New "elite" beverage package???

Was reading InTheWASide's post with pictures of the Welcome Aboard book.

Something really caught my eye- on the page for beverage packages was the Signature package for drinks up to $7.00 and an Elite package for beverages up to $15.00. First I've heard of this and have been hoping HAL would do this. No prices on the picture- wondering the cost for the new package.

Also wondering if we already have the SBC with our Explore 4 will they allow us to upgrade to the Elite like Celebrity. Just checked "indulgences" in our booking and only shows the SBC

I know several that this will make VERY happy!!!

was reading inthewaside's post with pictures of the welcome aboard book.

 

I know several that this will make very happy!!![attach]383499[/attach]

me me me!!

I thought the Room Service Breakfast charges were interesting, too!

I have to go find that thread.

Was reading InTheWASide's post with pictures of the Welcome Aboard book.

 

Something really caught my eye- on the page for beverage packages was the Signature package for drinks up to $7.00 and an Elite package for beverages up to $15.00. First I've heard of this and have been hoping HAL would do this. No prices on the picture- wondering the cost for the new package.

 

Also wondering if we already have the SBC with our Explore 4 will they allow us to upgrade to the Elite like Celebrity. Just checked "indulgences" in our booking and only shows the SBC

 

I know several that this will make VERY happy!!![ATTACH]383499[/ATTACH]

I don't see the Elite Beverage package on HAL's website, just the Signature Beverage package. I wonder if it is available only on the Koningsdam?

I thought the Room Service Breakfast charges were interesting, too!

Say what??? :eek:

Something slipped by me here, and I'd like to hear more.

Whautalkin'about? :confused: Paying for room service breakfast???

Say what??? :eek:

 

Something slipped by me here, and I'd like to hear more.

 

Whautalkin'about? :confused: Paying for room service breakfast???

It's for items that have never been available for room service before. Smoked salmon Benedict, steak and eggs and smoothies. And pinnacle, Neptune and signature suites don't pay

It's for items that have never been available for room service before. Smoked salmon Benedict, steak and eggs and smoothies. And pinnacle, Neptune and signature suites don't pay

Oh. Whew! That scared me for a minute.

Oh. Whew! That scared me for a minute.

You also can on Koningsdam get room service from Dive In and Pinnacle Grill now!

You also can on Koningsdam get room service from Dive In and Pinnacle Grill now!

I saw that, but it doesn't do anything for me.

Sent an email to our PCC to see if she has heard anything about this.

Sent an email to our PCC to see if she has heard anything about this.

This could be the equivalent to a drug.......I can see myself stopping by every evening for a nice shot of smooth/smokey single malt.

Evidently only on Koningsdam at this time. I can't believe they wouldn't roll it out fleet wide. The competition offers this and would seem a no-brainer to me.

Evidently only on Koningsdam at this time. I can't believe they wouldn't roll it out fleet wide. The competition offers this and would seem a no-brainer to me.

My beloved Maker's Mark is *finally* covered by the SBP. I'm afraid that they'll just jack up the prices with the new plan. Celebrity has higher limits, but their prices are much more expensive. (We have a Celebrity cruise booked for next year, and I tend to study these things.)

I'd love to see - but never will - a credit of $8 per beverage with the option to pay the overage. Of course it's 2016, and there still are no flying cars.

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Hi,

We are on Koningsdam at the end of May and would be interested if anyone knows the price HAL are charging for new Elite package. As a wine drinker with meals the Signature package is useless due to lack of availability of wine by the glass under the $8 limit.

Also, does everyone in the stateroom have to sign up, like with the Signature package? That is also a deal breaker as the better half is not a big drinker so paying for both of us is not cost effective.

Thanks

Evidently only on Koningsdam at this time. I can't believe they wouldn't roll it out fleet wide. The competition offers this and would seem a no-brainer to me.

Frank - have you heard anything back yet ? Inquiring minds want to know!

dave

Frank - have you heard anything back yet ? Inquiring minds want to know!

