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Signature Beverage Package, yay or nay?


EeyoreFan1967
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Yes or no to Signature Beverage Package  

43 members have voted

  1. 1. Yes or no to Signature Beverage Package

    • YES go for the package!
      11
    • NO forget the package and pay OOP for those drinks!
      32


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I'm debating purchasing this beverage package (around $1500) for our family of 4 for our 7 night Alaska cruise in May.

 

We enjoy our cocktails before/after dinner and maybe a few glasses of wine with dinner. My son and husband enjoy sodas and specialty coffees more than alcoholic drinks generally. We will be off the ship almost 3 full days enjoying the ports. I'm not sure if it's worth it to purchase the package...not sure if we will even break even financially, but OTOH, we won't have to think about what we order, which is a great concept when on vacation.

 

What are your experiences and would you personally recommend the package, please vote, yay or nay.

 

Thanks!

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I'm one of the no votes but I wanted to say that choosing to purchase the package really depends on one's beverage intake while on vacation. As long as one gets their money's worth, ie. covers the cost of the package per day, it can be a great deal. For us, it isn't.

 

Just know that the wine offered under the SBP is not, IMO, very good.

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I'm debating purchasing this beverage package (around $1500) for our family of 4 for our 7 night Alaska cruise in May.

 

 

 

We enjoy our cocktails before/after dinner and maybe a few glasses of wine with dinner. My son and husband enjoy sodas and specialty coffees more than alcoholic drinks generally. We will be off the ship almost 3 full days enjoying the ports. I'm not sure if it's worth it to purchase the package...not sure if we will even break even financially, but OTOH, we won't have to think about what we order, which is a great concept when on vacation.

 

 

 

What are your experiences and would you personally recommend the package, please vote, yay or nay.

 

 

 

Thanks!

 

 

Nay,

 

You won't even come close to breaking even, let alone make money on this deal if you drink as described.

 

Plus you will end up thinking about what you order MORE not less....you will end up mentally counting your drinks and your families drinks...."Are you sure you don't want another latte, we need to get our money's worth" ,

 

You may find yourself drinking more (and thinking about what you order more) than you would otherwise.....you will always be thinking in the back of your head - I need 3 more drinks today to get ahead..

 

Only get this if you have routinely spent more than $1500 on drinks on other cruises

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The bottom line is will the package pay for itself ? I am referencing the Signature Beverage Package (SBP) not the elite package.

The average cocktail price on HAL ships is $7.95, a little more for call brands, but rarely exceeding the $9 limit.

If you pay out of pocket, a $7.95 drink will cost you $9.14 with the service charge. The SBP, purchased online, ahead of the cruise, costs $44.95 per day plus 15% service charge. That is $51.70 per day. If you divide $51.70 by $9.14, you get 5.6. So, after 5 or 6 drinks, you are drinking free. Only you can determine your personal beverage consumption. And don't use what you normally do at home. You are on vacation, the captain is doing the driving, so you can let go a bit. On long cruises with many sea days, we find the SBP to be a good value. On short cruises with a port every day, not so much. You decide.

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For us we have gotten the Explore 4. When we did our 24 day Med cruise I kept all receipts out of curiosity to see how much we would of spent. $1,600. It would of cost us sooo much more buying the package and as others have said,It wouldn’t even breaking the bank! We couldn’t drink enough to come close. All our waters, coffee and cocktails. So with our next cruise in February we’re doing 28 days South America got the Explore 4 again!!

Good luck on decision making for yourself!

Denise:)

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Beverage HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Mineral Water 1.5L $3.95 Yes Yes

Mineral Water 0.5L $1.95 Yes Yes

San Pelligrino 1.0L $4.50 Yes Yes

Perrier 750ml $3.25 Yes Yes

Juices - All $2.75 Yes Yes

Soda - All $2.25 Yes Yes

Red Bull $4.50 Yes Yes

Red Bull Sugar Free $4.50 Yes Yes

 

