Is it customary to order a drink at trivia/music at the bars and lounges

[Disneygirlxo91]

I recently went on a 5 night cruise on the magic and we enjoyed going to the trivia or some of the music acts in the bars and lounges. We hardly ever ordered anything to drink. I noticed some people did, and some people didn’t. I was just curious if it is sort of frowned upon to go to these activities and not order anything?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I recently went on a 5 night cruise on the magic and we enjoyed going to the trivia or some of the music acts in the bars and lounges. We hardly ever ordered anything to drink. I noticed some people did, and some people didn’t. I was just curious if it is sort of frowned upon to go to these events and not order anything?

No.

 

[gismo1554]

Nope. Sometimes I take a drink from the drink station and sometimes I order a drink and sometimes I just don't bother. No one really cares

 

[ladyofthetramp]

Sometimes we do, sometimes we don't. All good.

 

[iivye]

We've never felt like we needed to order anything. As previous posters said, we've brought soft drinks from the drink station and other times we've ordered drinks. I don't think the servers care.

 

[MomOTwins]

We've never felt like we needed to order anything. As previous posters said, we've brought soft drinks from the drink station and other times we've ordered drinks. I don't think the servers care.

I mean, they do care in the sense that it is how they make tips, so they’re happy when they get orders, but they are not going to frown on you not drinking. It’s no different than being on castaway cay and not ordering anything from the beach drink folks—you absolutely don’t have to since it is part of the cruise you paid for.

That said, something I found myself doing a lot more this trip was just ordering a diet coke when I didn’t feel like an adult beverage, in part because I know how hard this year has been, and I felt bad the aervers had so few tables because of capacity limits, and so I felt like I wanted to tip. Maybe next time I’ll bring some dollar bills to leave on tables.

 

[mmouse37]

Agree with all of the above.....have ordered drinks, have brought soft drinks and have not ordered anything. If you feel like a drink order one, if not don't. In the clubs at night a server will come around and ask if you want a drink and if you decline they put a napkin on your table to signal that you do not want anything. If you change your mind there are plenty to just flag down.

The only place I always feel there is a harder push to order drinks is on the pool deck. On one cruise a drink server actually woke my husband from a nap to ask if he wanted a drink. That crossed the line and I put it on the comment card. We just politely say no thanks if they come around and we don't want anything.

MJ

 

[Mommb]

I have attended trivia games on every cruise, and never felt any pressure to order a drink. I’m sure the same is true for musical acts. Unlike land-based venues, which need the money from purchases to pay the performers and pay for prizes, the cruise line generates money from fares and from purchases throughout the cruise.
That said, I like the suggestion from MomOTwins to leave a tip for the staff even if you don’t order anything, to compensate for lower attendance. That would be a nice gesture, but entirely voluntary.

 

[PsylockeSmythe]

Nope, if we did, it was just a glass of ice water. Neither my wife and I drink, so if we wanted a soda, we would fill our drink bottle on deck and bring it with us.

Psy

 

[Take The Stairs]

I recently went on a 5 night cruise on the magic and we enjoyed going to the trivia or some of the music acts in the bars and lounges. We hardly ever ordered anything to drink. I noticed some people did, and some people didn’t. I was just curious if it is sort of frowned upon to go to these activities and not order anything?

Straight up and no shame in my game, I frown on folks who don't order a drink at bar activities, because ain't no one in that club gonna show up to dance later. I consider my diet coke with a 10.00 tip my "I'm not dancing" fee.

 

[tvguy]

We attended trivia in one of the lounges and the bar wasn't even open, so no option to order a drink.

 

[bethy]

That said, something I found myself doing a lot more this trip was just ordering a diet coke when I didn’t feel like an adult beverage, in part because I know how hard this year has been, and I felt bad the aervers had so few tables because of capacity limits, and so I felt like I wanted to tip. Maybe next time I’ll bring some dollar bills to leave on tables.

Us too the servers are just such wonderful people and they barely make anything during "normal times". ALSO this may seem shady but we also ordered drinks to get a break from wearing masks. I'll admit it.

 

[Cheburashka]

The only place I always feel there is a harder push to order drinks is on the pool deck. On one cruise a drink server actually woke my husband from a nap to ask if he wanted a drink.

That's awful and I'm sorry that happened. What a jerk.

I will add for the benefit of those who haven't yet cruised, that I've cruised 7 times and have never felt pressured to order anything while on the pool deck. Usually I'm not even asked.

 

[mmouse37]

That's awful and I'm sorry that happened. What a jerk.

I will add for the benefit of those who haven't yet cruised, that I've cruised 7 times and have never felt pressured to order anything while on the pool deck. Usually I'm not even asked.

I should clarify that we are asked when we are in the adult pool area. In all our cruises with DCL we have always been asked multiple times if we want a drink...not pressured but definitely asked each time a server walks by.

MJ

 

[Dug720]

I should clarify that we are asked when we are in the adult pool area. In all our cruises with DCL we have always been asked multiple times if we want a drink...not pressured but definitely asked each time a server walks by.

MJ

I feel like the servers are in a catch-22. If they don't check each time they walk by, some will complain that they had to flag down a server any time they wanted a drink or *gasp* go to the bar themselves! Other people can be asked by two different servers and they (not saying you since you said you weren't pestered) were "pestered and pressured".

 

[Cheburashka]

I should clarify that we are asked when we are in the adult pool area. In all our cruises with DCL we have always been asked multiple times if we want a drink...not pressured but definitely asked each time a server walks by.

I understand, however I sailed solo on the Magic last month, and spent hours lounging on the adult pool deck. I might have been asked once about a drink, but definitely was not asked more than that during the whole time I was out there.

 

[mmouse37]

Do not know what else to say...that was your experience, ours was different!

MJ