Signature Bev Package - new rules

The new promotion which includes the Signature Beverage Package states that you can have up to 15 drinks per day, $7 max per drink, $50 per day maximum whichever comes first.

The Signature Beverage Package during Presidents' Day Sale in the Above and Beyond promotion had the Signature Drink Package with 15 drinks per day, max $7 per drink, but without the $50 max per day. (All per person) It was clearly spelled out on their website.

Did anyone sign up for this promotion, only to be told after paying for the cruise that they added the $50 max per day? Also, has anyone who signed up for this been allowed to use the original promotion without the $50 max?

I think you can tell from this post that we are being challenged by HAL on their promotion ......even though I have in writing from a HAL employee that there is no $50 max. HAL is implementing it on our upcoming cruise saying the employee was mistaken. I didn't realize that I would need to print out HAL's promotional info from their website to have back up

I just went to see what the "fine print" said, and was only able to find this:

Free Signature Beverage Package is available only to ocean-view and above category staterooms. The Signature Beverage Package has a daily limit of 15 beverages priced $7.00USD or lower. Signature Beverage Package excludes beverages priced over $7.00USD and purchases made in Signature Shops, Mini Bar and In Room Dining, or beverages on Half Moon Cay. Signature Beverage Packages are not transferable or refundable and may be used only on the cruise portion of Land+Sea Journeys. Participants may order only one drink at a time, must be 21 years or older and agree not to give alcoholic drinks to minors. No sharing is permitted. Beverage management reserves the right to revoke the Signature Beverage Package if misused and reserves the right to refuse service for any reason, including refusing service of alcoholic beverages to intoxicated guests. Signature Beverage Package has a retail value of US$50 per person per day, including service charges.

Where did you find the "new" rules? Not much in the way of savings with that new limitation!!

The following is the information from the HAL website. No mention of $50 per day maximum.

12 Day Signature Beverage Package

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.

$620.28

Select

The confusion may be between the FREE signature package and the one above which costs $620?

Are you sure that's right? That would only give you 15 drinks at $2.89 (with service charge factored in) or $3.33 without service. :confused:

Are you sure that's right? That would only give you 15 drinks at $2.89 (with service charge factored in) or $3.33 without service. :confused:

At those prices all you could have to make 15 drinks a day would be small bottles of water or sodas!

Jim

Are you sure that's right? That would only give you 15 drinks at $2.89 (with service charge factored in) or $3.33 without service. :confused:

Thats what I was thinking. If its the "free" package, then you get $50 per day, period. If its the purchased package, then its 15 drinks under $7 ($105).

I just went to see what the "fine print" said' date=' and was only able to find this:

 

[b']Free Signature Beverage Package[/b] is available only to ocean-view and above category staterooms. The Signature Beverage Package has a daily limit of 15 beverages priced $7.00USD or lower. Signature Beverage Package excludes beverages priced over $7.00USD and purchases made in Signature Shops, Mini Bar and In Room Dining, or beverages on Half Moon Cay. Signature Beverage Packages are not transferable or refundable and may be used only on the cruise portion of Land+Sea Journeys. Participants may order only one drink at a time, must be 21 years or older and agree not to give alcoholic drinks to minors. No sharing is permitted. Beverage management reserves the right to revoke the Signature Beverage Package if misused and reserves the right to refuse service for any reason, including refusing service of alcoholic beverages to intoxicated guests. Signature Beverage Package has a retail value of US$50 per person per day, including service charges.

 

Where did you find the "new" rules? Not much in the way of savings with that new limitation!!

I think the $50 retail value just refers to the cost if you were purchasing the SBP yourself. I don't think there will be a $50 maximum per day.

Just my opinion, which could be wrong.:confused:

I still think the Celebrity premium package is the best value. $65 per person/day (with gratuity), with unlimited drinks up to $13 each.

I think the $50 retail value just refers to the cost if you were purchasing the SBP yourself. I don't think there will be a $50 maximum per day.

