Liquor Package

[SC_GAY_Cruiser]

After searching, I am coming to the experts!

 

If you order a Signature liquor package with up to 15 drinks per day, all under $8, blah blah blah........ if the waiter asks you to double, is this included in the package? I seem to remember the drinks always seem "light" . And I assume if its not included, then its charged to your OBC.

 

dave

[teamflames]

In recent threads people have mentioned ordering doubles and having it charged as 2 drinks. Off memory it was suggested it came down to the bar staff though

 

 

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[OTOW guy]

but will be charged for 2 or 3 drinks. You can order another after 5 minutes.

[SC_GAY_Cruiser]

but will be charged for 2 or 3 drinks. You can order another after 5 minutes.

 

So......in other words, drink slow and then order a shot to be added 5 mins. later

[RuthC]

The one time I had a Signature Beverage Card I was able to order a double. My card was run through twice, but they had to hold it for the 5 minutes "between drinks" to be able to do so. Not a problem.

 

I have also been able to order doubles at Happy Hour when I was using my cabin card, or a regular beverage card. There was no wait between ringing it up on those.

[SC_GAY_Cruiser]

The one time I had a Signature Beverage Card I was able to order a double. My card was run through twice, but they had to hold it for the 5 minutes "between drinks" to be able to do so. Not a problem.

 

I have also been able to order doubles at Happy Hour when I was using my cabin card, or a regular beverage card. There was no wait between ringing it up on those.

 

Thanks Ruth! Is your experience that the drinks on are the "light" side? If so, 15 drinks per day on the ship may not be the equivalent of the same drinks at your local bar/club.

Edited April 3, 2016 by SC_GAY_Cruiser

[jmps]

Thanks Ruth! Is your experience that the drinks on are the "light" side? If so, 15 drinks per day on the ship may not be the equivalent of the same drinks at your local bar/club.

 

Our experience is that the drinks are not on the light side. Mixed drinks are usual to strong. Straight drinks (e.g. whiskey) are a usual bar pour. Enjoy!

[OTOW guy]

but after you order 3 then you have to wait 5 minutes to order another. Their pours are just over an ounce not very strong.

[Denverbri69]

The one time I had a Signature Beverage Card I was able to order a double. My card was run through twice, but they had to hold it for the 5 minutes "between drinks" to be able to do so. Not a problem.

 

I have also been able to order doubles at Happy Hour when I was using my cabin card, or a regular beverage card. There was no wait between ringing it up on those.

 

Other prepaying is there any other benefits to signature bev card?

[Denverbri69]

Please don't flame me for this. But i have found focusing on a couple of bartenders & waiters at ur favorite locations & tipping them over the service charge gets u heavy pours.:)

[dot73]

Please don't flame me for this. But i have found focusing on a couple of bartenders & waiters at ur favorite locations & tipping them over the service charge gets u heavy pours.:)

:D Also works at all inclusives in the Caribbean.

[Denverbri69]

:D Also works at all inclusives in the Caribbean.[/quote

 

Showing appreciation always pays dividends.

[RuthC]

Thanks Ruth! Is your experience that the drinks on are the "light" side? If so, 15 drinks per day on the ship may not be the equivalent of the same drinks at your local bar/club.

They're not as strong as the ones I make at home (before doubled), I will say that. :D But the drinks on board seem to be about the same as I get in a local restaurant---which is pretty decent.

[dakrewser]

Other prepaying is there any other benefits to signature bev card?

 

Yes, it's discounted. Up to 15 drinks per day at up to $8 per for ~$45.

[dakrewser]

Please don't flame me for this. But i have found focusing on a couple of bartenders & waiters at ur favorite locations & tipping them over the service charge gets u heavy pours.:)

 

Of course I'll flame you for it. You're bribing the bartender in the hope of a heavier pour which means he'll need to short someone else so the inventory can balance.

[RuthC]

Other prepaying is there any other benefits to signature bev card?

There are two different things here---the Signature Beverage Package is not at all the same as the Beverage Card.

 

The Signature Beverage Package costs every adult in the cabin $51.xx per day of the cruise, and allows the purchaser up to 15 beverages per day. Those beverages can be alcoholic, or not. Cocktails, mocktails, beer, specialty coffee, bottled water, soda, glasses of wine, any beverage which costs up to $8 is covered.

