In August 2023, Carnival Cruise Line experienced a technical glitch on their website that offered their popular all-inclusive drink package, the Cheers! Beverage Package, for the price of one day instead of the full cruise length. This resulted in thousands of guests purchasing the drink package at drastically reduced prices before Carnival realized the error.
By the end, you’ll have a thorough understanding of this high-profile glitch and how to make informed decisions about your cruise vacations. Let’s set sail on this analysis!
About Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Cruise Line Headquartered in Miami, Florida, Carnival operates over 20 cruise ships sailing to destinations across the Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska, Europe, Australia, and more.
Known for its festive “Fun Ships”, Carnival attracts over 5 million guests annually and appeals to a broad customer base with its affordable fares and lively atmosphere. Its newest and largest ship, Mardi Gras, debuted in 2021.
Some key facts about Carnival:
- Founded in 1972 by Ted Arison
- “The World’s Most Popular Cruise Line”
- Caters to families, couples, singles, and seniors
- Casual dress code and dining
- Extensive onboard activities and entertainment
While Carnival has earned praise for its value and excitement, the cruise line has also faced controversies over issues like food quality, ship incidents, and its handling of COVID-19. However, its loyal following proves that Carnival remains one of the top choices for cruise vacations.
Introduction to the Cheers! Beverage Package
One of Carnival’s most popular offerings is the Cheers! Beverage Package. This prepaid package provides guests with unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks throughout their cruise.
Here’s an overview of what’s included with the Cheers! Package:
- Cocktails, beer, wine, and spirits up to $20 per serving
- Non-alcoholic beverages like sodas, juices, bottled water
- Freshly squeezed juices and premium coffees
- Smoothies from onboard cafes
- Fountain soda from self-service machines
- Energy drinks, milkshakes, and virgin cocktails
The Cheers! Package must be purchased for all guests aged 21+ staying in the same stateroom for the cruise duration. The prices typically range from $51-$61 per person per day, plus an automatic 18% gratuity. On a 7-day cruise, this can amount to $300-$400 per person when purchased at regular prices.
For moderate to heavy drinkers, the package can deliver significant savings compared to paying for individual drinks. However, there are some restrictions guests should know:
- Limited to 15 alcoholic drinks per 24-hour period
- Certain premium brands are excluded
- Speciality coffees are limited to 2 per day
- Not offered on European cruises
So, while the Cheers! Beverage Package seems appealing, but savvy cruisers weigh the restrictions against their drinking habits to determine if it’s truly worth the cost.
The Infamous Carnival Drink Package Glitch
That brings us to the glitch that had cruisers buzzing in August 2023. On the night of Friday, August 25th, a technical error on Carnival’s website offered the Cheers! Package for the price of one day instead of the entire length of guests’ cruises.
For example, on a 7-night cruise that would normally cost $420 per person, the package was showing up for just $60 per person for the whole trip – a massive 90%+ discount!
Understandably, once word spread on social media, excited guests jumped at the chance to score rock-bottom drink packages. Approximately 16,000 guests purchased the package before Carnival detected the problem around 3 am and shut down the website.
The next morning, Carnival’s brand ambassador, John Heald, posted a video on Facebook explaining that the low prices were a glitch and that the purchases would be cancelled and refunded. He apologized but stated the pricing was clearly an error and not something Carnival could honour.
As compensation, Heald offered a 10% discount code for affected guests to use towards re-purchasing the drink package at normal prices. However, many customers were still upset that Carnival revoked the glitched prices rather than honouring them.
Guest Reactions: Delight to Disappointment
As expected, the reactions from guests who jumped on the erroneous deals ran the gamut from delight to anger to disappointment. Here is a sampling of comments from social media and cruise forums:
“We bought the cheap package and couldn’t believe our luck! We knew it was probably a mistake, but we weren’t going to pass up nearly $1,000 in savings on our upcoming cruise. Pretty disappointed Carnival didn’t honour it.”
“I missed out by just a few hours, but if I had gotten the deal, I would’ve expected them to cancel it. A 90% off sale on a prepaid item is so obviously an error. But 10% off is pretty weak compensation.”
“I’m glad I passed. It was tempting, but I had a feeling it was too good to be true. I’m sure Carnival is losing tons of money from the mistake, so I don’t blame them for cancelling.”
But Carnival had the right to cancel since it wasn’t a valid offer. The 10% code softens the blow.”
