Newbie to HAL..question about signature bev pkg

[Spideysmum]

Having only cruised Princess, I am wondering how different the beverage package (signature) is   We are mainly wine drinkers and the Princess package allows 15 alcoholic drinks per day and unlimited nonalcoholic.   Therefore, I’m a happy camper with espresso drinks (lots of coffee) and Diet Coke for most of the day    With our signature package, I’m reading 15 beverages total…which would work IF they offered a coffee card, as Princess does   I can’t find one    Otherwise…no biggie, I’ll just pay outright for cappuccinos    Also, is coffee available in the lido all day?  Is it good?   Princess coffee was pretty terrible   
 

My other question is the $15 cap on wine   If we ask for a more expensive wine, are we just charged the difference plus gratuity?   I’ve heard we could upgrade to elite on ship which might cover my coffee habit  😵‍💫😵‍💫 plus the higher priced wines   

 

Looking forward to this itinerary (14 day Alaska) next spring   🥳

[robotpony]

Lido coffee is okay first thing in the morning, but not something I would seek out. Lots of personal preference in this, but it tastes like the coffee in my downtown office.

 

Unfortunately on HA (at least this summer) you pay full price for anything over your plan's limit, so a $20 glass of wine would be $20 + gratuity, not $15 (gratuity included). We did find a reasonable selection of wines under this limit, but it really depends on what you're looking for.

 

[CruiserBruce]

29 minutes ago, Spideysmum said:

Having only cruised Princess, I am wondering how different the beverage package (signature) is   We are mainly wine drinkers and the Princess package allows 15 alcoholic drinks per day and unlimited nonalcoholic.   Therefore, I’m a happy camper with espresso drinks (lots of coffee) and Diet Coke for most of the day    With our signature package, I’m reading 15 beverages total…which would work IF they offered a coffee card, as Princess does   I can’t find one    Otherwise…no biggie, I’ll just pay outright for cappuccinos    Also, is coffee available in the lido all day?  Is it good?   Princess coffee was pretty terrible   
 

My other question is the $15 cap on wine   If we ask for a more expensive wine, are we just charged the difference plus gratuity?   I’ve heard we could upgrade to elite on ship which might cover my coffee habit  😵‍💫😵‍💫 plus the higher priced wines   

 

Looking forward to this itinerary (14 day Alaska) next spring   🥳

I would suggest some reading around the board,  there are many threads here on the drink packages.

 

The $15 cap on ALL alcoholic beverages is the Elite Beverage Package,  not Signature, which is $11. The Elite is unlimited non-alcoholic beverages, Signatureis 15 of any covered beverages total. 

 

Coffee is available 24/7 in Lido.

[OVgirl]

I think both beverage packages have a limit of 15 of both alcohol and non-alcoholic drinks.  You also will not be a able to pay for coffees on your keycard. Every drink goes into the SBP. If you'd like to pay for the cheaper beverages, you should probably buy a Beverage Card for that. Any unused balance will be refunded at the end of the cruise.

[crystalspin]

53 minutes ago, Spideysmum said:

Having only cruised Princess, I am wondering how different the beverage package (signature) is   We are mainly wine drinkers and the Princess package allows 15 alcoholic drinks per day and unlimited nonalcoholic.   Therefore, I’m a happy camper with espresso drinks (lots of coffee) and Diet Coke for most of the day    With our signature package, I’m reading 15 beverages total…which would work IF they offered a coffee card, as Princess does   I can’t find one    Otherwise…no biggie, I’ll just pay outright for cappuccinos    Also, is coffee available in the lido all day?  Is it good?   Princess coffee was pretty terrible   
 

My other question is the $15 cap on wine   If we ask for a more expensive wine, are we just charged the difference plus gratuity?   I’ve heard we could upgrade to elite on ship which might cover my coffee habit  😵‍💫😵‍💫 plus the higher priced wines   

 

Looking forward to this itinerary (14 day Alaska) next spring   🥳

Signature: 15 beverages up to $11 each (menu price, service charge paid with the package or included with HIA).

