HAL beverage prices

I have been looking over the advance purchase option of the Signature Beverage package on HAL. The advance purchase price is $361.83 per person over 21 in our cabin (so times 2). We will be limited to a maximum of 15 total drinks per day. This will include non-alcoholic beverages, coffee and alcohol. This will breakdown to a cost of $3.45 per beverage times 15. I would really like to know from previous cruisers how much is a cup of coffee, glass of soda, a mixed drink and a beer? I know my wife and I will not be drinking 15 alcoholic drinks a day but with other non-alcoholic drinks depending on the price on board it may be worth it.

A can of soda is $2.25 + 15% service charge; most cocktails are $7.95 + 15% service charge.

Can't help you with other prices as that's about all I ever purchase. I get my coffee for no charge in the Lido, and my tea at afternoon tea.

Plain coffee (regular and decaf) are available free, along with iced tea, hot teas (including many herbal ones), juices (at breakfast), and milk. It's the specialty coffees that cost extra. DH ordered cappuccino occasionally at dinner earlier this month. I think they were $1.75 plus the 15 percent service charge.

For alcoholic beverages, (beer, wine, mixed cocktails), your break-even point is 6 drinks per day. After that, you are drinking free. Specialty coffees, and some beers are lower than the $8 limit. Most folks don't approach the 15 beverage limit, but a lot if people think that you have to drink 15 drinks (alcohol, coffees, sodas, water) to make the plan pay for itself. That is not true. At $44.95 per day, plus 15% service charge, you are paying $51.70 per day for the package. A typical $7.95 cocktail, plus 15% SC and you have a drink that would cost you $9.14 if you didn't have the beverage package. If you are paying $51.70 per day divided by $9.14, and you get just under 6 drinks before you break even. You will have to calculate in the lower costs of soda, specialty coffees, and bottles of water, but you don't have to concern yourself about a shocking bar-bill on disembarkation day. You can order doubles of any drink, it just counts as 2 of your 15.

The beverage package does not cover anything you grab from your in-room mini-bar, room service drinks, HMC beverages, and bottles of water as you head off of the ship for an excursion. A tip there.... stop at any bar on your way back to your cabin the night before an excursion, and use your beverage package to buy 2 or more bottles of water (1 liter or 2 liter) and pop them into your fridge for the night.

You can get as much free coffee/ tea as you want for free in the Lido, dining room -- for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There are many juices available for breakfast and you can ask for them any place except the lounges/bar -- they will charge for them.

The Signature Beverage Card does not cover anything from the "No Host" mini bar in your cabin -- nothing at the gangway like bottled water -- nothing on Half Moon Cay. You can not buy any drink/wine over $8 and no bottles of wine.

It can not be used at Happy Hour.

We do not drink a lot thus we would not make out buying the Signature Beverage Card.

I have been looking over the advance purchase option of the Signature Beverage package on HAL. The advance purchase price is $361.83 per person over 21 in our cabin (so times 2). We will be limited to a maximum of 15 total drinks per day. This will include non-alcoholic beverages, coffee and alcohol. This will breakdown to a cost of $3.45 per beverage times 15. I would really like to know from previous cruisers how much is a cup of coffee, glass of soda, a mixed drink and a beer? I know my wife and I will not be drinking 15 alcoholic drinks a day but with other non-alcoholic drinks depending on the price on board it may be worth it.

Hello Baddabing. Was te package price you found for the 22 day elite signature beverage package or for a different cruise

Hello Baddabing. Was te package price you found for the 22 day elite signature beverage package or for a different cruise

Hey Hunch, The regular signature beverage package (SBP) is $44.95 per day purchased ahead of the cruise on the website. It costs $49.95 a day if you wait to buy it onboard. (I guess they don't want you using OBC for the package). The Elite Beverage package is $54.95 per day, and it appears to be the same price, purchased online or onboard. Naturally, all prices are plus the 15% service charge. They charge you those rates times the number of days of your cruise. Everyone in your cabin over 21 must purchase it, unless you can show a medical document that you can't drink alcohol. I don't think a chip from a recent Bill W. meeting will hack it..

For alcoholic beverages, (beer, wine, mixed cocktails), your break-even point is 6 drinks per day. After that, you are drinking free. Specialty coffees, and some beers are lower than the $8 limit. Most folks don't approach the 15 beverage limit, but a lot if people think that you have to drink 15 drinks (alcohol, coffees, sodas, water) to make the plan pay for itself. That is not true. At $44.95 per day, plus 15% service charge, you are paying $51.70 per day for the package. A typical $7.95 cocktail, plus 15% SC and you have a drink that would cost you $9.14 if you didn't have the beverage package. If you are paying $51.70 per day divided by $9.14, and you get just under 6 drinks before you break even. You will have to calculate in the lower costs of soda, specialty coffees, and bottles of water, but you don't have to concern yourself about a shocking bar-bill on disembarkation day. You can order doubles of any drink, it just counts as 2 of your 15.

