Quench Beverage Package.... Do or Don't??

[Hoof Hearted]

I saw a picture of a few beverage package offerings in the Grand dutch cafe on the Nieuw Statendam. The price was $17.95 pp/pd, which comes out to just over $250 for my wife and I. We drink lots of coffee (the dining room coffee tends to be weak) and usually have a soda with dinner, and like to drink bottled water throughout the day. Is it cost effective to pay for this package (we are not alcohol consumers). Also I am unsure if the coffee option is for all coffee bars, more info would be great....... Thank You

[MouseBerry]

Hi,

we are just on the Koningsdam and were wondering before the cruise if the quench beverage package would be a good deal for us. We made some assumptions what we usually consume each day. We came to the conclusion that it is a good deal and we booked it for 12 days in summary 450€.

 

Usually we like cocktails and coffee with alcohol, but the packages which include alcohol are much to expensive to our taste.

 

Now we are in the middle of the cruise and quite happy we booked the quench package. Every day we have a cappuccino during the breakfast, then a specialty coffee in Exploration cafe, which is quite good quality in our opinion. Then we take 0,5l bottled water. In the afternoon we have some sodas and smoothies. At dinner we have bottled water again and very often a espresso with the dessert. Later in the evening usually we have sodas and mocktails. In average we consume drinks which cost double what the quench package is charged for. Good deal. If we want a cocktail with alcohol we use the several happy hours which happen every day several times. But be aware of the happy hour rules. You pay the first drink and the second one is 2$ only, but it has to be the same drink.

 

The smoothies and mocktails, to our taste, not all equally good. You have to try what fits your taste. And the drinks are not consistent across the different bars. My favourite mocktail is the Grapefruit No-a-cosmo in the Ocean bar. Not too sweet and with nice orange zest.

 

It was difficult to figure out what is included in the package. Sodas, bottled water, smoothies, mocktails and coffee (even specialty coffee in exploration cafe) are included. Beer without alcohol is not included. Milkshakes, although not containing alcohol are not included. Maybe they consider it a dessert and not a beverage. We didn‘t try beverages in the Grand dutch cafe, but I read at CC these drinks are not included. By the way a really stupid rule set by HAL.

 

So do your math. My suggestion is: book it.

 

regards

MBerry

[ochealaaf]

On 6/21/2019 at 10:35 AM, MouseBerry said:

 

 

It was difficult to figure out what is included in the package. Sodas, bottled water, smoothies, mocktails and coffee (even specialty coffee in exploration cafe) are included. Beer without alcohol is not included. Milkshakes, although not containing alcohol are not included. Maybe they consider it a dessert and not a beverage. We didn‘t try beverages in the Grand dutch cafe, but I read at CC these drinks are not included. By the way a really stupid rule set by HAL.

 

 

Thank you (und ein Danke aus dem Rheinland) - this is our first HAL cruise (we have over 100 cruise days on other lines) and we are quite astounded about the nickeling and diming HAL perfoms with drink packages which are intended to make thngs easier.. There are other threads which state that non alcoholic beer is included - others tell you to contact a supervisor. It´s the same with the SBP and the question if non-alcoholic beverages count to your 15 drinks limit. THEY SEEM IF THEY JUST DON´T WANT TO TELL. If the weather is bad just google SBP on YouTube... We are on the Rotterdam in a short time - and we will see… The milkshake issue just gives another twist… Is there a list of included  beverages available on board?

Edited July 2, 2019 by ochealaaf

[crystalspin]

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Beverage-Packages.pdf

 

Roger hasn't updated it this spring for the new prices and the new "included" for SBP (which is $11) -- but the list of available beverages should be similar.

 

Interested to see if anyone can confirm about the Grand Dutch Cafe as we will be on N.Statendam in 2021.

[ochealaaf]

Thank you - but even this detailed list leaves out the milkshakes - and the question of the GDC. When booking the package online they tell you: 

 

Enjoy unlimited mocktails, juices, bottled water (sparkling 330ml or still 500ml), Exploration’s Café Beverages and sodas.  […]  The package is for unlimited non-alcoholic beverages. The package excludes purchases made in
the Mini Bar, Chocolate Seduction, In-Room Dining, beverages purchased on Half Moon Cay. Packages are nontransferable
or refundable. No sharing is permitted. Participants may order only one drink at a time. Beverage
Management reserves the right to evoke the package if misused and reserves the right to refuse service for any reason.

 

(highlighting done by me).

 

I like if there is a contradicitio in adjecto: What do they mean? "unlimited non alcoholic beverages" is as clear as it can be….BUT..... Exploration Cafe Beverages Hmm… all beverages… also alcoholic  drinks? ...

Edited July 3, 2019 by ochealaaf

[ochealaaf]

I also like - from a German perspective - "beverages and sodas" - is a soda not a  beverage? 

[MouseBerry]

Hi,

Exploration Cafe specialty coffee with alcohol is not included in the QBP.