WINE HAL Price HAL SBP # HAL EBP #

House Sparkling $6.50 1 1

Prosecco $6.75 1 1

Other Sparkling $9.50 0 1

Champagne $12.50 0 1

Pinot Grigio $6.50-$11.00 1 2

Chablis $13.50 0 1

Chardonnay $6.50-$9.75 2 4

Riesling $7.25-8.50 2 2

Moscato $8.50 1 1

Sauv Blanc $8.50-$9.75 1 2

Barbera $9.75 0 1

Claret $13.50 0 1

Malbec $8.50 1 1

Merlot $6.50-$12.25 1 2

Cabernet Sauv $6.50-$9.75 3 5

Shiraz/Syrah $7.25-$14.75 2 3

Pinot Noir $9.75 0 2

Zinfandel $6.50 1 1

White Zin $6.50 1 1

Dessert Wine $7.95 1 1

Number Wines Available 19 34

 

BEER 12 oz HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Amstel Light $5.95 Yes Yes

Beck's $5.95 Yes Yes

Blue Moon $5.95 Yes Yes

Corona $5.95 Yes Yes

Guinness Stout $6.25 Yes Yes

Heineken $5.95 Yes Yes

Molson $5.95 Yes Yes

Sam Adams Boston Lager $5.95 Yes Yes

Stella Artois $5.95 Yes Yes

 

BEER 16 oz HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Boddington's $6.25 Yes Yes

Bud $6.25 Yes Yes

Bud Light $6.25 Yes Yes

Bud Light Lime $6.25 Yes Yes

Coors Light $6.25 Yes Yes

Grolsch $7.25 Yes Yes

Michelob Ultra $6.25 Yes Yes

Miller Genuine Draft $6.25 Yes Yes

Miller Lite $6.25 Yes Yes

 

CIDER'S/OTHER HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Crispin Cider $5.75 Yes Yes

NA Beer $4.25 Yes Yes

Rekordling Pear $6.50 Yes Yes

Rekordling Strawberry/Lime $6.50 Yes Yes

Smirnoff Ice $5.25 Yes Yes

Strongbow Cider $5.75 Yes Yes

 

VODKA HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Absolut $7.25 Yes Yes

Absolut Citron $7.25 Yes Yes

Absolut Mandarin $7.25 Yes Yes

Absolut Vanilla $7.25 Yes Yes

Belvedere $9.95 Excluded Yes

Chopin $9.95 Excluded Yes

Finlandia $6.25 Yes Yes

Grey Goose $7.95 Yes Yes

Grey Goose Citron $7.95 Yes Yes

Grey Goose 'Orange $7.95 Yes Yes

Grey Goose La Poire $7.95 Yes Yes

Ketel One $7.50 Yes Yes

New Amsterdam $6.95 Yes Yes

Skyy $6.75 Yes Yes

Skyy Pineapple $6.75 Yes Yes

Smirnoff $6.75 Yes Yes

Stolichnaya $6.75 Yes Yes

Tito's $6.75 Yes Yes

Vox $6.95 Yes Yes

 

RUM HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Appleton $7.25 Yes Yes

Bacardi $7.00 Yes Yes

Bacardi 8 $7.00 Yes Yes

Bacardi Gold $7.00 Yes Yes

Bacardi Limon $7.00 Yes Yes

Bacardi Oakheart $7.00 Yes Yes

Bacardi Razz $7.00 Yes Yes

Brugal $6.75 Yes Yes

Captain Morgan $6.75 Yes Yes

Cruzan $6.75 Yes Yes

Gosling's Black Seal $7.25 Yes Yes

Malibu $6.75 Yes Yes

Myer's Dark $6.75 Yes Yes

Pyrat XO $6.75 Yes Yes

 

BOURBON HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Buffalo Trace $6.75 Yes Yes

Jack Daniels $7.50 Yes Yes

Jack Daniels Honey $7.50 Yes Yes

Jim Beam $6.75 Yes Yes

Jim Beam Red Stag $6.75 Yes Yes

Knob Creek $7.95 Yes Yes

Maker's Mark $7.95 Yes Yes

Tatoosh $7.95 Yes Yes

Wild Turkey 101 $6.75 Yes Yes

 

RYE/IRISH WHISKY HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Canadian Club $6.75 Yes Yes

Crown Royal $7.00 Yes Yes

Jameson Irish $6.75 Yes Yes

Seagram's 7 Crown $6.75 Yes Yes

Seagram's VO $6.75 Yes Yes

Tatoosh Rye $7.95 Yes Yes

 

SCOTCH HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Aberfeldy $7.75 Yes Yes

