"Have it all " package with Holland cruises

[tobymurph]

Im wondering if this "Have it all "package is good value but cant seem to find the individual break down of prices without the package so that I can compare. Would like to know how much wifi is per day and cost of drinks, including non alcoholic drinks such as bottled water. Seems we are charged for every cold drink throughout the day..This package does give a $100 credit towards an excursion which makes it more of a deal but would like to hear your thoughts on it. 

We drink a lot of Zevia at home which is a sugar free flavoured soda but dont imagine we can bring it aboard even though its not offered on ship. 

[Host Kat]

1 hour ago, tobymurph said:

Im wondering if this "Have it all "package is good value but cant seem to find the individual break down of prices without the package so that I can compare. Would like to know how much wifi is per day and cost of drinks, including non alcoholic drinks such as bottled water. Seems we are charged for every cold drink throughout the day..This package does give a $100 credit towards an excursion which makes it more of a deal but would like to hear your thoughts on it. 

We drink a lot of Zevia at home which is a sugar free flavoured soda but dont imagine we can bring it aboard even though its not offered on ship. 

 

@tobymurph

 

Thank you for your new thread on the First Time Cruisers forum. It is the forum for general questions regarding first time cruises. However, your thread is off topic there since your topic concerns a specific cruise line.

 

To help you out I have moved your thread to the Holland America Line forum where it will be on topic. The majority of your fellow Cruise Critic members that have sailed HAL frequent this forum and provide feedback here. Browse through the thread titles on this forum looking for threads of interest. You will probably find your fellow Cruise Critic members have already posted questions and received answers that may be of interest to you.

 

I notice you did not Follow this new thread of yours. I suggest you use the Follow feature on any threads where you are interested in the new posts. That way you will not have to go looking to see if there are new posts because they will come looking for you as notifications. If you need more info on how to do it, please click here How to: Follow Topics & Forums (Subscribed Threads/Forums Info).

 

Hope this will be helpful and glad to have you aboard Cruise Critic!

 

Happy sails,

 

Host Kat

 

[oakridger]

These subjects in a nutshell if you haven't read the HAL threads discussing this yet.......From the HAL website:  Do the math to see if your usage will be worth the approximately $50 pp/per day for the HIA.

 

Cruise Drink & Beverage Packages | Holland America Line

 

Cruise Wi-Fi Plans & Internet Packages | Holland America Line

 

Crew Appreciation and Service Charge Policy (hollandamerica.com)

 

Frequently Asked Cruise Questions - Know Before You Go (hollandamerica.com)

The Know before you go link talks about what beverages can be brought (or not) on board.

 

This site from Cruise Critic's own @Crew News has so much information about drink prices and specialty dining menus and prices.  Thanks Roger!!

 

Roger Jett Photography - Digital Images in Time Roger Jett Photography (rogerjett-photography.com)

 

[oakridger]

@tobymurphYour basic fare also does get included drinks of regular coffee, tea, milk, tap water, lemonade, hot chocolate (I think) and iced tea in the restaurants and room service.

 

For me, I drink maybe 5 or 6 alcoholic drinks per day plus about 3 or 4 Diet Cokes per day, (depending on the cruise) so that would equal the price of the drink package alone, so the HIA is of value to me!  The WiFi, excursions and Specialty restaurants would just be gravy for me.  When HAL sometimes also offers the HIA with included Crew Appreciation, Premium WiFi, Elite Beverage Package plus some OBC on Early Booking bonus basis then no hesitation!!! 

 

Have a good cruise!

 

~Nancy

Edited May 20, 2023 by oakridger

[lissie]

You have to do your own numbers and look at the cruise you are booking - we are doing a 25 day cruise with only 4 sea days. We drink cocktails and wine but not soda. Drink some coffee and tea.  I couldn't even close to justifying the extra cost involved. Plus the cruise excursion credits are  only available for sales on board and almost all good excursions are booked out prior to sailing.  I will have cellular access at the ports so don't really need it on the ship. 

 

There are other options - we'll probably get a wine bottle package for example. because of so few sea days not really worried about the extra dining options 

[oakridger]

2 minutes ago, lissie said:

Plus the cruise excursion credits are  only available for sales on board

 

Actually @lissie you are able to book excursions online ahead of time with your HIA excursion credits.  I have done that on all my recent cruises. (Last September through November 2022). When you log into "Manage my Cruise" there is a place to click to use the credits for Specialty Dining also.

