Unlimited Beverage Package

[Rockfan2]

"Another beverage question I had, I have seen several posts about $1 second beverages when and where is this offered? and what are typical drink prices? I like mimosas, Bloody marys, pina colada's and wine, my husband likes makers and ginger and wine."

 

Happy hour has buy one, get the second for $1.00/ Usually offered in the Ocena Bar and Crows Nest during Happy Hour at 4 pm - 5 pm.

 

Rockfan2

[OVgirl]

We just came off the Nieuw Amsterdam and they did offer the "All inclusive" beverage package for both segments of our B2B cruise.

 

For Nu2cruise'13, they offered Mimosas at breakfast for $3.50 most mornings in the Lido.

 

I also heard some whispers of specifying that the corkage fee for wine, might be posted as $18 per 750ml bottle of wine (=$36 per 1.5litre bottle). No concrete information about this yet, but who knows.....

[MAPCruises]

Thanks for the drink info. Just running my calcs to see if $45.95 x 2 x 7 is worth it for a cruise with 4 port days. Can anyone verify that you can not use it at half moon cay?

[Cruiz'nBaers]

Thanks for the drink info. Just running my calcs to see if $45.95 x 2 x 7 is worth it for a cruise with 4 port days. Can anyone verify that you can not use it at half moon cay?

 

The card CANNOT be used at Half Moon Cay.

[lovetocruise2020]

The card CANNOT be used at Half Moon Cay.

it is now looking less favorable.

[ger_77]

I just called HAL ship services about this one - because I do not want to be "pirating" booze and carting pop/wine onbord if we can get an unlimited drink package. After checking with the supervisor I was told "This option is available to certain GROUPS as a group amenity. It is not an option for individual cruisers" Darn it.... Oh well....

 

Strange' date=' we just returned from the Nieuw Amsterdam's Eastern Caribbean where it was offered to everyone. I couldn't imagine drinking 15 drinks a day, nor could DH, so we passed on the offer. We saw a couple of people who had purchased the package and wow, they were r-e-a-l-l-y enjoying it![/size']

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[MAPCruises]

it is now looking less favorable.

 

 

Yes, I would agree with only 3 days on ship that is a lot of money to commit to. I guess it is to total Wine and Rum Runners I go.... ;)

[lovetocruise2020]

Yes' date=' I would agree with only 3 days on ship that is a lot of money to commit to. I guess it is to total Wine and Rum Runners I go.... ;)[/quote']

 

I just bought 2, 1 liter bottles of Malibu for a total of $69.

Funny, NCL and Carnival its double, so just 1, 1 liter bottle for $74.!!!

HAL's in room liquor prices are great.

 

I'd really like to do the package if it was on HMC, but for 4 days, not so much. For our B2B its over $1100.

 

For a 14 day cruise:

I will buy one more bottle of Malibu, buy some Creme De Menthe ($24) and Creme De Caco ($24) and some Vodka ($30) for our Grasshoppers, buy a case of beer at a happy hour, (unopened) (they usually have no problem with selling that many, they give us the 6 packs to carry them) and carry on all my own wine, all my own champagne & port, and buy some Canaletto wine on ship (2), pay 6 corkage fees for the MDR nights, and buy whatever else I want while out and about in the ship while listening to Adagio,or in the Cabana and I will still be under $600.

 

We always have a sig, amount of onboard spending, but we spend very wisely. We like to hit the onboard spending bonus.

 

It just makes no sense at all to pay over $1100 for only 4 sea days.

 

Now if HMC was offered, then I would surely jump on board, because that is 6 full days.

Edited February 27, 2013 by surfergirle

[jaguarstyper]

Strange, we just returned from the Nieuw Amsterdam's Eastern Caribbean where it was offered to everyone. I couldn't imagine drinking 15 drinks a day, nor could DH, so we passed on the offer. We saw a couple of people who had purchased the package and wow, they were r-e-a-l-l-y enjoying it!

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

I'm curious where you came up with 15 drinks a day? If the package is $40 per day and you drank 15 drinks, that would be a little over $2.60 per drink. I don't ever recall paying $2.60 for any drink on HAL, except maybe soda. If you are basing this on soft drinks only, I would not see any benefit to it at all. But for alcoholic beverages, its not a particularly bad way to go. The break even point would be around 5 or 6 drinks per day depending on what you are drinking.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Retired Mustang was on the Noordam in February and they got a flier about the Drink Package.

This is from his "Live" report:

All-Inclusive Beverage Package (info from the flyer)

“Holland America is pleased to introduce a new service that allows you to select from a variety of wine, beer, spirits, cocktails (including non-alcoholic) for $39.95 per person, per day. Details:

- Only available today and tomorrow

- Ask your bartender to sign up

- Includes any beverage priced at no more than $7.00

- All guests in a stateroom who are at least 21 years old must participate in order to purchase the package

- Up to 15 beverages per day”

 

From the fine print:

“A 15% service charge will be automatically applied to your purchase. This package must be purchased for the entire duration of the voyage. … Participants can order only one drink at a time. Package excludes Explorations Café, Mini Bar and In Room Dining, as well as beverages on Half Moon Cay. …”

[George C]

only 15 drinks a day what am I going to do after 2pm

[Irish Eyes Are Sailing]

only 15 drinks a day what am I going to do after 2pm

 

That's just too funny..........!:D

[Irish Eyes Are Sailing]

I'm curious where you came up with 15 drinks a day? If the package is $40 per day and you drank 15 drinks, that would be a little over $2.60 per drink. I don't ever recall paying $2.60 for any drink on HAL, except maybe soda. If you are basing this on soft drinks only, I would not see any benefit to it at all. But for alcoholic beverages, its not a particularly bad way to go. The break even point would be around 5 or 6 drinks per day depending on what you are drinking.