Ballentine's $6.75 Yes Yes

Chivas Regal $7.25 Yes Yes

Cutty Sark $6.75 Yes Yes

Dalmore $10.25 Excluded Yes

Dewar's 12 Year Old $7.25 Yes Yes

Dewar's White $7.00 Yes Yes

Glen Deveron $8.50 Yes Yes

Glenfiddich $10.25 Excluded Yes

Glenlivet $8.95 Yes Yes

Glenmorangie $9.95 Excluded Yes

Highland Park $11.95 Excluded Yes

J&B $6.75 Yes Yes

Johnnie Walker - Black $7.75 Yes Yes

Johnnie Walker - Red $7.00 Yes Yes

Laphroaig $8.95 Yes Yes

Macallan Select Oak $11.95 Excluded Yes

 

GIN HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Bols Dutch Jenever $6.75 Yes Yes

Bombay $6.75 Yes Yes

Bombay Sapphire $7.50 Yes Yes

Hendricks $8.00 Yes Yes

Tanqueray $7.50 Yes Yes

Tanqueray 10 $7.50 Yes Yes

 

TEQUILA HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Cabo Wabo Blanco $9.95 Excluded Yes

Cazadores Anejo $9.95 Excluded Yes

El Jimador Silver $7.75 Yes Yes

Herradura Reposado $9.95 Excluded Yes

Herradura Silver $9.75 Excluded Yes

Jose Cuervo 1800 $7.75 Yes Yes

Jose Cuervo Gold $6.95 Yes Yes

Patron Anejo $13.95 Excluded Yes

Patron Reposado $11.95 Excluded Yes

Patron Silver $9.95 Excluded Yes

 

APERITIF HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Aperol $6.50 Yes Yes

Campari $6.50 Yes Yes

Dubonnet $6.00 Yes Yes

Pernod $6.25 Yes Yes

Vermouth $6.00 Yes Yes

 

COGNAC/ARMAGNAC HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Armagnac $8.95 Yes Yes

Courvoisier Napoleon $10.95 Excluded Yes

Courvoisier VS $7.50 Yes Yes

Courvoisier VSOP $8.50 Yes Yes

Hennessey VS $7.95 Yes Yes

Hennessey VSOP $9.95 Excluded Yes

Hennessey XO $19.95 Excluded Excluded

Remy Martin VSOP $10.95 Excluded Yes

Remy Martin XO $18.95 Excluded Excluded

 

DIGESTIF HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Aquavit $5.95 Yes Yes

Grappa di Alexander $6.75 Yes Yes

Grappa di Cabernet $6.50 Yes Yes

Grappa di Prosecco $6.25 Yes Yes

Limoncello $6.50 Yes Yes

Villa Massa Limoncello PGI $7.00 Yes Yes

 

LIQUEUR HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Amaretto Disaronno $6.75 Yes Yes

Baileys Irish Cream $6.95 Yes Yes

Chambord $6.25 Yes Yes

Cointreau $6.75 Yes Yes

Crème de Menthe $6.25 Yes Yes

D.O.M. Benedictine $6.50 Yes Yes

Drambuie $6.95 Yes Yes

Frangelico $6.75 Yes Yes

Galliano $6.25 Yes Yes

Grand Marnier $6.95 Yes Yes

Jagermeister $6.75 Yes Yes

Kahlua $6.75 Yes Yes

Patron Cafe XO $11.95 Excluded Yes

Patron Citronage $6.25 Yes Yes

Sambuca $6.95 Yes Yes

Southern Comfort $6.95 Yes Yes

Tia Maria $6.75 Yes Yes

 

PORT/SHERRY HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Dow's LBV $7.95 Yes Yes

f-larvey Bristol Cream Sherry $6.00 Yes Yes

Graham's Six Grapes $9.95 Excluded Yes

Sandeman $6.50 Yes Yes

Smith Woodhouse Reserve LBV $6.50 Yes Yes

Tio Pepe Sherry $6.25 Yes Yes

Warre's Otima $6.50 Yes Yes

Warre's Warrior Tawny $9.95 Excluded Yes

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If you consume more than 4-5 drinks daily, this includes bottled water, speciality coffees, and alcoholic beverages you'll do better with the package. Plus there will not be any bills or receipts to check over at the end of the cruise. It's a lot less of a hassle. We always either get the Explorer 4 package which includes the SBP or purchase it.

