No more unlimited Elite BP non-alcoholic beverages??

[SeaMatesNYC]

3 hours ago, POA1 said:

About a half hour later, I had an answer. The water did not count toward the total. I also found out that they have printed versions of the the Beverage Package handout on the ship. That's the PDF I posted earlier in the thread.

That’s great. You have given us some very convincing data that is very much appreciated. As to the use of Guest Relations, they have historically been successful in handling just about any matter related to policy and issues I’ve had and while I appreciate your take on what they are for, I’ll stick with them for now, and see what they come up with re: my case. If things are more reservation related and I have issues I use “world cruise” email. Honestly, I believe they all funnel to the same place. 
 

Bottom line: @POA1 and friend have conducted semi-rigorous testing onboard the Nieuw Amsterdam and reveal results seeming to suggest pretty conclusively that the programmed policy remains the same in that Elite package does NOT count zero proof beverages. As the OP, I am now satisfied we can put this thread on ice!  I’ll have mine with canned water, please!

[robear14]

I just boarded Rotterdam a few hours ago - this was in the envelope with the key cards.

[coolbluegreenseas]

5 hours ago, POA1 said:

About a half hour later, I had an answer. The water did not count toward the total. I also found out that they have printed versions of the the Beverage Package handout on the ship. That's the PDF I posted earlier in the thread.

Useful information and thank you.

[coolbluegreenseas]

16 minutes ago, robear14 said:

I just boarded Rotterdam a few hours ago - this was in the envelope with the key cards.

Thank you! We seem to have a few different points of data to reference now and it does seem non-alcohol beverages are not counted against the total. As far as guest relations goes, it would nice to hear from them. 

[terrydtx]

19 minutes ago, robear14 said:

I just boarded Rotterdam a few hours ago - this was in the envelope with the key cards.

Make sure to keep that card in case any questions come up on the cruise.

[terrydtx]

2 minutes ago, coolbluegreenseas said:

Thank you! We seem to have a few different points of data to reference now and it does seem non-alcohol beverages are not counted against the total. As far as guest relations goes, it would nice to hear from them. 

It also seems to settle, at least on Rotterdam, the question about fresh squeezed OJ being on the Elite BP.

[Blackduck59]

I don't think the "Fresh Squeezed and cold pressed juices" have been in the beverage packages for some time. I think the confussion comes because it is included in club orange and possibly in Pinnacle for the neptune suite breakfast.

[kevingastreich]

On 7/17/2024 at 6:59 PM, terrydtx said:

RCI is not part of the group that owns HAL, Celebrity which is part of RCI allows water to be brought aboard. Also Celebrity bev packages have no limits on the number of drinks both alcohol and non-alcohol per day.

I know, the comparison was about a lower end line compared to HAL  I just got off a RCI cruise and people were allowed to bring on plastic bottles of water.  Why won't HAL?

[bajae]

11 minutes ago, kevingastreich said:

I know, the comparison was about a lower end line compared to HAL  I just got off a RCI cruise and people were allowed to bring on plastic bottles of water.  Why won't HAL?

You can bring water, just not in plastic bottles. 

[CruiserBruce]

29 minutes ago, kevingastreich said:

I know, the comparison was about a lower end line compared to HAL  I just got off a RCI cruise and people were allowed to bring on plastic bottles of water.  Why won't HAL?

Carnival Corp policy...Corp wide. Trying to cut plastic use, and because many people were sneaking booze onboard in plastic bottles.

[terrydtx]

41 minutes ago, kevingastreich said:

I know, the comparison was about a lower end line compared to HAL  I just got off a RCI cruise and people were allowed to bring on plastic bottles of water.  Why won't HAL?

Its a CCL policy to cut down on plastic bottles onboard ships. Empty plastic water bottles have a tendency to end up in the ocean after being blown or even thrown overboard. I personally think it is a responsible and a good policy. We bring with us insulated stainless steel water bottles on any cruise or trips that we refill with water from cans, glass bottles or refill stations on the ships. We never use plastic water bottles on land either as millions of tons of them end up in landfills every year.

Edited July 20 by terrydtx

[SeaMatesNYC]

6 hours ago, robear14 said:

I just boarded Rotterdam a few hours ago - this was in the envelope with the key cards.

Was this a standalone purchase of the package or received as a HIA+ amenity?  Have never seen such a card.  I wonder if they are reading our thread and this is how they choose to clarify. 

Edited July 20 by SeaMatesNYC

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, SeaMatesNYC said:

Was this a standalone purchase of the package or received as a HIA+ amenity?  Have never seen such a card.  I wonder if they are reading our thread and this is how they choose to clarify. 

Our most recent cruise in April had this info in our room, but it was the correct info for the SPB we had.

[robear14]

On 7/20/2024 at 10:37 PM, SeaMatesNYC said:

Was this a standalone purchase of the package or received as a HIA+ amenity?  Have never seen such a card.  I wonder if they are reading our thread and this is how they choose to clarify. 

The Elite Beverage Package that we have for this cruise was purchased as part of a package - I believe it was an "early booking" package that included a bunch of other things. The top of our key cards have HEBP on them.

[BBQ Bacon]

Got a response from Holland America for our coming cruise to Hawaii in October.  This was part of our early booking bonus

 

[terrydtx]

2 minutes ago, BBQ Bacon said:

Got a response from Holland America for our coming cruise to Hawaii in October.  This was part of our early booking bonus

 

That is the same response we got for our Volendam cruise this month. We have the early booking bonus with the Elite DP.

