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Signature Beverage Package


dhoogheralf
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Hi,

 

I was wondering if anyone, who has recently used the “Signature Beverage Package” could help me ?

 

HAL says “Our convenient, affordable Signature Beverage Package allows you to select from a variety of wine, beer, spirits, cocktails (including non-alcoholic), sodas & coffee! Includes any beverage priced at a $7.00 or lower menu price. Up to 15 beverages per day. * Prices are per day; Signature Beverage Package for $44.95 per day, per person a 15% service charge is not included and will be automatically applied to your purchase. The package must be purchased for the entire duration of the voyage. Up to a 15-drink maximum per day.”

 

1) does this include ANY drink at or below 7$ ?

2) what about bottled water, for example san pellegrino ?

3) what about specialty coffee as for example irish coffee ?

4) what about a sparkling wine as prosecco ?

5) do you get for example a can of cola or fountain cola ?

 

Thank you for your help !

 

Kind regards,

ralf

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We inquired about this package in the spring for our cruise.

Each person over the age of 21 in the cabin must buy the package. It has to be purchased on the first day of the cruise.

It does not include any premium alcohols, only house wines. None of the specialty coffees and teas in the Explorations Café.

Yes you can get sodas and bottled water with the card.

We like Grey Goose which is $6.95 -- not included as it is a premium alcohol.

It definitely was not worth it for us as neither of us could drink $44 worth of alcohol a day.

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I think the package now allows beverages from the Explorations Cafe. I looked at the terms and conditions for it on my 2014 cruise, and compared them to the Premium Beverage Package that was available on our 2013 Med cruise.

 

I have not gotten the package as we would not drink enough to cover the cost. As far as I can figure, we would only drink $25 - $30/day.

 

As far as I understand, it is for any drink under $7, including bottled water. Would certainly include soft drinks. Can't help you with prosecco or San Pelegrino specifically.

 

But, keep in mind, that as KK says, all people in the same stateroom, over the age of 21, must purchase the package. For our 14 day cruise next year, the cost of one package is $723 so for the two of us we would be looking at $1450. If there are three of you, the cost is triple.

 

Have you checked to see if your cruise includes the Explore4 promotion, as that promotion includes the beverage package? It was available for some 2013 holiday cruises and many 2014 cruises; I believe that the promotion is still going on.

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My wife and I used this on our Alaska Cruise in Aug. All adults in the room must get the card. I can be used for any drinks uner 7.00. That includes housewine,large bottled water,regular coffee from the Explorations,all coffee drinks(like Spanish coffee)all drinks of the day and all drinks from the bar menu,pop. We never drink morning drinks but on this Cruise we did have a bloody mary at breakfast :-) We had a wine or two at lunch and perhaps a cold one late afternoon. At dinner perhaps a couple drinks(Lido) and also during the Show in the Showroom. We could have had 15 drinks a day but we didnt. I think anyone having just a few drinks a day,plus buys large bottles of water and basic coffee from Explorations actually breaks even quite easily. It is quick and convient and gives you some fun options throughout the day if you choose.

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My wife and I used this on our Alaska Cruise in Aug. All adults in the room must get the card. I can be used for any drinks uner 7.00. That includes housewine,large bottled water,regular coffee from the Explorations,all coffee drinks(like Spanish coffee)all drinks of the day and all drinks from the bar menu,pop. We never drink morning drinks but on this Cruise we did have a bloody mary at breakfast :-) We had a wine or two at lunch and perhaps a cold one late afternoon. At dinner perhaps a couple drinks(Lido) and also during the Show in the Showroom. We could have had 15 drinks a day but we didnt. I think anyone having just a few drinks a day,plus buys large bottles of water and basic coffee from Explorations actually breaks even quite easily. It is quick and convient and gives you some fun options throughout the day if you choose.

 

Thank you for sharing your experience. Could you tell us how it actually works? By that I mean, do the waitstaff know from your room card that you purchased the package and your drink is "free"? Or do you get a regular receipt for your purchase and then the charge for the drink is omitted from your onboard account by the front office (since the package was purchased)? I hope I'm making myself clear with my question, however awkwardly it is worded!

 

I'm trying to understand how it works onboard so that one isn't charged twice for the same drink - once through the actual purchase of the beverage, and once through the purchase of the package.

 

Also, with respect to the Explorations Cafe, capuccinos, espressos, hot chocolates are not included? Surely, they're under $7, aren't they? I don't drink coffee but my mother does and would enjoy a cappucino. I guess she could still get them in the MDR but I was hoping, for her sake, that the cappucinos in the Explorations Cafe would be tastier than the ones in the MDR.

Edited by Alberta Quilter
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On our Cruise seperate gold cards were used to obtain your drinks. You use your room key only for the first purchase which is how they activate your gold card. After that you only need that gold card to get your drinks. I dont drink the other types of coffees that you can get in the Explorations Lounge so I dont know if they are included or not. I would think so because as you say they are under 7.00. We found that on most cruises we have a drink of red wine and they, jokingly,for the most part inform us we may as well order a bottle because it was cheaper :-) This way we have a glass whenever we want to and dont succumb to the good natured sales pressure. We never really drank their fancy drinks on previous cruises but did so this time,just for fun. If your cost conscience then 7 beverages,counting everything(water,coffee,wine,pop) would be the break even point. If you induldge as we do on cruises then you can go up as high as 15 beverages. We felt it served our purposes this time. We are getting it as a free bonus on one of our next cruises. Happy cruising.

