Beverage Package upgrade

[WesternBroncoCruiser]

I have the regular beverage package included with my upcoming cruise.   I haven't sailed Holland America since they added the better beverage package.  Can I upgrade once I am on board and how much does that cost pp per day? 

[POA1]

Yes, you can.

[kazu]

I think the cost is around  $10 (+ service charge of 18%) per person per day IIRC.  It’s been a while since there have been any cruises.

 

 

[HAL4NOW]

Here is a screen shot of the two packages for a week:

[Coffeeluvr05]

8 hours ago, WesternBroncoCruiser said:

I have the regular beverage package included with my upcoming cruise.   I haven't sailed Holland America since they added the better beverage package.  Can I upgrade once I am on board and how much does that cost pp per day? 

Was wondering this myself, but haven't thought of a good reason to upgrade.  Maybe you can make a list of good reasons that might help me.

[kazu]

48 minutes ago, Coffeeluvr05 said:

Was wondering this myself, but haven't thought of a good reason to upgrade.  Maybe you can make a list of good reasons that might help me.

 

IMO the only reason to upgrade is for the wines if you want wine by the glass.  Most of the SBP wines are pretty abysmal and who wants to drink the same wine day in and out?

There are also some nice liquors, etc on the Elite package but if you are mixed cocktail drinker or liquor drinker for many, the SBP is fine.

 

Here is the a comparison pre-covid which I suspect will not have changed much in case it helps.

 

[Coffeeluvr05]

I'm more of a liquor drinker than a wine drinker.  I like to try new things when I am on vacation and have a beverage package though.  Like, I went through the Bellini menu on my last Princess cruise.  I also tried after dinner drinks like cognac and port.  I actually like the taste of liquors and prefer it not mixed with anything.  Except for gin martinis and manhattans.  Those are my go to cocktails.  

 

If it is just a matter of paying an additional $41.30 to upgrade, I think I can swing it.

[kazu]

23 minutes ago, Coffeeluvr05 said:

I'm more of a liquor drinker than a wine drinker.  I like to try new things when I am on vacation and have a beverage package though.  Like, I went through the Bellini menu on my last Princess cruise.  I also tried after dinner drinks like cognac and port.  I actually like the taste of liquors and prefer it not mixed with anything.  Except for gin martinis and manhattans.  Those are my go to cocktails.  

 

If it is just a matter of paying an additional $41.30 to upgrade, I think I can swing it.

 

I think it’s a bit more than that on board (different pricing pre-cruise and on board) but nothing serious.

 

enjoy 🙂. And remember, find a wine steward (if it sin’t offered), a server or go straight to the bar and ask to upgrade before you take a drink with the SBP 😉   (Words from others in the past, not my own experience 😉 )

[GoHoward]

1 hour ago, Coffeeluvr05 said:

Was wondering this myself, but haven't thought of a good reason to upgrade.  Maybe you can make a list of good reasons that might help me.

 

If you are interested in craft cocktails, the elite package includes Dale DeGroff's signature cocktails, while the signature does not. Single malt scotches are covered under elite, but mostly excluded under signature. And the elite includes sampling events - beer tastings and mixology classes - that the signature does not.

[LizO830]

Does anyone know if both passengers in the cabin are required to upgrade? I'm more of a wine drinker than my husband, and I would enjoy having the upgrade to the Elite beverage package. We currently have the signature package with the Have It All promotion.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

23 minutes ago, LizO830 said:

Does anyone know if both passengers in the cabin are required to upgrade? I'm more of a wine drinker than my husband, and I would enjoy having the upgrade to the Elite beverage package. We currently have the signature package with the Have It All promotion.

My understanding is that both must do the upgrade.

[kazu]

1 hour ago, LizO830 said:

Does anyone know if both passengers in the cabin are required to upgrade? I'm more of a wine drinker than my husband, and I would enjoy having the upgrade to the Elite beverage package. We currently have the signature package with the Have It All promotion.

 

1 hour ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

My understanding is that both must do the upgrade.

 

Agree with Lisa.  Both have to upgrade just like both have to purchase the package.

[akcruizer11]

On the flip side of this, can you downgrade? When I booked my father was coming and he is a big drinker so we got the fare that includes everything. He can no longer come so my husband is and he doesn't drink at all. I can take it or leave it. Has anyone been successful downgrading to the premium non alcoholic package while onboard? If so, do they do a shipboard credit or similar for the difference?

[LAFFNVEGAS]

2 minutes ago, akcruizer11 said:

On the flip side of this, can you downgrade? When I booked my father was coming and he is a big drinker so we got the fare that includes everything. He can no longer come so my husband is and he doesn't drink at all. I can take it or leave it. Has anyone been successful downgrading to the premium non alcoholic package while onboard? If so, do they do a shipboard credit or similar for the difference?

