Wines and corkage and bars, Oh my! (Signature Beverage Pkg, Beverage Cards & Corkage)

• Q: In #3 above, you say, "Make sure you are standing near a place where a beverage department staff member can use your card on a point-of-sale-system terminal."
  
• A: That's not really a question.
  

• Q: Right, sorry. What I meant to ask was: Do I really have to be standing in order to use the $50 Explore 4 Beverage Card?
  
• A: No, you can sit. You can also be lying down on a lounge chair by the pool. We recommend against lying on the floor of a lounge or bar.
  

• Q: In the first Q&A in post #300, above, you talk about "buying a coffee with the SBP card." Shouldn't it have read, "buying a coffee with the $50 Explore 4 Beverage Card?"
  
• A: Yes. I did not have my coffee yet.
  

As trusted Lab Fellow #3 of this motley crew of dedicated scientists (no doubt you know that DBIL POA1 was our lead and distinguished scientist ... his nomination for the Nobel Prize is a hot contender in this year's race, as rumor would have it), and since there was a bit of a scuttlebutt on another thread about the "tip as you go" methodology we employed while stress-testing the SBP, I would like to add my own first hand experience:

 

We never waited more than a minute for a drink. Ever. Even during the craziest of happy hours. Staying hydrated was important to our thesis, so it just seemed expeditious.

 

Besides, tipping means more to a server than it does to us, so we just did it. That's just how we roll. I loved tipping one particular bartender because he would always give me a huge smile and say, "Ahhhh, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!" We giggled every time.

 

Another bartender shared with us that she was saving her tips because her father back home really wanted a pair of Ray Bans. We were happy to contribute to the cause.

 

Also, I would like to add that in undertaking such a significant scientific feat (where you run with the big dogs, or go home with your tail between your legs), breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Which is why I typically opted for the Bloody Mary Bar. Adding premium vodka (I just used Absolut) cost an extra buck, but this is irrelevant because even with the premium vodka, the drink fell within normal drink price parameters (6.95$), making it an essential part of the SBP. I like mine spicy and with lots of goodies. I was able to choose from the Bloody Mary Bar optimum ingredients with which to enhance that spiciness: horseradish, jalapenos, red peppers, green peppers, onions, and some mild shrimp. Some call this a problem. I called it breakfast. The only thing about that Bloody Mary Bar that would've made me even happier? Bleu cheese stuffed olives. Then I probably could claim that drink for lunch as well. A clear highlight of the SPB for me. Not many cruise ships carry horseradish, and a bloody Mary just isn't quite right without it.

 

:D

I was reading along just fine then "Bloody Mary Bar" hit me- SCREECH!. Huh? I don't remember a Bloody Mary bar from Oosterdam. Where is this elusive paradise? I must find it as like you I firmly believe in a well rounded breakfast.

This was a new set up for us. We've seen one on the Veendam, but I was able to order my Bloody Mary with a simple thumbs up from 20 feet away then, and I know that didn't have horseradish. I digress though. On the Noordam, at the Lido and Sea View pools, they had an ad hoc set up. It was a large bucket of ice, set up on a cart. In pretty white bowls, garnishes were set up upon the ice to keep them cold. Ingredients/garnishes varied by day. The bartender would make your regular Bloody Mary, and then hand the drink over to a server, who you would tell how you wanted your breakfast dressed. They did not have it everyday (or maybe they did but I just wasn't at the pool on time), & they did remove the bar set up at some point (it was not available all day).

I want to say they had some sort of mini bar for Mimosas as well at the pools, but sadly, orange juice is never part of any scientific endeavor that I undertake. It's a conspicuous shortfall to my science, no doubt.

POA1 - I hope to meet you some day and buy you a drink.

You have made this enjoyable and informative. And so stinkin' funny.

I KNOW. :D

Our particular Explore 4 Promotion included two $50 Explore 4 Beverage Card per stateroom. (I am unsure if it was one card per stateroom - up to two passengers, or if it was two cards per cabin. I do know that this is probably something that one of our peers in the solo traveler fact-finding community can inform us about.) Of all of the variables in our research project, the $50 Explore 4 Beverage Card is the simplest to explain.

