Questions about taking non-alcoholic beverages on board

[Euby]

The last time I sailed on HAL, the tea was unsweetened.  I'm assuming that this is still the case.  If it is, I'd like to bring on some bottles of my favorite brand of sweetened tea.  It comes in either 20 fl oz plastic bottles or in a gallon.  I doubt that the gallon would fit in the "mini-fridge".  Has anyone had success otherwise?  Or are you even allowed to bring on a gallon of a beverage on board (aside from distilled water for CPAP - which I will be bringing also)?

 

For those of you that have brought on your own non-alcoholic drinks... (keeping in mind that I will be eating in mostly in the MDR or Signature restaurants)

1. Do you pour it in a glass/travel mug and take it to your meals that way?  
2. Do you take the bottle/can unopened to your dining location? and then just ask for a glass of ice at the restaurant?
3. Is there a limit to the number of bottles that you can bring on?
4. This brand does not come in packs.  So I'm guessing that bringing a type of soft-side cooler will be ok for transport on to the ship?
5. The cabin stewards are able to empty the mini-fridge correct?
6. How many bottles have you been able to put in the fridge at a time?

 

This Southern girl must have her sweet tea, especially since she no longer drinks carbonated beverages. 

 

Thanks!

[kazu]

35 minutes ago, Euby said:

The last time I sailed on HAL, the tea was unsweetened.  I'm assuming that this is still the case.  If it is, I'd like to bring on some bottles of my favorite brand of sweetened tea.  It comes in either 20 fl oz plastic bottles or in a gallon.  I doubt that the gallon would fit in the "mini-fridge".  Has anyone had success otherwise?  Or are you even allowed to bring on a gallon of a beverage on board (aside from distilled water for CPAP - which I will be bringing also)?

 

For those of you that have brought on your own non-alcoholic drinks... (keeping in mind that I will be eating in mostly in the MDR or Signature restaurants)

 

We have brought on some non alcoholic drinks if we can’t get them on the ship or find something we like in the port.

 

We normally drink wine at dinner but if I wanted something else, I’d just take the can.

 

35 minutes ago, Euby said:

1. Is there a limit to the number of bottles that you can bring on?

No.  You can bring on as many as you can carry on.  Remember you can bring non alcoholic beverages on in port as well so you don’t have to bring everything on embarkation day.

 

35 minutes ago, Euby said:

1. This brand does not come in packs.  So I'm guessing that bringing a type of soft-side cooler will be ok for transport on to the ship?

 

That should be fine.

35 minutes ago, Euby said:

1. The cabin stewards are able to empty the mini-fridge correct?

 

Yes, you just need to make the request

 

[Crew News]

I use a collapsible duffel bag that rides atop my roller bag to bring on my sodas.  If you leave a soft-sided bag with the porters, that bag might have lots of luggage stacked on top of it and your items smashed/leaked.

 

I would estimate four cans in the lower door and 20 in the minibar.  It must be noted that the Beverage staff will pick up the contents of your minibar after they are notified by your Room Steward.  This might be the next day but you can remove the minibar contents yourself as soon as you board.  Use the following photos to estimate your gallon bottles spacing:

 

 

 

 

[SusieKIslandGirl]

I've contacted Ship Services ahead of time to have the cooler emptied and the bathrobes removed. When we arrived all had been done.

1-800-541-1576 (M-F 7am - 5pm PST)

[HAL4NOW]

49 minutes ago, SusieKIslandGirl said:

I've contacted Ship Services ahead of time to have the cooler emptied and the bathrobes removed. When we arrived all had been done.

1-800-541-1576 (M-F 7am - 5pm PST)

Why would you have the bathrobes removed?

[SusieKIslandGirl]

They're too warm, take up too much room and just don't care for them. I have my own lightweight robe. And we don't use the pool so it just seems like something we don't need.

[sgttami]

3 hours ago, HAL4NOW said:

Why would you have the bathrobes removed?

I've never used them so why keep them in the cabin

[CruiserBruce]

We must be cruising...the "what can I bring aboard" questions are starting to show up again!!😁

[kazu]

1 minute ago, CruiserBruce said:

We must be cruising...the "what can I bring aboard" questions are starting to show up again!!😁

 

And that’s a good thing 👍 

[CruiserBruce]

1 minute ago, kazu said:

 

And that’s a good thing 👍 

Next up will be the "how do you sneak booze" on board questions, and the "can I wear a tee shirt and shorts on dressy nights" arguments. 

