Not Sure If This Bone Has Been Chewed

[fatcat04]

Someone posted the entire Celebrity wine list. Is HAL's wine list this extensive?

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1566983

 

The "by the glass" offerings on that list are better than HAL's whole wine list in our opinion but I have always thought HAL's wine selections were abysmal. Still love HAL and many things about HAL are tops in our book. The wine list is not one of them. I would happily no longer cart on my own wine if they adopted such an extensive and exciting wine list as that one posted. DH and I were "ohhing and ahhhing." :D

[peaches from georgia]

I understand the OBC system is interesting.

Seabourn has a fun OBC program whereby someone who has sailed SB before books a cruise and is given OBC from Seabourn. They can then give an equal amount of OBC to a new SB cruiser and each will get that amount put on their shipboard accounts. On our first SB cruise our OBC was $400 to both us and the other cruiser who 'gave' it to us (who can be booked on any SB cruise in the future, not only the one the new cruiser is on). The SB forum on CC is a great place to exchange names for this and it is easy to do. With everything, including tips and drinks, included in your fare except shore excursions we still had the majority of our $400 OBC left to spend on the last day, so DH went to the onboard Men's shop and used it for some very nice clothing.

[mariner]

Nothing on HAL is free

[Harris Jeffer]

Friends of ours are sailing to Bermuda this weekend on Celebrity.

 

They could pay upfront for booze and wine. $800 a couple. All inclusivefor bars and wine with dinner.

 

Sounds reasonable.

 

Should HAL offer this?

 

Reasonable !! not ! Have you checked liquor prices in st Thomas or St Kitts? !!!

[innlady1]

Nothing on HAL is free

 

Nothing on Regent is free, either, nor on any of the other all in inclusive lines. I'm sure the bean counters have calculated what they need to charge for the fares in order to be all inclusive. The fares exceed HAL's...by a significant amount last time I checked.

[TheCalicoCat]

Friends of ours are sailing to Bermuda this weekend on Celebrity.

 

They could pay upfront for booze and wine. $800 a couple. All inclusivefor bars and wine with dinner.

 

Sounds reasonable.

 

Should HAL offer this?

 

Sounds a bit similar to the HAL drink cards - except with the HAL cards, you don't have to feel obligated to drink $800 worth of booze!;)

[SwissMyst]

If someone budgets ahead of time $800 per cruise for alcohol-specialty drinks etc, what would make one worry about ordering these very drinks on their own?

 

Same thing - you pay upfront or you pay at the end. I don't get it. And you might even pay less than the $800 X wants up front.

[Typhoon1]

Sounds like a pretty good option for those that like to indulge in alcohol.

[Go2See]

I too used the Celebrity "all you could drink" option. I did keep track and it was worth the money..... But I drink ALOT of lattes, especially in cold weather!

I enjoyed being able to try so many wines without feeling like I had to drink it, if I didn't like the flavor. Also I was able to try lots of mixed drinks that I had not had before.

All in all, it was worth it, that trip for the learning and flexibility.

 

How does HAL handle package drinks? Do they have them?

[HokiePoq]

And I am sure their Liver is thankful they don't ;)

 

LOL and true, too. If I paid that much, I'd drink way too much trying to get my money's worth. Not a good idea IMHO and could lead to problems onboard.

[jaguarstyper]

$800 sounds like a lot, but its really not. However, I still doubt I would pay it. I have no doubt I COULD drink 8 hundred dollars worth on HAL in a week, but I do not want to feel obligated to do so. I prefer to just pay as I go. If I spend under $800, its all good. If I spend more than $800, then I obviously had a good time, so its still all good. :D

[sapper1]

Our bar tab was in the 650--700 dollar range for our recent 22 day cruise. If we tried to drink 800 dollars worth in one week we would be miserable.

[Christine Frances]

Just had to clarify a bit:)

Actually the Classic Pkg works out to $344.20 per person (over 7 days) and this includes all beers up to $5 and wine/cocktails/liquor up to $8. The Premium Pkg works out to $434.79 and includes all beers and wine/cocktails/liquor (including Martini's) up to $12 glass. With this pkg if you wish to try an expensive wine/cocktail you just pay the difference over the $12.

 

Both packages include unlimited sodas, premium bottled water (Evian,Perrier and San Pellegrino), specialty coffees and teas, frozen drinks and smoothies.

 

It works well for spouses as they are each able to book the pkg that appeals to them.

[earl_m]

Thats too much !!iTS NOT A GOOD DEAL!!

[IslandThyme]

And to add to the clarification, the $800 and something I paid was for 16 days. That much for 7 days would be nuts.

[pdmlynek]

Just had to clarify a bit:)

Actually the Classic Pkg works out to $344.20 per person (over 7 days) and this includes all beers up to $5 and wine/cocktails/liquor up to $8. The Premium Pkg works out to $434.79 and includes all beers and wine/cocktails/liquor (including Martini's) up to $12 glass. ...

 

Even at that, just exactly how much booze can a person drink? $344 at $5/beer or $8/wine, that is over 10 beers a day, or 6 wines per day, just to break even. A person would be drunk or have a buzz for pretty much the whole cruise. It may be just easier to stay at home haul a keg of beer and a crate of wine to your bedroom and watch reruns of Love Boat -- the week is going to be a blur either way.

I guess that it would make sense if this booze would be split between several people. If it is unlimited, what would prevent me from getting a drink, passing it to my spouse, getting another for a friend who is travelling with us, then getting another drink for my friend’s spouse, etc.?

[jaguarstyper]

And to add to the clarification, the $800 and something I paid was for 16 days. That much for 7 days would be nuts.

Oh, well that's a significant clarification. I would certainly pay $800 for an inclusive drink package on a 16 day cruise for 2 people.