This can be a huge savings for some people, and not worth it to others. One would have to estimate how much they drink, and make a decision based on that.

 

The Beverage Card is like a gift card you can purchase for the price of the value of the card. They come in denominations of $50, $100, and $250, but there is no discounting. These can be used to purchase any drinks, with no cap on the price. They can also be used to purchase drinks for others.

There are a couple of advantages to using this card---neither one of which is financial. If purchased in advance it helps spread out the costs of the cruise. The other advantage is that using a beverage card places one charge on your cabin account. This makes reviewing it on that busy last morning much easier than keeping and proofing out all those little charge slips.

[cabinluvn]

Wondering if there is a balance on the beverage card at the end of the cruise is it given back as a credit on your card?

 

 

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[ksmaxey]

Yes - any balance left on the beverage card is credited to your account against any charges/ HSC or back to your credit card if you have no charges remaining. I will do a beverage card for every cruise to simplify things and not have to worry about spending on wine/beverages.

[YYC F/A]

Sorry for reviving an old thread... But considering the Elite Beverage Package on Koningsdam upcoming cruise.

 

That said, it looks like Elite also has the 15 drink limit. While this sounds like a lot on first glance, when I broke down my consumption on a recent Celebrity Cruise, I am now realising it really isn't as high a number as you think. Before I get completely flamed - no - I'm not drinking to excess - in fact more than half my package allotment it would seem would be burned for non-alcoholic beverages:

 

2 Lattes/Coffee drinks in the morning

4 or 5 small bottles of water throughout the day (1 in morning, couple in afternoon, 1 with dinner, 1 to take back to room)

1 glass of beer or wine with lunch

couple of cocktails by the pool during the day

 

So before I even get to dinner, that's around 10 drinks out of 15 already gone (albeit only 3 of them alcoholic).

 

A couple of glasses of wine with dinner, and that leaves just 3 drinks for the evening - and I hear they're now charging for 2 drinks if you want anything more than a 1oz single pour. So feasibly, only 1 or 2 drinks during the evening at most and then I might already be over.

 

In practice, what's the situation with the 15 drinks? If bottled water and lattes all come out of the allotment, that would easily be half my daily allotment right there. If they also charge for tall/doubles twice, that really means I may be only able to get a couple of cocktails and couple of glasses of wine each day which really doesn't make the "Elite Package" worth it.

 

When does the package "reset" - is it midnight to midnight? Do they just tell you that you reached your 15 and then you have to wait until after midnight to order more?

 

I guess the other option is to just schlep large quantities of bottled water aboard with me, but after charging $450 for an Elite Beverage Package, this just seems silly.

 

I wish HAL would follow Celebrity or Princess whom have much more robust packages and no issues getting as much water, lattes, sodas as you want without that meaning you can't have the wine or cocktails you also want later in the day!

[Sequim88]

Personally I cringe at the thought of using the 15 drink limit for water since the tap water on ships is made by the same process as bottled water - either reverse osmosis or steam distillation (or both). If I really had a problem with the idea of tap water and wanted bottled I would pay for it ala carte as a cabin charge and not on the beverage plan.

 

Specialty coffees are definitely worth putting on the plan and we're looking forward to doing that. But water and sodas (which we don't drink anyway) are a waste of the value. That said if we got to the end of the day at 13 drinks I would have no problem with grabbing a couple bottles of water - just because. :rolleyes:

[SC_GAY_Cruiser]

YYC, your looking at it the same way I am. But after a recent major surgery and not having a cocktail for a month, I am going back and forth on the decision whether to purchase. Also in my case, I am a single malt scotch lover. A cheap vodka and cranberry is of no interest to me.

 

But yes, it can all add up on sea days. Where you might lose is getting in your 15 drinks on the island days

 

Another drinking opportunity would be an after dinner drink or a kahula and coffee.

 

dave

[Alberta Quilter]

I do not have recent personal experience with the SBP but I've read here on CC that non-alcoholic beverages do not count towards the 15 drink allotment. That change came about a few months ago, maybe six months ago. Hopefully, someone with recent experience can provide first hand knowledge.