'Deal breaker for me': Major cruise line quietly makes change to drinks package rule
A major cruise line has announced new rules for ordering drinks.
Carnival Cruise Line has updated the rules around its 'unlimited' drinks package for passengers on their ships.
The 'Cheers' package allows cruisers with the package to order up to 15 drinks in a 24-hour period, for a flat daily fee.
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Carnival has changed its rules around drinks. Getty
However, drinkers will now have to wait longer between ordering drinks - both alcoholic and non-alcoholic - in a move to prevent drink package 'abuse'.
The new rule, which was quietly introduced by Carnival, states that cruisers must now wait ten minutes between ordering any type of beverage.
Previously, the time limit was five minutes.
"Only one drink at a time may be ordered, there is a 10-minute wait time between orders and sharing is not permitted," Carnival's Cheers beverage program restrictions now state.
These rules aim to help Carnival prevent passengers from sharing drink packages and avoid overserving alcohol, it said.
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There's now a ten-minute rule between ordering drinks. Supplied
The move comes after the cruise line recently introduced the Cruise Zero Proof package, which has the same rules, but is for non-alcoholic drinks only.
Cruisers on social media report that the same ten-minute rule has been applied to the Zero Proof package as well.
Though most passengers acknowledge that the rule makes sense for alcoholic drinks, some are frustrated that it applies across all packages.
Those who want to order two different types of non-alcoholic drinks will have to wait ten minutes to do so.
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Some passengers are frustrated at the cruise line's rules. Getty
For example, one passenger says that he couldn't get a water and an energy drink at the same time.
"On the Mardi Gras now, can confirm its 10 minutes. This applies not only to alcohol, but also bottled water, Red Bull, specialty coffee, etc. Most bars have allowed a bottle of water when ordering a beer, but if I want to order a Red Bull and bottle of water, I need to wait 10 minutes," one person wrote in a recent Carnival cruiser Reddit discussion about the change.
"I just hate that it includes water and specialty coffee. Like bruh, why can't I get them at the same time??," another wrote.
The rules are to protect passengers and avoid package abuse Carnival says. Getty
One other passenger says that they're reconsidering cruising with Carnival.
"I know a lot of people don't care, but this would be a deal breaker for me, at least, if they enforce it," they said.
"I don't go on vacation very much. If I'm paying for a cruise, I want to relax and have a good time."
The Cheers package is currently $110 per person per day for Australian sailings, while the Zero Proof package starts at $39.99.