Based on these and hundreds more comments, here is a summary of the guest reactions:
Pros of the glitch:
- Some guests felt like they scored big savings
- The offer seemed “too good to pass up”, even if questionable
- Provided excitement planning cruise with nearly free drinks
Cons of the reversal:
- Majority felt disappointed missing out on massive savings
- Considered 10% discount inadequate compensation
- Believed Carnival should’ve honoured clearly erroneous prices
- Upset over time wasted planning to cruise around cheap drink packages
Pros of Carnival’s response:
- Most understand a company’s right to cancel incorrect prices
- Appreciate your apology and some discount offer
- The recognized glitch was likely a multi-million-dollar mistake
Cons of Carnival’s response:
- Poor communication before cancelling purchases
- Frustration over rescinded confirmation emails and charges
- Insufficient compensation compared to normal package prices
- Confusion around terms of the 10% code and eligibility
In summary, initial excitement around the fleeting glitch led to predominant disappointment once Carnival exercised its right to cancel the erroneous deals. While Carnival argued their response was reasonable, many guests felt cheated out of massive savings they thought they had secured fair and square.
Analyzing the 10% Discount Offer
Carnival’s offer of a 10% discount code to affected guests was meant to smooth things over. However, based on the guest reactions, it fell short of satisfactory for most cruisers.
Let’s break down the pros and cons of this modest make-good offer:
Pros
- This applies to the re-purchase of drink packages or other onboard items
- Code valid for 30 days to allow time to rebook
- Doesn’t restrict dates, so that it can be used on future sailings
- Transferable to friends/family also cruising with Carnival
Cons
- Just 10% savings, far less than the 90% glitch price
- Only offered to those who bought the glitched package, not those who missed it
- Packages are not available on all sailings, like Europe and Australia
- It can’t be combined with other discounts or promotions
- Complicated terms and conditions around the use of code
For a 7-day cruise, the 10% code would discount the normal $420 drink package price only by about $40. Compared to believed savings of $360, it’s not hard to see why cruisers deemed this condolence offer lacklustre.
While appreciated, the restrictive terms and relatively small discount percentage rendered the code ineffective at alleviating the thousands of guests eagerly awaiting nearly free drinks. It simply didn’t measure up to their expectations.
Possible Alternatives to the Cheers! Package
Since imbibing ranks among the great pleasures of cruising, what options do budget-savvy guests have if they don’t buy the pricey Cheers? Beverage Package? Here are some potential alternatives:
Pay-as-you-go
The most flexible option is simply paying for drinks as you consume them. While you lose the certainty of an all-inclusive package, you can control spending by pacing yourself. You also aren’t limited to set brands or allotments. The downsides are no discounts, paying gratuities individually, and tallying up costs, unsure if you’ll save overall.
Aim for happy hours and specials
Timing is key here. If you hit the bars during happy hours, you can enjoy deep discounts on drinks that usually last an hour or two. Other promotions like discounted beer buckets, wine packages, or “drink of the day” specials can also add up to significant savings. This requires more effort than unlimited packages but provides an opportunity to score deals.
Book restaurants with beverage pairings
Opting for dining rooms that offer wine and beer paired with dinner courses allows you to incorporate some drinks into your speciality restaurant fees. For a fixed price, you can enjoy a few glasses of hand-selected beverages with your meal. While limited, it’s a chance to save a bit without buying full packages.
Buy a speciality coffee card.
For coffee lovers, most cruise lines sell prepaid cards offering discounts on fancy espresso drinks from speciality cafes. For example, Carnival’s “Coffee Card” provides guests with 15 premium coffees for $29.95 – savings of at least 30% compared to individual purchases. Cards like these can make your onboard brews more budget-friendly.
Bring your bottle(s)
Most cruise lines allow you to BYOB – bring your bottle of wine/champagne onboard in your carry-on (usually one per person). While you can’t drink it in public areas, it’s a popular way to enjoy your booze in your cabin or over meals. A corkage fee applies if you bring your bottles to dinner. For light drinkers, this self-provisioning method lets you indulge on your terms and costs.
Stick to non-alcoholic options.
Don’t want booze? No problem. Focus your liquid enjoyment on all the free non-alcoholic beverages. Sodas, juices, teas, coffees, milkshakes and bottled water are unlimited. Set a budget for a few fancier drinks like fresh-squeezed juices or Red Bulls if you wish. Hydrating and caffeinating for free makes the most financial sense.
As you can see, cruise guests not interested in paying for full open-bar packages have numerous options to quench their thirst without breaking the bank. Mixing and matching these beverage strategies can add up to significant savings. The Carnival drink package glitch may be gone, but deals on drinks remain if you’re savvy.
Conclusion
The Carnival cruise drink package glitch provided a brief moment of excitement and opportunity for savings-savvy cruisers before reality set back in. While missing out on the rare error deal was certainly disappointing, the experience imparted some wisdom and more realistic strategies for enjoying drinks onboard without overspending. Reflect on the takeaways to become a more informed, proactive cruise traveller. Now, you can raise a glass with confidence that you know to find the best beverage value for your next seagoing adventure!