TAD2005

Just now, RuthC said:

(bolding added) 
Not quite. There is a refund for what is unused up to the initial $25 only. 
The math is: subtract the $25 'bonus' from the $50 value to return to the $25 paid. 
Then, if less than $25 of soda was purchased, then the balance up to $25 will be refunded. 

Thanks Ruth.  I was assuming that someone would spend at least $25 (8.7 sodas with the 15% SC).   If they spent $25 or more for sodas, including the 15% SC, then the card becomes non-refundable.

4 minutes ago, dontworry said:

My DW and I have a SBP each,$50.00 beverage card each and two free meals at the specialty restaurants all part of our booking with HAL. Can we use the beverage cards in the restaurants(providing we can get a bottle for $50.)to buy a bottle of wine.Don't think I would use the SBP in the restaurant even if I could(doesn't feel right to me)

You can combine your two, $50 beverage cards and buy a nice bottle of wine in the MDR or anywhere.   If you really want to splurge, you can use all of your beverage cards for a really expensive bottle, and the difference will be billed to your cabin account. Note, I am speaking of the cash beverage cards that you purchase or HAL gifts you, NOT the SBP.

You can use the SBP in the MDR for any covered beverage.   Just present your cabin key card to the wine steward at your table and your drink, glass of wine, or even the nightly cordials will be covered, and in the case of the cordials, yes, you can keep the glass.  We have 4 boxes of those little glasses at home and we didn't pay anything for them.   You cannot use the SBP (or EBP) to order bottles of wine, that must be done with a purchased beverage card.

Beverage cards that you or your TA purchase for you are refundable if you do not use the full amount of the card.  Cards gifted by HAL as part of a promotion are not refundable.

The one exception to this is the Soda Card which is discounted, $25 purchase price and you get $50 of sodas.   With that card, because of the discount, you do not get a refund if you do not consume $50 of sodas.

We were in Santorini on the Westerdam in 2017.   There are 2 docks used by the tenders.   The one dock, Athinios, is the only dock on that side of the island that has a road that goes down to the dock.   If you are on a ship's tour, you will take special tenders to that dock to start your tour.   If you are doing a private tour or DIY, then you will take the regular tenders to the dock at the bottom of the cable car ride up to Fira.   

Also, at that dock, you can purchase a ferry ticket that will take you to the other side of the island to Oia.  The 25 Euro ticket includes the ferry ride, a short bus ride up to the town of Oia, and a bus ride back to Fira.

No matter what you do, all tours end in Fira and you MUST take the cable car down the mountain to the Fira dock, or walk down the 800 feet via the steps.   They also have donkey rides down but people are avoiding them because of cruelty to animals.   If you walk down the steps, watch for donkey kaka on the steps.

With a lot of big ships at anchor, the line to the cable car boarding station can be 60 to 90 minutes long.  The line conveniently winds through the town of Fira and right past all the shops. I think it's all planned that way. 

With only 3 ships in port, it won't be too bad for the lines.

6 hours ago, garydm said:

Departed San Diego yesterday for 16 day Panama Canal cruise.  After reading some reviews we were a bit concerned but the ship is in great shape.  We are in a Neptune Suite and all the furniture including that on the large veranda seems new as well as the carpet.  Concierges are wonderful and very helpful.  Our cabin stewards Jeni and Mark are on top of things and very personable.  Dinner in MDR last night with great service.  Menu not as exciting as in the past but the food was good.  Had breakfast in Pinnacle and all was perfect.  My wife did the gym which was very clean and equipped with state of the art equipment.

 

Only negative was the muster drill.  Told to be there at 3:30 but it did not start until 4 pm.  It was very hot (I know, poor us) in the blazing son for 30 minutes with nothing going on.

 

Gary

One thing we really enjoyed on the Rotterdam in 2016 was the trio or quartet in the Ocean Bar every evening around 7 PM.   Some brave souls were dancing, but we just enjoyed the music.  Some times there was a vocalist, other time just a 4 piece band, piano, drums, bass and guitar.   Is that still there every evening ?   

