How many drinks can you order?

[FrankieSue]

I have received a Signature drinks package with my latest booked cruise. Do you know how many drinks I can order at a time? I have read on this Board that I can only order one at a time and I have also read that I can order up to 3 at a time.

I am just curious.

Thanks for your answers.

[CruiserBruce]

One at a time. That doesn't mean that after awhile, when a bar tender gets to know you and that you have the package, you won't talk them into two at a time. But the policy is one at a time.

[0bnxshs]

On Maasdam in October 2015 I had no trouble getting doubles from the start with the Signature Beverage Package. They simply ran the card twice and did provide receipts. Of course, they were in the same glass and not separate drinks.

 

On Maasdam they have incorporated the SBP benefits into the revenue system so that we used our room card and the cost of the drinks only appeared on the first day, and they were subsequently credited off the folio. From then on, we never saw a charge for a drink on our folio.

Edited November 19, 2015 by 0bnxshs

[boating girl]

We were able to get two different types of drinks at one time on the Eurodam last week. They never took both cards when we offered them. I would get drinks for my husband. I would order one Margarita and 5 minutes later border another to take back to my veranda.

[FrankieSue]

Thanks for the info. I guess it pays to get to know your bar tender.....

[0bnxshs]

We were able to get two different types of drinks at one time on the Eurodam last week. They never took both cards when we offered them. I would get drinks for my husband. I would order one Margarita and 5 minutes later border another to take back to my veranda.

 

Someone else on board Maasdam had a similar experience. I think that knowing both people in a cabin had to have bought/been gifted/whatever the beverage package there is really no issue with doing what you describe. So long as the drinks are within the limit (both price and numbers -wise) there really is no issue accounting for this.

 

We found that even when port taxes were added that did increase the cost to above the limit there was no charge. We got stuck overnight due to high winds in a port that added taxes.

[sail7seas]

Someone else on board Maasdam had a similar experience. I think that knowing both people in a cabin had to have bought/been gifted/whatever the beverage package there is really no issue with doing what you describe. So long as the drinks are within the limit (both price and numbers -wise) there really is no issue accounting for this.

 

We found that even when port taxes were added that did increase the cost to above the limit there was no charge. We got stuck overnight due to high winds in a port that added taxes.

 

Which port was that, Rich?

 

[POA1]

I have received a Signature drinks package with my latest booked cruise. Do you know how many drinks I can order at a time? I have read on this Board that I can only order one at a time and I have also read that I can order up to 3 at a time.

I am just curious.

Thanks for your answers.

 

One at a time, but we've had no problem ordering doubles. If you need triples or quads, the Signature Beverage Package could present a problem.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We were on the Eurodam in Oct 2015 and ordered a Grey Goose each -- have to give the bar server your ID card as the Signature Beverage Package is loaded onto it.

The bar server said that we could order doubles. I said "really"?

He told us that on this ship everyone can order doubles with the Signature Beverage Package. It makes it easy for the bar tender and bar servers as they don't have to keep running back and forth getting second drinks and the bar tender doesn't have to keep making a ton of drinks.

SO -- Eurodam -- you can order doubles.

[0bnxshs]

Which port was that, Rich?

 

 

Well, thank goodness I have a DW to keep me straight. The port that added taxes to the drinks increasing the cost to above the $8 per drink limit was New York. They were charging port taxes well after we left NY. But, no charges were added to our bills due to this.

 

We got stuck in Charlottetown, PEI for an additional 12 hours due to high winds and no tugs. The wind had us pinned to the pier. Charlottetown is not a bad place at all to get stuck though as it is a lovely town.

[bshow]

Just got off Eurodam today. My wife and I both had SBP. The were extremely flexible. Sometimes they put drinks for both of us on one card. They allowed us to purchase soft drinks for our 17 yo daughter on our cards. Was really very nice. We did not come close to 15 drinks ever. Wine by the glass was just fine in my opinion as well. I don't think in future I will use it, because pay as you go is more cost effective for us. But the execution of the program is excellent and I think many would benefit from it.

[Nanobot]

we have had signature beverage cards for many of our cruises on HAL. Sometimes there are a 2 for 1 offers and we ordered one drink at a time. If your know your bartender, then you could/might get two drinks at a time, but be aware your bartender is charging your card for one drink, then waiting 5 - 10 minutes then charging it again for the second. The computer keeps track of your charges and will cut you off if you try to trick the system. In that case (as I know) it will cut you off and then you have to charge your drinks to your cabin card and go to the front desk in the morning to get your signature card reactivated (it helps if you claim mea culpa). I heard from staff that if they get caught tricking the system they get in trouble.

 

It is very easy to just order one drink at a time and not get anyone in trouble.

[bshow]

Nanobot, things may have changed somewhat. There is no separate card now. The package is integrated into your regular room card. There is no indication on the card that you have SBP and you receive a regular receipt with amount for each drink.

 

I don't know if the servers know that you have the package unless you tell them. They didn't give any indication.