That is how I read the promotion as well.

Oh, dear. Here we go again.

Please do not confuse the "value" of the card as being the maximum per day.

"Signature Beverage Package has a retail value of US$50 per person per day, including service charges."

If one were to take the $44.95 cost of the SBP on a daily basis and multiply the 15% gratuity, it comes to $51.69/day. This is how HAL comes to the "value" of the card at being $50/day. One can still order up to 15 drinks that are priced at $7 or less. If one were to order the 15 drinks, it would come to $105 plus gratuity of $15.75, for a total of $120.75/day. Thus the value to one individual may be $120 while the value to me, who doesn't drink that much, might only be $25.

I'm not sure where the OP is getting the "$50 per day maximum whichever comes first" since that is not what is written in the terms and conditions that others have posted. That was not my experience with the last version of the SBP through Explore4 and I'd be very surprised if it was changed in this new incarnation of the Explore4.

I still think the Celebrity premium package is the best value. $65 per person/day (with gratuity)' date=' with unlimited drinks up to $13 each.[/quote']

 

That is a Really Good Plan. It would be a waste for me as I don't drink that much but for folks who want a lot of beverages per day, that is a terrific package.

 

I especially like you can have a drink that costs up to $13. HAL's $7 limit is very hard for wine drinkers. I don't want really high priced glass of wine at a bar but $7 choice on HAL ships is not a particularly pleasant wine, to my taste. I'm fine at a bar with a Robert Mondavi merlot at $8 (approx.) but can't have that under HAL's limit.

That is how I read the promotion as well.

I also read it that way. $50 only refers to the cost of the package if purchase separately.

I think the $50 retail value just refers to the cost if you were purchasing the SBP yourself. I don't think there will be a $50 maximum per day.

 

Just my opinion, which could be wrong.:confused:

It did in the past. The retail value was actually $51.69 — & 44.95/day + 15%. The description was confusing. It's better now, but people are still confused.

That is a Really Good Plan. It would be a waste for me as I don't drink that much but for folks who want a lot of beverages per day, that is a terrific package.

 

I especially like you can have a drink that costs up to $13. HAL's $7 limit is very hard for wine drinkers. I don't want really high priced glass of wine at a bar but $7 choice on HAL ships is not a particularly pleasant wine, to my taste. I'm fine at a bar with a Robert Mondavi merlot at $8 (approx.) but can't have that under HAL's limit.

That is primarily why we get the Premium package on X - the wines. They do have a much better selection of wines than HAL, and we like the ability to pair wines with the different courses at meals.

HAL's $7 limit is very hard for wine drinkers. I don't want really high priced glass of wine at a bar but $7 choice on HAL ships is not a particularly pleasant wine, to my taste. I'm fine at a bar with a Robert Mondavi merlot at $8 (approx.) but can't have that under HAL's limit.

We have the SBP through the Above and Beyond promotion on our upcoming cruise. I figure that with what the package will save us on other drinks, we can order and pay for a higher priced glass of wine when we want one (like a glass of Veuve Cliquot for Mom's birthday) and still come out ahead. We'd have bought those other beverages anyway. That's my plan, anyway!

I agree that the $50 refers to the "value" HAL puts on the card. Photo is the back of my card from last month with no mention of a $50 limit per day on its use.

IMO the subject heading of "new" rules is misleading since the rules for the purchased Signature package are the same as always. They have not changed.

The only place the $50 Retail Value is mentioned is in the FREE Signature package. And even that does not say it is a Maximum of $50 per day.

Who would pay $51.69 per day for the SBP, to have a limit of $50? Think about it.