 

The beverage package does not cover anything you grab from your in-room mini-bar, room service drinks, HMC beverages, and bottles of water as you head off of the ship for an excursion. A tip there.... stop at any bar on your way back to your cabin the night before an excursion, and use your beverage package to buy 2 or more bottles of water (1 liter or 2 liter) and pop them into your fridge for the night.

Don't forget there is happy hour where second drink is $1.00 also there is the drink of the day $6.95 and get that at happy hour time. Also when you are out on port days you would be hard pressed to drink $44.95 worth of booze in the evening. We enyoy mixed drinks, and wine and never get close to the daily amount of $44.95

Hello Baddabing. Was te package price you found for the 22 day elite signature beverage package or for a different cruise

Hey,

After I made that post I went ahead and read ALL 89 pages of the thread HAL cruise for dummies. It gave me answers to that and other subjects. As far as the signature beverage package, if I was to purchase it for my 7 day cruise it is $361 times 2 for our room. We have 3 port days and to be honest it is much easier and cost effective for us to pay as we go on an Alaskan cruise. We will be buying a bottle of Vodka for the room. We will also bring on board with our carry on tonic and Bloody Mary mix for our room.

Don't forget there is happy hour where second drink is $1.00 also there is the drink of the day $6.95 and get that at happy hour time. Also when you are out on port days you would be hard pressed to drink $44.95 worth of booze in the evening. We enyoy mixed drinks, and wine and never get close to the daily amount of $44.95

Happy hour is $2 for the second drink. Most drink of the day's are $7.50 to $7.95 now. HAL is still quite a bit less than other lines, but the prices have gone up recently.

As far as being hard pressed to drink $44.95 in the evening... It depends on the person. Are you familiar with the story of the big dogs and the porch? ;)

Hey,

After I made that post I went ahead and read ALL 89 pages of the thread HAL cruise for dummies. It gave me answers to that and other subjects. As far as the signature beverage package, if I was to purchase it for my 7 day cruise it is $361 times 2 for our room. We have 3 port days and to be honest it is much easier and cost effective for us to pay as we go on an Alaskan cruise. We will be buying a bottle of Vodka for the room. We will also bring on board with our carry on tonic and Bloody Mary mix for our room.

Buying the bottle and bringing your own mixers is usually the most cost-effective way to go.

Hey,

After I made that post I went ahead and read ALL 89 pages of the thread HAL cruise for dummies. It gave me answers to that and other subjects. As far as the signature beverage package, if I was to purchase it for my 7 day cruise it is $361 times 2 for our room. We have 3 port days and to be honest it is much easier and cost effective for us to pay as we go on an Alaskan cruise. We will be buying a bottle of Vodka for the room. We will also bring on board with our carry on tonic and Bloody Mary mix for our room.

Thank You.

Here is my theory:

1. I'm not going to carry on mixer & buy a bottle for the room - I pre cocktails. (I can do a screwdriver at home, I'm not as inclined to have everything on hand for a mojito.)

2. I'm going on a 14-night AK cruise with Explore 4.

3. so in addition to the Latte in the morning & bottle of water to take off the ship, I will probably want to grab a warm up latte in the afternoon. (3)

4. On 5 of the port days, the chances are good that I will eat lunch on the ship with a soda. (1)

5. bottles of water for walking around with on the ship (I drink 64 oz. a day.) (2)

6. pre-dinner drink (1)

7. Soda with dinner more often than not and after dinner drinks (3)

8. - the biggest advantage for me I will get to try a wang wang & if I don't like it I can get a mojito, so where I have 1 adult beverage above, that may be 2

I can see myself using 10 a day easily.

Perhaps if you pre-judge your usage, you too can see if it is worth it. (I'm not sure I would buy a SBP - some of these plans a planned because it is included. I could easily fill my own water bottle, suffer through brewed coffee, & say no to soda.)

A 30-day Signature Drink Pkg costs $1550 X 2. We probably don't spend that much on booze in a years time! What about the $250.00 beverage card? It's good for "a variety of alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverage selections from wine, beer & spirits to soda and espresso." They also have a $50.00 "Soda fountain value card" for $25.00. We are not big drinkers, but we do like wine, some soda, and water, oh yeah, Margaritas. This seems like a reasonable amount for these cards. Any comments from you experienced HAL cruisers?

What about the $250.00 beverage card? It's good for "a variety of alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverage selections from wine, beer & spirits to soda and espresso." They also have a $50.00 "Soda fountain value card" for $25.00. We are not big drinkers, but we do like wine, some soda, and water, oh yeah, Margaritas. This seems like a reasonable amount for these cards. Any comments from you experienced HAL cruisers?