 

The "$50 Explore Four Beverage Card" is a green beverage card, very similar in appearance to the normal beverage cards that you can purchase from Holland America. Please see Figure 12, below to see what a specimen would look like. The $50 Explore 5 Beverage Card is denoted by a purple highlight.

 

 

Operating the $50 Explore 4 Beverage Card - a phrase I'm getting really tired of typing - is simple.

 

 

1. Pick something you would like to drink. It can be a coffee. It can be a bottle of water. It can be a bucket of beer. It can be a bottle of wine. It can be a mixed drink. As long as your card balance will cover it, there is no limit to what you can get.
   
2. Some people were confused about this and thought that the $50 card was subject to a $7 per drink limit. Tish tosh, I say.
   
3. Make sure you are standing near a place where a beverage department staff member can use your card on a point-of-sale-system terminal. For you youngsters, it's a POS. For you older readers, it's like the cash register that Mister Higgins had down at the General Store.
   
4. Please note that you cannot use your card on the gangway for water before you go ashore as there is no POS terminal there. You will need to get your water at either a bar or in the Lido.
   
5. You cannot use your card on Half Moon Cay.
   
6. But there is electricity on Half Moon Cay. They could put a POS terminal on the island.
   
7. I know.
   
8. It's their island, for crying out loud. They have ships there almost every day.
   
9. I know.
   
10. When you're tendering in, you can see all the telecommunications dishes and antenna arrays. Surely they must have a way to set up a comm link between a couple of POS terminals and the ship's accounting computer system!
    
11. Dude, I know.
    
12. C'mon. I've been to county fairs, art shows, and concerts where they set up registers in the middle of a friggin' field and use them for one lousy afternoon's worth of business.
    
13. Seriously, dude... I'm trying to explain how the cards work. This is the simplest part of our entire research project. Will you please just pipe down so I can finish? It's late and I'm tired.
    
14. Sorry, man. Continue... :mad:
    
15. So anyway, you hand your card to the beverage department person who is in the vicinity of the POS terminal. They swipe your card and deduct the cost of whatever you're drinking - plus the 15% service charge - from your $50 card balance.
    
16. You repeat this process until your card is depleted, at which time you have a piece of green Holland America Souvenir plastic.
    
17. Wait a second!
    
18. Now what?
    
19. If they're adding a 15% surcharge onto whatever I purchase with the Explore 4 $50 Beverage Card, I'm really only getting $43.48 worth of beverages, right?
    
    
20. Exactly! Technically, you're getting $43.4782609 worth of beverages, using the 10 significant figures of precision that we use in our oh-so detailed scientific work.
    
21. I bet all the to-the-penny rounding errors favor HAL, don't they?
    
22. Probably. And tie goes to the runner. (Note to our non-North American readers: This is a lame baseball joke that follows a lame mathematics joke.)
    
23. Hey, Mr. Science Guy - They play baseball all over the globe nowadays.
    
24. You're right. Sorry about that.
    
25. Any questions?
    

 

• Q: Can I use my $50 Explore 4 Beverage Card to pay for corkage?
  
• A: Yes, but not when you are boarding the ship. You could use it if you wanted to bring a "free allotment" bottle of wine to the dining room one night,
  

 

• Q: What happens if I don't use my entire $50 before my cruise ends?
  
• A: We have heard reports that it gets credited to your account, but in our experience, you will have forfeited the remaining balance. That's what it says on the back if your card in the teeny tiny print. We were out $1.73, not that we're bitter.
  

 

• Q: Do I need to keep my card once I've drained all the juice from it?
  
• A: No, unless you need it for your research project. In that case, place it carefully into your instrument case so that you can scan it when you return to the University Laboratory back on land.
  

 

• Q: Don't you think that this section of the report had gone on long enough?
  
• A: Think??? I'm 100% certain of it. This ain't quantum mechanics.
  

I'm wondering if you can buy any merchandise at one of the shops using the $50 card.

Were you able to research this option?

I'm wondering if you can buy any merchandise at one of the shops using the $50 card.

Were you able to research this option?

The card says that the use is limited to beverage purchase only. We asked the concierge in the Neptune Lounge if it could be used for anything else. He said no.

We didn't actually try to use the $50 beverage card in a shop though.

