Signature Beverage Package

[vivalas]

We are sailing on the Noordam and have the Signature Beverage Package.  My question is, how do you know what drinks are under the $11 that are not on a menu to see?  Drinks like Cosmopolitans, Lemon Drops, rail drink like Gin and Tonic, and other Martinis? 

[crystalspin]

Mixed drinks are priced by the liquor in them.

 

https://rogerjett-photography.com/specialty-2/hal-regular-and-specialty-restaurants/hal-beverage-menus/

 

Thanks to @Crew News

[CruiserBruce]

There are menus. And the vast majority of mixed drinks are under $11. Unless you are requesting top shelf alcohols.

[Skipper's Mom]

There are QR codes on the tables in all the bars.  You can scan it and see the Menu for that particular venue.

[GatorMomInNC]

If something costs more do you pay full price or just the difference?

[crystalspin]

You pay the whole price unless you on one ship in Alaska (Westerdam?) which is test-driving a Have-It-All-And-More plan where only the difference is paid.

[cruisingxpert]

1 hour ago, crystalspin said:

You pay the whole price unless you on one ship in Alaska (Westerdam?) which is test-driving a Have-It-All-And-More plan where only the difference is paid.

Hope they do it on all the ships.  Celebrity has that plan so you have a chance to try an expensive glass of wine that you probably wouldn't otherwise try.

[NorthWestPassage]

7 hours ago, crystalspin said:

You pay the whole price unless you on one ship in Alaska (Westerdam?) which is test-driving a Have-It-All-And-More plan where only the difference is paid.

That test drive extends to the subsequent 51 night transpacific voyage the follows the Alaska season from Seattle on the Westerdam.

[Skipper's Mom]

On 8/13/2022 at 5:52 PM, GatorMomInNC said:

If something costs more do you pay full price or just the difference?

This may have changed but I believe that they will charge you for the higher priced drink and it won't add to your daily limit of 15 drinks.  It will be a separate charge.  Anyone have different information?

[Sgwscruiser]

You will be charged the full price and it will count towards your 15

[firsttimer1971]

5 hours ago, Sgwscruiser said:

You will be charged the full price and it will count towards your 15

 

Surely that can't be right: either they charge you full price and it isn't counted towards your daily 15 or they charge you for the surplus above $11 and it is counted towards your daily 15 but it can't be both. 

[rgoldstein86]

My wife and I will be on the Rotterdam over Thanksgiving. I'm a drinker but she hardly ever indulges. I read that if I do a drink package, that both of us would need to sign up. Is this true? Why would HAL require someone who doesn't drink to get a drink package? Is there any way around that rule?

[oakridger]

Welcome to Cruise Critic @rgoldstein86!  Yes, all adults in the same cabin need to get the package.  This is partly due, I believe, to people sharing a package in the past, which is against the rules. Most of the mainstream cruise lines have the same policy.  I can't remember the one that doesn't that people have mentioned.

 

As far as I have read for years, there is no way to get around the rule.  You can always just pay per drink for what you want.  Someone might chime in if they have gotten an exemption?

 

You will be getting on the ship on November 20th as I depart!  Have a great time!

 

~Nancy

Edited August 18, 2022 by oakridger

[crystalspin]

3 minutes ago, rgoldstein86 said:

My wife and I will be on the Rotterdam over Thanksgiving. I'm a drinker but she hardly ever indulges. I read that if I do a drink package, that both of us would need to sign up. Is this true? Why would HAL require someone who doesn't drink to get a drink package? Is there any way around that rule?

It is true. They have to do it because people would buy only one for the cabin and take the drink back to the room (or just around a corner) and share. The only workarounds are for a minor OR with a doctor's letter that a person canNOT drink alcohol. In those cases the non-alcohol drinker would have to buy the Quench non-alcoholic package.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

[rgoldstein86]

Thank you both! It's a shame but I can't make them change the rules - will just roll with it and make the best of this vacation anyway!