Elite: : 15 beverages up to $15 each (menu price, service charge paid with the package or included with HIA). -- you will see people say that Elite is 15 alcoholic/unlimited non-alcoholic but this is no longer true -- I just read it on my Already Booked page.

 

You cannot "pay outright" for your non-alcohol drinks, because the ship is cashless; you have to give the server a card! But you can buy Beverage Cards in $50/$100/$250 denominations. There are also three "Cellars" (qualities) of wine packages available in 4/6/8 bottles each. To see prices (and the Beverage Cards, and the conditions of the Beverage Packages -- log on to your booking number and choose Beverages under the drop-down for CRUISE ACTIVITIES.

 

As others have said, whichever package you have, if the drink is more, you pay the full price+18%.

 

Welcome to HAL! The 14-day Alaska trips are great experiences!

[Spideysmum]

1 minute ago, crystalspin said:

 

 

You cannot "pay outright" for your non-alcohol drinks, because the ship is cashless; you have to give the server a card! But you can buy Beverage Cards in $50/$100/$250 denominations. There are also three "Cellars" (qualities) of wine packages available in 4/6/8 bottles each. To see prices (and the Beverage Cards, and the conditions of the Beverage Packages -- log on to your booking number and choose Beverages under the drop-down for CRUISE ACTIVITIES.

 

Welcome to HAL! The 14-day Alaska trips are great experiences!

THANK YOU!   That’s exactly what we are going to do…the bev cards    Just not a fan of non espresso spiked coffee  🤩     The wine packages sound interesting   Assume we can use them in the MDR   

[Spideysmum]

17 minutes ago, OVgirl said:

I think both beverage packages have a limit of 15 of both alcohol and non-alcoholic drinks.  You also will not be a able to pay for coffees on your keycard. Every drink goes into the SBP. If you'd like to pay for the cheaper beverages, you should probably buy a Beverage Card for that. Any unused balance will be refunded at the end of the cruise.

Thanks very much   Appreciate your insight

[crystalspin]

1 minute ago, Spideysmum said:

That’s exactly what we are going to do…the bev cards    Just not a fan of non espresso spiked coffee  🤩     The wine packages sound interesting   Assume we can use them in the MDR   

Oh yes, I forgot that detail: the Sommelier Packages may be drunk in "restaurants" including MDR, or you may request one (or more) be fetched to have in your cabin. Not to be drunk in bars or lounges.

[Spideysmum]

55 minutes ago, robotpony said:

Lido coffee is okay first thing in the morning, but not something I would seek out. Lots of personal preference in this, but it tastes like the coffee in my downtown office.

 

 

Exactly   I really only like espresso spiked coffee   The Princess coffee was undrinkable except in dire circumstances    

[AFNavigator]

2 hours ago, OVgirl said:

I think both beverage packages have a limit of 15 of both alcohol and non-alcoholic drinks.  You also will not be a able to pay for coffees on your keycard. Every drink goes into the SBP. If you'd like to pay for the cheaper beverages, you should probably buy a Beverage Card for that. Any unused balance will be refunded at the end of the cruise.

You can also game the 15/day limit somewhat on sodas and waters.  On days you won't be on the ship the full day (embarkation and port stops) you won't have as many onboard hours drinking wine and coffee.  Get extra Diet Cokes those days and bring them back to your cabin to build a stock for sea days.

[grouchomarx]

How useful is the $11 limit from the signature package?  I am going on HAL for the first time in two weeks and got the signature package.  I am from NY (just outside NYC) and there is no such thing as a cocktail that costs $11.  So I am wondering how we will fare.  We drink all day/night and love cocktails and wine.  I hope we won’t be shelling out a lot of extra $$ or drinking garbage. I usually order Grey Goose, Belvedere, etc. I am fine with Absolute, Titos’ etc. with a package but I’m hoping at least that will be included and I don’t have to resort to like well quality booze and cheap crap wine.

[robotpony]

We didn't find $11 limiting. There were only a few standard menu drinks over $11, so most mixed drinks and a modest selection of wine (and most beer) is $11 and under. Doubles and higher end spirits are more expensive, but higher end is well above, say, a Hendric's, so you're not limited to only the cheapest spirits.

