Beverage Package

Is the price for SBP the same on all HAL ships and what is the cost?

Thanks

Is the price for SBP the same on all HAL ships and what is the cost?

Thanks

Yes, for the "Signature Beverage Package" (SBP) it is the same; $44.95 per day per person plus 15% automatic gratuity.

There is a different beverage package that is "all inclusive" on Koningsdam that does cost more but you can get the SBP for that cost.

On our recent K'dam trip, an Elite Beverage package at $54.95/day was offered that mirrored the Signature package except it allowed for higher priced wines ($15 not $8).

On our recent K'dam trip, an Elite Beverage package at $54.95/day was offered that mirrored the Signature package except it allowed for higher priced wines ($15 not $8).

That Elite Beverage Package should not be limited to one ship in the fleet. It should be fleet-wide, and just a little programming of the Food & Beverage computer system, plus some promotion of the package, would be all it would take to offer this on all ships. Poor, limited wine selection is the biggest complaint I hear about the standard SBP. That could be easily fixed.

I am assuming that the $54.95/day price you quoted is not including the required 15% service charge. That would make the EBP, if that will be the eventual acronym for this package, cost $63.20 per person/per day. The standard SBP costs $51.70 per person/per day, including the 15% SC.

Want to make your head explode? Carnival's beverage package has a 15 drink limit, but a max price per drink of $50. Sure, you're on Carnival, but that bottle of Cognac that follows you around the ship probably cheers you up.

https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1106/~/cheers!-beverage-program

In case you doubt the $50 limit, remember that the average passenger is a beer drinker. This would never fly on HAL - because we're all above average.

In case you doubt the $50 limit, remember that the average passenger is a beer drinker. This would never fly on HAL - because we're all above average.

Have you been on the Lake Wobegon cruise?

IF they would expand the Elite package fleetwide AND allow people to "buy up" once they board (the way Celebrity does) this would be a HUGE selling point for many traditionally non-HAL cruisers, and even for those of us who like a better bit of vino ...... now just to get that pesky 15 drink limit erased, or changed to just be 15 alcoholic drinks a day :D

Holland REALLY needs to be more competitive in this regard if they want to continue their quest for younger passengers.

Wine is our beverage of choice and we are spoiled in that we drink nice wines (What's the saying: "Life's too short to drink bad wine"?) While we really liked the K'dam and almost every other aspect of the cruise and service, it is highly unlikely we will ever take HAL again due to how they handle their beverages, especially the wine. Had they allowed us to pay the difference to switch to the previously unavailable Elite package, it might be a different story.

Wine is our beverage of choice and we are spoiled in that we drink nice wines (What's the saying: "Life's too short to drink bad wine"?) While we really liked the K'dam and almost every other aspect of the cruise and service, it is highly unlikely we will ever take HAL again due to how they handle their beverages, especially the wine. Had they allowed us to pay the difference to switch to the previously unavailable Elite package, it might be a different story.

Well, if you really like HAL, you could just not buy the beverage package and pay for your wine a la carte. For most cruisers a la carte is a cheaper way to go.