you're a casino regular, your free drinks there reduce the value of Cheers.
4. Both-cabin-guests rule is brutal for couples. If one partner drinks heavily and the other drinks lightly, you're subsidizing the cruise line. Run each person's break-even separately.
5. Cocktail vs. beer drinker math is very different. A beer drinker needs 8–10 beers/day to break even. A cocktail drinker needs 5–6. Know which type you are before buying.
Practical Tips: Get the Best Value or Skip It Entirely
Do the honest self-assessment first. Track what you actually drink on a typical vacation day — not what you think you'll drink on a cruise. Most people overestimate by 30–40%.
Book Cheers before you board. Pre-cruise pricing is typically $5–$10/day cheaper than purchasing it at the bar on Day 1. Log into Carnival's Cruise Manager after booking to grab the lower rate.
Front-load your drinking on sea days. If you've bought the package, be intentional: morning Bloody Mary, pre-lunch beer, cocktails at the pool, wine with dinner, after-dinner drinks. That's 5–7 drinks without feeling wrecked.
Use every category Cheers covers. Bottled water ($4–$5 each), Red Bull ($6–$7), specialty coffees ($5–$7), and mocktails all count toward your value. On a hot Caribbean sea day, 3 bottled waters alone = $12–$15 in à la carte value.
Consider the alternative for light drinkers. If you're realistically drinking 2–3 drinks/day, skip Cheers entirely. Buy a soda package (~$10–$12/day) and pay out of pocket for your alcohol. A 7-night trip with 2–3 cocktails/day would cost you roughly $150–$200 à la carte — vs. $495 for Cheers.
| Drinker Type | Daily Drinks (Realistic) | Cheers Worth It? | Better Option |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light drinker | 1–2 | ❌ No | Pay à la carte |
| Moderate drinker | 3–4 | ❌ Probably not | Pay à la carte + soda package |
| Average drinker | 5–6 | ✅ Break-even zone | Cheers (standard sailing) |
| Heavy/Social drinker | 7+ | ✅ Yes | Cheers — clear winner |
| Beer-only drinker | 6–8 beers | ⚠️ Marginal | Depends on beer price on your ship |
Which Carnival Ships and Sailings Make Cheers Worth It?
The package delivers the most value on longer Caribbean itineraries with more sea days — think 7-night Eastern/Western Caribbean routes on ships like the Carnival Celebration, Mardi Gras, or Vista. These ships have massive pool decks and bar setups that make it easy to rack up drinks without trying.
Short 3–4 night Bahamas runs are a trap for Cheers buyers: you're at sea fewer days, usually have one full port day in Nassau, and the math almost never works out unless you're drinking sunrise to midnight.
Avoid buying Cheers on sailings where you have 3+ port-heavy days. Your break-even becomes nearly impossible without drinking yourself into trouble on the few sea days you have.
Run your own numbers before the sailing using CruiseMutiny — plug in your itinerary length, port days, and realistic drink count to see whether Cheers actually pays off for your specific trip. If you're ready to book, compare Carnival sailings through CruiseHub to find itineraries with the sea day count that makes Cheers math work in your favor.