 

Dan

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From the sound of it seems like you would not get the benefit of the drink packages. I have run the numbers each time we cruise and always end up not getting a package. For me it is like trying to over indulge just to break even. My advice would be to take that money you would spend on the package and lace our onboard account before hand. If you use it all it well. If you don't you get the pocket the remainder or apply it to other onboard expenses.

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Value of a drink package is very relative. We have had drink packages (some bundled with promos) on both Celebrity and Holland, most recently being last year when on the Konigsdam. Though each line's beverage packages vary, in almost every case when comparing the value of the package to the cost of pay as you go, we have found that we maye broke even on the packages once or twice. A couple of thoughts to ponder: 1) would having a package that costs as much as you describe encourage a heavier alcohol consumption than other wise you/your family members would indulge in, perhaps to their detriment? And would that be ok? 2) would all those in your party consume sufficient beverages (of whatever type) so as to break even on the package price? and 3) how much additional for beverages would you contemplate spending when off the ship on port days, which adds to the total cost for beverages over the 7 day cruise (especially consider the amount of time spent ashore which reduces the amount of time to chug alcoholic drinks on board). My guess is that the cruise lines have done sufficient research to conclude that at the stated price of the drink package the majority of buyers will not break even. In our case a major consideration is that my wife imbibes far less than I do, so being forced to buy her package if I buy one is really less economic approach than just paying on the fly.

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My DW and I mainly drink Champaign while on board. Champaign is not included on either of the wine packages. We may also want a cocktail made with the higher end liquors. We have therefor decided that the elite drink package will give us the best value for our money. Also we recently completed a cruise on the Silversea Muse and really enjoyed the fact that there was no need to sign for each drink. While neither of us will approach the maximum of 15 drinks allowed under the packages, we probably will easily have enough to more than break even on the package.

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My DW and I mainly drink Champaign while on board. Champaign is not included on either of the wine packages. We may also want a cocktail made with the higher end liquors. We have therefor decided that the elite drink package will give us the best value for our money. Also we recently completed a cruise on the Silversea Muse and really enjoyed the fact that there was no need to sign for each drink. While neither of us will approach the maximum of 15 drinks allowed under the packages, we probably will easily have enough to more than break even on the package.
Could it be because you are looking for something that doesn't exist? There is a Champagne on the Elite Beverage Package list. It's Nicholas Feuillatte Brut. (Blue label.)

 

There is no champaign.

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My DW and I mainly drink Champaign while on board. Champaign is not included on either of the wine packages. We may also want a cocktail made with the higher end liquors. We have therefor decided that the elite drink package will give us the best value for our money. Also we recently completed a cruise on the Silversea Muse and really enjoyed the fact that there was no need to sign for each drink. While neither of us will approach the maximum of 15 drinks allowed under the packages, we probably will easily have enough to more than break even on the package.

 

 

 

Even with the elite package, I still think you have to present your card and sign. It's been a while since I had a package, but I don't think you can avoid the signing process whether or not you have the package.

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I voted "NO" to a beverage package. Though dh and I do drink more than normal on a cruise we would never come close to 15 per day. Also I always order a bottle of our favorite liquor and bring ample mixers as we enjoy sitting in our cabin and having a drink together. Dh usually gets a latte in the morning we each have a drink before dinner some times we order a bottle of wine and maybe a drink after dinner. If we are on a warm weather cruise we may get a drink at the pool in the afternoon. That is about all. No way would we even come close to a 'break even point".

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Even with the elite package, I still think you have to present your card and sign. It's been a while since I had a package, but I don't think you can avoid the signing process whether or not you have the package.

I haven't had to sign for anything on my last two cruises. You just give them your card and your drink appears.

