Beverages on HAL

After cruising exclusively on Princess for many years, I am booked on HAL for the first time since 2007.

I have some questions about beverages. I like to drink sodas quite a bit, but discovered on Princess that I didn't drink enough to make the soda card worthwhile. Mostly I drank the ones that the steward stocked in the fridge, and the soda card did not cover them. Can I expect sodas to be stocked in my verandah room fridge on HAL? If so, what is the cost? Can the soda card be applied to these cans of soda?

Secondly, I also like to indulge in bourbon whisky. I also usually drink this in my room. I saw on the HAL website that I could pre-pay for a fifth of Jim Beam for $38.75, that is more than double the retail price. Can I get a better deal by just buying it from room service?

I have snuck whisky onto ships in the past by transferring it into an Arizona Tea bottle, but I am thinking I will try to be more legitimate in the future.

Soda cards (and alcoholic beverage packages ) don't apply to beverages found in your cabin fridge.

Liquor sold for in cabin consumption is 1 liter. The price should be the same whether bought from room service or pre-ordered. Pre-oerdered it will be waiting for you in your room (ask for delivery "at sea").

Don't forget the $38.75 includes the 15% service charge. IIRC cans of soda are $1.95 + 15% s.c. in both the room mini-bar and lounges.

The $50 soda card (which costs $25) is for bar fountain soda only, not cans but may be an option as works for me. Also, soda cans are part of the happy hour so a 2nd can is (or has been) $1. Always plus the 15% gratuity.

These were the prices of the items in the refrigerator (cooler) on our recent Eurodam cruise.

The price of coke went up.

These are the prices on our recent Eurodam cruise (2015 -- Oct)

These are all airline size bottles 1.75 ounces

Beefeater Gins - $5.25

1 Johnny Walker Red Label - $5.25

1 Bicardi Rum - $5.25

1 VSOP Courvoisier - $5.25

1 Smirnoff Vodka - $5.25

1 Vendange Chardonnay - 187 ml - $8

1 Vendange Cabernet - 187 ml - $8

1 split Henkell Champagne - $9.50

Domestic Beer -- $4.95

Imported Beer -- $5.75

2 regular cokes - $2.25

2 diet cokes - $2.25

1 tonic water - $2.25

1 Club soda - $2.25

1 sprite - $2.25

1 Heineken - $5.25

1 Miller Sharps (non alcoholic) - $3.95

1 Miller Lite - $4.75

2 Perrier water - $2.95

2 one liter bottled water - $3.25

Sorry post took twice.

After cruising exclusively on Princess for many years, I am booked on HAL for the first time since 2007.

I have some questions about beverages. I like to drink sodas quite a bit, but discovered on Princess that I didn't drink enough to make the soda card worthwhile. Mostly I drank the ones that the steward stocked in the fridge, and the soda card did not cover them. Can I expect sodas to be stocked in my verandah room fridge on HAL? If so, what is the cost? Can the soda card be applied to these cans of soda?

Secondly, I also like to indulge in bourbon whisky. I also usually drink this in my room. I saw on the HAL website that I could pre-pay for a fifth of Jim Beam for $38.75, that is more than double the retail price. Can I get a better deal by just buying it from room service?

I have snuck whisky onto ships in the past by transferring it into an Arizona Tea bottle, but I am thinking I will try to be more legitimate in the future.

We do not feel that HAL's prices for 1 liter bottles of alcohol are that high.

We can only buy 5th's in PA and prices are high since we have to buy alcohol and wine at a State Liquor Store. We pay 7% tax as well as still paying extra taxes for the 1936 Johnston flood. And soon we will pay 9.5% tax.

Here is the current Bar Menu as of 11/17/15:

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Bar-Menu.pdf

We do not feel that HAL's prices for 1 liter bottles of alcohol are that high.

We can only buy 5th's in PA and prices are high since we have to buy alcohol and wine at a State Liquor Store. We pay 7% tax as well as still paying extra taxes for the 1936 Johnston flood. And soon we will pay 9.5% tax.

Thank you everybody for the information. Especially Krazy Kruizers for the detailed contents and cost of the fridge items.

I live in Utah and must also purchase at a state liquor store and pay a high price. But I am near the Nevada border and can get liquor much cheaper there.

I will probably just pre-order a bottle of Jim Beam, and drink the cans of soda from the fridge as needed. Since my wife is a teetotaler, I rarely have alcohol in restaurants or bars out of respect.

You can carry cans of soda aboard with you at embarkation or from any port. Buy a six pack of whatever soda you like and carry it on.