 

If you drink Scotch or wine (or other expensive spirits), then $11 is more limiting. We were fine with the wine selection, but our tastes are fairly modest in that sense. The $11 glass of wine was better value on HA than it would be in Vancouver.

[crystalspin]

28 minutes ago, grouchomarx said:

How useful is the $11 limit from the signature package?  I am going on HAL for the first time in two weeks and got the signature package.  

Our @Crew News has a wonderful website with photos of beverage (and other) menus. 

https://rogerjett-photography.com/specialty-2/hal-regular-and-specialty-restaurants/hal-beverage-menus/

 

A cocktail is priced by the liquor that is in it: Martini costs what the gin in it costs, etc.

 

ETA: If you browse those menus and determine you want the Elite, you should be able to upgrade from the Signature to the Elite, once on board, for $10+18% ($11.80) per person per day. You need to do it before you use the SBP even once! Approach a bartender (not server) with the request and if told NO, either go to another bar or ask him (or rarely her) to call their manager.

Edited October 7, 2022 by crystalspin

[grouchomarx]

5 minutes ago, crystalspin said:

Our @Crew News has a wonderful website with photos of beverage (and other) menus. 

https://rogerjett-photography.com/specialty-2/hal-regular-and-specialty-restaurants/hal-beverage-menus/

 

A cocktail is priced by the liquor that is in it: Martini costs what the gin in it costs, etc.

 

ETA: If you browse those menus and determine you want the Elite, you should be able to upgrade from the Signature to the Elite, once on board, for $10+18% ($11.80) per person per day. You need to do it before you use the SBP even once! Approach a bartender (not server) with the request and if told NO, either go to another bar or ask him (or rarely her) to call their manager.

This is very helpful, thank you very much.  I think I’ll be ok with my existing package. I’m not used to such low drink prices on a cruise!  

[AFNavigator]

59 minutes ago, grouchomarx said:

This is very helpful, thank you very much.  I think I’ll be ok with my existing package. I’m not used to such low drink prices on a cruise!  

Just be aware that a drink exceeding $11 will cost you the full price of the drink plus 18% gratuity, not just the difference above $11.  For example a margarita with Patron Anejo ($14.50) will cost you $17.11 after gratuity.  The same margarita with Patron Silver ($10.75) is within the package limit and costs you zero extra.

[jagger16]

HAL also allows you to bring wine on board. You will pay a $20 corkage fee per bottle but in our experience it’s worth it. If we open a bottle at dinner and don’t finish it, they will hold it for you for the next night. We have purchased wine in Fort Lauderdale at Total Wine but now we have a wine suitcase that we pack at home and take on the plane. Enjoy planning your cruise and the cruise as well!

[FlorenceItaly]

On 10/7/2022 at 5:15 PM, grouchomarx said:

How useful is the $11 limit from the signature package?  I am going on HAL for the first time in two weeks and got the signature package.  I am from NY (just outside NYC) and there is no such thing as a cocktail that costs $11.  So I am wondering how we will fare.  We drink all day/night and love cocktails and wine.  I hope we won’t be shelling out a lot of extra $$ or drinking garbage. I usually order Grey Goose, Belvedere, etc. I am fine with Absolute, Titos’ etc. with a package but I’m hoping at least that will be included and I don’t have to resort to like well quality booze and cheap crap wine.

How did you make out with the signature package or did you upgrade to Elite.  Please share about your experience.  Thank you so much!

[grouchomarx]

On 10/27/2022 at 1:08 PM, FlorenceItaly said:

How did you make out with the signature package or did you upgrade to Elite.  Please share about your experience.  Thank you so much!

I did fine with the signature package with one exception. Made the mistake of asking a sommelier for a wine by the glass recommendation to pair with food and she chose an $18 Pouille Fusse (sorry cannot spell that.) My bad for not asking the price.  Paid full price.  Otherwise, stayed within the price range and only went above my 15 drinks on one day of the cruise.  Overall it’s quite doable and I drink quite a bit.