Wine cards gone? no fridge? no fruit?

[Blackstar]

We just heard from friends who cruised on HAL for the first time and they said they were told (after leaving) that fridges had to be ordered in advance and that there was a $2 a day charge.

Also no fruit or water in their rooms at all and that wine cards were phased out?

The mini bar was 4 cans of soda on a shelf.

Anyone know if all this is all the HAL ships?

[Mary Ellen]

Some classes of ships have "fridges" in each and every passenger cabin. These are the Signature and Vista classes as well as the Prinsendam. Some classes of ships (R & S) only have them in cabins with verandahs, unless pre-ordered as your friends experienced.

Every ship we've sailed on has had a fruit basket in the cabins. You do need to fill out the card in the bottom indicating which fruit you'd like to have. The cabin steward will then keep it stocked.

[IRL_Joanie]

We just heard from friends who cruised on HAL for the first time and they said they were told (after leaving) that fridges had to be ordered in advance and that there was a $2 a day charge.

Also no fruit or water in their rooms at all and that wine cards were phased out?

The mini bar was 4 cans of soda on a shelf.

Anyone know if all this is all the HAL ships?


Fridges are not in all staterooms on all ships. Some (smaller, older ships) the fridges/coolers do have to be rented at $2.00 per day UNLESS it is medically necessary, then it is free. But you will need medical documenataion to get one for free.

Fridges/Coolers have a much larger selection that 4 sodas in them. I am sure Krazy Kruisers can tell yo exactly what is in them, as she maintains a listing.

Wine and soda cards have not been phased out, nor are they going to be. In fact there are something like 93 various beverage packages available.

Joanie

[bobalink]

We were on the Noordam in August. We had a stocked fridge, fresh fruit (on request) and we used a Wine Card that I purchased on-line.

That was our experience just a few weeks ago.

Happy cruising!

[mr green]

The $2.00 charge for a 'frig., has been in place for at least three years, for those who don't have one with the room. Check in advance.
IF you have a mini bar, and just want to use it without buying, have the contents removed by a staff member.

john

[SeaWatch]

I just purchased a wine card online for my March cruise.

[Typhoon1]

In reaity those fridges are "cool boxes".

[wowzo]

I don't think 'cool boxes/coolers' is a good description and can be confusing to people

The mini-fridge that you pay $2.00 per day, is a working refrigerator that is sold anywhere in stores that have such appliances, it has a plug and motor to generate coldness. As any of that size, opening the door will let the cool air out immediately. So be quick !!;)

The cool boxes/cooler things - keep things cool with ice and are not classified as a refridg. HAL doesn't have these for rent.

[serendipity1499]

<snip>

Wine and soda cards have not been phased out, nor are they going to be. In fact there are something like 93 various beverage packages available.

Joanie

I just purchased a wine card online for my March cruise.

Actually, the OP is correct about the wine/soda cards.. Wine packages have nothing to do with soda & wine cards..

Wine & soda cards are being phased out little by little...On some ships you can not purchase them at all, but you can purchase the beverage card instead..One such ship is the Noordam..

When one telephones Ships Services, You will be told that you can't purchase a wine card for the Noordam, but you can purchase the Beverage Card..A $100 Beverage card is sold for $90.00...You can use this card for all beverages (wine-soda-coffee) at full ship board prices.. It will be like a credit card, no holes to punch & the bartenders/stewards will know exactly how much is left on the card as you use it..Our Friends who are cruising with us on the Noordam next Month, just called ships services & placed the order through them for the Beverage card....

However, you can still purchase the wine cards on-line..I was able to purchase 3 wine cards & intend to use them on the Noordam next month..We're having the cards delivered at sea, in order to avoid paying the Florida state tax..

In the near future all wine , soda, & possibly coffee cards, will be phased out on all the ships..

Cheers.....:)Betty

[Pokeynose]

In reaity those fridges are "cool boxes".

The fridges on the Vista ships in a suite keep things cold. Our beverage cans were always cold. I keep our insulin in there too. Also keep extra juice and some food items in case our sugar drops in the middle of the night.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We just heard from friends who cruised on HAL for the first time and they said they were told (after leaving) that fridges had to be ordered in advance and that there was a $2 a day charge.

