Carnival Cruise Line’s drink packages are well known – the Cheers! alcoholic package, an all-inclusive package as well as the Bottomless Bubbles soda package. But the cruise line also offers a unique option that many guests want, but few know already exists.
Enjoying a coffee on a private balcony, while strolling around the deck in the morning, or to wake up before an early shore tour is a great morning ritual many cruise travelers enjoy.
A popular request to cruise lines is for a coffee drink package offering some small savings for coffee aficionados. Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, John Heald, frequently gets such requests.
“This is one of my favorite things to do. Drink coffee and stare out at the sea,” one cruiser recently mentioned to Heald, sharing a photo of her coffee on a balcony.
“When will Carnival offer a coffee package for us coffee lovers?” she asked.
What a lot of cruisers don’t realize is that Carnival Cruise Line already offers a coffee card for the coffee bar and JavaBlue Cafe and their specialty brews.
“Remember for every six coffees you purchase the seventh one is free,” explained Heald. “Make sure you have the card just punched at the coffee shop just for that.”
Unlike other beverage packages, the coffee card does not need to be purchased, but guests do need to ask for it at the onboard cafe and be sure they have it punched with every brew they purchase.
Why Doesn’t Carnival Offer a Full Package With Coffee?
It is interesting that coffee is not automatically included in Carnival Cruise Line’s non-alcoholic beverage package. The Bottomless Bubbles package is the unlimited soda package, and also includes juices. No other non-alcoholic drinks are included, such as coffees, mocktails, milkshakes, or bottled water.
The Cheers! beverage program is described as an “all-inclusive” option and does include “specialty coffees and hot tea served in the main dining rooms, specialty restaurants, and coffee bars.”
Heald has often been asked about an upgraded non-alcoholic drink package that would include more than just soda and juice.
Such a package could include specialty coffee, bottled water, energy drinks, mocktails, milkshakes, and any other drink options that don’t include alcohol.
Unfortunately, such a package will not be forthcoming from Carnival Cruise Line, but guests frequently ask about the possibility.
“Have they ever thought about raising the price of the soda package to include water, tea, coffee, energy drinks?” one guest asked Heald.
Read Also: What Is the Carnival Cheers! Package?
Similar questions are submitted to the brand ambassador nearly every week, but his answer is always the same.
“Thank you, well we would have to raise the price because it’s actually more expensive to have a program like this then it is one that contains alcohol,” Heald explained. “That means it’s very difficult to pass the savings on to you. So at the moment there are no plans to do this.”
Depending on the type of coffee guests prefer, free brewed coffee is available at the Lido Marketplace buffet during breakfast.
Limited creamer options are available, but guests can also bring their own favorite creamer onboard so long as it is in small, commercially sealed packages.
Guests who want an even more unique coffee experience on their Carnival cruise might also be interested in coffee shore tours at select destinations.
This gives passengers the chance to visit local coffee farms, see the process whereby the beans are harvested and processed, and even taste delicious local blends.
Coffee tours are available in Puntarenas, Costa Rica and Ocho Rios, Jamaica, depending on the season and the time the individual ship is at the port of call.
Carnival Cruise Line is continually investigating new tour options and additional choices may be available to passengers in the future.