[oakridger]

Ha, ha, I'm sure you will be fine!!!  😉

[crystalspin]

4 minutes ago, rgoldstein86 said:

Thank you both! It's a shame but I can't make them change the rules - will just roll with it and make the best of this vacation anyway!

If it's like pre-covid, there will be two consecutive Happy Hours (probably in Ocean Bar and Crows Nest, although I haven't yet sailed on a Pinnacle Ship with extra venues). During those, buy one drink and get another EXACTLY the same for half off.

 

Maybe someone whe has sailed recently can confirm this?

[crystalspin]

12 minutes ago, rgoldstein86 said:

...will just roll with it and make the best of this vacation anyway!

Also a couple things to point out to make you feel better about it: SBP does not 'work' on Half Moon Cay. At other ports, if you have SBP you might hesitate to buy drinks ashore and therefore miss some local-type experiences. Basically the package is at least half-wasted on port days!

 

I looked and you have a very nice itinerary! Some other year when airlines have settled down, I would like to visit all three ABC islands on one cruise.

[cruisetravlr]

32 minutes ago, crystalspin said:

If it's like pre-covid, there will be two consecutive Happy Hours (probably in Ocean Bar and Crows Nest, although I haven't yet sailed on a Pinnacle Ship with extra venues). During those, buy one drink and get another EXACTLY the same for half off.

 

Maybe someone whe has sailed recently can confirm this?

On the Eurodam in March, we took advantage of the Happy Hours. One was at 4 p.m., the other at 8 p.m. It was a BOGO.  DH got his gin and tonic, I got one of my frou-frou drinks. Paid for the more expensive of the two.

Edited August 18, 2022 by cruisetravlr
Check the When and Where for the bars that have the Happy Hours.

[crystalspin]

Just now, cruisetravlr said:

On the Eurodam in March, we took advantage of the Happy Hours. One was at 4 p.m., the other at 8 p.m. It was a BOGO.  DH got his gin and tonic, I got one of my frou-frou drinks. Paid for the more expensive of the two.

Wow, that is a better deal than having to power through two (or four!!!) of the same drink before the ice melts or the hour is up!

 

If @rgoldstein86 is a beer drinker, he could also get two of the same but have the crew not open one and take back to cabin for the fridge. 

[Cruise Suzy]

2 hours ago, rgoldstein86 said:

My wife and I will be on the Rotterdam over Thanksgiving.

 

I was going to suggest you join the roll call, but I see you already have. Feel free to ask question here or there.

[julia]

Just would like to point out here that not every "main stream cruise line" requires both passengers to purchase a beverage package.  Celebrity is one of them.  While I fully understand the premise behind HAL's policy, it is crazy to expect a non-drinking adult to purchase an expensive beverage package!

Why NOT allow ONE cabin, of two consenting adults, to share ONE beverage package of 15 drinks per day (alcoholic or other)?? HAL would still profit.

[firsttimer1971]

1 hour ago, julia said:

Why NOT allow ONE cabin, of two consenting adults, to share ONE beverage package of 15 drinks per day (alcoholic or other)?? HAL would still profit.

 

They would definitely profit less or even start losing money if they did that:

1) Not all people use 15 drinks a day but if they allowed people to share a beverage package it would most likely always be used up completely (you would be a fool not to)

2) People would only use the beverage package for the most expensive (alcoholic) drinks and pay for the cheaper drinks seperately.

 

I really see no upside for HAL to change their policy. 

 

[KroozNut]

On 8/18/2022 at 9:47 PM, julia said:

Why NOT allow ONE cabin, of two consenting adults, to share ONE beverage package of 15 drinks per day (alcoholic or other)?

Bad idea, said every HAL executive ever!

[REOVA]

We used our SBP on last cruise this month and it included 15 per day of any drink under $11 which includes, hot chocolate (were were in Arctic), coffee, cans of water, soda, milk shakes (at the pool bar), and alcohol. Not sure if its the same on all ships but this worked for us even though DW is not much of an alcohol drinker.