Signature Beverage Package on MS Westerdam

Hello All.

Does anybody have any info on how this works! We have just found out that a 15% service charge is added on to every drink we have.

Please can you advise if the 15% service charge needs to be added to the menu price of the drink for us to work out if it will still be included in the Signature Beverage Package: ie:A Anchor Brewing Steam is priced on the drinks menu as $7.25 if 15% service charge is added the drink becomes over $8.00 - Therefore would this then NOT be included in the Signature Beverage Package:

Is anyone able able to clarify whether you will need to pay the additional amount above $8.00 or whether you would need to pay the full cost of the drink.

Its so confusing :(

Hello All.

 

 

 

Does anybody have any info on how this works! We have just found out that a 15% service charge is added on to every drink we have.

 

 

 

Please can you advise if the 15% service charge needs to be added to the menu price of the drink for us to work out if it will still be included in the Signature Beverage Package: ie:A Anchor Brewing Steam is priced on the drinks menu as $7.25 if 15% service charge is added the drink becomes over $8.00 - Therefore would this then NOT be included in the Signature Beverage Package:

 

 

 

 

 

Is anyone able able to clarify whether you will need to pay the additional amount above $8.00 or whether you would need to pay the full cost of the drink.

 

 

 

Its so confusing :(

The SBP is all drinks less than $9 b4 the gratuity. When you purchase the package your account will be billed for $44.95 times the number of days of your cruise plus 15% gratuity for the SBP.

If the drink is above the $9 limit that entire drink will be billed to your account and does not count as the 15 drink limit.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It's not that confusing. Basically, if the price on the menu is less than the SBP maximum limit, then it's covered by the SBP. So in your example of the Anchor Brewing Steam, it'll be covered. Even beverages that are 5 cents under the limit will be covered.

I hope that helps clear it up for you!

The SBP is all drinks less than $9 b4 the gratuity. When you purchase the package your account will be billed for $44.95 times the number of days of your cruise plus 15% gratuity for the SBP.

 

If the drink is above the $9 limit that entire drink will be billed to your account and does not count as the 15 drink limit.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you for your response.

We have already purchased the SBP through the travel agent so our account should only be billed for the15% gratuity.

If I only purchase 2 drinks on a certain day will I only be billed 15% gratuity on those 2 drinks or on the full 15 drink limit! :(

Thank you for your response.

 

We have already purchased the SBP through the travel agent so our account should only be billed for the15% gratuity.

 

 

 

If I only purchase 2 drinks on a certain day will I only be billed 15% gratuity on those 2 drinks or on the full 15 drink limit! :(

When you purchase the SBP the 15% is added at that time not on every drink. If your cruise is 7 days you will be billed for $44.95 times 7 times 1.15 which adds the gratuity.

The amount would be $361.84

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If you are buying the SBP - and you're buying it ahead of time - you pay $44.95 per day + 15% service, or $51.69 per day.

There is no additional service charge when you use the plan for covered beverages.

If you get the SBP as part of a package, like Explore 4, there is no additional service charge.

This sometimes confuses people who are used to NCL. NCL charges a service charge of 18% on top of their "free" Ultimate Beverage Package. Your "free" NCL beverage costs you $14.22 a day.

The 15% gratuity is included in the Signature Beverage Card.

You will not have to pay it -- thus no extra charge on your shipboard account.

Hello All.

 

Does anybody have any info on how this works! We have just found out that a 15% service charge is added on to every drink we have.

 

Please can you advise if the 15% service charge needs to be added to the menu price of the drink for us to work out if it will still be included in the Signature Beverage Package: ie:A Anchor Brewing Steam is priced on the drinks menu as $7.25 if 15% service charge is added the drink becomes over $8.00 - Therefore would this then NOT be included in the Signature Beverage Package:

Is anyone able able to clarify whether you will need to pay the additional amount above $8.00 or whether you would need to pay the full cost of the drink.

Its so confusing :(

To reiterate: The service charge is on the package, assuming you're buying it, NOT on each drink. If you have the package, just look at the menu. If the menu price is under the limit, you're golden. No need to worry about the service change.

You also may want to look at the HAL drink menu. Their drink prices are quite a bit lower than some other cruise lines. Unless you drink high end Scotch or super premium Tequila, you should be in pretty good shape.

Even beverages that are 5 cents under the limit will be covered.

And it's interesting the number that are just that - 5 cents under. I did a count on one of the posted bar menus once of the number of drinks that qualify or not and it was something like 90% were under the limit. Even higher percentage if you exclude wine (which we usually don't drink) because most of what is excluded are higher end wines. The other gotcha is "calling" a high end liquor for certain mixed drinks with expensive ingredients that put it over.

We got SBP on Explore4 and later when we decided to upgrade ourselves from Inside to Balcony we had the option of a couple other promotions so I could see what the added cost was for the SBP (net of Pinnacle dinner) and it came out to roughly half the usual SBP price so we kept Explore4. We'll break even at about 5 drinks a day.

Thank you for your response.

We have already purchased the SBP through the travel agent so our account should only be billed for the15% gratuity.

 

If I only purchase 2 drinks on a certain day will I only be billed 15% gratuity on those 2 drinks or on the full 15 drink limit! :(

If you get a drink that is covered by the SBP there is no additional 15% service charge. If you buy two drinks that are not covered by the SBP (say two glasses of wine that costs $10 each, you will be charge 15% on the cost of those two drinks only.

If the OP bought the package through their TA, chances are extremely high that they've already been charged the service on the package. I don't even think you can buy the SBP and pay for the service later.

Does anyone have a really new bar menu? Wondering what is included with the new 9$ limit.

Does anyone have a really new bar menu? Wondering what is included with the new 9$ limit.

Check Roger Jett's site. If you have an older bar menu like the one I posted from December, just pretend that the limit is $8 and you'll find what's eligible. The prices and the SBP limit moved in sync for the most part.

As a general rule, almost all your liquor and mixed drinks are covered with the exception of the most expensive tequilas and single malt Scotch. All the beers are covered. The wine selection is more limited, but it's workable.

Check Roger Jett's site. If you have an older bar menu like the one I posted from December, just pretend that the limit is $8 and you'll find what's eligible. The prices and the SBP limit moved in sync for the most part.

 

As a general rule, almost all your liquor and mixed drinks are covered with the exception of the most expensive tequilas and single malt Scotch. All the beers are covered. The wine selection is more limited, but it's workable.

Great! Thank You!