 

That's the conclusion I came to. It is no good for sodas, but depending on how much you drink, and when you drink it, and how many port days vs sea days your cruise contains, it might be a good deal for some folks.

[VallyD]

I believe you might have hit the nail on the head!;)

 

As a part of this "newer younger crowd" the reason I am not returning to Carnival is because of the excessive drinking, fwiw...:confused:

[gelo7]

We could not drink that much on a cruise to make it worthwhile.

 

Ditto...

[Irish Eyes Are Sailing]

As a part of this "newer younger crowd" the reason I am not returning to Carnival is because of the excessive drinking, fwiw...:confused:

 

True. At any age, watching someone or a group of people make total fools out of themselves in public does not enhance the cruise experience. I enjoy a few cocktails, but getting "snockered" and doing the sideways crab-crawl in public places is not attractive (IMHO). I'm with you.....it is one of the reasons we deserted Carnival and RCI. Not because of the age demographic so much, but some of the exhibited behaviors that were a turn off.

[TITISSA]

only 15 drinks a day what am I going to do after 2pm

 

Very funny... My question too :D

[kenorus]

Surfer girl on what ship did they let you buy a case of beer at happy hour. On the zuiderdam they were furious when my husband asked for 4 beers. Now that was when you buy one get one free. NOw that you have to pay 1 dollar for the second one that may make a difference. What the bartender said is 1 drink at a time. If my husband could buy a case of beer he would not buy the beverage package as that is all he drinks.

[lovetocruise2020]

Surfer girl on what ship did they let you buy a case of beer at happy hour. On the zuiderdam they were furious when my husband asked for 4 beers. Now that was when you buy one get one free. NOw that you have to pay 1 dollar for the second one that may make a difference. What the bartender said is 1 drink at a time. If my husband could buy a case of beer he would not buy the beverage package as that is all he drinks.

 

I've only done it on the Eurodam. I always go 15 min before happy hour starts, and tell the bartender I would like to buy 12 with the second 12 for a dollar. Ive never been told no. They give me 4, 6 pack carriers and usually have it available for me by the time happy hour starts. Once, they would only sell me six, then give me the other 6 for $1. I just went to another bar to get the others at another happy hour... I have never been told no, and I always tip more than the included amount (just a couple bucks extra). I have never used the same bartender twice and I always ask descreetly, as I am sure I would get weird looks from other passangers. But i go early, and order early as to not interrupt anyone else enjoying happy hour because that would be very rude. They just ring it up right when it starts. YMMV and it may be diff for me on my upcoming Nieuw Amsterdam cruise.

Edited March 8, 2013 by surfergirle

[cabinluvn]

As I recall on the Noordam around the pool we could get a bucket of Coronas(I think there were 5 bottles in there) for $21+gratuity.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[TheEmerson]

The drink package for me sounds nice on principle. But the restrictions just blow it out of the water. What I like to drink is not permitted within the limited price range. I am still smoldering due to the lack of good bourbon. So I will continue how I pay for things.

[kenorus]

At that price and to make a limit on the number of drinks you can order it is just not worth it. They should follow celebritys beverage packages. One for drinks up to 8 and the other up to 12. That also includes coffee, fresh squeezed juice and smoothies and all the specialty coffees. So if you get 2 or 3 coffees a couple of waters, juice and a smoothie it doesnt leave you much for your other drinks. The limit of the price of drinks and the amount which you can order is not worth it. Also if you have another person in your room who does not drink then it really isint worth it.

[momatibm]

I've been watching the 'cheers' program over on the Carnival boards -- no one seems to have a problem == it's all alcohol. No sodas, coffee, etc. It apparently working well. Personally, I can't imagine drinking enough to make it worth it at my age -- mostly because my DH and I don't drink enough between us to hit the daily charge. Now we do drinks before dinner, a wine package and a port or single malt after dinner -- but we only average the $40+ or so a day between us. Yes once in a while we have a beer, but not enough fot the package.

[lovetocruise2020]

Celebrity hits the mark.

 

NCL offers it on the private island as well.

 

Makes much more sense.

 

Your non alc beverages should not count against the 15 a day.

 

Excluding coffee's is silly.

Edited March 9, 2013 by surfergirle

[Cruiz'nBaers]

That's the conclusion I came to. It is no good for sodas, but depending on how much you drink, and when you drink it, and how many port days vs sea days your cruise contains, it might be a good deal for some folks.

 

The package includes non-alcoholic beverages as well as adult beverages.

Includes soda and bottled water.