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I would be very surprised if each individual Ship had a choice of 13 wines. On Westerdam I know we only had a choice of two reds(Merlot and Cab-Sauv.) and Im not sure of the Whites as we dont drink white.I would imagine there would be a number of choices. Our Merlot was S anta Carolina(spelling?). It is not a wine that I would order over dinner or bring home but it was an easy to drink wine that we were happy with. Perhaps over the entire HAL LINE there is a overall choice of 13 wines. :-)

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Perhaps HAL was referring to all ships! Here is there email reply:

 

Good day,

 

The beverage package can be used to purchase bottled water. Currently we have 13 different wines that are priced $7 or under.

 

If you have any additional questions do not hesitate to contact us. We are available by telephone Monday – Friday 7am – 5pm PDT at 1-800-541-1576.

 

Thank you and Kind regards,

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This program doesn't appear to have the same rules on all the ships.

 

We just got off the Ryndam 9/7 and we befriended a couple who had bought the gold card package. They used their cards for grey goose and tonic at the crows nest all night long.

 

If you wanted one of the cocktails in the menu book, the "house" rotgut liquor was used unless a specific brand was mentioned in the menu book, or you paid a call brand surcharge. Since almost all the cocktails in the menu book are priced at $6.95, the call brand surcharge would take you over the $7 maximum. If you drink wine, only the house wine was under $7. So, I thought the package was overpriced and had too many "rules."

 

On a related note, no happy hours were offered on the Ryndam and the crew said it was up to the individual ship's management as to whether or not happy hour is offered on a voyage ... perhaps someone was trying to get more people to buy the gold card package. In any case, I don't recall seeing too many people with the gold cards.

Edited by johnnycruise
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Yes, for sure they use the less than premium quality brands for their drinks. They only sold the gold cards for the first 2 days and if you bought one on the second day they would delete the amount you had already spent that day buying drinks using your room key. If you are a beer drinker you have a good choice of world class beers plus you are still able to get your coffees,water,pop etc. It is good for some scenarios but for sure not all.

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Just left the ship this morning.

 

We did purchase the signature beverage package for the 7 days. It was 44.95 per day plus the 15% gratuity. 7 Drinks a day and it paid for itself. Maximum number of drinks is 15 per day.

 

It was valid for everything under $7.00. The card you receive does say "Includes any beverage priced at $7.00 or lower menu price". This was incorrect - the computer system would not allow $7.00 wine to be entered as a purchase for the program.

 

All of the bar staff were aware of the card and knew how to charge it. The Main Dining Room was not always aware so be vigilant.

 

There were precious few red wines available for use with the card. Main Dining room prices for wine were higher than in the bars.

 

We did use the card in the Explorations Cafe several times without a problem.

 

If you do not buy the beverage package:

 

For those that just want a pre dinner cocktail there always seemed to be a happy hour somewhere on the ship that charges $1.00 for the second drink between 4 & 5 PM. There were a few days where there was a venue with $4.00 wine by the glass.

 

For more value conscious wine choices, consider ordering from the Canaletto menu (even in the dining room). Great value on decent wines. If you do not finish your bottle of wine you can always hold it over for the next night - even if it is in the Pinnacle Grill.

 

The card was a great convenience.

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I spoke to a HAL onboard rep today and she said the limit is $50 per day or 15 drinks, whichever comes first. So, if you bought 7 drinks at $6.90 ( for example ) you are done for the day. Anything over gets charged to your room.

 

Interesting. The online description of the package does not reference a $50/day limit. However, it does say "..up to 15 beverages per day".

 

From the website:

 

"Our convenient, affordable Signature Beverage Package allows you to select from a variety of wine, beer, spirits, cocktails (including non-alcoholic), sodas & coffee! Includes any beverage priced at a $7.00 or lower menu price. Up to 15 beverages per day. * Prices are per day; Signature Beverage Package for $44.95* per day, per person a 15% service charge is not included and will be automatically applied to your purchase. The package must be purchased for the entire duration of the voyage. Up to a 15-drink maximum per day. All adults over 21 years old booked in the same stateroom must also purchase the package. Participants may order only one drink at a time. No sharing is permitted. Excludes Mini Bar, In-Room Dining, & beverages on Half Moon Cay. Packages are not transferable or refundable. Beverage management reserves the right to revoke the package if misused and reserves the right to refuse service for any reason; including refusing service of alcoholic beverages to intoxicated customers. Must be 21 years or older to purchase and agree not to give to minors. "

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I know for sre there is not a 50.00 limit per day. This package is at a maximum of 15 drinks per day,none of them over 7.00. Your dollar maximum for this package is 15x7.00,which would be 105,but they are not really considering a maximum dollar aamount. I think there is some confusion here now on different types of packages. On at least one day I easily had over 70 dollars worth of beverages(not just alcohol :-)

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We had the Signature Beverage Cards early in the program. We really lost on the deal. On previous cruises, we might have a glass of Prosecco during appetizers and wine with main course, but we never had a chance to order more. Also, we weren't impressed with the wines under $7. We did not have this issue in the bars where the service was excellent, so it might have been a MDR issue, not an issue withe the card.

It did cover Explorations coffees and soft drinks.

 

 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Forums mobile app

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I was looking up some info for a friend on the Carnival website the other day and it seems their beverage program card had a $10 per drink limit (not $7). That surprised me. Maybe HAL will follow suit at some point, since they are owned by Carnival.

 

Carnival's AI drink package costs more per day. I think it may be $50.00 to $55.00 + 15% grat. I just asked Carnival about this within that last 2 weeks. Sorry, I threw my note away, so I don't have the exact figure. We are planning a family cruise and HAL won out.

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Carnival's AI drink package costs more per day. I think it may be $50.00 to $55.00 + 15% grat. I just asked Carnival about this within that last 2 weeks. Sorry' date=' I threw my note away, so I don't have the exact figure. We are planning a family cruise and HAL won out.[/quote']

 

It would figure that they would be making up for it in the daily rate.....at least with a $10 limit, you may have more choice/selection (maybe).

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