Purchase drinks package on first day or pre-purchase

[londonben]

Do Holland America drinks packages tend to be more expensive if purchased onboard than if pre-purchased?

We have some onboard credit and would like this to go towards cost of drinks package.

 

Thanks,

Ben.

[rodndonna]

47 minutes ago, londonben said:

Do Holland America drinks packages tend to be more expensive if purchased onboard than if pre-purchased?

We have some onboard credit and would like this to go towards cost of drinks package.

 

Thanks,

Ben.

 

Generally, the price of a beverage package on HAL is more than what you would pay before your cruise for "Have it all" which would be beverage package, Wifi, some specialty dining and some shore excursion credit. Typically priced at $50/pp/pd (includes the drinks and dining gratuities) for the HIA package. 

 

I don't think you can do better on board if you are looking for a beverage package.

[londonben]

4 minutes ago, rodndonna said:

 

Generally, the price of a beverage package on HAL is more than what you would pay before your cruise for "Have it all" which would be beverage package, Wifi, some specialty dining and some shore excursion credit. Typically priced at $50/pp/pd (includes the drinks and dining gratuities) for the HIA package. 

 

I don't think you can do better on board if you are looking for a beverage package.

Thanks rodndonna.

We had already eliminated the have it all package as I don't drink alcohol and my wife may have a couple over the whole cruise. We were hoping to purchase the non-alcohol option.

Would prefer to use onboard credit, but would purchase pre-cruise if it would save on cost.

 

Ben.

[rodndonna]

5 minutes ago, londonben said:

Thanks rodndonna.

We had already eliminated the have it all package as I don't drink alcohol and my wife may have a couple over the whole cruise. We were hoping to purchase the non-alcohol option.

Would prefer to use onboard credit, but would purchase pre-cruise if it would save on cost.

 

Ben.

 

I don't believe there is any discount for purchasing packages on-board vs before the cruise. Maybe someone else can confirm.  Good luck!

[CruiserBruce]

5 minutes ago, rodndonna said:

 

I don't believe there is any discount for purchasing packages on-board vs before the cruise. Maybe someone else can confirm.  Good luck!

There are definitely discounts for the Elite and Signature Beverage packages if purchased in advance. About $10pp, pd. Can't answer for any other packages.

[rodndonna]

11 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

There are definitely discounts for the Elite and Signature Beverage packages if purchased in advance. About $10pp, pd. Can't answer for any other packages.

 

Does anyone ever buy an Elite or SBP beforehand? Isn't the price more than HIA would be? I thought so but maybe not.

 

Either way, if they offer a discount on those, I would hope OP can get a pre-cruise discount on the non-alcoholic package. 

 

My only experience outside of HIA (SBP) was purchasing a wine package, and it was the same before as on the cruise.

 

Edited October 12, 2023 by rodndonna

[CruiserBruce]

1 minute ago, rodndonna said:

 

Does anyone ever buy an Elite or SBP beforehand? Isn't the price more than HIA would be? I thought so but maybe not.

 

We did, before HIA.

[cbr663]

Some are cheaper purchased online prior to boarding.  You can check out which packages by logging into your cruise and reviewing the beverages packages.  It will note which packages cost more to buy onboard.

[crystalspin]

3 hours ago, londonben said:

Do Holland America drinks packages tend to be more expensive if purchased onboard than if pre-purchased?

As someone said, the Signature and Elite Signature (alcoholic) packages are historically more expensive bought onboard. I do not believe this is true of the Quench or Unlimited Coca Cola packages. Quench is $17.95+18% ($21.18) per person per day, and fountain Coca Cola brand beverages are $8+18% ($9.44) pppd. Must buy for the whole cruise, but I think you can buy with your OBC for no penalty!

 

Welcome to HAL!

 

[Duane S.]

I have looked for any info regarding upgrading the HIA Signature drink pkg to simply upgrading that drink package to the Elite pkg without affecting the other portions of the HIA pkg, per the website the Signature pkg is 54.95 and the Elite is 59.95 does that mean we could simply pay 5.00 per person per day for the upgrade or does it make the signature pkg/HIA void or changed to my detriment?

So bottom line, is it possible to upgrade the Bev package within the HIA package or does that cause problems?

Thanks in advance for any input

[CruiserBruce]

When we boarded Zaandam in September,  there were signs in several places saying you could upgrade your drink plan. It doesn't affect anything else in the HIA.

[Cruise Suzy]

There have been reports that it is not possible to upgrade on some ships. More recent posts have indicated that instructions for upgrading are posted in bars. Since the HIA Signature package is at a discount, it has been reported that the cost is $10 per person per day. All in the stateroom must upgrade, not just one person.

 

You need to do the math since beverages above $11 now only cost the difference plus 18% of the difference.

[Duane S.]

3 minutes ago, Cruise Suzy said:

There have been reports that it is not possible to upgrade on some ships. More recent posts have indicated that instructions for upgrading are posted in bars. Since the HIA Signature package is at a discount, it has been reported that the cost is $10 per person per day. All in the stateroom must upgrade, not just one person.

 

You need to do the math since beverages above $11 now only cost the difference plus 18% of the difference.

Very good info, that is exactly what I needed to know, at 5.00 the upgrade would be kinda worth it but at 10.00 it is not, IMO so I will stick with what I have  thanks again

[Cruise Suzy]

Just now, Duane S. said:

Very good info, that is exactly what I needed to know, at 5.00 the upgrade would be kinda worth it but at 10.00 it is not, IMO so I will stick with what I have  thanks again

It wouldn't hurt to check the current policy once onboard. It may change between now and then.

[Banditswife]

It might help to remember: when ordering a drink with a cost above the $11 SBP allotted price, you only pay the difference in price. ex- a drink costing $13 would only cost $2 plus 18% gratuity.

[PalmSprings]

2 hours ago, Duane S. said:

So bottom line, is it possible to upgrade the Bev package within the HIA package or does that cause problems?

I believe you have to complete the upgrade purchase prior to getting any drinks onboard, other than the complementary beverages in the Lido.

[2Long2NxtCrz]

In my recent experience on the Nieuw Amsterdam, it was not worth the cost to upgrade to Elite from Signature. There just weren't enough more expensive wines available for me to get our money's worth. With what few cocktails and glasses of wines we did get, we definitely didn't break even.

 

We did upgrade in a bar before we ordered anything. They were very flustered, but got it done.