Zaandam sockets, TV and HAL Signature bev pkg

[shack]

Zaandam is indeed outlet limited. Here is a pic of the sole oulet grouping at the desk. One standard US 110v; one European  2-prong 220v which we put an adapter in. There is also a 3-pin receptacle if you have the adapter for that.
We actually didn’t use these much as our Vista suite had a USB port in the.table lamp base where we inserted our 4-in-1 USB splitter. ($3-$10 depending upon number of jacks. 
Worked like a champ charging phone, watches, Kindles and headsets. 


 New large flatscreen is dynamite. Attached directly in front of bed(s), 24in H x 36in W which yields a diagonal screen size of about 39 in. Easily viewable from bed, chair or sofa. No HDMI, USB, audio or other jacks for peripherals. 
DVD player gone but over 100 free on-demand movies of goid qualuty including sone new releases. 

The signature drinks package does include drinks up to $11.00, but the (un)cleverly worded pkg info that says gratuity is included is wrong for all drinks $11 and under is wrong. $11 max is a total max, including tip so you need to purchase a drink $9 or less to have the drink and 18% grat ring in at less than $11. Some decent wines @ $9. Most desirable wines $11. 
$9 wine + $1.62 grat = $10.62 so totally included

$10 wine or bloody mary + $1.80 grat = $11.80, so .80 charge on your acct

$11 wine + $1.98 = $12.98 so $1.98 charge to your acct

This applies across the board so if you buy a bottle or a high end shot/cocktail you pay 18% on the total, including the $11 package discount on the net. 
This all seems a bit bush league to me, especially since the most desirable package wines were recently jacked up from $9 to $11 bringing them out from under the $11-incl tip category to the slap leather for grat category. 
The grats on $10-$11 drinks are peanuts in comparison to cruise price, and the bar staff certainly deserve them for their great service, but confusing enough to generate a 20-person line at guest relations questioning their statements. 
As a former hospitality professional I guarantee you HAL is not making enough grat off $10-$11 drinks to pay for the guest relations time and payroll to explain the convoluted system. 
A bartender explained it to me and I gave him extra tip. He saved me (and hopefully you) 20 minutes. 
If this system isn’t ‘nickeling and diming’ I don’t know what is…

Still a great NE/CAN cruise so far. 
More later. 

[shack]

Guest services also burns through reams of paper and laser printer cartridges printing off statements for curious customers when they can just show it on screen. HAL not as green as they  claim to be. 

Edited May 30, 2023 by shack

[Susanmaz]

Shack - unless one is like DH who has no clue of how to do that and has a DW who refuses to deal with his technology incompetence.  There still are people who need to see paper.

[shack]

Yup, for technopeasants the struggle is real. 

[CruiserBruce]

I don't believe your comments about the total cost of drinks, including tip, must be under $11 to be covered by the drink package, is correct. That hasn't been true in the past. The only rule has been the list price of the drink must be $11 or less.

[rodndonna]

16 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

I don't believe your comments about the total cost of drinks, including tip, must be under $11 to be covered by the drink package, is correct. That hasn't been true in the past. The only rule has been the list price of the drink must be $11 or less.

 

You are right, definitely not the case in the past.

[shack]

2 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

I don't believe your comments about the total cost of drinks, including tip, must be under $11 to be covered by the drink package, is correct. That hasn't been true in the past. The only rule has been the list price of the drink must be $11 or less.

Believe what you want. I’m just relating the way it IS on Zaandam yesterday, today, and tomorrow. I was under the assumption from brochure that any by the glass wine $11 and under included grat. Not so GI. 
You don’t have to flame it up saying you don’t believe ME. I don’t set the policies- I’m just frustrated by them. You *should* believe what I was told by a bartender, a bar manager, and two people at Guest Services. They will recalibrate you when you get aboard.

i was merely relaying what was a surprise to me and a policy unknown to many as a service which I thought was the purpose of this board. 
Challenging the messenger is not a good look. 

 

[CruiserBruce]

28 minutes ago, shack said:

Believe what you want. I’m just relating the way it IS on Zaandam yesterday, today, and tomorrow. I was under the assumption from brochure that any by the glass wine $11 and under included grat. Not so GI. 
You don’t have to flame it up saying you don’t believe ME. I don’t set the policies- I’m just frustrated by them. You *should* believe what I was told by a bartender, a bar manager, and two people at Guest Services. They will recalibrate you when you get aboard.

i was merely relaying what was a surprise to me and a policy unknown to many as a service which I thought was the purpose of this board. 
Challenging the messenger is not a good look. 

 

Well, excuse me for doubting you. I missed the memo that wasn't allowed. 