[Pickalily, Wilts]

Can anyone comment on the quality of wine within the SBP? If we found it not to our liking, is it possible to upgrade the package (as allowed by Celebrity)? Thanks.

 

Lily

[RuthC]

Can anyone comment on the quality of wine within the SBP? If we found it not to our liking, is it possible to upgrade the package (as allowed by Celebrity)? Thanks.

 

Lily

I'll leave it to the wine drinkers to comment on the quality of the wine available under the SBP.

However, I can tell you that you cannot "top off" on the price. Either the wine comes in under the price cap, or it doesn't. If it doesn't, and you want that wine, you must use your cabin card to pay for it in full.

[POA1]

Can anyone comment on the quality of wine within the SBP? If we found it not to our liking, is it possible to upgrade the package (as allowed by Celebrity)? Thanks.

 

Lily

Yes, but I completely expect an argument. :D The house wines have historically rated out in the mid 80s on Wine Spectator's 100 point scale. That's the good to very good range. I make it a point to look them up. (I have Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate subscriptions. We tend to drink a fair amount of wine.) We've tried them all and they're all fine in our book.

 

However, when sailing out of Port Everglades, we always bring our own wine and pay corkage. We have a decent collection and we're close to the port, so transportation is not an issue.

 

We're sailing out of Vancouver next year, and we have the Signature Beverage Package. We'll make do with the covered wines. We will supplement with Champagne for first night, last night and formal nights though. The included Prosecco is pleasant enough, but we have to draw the line somewhere. ;)

[bshow]

I had Beringer merlot, the house (Santa Carolina) merlot and the Canaletto Primitivo with the SBP and enjoyed them all. But I am a troglodyte, so what do I know?

 

I don't drink white wine, so can't comment on those.

[Ricktan]

I had no problem ordering drinks back to back on the NA in Sept. And, as POA1 mentioned, the Prosecco is not bad, I drank it every day!!!

[1884Vic]

Does anyone know if you can order the Canaletto wines in the MDR? There is a montepulciano that I happen to like on their list that qualifies and I would like to be able to drink it with a MDR dinner. For what it's worth, I'll be on the Westerdam on December 12. This is not our first rodeo on HAL but is the first time with the drinks package.

[dakrewser]

Does anyone know if you can order the Canaletto wines in the MDR? There is a montepulciano that I happen to like on their list that qualifies and I would like to be able to drink it with a MDR dinner. For what it's worth, I'll be on the Westerdam on December 12. This is not our first rodeo on HAL but is the first time with the drinks package.

 

You should be able to, but hedge your bets by telling your wine steward the night before you want to drink it so that it can be in the DR when you get there.

[1884Vic]

Thank you - we'll give that a try.

[cruz chic]

You should be able to, but hedge your bets by telling your wine steward the night before you want to drink it so that it can be in the DR when you get there.

 

If it's by the glass the dining steward would get it not the wine steward.

[dfish]

Nanobot, things may have changed somewhat. There is no separate card now. The package is integrated into your regular room card. There is no indication on the card that you have SBP and you receive a regular receipt with amount for each drink.

 

I don't know if the servers know that you have the package unless you tell them. They didn't give any indication.

 

When we were on Westerdam in September we had the SBP and never once received a receipt. They did ask the first time we used it if we had a beverage package.

 

Debbie

[Lizzie68]

This is why I recommend trying the house wines on your own. The "undrinkable" reds include a Cabernet Sauvignon that scored 89 points on Wine Spectator's 100 point scale, and a 90 from Robert Parker's "Wine Advocate." The Merlot got mid 80s scores. I'm sure we're going to get argument that the wine experts don't know what they're doing, or that people can't tell the difference between a highly rated wine and a lowly rated one. (Beware that the links will be to articles that confuse price with rating.)

 

If someone likes a "sweet, chillable red," they're not likely to be fans of even the best Cabernet Sauvignon. A wine that is truly undrinkable is one that's corked or otherwise spoiled. (It could also be a wine that's rated below 69 on Wine Spectator's 100 point scale. You're not going to find those on cruise ships. Trust me.)

 

Because you have wine included with your package, you owe it to yourself to give it a try. Don't believe what you read here on CruiseCritic. This isn't a wine forum. A fair number of people have no clue about wine. (Don't even feel compelled to believe my advice. It's good, solid advice, but I don't know your palate.)

 

Oh I know my wine, and I know what I like. It's never a good idea to go by other people's opinions as it is so subjective - so I can assure you I wouldn't believe what I read about the topic here on CruiseCritic. Many "cheaper" wines get rave reviews from those who really know their stuff, just as the more expensive ones do. But I base my decision on my own particular taste. Which is why I find the house red undrinkable.

[65 Gator]

Does anyone know if you can order the Canaletto wines in the MDR? There is a montepulciano that I happen to like on their list that qualifies and I would like to be able to drink it with a MDR dinner. For what it's worth, I'll be on the Westerdam on December 12. This is not our first rodeo on HAL but is the first time with the drinks package.

 

After the first drink of house red wine, we were treated to Canaletto most nights. It pays to be "nice" to your wine steward...