At Exploration Cafe we saw some specialty vitamine water ad well. We didn‘t try these, but we read somewhere in CC they are included in QBP. But this might have been changed.

 

Well, I would suggest to sacrifice one of the meeting rooms on each ship and introduce a new feature the „Explore Beverage Packages Workshop“ or short EBPW;-)

 

But to be serious, to us the QBP was/is a good deal. Communication about could be better and should be more consistent over time.

 

@ochealaaf: On which Rottetdam cruise you will be sailing? Did you see my thread „Impressions by a first time HAL cruiser“?

 

We were not satisfied in all aspects, which is in general not possible. But we booked already the next cruise on Rotterdam 4th of August (we will book QBP again). And no, we are not retired yet and unfortunately not utterly rich. As we say in Germany: if you buy a house most important is location, location, location. With cruises sometimes itinerary is paramount. And this Rotterdam itinerary for us is just a dream. E.g. we are fans of british tv series Broadchurch. And port of call Portland is just a short bus ride away from West Bay. Can hardly await to stand at the beach below this high cliff or walking on the ridge.

 

cheers

MBerry

[ochealaaf]

Quench Package. Mocktails included on Rotterdam, so is nonalcoholic beer. You have to ask for them

as they have changed the menus.

[VermeulT]

Is the price in my list for prebooking per person or per cabin?  For the 14 day Alaska next August, it lists $288.96.  Since everyone in the cabin needs to purchase it, is that the price for the cabin or just one person?  If it's for one person - it's roughly $20/pp/pd... which you'd need to drink 5-10 drinks per day to make it worth it.

 

If anyone can clarify - I'd appreciate it.

[3kidsplayingball]

$288.96 should be for one person because the price for our 7 day is $144.48 per person.

[GeezerCouple]

On 7/2/2019 at 4:39 PM, crystalspin said:

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Beverage-Packages.pdf

 

Roger hasn't updated it this spring for the new prices and the new "included" for SBP (which is $11) -- but the list of available beverages should be similar.

 

Interested to see if anyone can confirm about the Grand Dutch Cafe as we will be on N.Statendam in 2021.

 

This list is very helpful - thank you!

Any idea if this is the list that will be in effect in Nov/Dec (Noordam, if it matters)?

 

A few questions (for anyone):

Is the San Pellegrino served in individual bottles?  (I hope they aren't just giving out glasses of the sparkling water?}

And likewise, for Diet Coke, does one get individual cans or bottles, or is it just "fountain style spritzed into a glass" ?

 

DH loves his specialty coffee drinks, so this package will work well.  And I try to drink lots of water, but in the form of San Pellegrino.

(How much is a bottle of San Pellegrino if not on the package, and what size bottle?)

 

We prefer nicer wines, so we'll be getting our alcohol infusion from bottles of wine (purchased on board or carried on plus the corkage fee), and perhaps a very occasional cocktail.

 

Is the orange juice freshly squeezed?  (If not is freahly squeezed available for breakfast for Neptune Suite passengers?

 

Do they have hard cider?  If so, what brand (is it dry)?

 

Many thanks!

GC

 

[Shih-tzu]

I had the Quench package on my cruise in 2017 and have it pre-ordered for my upcoming cruise.

 

Every day I had at least one speciality coffee from the coffee bar in the Crow's Nest, 2 or 3 bottles of Perrier water, smoothies and mocktails.   There was a list of a variety of mocktails.   Also discovered part way through the cruise that there was one bar (by the pool) that made true smoothies (not from a mix) with the real fruit and yogurt.    I know I got my monies worth for sure and because it was pre-paid before I left home, it was an expense that was "out of the way and done with".   Didn't have to second guess if I had a virgin Bloody Mary, didn't have to think about how many cold drinks I had and what my shipboard account was accumulating to.....  absolutely loved it and wish the other cruise lines I have used or have booked had something similar.

 

[cayman09]

Had it on our transatlantic and was worth it for us. We figure with the mocktails pricing, sparkling water, specialty coffees and soft drinks we spent much less than if we did not have the package.

[sevenseasnomad]

My son and I purchased the QBP for our 7-day 2018 Christmas cruise aboard Nieuw Statendam.  I can honestly say that HAL lost a lot of money with his having this package.  He ordered designer waters like Perrier, sodas until they came out of his ears, mocktails, and coffees from Dutch Café.  It was more than a good deal for him.  As for me, other than a morning smoothie, a couple of bottled waters, an occasional soda and evening mocktail, I didn't get my money's worth.  Best advice: Figure out how much the package costs per day, add how much you're going to order per day, and see if it makes economic sense.

 

This Christmas/New Year's (B2B) we're aboard Nieuw Statendam again, and DS is already saying he's ordering the package for both weeks.  Since it keeps him from consuming a lot of alcoholic beverages, I suppose I'll grin and bear it, since I'll have to purchase it as well.  Last Christmas, he ordered numerous cups of coffee, and several times I ordered hot chocolate from Grand Café without any problem.  Has anyone tried to order either since then with the QBP?  Were you charged for these purchases at the Grand Café?