 

~Nancy

[lissie]

2 minutes ago, oakridger said:

 

Actually @lissie you are able to book excursions online ahead of time with your HIA excursion credits.  I have done that on all my recent cruises. (Last September through November 2022). When you log into "Manage my Cruise" there is a place to click to use the credits for Specialty Dining also.

 

~Nancy

Ah thanks - I  must admit when I added up how much we'd drink I was so not close to the amount for HIA I didn't go any  further. It would have been tempting if it had included gratuities 

[oakridger]

PROMOTIONAL CREDIT

*Shore excursions credit will automatically be applied in the cart to the highest valued shore excursions.

[dawnvip]

1 minute ago, oakridger said:

PROMOTIONAL CREDIT

*Shore excursions credit will automatically be applied in the cart to the highest valued shore excursions.

If I remember correctly,  the shore excursion credit = $100 for 7 day cruises, and 2 x $100 for 8 to 20 day cruises. While there are some shore excursions that are arount $100, most are quite a bit more expensive. I spent my $200 shore ex credit on one excursion for my upcoming 17 day cruise. 

[crystalspin]

I was wondering if the Current HIA was different for non-US passengers. I see Early Booking Bonus HIA on the website as including Crew Appreciation, Elite Beverage Package, and Premium WiFi. If you are getting all of those things, as well as excursion credit (and specialty dining), it is a definite no-brainer. For select 2024 cruises.

 

Note if you are a couple, EACH will have their own sign-in on the WiFi. As opposed to buying one log-in and sharing.

 

I was writing an all-inclusive reply, but Nancy beat me to it!

 

Even if you price it out, and it is close, go for the HIA -- it's so nice just to relax about trying a new drink, or having that espresso drink instead of buffet coffee in the Lido.

Edited May 20, 2023 by crystalspin

[tobymurph]

Thanks for your help so far...I see that wifi is $15 a day but still not sure what a soda,,bottled water  a beer or glass of wine would would cost per day. My daughter wants the wifi so maybe we get one package for her and I get the drinks with it ? I would like to know how much a cocktail costs,  being that the package has. a cap at $11 per drink. Seems odd to offer a package and not include cocktails that cost more than what you want to provide.

[oakridger]

4 minutes ago, tobymurph said:

Thanks for your help so far...I see that wifi is $15 a day but still not sure what a soda,,bottled water  a beer or glass of wine would would cost per day. My daughter wants the wifi so maybe we get one package for her and I get the drinks with it ? I would like to know how much a cocktail costs,  being that the package has. a cap at $11 per drink. Seems odd to offer a package and not include cocktails that cost more than what you want to provide.

 

The bar menus are in the Roger Jett Photography link I posted in post #3.  Sodas are $2.75 etc....

 

Ocean-Bar-Menu.pdf (rogerjett-photography.com)

 

Beverage-Package-Contents.pdf (rogerjett-photography.com)   The drinks list doesn't list everything

 

If you have the package and order a drink above the limit of $11 you just pay the difference and the 18% gratuity.  

 

Is there something else you don't see there?

 

~Nancy

[oakridger]

10 minutes ago, tobymurph said:

My daughter wants the wifi so maybe we get one package for her and I get the drinks with it ?

 

Sorry, can't share packages.  If one adult in the cabin gets it, then all other adults in the room must purchase it.  If it's a minor then they must purchase the Quench non alcoholic package.

 

 

[oakridger]

You can read the rules of beverage packages and Frequently Asked Questions in the same link:

Beverage-Package-Contents.pdf (rogerjett-photography.com)

 

 

 

[Crew News]

37 minutes ago, oakridger said:

 

The bar menus are in the Roger Jett Photography link I posted in post #3.  Sodas are $2.75 etc....

 

Ocean-Bar-Menu.pdf (rogerjett-photography.com)

 

Beverage-Package-Contents.pdf (rogerjett-photography.com)   The drinks list doesn't list everything

 

If you have the package and order a drink above the limit of $11 you just pay the difference and the 18% gratuity.  

 

Is there something else you don't see there?