Also, how is the newly installed Billboard Onboard ?   We're on the Rotterdam this October 3rd for 29 days.

On 1/6/2020 at 1:10 AM, Hlitner said:

We have never been happy with HAL and all the silly rules (15 drinks a day, etc etc) and various policies such as the cost to upgrade your package.  And there is another issue.  If you upgrade that package you may be surprised to find that some of the items that you wanted are not even on the ship!   So, my suggestion is that if you are truly thinking about an upgrade, wait until you are on the ship and do some quick research as to what is available.  For example, if I want some decent favorite brands of single malt scotch..it does me little good to upgrade because it is unlikely they will even have what I want...and even if they do it might only be available at a single bar on the ship.   As to wine, just keep in mind that if you are expecting to get some decent wines by the glass you might be very disappointed.  Again, it makes sense to ask some questions (onboard) before you buy.

 

We once ran into the "wine by the glass" issue on a Celebrity cruise.  We had their Premium Beverage Package and wanted some decent wines (that were in stock) by the glass.  The Sommelier told us no and we had to live with a very limited selection of premium wines (by the glass).  I raised the issue with the beverage manager who defended their position by explaining that if they opened a decent wine to sell me 1 or 2 glasses they would likely need to throw away the rest of the bottle (assuming nobody else wanted that wine).  Even when I suggested that DW and I would guarantee to purchase all the remaining glasses in a particular bottle (within 2 or 3 days) he refused to relent.  His response was that we should simply buy the bottle (in which case there would have been little reason to buy the beverage package.  

 

Hank

If you wait to buy or upgrade your beverage package until you are onboard, then you will pay the $5 per day penalty that HAL imposes.  HAL wants you to use your own cash to buy the package instead of using HAL provided free OBC to buy it when onboard.

If you purchased the SBP online at $44.95 plus 15%, upgrading is simple, just cancel the purchase and buy the EBP at $49.95 plus 15%.   If you wait to upgrade until you board, then HAL provided OBC comes into play and all bets are off.  The whole reason HAL charges more for either package if you buy it onboard is because you are using (in most cases) HAL provided free OBC for part or all of the package.   They would rather you use your own cash to buy either package online instead of using free OBC.  

The Vista class ships can get under the Sunshine Skyway bridge.   The Oosterdam home-ported there in 2016.

There are new prices for the Elite Beverage package (EBP).  

The old price was $59.95 per day plus 15% ($69) and it didn't matter if you purchased it online, before your cruise with your own money, or purchased it onboard using some of your OBC.

The new pricing as of the first of the year, is $49.95 purchased online and $59.95 per day purchased onboard, both plus 15%.    

Because this new pricing is so new,  there is no feedback from people actually trying to upgrade a purchased SBP or one obtained by a promotion.   The regular SBP is still $44.95 online and $54.95 purchased onboard. 

2 hours ago, Crew News said:

 

Wang Wang

 

 

 

1/4 oz Vodka

 

1/4 oz Gin

 

1/4 oz White Rum

 

1/4 oz Scotch

 

1/4 oz Bourbon

 

1/4 oz Tequila

 

1/4 Triple Sec

 

1/4 oz Brandy

 

 

 

Top it off with Pineapple and Orange Juice. Add a splash of Grenadine and let the games begin!

 

And amazingly, the Wang Wang (AKA Weng Weng) is included in the regular SBP and counts as one drink.   

It is not on the old or new menus, but I have always been able to get it.   Any bartender worth his salt can make any drink you want.  Just because it's not on the menu doesn't mean it is not available.   If HAL listed every possible mixed drink in their menu, you would have the equivalent menu the size of a long novel to look through.   As long as the bar has all the basic liquors and mixers, they can make anything you want.   HAL prices mixed drinks by the alcohol content in it.   A Long Island Ice Tea is never on the menu, but any bar tender can whip it up for you.   So, just because HAL has saved a few trees by not listing every crazy concoction on their menu, doesn't mean you can't get it.   If the drink you want is really unusual,  bring a recipe with you and give to the bar tender and he will make it up.  That is a good time for a nice cash tip.