DW is a big diet soda drinker (she prefers Diet Coke) and we always take a few large bottles on our cruises (with HAL and other lines). Most of the time we simply buy a few bottles near the port (we usually fly-in a day early) and carry it on in a tote bag or in our back packs. I know its crazy to spend the big bucks (and we have spent plenty on long cruises) and plan on saving a few dollars on soda, but its just a matter of principle. And since we are 4 Star Mariners we would get a 50% discount on the stuff in our cabin fridge...but it is still the principle :).

Hank

I only drink Diet Dr. Pepper and have to arrange to carry on a few six packs or 12 packs, depending on the length of the cruise. I would happily pay the ship's price if only they would carry it! The hassle of carrying it on is something I would pay to give up!

Also, if Jim Beam isn't your favorite bourbon you can email guest services and arrange for other brands (if they have them on board) as we did with Makers Mark last year.

There was a time when Grey Goose Vodka was offered on HAL's list on their site.

Since that is what we like to drink, we just wait until we are on the ship to order it.

Never have a problem getting what we want.

If you call Ship Services at 1-800-541-1576 to order what you like, be sure you ask them to e-mail you a receipt and take that receipt with you.

I just came off the Eurodam. Diet Coke was not available on demarcation. Finally had some after Grand Cayman several days later. There were some very unhappy people. Again, none available on Half Moon Bay.

I just came off the Eurodam. Diet Coke was not available on demarcation. Finally had some after Grand Cayman several days later. There were some very unhappy people. Again, none available on Half Moon Bay.

That was supposed to say embarcation. Incorrect changed it.

I just came off the Eurodam. Diet Coke was not available on embarcation. Finally had some after Grand Cayman several days later. There were some very unhappy people. Again, none available on Half Moon Bay.

Thanks for that info. I drink diet coke almost exclusively, but will take diet pepsi if necessary. Did they have diet pepsi?

I think I will take the advice of one of the above posters and bring some diet coke with me just to make sure I get it - not just to save money.

Thanks for that info. I drink diet coke almost exclusively, but will take diet pepsi if necessary. Did they have diet pepsi?

I think I will take the advice of one of the above posters and bring some diet coke with me just to make sure I get it - not just to save money.

No, no Pepsi products either.

We usually ask the room steward to clear the mini bar and we take our own cans on. We also do get a soda card which we do get use of especially at meals.

I'm on the Noordam next week, I've done a bit of searching and the answer to my beverage question seems to be "no", but I just wanted to ask to make sure.

Is there any way to get milkshakes on board?

I'm on the Noordam next week, I've done a bit of searching and the answer to my beverage question seems to be "no", but I just wanted to ask to make sure.

 

Is there any way to get milkshakes on board?

No. The closest you can get is a non alcoholic frozen drink.

Fancy meeting you over here! :eek:

We definitely had cans of Coke products on the TA on the Nieuw Amsterdam last spring. Coke Zero for sure and either Diet Coke or Coke Light... We would buy them UNOPENED during Happy Hour and take to room to have with the Rum we pre-bought for for the room. Having had the room steward empty the fridge.

HAL pre-purchase price (the same or nearly the same as a BOTTLE bought on board) seems high compared to Princess (or Nevada) -- I do not know if the bottles are the same size? but even if they are, it is much cheaper than mini-bar or bar prices.

I did not know about pre-ordering a different brand than is on the list; will have to look into that for our next HAL cruise.

Thanks for that info. I drink diet coke almost exclusively, but will take diet pepsi if necessary. Did they have diet pepsi?

I think I will take the advice of one of the above posters and bring some diet coke with me just to make sure I get it - not just to save money.

If they don't offer Diet Coke nor Diet Pepsi, what diet drinks do they serve? We are on Westerdam in January and now wondering if the soda package is worth it to me. Also two conflicting reports, some say only cans others say only at bar glasses of soda on package plan??

:confused:

If they don't offer Diet Coke nor Diet Pepsi, what diet drinks do they serve? We are on Westerdam in January and now wondering if the soda package is worth it to me. Also two conflicting reports, some say only cans others say only at bar glasses of soda on package plan??

 

:confused:

Although it was my question that started this thread, I know the answer to this. It is unlikely that you will find any diet drinks other than diet cola.

Also, the soda package only applies to drinks in bars or restaurants, not the cans of soda in the room.

I have dealt with this on Princess ships (that have the same soda policies). If I bought the package and wanted to have a soda in my room, I would have to walk to the nearest bar and carry the soda down the elevator and to my room. It was a hassle, so I ended up buying the soda cans in my room, even though I had the package. As a result, I would never drink enough "free" sodas to make the purchase worthwhile. It was cheaper to just pay as you go.

But you can save some money by bringing your own. This is not convenient if you are flying in and taking a taxi to the pier. But if you are able to drive yourself to the pier you can load up on sodas on the way. On one cruise I took 4 12 packs of diet coke with me (a 15 day cruise to Hawaii and back). I think I ended up bringing some back home with me.