 

~Nancy

This thread and my menu collection brought up questions about the price all of the simple mixed drinks that used to be on a standard HAL bar menu that has now been replaced by special menus for each bar that do not list the prices of simple drinks, 

 

Currently onboard the Nieuw Amsterdam, I have interviewed a number of bartenders and you now must ask your bartender for the price when you order a drink that is no longer on their current menu.s  A marketing tool to allow bartenders to sell more expensive liquors in simple drinks??

 

For planning purposes, estimate $9/mixed drink.

[lissie]

1 hour ago, crystalspin said:

I was wondering if the Current HIA was different for non-US passengers. I see Early Booking Bonus HIA on the website as including Crew Appreciation, Elite Beverage Package, and Premium WiFi. If you are getting all of those things, as well as excursion credit (and specialty dining), it is a definite no-brainer. For select 2024 cruises.

 

Note if you are a couple, EACH will have their own sign-in on the WiFi. As opposed to buying one log-in and sharing.

 

I was writing an all-inclusive reply, but Nancy beat me to it!

 

Even if you price it out, and it is close, go for the HIA -- it's so nice just to relax about trying a new drink, or having that espresso drink instead of buffet coffee in the Lido.

Yes doesn't include gratuities for us. the difference in price is around US$1244 per person in an inside. .  The excursions are well over-priced on this cruise so we've booked independently or will tour independently hiring a car in a couple of ports. 

 

I can get an eSim to  cover places like Iceland for $4.50 for the week.   Only in port I know - but given we are hugging the shore - that will be most of the time. Being off-line for a few days  doesn't matter to me - and if it does  I can pay $20 and connect for 24 hours. 

 

After a long-day in port realistically I know I won't drink more than a cocktail ($11-$14) and glass or 2 of wine in the evening. The wine package should cover the wine @ 8 bottes for $250 approx. There is coffee and orange juice included in breakfast from what  I see. 

 

I think cruise lines make a lot of money with these packages because people are too lazy to do the sums.  

 

Plus we have $650 OBC for the cabin  so that's free money we might as well spend on drinks! 

 

[crystalspin]

@lissie Good maths for the offer on your cruise! Our next cruise has a LOT of sea days (and we got Crew Appreciation), so worth it for us. We do give extra to people that make our days special. It's in our "culture"!!

 

We're booked on a similar itinerary to your Zaandam cruise (on the Volendam 2024). It's a bit out there to be sure of it happening!

[Kiwifan56]

6 hours ago, crystalspin said:

I was wondering if the Current HIA was different for non-US passengers. I see Early Booking Bonus HIA on the website as including Crew Appreciation, Elite Beverage Package, and Premium WiFi. If you are getting all of those things, as well as excursion credit (and specialty dining), it is a definite no-brainer. For select 2024 cruises.

 

 

At the moment yes for our 2025 Trans Pacific cruise however this is the first time we have had the same as our North American friends. 
 

We did the 35 circumnavigation around Australia on the Noordam last year in a Neptune Suite and absolutely loved it however was disappointed by our lack of perks compared to NA friends. I did hit up the onboard travel consultant who told me it was complicated and we (Australasians) had a different fare structure. He couldn’t answer why we had one meal in a specialty restaurant but others on the same cruise had up to three meals. Hmmm, it left a bit of a sour taste to be honest. Still loved the ship, crew and cruise. 

[pmjnh]

It's all about the math. HIA will never work for us as only one of us enjoys a daily glass of wine with dinner and the other of us enjoys a beer once every couple of weeks. The wine package is a better deal for us.

We bring our own refillable water bottles (the tap water is just fine) . We dont drink anything else other than coffee , tea, lemonade...no soda, etc. No specialty coffees.  Only one of us enjoys the internet on a daily basis. One premium package bought pre-cruise is fine for us..even if crew appreciation is included it is still not worth it monetarily..

Basically, we keep our lifestyle the same on the ship as if at home....when retired, to us it is not exactly  vacation, rather change of location. 😉

 

 

so..it is all about the math.  I chuckle when people say their drinks are free on HIA...far from it!

But people on vacation often splurge and thats what HAL wants. I will put the money saved into my next cruise.

 

 

Edited May 20, 2023 by pmjnh

[SueMo]

I'm on a 14 day British Isles sailing in August.  While I had booked our excursions a while back, many of the people on my roll call are complaining that ALL of the excursions now are sold out, they cannot use their HIA credits, and are all on waiting lists.  I would prefer to not use any of HAL's excursions but feel obligated to do so with the HIA, and for some, they can't even book one!