From HAL's website:

Book select 2014 Europe cruises and receive:

FREE Signature Beverage Package* (this asterik links to the terms and conditions that I have included below)

A value of $100 per day, per stateroom ($50 per person)

Applies to beverages priced up to $7 (menu price)

Includes wine, beer, spirits, cocktails (including non-alcoholic), sodas and coffee (a daily limit applies)

From the terms and conditions on HAL's site:

"Free Signature Beverage Package is available only on select Europe cruises for ocean-view staterooms and above. Signature Beverage Package has a daily limit of 15 beverages priced $7.00 or lower. Signature Beverage Package excludes beverages priced over $7.00 and purchases made in Signature Shops, Mini Bar or In Room Dining. Signature Beverage Packages are not transferable or refundable. Participants may order only one drink at a time, must be 21 years or older and agree not to give alcoholic drinks to minors. No sharing is permitted. Beverage management reserves the right to revoke the Signature Beverage Package if misused and reserves the right to refuse service for any reason, including refusing service of alcoholic beverages to intoxicated guests. Signature Beverage Package has a retail value of US$50 per person per day, including service charges."

Emphasis added...

I guess the question is the meaning one assigns to the word, "value". Is the $50 per person per day the monetary worth of the perk? If so, does this also mean that the maximum value of the card is also $50? I think based on what the OP has stated, that this is clearly HAL's intent, however, it certainly isn't transparent from the text above.

I don't think it was HAL's intent to allow passengers to consume up to 15 drinks at day at a maximum of $7.00 per drink , as otherwise, HAL would have stated that the value of the package would have been up to $120.75 per day, and not the $50 per day that it does state.

I guess the question is the meaning one assigns to the word, "value". Is the $50 per person per day the monetary worth of the perk? If so, does this also mean that the maximum value of the card is also $50? I think based on what the OP has stated, that this is clearly HAL's intent, however, it certainly isn't transparent from the text above.

 

I don't think it was HAL's intent to allow passengers to consume up to 15 drinks at day at a maximum of $7.00 per drink , as otherwise, HAL would have stated that the value of the package would have been up to $120.75 per day, and not the $50 per day that it does state.

Please go back and read my post #10. The value to HAL is the cost of the package which is ~$50/day. That is the price that HAL would charge for the package if one was to purchase it.

The value to you may be $120/day, should you be able to manage 15 $7 drinks in each and every day. The value to someone drinking 15 cans of pop/soda would be $33.60/day. The value is different for each individual depending on what beverages they consume.

HAL puts the maximum of 15 drinks on the card because there would be a few who would abuse it. And, they know that most passengers probably can't handle as many as 15 alcoholic beverages in a day. I certainly can't. But I looked at the package as a way to get my two alcoholic drinks and one or two pops, per day, for FREE since I received the package under the Explore4.

I too loved the Celebrity Package, no requirement that my roomie purchase one also. So I am surprised that HAL says she must. Oh well, HALS loss :) she doesn't drink much.

Alberta quilter - the package offered during Above and Beyond was the package valued at $628 each - the same one that free from work supplied. There are TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF BEVERAGE PACKAGES. HAL offered the one where there was no $50 max per day back in February.

I have read in several threads of people using that package without the $50 tops - and I am trying to determine if anyone who bought in February Presidents Sale with the $628 package value per person - if you have cruised yet this year and ran up against their new rules that are in effect now.

The current promotion clearly states the $50 max....it did not state that in February.

Let me clarity.....the package in February was a value to a couple based on

b2b cruises of nearly $2,000 per couple. Not $50 per day max. It has changed, so what is stated today on the website is not what was stated on their website in February.

I still think the Celebrity premium package is the best value. $65 per person/day (with gratuity)' date=' with unlimited drinks up to $13 each.[/quote']

 

I agree plus they actually have a decent glass of wine that falls under that $13. An additional item with X's is that both people in a cabin do not have to purchase it as you do on HAL (at least you did last fall).

I agree plus they actually have a decent glass of wine that falls under that $13. An additional item with X's is that both people in a cabin do not have to purchase it as you do on HAL (at least you did last fall).

Please stay on the current topic. If you wish to discuss the differences between HAL's and X packages, please start another thread.