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Beverage HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Mineral Water 1.5L $3.95 Yes Yes

Mineral Water 0.5L $1.95 Yes Yes

San Pelligrino 1.0L $4.50 Yes Yes

Perrier 750ml $3.25 Yes Yes

Juices - All $2.75 Yes Yes

Soda - All $2.25 Yes Yes

Red Bull $4.50 Yes Yes

Red Bull Sugar Free $4.50 Yes Yes

 

WINE HAL Price HAL SBP # HAL EBP #

House Sparkling $6.50 1 1

Prosecco $6.75 1 1

Other Sparkling $9.50 0 1

Champagne $12.50 0 1

Pinot Grigio $6.50-$11.00 1 2

Chablis $13.50 0 1

Chardonnay $6.50-$9.75 2 4

Riesling $7.25-8.50 2 2

Moscato $8.50 1 1

Sauv Blanc $8.50-$9.75 1 2

Barbera $9.75 0 1

Claret $13.50 0 1

Malbec $8.50 1 1

Merlot $6.50-$12.25 1 2

Cabernet Sauv $6.50-$9.75 3 5

Shiraz/Syrah $7.25-$14.75 2 3

Pinot Noir $9.75 0 2

Zinfandel $6.50 1 1

White Zin $6.50 1 1

Dessert Wine $7.95 1 1

Number Wines Available 19 34

 

BEER 12 oz HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Amstel Light $5.95 Yes Yes

Beck's $5.95 Yes Yes

Blue Moon $5.95 Yes Yes

Corona $5.95 Yes Yes

Guinness Stout $6.25 Yes Yes

Heineken $5.95 Yes Yes

Molson $5.95 Yes Yes

Sam Adams Boston Lager $5.95 Yes Yes

Stella Artois $5.95 Yes Yes

 

BEER 16 oz HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Boddington's $6.25 Yes Yes

Bud $6.25 Yes Yes

Bud Light $6.25 Yes Yes

Bud Light Lime $6.25 Yes Yes

Coors Light $6.25 Yes Yes

Grolsch $7.25 Yes Yes

Michelob Ultra $6.25 Yes Yes

Miller Genuine Draft $6.25 Yes Yes

Miller Lite $6.25 Yes Yes

 

CIDER'S/OTHER HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Crispin Cider $5.75 Yes Yes

NA Beer $4.25 Yes Yes

Rekordling Pear $6.50 Yes Yes

Rekordling Strawberry/Lime $6.50 Yes Yes

Smirnoff Ice $5.25 Yes Yes

Strongbow Cider $5.75 Yes Yes

 

VODKA HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Absolut $7.25 Yes Yes

Absolut Citron $7.25 Yes Yes

Absolut Mandarin $7.25 Yes Yes

Absolut Vanilla $7.25 Yes Yes

Belvedere $9.95 Excluded Yes

Chopin $9.95 Excluded Yes

Finlandia $6.25 Yes Yes

Grey Goose $7.95 Yes Yes

Grey Goose Citron $7.95 Yes Yes

Grey Goose 'Orange $7.95 Yes Yes

Grey Goose La Poire $7.95 Yes Yes

Ketel One $7.50 Yes Yes

New Amsterdam $6.95 Yes Yes

Skyy $6.75 Yes Yes

Skyy Pineapple $6.75 Yes Yes

Smirnoff $6.75 Yes Yes

Stolichnaya $6.75 Yes Yes

Tito's $6.75 Yes Yes

Vox $6.95 Yes Yes

 

RUM HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Appleton $7.25 Yes Yes

Bacardi $7.00 Yes Yes

Bacardi 8 $7.00 Yes Yes

Bacardi Gold $7.00 Yes Yes

Bacardi Limon $7.00 Yes Yes

Bacardi Oakheart $7.00 Yes Yes

Bacardi Razz $7.00 Yes Yes

Brugal $6.75 Yes Yes

Captain Morgan $6.75 Yes Yes

Cruzan $6.75 Yes Yes

Gosling's Black Seal $7.25 Yes Yes

Malibu $6.75 Yes Yes

Myer's Dark $6.75 Yes Yes

Pyrat XO $6.75 Yes Yes

 

BOURBON HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Buffalo Trace $6.75 Yes Yes

Jack Daniels $7.50 Yes Yes

Jack Daniels Honey $7.50 Yes Yes

Jim Beam $6.75 Yes Yes

Jim Beam Red Stag $6.75 Yes Yes

Knob Creek $7.95 Yes Yes

Maker's Mark $7.95 Yes Yes

Tatoosh $7.95 Yes Yes

Wild Turkey 101 $6.75 Yes Yes

 

RYE/IRISH WHISKY HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Canadian Club $6.75 Yes Yes