[Petronillus]

On 7/19/2024 at 8:38 PM, SeaMatesNYC said:

I suppose this varies from ship to ship, even desalinated batch to batch (is that where they get it?  or is it from shore?  shows what I know), as well as on one's individual sensitivity to chemicals and chlorination, but I find the tap water to be not palatable, putting it politely.  I'll drink it in Lido if I don't want the eternal wait for a bottled or canned water and have forgotten to pick one up on the way in, but it does not please me.  This, I suppose, is a matter for one's own tastes and desires.  I'm not saying it is not drinkable, just not for me if I can help it...

On one ship, I don't remember which one, we attended a behind-the-scenes video presentation about the outfitting and operation of the ship. One segment focused on the water treatment, and DW & I found it immensely reassuring. Based on the purity of the water, I stopped fretting about using distilled water in my cpap machine while onboard.

 

I remember a Dennis the Menace cartoon. Dennis's father is standing at Cennis's bedside, having brought him a glass of water, which Dennis rejects saying, "I want kitchen water, not bathroom water!"

Edited August 6 by Petronillus
with apologies

[CruiserBruce]

Lets keep the politics out of things, please.

[Fouremco]

6 hours ago, BBQ Bacon said:

Got a response from Holland America for our coming cruise to Hawaii in October.  This was part of our early booking bonus

 

As we will be on that cruise, I'm very happy to see the response that you received!

[ghstudio]

For completeness, alcohol free wine is NOT included in any package.  It is only available by the bottle.

 

I am currently on Nieuw statendam and asked f&b manager for the policy and we have upgraded drink package. 

[SeaMatesNYC]

9 hours ago, ghstudio said:

For completeness, alcohol free wine is NOT included in any package.  It is only available by the bottle.

 

I am currently on Nieuw statendam and asked f&b manager for the policy and we have upgraded drink package. 

I am not sure why you are being told this, but on the past two cruises I was on (Nieuw Statendam May 2024 and Noordam July 2024), I ordered the Fré alcohol free wines extensively and had them included in the Signature Beverage package every time. Not sure what’s going on on your voyage but that seems a radical change. I’d complain in writing to Seattle and demand a refund on your package if you don’t drink alcohol. 

[ghstudio]

7 hours ago, SeaMatesNYC said:

I am not sure why you are being told this, but on the past two cruises I was on (Nieuw Statendam May 2024 and Noordam July 2024), I ordered the Fré alcohol free wines extensively and had them included in the Signature Beverage package every time. Not sure what’s going on on your voyage but that seems a radical change. I’d complain in writing to Seattle and demand a refund on your package if you don’t drink alcohol. 

In the past 18 months, we have been on the woosterdam, oostradam and rotterdam  and now on the nieuw statendam and have been told on each ship, at various bars and mdr that it is only available by the bottle.  In each case i had to go a step or two up the management chain, explaining nicely that we have HIA and that the request is medical, not just dietary choice, and on each ship they nicely “made an exception”. 

 

I’m going to try to find out if there is an “official” HAL policy, or if each ship makes its own decision.  Alcohol free wines do not appear on any menu..,by the glass or by the bottle.  Just for completeness, 0.0 beer is readily available under the drink packages.

 

will post if the “official” policy emerges…

[SeaMatesNYC]

1 hour ago, ghstudio said:

In the past 18 months, we have been on the woosterdam, oostradam and rotterdam  and now on the nieuw statendam and have been told on each ship, at various bars and mdr that it is only available by the bottle.  In each case i had to go a step or two up the management chain, explaining nicely that we have HIA and that the request is medical, not just dietary choice, and on each ship they nicely “made an exception”. 

 

I’m going to try to find out if there is an “official” HAL policy, or if each ship makes its own decision.  Alcohol free wines do not appear on any menu..,by the glass or by the bottle.  Just for completeness, 0.0 beer is readily available under the drink packages.

 

will post if the “official” policy emerges…

Wow. I totally believe you. And you are absolutely correct that it does it appear in any menu. But it does exist in the point of purchase terminals and has been rung up for me on a package many times (if memory serves I believe a glass is $9, which means it would be in the “alcohol” packages, and frankly could be included in the 15 drink exemption in Elite for non-alcoholic drinks! LOL!).  I’ve not had to request any exception in the past, but I will keep that in mind should it come up. 

[SeaMatesNYC]

On 8/6/2024 at 6:58 AM, BBQ Bacon said:

Got a response from Holland America for our coming cruise to Hawaii in October.  This was part of our early booking bonus

 

Likewise, I received the following response from Ship Services today:

 

“The Elite Beverage Package does still include unlimited non-alcoholic beverages and 15 alcoholic beverages.”

 

This seems to clearly answer the question. I also took the opportunity to see if I could get them to clarify the availability of the Fré alcohol-free wine by the glass and inclusion/exclusion from beverage packages.

 

I’ll report back if/when I get a response. 

[SeaMatesNYC]

23 hours ago, SeaMatesNYC said:

I also took the opportunity to see if I could get them to clarify the availability of the Fré alcohol-free wine by the glass and inclusion/exclusion from beverage packages.

 

I’ll report back if/when I get a response. 

As previously reported by @ghstudio, Ship Services has answered my inquiry and confirms that Fré is sold only by the bottle. I have put before them the dates and bars onboard Nieuw Statendam (May/June 24) and Noordam (July 24) where I “purchased” glasses multiple times a day and they were credited to my SBP. I’ll let you know if they have any explanation.
 

Bartenders and beverage servers did not push back ever, other than some being unfamiliar at first. They easily found the Fré wines by the glass in the MDR tablet and it was consistently delivered by the beverage runners. Very odd situation, but then again quintessential Holland America Lines. 

Edited August 9 by SeaMatesNYC