To add to @AlexandNessa's Bloody Mary information - I did spot the Bloody Mary Bar set up in the Lido proper at least twice. They also had small (67-70 size) shrimp as part of the Bloody Mary Bar several times. These proved pretty popular and allowed people to have what could legitimately be called "shrimp cocktails."

In case you missed the really important information in the Bloody Mary Bar posts above, here's the takeaway: The drinks were labelled and sold as a "Premium Bloody Mary." They included a premium vodka for $6.95. This was a welcome exception to the "You can't use a premium liquor in a specialty cocktail" rule.

O.K. I have read this whole thing and enjoyed every minute, but I have a stupid question, (I know there are no stupid questions only stupid people)You keep saying it is the $50. explore card. I know mine is worth $400.00, at $50.00 a day. Do they issue you a new card everyday or is the card automatically "refreshed" at midnight?

O.K. I have read this whole thing and enjoyed every minute, but I have a stupid question, (I know there are no stupid questions only stupid people)You keep saying it is the $50. explore card. I know mine is worth $400.00, at $50.00 a day. Do they issue you a new card everyday or is the card automatically "refreshed" at midnight?

Yours is likely the Signature Beverage Card. It is good for up to 15 beverages per day- $7 maximum per beverage.

The "value" of the card is $50 per day as that is the cost if you purchase it.

O.K. I have read this whole thing and enjoyed every minute, but I have a stupid question, (I know there are no stupid questions only stupid people)You keep saying it is the $50. explore card. I know mine is worth $400.00, at $50.00 a day. Do they issue you a new card everyday or is the card automatically "refreshed" at midnight?

Not a stupid question at all. Thanks for remembering that there are no stupid questions. It shows that you are a serious scholar and have done your homework. :cool: Ours was only worth $50. That was for the whole, 10 day voyage. If yours is a $400 card, I would assume that it will have the full amount loaded and that they won't give you eight separate cards.

There are different variations on the promo and we sailed the Caribbean, giving us the $50, one time cards. Other itineraries get the full 15 drink a day, Signature Beverage Package cards.

Yours is likely the Signature Beverage Card. It is good for up to 15 beverages per day- $7 maximum per beverage.

The "value" of the card is $50 per day as that is the cost if you purchase it.

Nana51 - I think FrankC might be right. I just looked over the promo information and I did not see any Explore 4 promos that included a $50 per day card. You may actually be getting the full Signature Beverage Package card. If that's the case, you could wind up with close to $120 in value (15 drink limit x $6.95 theoretical maximum cocktail cost + 15% service charge = $119.85 per day.)

Check your paperwork to see if it's the SBP card. There's still an SBP write up to come. :eek:

POA1 - I hope to meet you some day and buy you a drink.

You have made this enjoyable and informative. And so stinkin' funny.

I KNOW. :D

Thanks! Your encouragement, along with grants from the National Institute of Cheer, make this all possible. :)

....

 

There's still an SBP write up to come. :eek:

Good to hear! We will have the SBP on our cruise this summer.

Really enjoying the humorous and helpful write up of your extensive research and hard work in the name of science and helping mankind (us). :D:D

To POA1

Have followed your thread everyday since it started.

We are sailing on our first Port Everglades trip in April so will visit the Total Wine store before departure.

Keep up the good work.

Rockfan2

To POA1

 

Have followed your thread everyday since it started.

 

We are sailing on our first Port Everglades trip in April so will visit the Total Wine store before departure.

 

Keep up the good work.

 

Rockfan2

We appreciate your kind words and thank you for reading. We were striving to put together some information that was a little more complete than what you find in the HAL "Know Before You Go" - and, if possible, make it more entertaining.

This is a little off topic, but does anyone else think that "Know Before You Go" would be a great title for the little sign on the wall that tells you how to operate the commode, not to flush large, items, etc?

POA1 , you are fantastic. Well done. I started reading this thread a couple of hours ago - and to prove I read every post I now know (as the result of Post 281) what 'make it rain' means (yes, I Googled). Well done - and cheers to everyone.

This is a little off topic, but does anyone else think that "Know Before You Go" would be a great title for the little sign on the wall that tells you how to operate the commode, not to flush large, items, etc?

ROTFL LMAO.

You know I'll have to make a sign now...

of course - the W in Fort Lauderdale also provided a bit of potty humor for our trip.