[sassy~one]

13 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

Next up will be the "how do you sneak booze" on board questions, and the "can I wear a tee shirt and shorts on dressy nights" arguments. 

And those auto tip questions. 🤑

[1025cruise]

The solution to unsweetened iced tea is to just add the sweetener of your choosing. Easier to add sweetener to unsweetened iced tea than it is to remove it from already sweetened iced tea.

[geocruiser]

Just a thought.  What about a instant ice tea?  Or maybe Crystal Lite?  It would be easier to bring that on board that liquid.

[StLouisCruisers]

15 minutes ago, geocruiser said:

Just a thought.  What about a instant ice tea?  Or maybe Crystal Lite?  It would be easier to bring that on board that liquid.

 

I bring those individual Crystal Lite packets on my cruises.  I like to have it with my lunch.  Wine for dinner!!

[rsldonk]

3 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

The solution to unsweetened iced tea is to just add the sweetener of your choosing. Easier to add sweetener to unsweetened iced tea than it is to remove it from already sweetened iced tea.

Yeah. Have you ever tried to add sugar to a cold beverage?  It just ends up as wet, sweet, sand on the bottom of your glass

 

 

that said, most bars have simple syrup. Wonder if the bar would give you a shot of that to sweeten the tea? 

[geocruiser]

39 minutes ago, rsldonk said:

Yeah. Have you ever tried to add sugar to a cold beverage?  It just ends up as wet, sweet, sand on the bottom of your glass

 

 

that said, most bars have simple syrup. Wonder if the bar would give you a shot of that to sweeten the tea? 

No I never tried.. I use the sugar free ones and there is no trouble at all.

The other option might be to start with hot tea, add sugar  at the buffet then add ice in a larger glass.

Edited May 23, 2021 by geocruiser

[SusieKIslandGirl]

I just read on the Princess boards that they are not allowing you to bring any beverages onboard that are in plastic bottles-cans or cartons only-and only in your carry-on. They also raised their corkage fee for excess bottles of wine.

[dgreeney]

On 5/23/2021 at 12:06 PM, geocruiser said:

Just a thought.  What about a instant ice tea?  Or maybe Crystal Lite?  It would be easier to bring that on board that liquid.

My GF drinks a gallon of Crystal Lite peach tea, black or green, a day.  I've tasted it and like it.  I prefer Arnold Palmer's sugar free tea.

[Euby]

Thanks everyone.  I do appreciate the suggestions for alternatives, but that's not what I was looking for.  I get headaches from most artificial sweeteners.

[Daniel A]

On 5/22/2021 at 10:57 AM, Euby said:

Or are you even allowed to bring on a gallon of a beverage on board (aside from distilled water for CPAP - which I will be bringing also)?

If you contact HAL's Guest Accessibility Department at GuestAccessibility@Hollandamerica.com or 800- 547-8493, they will arrange for distilled water for your CPAP.  I don't know if there is a charge for it, I know on Princess it is provided at no cost.

[DAllenTCY]

I believe that plastic bottles are not allowed.

 

David

 

[Crew News]

39 minutes ago, DAllenTCY said:

I believe that plastic bottles are not allowed.

 

David

 

I have been bringing plastic bottles of Mt Dew on my HAL cruises for years without ever being questioned.  Others have been bringing plastic water bottles for years, too.

 

Other cruise lines may differ.

Edited May 31, 2021 by Crew News

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

FYI Princess just changed there rules..

[rsldonk]

On 5/30/2021 at 10:20 AM, Daniel A said:

If you contact HAL's Guest Accessibility Department at GuestAccessibility@Hollandamerica.com or 800- 547-8493, they will arrange for distilled water for your CPAP.  I don't know if there is a charge for it, I know on Princess it is provided at no cost.

It’s like $2.95 a gallon and you can order it from the beverage menu online like you’d order a bottle of wine 

[kazu]

16 hours ago, Crew News said:

I have been bringing plastic bottles of Mt Dew on my HAL cruises for years without ever being questioned.  Others have been bringing plastic water bottles for years, too.

 

Other cruise lines may differ.

 

And in the old days, we could bring all the wine we wanted on board for years.  That all changed.

 

What we have done for years isn’t necessarily what the future holds especially with Princess just changing their rules.

 

Best to keep your eye on the Know Before You Go or other notices than assume that just because it’s been that way for years doesn’t mean it won’t change. 😉