Signature Dining Package and Beverage Package

[ScottC4746]

I have booked my Oosterdam 7 night cruise for June 2021.  Our package comes with Signature Dining and Beverage Packages.  How do these work?

[kazu]

1 hour ago, ScottC4746 said:

I have booked my Oosterdam 7 night cruise for June 2021.  Our package comes with Signature Dining and Beverage Packages.  How do these work?

 

The dining package is for dinner at the specialty restaurants - Pinnacle & Canaletto.  You will have a card in your cabin with the assigned times.  There is a possibility of changing the times and dates if you don’t like them but it’s not guaranteed.

The Signature Beverage package includes most non alcoholic drinks (smaller bottle IIRC for water), coffees, etc.  Alcoholic drinks are included put to and including a cost of $11 per drink - max of 15 per day.  that includes specialty coffees with liquor in them. 

Hope this helps.

[ScottC4746]

14 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

The dining package is for dinner at the specialty restaurants - Pinnacle & Canaletto.  You will have a card in your cabin with the assigned times.  There is a possibility of changing the times and dates if you don’t like them but it’s not guaranteed.

The Signature Beverage package includes most non alcoholic drinks (smaller bottle IIRC for water), coffees, etc.  Alcoholic drinks are included put to and including a cost of $11 per drink - max of 15 per day.  that includes specialty coffees with liquor in them. 

Hope this helps.

$11 drink maximum on a cruise?  So it doesn't cover much.  If I had to worry about 15 drinks a person per day and hitting that limit, I would need to head to Betty Ford, but I assume that is all drinks -- coffee, soda, and alcoholic per day.  Right?

[kazu]

2 minutes ago, ScottC4746 said:

$11 drink maximum on a cruise?  So it doesn't cover much.  If I had to worry about 15 drinks a person per day and hitting that limit, I would need to head to Betty Ford, but I assume that is all drinks -- coffee, soda, and alcoholic per day.  Right?

 

$11 drink max covers a lot of the drinks on HAL.  Just about any specialty coffee, mixed drink, liquor (standard), etc.  I just don’t care for the by the glass wine choices but there are wines included under $11.

the 15 limit drink is for the alcoholic ones.  The non alcoholic are included in the package with no limit I am aware of.

 

I should add that some people that are wine aficionados or like really fancy liquor upgrade to the Elite package.  Some have been successful and some not.  I believe (my memory can be short) it is about $10 per day plus tip pp.  Wait until someone else posts who is more knowledgeable than I on the Elite package to confirm or correct me.

 

 

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, ScottC4746 said:

$11 drink maximum on a cruise?  So it doesn't cover much.  If I had to worry about 15 drinks a person per day and hitting that limit, I would need to head to Betty Ford, but I assume that is all drinks -- coffee, soda, and alcoholic per day.  Right?

Covers a HUGE amount of alcoholic drinks. Just not top shelf liquor, and higher end wines.

[ScottC4746]

I did speak with my Personal Cruise Consultant at HAL about another issue and for the dining package she said, "In your stateroom will be a card showing you what day and what restaurant your dining package card is set for.  If a day doesn't work for you, you are welcome to contact the Maître Di' about changing dates.

[VMax1700]

1 hour ago, ScottC4746 said:

I did speak with my Personal Cruise Consultant at HAL about another issue and for the dining package she said, "In your stateroom will be a card showing you what day and what restaurant your dining package card is set for.  If a day doesn't work for you, you are welcome to contact the Maître Di' about changing dates.

There will be TWO cards.  One for Pinnacle Grill and one for Canaletto.  Obviously different days!  Make sure you check them when you board as I have had reservations offered for 5 pm on boarding day, which is not ideal!  

[ScottC4746]

8 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

There will be TWO cards.  One for Pinnacle Grill and one for Canaletto.  Obviously different days!  Make sure you check them when you board as I have had reservations offered for 5 pm on boarding day, which is not ideal!  

We tend to arrive on ship as early as possible so 5 PM may not be a problem, unless the luggage doesn't arrive.

[lcand1923]

Check BOTH dining cards as soon as you get onboard.  I have had BOTH reservations for the same date and time, 5pm on Boarding Day.  They normally set up a stand somewhere where you can adjust things quickly.  (I've found the stand near Guest Services and at the Lido on different ships/different cruises.)

[dfilpus]

I was able to easily reschedule my speciality reservations by phone from my cabin.

[kevingastreich]

On 11/13/2020 at 12:47 PM, lcand1923 said:

Check BOTH dining cards as soon as you get onboard.  I have had BOTH reservations for the same date and time, 5pm on Boarding Day.  They normally set up a stand somewhere where you can adjust things quickly.  (I've found the stand near Guest Services and at the Lido on different ships/different cruises.)