 

dave

Yes- at this time only on Koningsdam. Hoping it will move to the rest quickly

Anyone have pricing information? And would you be allowed to upgrade your existing package and pay the difference per day?

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It's for items that have never been available for room service before. Smoked salmon Benedict, steak and eggs and smoothies. And pinnacle, Neptune and signature suites don't pay

Uh-oh. Does the New York Times know about this terrible classist accommodation-based discrimination?

Since this new program is only available on Koningsdam I'm sure will have to go through many rounds of price adjustments to get it where people will buy it.

Also in looking at Carnival's beverage package there is a 15 drink limit there also but it specifies 15 alcoholic drinks. Also the max per drink allowed is very high. Pretty much every liquor and wine on board is included up to $50 per serving.

Any news about the elite package? :eek:

We had the Signature Beverage Package (SBP) as a part of an Explore4 promotion for the Christening cruise 9 - 22 May.

The Elite Beverage Package (EBP) was $54.95 per day per person and then the 15% gratuity with a 15 drink limit and unlimited soda from the dispenser that you operate to mix whatever soda you want in a special cup. We asked a beverage waiter in Billboard Onboard if it was possible to pay the difference between the SBP to upgrade to the EBP. He kept asking if we'd purchased the SBP when we boarded and didn't seem to understand what Explore4 was.

Anyhow, we asked him to find a manager so we could ask if we could pay the difference only, that we did not want to buy the EBP unless we only paid the difference between the 2 packages. After a few minutes, he returned and said that we could indeed do this. So, we did.

The next day, our online account accessed via my smartphone on the free intranet webpages the ship now has (and yes, they still have the account kiosks that you can print your bill from) showed that we'd paid the entire price for the EBP ($1643). I assumed, incorrectly, that they would eventually refund the cost of the SBP ($1344) but by day 3, they hadn't. So, off to the front desk to explain what we had wanted to do and ask about the refund.

The front desk had to ask the beverage manager, but eventually we were told..... "No, you can't upgrade the SBP to the EBP when it is part of the Explore4 promotion." This due to different revenue pockets. We asked to be downgraded back to the SBP and offered to pay the freight on all drinks we had purchased that exceeded the SBP benefits. We also asked that they communicate this to the entire beverage department so no one else gets stuck like we did.

The next day the front desk called and asked if we would come by the front desk to discuss the solution. They had decided that since we had originally been told that we could upgrade, they would permit it, this time only. The cost of the EBP was refunded to our account and a charge of $299 was added (the difference plus gratuities.) We were happy campers! :D

Bottom line is, ask at the front desk if you want to do this.

We did enjoy the unlimited soda package with the EBP that includes the crazy soda dispenser. It was nice to order better wines at dinner and top shelf liquors, but I still drank 2 bars dry of my favored "Wild Turkey 101". I was also able to taste the whiskies priced up to $15 at "Notes" without paying, which were several and not all so good. ;)

Have to smile at this thread. We cruise many cruise lines and do normally buy the Premium Beverage Package when on Celebrity (promos normally cover their Classic Package and the upgrade is about another $10 per person/day). But HAL attracts a different kind of cruiser. We just returned from the Grand Med Cruise (55 days on the Prinsendam) where we were informed that HAL has not sold a single beverage package! Bottom line was that this group of 600 very experienced cruisers all realized that it was not a good deal In fact, most on our cruise were in bed by 9:30 and about the only time the bars were a little busy was during the 4-5pm Happy Hour. During sea days, the pool bar did very little business as did the inside bars.

Hank

Makes no sense to me that they would not allow upgrades to the premium package. If the SBC was part of E4 promo at least they could show more revenue by allowing the upgrade.

When I have the SBC I don't drink more expensive liquors and pay for them- I settle for the brands included in the package.

Do you know if all guests in the same stateroom have to purchase the EBP?