Alcohol package discounts ever offered?

[Grandma7]

Sometimes on Celebrity, a few months before a cruise, they will offer a discount on the beverage package. Does Holland ever do that?

[MajMom96]

Sometimes on Celebrity, a few months before a cruise, they will offer a discount on the beverage package. Does Holland ever do that?

 

 

 

Holland America offers a discount of $5 a day if you purchase the drink package pre-cruise.

[TAD2005]

The $5 per day "discount" is really a penalty. Prior to Jan 2017, the signature beverage package was $44.95 per day, purchased online, ahead of your cruise with your cash, or purchased onboard. After Jan 2017, they raised the price of the SBP by $5 per day if you purchase it onboard. HAL just doesn't want you using your free, HAL provided cabin credit to purchase a beverage package. They would rather encourage you to buy it with your own cash and use the OBC for higher markup items such as the Spa, shore excursions, etc.

[MajMom96]

The $5 per day "discount" is really a penalty. Prior to Jan 2017, the signature beverage package was $44.95 per day, purchased online, ahead of your cruise with your cash, or purchased onboard. After Jan 2017, they raised the price of the SBP by $5 per day if you purchase it onboard. HAL just doesn't want you using your free, HAL provided cabin credit to purchase a beverage package. They would rather encourage you to buy it with your own cash and use the OBC for higher markup items such as the Spa, shore excursions, etc.

 

 

 

Or, it could be that they’ve simply increased the price of their drink packages just like all the other cruise lines, and kept the lower price as a benefit to purchasing early. [emoji483]🥂[emoji481]

[TAD2005]

Same deal as shore excursions. Book early and be assured you will have your tour. Wait until you are onboard and book and for some excursions, they may be sold out. People would scam the system by booking in advance online, then cancel when they get onboard and get a credit on their card, and use their cabin credits to buy the same excursion. I spoke with Ship's Services after Jan 2017, and they confirmed that the extra $5 per day was to "persuade" passengers to purchase online ahead of the cruise. That "persuasion" was to discourage people from using their "free" cabin credits from HAL to purchase a relatively low markup product (beverages) and instead, use it to buy items of very high markup price such as Spa treatments, photography, and shore excursions.

[Grandma7]

Thanks for responses,but I was curious about BIG short-term discounts. Ex. Celebrity has twice discounted packages 20% -40% about 6 months before a few particular cruises. The sale would last a few days to 2weeks. Not advertised, but would show up when booking packages. Just wondered if Holland had done this before.

[MajMom96]

Thanks for responses,but I was curious about BIG short-term discounts. Ex. Celebrity has twice discounted packages 20% -40% about 6 months before a few particular cruises. The sale would last a few days to 2weeks. Not advertised, but would show up when booking packages. Just wondered if Holland had done this before.

 

 

 

I’ve never seen a special like that with Holland America. The best I’ve ever seen is receiving the drink package gratis as part of the Explore 4 promo which usually runs at the end of the summer.