Best way to buy drinks on a Carnival Cruise?

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MsSassy

Carnival will let you bring on one bottle of wine or chapagne per person. I choose not to bring on bottles intead I buy boxed wine. It's easier to carry/pack and you get a bit more than one traditional bottle.

Good luck!

Julie T

Heads up...the soda card is $44.28 for an adult for a 7-day cruise and $32.20 for a kid...

For an adult, it comes out to $5.50 per day plus 15% gratuity for a 7-day cruise...for a kid, $4.00 plus 15% gratuity..You have to buy the week package...you can't purchase by the day.

Did not want you to be surprised...

Carnival offers "drink of the day" specials. Also, you can go to the "tastings" and Captains Cocktail party for freebies.

Drinks range from $4-12 plus auto 15% gratuity.

My drink of choice, a Pina Colada runs $6.05...

justme

No, nothing like that for alcohol, unless you book with a large group (in which case you pay quite a bit more for the cruise).
I guess the best way is just the only way, buy them one at a time, or, for beer, you can get a bucket, but it isnt any cheaper. Just remember, the tip is automatically added to the bill, so no need to add a tip unless you want to tip extra.

You can get free drinks at the captain's party, and they have a daily special on a mixed drink, where you get to keep the glass.

Paul in San Diego

Here's what you do:

Get a 1.25 ml bottle of Arizona Iced tea and empty it. The bottle is a dark brown plastic that's hard to tell what's in it. Rinse it out and fill it with your favorite alc bev (I bring whiskey). Make sure to fill it all the way to the top, so it doesn't slosh when shaken (this can be surprisingly loud). Pack this into a cardboard box padded with foam padding or newspaper, and tape it shut with packing tape. If you want to go all out, wrap it like a birthday present. Bury this in the middle of your check on luggage.

When you arrive on board, get a soda card for mixers. When the bags arrive at your stateroom, the bar is open. Don't be shy about bugging the room stewards for ice. It's their job and they're glad to do it. You can also get cups of ice from the dispensers on the Lido deck.

CaribbeanLover

What Qt says is true, the best way is to sneak the booze on the ship and buy the pop to make mixed drinks if you want to save money. They do have rules against this but ALOT of people do it. Especially when you stop at an island where the booze is cheap. I, along with many other people, usually hide it in purses/bags. They do scan the bags but I have never had the booze taken away. They'll let you sneak it in if it's hidden.

Otherwise you have to buy the drinks one by one and yes it does add up to be a lot. Especially if you do like to drink.

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