Half Price Happy Hour

[MmeH]

Hi - last year on a Noordam cruise we were lucky enough to have Happy Hour between 19:00hrs & 20:00hrs in a couple of bars :). We are cruising on Eurodam on October 13th this year , does anyone know if HAL will be offering the same on this ship?

[Krazy Kruizers]

It varies by ship.

Life you -- last year on our Noordam cruise we enjoyed the Happy Hours -- they were great.

But on other ships right after -- NOTHING!!

[GeriatricNurse]

Hi - last year on a Noordam cruise we were lucky enough to have Happy Hour between 19:00hrs & 20:00hrs in a couple of bars :). We are cruising on Eurodam on October 13th this year , does anyone know if HAL will be offering the same on this ship?

 

 

From my cruising experience with HAL, Happy Hours 2 for 1 were held every day from 1630 to 1730 in both the Ocean Bar and the Crow's Nest.:)

[E-500]

Got the following information from a bartender. The happy hour program differs from ship to ship, times and bars. It is all driven by revenue and budgeted sales targets. The Beverage Manager makes the call. He reviews early sales figures for the cruise and then decides what incentives are needed, if any, to drive sales for that cruise. Look for a "pub crawl" if sales are off. This is a great program, fun and you meet some interesting people.

[tjcox9]

Last HAL cruise on the Volendam, we were invited to a Q&A with Hotel Manager, Shore Excursion Manager and CD. The issue of happy hours came up (we had them every day as I recall from 4:00 - 5:00 PM in the Crow's Nest and I think the Ocean Bar).

 

The Hotel Manager indicated it is up to the ship and he'd been asked by HQ if it was really necessary to do them daily as they were doing........and evidently it paid off as they continued to do them.

 

On the Prinsendam last time, I believe they were periodic, not every day.

 

So, it seems it's anyone's guess what you might run into from ship to ship.

[MmeH]

Some very interesting replies THANKYOU It certainly reduced our bar bill for that trip and even encouraged us to try more cocktails . It would be great to see it again in November !!!:)

[fridayeyes]

Is it half price or 2-for-1? For instance, if I wanted to try two different cocktails, would each be half off, or is it only 'Order 1 pina colada, get two'?

 

I've done plenty of happy hours, and have always had 2-for-1. So far, I've never thought to ask if I could get two different drinks. Would be a good way to try some of the more exotic ones (like that cucumber thingy) w/o worrying about being stuck with 2 if I don't care for it.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Is it half price or 2-for-1? For instance, if I wanted to try two different cocktails, would each be half off, or is it only 'Order 1 pina colada, get two'? On the Noordam -- it is 2 drinks of the same type. Not half price for a drink.

 

I've done plenty of happy hours, and have always had 2-for-1. So far, I've never thought to ask if I could get two different drinks. Would be a good way to try some of the more exotic ones (like that cucumber thingy) w/o worrying about being stuck with 2 if I don't care for it.

 

Hope this helps.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Last HAL cruise on the Volendam, we were invited to a Q&A with Hotel Manager, Shore Excursion Manager and CD. The issue of happy hours came up (we had them every day as I recall from 4:00 - 5:00 PM in the Crow's Nest and I think the Ocean Bar).

 

The Hotel Manager indicated it is up to the ship and he'd been asked by HQ if it was really necessary to do them daily as they were doing........and evidently it paid off as they continued to do them.

 

On the Prinsendam last time, I believe they were periodic, not every day.

 

So, it seems it's anyone's guess what you might run into from ship to ship.

 

We have been invited to a couple of Q & A's -- topic was also brought up. We noticed that on our second cruise the situation was any different -- hardly a sole in any of the lounges -- sales were down -- and the ship did not to encouage people to spend in the bars.

[fridayeyes]

[/b]

 

Hope this helps.

 

Thanks!

[catl331]

Is it half price or 2-for-1? For instance, if I wanted to try two different cocktails, would each be half off, or is it only 'Order 1 pina colada, get two'?

 

I've done plenty of happy hours, and have always had 2-for-1. So far, I've never thought to ask if I could get two different drinks. Would be a good way to try some of the more exotic ones (like that cucumber thingy) w/o worrying about being stuck with 2 if I don't care for it.

I've never been to a happy hour where you could get two different drinks. If that were true, a lot of couples would split one order. If you are with someone else, I suggest you order one two-fer of some drink you know you both like, and one you'd like to try, and then swap one of each pair.

[boards]

On the Zaandam in Apr. 2010 - the happy hour was 10 - 11 pm at the piano bar every night. On our Panama Canal cruise on the Amsterdam in Apr. 2007 there was no happy hour program, lots of happy hours but not with 2 for 1 drinks.

[taxmantoo]

Got the following information from a bartender. The happy hour program differs from ship to ship, times and bars. It is all driven by revenue and budgeted sales targets. The Beverage Manager makes the call. He reviews early sales figures for the cruise and then decides what incentives are needed, if any, to drive sales for that cruise. Look for a "pub crawl" if sales are off. This is a great program, fun and you meet some interesting people.