Crown Royal $7.00 Yes Yes

Jameson Irish $6.75 Yes Yes

Seagram's 7 Crown $6.75 Yes Yes

Seagram's VO $6.75 Yes Yes

Tatoosh Rye $7.95 Yes Yes

 

SCOTCH HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Aberfeldy $7.75 Yes Yes

Ballentine's $6.75 Yes Yes

Chivas Regal $7.25 Yes Yes

Cutty Sark $6.75 Yes Yes

Dalmore $10.25 Excluded Yes

Dewar's 12 Year Old $7.25 Yes Yes

Dewar's White $7.00 Yes Yes

Glen Deveron $8.50 Yes Yes

Glenfiddich $10.25 Excluded Yes

Glenlivet $8.95 Yes Yes

Glenmorangie $9.95 Excluded Yes

Highland Park $11.95 Excluded Yes

J&B $6.75 Yes Yes

Johnnie Walker - Black $7.75 Yes Yes

Johnnie Walker - Red $7.00 Yes Yes

Laphroaig $8.95 Yes Yes

Macallan Select Oak $11.95 Excluded Yes

 

GIN HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Bols Dutch Jenever $6.75 Yes Yes

Bombay $6.75 Yes Yes

Bombay Sapphire $7.50 Yes Yes

Hendricks $8.00 Yes Yes

Tanqueray $7.50 Yes Yes

Tanqueray 10 $7.50 Yes Yes

 

TEQUILA HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Cabo Wabo Blanco $9.95 Excluded Yes

Cazadores Anejo $9.95 Excluded Yes

El Jimador Silver $7.75 Yes Yes

Herradura Reposado $9.95 Excluded Yes

Herradura Silver $9.75 Excluded Yes

Jose Cuervo 1800 $7.75 Yes Yes

Jose Cuervo Gold $6.95 Yes Yes

Patron Anejo $13.95 Excluded Yes

Patron Reposado $11.95 Excluded Yes

Patron Silver $9.95 Excluded Yes

 

APERITIF HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Aperol $6.50 Yes Yes

Campari $6.50 Yes Yes

Dubonnet $6.00 Yes Yes

Pernod $6.25 Yes Yes

Vermouth $6.00 Yes Yes

 

COGNAC/ARMAGNAC HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Armagnac $8.95 Yes Yes

Courvoisier Napoleon $10.95 Excluded Yes

Courvoisier VS $7.50 Yes Yes

Courvoisier VSOP $8.50 Yes Yes

Hennessey VS $7.95 Yes Yes

Hennessey VSOP $9.95 Excluded Yes

Hennessey XO $19.95 Excluded Excluded

Remy Martin VSOP $10.95 Excluded Yes

Remy Martin XO $18.95 Excluded Excluded

 

DIGESTIF HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Aquavit $5.95 Yes Yes

Grappa di Alexander $6.75 Yes Yes

Grappa di Cabernet $6.50 Yes Yes

Grappa di Prosecco $6.25 Yes Yes

Limoncello $6.50 Yes Yes

Villa Massa Limoncello PGI $7.00 Yes Yes

 

LIQUEUR HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Amaretto Disaronno $6.75 Yes Yes

Baileys Irish Cream $6.95 Yes Yes

Chambord $6.25 Yes Yes

Cointreau $6.75 Yes Yes

Crème de Menthe $6.25 Yes Yes

D.O.M. Benedictine $6.50 Yes Yes

Drambuie $6.95 Yes Yes

Frangelico $6.75 Yes Yes

Galliano $6.25 Yes Yes

Grand Marnier $6.95 Yes Yes

Jagermeister $6.75 Yes Yes

Kahlua $6.75 Yes Yes

Patron Cafe XO $11.95 Excluded Yes

Patron Citronage $6.25 Yes Yes

Sambuca $6.95 Yes Yes

Southern Comfort $6.95 Yes Yes

Tia Maria $6.75 Yes Yes

 

PORT/SHERRY HAL Price HAL SBP HAL EBP

Dow's LBV $7.95 Yes Yes

f-larvey Bristol Cream Sherry $6.00 Yes Yes

Graham's Six Grapes $9.95 Excluded Yes

Sandeman $6.50 Yes Yes

Smith Woodhouse Reserve LBV $6.50 Yes Yes

Tio Pepe Sherry $6.25 Yes Yes

Warre's Otima $6.50 Yes Yes

Warre's Warrior Tawny $9.95 Excluded Yes

 

Thanks for this, it helps a lot! Saved for future reference.

