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Drink package and room service


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I don't know why I'm so confused on the drink package, but here goes my question: Does the elite drink package cover all drinks if ordering room service, or is there an additional charge for sodas and specialty coffees?

Thank you

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Just a note:

The drinks in your room are not part of HIA including the 2 large bottles of water.  The  water was my mistake and got charged $7 each for using them.

For your water just go to any bar and it's included in the HIA.

Happytotravel 

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3 hours ago, happytotravel said:

Just a note:

The drinks in your room are not part of HIA including the 2 large bottles of water.  The  water was my mistake and got charged $7 each for using them.

For your water just go to any bar and it's included in the HIA.

Happytotravel 

Is the water from the bar bottled?  Or do they give you a glass of water?

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Posted (edited)

Just a note:

The drinks in your room are not part of HIA including the 2 large bottles of water.  The  water was my mistake and got charged $7 each for using them.

For your water just go to any bar and it's included in the HIA.

Happytotravel 

Edited by happytotravel
Sorry, clicked on the wrong button
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1 minute ago, happytotravel said:

They are plastic resealable.  

OMG, PLASTIC? But I can't bring my own plastic recyclable bottle onboard..... Yeah, that sounds like a money grab.

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If you have the HIA the water from the bar is free but counts toward your 15 drink limit like any other drink would count toward it.

If you don't have HIA or the drink package I would bring my own recyclable bottle onboard. I do that anyway.

Take care.

 

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11 minutes ago, Shmoo here said:

OMG, PLASTIC? But I can't bring my own plastic recyclable bottle onboard..... Yeah, that sounds like a money grab.

Haven't seen plastic bottles of water being sold by HAL in several years.  You get an aluminum can (included in HIA) or you can pay for a slightly larger resealable aluminum bottle that's not included in HIA. There are also bigger glass bottles of water.

 

Sue/WDW1972

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1 hour ago, happytotravel said:

If you have the HIA the water from the bar is free but counts toward your 15 drink limit like any other drink would count toward it.

 

Counts with Signature. does not count with Elite. 

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2 hours ago, wdw1972 said:

Haven't seen plastic bottles of water being sold by HAL in several years.  You get an aluminum can (included in HIA) or you can pay for a slightly larger resealable aluminum bottle that's not included in HIA. There are also bigger glass bottles of water.

 

Sue/WDW1972

I was on the Volendam in June and got plastic bottles from the bar. 

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11 minutes ago, happytotravel said:

I was on the Volendam in June and got plastic bottles from the bar. 

Interesting - I believe you, but it's the complete opposite of my recent cruises.  Last one was March, so maybe something has changed since then. I can see where people would prefer the plastic resealable bottles.  For me it doesn't matter - I bring my metal insulated water bottle, so I have cold water. We always have a cabana in the Retreat (Retreat is not on Volendam/Zaandam), which includes the big glass bottles of water. If I didn't have that though, I'd just fill my refillable with tap water - tap water on a ship tastes as good as bottled water on land!

 

Sue/WDW1972

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4 hours ago, SeaMatesNYC said:

Counts with Signature. does not count with Elite. 


New policy. Elite is now 15 drinks total. Up to $15 and you pay just any overage.  Alcoholic AND all non-alcoholic drinks count including canned water.

 

(posting from the Crow’s Nest)

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24 minutes ago, Cruising Is Bliss said:


New policy. Elite is now 15 drinks total. Up to $15 and you pay just any overage.  Alcoholic AND all non-alcoholic drinks count including canned water.

 

(posting from the Crow’s Nest)

They better change the website then

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9 hours ago, Cruising Is Bliss said:


New policy. Elite is now 15 drinks total. Up to $15 and you pay just any overage.  Alcoholic AND all non-alcoholic drinks count including canned water.

 

(posting from the Crow’s Nest)

Is there signage that show the new policy? Or is this from a staff member who may be incorrect?

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Posted (edited)
16 hours ago, Sea42 said:

Is there signage that show the new policy? Or is this from a staff member who may be incorrect?


Bingo. But it’s not just one confused employee. It’s not posted anywhere on the ship so I went to Guest Services and got a copy. Multiple Crow’s Nest staff have been saying for six weeks that it’s always limited to 15 drinks specifically including non-alcoholic. Until tonight when I waved the drink package sheet at tonight’s staff in the Crow’s Nest and pointed to one sentence buried in a paragraph toward the end on the backside of the page. Which is the only place it actually says Elite package non-alcoholic drinks are unlimited. Elsewhere the policy sheet just says all the packages are limited to 15 drinks. Welcome to confusion between reality and all those post-cruise reports. We spend all our free time in the Crow’s Nest so I don’t know what the staff in other bars have been telling passengers.

 

 

Edited by Cruising Is Bliss
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I think it’s also possible that HIA with the basic drink package is more common than the early booking bonus HIA that includes the Elite package. So maybe some staff, before they get the passenger’s card, just find it easier to tell everyone it’s 15 drinks total, instead of getting into the weeds with cranky passengers who have no idea which drink package they have.

 

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As with all things, the language in the “contract” is what matters. I will time-stamp and carry with me a copy of the EBP language in effect at the time of my purchase of a cruise with the early booking bonus HIA (Elite beverage) and once again take it up with The Office of the President if the shipboard staff attempt to short me on drinks. I love water and coffee and will not be denied the benefit I purchased. They are free to change any and all terms on a going forward basis, but not for those who purchased with certain terms in effect at a given time. 

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2 minutes ago, SeaMatesNYC said:

As with all things, the language in the “contract” is what matters. I will time-stamp and carry with me a copy of the EBP language in effect at the time of my purchase of a cruise with the early booking bonus HIA (Elite beverage) and once again take it up with The Office of the President if the shipboard staff attempt to short me on drinks. I love water and coffee and will not be denied the benefit I purchased. They are free to change any and all terms on a going forward basis, but not for those who purchased with certain terms in effect at a given time. 

The next problem they have is that they refer to “unlimited non-alcoholic beverages” and I drink the Fré non-alcoholic wine and the Heineken 0.0 non-alcoholic malt beverage. Both say “non-alcoholic” on the label. Waiting for heads to explode when/if I seek to exclude those from the 15 on my Elite plan. I’ve never reached 15 on the SBP even with coffee and water (I do not actually consume alcohol) but it could happen! 😉😂 Last cruise I got up to 14 drinks in the plan (hot day and lots of 0.0 and Coors Edges) plus two Mariner Cocktail cards. Of course they ran one of the Mariner cocktail cards as a drink purchase and put me at 16 and then tried to charge me for the last drink. Sorry no, not gonna happen. I keep a running tally of all my drinks. The beverage supervisor printed all the receipts and ultimately refunded the charge for that 16th drink. The look on her face when I pulled up the dated log of all my drinks that day. Of course I could also recount where each was purchased. 

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