The $250 beverage card also comes in $50 and $100 denominations. This is a face value card, with no bonus amount. Still, there is a value in that you have one charge against your account when you purchase it, making it easier to balance out your account that last morning.

The $50 soda card for $25 does have a bonus, but only after you purchase the first $25 worth of soda; the next $25 of soda is "free". Those are fountain sodas, however (if your soda comes in that form), and not generally from a can. It's a glass of soda at a time, amounting to about a 1/2 can, depending on how much ice you have in it.

If your soda of choice does not come in fountain form, then it's poured from a can. Ask for the whole can for the price of two sodas and you will be sure it's a fresh can.

A 30-day Signature Drink Pkg costs $1550 X 2. We probably don't spend that much on booze in a years time! What about the $250.00 beverage card? It's good for "a variety of alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverage selections from wine, beer & spirits to soda and espresso." They also have a $50.00 "Soda fountain value card" for $25.00. We are not big drinkers, but we do like wine, some soda, and water, oh yeah, Margaritas. This seems like a reasonable amount for these cards. Any comments from you experienced HAL cruisers?

The $250 beverage card and the $25 soda card will get you $250 in beverages and $50 in sodas. There is no discount for the universal beverage cards. The $25 soda card gets you $50 worth of sodas., It's more of a way for someone to buy you a gift onboard. They might as well have given you $250 or $50 in cash. The Signature Beverage Package (SBP) is the only universal package that actually saves you money. Remember, any $7.95 drink includes a 15% service charge, so you are looking at $9.14 for every drink. The SBP break even rate is just under 6 drinks, and anything after that you are drinking free. Many people think you have to have 15 beverages a day to break even. That is not the case. But is all you usually drink is a glass of wine or two at dinner, the SBP is not for you.

On shorter cruises (under 21 days) you are on vacation, so let it rip !! Enjoy yourself and don't sweat the bar tab, so the SBP is worth it. On longer cruises, people tend to settle down to the same beverage rate they do at home, so the SBP for a 30 + day cruise might not benefit you.

Thanks RuthC and TAD2005 for your advice. We may just buy the drinks as we go since there's no real advantage to having the card.

Thanks to you all for your valuable input. Our decision is much easier now.

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If you don't mind my asking, do the ships that don't have the fancy soda machines gave Dr. Pepper? It is my sin a couple of times a week.

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If you don't mind my asking, do the ships that don't have the fancy soda machines gave Dr. Pepper? It is my sin a couple of times a week.

 

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No. You can take soda on no charge in ports or when you board. Ask your steward to clear the in room mini fridge and use the ice from your ice bucket to cool your soda.

Mine is drinking wine. We will likely bring some bottles on board. After the corkage fee it is still a bit cheaper.

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I do not buy the Signature beverage package card, preferring to pay—as—I—go. Even trying to attain break—even point and I would be beyond legally drunk to three sheets to the wind.

Not seeing set ups (1 liter Beefeaters and three cans tonic water, 1 liter of Bacardi rum and three cans Coca—Cola, etc.) on last page of In—Room Dining menu.

Have already packed olives, Noilly Prat extra dry, bitters, maraschino cherries, sugar cubes, lemon squeezer, citrus zester, Bloody Mary mix, gomme syrup, etc.for cabin crawls or inviting people over for viewing Glacier Bay from verandah.

The taxi will be here in about two hours. I hope you guys are right about ordering bottles from room service.

Not seeing set ups (1 liter Beefeaters and three cans tonic water, 1 liter of Bacardi rum and three cans Coca—Cola, etc.) on last page of In—Room Dining menu.

Log into the website. Click on "ALREADY BOOKED". Click on "PERSONALIZE YOUR CRUISE". Then, in the "BEFORE YOU LEAVE" box, click "Purchase Beverages".

Is this what you're looking for?

I wasn't able to pre—order because it was too close to sailing (or something like that) which is just as well as the travel agent had a bottle of champagne and a bottle of gin waiting for me in the cabin.

Thank you for the links, bUU.

This information is in the In—Room Dining menu section of the orange booklet in the cabin but not listed in the previously linked material:

Gin (Bombay London dry) and (Seagram's) tonic water (three cans): $37.

Scotch (Cutty Sark) and soda: $39.

Vodka (Smirnoff or Stolichnaya) and tonic: $37.

Bourbon (Jim Beam) and coke: $45.

Rum (Bacardi) and coke: $43.

So. I am winding up my day in Juneau by going to the Alaskan Fudge Company to send gifts to friends and family and stopped at the liquor store further down Franklin Street for a bottle of sour mix.

1. The store shelves were re—organized since I'd last been there. I asked where the sour mix was AND THE CLERK LEFT THE CASH REGISTER, WALKED DOWN AN AISLE AND GOT IT FOR ME!

Very friendly customer service.

2. Moments later, a passenger from the Ruby Princess asked the same clerk if the store accepted American money.

Useful info thanks to all.