 

WOW! They really are cutting costs... Now they've got the Upgrade Fairy running this program as well as her own! :D We'll never be able to figure things out anymore :D

[Texas Tillie]

Is it half price or 2-for-1? For instance, if I wanted to try two different cocktails, would each be half off, or is it only 'Order 1 pina colada, get two'?

 

I've done plenty of happy hours, and have always had 2-for-1. So far, I've never thought to ask if I could get two different drinks. Would be a good way to try some of the more exotic ones (like that cucumber thingy) w/o worrying about being stuck with 2 if I don't care for it.

 

On the Oosterdam in June it was from 3:30 to 4:30 several days during the cruise and drinks were half priced....got a $9 glass of wine for $4.50.

[tjcox9]

I've never been to a happy hour where you could get two different drinks. If that were true, a lot of couples would split one order. If you are with someone else, I suggest you order one two-fer of some drink you know you both like, and one you'd like to try, and then swap one of each pair.

 

Yep, that's what we do. One of us likes gin better and the other vodka, so we just share one as neither of us is really adverse to either. Works for us.......looking forward to see if they still have the daily happy hour on our 42 day Volendam cruise in September. (HIC!)

 

[woody14h]

These were great on the Noordam in April and Westerdam in Nov. Be aware that HAL does not allow the 10 drink card to be used for these 2 for 1. Why? Who knows but it was a bummer to be told this after purchasing the card assuming they were for anything.

[G&G]

The best Happy Hours was on the Rotterdam on our 33 day South Pacific cruise in Mar/Apr 2010. Originally there was only one Happy Hour between 5 & 6 PM. A 2nd Happy Hour was added between 7 & 8 PM after our first M&G when a CC member requested a 2nd Happy Hour for those at 2nd Seating Dinner.

 

I tried to get a 2nd Happy Hour on a recent Voyage of the Vikings cruise but the Beverage Manager opted to come up with 5 different excuses as to why HAL could not add a 2nd Happy Hour.

[LindaM]

I've never been to a happy hour where you could get two different drinks. If that were true, a lot of couples would split one order. If you are with someone else, I suggest you order one two-fer of some drink you know you both like, and one you'd like to try, and then swap one of each pair.

 

We had to have TWO whites, and TWO reds, even tho they were the same price. I think we could have had a double cognac for $7.50. That was the upper limit for drinks included in the 2 for 1 price.

 

I don't recall a happy hour on Prinsendam. It probably depends on the volume of drinks sold. We did good on Amsterdam---not a lot of drinkers there, I guess!!

[holacanada]

Hi !

 

I want to know if I buy a bucket o' beers, did they double the quantities ?

 

Holacanada boarding NA in 29 days, 5 hours, 11 minutes and 57 seconds

[Goldygolfer]

;)We were on HAL Westerdam in the Meditteranean in May.

 

You are probably aware that the deal with the "Bucket of Beer" is that you pay for 4 beers and actually get 5 in a large ice bucket.

 

My husband and a mate (who met on the first day of the cruise) are avid beer drinkers and were delighted to find that during Happy Hour, they could get 2 Buckets of Beer for the price of one - ie they paid for 4 beers and received 10 !!!!

 

However, their euphoria was short-lived as the ship's management (or whoever) woke up to these cunning Aussies after a few days and cut the offer to pay for 3 and receive 6. Still quite a good deal, but not as good as the one they were previously enjoying. Good luck.

[larry_s_taco]

We are going on the Amsterdam to Alaska. Has anyone experienced them having a happy hour on this particular cuise/ship?

Thanks

[LindaM]

We are going on the Amsterdam to Alaska. Has anyone experienced them having a happy hour on this particular cuise/ship?

Thanks

 

Go back and reread the threads here--I just wrote about it!

[RuthC]

We are going on the Amsterdam to Alaska. Has anyone experienced them having a happy hour on this particular cuise/ship?

Thanks

To expand on what LindaM posted, on the Amsterdam/Alaska run the Happy Hours were as early as 3:30, and as late as 10:00PM in various lounges.

As a matter of fact, in the Piano Lounge, they served me one drink, and held the other back so it wouldn't get diluted. Only when I had finished the first did the second magically appear. Nice touch. :)

[Philip217]

We have been invited to a couple of Q & A's -- topic was also brought up. We noticed that on our second cruise the situation was any different -- hardly a sole in any of the lounges -- sales were down -- and the ship did not to encouage people to spend in the bars.

 

"hardly a soul in any of the lounges"..........................

 

Were you looking for fish or shoes?

[cruisemom42]

Are these happy hours listed in the daily activities or do you just need to ask someone on the bar staff to figure out when and where they might be offered on any particular ship? I'd hate to miss the opportunity and only find out on day 10 of my 12-day cruise! ;)

 

I think I read somewhere that the happy hour prices are also good for soda (e.g., buy one, get one free). Can anyone confirm if that is true?