[shack]

Just call HAL to verify instead of quibbling. I relayed the info I was given by those responsible for booze charges on Zaandam. I’d be thrilled to find out they are wrong, but I’m not ringing up roaming charges on hold to find out. Would cost more than the darn grat residuals. 🫤

[rodndonna]

 

They need to update their website detailing how the drink package works - because it still reflects the a policy of $11 menu price being the limit.

 

In the past, I "believe" if you went over the $11 (say a $12 drink), you paid the difference and then gratuities on the entire price ($1 + 0.18*$12) and that caused some confusion. 

 

[shack]

$11 IS the limit under Signature Bev Pkg. I understand from fellow cruisers that up until 2021 if you went over $11 you paid the full price and grat for the higher priced drink. As you note they now only charge the difference (amount over $11) plus grat on all of it. Going to the differential pricing put them in line with the competition.  

[BigMattT]

It is definitely odd they would make a change like this to one ship, mid-season, mid-month.

Two weeks ago, when a drink was over $11, we paid the difference, plus tax/grat on that difference. My cosmos were $1.25 I believe, due to a list price of $12.

[rodndonna]

12 minutes ago, BigMattT said:

It is definitely odd they would make a change like this to one ship, mid-season, mid-month.

Two weeks ago, when a drink was over $11, we paid the difference, plus tax/grat on that difference. My cosmos were $1.25 I believe, due to a list price of $12.

 

Although I have never ordered over the $11 limit, on previous cruises over the last 12 months, it was my understanding that gratuity would be charged on the full price not just the difference.

 

What surprises me is the poster is now finding that on the Zandaam, there are account charges for an $11 drink (as the total with grats is over $11). We did test that scenario (a few times!) and have never had an account charge for $11 drinks. 

 

[shack]

OK I’m going to find the hotel manager after our excursion tomorrow and mail down the real deal. Something is definitely amiss. Tonight we had dinner at Pinnacle Grill - exceptional BTW - best food in 25 cruises incl Seabourn, Seadream Yacht Club, Crystal, Windstar, Oceania, etc. A true bargain at $39 upcharge plus grat. Best halibut I’ve ever had (8 oz portion) snd great steak. Here’s the rub. 
My wife had a great glass of Simi at $12 which was charged at $1.18. I had a $13 glass of red and was charged $2.36. Both charges were EXACTLY what I would have expected - the amount over $11 plus the grat on the amount over $11, but no grat on $11. 
I really think I was given bad poop multiple times by inexperienced crew. The staff at Pinnacle is at the peak of their game and know their stuff cold. 
All this to say this needs a bit more research and I will revise the thread as appropriate. Don’t fret, I’d never knowingly put out bad info but it could be I’ve been sold a bill if goods (and others). 
Totally mystified at this point. If only I spoke Tagalog…

[shack]

 

Zaandam is indeed outlet limited. Here is a pic of the sole oulet grouping at the desk. One standard US 110v; one European  2-prong 220v which we put an adapter in. There is also a 3-pin receptacle if you have the adapter for that.
We actually didn’t use these much as our Vista suite had a USB port in the.table lamp basewhere we inserted our 4-in-1 USB splitter. ($3-$10 depending upon number of jacks. 
Worked like a champ charging phone, watches, Kindles and headsets. 


 New large flatscreen is dynamite. Attached directly in front of bed(s), 24in H x 36in W which yields a diagonal screen size of about 39 in. Easily viewable from bed, chair or sofa. No HDMI, USB, audio or other jacks for peripherals. 
DVD player gone but over 100 free on-demand movies of goid quality including sone new releases. 

[shack]

Service charge part of thread removed. Finally got ungarbled word that with HIA or Signature Beverage pkg all drinks $11 and under get charged to the package with no grat. Drinks over $11 pay the upcharge (amount icer $11) pkus the 18% grat on the upcharge or price difference.

Kinda what we thought all along. Requested deletion of the previous thread with bad info from HAL. 

[richwmn]

You didn't really need to start a new thread, just adding the correction would have done just fine.

 

On the subject of power sockets, please look behind your ice bucket. There may be another one there that used to power the older tv/dvd player setup.

[oakridger]

@shackI see you started another thread explaining what happened.  Thank you for tracking it down.  Yes, the staff should get some retraining, so they give passengers the current correct information.  Have a good time now that this is settled!

 

 

~Nancy

[shack]

You are correct!!  Future Zaandam cruisers should have no issues as long as she is in service. Great call. 

[CruiserBruce]

Surprising...guess that is why I didn't get the memo.

[Host Kat]

FTI to all,

 

The two threads have been merged into one thread. Per the Cruise Critic software, all posts now appear in post date/time order on this newly merged thread.

 

Happy sails.

 

Host Kat