First timers on HAL. Questions.

[TheJester]

Good afternoon. 

 

We are joining Oosterdam on the 25th of August for a 7 night cruise. We have done many cruises but this is our first time on HAL. Looking forward to it!

 

I have a couple of questions, apologies if these have been answered elsewhere, I did a search but didn’t find the answers.

 

We have the ‘have it all’ package which seems to have a fixed number of drinks per day, including soft drinks, coffee and water. Is there any package which includes the non-alcoholic drinks that we could subscribe to to enable us to enjoy more adult drinks per day?

 

I’ve looked at shore excursions for our cruise but the website comes up with an error. Is this because I am looking too far in advance of our cruise?

 

Thank you in advance for your help. 

 

Andy

 

 

[Crew News]

35 minutes ago, TheJester said:

Good afternoon. 

 

We are joining Oosterdam on the 25th of August for a 7 night cruise. We have done many cruises but this is our first time on HAL. Looking forward to it!

 

I have a couple of questions, apologies if these have been answered elsewhere, I did a search but didn’t find the answers.

 

We have the ‘have it all’ package which seems to have a fixed number of drinks per day, including soft drinks, coffee and water. Is there any package which includes the non-alcoholic drinks that we could subscribe to to enable us to enjoy more adult drinks per day?

 

I’ve looked at shore excursions for our cruise but the website comes up with an error. Is this because I am looking too far in advance of our cruise?

 

Thank you in advance for your help. 

 

Andy

 

Welcome to HAL.

 

There are a number of "Have-it-all" package variations.  If your package includes the Signature Beverage Package, here is a link to what is available:

Beverage Packages

 

The HAL website is quirky.  A possible workaround is to choose any other tab than "Shore Excursions" and then choose "Itinerary" to choose Shore Excursions.

[POA1]

49 minutes ago, TheJester said:

Good afternoon. 

 

We are joining Oosterdam on the 25th of August for a 7 night cruise. We have done many cruises but this is our first time on HAL. Looking forward to it!

 

I have a couple of questions, apologies if these have been answered elsewhere, I did a search but didn’t find the answers.

 

We have the ‘have it all’ package which seems to have a fixed number of drinks per day, including soft drinks, coffee and water. Is there any package which includes the non-alcoholic drinks that we could subscribe to to enable us to enjoy more adult drinks per day?

 

I’ve looked at shore excursions for our cruise but the website comes up with an error. Is this because I am looking too far in advance of our cruise?

 

Thank you in advance for your help. 

 

Andy

 

 

If you upgrade to the Elite Beverage Package, it uncaps the non alcoholic beverages. You'll still be limited to 15 boozy drinks on the package, but you can hydrate to your heart's content.

[YourWorldWithBill]

It's pretty difficult to drink more that the number of drinks in the HIA package; check the number. The one thing some people have commented on is that there is a limit in the type: that is, drinks on the package are below a certain price. That's never been a problem for us, but we don't drink too much.

 

Our cousins, however, are pretty good at putting away a good number of drinks, and the package has always worked for them.

[TheJester]

Thank you for coming back to me. We have the signature package,is there any way to upgrade it?

 

I tried your suggestion and still got an error. Hopefully will resolve soon!

 

•  

[Crew News]

1 minute ago, TheJester said:

Thank you for coming back to me. We have the signature package,is there any way to upgrade it?

 

I tried your suggestion and still got an error. Hopefully will resolve soon!

 

•  

 

You can upgrade to the Elite Package once you are onboard but before you use the Signature Beverage Package. 

 

Another workaround is to choose the "Manage My Cruise" button and then Shore Excursions.  Note that you can see and book shore excursions on your Navigator app.

[TheJester]

46 minutes ago, POA1 said:

If you upgrade to the Elite Beverage Package, it uncaps the non alcoholic beverages. You'll still be limited to 15 boozy drinks on the package, but you can hydrate to your heart's content.

Thank you. Do we have to do that onboard? I don’t see an upgrade option on the website. 

[mawvkysc]

Some things on the website I had to use my laptop as opposed to the app or my tablet browser. Try different devices or browsers. Sometimes Chrome works better than Safari for me. Some have success with incognito mode on their browsers. 

[mawvkysc]

1 minute ago, TheJester said:

Thank you. Do we have to do that onboard? I don’t see an upgrade option on the website. 

From what I’ve read you have to  upgrade on board BEFORE  using your beverage package even once. I think a bartender can do it. 