The cost of the Elite Beverage Package has dropped.   It used to be $59.95 plus 15% service charge, purchased onboard or online.    The online price is now $49.95  (only $5 more than the SBP)  and they charge $59.95 if you wait to buy it onboard.   The max drink price is still $15 menu price.

HAL would pay the same wholesale price for a bottle of liquor if it was sent to your cabin for your personal use or sent to a bar for by-the-drink service.   So, if the actual price of the liquor went up by those large amounts, you would assume the cost of individual drinks served at the bars would also go up,  and following that logic, the cost of the 2 beverage packages would also go up.   I just checked the HAL website, they didn't !!!

The SBP is still $44.95 per day, (purchased online) and the Elite package actually went DOWN.   The Elite package used to be $59.95  and it was the same price purchased online or onboard.  (All prices plus 15% SC).   The Elite package is now $49.95 per day, online purchase, and $59.95 purchased onboard.    With the massive increases in in-room liquor, the 2 beverage packages become more interesting.   As some have posted, it seems that HAL is discouraging you to stay in your cabin and drink your own liquor, and to go out to the bars and pay by the drink or get one of the packages.   With the online price of the Elite package now only $5 more per day than the SBP,  but you get a $4 higher per-drink allotment,  there will be more people buying the Elite package, or upgrading their SBP once onboard, IF that is still possible with this new rate structure.

The desks in the Lanai cabins are smaller than other cabins.  If you put the rented fridge under the desk, you will have no room for your knees when seated at the desk.  The fee is $2 per day.

The cruise lines that have the tracking medallions or other tracking devices have invested a ton of money into ship-wide sensors, wiring, hardware and software.    Knowing that cruise lines do not do anything  unless they can see a profit in it,  you know that this tracking technology is not being done strictly for the guest's convenience.   

The Signature Beverage Package (SBP) is not a card,  it is encoded into your cabin keycard.   The beverage card is like a pre-paid debit card in various denominations that you can use for any beverage, anywhere, except HMC and your cabin mini-bar.  That is a separate card,.

With the SBP, you just present your cabin key card to the waiter or bartender and the point of sale terminal recognizes that you have the SBP and no charge is recorded, except your daily alcoholic beverage count of 15 is tallied.  With the SBP, you also get included the equivalent of the Quench Package, which is unlimited bottles of water, cans of soda, and specialty coffees.    Your after dinner cappuccino is covered.  With an average alcoholic beverage menu price of $8.95, plus 15% service charge,  your break-even point is 5 drinks.  Drink 6 and up is free, until you hit 15 for the day.   You can order doubles of any drink, and it counts for 2 of your daily 15.    The maximum drink price under the SBP is $11 menu price.  You do not have to consider the 15% SC in your calculations to see if a drink is covered.   There are no additional service charges added to your cabin account.

The Elite Beverage Package costs more, ($69.00 per day including the SC) and allows the same 15 alcoholic beverages per day, but the max price is up to $15 per drink, which does include a lot of wines that would not be covered under the SBP. 

If you do decide to purchase the SBP, definitely buy it online, before your cruise.   With the 15% SC, it will cost $51.70 per day, per person.   If you wait to buy it onboard, it will cost $63.20 per day.   

You mentioned you are bringing your own wine onboard.  Depending on how many other drinks you might consume other than your own wine, you will have to judge for yourself if the SBP is worth it. Definitely include the cost of bottles of water, sodas and specialty coffees in your calculations.

8 hours ago, igar39 said:

Thanks Ruth C for the detailed information.You are a wealth of info.  We just booked an  I cabin on the lower promenade.   On two Rotterdam cruises   in 2018 we had Lanai cabins.    Too much noise with grinding and work being done on life boards.  Also  sections of deck were closed often for work.  We like the smaller ships and Holland American.

We were on that same cruise in November 2018 in a Lanai cabin where they were welding and grinding on the lifeboat davits, both sides of the ship.  The noise was unbearable.   We spoke with the workers and this work was something that needs to be done occasionally.   Once it is done, that's it for many years.   We are on the Rotterdam this coming October for 29 days and have no concerns about this happening again.

