New Alcohol Policy on HAL Questions

[RuthC]

2 hours ago, NCTribeFan said:

Has that always been the case?  I'm used to Carnival and it has always been one bottle per person.  When I've sailed HAL, that's what I took.  Don't know if I assumed it was the same, I hadn't paid attention, or if the "per cabin" is new.

It's always been one bottle of wine, without corkage fee, for use in the cabin, per person over age 21. 
So, a solo could bring one bottle, while a party of three adults could bring three bottles. 
The 'two bottles per cabin' is either new, or a mistake in terminology. 

So many people assume that there are two people traveling together, it is possible whoever wrote the text used the same phrasing. I wouldn't be a bit surprised. 
Time will tell. 

[iancal]

Could be confused with the Celebrity policy.   It was two bottles per cabin.   Not certain if it still is.  Our most recent cruises have been RCI and Princess.

 

We routinely boarded Celebrity cruises with 4 bottles...two each.  No problem whatsoever. 

 

And thankfully, at one TA stop in Madeira, we were permitted to bring 

wine aboard without paying the corkage fee.  We had several bottle of Douro red tucked in our bag.

 

 

Edited June 11, 2021 by iancal

[GoHoward]

The HAL Navigator app still has the old policy in their FAQs. From the app just now:

 

Each guest 21* years and older may bring one bottle of wine or champagne (no larger than 750ml) on board in carry-on luggage at the beginning of the voyage. This bottle will not be subject to a corkage fee if consumed in the stateroom. Additional wine or champagne bottles (no larger than 750ml) in carry-on luggage are welcome, but will incur a US$18.00 (subject to change) corkage fee each, irrespective of where they are intended to be consumed. Guests are not allowed to bring beer, boxed wine, or other liquors and spirits on board. Holland America Line reserves the right to remove all alcoholic beverages from any guest luggage that violates this policy. Any alcoholic beverage found will be removed and returned on the last evening of the voyage. Guests will not receive any monetary compensation for alcoholic beverages that were removed from luggage.

[rkacruiser]

23 hours ago, kazu said:

 

Pardon me for my ignorance but how are cans less work than plastic bottles?

 

I doubt that I know more than you, but I think from what I learned from my Behind the Scenes Tours that the garbage/recycling crew are better able to crush the cans to offload them than dealing with plastic bottles.  

Edited June 11, 2021 by rkacruiser

[AncientWanderer]

Here's link to an article in BBC news about plastic waste in the oceans and rivers.   A good-quality metal refillable container can be nice.  I have one that keeps water cold for a really long time, if I put ice in it.  Almost like a thermos.

 

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-57436143

[mame42]

On 6/10/2021 at 9:10 PM, cruisemom42 said:

Thanks @kazu that makes a bit more sense anyway...!

 

And I am heartened that they actually say "bottles per cabin" rather than "per person" -- a nice boon to us solos, lol. 

We solos have been agitating for this change in policy for a long time.  Hope it is true!

[KirkNC]

9 hours ago, AncientWanderer said:

Here's link to an article in BBC news about plastic waste in the oceans and rivers.   A good-quality metal refillable container can be nice.  I have one that keeps water cold for a really long time, if I put ice in it.  Almost like a thermos.

 

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-57436143

We have been to places in our travels, San Blas Islands in Panama 🇵🇦 come to mind, where the amount of plastic bottles in the water was astonishing.

[KirkNC]

1 hour ago, mame42 said:

We solos have been agitating for this change in policy for a long time.  Hope it is true!

Could not help but notice that your signature may need some updating.  The 2020 WC has sailed and ended prematurely.  Hopefully you meant  2022 😜😀

Edited June 12, 2021 by KirkNC

[mame42]

11 minutes ago, KirkNC said:

Could not help but notice that your signature may need some updating.  The 2020 WC has sailed and ended prematurely.  Hopefully you meant  2022 😜😀

Since returning home from Australia and the prematurely ended 2020, I haven't had the enthusiasm to edit my signature, just as well since 2021 did not sail and I cancelled 2022.  However, I have high hopes for 2023, even going so far as to book a couple of excursions.

[Mosaic]

If you think that water in an aluminum can is bad, try Pepsi or Coke! That stuff is really bad without a container---lol.

[KirkNC]

29 minutes ago, mame42 said:

Since returning home from Australia and the prematurely ended 2020, I haven't had the enthusiasm to edit my signature, just as well since 2021 did not sail and I cancelled 2022.  However, I have high hopes for 2023, even going so far as to book a couple of excursions.

Understand completely, we were on the same cruise.

[sail7seas]

HOW can  they refuse   to permit you bringing [b] two empty  water bottles onto  the   ship?[/b]

 

 

[Tampa Girl]

On 6/11/2021 at 8:47 AM, NCTribeFan said:

Has that always been the case?  I'm used to Carnival and it has always been one bottle per person.  When I've sailed HAL, that's what I took.  Don't know if I assumed it was the same, I hadn't paid attention, or if the "per cabin" is new.

 

I've tended to fly in the morning of lately as there's a flight that gets into FLL at 9:30, so I haven't even bothered with 1 bottle the past few cruises.  It's not worth stopping at a store on the way to the port.

 

Guess I'll just wait and see what the final version of the policy turns out to be.

 

Canned water?  Don't like any beverage from a can.  My DD got me a expandable/collapsible water bottle recently that I'd planned on bringing.  In the past, I've always just taken an empty 8 oz plastic bottle and reused it.

 

The  plastics are the problem.  They can end up on the ocean floor.