[Hlitner]

We just spent 42 days on Westerdam with the HIA package.  For us, it was a good deal since we both use the Internet and generally drink 4 or more adult beverages a day (more on sea days).  I do not think it would be a good deal for folks that do not drink "adult beverages"   The big internal debate we had, prior to the cruise, was whether HIA made sense since we are 5* Mariners and benefit from 50% off the wine package.  But it turned out that many of the wines on the wine package were out of stock (we also had periods when there was no Perrier, no diet coke, and many other drink shortages) so we were OK just drinking the near garbage wines by the glass (in the MDR).  At dinner (always in the MDR) we would both order "double" glasses of our chosen wine, always had at least 1 (often 2) pre-dinner cocktails, and several after dinner drinks (we are rare HAL cruisers since we actually stay awake until after 11 and enjoy any lounge that dares to offer live entertainment.

 

Hank

[cruisemom42]

19 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

But it turned out that many of the wines on the wine package were out of stock (we also had periods when there was no Perrier, no diet coke, and many other drink shortages)

 

I hear HAL will soon be trialling a new package: HSOI ("Have some of it").

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

10 hours ago, dawnvip said:

If I remember correctly,  the shore excursion credit = $100 for 7 day cruises, and 2 x $100 for 8 to 20 day cruises. While there are some shore excursions that are arount $100, most are quite a bit more expensive. I spent my $200 shore ex credit on one excursion for my upcoming 17 day cruise. 

Good to see that you and others on this thread do the real math on cruise value.

That said, I find it interesting that this HIA “deal” has all sorts of “strings attached.”

 

Have any of you HAL regulars, who may want one or more perks like included excursions, booze, SBC, internet and/other HAL paid options (yes, even air tix) ever looked at premium cruise lines like Oceania (or Azamara)?

 

For example, Oceania’s regular fares (called O Life), includes all non-booze beverages (yes, including bottled water, specialty coffees, fridge stocked with you favorite soft drinks and mixers), at least one unlimited internet account, all specialty restaurants (with a base allotment and extra reservations at no cost though on a space available basis) and a choice of basic booze (wine/beer at meals), tours (number dependent on cruise length) or SBC (amount based on cruise length).

 

Perhaps most importantly, air tix (or an air credit for DIY) is always included (yes, even four figure $ intercontinental flights). Then add the Oceania quality elements like small ships with great crew and space ratios, the finest cuisine at sea and stellar service. Want “icing on the cake?” Oceania occasionally (like right now) offers all three perks (booze, tours and SBC) on select cruises with no added cost!

 

BTW: want to bring your own wine and spirits aboard an O ship? No problem. Only restriction is that it’s for consumption in your cabin (though you can bring wine to dining venues and other public spaces for a $25 corkage fee). And/Or, if you take the available basic booze perk, you can upgrade to unlimited wine/beer/spirits (except for a very few single malts/cognacs) at $30pp/day. 

As I write this, I keep thinking about the post above regarding HAL’s tours deal ($100 value per tour). Oceania’s included basic tour perk has a base value of $100/tour (had you selected the SBC perk instead). But, the selection of allowable tours include those retailing at up to $199 each!

 

Sorry for the “commercial” but, long ago, we started doing the true “bottom line”  math on cruising and quickly realized that the “nickel/diming” on mainstream lines (even the “better” ones like HAL and Celebrity) amounts to a “chunk of change.” That said, we’ve done many HAL/Oceania similar itinerary comparisons and have never found HAL to have a value even close to Oceania. I guess that’s why we meet so many former HAL (and Celebrity) regulars on our Oceania cruises.  
 

Happy sailing!

Edited May 20, 2023 by Flatbush Flyer

[washiotter]

10 hours ago, crystalspin said:

Note if you are a couple, EACH will have their own sign-in on the WiFi. As opposed to buying one log-in and sharing.

 

Wait, really? Yay, I thought it was one connection per cabin. My teens will be very happy. 

[Roz]

10 minutes ago, washiotter said:

Wait, really? Yay, I thought it was one connection per cabin. My teens will be very happy. 

Only one device may be connected at one time....will that work for your family?