These temporary kiosks set up on embarkation day are really handy and we have actually gotten better results talking to the person there than calling on the phone on embarkation day.  Look for them if you can.

[kevingastreich]

On 11/12/2020 at 1:14 PM, ScottC4746 said:

 If I had to worry about 15 drinks a person per day and hitting that limit, I would need to head to Betty Ford, but I assume that is all drinks -- coffee, soda, and alcoholic per day.  Right?

Even when I tried I never reached the limit. I'll try harder next time.

[calebandjess]

Is the Signature Beverage Package inclusive of gratuities, or are those charged separately per individual drink ordered?

[VMax1700]

18 minutes ago, calebandjess said:

Is the Signature Beverage Package inclusive of gratuities, or are those charged separately per individual drink ordered?

SBP pays the grats.  The limit is $11 excluding grat, but the grat is covered also.

[islander47]

Can you order wine by the glass in the dining room with the Signature Beverage Package? If no, can you bring a glass of wine into the dining room with you?

 

[oakridger]

Yes and yes!

 

~Nancy

[KroozNut]

On 11/12/2020 at 12:58 PM, kazu said:

 

The dining package is for dinner at the specialty restaurants - Pinnacle & Canaletto.  You will have a card in your cabin with the assigned times.  There is a possibility of changing the times and dates if you don’t like them but it’s not guaranteed.

The Signature Beverage package includes most non alcoholic drinks (smaller bottle IIRC for water), coffees, etc.  Alcoholic drinks are included put to and including a cost of $11 per drink - max of 15 per day.  that includes specialty coffees with liquor in them. 

Hope this helps.

 

What kazu said, but with one minor anecdotal nuance on the water, from our experience on Eurodam just prior to the Pandemic. We were able to get the large 1L bottles of Evian anywhere on the ship, and they were included in the beverage package.

 

Came in really handy when going ashore on port days (especially in hotter climates). We would just drop by one of the bars on our way off the ship, pick up 2 large bottles of water and head ashore.

[strickerj]

I was going to ask if they'd have the sense not to automatically schedule you for a time you'll be in port, but considering the comment above about getting both restaurants scheduled for the same day and time, I'm going to guess the answer is no. 😉

[mcrcruiser]

Ah so Pinnacle & Canaletto  but no Tamarind ,our favorite    We just booked the 18 night Hawaii Feb 2 ,2022 on Koningsdam  & I sure hope we don't get the diner time in embarkation day , That surely would be yucky & we  would have to change  that date . 

 

 Funny how sister lines differ .We got the Best Price Ever sale with Princess for Majestic Mexican Riviera  from San Pedro Ca . Wifi unlimited is included ;as well as all the HAL perks  . We sail Princess when they give us a lot of special perks  otherwise we stick with HAL mostly  .

[Mr and Mrs CIQ]

Was your package with the View and Verandah?

[Mr and Mrs CIQ]

[KroozNut]

13 hours ago, strickerj said:

I was going to ask if they'd have the sense not to automatically schedule you for a time you'll be in port, but considering the comment above about getting both restaurants scheduled for the same day and time, I'm going to guess the answer is no. 😉

 

It's possible you could be scheduled for a port day evening. But again, if the assigned day/time is not to your liking, people (including us) have largely been successful at changing the reservation(s) to something that suits you better.

[KroozNut]

4 hours ago, mcrcruiser said:

Ah so Pinnacle & Canaletto  but no Tamarind ,our favorite    We just booked the 18 night Hawaii Feb 2 ,2022 on Koningsdam  & I sure hope we don't get the diner time in embarkation day , That surely would be yucky & we  would have to change  that date . 

 

 Funny how sister lines differ .We got the Best Price Ever sale with Princess for Majestic Mexican Riviera  from San Pedro Ca . Wifi unlimited is included ;as well as all the HAL perks  . We sail Princess when they give us a lot of special perks  otherwise we stick with HAL mostly  .

 

I have read here (not sure how true it is), that HAL seems to like scheduling your promo specialty restaurant time for early evening on embarkation day, which most folks don't like.

[KroozNut]

3 hours ago, Mr and Mrs CIQ said:

Was your package with the View and Verandah?

 

This time around for our sailing in April '22, yes. But it was called 'Explore 4' on our Eurodam sailing that I referenced. Pretty much the same thing though.

[ON cruiser]

Hi folks, and happy new year (let us hope that 2021 is happier and sees us all safely sailing again!). A quick question about what is included in the Signature Bev. Package. Does anyone know which brands of Scotch or Vodka are covered within the $11 limit? For example, can I get a Chivas Regal on the rocks, and can my wife get a Ketel One vodka?  Or must I try to upgrade to the Elite package?

 

If we are gifted the SBP, I recall that some were able to pay the differential onboard to get to the Elite package. Does anyone know the approximate current differential PP PD?

 

Many thanks, and regards, 

 

On Cruiser