First Cruise on HAL, need info regarding bring on water, soda

[Toofarfromthesea]

18 hours ago, oakridger said:

If you have already booked, the internet prices will be under the "Manage My Cruise" section on the website.  You can book excursions, specialty dining and other purchases of wine/spirits, gifts etc there.  The water package for the cabin is there as well as internet and beverage packages.

 

 

Assuming the website works, which it hasn't for a lot of us.

[Toofarfromthesea]

17 hours ago, roxievegas said:

 

thank you for all who responded.

Finding the on board prices much higher than Princess.

Still planning to do the cruise

We do not get the beverage packages - alcohol is not a priority nor the internet.  We would end up paying as much for the extras as we do the cabin cost.

 

We enjoy the lunch because everyone else is upstairs in the buffet.

 

I can certainly understand not reading the 'for dummies' thread in it's entirety, but I found it well worth my time to read the most recent 15 pages or so.  I learned a lot of things.

[Laminator]

2 hours ago, Boatdrill said:

Has anyone received a free cruise (literally free - no charge for base cruise fare) from HAL because of their casino play ? 

 

Hundreds of them!

Here is the latest list to choose from:
HEP2339CI_USDv2.pdf (hollandamerica.com)

Edited September 6, 2023 by Laminator

[Ken the cruiser]

20 hours ago, roxievegas said:

 

thank you for all who responded.

Finding the on board prices much higher than Princess.

Still planning to do the cruise

We do not get the beverage packages - alcohol is not a priority nor the internet.  We would end up paying as much for the extras as we do the cabin cost.

 

We enjoy the lunch because everyone else is upstairs in the buffet.

We do a lot of cruising with Princess and Celebrity too. But just in case you were not aware of the extra perks that come with the Have It All (HIA) Early Booking Bonus option, I have to say booking a HAL cruise farther out than 1 year with the HIA Early Booking promotion is pretty good, especially if you are low stress cruises like we are.

 

This example below is from a 7-day cruise in Jan 2025. The difference between the Cruise Only Fare and the HIA Early Booking Bonus option is $420 or $60 per person per day, to include the $16 pp/day Crew Appreciation Gratuities. BTW their beverage package does include bottled water, sodas, and hot chocolate served onboard for a fee.

 

 

But I did recently learn, as we're just coming back to HAL, that the "Early Booking Bonus" perks go away if you book a cruise less than a year from embarkation, leaving you with a much less desirable HIA product costing an additional $385 per person or $55 pp/day BUT the Crew Appreciation Gratuity perk disappears as well as the free upgrades to the Premium Internet and beverage packages.

 

 

 

I realize you said "We do not get the beverage packages - alcohol is not a priority nor the internet.  We would end up paying as much for the extras as we do the cabin cost."

 

I just wanted to make sure you were aware HAL's HIA Early Booking Bonus perks is much different than those offered on Princess and especially on Celebrity.

 

Edited September 6, 2023 by Ken the cruiser

[Toofarfromthesea]

1 hour ago, Laminator said:

Hundreds of them!

Here is the latest list to choose from:
HEP2339CI_USDv2.pdf (hollandamerica.com)

 

How much, or on how many cruises do you need to gamble to qualify for these?

[roxievegas]

29 minutes ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

 

How much, or on how many cruises do you need to gamble to qualify for these?

that is a good question.  With Princess the offers have changed from getting free balcony to free inside.  Offers included the beverage packages, gratuities and wifi (plus package) but now they are excluded

The offers with Princess is based on the points you earn while gambling in the casino.

[Laminator]

57 minutes ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

 

How much, or on how many cruises do you need to gamble to qualify for these?

Don't hold me to this but I think 6000 points will get you a come back and sail offer. I usually accumulate 60,000 points in a 7 day cruise to get the Neptune Suite offer. My wife gets Neptune Suite offer and she usually accumulates 40,000 points. 

[Toofarfromthesea]

3 hours ago, Laminator said:

Don't hold me to this but I think 6000 points will get you a come back and sail offer. I usually accumulate 60,000 points in a 7 day cruise to get the Neptune Suite offer. My wife gets Neptune Suite offer and she usually accumulates 40,000 points. 

 

I'm new to this, so how do points accumulate?  Amount of play? Time spent playing?

[AKJonesy]

22 hours ago, OlsSalt said:

I hope you enjoy your down time vacation days.  Zero-waste demands now made on cruise ships has radically changed prior cruise expectation.

We were last on ship in March 2023 and still did buy the cans of soda in ports.  Not sure what you mean but the soda cans are zero waste.  All aluminum is crushed on board and taken off for recycling.  Maybe I just don't understand the comment, but it really doesn't matter bc that is what I have done and that is how I responded to the OP; what I have done every time. 

[Laminator]

8 hours ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

 

I'm new to this, so how do points accumulate?  Amount of play? Time spent playing?

You receive 1 point for every $2.50 you play in a slot machine. 

[crystalspin]

2 hours ago, Laminator said:

You receive 1 point for every $2.50 you play in a slot machine. 

Those are NOT free cruises! Hahaha

[Laminator]

2 minutes ago, crystalspin said:

Those are NOT free cruises! Hahaha

Exactly!

[Haljo1935]

On 9/5/2023 at 9:24 AM, roxievegas said:

Princess has an international cafe - coffee and free danish and sandwiches

 

the coffee is $3.50 per 16 oz cup (like the grande at starbucks)

 

does Hal have a coffee bar and what is the cost. ...

Explorations Cafe (technically not Crow's Nest,  but people do call it that) has full selection of coffee, including specialty coffee, it has a very modest selection of complimentary baked snacks.

The Grand Dutch Cafe on K'Dam, N Statendam & Rotterdam has a full selection of coffee, Dutch beers, a bar and soup, sandwiches, baked goods. Specialty coffee & alcohol is extra, but the food is free. GDC is very similar to the International Cafe on Princess. I LOVE the little fruit tarts on Princess, but I'm obsessed w/GDC.

[Boatdrill]

On 9/5/2023 at 11:33 AM, roxievegas said:

...hate to take a cruise and spend the time figuring out stuff on our own.

I'm fascinated by this comment. 

If the great maritime explorers - Columbus, Cook, Bering, Magellan, Drake, Ponce de Leon, Cortez, Vespucci, Hudson, Cousteau, and others, including the intrepid Polynesians, et al -    had this mindset, the world's history would certainly be much different. 🙂

[roxievegas]

19 hours ago, Laminator said:

Exactly!

that's why the casino department gives out the free cabins.  You pay for your cabin gambling in the casino. 

for those that do not gamble you give your money to the Cruise line

for those that gamble give their money to the casino