ROTFL LMAO.

 

You know I'll have to make a sign now...

 

of course - the W in Fort Lauderdale also provided a bit of potty humor for our trip.

"Backup Plan" - Me like. :D

My mind, which tends to zero in on the insignificant (to others) has a question. Which one of you is Dr. Venkman?

My mind, which tends to zero in on the insignificant (to others) has a question. Which one of you is Dr. Venkman?

FINALLY! Thank you for asking about that. We didn't want to use our real names, so I replaced the names on the cards with characters from Ghost Busters. ;) I didn't know if anyone would notice.

Peter Venkman is Bill Murray's character. Ray Stantz was played by Dan Ackroyd. Janine Melnitz was Annie Potts' character.

I did! I did! So, on my August cruise on the Rotterdam, may I continue the research project? We have the Above and Beyond Signature Beverage Card and plan to enjoy some fine wines in addition. It's a dirty job, but I'm up to it. Will definitely search for the Bloody Mary Bar.

Thought I would add another little tidbit of information.

On our B2B cruise this past February on Noordam, we received a letter at the end of our first segment regarding some extras for those doing B2B.

They were offering us a "Special Collectors Voyage Wine Lovers Package for $10 per person per day, doing the math (both in cabin must purchase) it comes to $20 per day.

This package offered up to 3 glasses of house wine at lunch time and 3 glasses of house wine at dinner (in Lido, Vista, Caneletto,Pinnacle Grill).

Total of 12 glasses of house wine for $20. I thought that sounded like a good deal, but as we had already purchased a Navigator package we didn't try out this new package.

They also offered 20% off any bottled wine purchased in the Vista Dining Room (not to be combined with any other discounts).

Explorations Cafe-complimentary "extra" shot with any coffee purchase.

Photo -buy one print get one 50% off.

Internet -purchase a 500 minute package and receive 250 additional minutes for free.

I don't know if this is going to be a standard offer for B2B, but I haven't heard anyone else mention getting these.

Might call for some more research.:)

Our voyage was 10 days on the Noordam, but it could have been sold as a 21 day B2B. We were offered a discount on Internet Access & photos. I don't recall the wine special or the Explorations Cafe "shot" discount. It's possible that we missed it if it was offered.

Each member of our world-class research team purchased a Signature Beverage Package (SBP) for our 10 day experiment. Based on what we've read, our SBP cards should work exactly the same way as the ones that come with certain Holland America Promotions. The primary difference, of course, is that we spent over $500 per person for our cards ($44.95 + 15% service charge per day x 10 days,) Why did we make this kind of expenditure? Is it because we are really, really thirsty travelers? No. It's because we care about you, our fellow cruisers.

The Signature Beverage Card is shown above in Figure 17J. It is highlighted in orange. It is gold in color and has the passenger's name and stateroom number on it. Two of the scientists in our party had their names and staterooms imprinted on their cards. Two did not. We know not why.

Many of you will be receiving the Signature Beverage Package as part of the "Explore 4," "Above & Beyond," or "Duck, Duck, Goose" promotions. Some of you may decide to buy the SBP for an upcoming cruise. We hope that our scholarship and research will help to benefit each and every one of you.

Buying the Signature Beverage Cards:

The SBP may be purchased before your voyage by using the HAL website or by calling Ship Services at (800) 541-1576. They may also be purchased onboard, but only during the first two days of your trip. If you purchase the SBP after you board, your qualifying purchases should be backed out retroactive to the beginning of your cruise. You also pay the full price ($44.95 + 15% service charge per day x # of days in your cruise) regardless of whether you buy the SBP before you cruise, on Day 1, or on Day 2.

If you are going to buy the SBP, we strongly recommend that you purchase the SBP before you ever even have a drink. The process that HAL uses to back out previous charges is suboptimal. That's putting it very, very charitably. (I'll cover this in more detail in another post, but trust me: If you're going to buy the SBP, just do it before you buy any qualifying beverages.)

