Beverage Package vs Free Drinks in Casino?

[Unlvswezel]

Odd question that I’m wondering if anyone has experienced. My last few sailings included the drink package. I’m on a sailing next month that was comped by the casino department and it includes “free drinks in the casino.” 
 

I’m still looking at getting a drink package, but wonder if anyone has had a similar experience. 

How are drinks tracked in the casino and do they count against the 15 if you are on a package? 
 

Is there a $ amount of the free drinks? (Such as with signature or elite packages) 

 

Any other suggestions or lessons learned? 

 

TIA!


 

 

[DaveOKC]

While I cannot answer your questions directly with actual experience, I can say that tipping the casino servers a $1 or $2 when you get you free casino drinks goes  along way to quicker service and better pours.

[510picker]

10 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

While I cannot answer your questions directly with actual experience, I can say that tipping the casino servers a $1 or $2 when you get you free casino drinks goes  along way to quicker service and better pours.

This is good to know because when I had free drinks in the casino last November, it was almost impossible to find a server.

[e_brick]

You stop by the casino when it is open and visit the table near the Cashier and a staff person will find your named card. Give to the casino drinks server with your order. DON'T FORGET to ask for your card back and check that it is your named card. I have seen the casino bartender manually listing the card drink orders. I never saw any record with my name on it, in fact, on one cruise, I received the wrong named card back and used it without any questions asked. Be prepared for fellow passenger comments on "why did you get this perk and not me when I spend..."    

[Laminator]

1 hour ago, Unlvswezel said:

Odd question that I’m wondering if anyone has experienced. My last few sailings included the drink package. I’m on a sailing next month that was comped by the casino department and it includes “free drinks in the casino.” 
 

I’m still looking at getting a drink package, but wonder if anyone has had a similar experience. 

How are drinks tracked in the casino and do they count against the 15 if you are on a package? 
 

Is there a $ amount of the free drinks? (Such as with signature or elite packages) 

 

Any other suggestions or lessons learned? 

 

TIA!


 

 

They do not take your room card when you get free drinks in the casino so there is no way to charge your drink toward your cabin. They usually will give you a lanyard to wear in the casino with a card that has your name on it. This is how the servers know your drinks are free. But things may have changed over the last few months. 

Edited March 7, 2022 by Laminator

[Laminator]

1 minute ago, e_brick said:

You stop by the casino when it is open and visit the table near the Cashier and a staff person will find your named card. Give to the casino drinks server with your order. DON'T FORGET to ask for your card back and check that it is your named card. I have seen the casino bartender manually listing the card drink orders. I never saw any record with my name on it, in fact, on one cruise, I received the wrong named card back and used it without any questions asked. Be prepared for fellow passenger comments on "why did you get this perk and not me when I spend..."    

At the end of the day a host must sign for all of the free drinks as the casino reimburses HAL for the drinks. 

[DaveOKC]

In Dec my DW reports that they took the casino issued free drinks card but never her cabin card when she ordered a drink.  Side note - I also got a free casino drink card by virtue of being in the cabin with her - I did have to be playing in the casino to use it though.

 

[Sgwscruiser]

I believe it’s15 drink max for the day no matter which package you have. Don’t know about the price of the Casino free drinks I drink Makers a and Belvedere they’re both under $11/drink

[Laminator]

26 minutes ago, Sgwscruiser said:

I believe it’s15 drink max for the day no matter which package you have. Don’t know about the price of the Casino free drinks I drink Makers a and Belvedere they’re both under $11/drink

The free drinks in the casino have nothing to do with the beverage package you purchase through HAL.

Edited March 7, 2022 by Laminator

[Laminator]

1 hour ago, DaveOKC said:

While I cannot answer your questions directly with actual experience, I can say that tipping the casino servers a $1 or $2 when you get you free casino drinks goes  along way to quicker service and better pours.

And that is exactly how you keep the drinks flowing!

[Unlvswezel]

Thanks for all the feedback, especially about the lanyard. I’ve been given drink coupons in my room before, but didn’t know how they track if your casino drinks are comped. With the changes to the signature package I’ll definitely go over my 15 for the day, but could potentially manage the 15 with the casino lanyard. 
 

appreciate the intel!

[Laminator]

20 minutes ago, Unlvswezel said:

Thanks for all the feedback, especially about the lanyard. I’ve been given drink coupons in my room before, but didn’t know how they track if your casino drinks are comped. With the changes to the signature package I’ll definitely go over my 15 for the day, but could potentially manage the 15 with the casino lanyard. 
 

appreciate the intel!

There is no limit in the casino! 

[DaveOKC]

1 hour ago, Laminator said:

There is no limit in the casino! 

Of course not!  Casinos love drunk gamblers - just think of how Vegas pours so many free drinks so freely.

 

[Alfisti]

On Nieuw Statendam (Dec 2021) one of the hosts found me in the casino and put a sticker the back of the room card indicating the comp drinks in casino...  No lanyards or name cards etc... 

[roxybear135]

We were booked on a casino rate for the NYE cruise on Koningsdam a few months ago.  We got a little cardboard card (like a business card) with our names on it and the dates of our cruise.  We would give these to the server when ordering drinks in the casino.  I don't think there were any restrictions to what you could order but I never ordered anything too expensive.  I think you only get the drinks when you're actively gambling though and it was really hard to get a server to come over to you without having to ask the dealer repeatedly to call a server over.

[Sea42]

5 hours ago, 510picker said:

This is good to know because when I had free drinks in the casino last November, it was almost impossible to find a server.

Same with me!

[Laminator]

Here's a hint. Watch where the servers are standing. You can be rest assured they are close to people that tip them. @DaveOKC hit the nail on the head!

[DaveOKC]

4 hours ago, Laminator said:

Here's a hint. Watch where the servers are standing. You can be rest assured they are close to people that tip them. @DaveOKC hit the nail on the head!

We got used to tipping for the free drinks while in Vegas so just did the same onboard the ship.

[Unlvswezel]

5 hours ago, roxybear135 said:

We were booked on a casino rate for the NYE cruise on Koningsdam a few months ago.  We got a little cardboard card (like a business card) with our names on it and the dates of our cruise.  We would give these to the server when ordering drinks in the casino.  I don't think there were any restrictions to what you could order but I never ordered anything too expensive.  I think you only get the drinks when you're actively gambling though and it was really hard to get a server to come over to you without having to ask the dealer repeatedly to call a server over.

I had a similar experience on Celeb this summer.  On that sailing I learned staff made the kiss sound to get servers attention. I started doing it myself and drinks started showing up. (The tips probably helped too.)

Edited March 8, 2022 by Unlvswezel
Kiss, not kids. SMH