Holland America: Should you order wine package, liquor or packages before boarding?

[RuthC]

I bolded your first sentence..

 

This was recently changed for all cruises starting end of January 2014.

Betty, this is an old thread that was resurrected. The post you are noting was made well over one year ago, and was totally correct for the foreseeable future at the time.

Edited October 8, 2013 by RuthC

[serendipity1499]

Betty, this is an old thread that was resurrected. The post you are noting was made well over one year ago, and was totally correct for the foreseeable future at the time.

 

OOps...Thanks Ruth I should know better than to answer without double checking the date..

Have a good evening..Betty

[forsaik]

Just about to book transatlantic on HA when I found the new wine policy. One bottle per person on embarkation ONLY. No alcohol to be brought on board from ports. It will be confiscated and held till disembarkation. Was just on a Princess cruise with this same new policy. Bummer. Loved picking up a local wine and trying it out at dinner...and didn't mind paying the corkage fee. Am now reconsidering if I want to take this cruise.

 

Did an Oceania cruise last November and didn't have a problem bringing wine aboard. So I guess this is a new Carnival Corp policy. Says a lot about them.

 

We are now looking at flying or taking Oceania.

Edited January 20, 2014 by forsaik

[Krazy Kruizers]

Just about to book transatlantic on HA when I found the new wine policy. One bottle per person on embarkation ONLY. No alcohol to be brought on board from ports. It will be confiscated and held till disembarkation. Was just on a Princess cruise with this same new policy. Bummer. Loved picking up a local wine and trying it out at dinner...and didn't mind paying the corkage fee. Am now reconsidering if I want to take this cruise.

 

Did an Oceania cruise last November and didn't have a problem bringing wine aboard. So I guess this is a new Carnival Corp policy. Says a lot about them.

 

We are now looking at flying or taking Oceania.

 

 

JMO -- but I would not cancel a cruise because of the new wine policy -- especially if the itinerary is one I like and the price was right.

[boards]

If you can afford the an Oceania cruise fine, go have fun, but I cannot, so Hal's policy is fine with me.

[CO FF]

If I buy the $250 beverage card, can I use that to buy wines by the bottle in the dining room (so, in effect, saving 10%)?

[Typhoon1]

The price is the same, it really makes no difference.

[DeeniEncinitas]

We are new to Holland America and are taking the Zaandam Alaska cruise June 24th. They allow you to pre-order wine packages, liquor for delivery to room and Anniversary packages. Does this save money? Can we also order these once we have boarded? They also list a soda card. When we cruised on Princess and bought the soda package they refill your thermos bottle for the duration of the cruise. Do they have a similar system?

 

Last year we did a 24 day to Barcelona to Venice and it was wonderful because in all the ports we were able to buy wine and bring them on the ship no problem! We order our liquor and have it sent to our room on embarkation. No longer free wine to bring on board in ports! Now we order the 7 wine navigator for our state room and right now we are 3 star Mariner and get 25% off. After this next up coming cruise in March we will be 4 stars and 50% off on wine packages! Good deal

[Laminator]

I don't think so - but what you CAN do is use the soda in your 'fridge' and then replace it when you go to the bar by buying the replacements with your soda card. Or buy some - keep it in the room and just replace the cold ones in the fridge:)

 

Now I know very little compared to these most experienced cruisers but this idea will not work as the soda in the 'fridge' is in cans and you are only allowed to get soda by the cup with the soda card.

[Laminator]

Last year we did a 24 day to Barcelona to Venice and it was wonderful because in all the ports we were able to buy wine and bring them on the ship no problem! We order our liquor and have it sent to our room on embarkation. No longer free wine to bring on board in ports! Now we order the 7 wine navigator for our state room and right now we are 3 star Mariner and get 25% off. After this next up coming cruise in March we will be 4 stars and 50% off on wine packages! Good deal

 

The 4 star discount is a tremendous benefit especially for the wine packages.

[CO FF]

The price is the same, it really makes no difference.

 

Doesnt that card sell for $225?

[catl331]

Now I know very little compared to these most experienced cruisers but this idea will not work as the soda in the 'fridge' is in cans and you are only allowed to get soda by the cup with the soda card.

When kazu posted that two years ago I believe you could get either cans or fountain soda with the card - $1.95 for the can and $1.50 for the glassful.

[POA1]

Doesnt that card sell for $225?

No longer. That was several years ago. :(

[Krazy Kruizers]

If I buy the $250 beverage card, can I use that to buy wines by the bottle in the dining room (so, in effect, saving 10%)?

 

 

This thread was started back in 2012 when HAL used to give discounts on the beverage cards. There is no longer discounts on any cards.

You can use your beverage card to buy bottles of wine -- but no savings.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The 4 star discount is a tremendous benefit especially for the wine packages.

 

We are not big wine drinks, we have taken advantage of buying a wine package a couple of times with our 4/5 Star Mariner discount -- can not use Beverage Cards to buy the packages.

[nacsivmw]

I'm a little confused about HA's wine policy. In our 3 previous HA cruises (last cruise 3/13) we were able to bring 1 bottle of wine per person with embarkation only. We always kept this in our room and drank it in our room. When we booked our cruise for this coming September, a rep from HA told me that the policy had changed and that no wine could be brought on board for individual consumption. For those of you who have recently cruised: can we still bring 1 bottle per person?

[RuthC]

I'm a little confused about HA's wine policy. In our 3 previous HA cruises (last cruise 3/13) we were able to bring 1 bottle of wine per person with embarkation only. We always kept this in our room and drank it in our room. When we booked our cruise for this coming September, a rep from HA told me that the policy had changed and that no wine could be brought on board for individual consumption. For those of you who have recently cruised: can we still bring 1 bottle per person?

Yes. The HAL rep was flat-out wrong(no surprise there).

Actually, you can bring as many bottles as you want, but you must pay corkage on all but the first bottle per person. Remember, THIS THREAD IS TWO YEARS OLD, so much of the information in it is out of date.

Edited July 16, 2014 by RuthC

[visagrunt]

I don't recommend buying wine or spirits in advance, for two reasons:

 

1) I have a mixed experience with pre-ordering. On the Amsterdam last December, I pre-ordered whisky for my and for my brother's cabins. Neither was there at embarkation; it took the Concierge a couple of days to get the order tracked down; they were supposedly out of stock of what I had ordered, but when they delivered a bottle with a faulty flow valve (it was meant for mounting on a bar dispenser), miraculously a bottle of my original order appeared to replace it. Much, much simpler just to deal with someone face to face.

 

2) Why put money in HAL's hands instead of yours before they've earned it? It's a small amount compared with your cruise fare, to be sure, but if I don't have to settle my bill until disembarkation, that's likely a couple of extra months before the money goes from my hands to Amex.

[nacsivmw]

One more wine question: I've been on 3 HA cruises, but never paid attention during dinner (we usually eat in the MDR, open seating), whether or not you can purchase a single glass of wine with dinner?

[visagrunt]

You can. But if you have a beverage card, it can get complicated, apparently.

 

Two of our tablemates on the Amsterdam had beverage cards and the wine stewards seemed incapable of dealing with them, so they generally just got their glass of wine in the Explorer's before dinner and walked into the MDR with it.

[OVgirl]

One more wine question: I've been on 3 HA cruises, but never paid attention during dinner (we usually eat in the MDR, open seating), whether or not you can purchase a single glass of wine with dinner?

 

On the wine list in the dining room you will find some of the wines offered 'by the glass'. I'm not sure what they are, but you should have no problem.