Also no fruit or water in their rooms at all and that wine cards were phased out?

The mini bar was 4 cans of soda on a shelf.

Anyone know if all this is all the HAL ships?

So what ship were your friends on?

[LynnObie]

We just heard from friends ..... that wine cards were phased out?.....

Click here for a thread with lots of information (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1277798) & a few possible differences by ship noted regarding wine cards. As Betty "serendipity1499" above mentioned, we also have pre-ordered wine cards for our upcoming Zaandam cruise. In checking availability for pre-order on our Oosterdam booking in January, the same items are still available. What I believe Joanie "IRL_Joanie" correctly refers to is the fact that wine cards are just 2 of the 93 beverage items available for pre-order under the "Indulgences" tab when you log into your HAL account & view your booking. :)

Edit: PS... If you happen to be sailing out of a California port, no need to worry about delivery at sea to avoid sales tax as CA doesn't tax purchases made aboard ship while in port as FL does (at least not yet). Not sure of other states.

[mr green]

In reaity those fridges are "cool boxes".

Not so on Zaandam, ours made ice too!

john

[Jade13]

We just heard from friends who cruised on HAL for the first time and they said they were told (after leaving) that fridges had to be ordered in advance and that there was a $2 a day charge.

Also no fruit or water in their rooms at all and that wine cards were phased out?

The mini bar was 4 cans of soda on a shelf.

Anyone know if all this is all the HAL ships?

Which ship? The OV's on Maasdam did not have a cooler but we ordered one in advance. We had fruit and wine cards were available.

[wander]

Last winter we sat with the Environmental Officer one dinner. He told us that since HAL instituted the "Fruit by request only" program the ship had 27 fewer "garbage cans" of cabin waste than before.

We could get what fruit we wanted (from a list) as often as we wanted - we just filled out the card found in the empty fruit basket.

[Blackstar]

They were on the Nieuw Amsterdam 2 weeks ago it was a Pacific Northwest cruise.

They usually cruise Celebrity but have done RCL and we encouraged them to try HAL and as always happens when you recommend somewhere it was a dissapointment to them.

We had told them about wine cards and the fruit in the rooms and we had warned them that sometimes you need to "ask" for things on HAL more so then on Celebrity but they had trouble getting requested items even then, my friend said the cabin steward would say yes and then just avoid them after that. Which actually happened to us on the Veendam once and we still laugh about "where's Waldo"

She said they were told wine glasses are not allowed in the rooms! They eventually "stole" 2 from the dining room and kept them hidden to use with the wine they brought on board.

I asked her about the fruit basket and she said there wasn't one in the room.

She was also really irked there was no water jug in their room as she likes to fill her water bottle and it doesn't fit under the tap.

They were told they would get a refund if they didn't use the entire $100 beverage card they bought and then at the end they were told they don't refund if its less than $10 Not much perhaps but my friend is an accountant and that really irked her.

then when she got home some items were added to the bill and she called HAL and was told that was the in room bar charges. She flipped and said "what in room bar?" and they said "there was 4 cans of soda in the room" to which she replied "and they are still there!"
They did apologize and reverse that charge.

They did enjoy the Ocean Bar, as like us they are dancers and they thought the food was lovely though the service was minimal in the dining room.

We have always liked HAL and part of that has been a trade off with the wine cards and the lax wine policy agaisnt more personal service that we have experienced on Celebrity

[GeriatricNurse]

They were on the Nieuw Amsterdam 2 weeks ago it was a Pacific Northwest cruise.

They usually cruise Celebrity but have done RCL and we encouraged them to try HAL and as always happens when you recommend somewhere it was a dissapointment to them.

We had told them about wine cards and the fruit in the rooms and we had warned them that sometimes you need to "ask" for things on HAL more so then on Celebrity but they had trouble getting requested items even then, my friend said the cabin steward would say yes and then just avoid them after that. Which actually happened to us on the Veendam once and we still laugh about "where's Waldo"

She said they were told wine glasses are not allowed in the rooms! They eventually "stole" 2 from the dining room and kept them hidden to use with the wine they brought on board.

