Different prices for Signature Bev. Pkg

[TAD2005]

While attempting to pre-purchase the Signature Beverage Package (SBP) for an upcoming cruise, I ran into this on HAL's website :

 

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 $8.00 or lower (up to 15 beverages per day). Prices are per day at $44.95 if pre-booked online compared to $49.95 if purchased on board. 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.

On my last cruise, Oosterdam, November 2016, Caribbean, 21 days, when I wanted to signup for the SBP onboard, right after boarding, I was given a sheet of paper describing the options. There were only 2 options that included alcoholic beverages, the regular SBP priced at $44.95 per day and the Elite version at $54.95, both packages were plus 15% for the prepaid service charge.

 

The options above in blue appear to be something new. Has anyone experienced this price increase recently ?

[RajSharmi]

Is there a non-Alcoholic beverage package for the whole trip?

 

 

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[POA1]

They're giving you a $5/day discount for pre order. Or, another way to look at it is that they upped the price of buying onboard by five dollars.

[POA1]

Here's a scan of the beverage packages that were available on the Eurodam in December 2016.

 

[POA1]

Is there a non-Alcoholic beverage package for the whole trip?

 

 

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See my scan above for more, but the answer is yes. It's called the Quench Beverage Package and it was $17.95/pp/day in December.

[JVilleGal]

We are sailing to Alaska in June. I booked under the Explore 4 promo and I believe part of that was the SBP, will HAL allow me to Upgrade that PKG?

 

 

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[POA1]

We are sailing to Alaska in June. I booked under the Explore 4 promo and I believe part of that was the SBP, will HAL allow me to Upgrade that PKG?

 

 

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Possibly. We had four people tell us no, that you could not upgrade the Explore 4 SBP. I just kept asking until I found someone who was willing to take our money. (Apparently it requires a manager's override.) This was on the Eurodam in late December. Other people have been on ships where they were actively selling upgrades, so I don't know if there's a rock solid answer. The best I can say is: Hope for it. Don't plan for it.

[JVilleGal]

Thank you POA1 :) I guess I won't take the first No as my answer.

 

 

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[POA1]

Thank you POA1 :) I guess I won't take the first No as my answer.

 

 

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I wouldn't. We got "no" from two different bartenders and front desk until we found a waitress who was willing to go to bat for us. Just keep your orders $8 and under until you are certain that you upgraded.

[RocketMan275]

Possibly. We had four people tell us no, that you could not upgrade the Explore 4 SBP. I just kept asking until I found someone who was willing to take our money. (Apparently it requires a manager's override.) This was on the Eurodam in late December. Other people have been on ships where they were actively selling upgrades, so I don't know if there's a rock solid answer. The best I can say is: Hope for it. Don't plan for it.

 

In your opinion, is the upgrade worthwhile? To be honest, after looking at the wine lists, I wish I had skipped Explore Four for our next cruise.

[POA1]

In your opinion, is the upgrade worthwhile? To be honest, after looking at the wine lists, I wish I had skipped Explore Four for our next cruise.

Definitely, IMHO. We made sure to have at least one glass of Nicholas Feuillatte Champagne every day. It's $13.50 vs the $10 upgrade cost. My wife upgraded her vodka and soda from Ketel One to Belvedere. I stuck with Maker's Mark on the rocks, which is covered by the regular SBP, because it's what I normally drink.

 

The Elite package really opens up your wine options. We could have gotten by with the SBP, but I would have brought on several bottles of Champagne and probably a nicer red for the Pinnacle. All the SBP wines rate out in the mid 80s, which is good. We drink a fair amount of wine, and all of the choices were acceptable. We just liked the extra wine choices that came with the EBP.

[RocketMan275]

Appreciate your insights.

[cabinluvn]

We just got off the Westerdam 17 day Hawaii cruise. We did not have the Explore 4...we gave it up for a bigger savings on the fare. I figured out what we spent on alcohol during the cruise. We were very conservative, buying drinks during the afternoon happy hour in the Ocean Bar and occasionally buying the "buy 4, get one free" in the lido pool area. It came out to roughly $ 15pp/pd. We were acutely aware of prices during the cruise and did not drink as much as we might have given the Eplore 4. We have the Explore 4 on our next cruise in July. It comes out to a little less than $25/pp/pd and includes gratuities. We have decided to keep it and then enjoy ordering drinks and specialty coffee without thinking about the cost. All bets are off if the price of the cruise is lowered before final payment and it takes away the Explore 4. We have $625 in OBC, but the majority of that is taken up by the gratuities. We have found that casino play is also taken out of OBC, so will find a way to use it one way or the other. We get the Pinnacle dinner included with the Explore 4, so we might just splurge and get a really good bottle of wine while there

 

 

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[DaveOKC]

I would have upgraded my Explore4 package, just for the better wines alone.

[JVilleGal]

I would have upgraded my Explore4 package, just for the better wines alone.

 

 

This is exactly my thoughts too! Also do not want to worry about what I drink and how much it costs.

 

My Explore 4 included Gratuities, and $690 in OBC plus Pinnacle Grill. So it worked for us.

 

 

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