If you are already past final then no you cannot downgrade on the Have it All promotion. That promotion is ONLY for the Signature Beverage Package am pretty sure you have to have the Signature  or lose all the perks you currently have if you switch to Advantage Fares. There is no discount to have the Non alcoholic package. But remember everything on the non alcholic package is included in what you currently have.

[kazu]

7 minutes ago, akcruizer11 said:

On the flip side of this, can you downgrade? When I booked my father was coming and he is a big drinker so we got the fare that includes everything. He can no longer come so my husband is and he doesn't drink at all. I can take it or leave it. Has anyone been successful downgrading to the premium non alcoholic package while onboard? If so, do they do a shipboard credit or similar for the difference?

 

Did you book a cruise with this included as a perk?  If you did, call your TA, PCC/ whomever and ask for pricing on the Advantage fare which is still a refundable deposit but with no perks - basically bare bones.  It’s often a good deal if your pricing hasn’t changed.  But, remember you lose all the perks that you had originally, not just the beverage package.

 

If that is not the case and you added it on to your cruise as a pre-purchase, you can cancel the purchase, no problem.

 

I’ve never heard of anyone reporting on downgrading on board.  Since the package includes non alcoholic beverages already, I doubt the ship would be willing to do so.

 

I think your best option is to look at removing this now assuming the pricing works as long as you aren’t at final payment/ penalty clause time yet.  If the pricing has gone up, you have a bargain.

[akcruizer11]

2 minutes ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

If you are already past final then no you cannot downgrade on the Have it All promotion. That promotion is ONLY for the Signature Beverage Package am pretty sure you have to have the Signature  or lose all the perks you currently have if you switch to Advantage Fares. There is no discount to have the Non alcoholic package. But remember everything on the non alcholic package is included in what you currently have.

Thank you!

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Just for my own Future Reference I did call Holland America Ship Services to verify if you could Upgrade in Advance to the Elite Beverage Package from the Signature package. They stated no, that that could only be done on the ship the first day. The Elite package is offered on the website for those that choose the Advantage Fares or Non refundable no perk fares and decide later that want to upgrade. My personal opinion it is more of a tool for them to sell the Have It All since the cost of the Beverage package is pretty much the cost difference from the Advantage Fares to the Have it All promotion but with the promotion you also get the WiFi package and Shore Excursion credit and Pinnacle Grill.

[DWAliaschief]

Do you have a picture or pdf of the signature and elite beverage package.  I could find it yesterday but not today. 🥵

[kazu]

1 minute ago, DWAliaschief said:

Do you have a picture or pdf of the signature and elite beverage package.  I could find it yesterday but not today. 🥵

 

I do.

 

[DWAliaschief]

1 minute ago, kazu said:

 

I do.

 

Thanks J - if I had scrolled up I would have found it - I was looking on the HAL website!.  Do you know if they have better wines by the glass or just what is listed? 

[kazu]

10 minutes ago, DWAliaschief said:

Thanks J - if I had scrolled up I would have found it - I was looking on the HAL website!.  Do you know if they have better wines by the glass or just what is listed? 

 

Any wine up to $15 is included in the Elite package.  There are better wines for sure between $11 and $15.  I’m not sure if I sent a pic to HALFacts or not.  I did post the menu on my live thread but when CC changed their format, most of the pics were no longer visible 😡 

[HermmyGranger]

We currently have the Quench non-alcoholic package. I know that if you upgrade to one of the alcoholic packages, everyone in the cabin has to do it. We're in an odd situation in that our third person in the cabin is under-aged. Do we still have to pay to upgrade his package when he can't have any of it anyway?

[Boytjie]

7 minutes ago, HermmyGranger said:

We currently have the Quench non-alcoholic package. I know that if you upgrade to one of the alcoholic packages, everyone in the cabin has to do it. We're in an odd situation in that our third person in the cabin is under-aged. Do we still have to pay to upgrade his package when he can't have any of it anyway?

 

If he is underage it would make no sense to force him to purchase an alcoholic package. 😉

Only the adults would have to.

[Coffeeluvr05]

I guess I just came to the realization that upgrading to the elite package doesn't even make sense for me since some of the cocktails or wines by the glass wouldn't be included since they are above the elite max of $15 per drink.  Seems silly that it doesn't even cover their highest priced cocktail or wine by the glass.  There is really nothing elite about it.  I can't believe I had not read that before.  SO many details! 

[mljatsea]

The SBP sure looks better then the standard beverage package on Celebrity. You would never get Bombay Sapphire or Hendrick's there.