[SLC1954]

The new cruise contract is officially posted on HAL’s website today, it is found when you check in.  Two bottles of wine per cabin! That is a plus for solo travelers.

The questionable phrase for nonalcoholic beverages is no bottles, they do not specify glass vs plastic, but state can and carton.

[IPB4IGO]

25 minutes ago, SLC1954 said:

The new cruise contract is officially posted on HAL’s website today, it is found when you check in.  Two bottles of wine per cabin! That is a plus for solo travelers.

The questionable phrase for nonalcoholic beverages is no bottles, they do not specify glass vs plastic, but state can and carton.

The new contract: Cruise Contract

[DaveOKC]

33 minutes ago, SLC1954 said:

The new cruise contract is officially posted on HAL’s website today, it is found when you check in.  Two bottles of wine per cabin! That is a plus for solo travelers.

The questionable phrase for nonalcoholic beverages is no bottles, they do not specify glass vs plastic, but state can and carton.

• Guests are also prohibited from bringing water, sodas and other non-alcoholic beverages on board that are packaged in bottles. A small quantity of non-alcoholic beverages (i.e., sparkling water, sodas, juice, milk) packaged in cans or cartons may be brought on board on embarkation day, only if carried on in Guests’ hand luggage (not in checked luggage). A small quantity is considered a maximum of 12 sealed, unopened cans/cartons of 12 ounces each or less per person. Guests will be asked to discard open beverages in plastic containers prior to boarding.

[POA1]

Two bottles!?!? How the heck are you going to have sparkling, red and white at dinner on gala night?

 

My, goodness! We'll be cruising like savages. (Seriously though, we usually bring more than 2 bottles per person and we buy the Elite Beverage Package. Not to knock HAL because I know they're limited on space... But sometimes you want a nice wine and you're willing to happily pay corkage.)

 

Hopefully Pax #3 can bring 2 bottles.

 

 

[iancal]

Exactly.  We sometimes board with 4 bottles.   DW is TT.  I still buy wine on board.

 

Not difficult to sip a half bottle when I am sitting on the balcony in the afternoon soaking up the sun and reading whatever.

[kazu]

14 minutes ago, POA1 said:

Two bottles!?!? How the heck are you going to have sparkling, red and white at dinner on gala night?

 

My, goodness! We'll be cruising like savages. (Seriously though, we usually bring more than 2 bottles per person and we buy the Elite Beverage Package. Not to knock HAL because I know they're limited on space... But sometimes you want a nice wine and you're willing to happily pay corkage.)

 

Hopefully Pax #3 can bring 2 bottles.

 

 

 

You van still bring on additional bottles and pay the $20 corkage fee.

My big question is what are quantities deemed to be excessive???  From the contract:

 

” A US $20.00 corkage fee (which is subject to change without notice) will apply to each additional bottle (750 ml in volume or less) beyond the two (2) bottle allowance. Limitations apply. Wine brought in quantities deemed to be excessive by the vessel or security will be refused.”

[POA1]

1 hour ago, kazu said:

 

You van still bring on additional bottles and pay the $20 corkage fee.

My big question is what are quantities deemed to be excessive???  From the contract:

 

” A US $20.00 corkage fee (which is subject to change without notice) will apply to each additional bottle (750 ml in volume or less) beyond the two (2) bottle allowance. Limitations apply. Wine brought in quantities deemed to be excessive by the vessel or security will be refused.”

 

Whew!

 

I just told DW and her response was (you guessed it!), "What do they consider excessive?"

 

As long as the answer is up to 1 and one-sixth bottles or more per person per day, that's great. "Why 1.6667?" I hear you ask. Excellent question! If there are 2 gala nights per week, that give you 2 bottles  per dinner and 3 on the formal nights when a Champagne toast is required for proper celebrating.

[kazu]

28 minutes ago, POA1 said:

 

Whew!

 

I just told DW and her response was (you guessed it!), "What do they consider excessive?"

 

As long as the answer is up to 1 and one-sixth bottles or more per person per day, that's great. "Why 1.6667?" I hear you ask. Excellent question! If there are 2 gala nights per week, that give you 2 bottles  per dinner and 3 on the formal nights when a Champagne toast is required for proper celebrating.

 

I hope you are right 😉.  We have no problem to order some of HAL’s wine packages but when in Europe I want to toast my port as I am leaving with a white Rioja or a delicious Douro wine depending on where we are 🙂 

And a good cava is nothing to sneeze at 😉 

[Vict0riann]

3 hours ago, POA1 said:

 

Whew!

 

I just told DW and her response was (you guessed it!), "What do they consider excessive?"

 

As long as the answer is up to 1 and one-sixth bottles or more per person per day, that's great. "Why 1.6667?" I hear you ask. Excellent question! If there are 2 gala nights per week, that give you 2 bottles  per dinner and 3 on the formal nights when a Champagne toast is required for proper celebrating.

Actually, my father, the mathematician, told me that 1.6667 was one and two thirds - are you fudging a bit on the amount of wine you consume?😉

[Cruise4food]

14 hours ago, POA1 said:

Hopefully Pax #3 can bring 2 bottles.

Of course, but the 2 bottles must be sized to scale. oops! 😉🥲

[markarmel]

In 2018 we took took 5 bottles of wine at embarkation.  We had a $15 corkage fee on each one. 

[kazu]

1 hour ago, markarmel said:

In 2018 we took took 5 bottles of wine at embarkation.  We had a $15 corkage fee on each one. 

 

$15?  A bargain.  Corkage was $18 on our 2018 and 2019 cruise so the new corkage is not really much of an increase and easier to calculate.  LOL.