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Nay,

 

You won't even come close to breaking even, let alone make money on this deal if you drink as described.

 

Plus you will end up thinking about what you order MORE not less....you will end up mentally counting your drinks and your families drinks...."Are you sure you don't want another latte, we need to get our money's worth" ,

 

You may find yourself drinking more (and thinking about what you order more) than you would otherwise.....you will always be thinking in the back of your head - I need 3 more drinks today to get ahead..

 

Only get this if you have routinely spent more than $1500 on drinks on other cruises

 

I think whether we get the package or not, it will be hard not to think about the cost. That is the dilemma. If we do get it we will be thinking of getting our money's worth, while if we don't get it, we might be overly conscious of what we are spending and choose not to order something we might really want. Well, not me so much, I will get what I want ;p...but the hub and the kids might be more focused on cost...? At least, I am concerned they will be.

 

I wish we could answer the question about our routine beverage spending on other cruises. This is our first one as a family and my son's first cruise as a drinking-age adult. We are so excited to be finally doing this trip together!! :D

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The bottom line is will the package pay for itself ? I am referencing the Signature Beverage Package (SBP) not the elite package.

The average cocktail price on HAL ships is $7.95, a little more for call brands, but rarely exceeding the $9 limit.

If you pay out of pocket, a $7.95 drink will cost you $9.14 with the service charge. The SBP, purchased online, ahead of the cruise, costs $44.95 per day plus 15% service charge. That is $51.70 per day. If you divide $51.70 by $9.14, you get 5.6. So, after 5 or 6 drinks, you are drinking free. Only you can determine your personal beverage consumption. And don't use what you normally do at home. You are on vacation, the captain is doing the driving, so you can let go a bit. On long cruises with many sea days, we find the SBP to be a good value. On short cruises with a port every day, not so much. You decide.

 

Yeah I've done this math already and it STILL so hard to decide. If I look at the costs of the drinks including juices, bottled water, up-charged coffee drinks (lattes and cappuccinos) and cocktails...it really adds up. But how can I decide for sure in advance if we're all going to be in the mood to go to BB King's each night for an hour or two after dinner or if we want those pre-dinner cocktail in the Crow's Nest? We might fall a few bucks short of breaking even, we might break even...but we won't have to worry or stop ourselves from having that latte because we don't want to pay for it...you know? Though overwhelming CC'ers recommend NO package. When my kids are here over Christmas maybe we will sit down with the price list and go day by day and decide what we would IDEALLY order and figure out if it makes sense.

 

I should also calculate carrying on some water and soda and 4 bottles of wine and comparing those numbers as well, since that is an option. Thanks for your input!

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Value of a drink package is very relative. We have had drink packages (some bundled with promos) on both Celebrity and Holland, most recently being last year when on the Konigsdam. Though each line's beverage packages vary, in almost every case when comparing the value of the package to the cost of pay as you go, we have found that we maye broke even on the packages once or twice. A couple of thoughts to ponder: 1) would having a package that costs as much as you describe encourage a heavier alcohol consumption than other wise you/your family members would indulge in, perhaps to their detriment? And would that be ok? 2) would all those in your party consume sufficient beverages (of whatever type) so as to break even on the package price? and 3) how much additional for beverages would you contemplate spending when off the ship on port days, which adds to the total cost for beverages over the 7 day cruise (especially consider the amount of time spent ashore which reduces the amount of time to chug alcoholic drinks on board). My guess is that the cruise lines have done sufficient research to conclude that at the stated price of the drink package the majority of buyers will not break even. In our case a major consideration is that my wife imbibes far less than I do, so being forced to buy her package if I buy one is really less economic approach than just paying on the fly.

 

I don't imagine we will drink much in ports, maybe just a quick stop in a local restaurant at each of the three ports for a small taste of local fare IF we even have time. We have big long excursions planned. Which also means that on our port days, our on-ship drinking time will be very limited.

 

Good point about your wife's habits versus yours. We have two cabins, one for my son and daughter, one for my hubby and me. If I chose cabin mates based on drinking habits, I would have split us by gender. Still an option to do that on paper, maybe. Hmmm...

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