The SBP is valid for your entire cruise. It may be used for up to 15 beverages per day. Qualifying beverages are those that have a menu price of $7.00 or less. If you scroll back in this post, you will find a list of all of the liquors that qualify. All of the HAL Signature Cocktails, Drinks of the Day, and After Dinner Cordials are covered. Please note drinks like Jack Daniels & Ginger Ale, Grey Goose & Tonic, and Bacardi & Coke are covered. You need to look at the liquor cost on the menu to determine whether it is part of the program. One important note: Signature Cocktails only contain premium liquors if they are listed as having them on the menu. If you want a particular drink and aren't sure if it is covered under the SBP, just ask your server. They are well-versed in the program.

The SBP card is valid at all locations where the beverage department employees have access to a Point of Sale (POS) terminal. This includes all the bars and lounges on the ship, all specialty restaurants, the main dining room, and the Lido. It does not include Half Moon Cay. It does not include beverages purchased on the gangway, such as bottles of water you would pick up before leaving in a port. It does not include room service beverages.

Question & Answer Time:

• Q: Can the SBP be used for bottled water?
  
• A: Yes, but you must get your water at a restaurant or lounge that is POS-equipped.
  

• Q: When does the SBP "day" reset?
  
• A: It resets at midnight, ship's time. We were told this by one of our research assistants / bar waiters and independently verified the fact.
  

• Q: Can I use the SBP card at Happy Hour?
  
• A: Yes, but you cannot use it for the "Buy a drink, get a second drink for a dollar" specials. Essentially, the SBP has no effect on Happy Hour. You can use it to have a cocktail in a less crowded location without missing out on anything. (Unless you are a big fan of waiting and crowds.)
  

• Q: Can I use the SBP card for Coffees, Lattes, or Chai Tea at the Explorations Cafe?
  
• A: You betcha!
  

• Q: Is the SBP valid for cans of soda or pop?
  
• A: Yes.
  

• Q: If I have an SBP card, will someone make a smoothie from my protein powder and fresh fruit?
  
• A: Doubtful. You can get any smoothie type things they make at the Explorations Cafe though.
  

• Q: Do they make really make smoothies at the Explorations Cafe?
  
• A: Apparently. Our research grant didn't extend to non-alcoholic, whirled fruit beverages. That research is being handled by a group on the Nieuw Amsterdam, headed by Dr. Emmett Brown.
  

• Q: Can I use my SBP card to buy Vitamin Water, Sports Drinks, or Red Bull?
  
• A: Affirmative.
  

• Q: Can I get a Red Bull & Grey Goose? Paaarty!!! Woo-hoo!!!
  
• A: No. I think you're lost. Go to the top of the page and navigate to either: Cruise Critic Message Board Forums > Cruise Lines "A - O" > Carnival Cruise Lines, or > Cruise Lines "P - Z" > Royal Caribbean International
  

• Q: That's not very nice, making fun of them, is it?
  
• A: You are clearly unfamiliar with the high regard they have for the Holland America crowd on their forums, I see.
  

• Q: Can I use the SBP card for a bucket of beer?
  
• A: Only if you want a bucket of ice with a single beer in it.
  

• Q: How long must I wait between drinks?
  
• A: The POS system requires 5 minutes between drink orders.
  

• Q: What kind of wine can I get with the SBP?
  
• A: You can get the house wines, a Prosecco, and a few dessert wine choices. There is a full write-up earlier in this thread.
  

• Q: Like vintage Port?
  
• A: Don't be silly.
  

• Q: I want to drink something that costs more than $7.00, Maker's Mark Bourbon, for example, which is $7.95. Can I just pay the ninety-five cents and get my Bourbon of choice?
  
• A: No.
  

• Q: Aww...
  
• A: Suck it up. Put on your big boy pants and stop whining. You can have Jim Beam, Jack Daniels, or Wild Turkey.
  

• Q: Jack Daniels isn't a Bourbon. It's a Tennessee Whiskey.
  
• A: Yes, I know. But other than the fact that Jack Daniels is dripped through a 20 foot long, sugar-maple-charcoal-filled tube, it's basically the same.
  

• Q: Fair enough. Is the Wild Turkey the 101 proof stuff or the wimpy 80 proof variety?
  
• A: It's the 101.
  

• Q: I can work with that.
  
• A: I thought you could.
  

• Q: Is Grolsch beer included?
  
• A: Every beer on the list is included. (Geen emmer Grolsch, echter.) If that's not funny, I blame Google Translate.
  