2 hours ago, TiogaCruiser said:

Aren’t those the ones that track where you go?

Yes they are.  They know what you are drinking, where you go, and it is used as a marketing tool.

In the case of the Eurodam fishing net issue, yes, HAL should have been totally upfront about it.  But the fishing net getting snagged in the azipod prop was not HAL's fault.   So, other than the refund for any missed ports, why should the entire ship receive compensation ?

Possibly the reason HAL is so sensitive to releasing full info on any technical or operational issue is they clearly know that there are a few hundred passengers that will charge down to the customer service desk screaming for compensation.   If the soft-serve ice cream machine breaks, people want compensation.

7 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

 

However there is a 'trick'.  Princess uses a similar system to flight ease and does not require a booking number to get a quote on a flight.  Simply go to the princess website, find a cruise with the same start/end points and the same departure/return times.  You can then get a quote which will be similar to what you could expect from HAL.

True and I have done that many times.   But, even on the Princess site, you can only browse fares.  You cannot actually book a flight unless you have a cruise booked.  The OP was asking if Flight Ease could be used for any cruise line.   Obviously not.  

I saw a news story on a reputable cable station reporting that a person was walking along a sidewalk with a drink with a metal straw.  The person tripped and fell with the metal straw in her mouth.   The straw penetrated the top of her mouth and into the brain.   She survived, but had many days in the hospital.   

We bring our own plastic straws, use them, and take them back to the cabin for washing and re-use.   

1 minute ago, kazu said:

 

I thought this thread was about the regular beverage cards

 

Let’s not mix apples with oranges and confuse the OP.

I was just commenting on Cruise Suzy's comment.

3 hours ago, woodworker&knitter said:

I’m wondering when HAL will eliminate single serve boxes of cereal and small carton milk. Those create a ton of trash, 

Those are made of paper and cardboard, which incinerate very well.   Don't take away my Rice Crispies and bananas in my cabin every morning.  

2 hours ago, Cruise Suzy said:

 

With a beverage PACKAGE one is limited to one beverage at a time - it is not to be shared.

With the 2 beverage packages (SBP and elite), you cannot order 2 drinks at the same time, but you can order a double (or triple) of any mixed drink and it will count as 2 (or 3) of your daily 15.   This rule does NOT apply to bottles of water, soda in cans, or specialty coffees.   You can get as many bottle of water or cups of hot chocolate as you want, no charge.  

Comparing prices at home for water/soda vs. HAL prices onboard is like saying I can get a 12 oz prime filet at my home grocery for $18 so why would I pay $50 in a restaurant.    It's the convenience and not having to hit the Walmart before going to the port.   Spending $2000 per person for a cruise but quibbling over a some $2.50 bottles of water seems like a waste of time to me, IMHO.   Spend $18 per day on the Quench package and you can have all of the unlimited water, soda and specialty coffees you can drink.

23 hours ago, sail7seas said:

Where does it state you Must    get beverages in a    bar?  No one will insist a guest  HAS to get a soda, a bottle of water,coffee or anything,  I have never had a HAL beverage card and likely will not  That is not to say I have not  had my share of wine and iced coffee.    I order what I want  and pay whatever it costs.

 

That is always an easy option.

 

 

sail.noordam@gmail.com

 

With the SBP or EBP, it is not a separate card, it is encoded in your cabin keycard with SBP or EBP printed on it.  You can use your package for anything liquid that you would normally pay for,  anyplace on the ship that has a Point of Sale terminal.   That is about everywhere on the ship, including the MDR and specialty restaurants,  except the gangway for bottles of water going ashore, or HMC.  Also mini-bar purchases are not included.   For the SBP, it's a max menu price of $11 per drink and the Elite package is a max of $15 menu price.  The 15% service charge has already been paid when the package was purchased or given as a promotion, so the 15% SC can be ignored when deciding if the drink you are ordering is covered by your package.   Maximum of 15 alcoholic beverages per 24 hour day.  500 ml bottles of water, sodas in cans and specialty coffees are unlimited and included.   Pickup a few bottles of water at any bar the night before your shore excursion and chill then in your cabin fridge or ice bucket.