[TheJester]

3 minutes ago, Crew News said:

 

You can upgrade to the Elite Package once you are onboard but before you use the Signature Beverage Package. 

 

Another workaround is to choose the "Manage My Cruise" button and then Shore Excursions.  Note that you can see and book shore excursions on your Navigator app.

Thank you but I still get the same error, Will leave it to nearer the time. 

[TheJester]

2 minutes ago, mawvkysc said:

From what I’ve read you have to  upgrade on board BEFORE  using your beverage package even once. I think a bartender can do it. 

Thank you, First job onboard then! I appreciate your help. 

[crystalspin]

37 minutes ago, TheJester said:

tried your suggestion and still got an error. Hopefully will resolve soon!

Have had to open an incognito window for weeks now, to do anything personal (manage account or cruises, etc) on HAL. Maybe months! I was using Chrome incognito. Have new computer and went with the Edge browser... appears to be called an InPrivate window, available under the three dots in the top right of screen. (Same place for Chrome's Incognito choice.)

[TheJester]

16 minutes ago, crystalspin said:

Have had to open an incognito window for weeks now, to do anything personal (manage account or cruises, etc) on HAL. Maybe months! I was using Chrome incognito. Have new computer and went with the Edge browser... appears to be called an InPrivate window, available under the three dots in the top right of screen. (Same place for Chrome's Incognito choice.)

Thank you. I’ll give that a go in the morning. We have $200 shore excursion credit each and I want to see what’s available. 

 

[buffy4454]

As an aside to your question, the water on the ship is very good.   I am a water snob but drink the water on the ship with no problem.   I bring an insulated mug and keep it full of water.   Any bar can fill it for you and there is always water, coffee, tea available in the lido self serve.   Hope this keeps you hydrated while you use your drink package for more exciting drinks.  lol

[POA1]

A 2nd vote for taking an insulated cups. We fill our cups with ice and use the water from the Lido fill station. Even with unlimited non-alcoholic beverages on the Elite Beverage Package, our cups are more convenient. We drink a lot  of water throughout the day, and a 30 ounce cup, filled with ice, works better than a lot of tiny cans throughout the day.

[SightCRR]

I would keep trying to figure it out as soon as possible as some of the excursions are likely filling up. Check Cruise Critic Ports for your cruise. Then Check the roll call. Then youtube to see excursions.  

[Haljo1935]

8 hours ago, TheJester said:

Thank you. Do we have to do that onboard? I don’t see an upgrade option on the website. 

Yes upgrade once onboard and BEFORE you order a drink.

Welcome and enjoy!!

[Dancing Shoes]

When is your cruise?  I sail in August and I was booking last September.  As others have said, try the app and their website.

Edited February 19 by Dancing Shoes

[crystalspin]

11 hours ago, TheJester said:

We have the ‘have it all’ package which seems to have a fixed number of drinks per day, including soft drinks, coffee and water. Is there any package which includes the non-alcoholic drinks that we could subscribe to to enable us to enjoy more adult drinks per day?

I looked at your itinerary, and you have just two seadays (including the one spent scenic cruising). Upgrading from Signature to Elite BP will cost you $11.80 pppd or just over US$165. (If it doesn't go up before August!) That's a few drinks -- which you can still buy if you top out the 15 beverages any one day. Assuming you will be going ashore at ports, those days will have fewer hours to use your BP. In fact, starting right with embarcation day, you can be asking for unopened cans of water, sodas, even beer -- to stash in your fridge. 

 

A little story: we have always had SBP since 2016 when we got it as a promotion and experienced how much we liked it. We have never hit the 15 drink maximum, including on a TransAtlantic and a B2B of 16 days where we only got off the ship four times. The other days were spent basically with a drink in our hands (or on the side table as we read on Kindle, knit, or watched ocean & people). Espresso drinks to boat-drinks to wine. As the night got old, our favorite bar stewards in the Crows Nest would bring us canned water un-asked-for because they could see we hadn't used our fifteen! 

[TheJester]

Thank you to everyone who took the time to reply, most appreciated.

 

I had no joy booking shore excursions on the website, the error persisted. I ended up having to telephone them and they emailed me the shore excursion brochure for our cruise and I telephoned back to book the excursions. So we got there in the end!

 

In terms of drinks, we’ve decided to upgrade to the Elite package as soon as we board. Again, thank you for the tips everyone. 

 

Happy sailing all.

 

Andy