The Carnival CHEERS! package excludes bottles of wine or spirits, drinks over $20, energy drinks mixed with alcohol, room service beverages, and any drinks purchased at private islands or ports. You're paying $59.95–$109.95/person/day for a package with more holes in it than most cruisers expect.
Photo: Carnival Cruise Line
You bought the Carnival CHEERS! package expecting to drink freely for the week — then you hit the bar and discover a surprisingly long list of things it doesn't cover. Before you assume every drink on the ship is included, here's exactly what you're not getting.
What the CHEERS! Package Actually Excludes
Carnival's CHEERS! package sounds like an all-you-can-drink dream, but the fine print carves out a significant number of beverages and situations. Here's the full rundown of what is not included:
- Bottles of wine or liquor — You can get wine by the glass, but if you want a bottle at dinner, that's a separate charge.
- Drinks priced over $20 — Any individual cocktail, wine pour, or specialty spirit with a menu price above $20 is excluded entirely. You pay full price.
- Energy drinks mixed with alcohol — Red Bull cocktails and similar combos are not covered.
- Room service beverages — Ordering drinks to your cabin? Not included. Pay per drink.
- The Coffee Bar (Java Blue) — Specialty coffees, lattes, and blended drinks at the coffee bar are typically not covered under CHEERS! (basic drip coffee may be free anyway).
- Souvenir cups, glasses, or merchandise — You get the drink, not the novelty cup it comes in.
- Purchases at private islands — Drinks at Half Moon Cay, Princess Cays, and similar Carnival-operated destinations are excluded.
- Port purchases — Anything you buy while off the ship in port is not covered.
- Non-alcoholic packages within CHEERS! — The package does include some non-alcoholic drinks, but freshly squeezed juices, some smoothies, and certain premium non-alcoholic beverages may still carry a charge.
- Sharing your package — CHEERS! is non-transferable. The bartender will scan your card. You cannot order for someone who doesn't have the package.
- The 15-drink daily cap — This isn't an exclusion per se, but after 15 alcoholic drinks in a 24-hour period, Carnival cuts you off regardless of what's on the menu.
Photo: Carnival Cruise Line
CHEERS! Cost vs. What You Actually Get: The Honest Breakdown
| Category | CHEERS! Included? | Typical Cost If Not Included |
|---|---|---|
| Cocktails up to $20 | ✅ Yes | $10–$18/drink |
| Beer (domestic & imported) | ✅ Yes | $7–$10/drink |
| Wine by the glass (up to $20) | ✅ Yes | $9–$14/glass |
| Specialty non-alcoholic drinks | ✅ Yes | $5–$8/drink |
| Bottles of wine at dinner | ❌ No | $35–$120/bottle |
| Spirits bottles for cabin | ❌ No | $65–$200+/bottle |
| Drinks over $20 each | ❌ No | $20–$50+/drink |
| Room service drinks | ❌ No | $5–$15/drink + delivery fee |
| Red Bull cocktails | ❌ No | $14–$18/drink |
| Private island drinks | ❌ No | $9–$15/drink |
| Port bar purchases | ❌ No | Varies |
| Souvenir cups/glasses | ❌ No | $12–$25 each |
Photo: Carnival Cruise Line
What Drives Whether CHEERS! Is Worth It Despite the Exclusions
The $20 drink cap is the biggest trap. On most Carnival ships, the vast majority of cocktails fall under $20 — so this rarely triggers in practice. But if you're eyeing premium whiskeys, aged rums, or top-shelf pours, check the price before you order.
The 15-drink daily limit is real enforcement. Carnival tracks this electronically. Once you hit 15 alcoholic beverages between 6 AM and 6 AM the following day, your card stops working for alcohol. For most normal drinkers, this is a non-issue. For a 7-night sailing trying to "get your money's worth," it's a hard ceiling.
Bottle service killed at dinner. If you're a wine-with-dinner couple who prefers ordering a bottle rather than individual glasses, CHEERS! doesn't help you there. Wine packages are a separate purchase entirely.
Private island drinks are a sneaky gotcha. Carnival's private destinations — Half Moon Cay, Princess Cays — are hugely popular port stops. Buying rounds there all day isn't covered. Factor in a full day of drinks at around $10–$15 each if you're a heavy beach-day drinker.
Practical Tips to Maximize (or Skip) CHEERS!
Do the break-even math honestly. CHEERS! runs $59.95–$109.95/person/day depending on the sailing and when you book. At ~$10–$14 per drink, you need roughly 5–8 drinks per day just to break even — before accounting for the exclusions.
Book early for the best price. Carnival frequently offers CHEERS! pre-cruise at $10–$20/day cheaper than the onboard price. Lock it in before you sail.
If you drink wine by the bottle at dinner, skip CHEERS! Buy a wine package or pay per bottle. The per-glass limit doesn't work in your favor if you're splitting a bottle between two people who both have CHEERS! — you're paying for two packages when one bottle would be cheaper.
Both adults in the cabin must buy it. Carnival requires all guests 21+ in the same stateroom to purchase CHEERS! No exceptions. If your partner doesn't drink much, this math often doesn't work.
Bring one bottle of wine aboard at embarkation. Carnival allows each guest to bring one 750ml bottle of wine or champagne at the first port of embarkation. That's a free bottle of wine right there — it doesn't go through CHEERS! and it's fully legal.
Watch out on short sailings. CHEERS! is only available on sailings of 2 nights or longer, and it's not available for the first and last sea day on some itineraries. On a 3-night sailing especially, do the math carefully — you may have fewer active days than you think.
Which Carnival Travelers Should Actually Buy CHEERS!
| Traveler Type | Should Buy CHEERS!? | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Cocktail drinkers, 5–8+ drinks/day | ✅ Yes | Clear break-even, easy value |
| Beer-and-a-cocktail-or-two drinkers | ⚠️ Maybe | Run the numbers for your specific sailing |
| Wine-with-dinner couples (bottles) | ❌ No | Bottles excluded; wine package is better |
| Non-drinkers or light drinkers | ❌ No | You'll never recoup the cost |
| Solo traveler with a big drinking partner | ❌ No | Both must buy — uneven value |
| Beach day + ship drinkers | ⚠️ Maybe | Remember private island exclusion cuts into value |
The CHEERS! package is genuinely good value for the right cruiser — but Carnival designed every exclusion to protect their revenue on the high-margin items. Know exactly what you're buying before you hand over $420–$770+ per person for a 7-night sailing.
Use CruiseMutiny to calculate whether CHEERS! actually pencils out for your specific sailing, drinking habits, and cabin situation before you commit.