I asked her about the fruit basket and she said there wasn't one in the room.

She was also really irked there was no water jug in their room as she likes to fill her water bottle and it doesn't fit under the tap.

They were told they would get a refund if they didn't use the entire $100 beverage card they bought and then at the end they were told they don't refund if its less than $10 Not much perhaps but my friend is an accountant and that really irked her.

then when she got home some items were added to the bill and she called HAL and was told that was the in room bar charges. She flipped and said "what in room bar?" and they said "there was 4 cans of soda in the room" to which she replied "and they are still there!"
They did apologize and reverse that charge.

They did enjoy the Ocean Bar, as like us they are dancers and they thought the food was lovely though the service was minimal in the dining room.

We have always liked HAL and part of that has been a trade off with the wine cards and the lax wine policy agaisnt more personal service that we have experienced on Celebrity


They were told INCORRECTLY that wine glasses are not allowed in the rooms! :mad:

[jeppyt]

I just spoke to ship service and was told the wine cards I purchased weeks ago for Sun. cruise could not be used. So they credited my charge card.
There is another option. Purchase a $50 card for $ 45 or a $100 card for $90. The card can be used for ANY beverage

[serendipity1499]

I just spoke to ship service and was told the wine cards I purchased weeks ago for Sun. cruise could not be used. So they credited my charge card.
There is another option. Purchase a $50 card for $ 45 or a $100 card for $90. The card can be used for ANY beverage

Well they finally did it! They now have taken the wine cards off the indulgences list for my cruise on the Noordam next month..

.Also just checked my custom Itinerary & they exchanged three 20 glass wine cards for which I paid $232.89 for one $50 Beverage card...:(

Must call Ships Services & get it changed to a $100 beverage card & get a refund for the balance of the wine cards..

I'm surprised HAL did not send me an e-mail..

Cheers.....:)Betty

[LynnObie]

Well they finally did it! They now have taken the wine cards off the indulgences list for my cruise on the Noordam next month..
.....I'm surprised HAL did not send me an e-mail..

Cheers.....:)Betty

Based on this, the 2 wine cards still showing in our custom itinerary as of a just minute ago may well disappear.:( Guess I can still 'hope' but they are no longer being offered for sale on the "Indulgences" tab for either our Nov Zaandam or our Jan Oosterdam cruises.


Edit: See this Post (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=26363655&highlight=#post26363655) and this post (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=26365229&postcount=31) at another thread for an update related to above. I may have posted my info about wine cards still showing in my custom itinerary after they had already been deleted & reinstated.:confused: I guess time will tell the final story.

[eliget]

Fridges are not in all staterooms on all ships. Some (smaller, older ships) the fridges/coolers do have to be rented at $2.00 per day UNLESS it is medically necessary, then it is free. But you will need medical documenataion to get one for free.

Fridges/Coolers have a much larger selection that 4 sodas in them. I am sure Krazy Kruisers can tell yo exactly what is in them, as she maintains a listing.

Wine and soda cards have not been phased out, nor are they going to be. In fact there are something like 93 various beverage packages available.

Joanie

Hello Joanie, first I want to say thank you for all your wonderful posts. Next I'd like to to share some information regarding the "new" beverage cards. I am very excited about my next cruise now almost 8 days away. I purchased two cards approximately 2 months ago, a soda card and a wine card. With everything I have been reading I thought I'd contact HAL and find out if I had to change them or what is the status of them, HAL responded to my email with the following message, and I am quoting "
Guest who pre-purchased the cards prior to them being discontinued will be able to redeem the purchased item while on board. For example if the guests purchased the House Wind Card for 10 Glasses they will receive 10 Glasses of wine on Board at no additional charge. The cards are DISCONTINUED so the ship WILL NOT SELL the cards onboard only honor those purchased prior to the implementation of the Beverage Cards.

I hope this helps anyone who still has questions regarding cards that have already been purchased. I know it put my mind at ease.


So excited about my next cruise, I am finally down to single digits count.