• Q: I drink, but my travel companion does not. Can I buy a single SBP card?
  
• A: All adults over in a cabin over the age of 21 must participate if any single adult does. So, unless you are traveling with someone under 21, the answer is no.
  

• Q: I am a solo traveler who pays double the single fare for my cabin. Will I get 2 SBP cards on the itineraries that include the Signature Beverage Package in the Explore 4 Promo?
  
• A: Sadly, no. I admire your spirit and am impressed that you are looking at going for the 30 drinks a day mark, but once again they're sticking it to the solo cruiser. :mad:
  

• Q: I do so enjoy me one of those boozy coffees after dinner. Are they included?
  
• A: Yes. All of them on our list were.
  

• Q: Can I see your list?
  
• A: Just scroll back in this post. There's a link to an attachment in Evernote there somewhere. Go ahead. We'll wait.
  

• Q: I'm back. Thanks for waiting. Did I miss anything important?
  
• A: Not much. Just a heated discussion about smoking and power strip confiscation. Tempers flared. A fight broke out. Security had to clear the room. Other than that, not a whole heckuva lot. Good to have you with us again.
  

• Q: I didn't see the Dutch Coffee with Vandermint on the list. What happened?
  
• A: We'd like to know ourselves. They have all manner of Dutch things on the ship, but no Vandermint. It was a damn fine coffee.
  

• Q: Are tips included with the SBC?
  
• A: There is a 15% service charge factored into the cost. We tipped extra. Whether or not you decide to is entirely up to you.
  

• Q: I see you took a decidedly diplomatic approach to the tipping issue. Why?
  
• A: Let's just say I learned my lesson. We worked very hard on this innovative, cutting-edge research and I don't want the thread to go sideways.
  

• Q: We really like to drink. Can we buy extra SBPs for our cabin?
  
• A: No. There are cruise lines that have truly unlimited drink packages though. Ask your travel professional. You can have bottles of liquor delivered to your stateroom by room service - at reasonable prices if you really feel the need to supplement your SBP.
  

• Q: Is the SBP a good deal for me?
  
• A: If you got it for free, the answer is a resounding yes! If you're buying it, you'll need to do the math. For people drinking mixed drinks, break even is around 7 per day. For people drinking just beer, it's about 11. For wine drinkers, break even is approximately 8 glasses. For people drinking just specialty non-alcoholic coffees, the answer is probably not. Also, you won't get much sleep and your prostate will become hard as a walnut.
  

• Q: Really? Hard as a walnut?
  
• A: If you're a woman, no. If you're a man, I really have no clue. It just struck me as science-y sounding.
  

• Q: I would like to take a bottle of water ashore with me when I leave in port. If I can't get it on the gangway, what should I do?
  
• A: Go to a bar or to the Lido beforehand. They will have them. Or, if you don't want cold water, you can pick one up the night before - assuming that you didn't drink all 15 beverages in your allotment.
  

Hi all - we were on a b2b from Feb.17 to March 10 on Noordam and were offered absolutely nothing like this. We did get invited to an Indonesian luncheon on one Monday of the sailing. A short wine tasting one late afternoon, and that, my friends, was it. Am I upset.? Yes, as 4-star whatevers, I am.. We didn't even get one of those better canvas carry bags, but just two more of those cheesy blue plastic thingys....

"On our B2B cruise this past February on Noordam, we received a letter at the end of our first segment regarding some extras for those doing B2B.

They were offering us a "Special Collectors Voyage Wine Lovers Package for $10 per person per day, doing the math (both in cabin must purchase) it comes to $20 per day.

This package offered up to 3 glasses of house wine at lunch time and 3 glasses of house wine at dinner (in Lido, Vista, Caneletto,Pinnacle Grill).

Total of 12 glasses of house wine for $20. I thought that sounded like a good deal, but as we had already purchased a Navigator package we didn't try out this new package.

They also offered 20% off any bottled wine purchased in the Vista Dining Room (not to be combined with any other discounts).

Explorations Cafe-complimentary "extra" shot with any coffee purchase.

Photo -buy one print get one 50% off.

Internet -purchase a 500 minute package and receive 250 additional minutes for free.

I don't know if this is going to be a standard offer for B2B, but I haven't heard anyone else mention getting these.

Might call for some more research.:)"