Ordering Wine/champagne/beer?

[Lynzchat]

I've seen alot of posts on alcohol, and I'm no different, but as a first time HAL cruiser, I am dumbfounded, after looking at their website.

 

1. Where do I go to order the alcohol so that we can have a few drinks in our room?
   
2. Is it limited to wine, or do they have beer and champagne options?
   
3. Is vodka allowed if we wanted to mix our own martini's?
   
4. I've seen people talking about 'bringing your own'. What exactly do you mean by that, do you literally bring your own bottles of wine, etc?
   

Thanks again!:D

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

 

You can pre-order wine, beer, alcohol through Ship Services at 1-800-541-1576.

They will read a list of the various brands of everything that is available. If you have a fax machine, they can fax the information to you. If you do order by phone you should have ready the ship's name, Booking number, sailing date and your charge card. What you order is for in-room consumption.

Or you can wait and order whatever you want when you get on the ship.

You can no longer buy alcohol in the ship's boutiques for in-room consumption.

You have read that some people are smuggling alcohol on board in their checked luggage.

:)

[RevNeal]

Christopher E-mailed Ships Services to get their latest quote on in-cabin booze purchases. Here is what they sent him:

STATEROOM BEVERAGE PACKAGE

 

Passengers under 21 years of age may not be served with alcoholic beverages.

Identification may be required. Holland America is pleased to make the following beverage packages available for stateroom consumption only. These packages include appropriate condiments and condiments are refreshed daily. A 15% service charge has been included on all package prices.

 

If you wish to order any of the packages listed below please call Room Service Ext. 92

 

(1) LIQUOR AND MIXER PACKAGES

 

GIN AND TONIC PACKAGE - $32.00 – Item# LPGT

One bottle of Beefeaters Gin and three cans of Tonic

 

SCOTCH AND SODA PACKAGE - $32.00 – Item# LPSS

One bottle of Cutty Sark and three cans of Soda water

 

VODKA AND TONIC PACKAGE - $32.00 – Item# LPVT

One bottle of Smirnoff or Stolichnaya and three cans of Tonic

 

BOURBON AND COKE PACKAGE - $32.00 – Item# LPBC

One bottle of Jim Beam and three cans of Coke

 

RUM AND COKE PACKAGE - $32.00 – Item# LPRC

One bottle of Bacardi and three cans of Coke

 

(2) BEER PACKAGES

 

SELECT SIX DOMESTIC BEERS - $18.00 – Item# LPDB

Budweiser, Bud Light, Coors Lite, Miller Genuine Draft or Miller Lite

 

SELECT SIX IMPORTED BEERS - $19.00 – Item# LPIB

Heineken, Amstel Light, or Corona

 

(4) WINE PACKAGE - Item# LP4W

SELECT any combination of four items from the below listed 187 ml wines

to enjoy in your stateroom.

Normally $6.25 per bottle, with this package you will pay $18.00

Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, White Zinfandel

 

Updated: 06-10-04

[divinggirl]

Every time I see that list I get steamed...anyway, Lynzchat, there are lots and lots of posts regarding this topic, if you run a search for "alcohol policies" you should find enough to keep you reading for days...

 

Nikki

[RevNeal]

Gosh, I'm sorry divinggirl. Didn't mean to "steam" you. At least I didn't "press" you too! ;)

[divinggirl]

Gosh, I'm sorry divinggirl. Didn't mean to "steam" you. At least I didn't "press" you too! ;)

 

Revneal,

 

No, I'm pressing myself quite well, thank you, about my departure 9 days from now and the wonderful weather we'll surely have all week long :D ;)

 

Lynzchat, you can bring your own bottles of wine, BTW. Just no hard liquor or beer, technically. See numerous other threads re: smuggling to see what I'm talking about...

[Lynzchat]

Revneal,

 

No, I'm pressing myself quite well, thank you, about my departure 9 days from now and the wonderful weather we'll surely have all week long :D ;)

 

Lynzchat, you can bring your own bottles of wine, BTW. Just no hard liquor or beer, technically. See numerous other threads re: smuggling to see what I'm talking about...

Thanks Divinggirl- Don't get too steamed, you're almost on the boat! Yeah for you. BTW, my fiancee is a diver too. This will be his first 'nice' cruise. He usually dives on those Diving Cruises, such as Blackbeard's Cruises. We looked at the itinerary for our trip on Nov. 21, and he may dive that Tortola Dive that takes you to see the wreck, The Rhone. Would you say it's worth going on dives while taking these cruises? The prices, according to him, are a bit more than on his regular dive cruises.

 

Thanks!

[Lynzchat]

Christopher E-mailed Ships Services to get their latest quote on in-cabin booze purchases. Here is what they sent him:

Those 'in-room' packages, can they be pre-ordered? They seem reasonably priced, and less stressful, than trying to pack/smuggle it. In fact, the wine seems reasonable too. I'm a champagne lover myself...do you know if there cheaper bottles of champagne taste ok? Just curious???

[divinggirl]

Would you say it's worth going on dives while taking these cruises? The prices, according to him, are a bit more than on his regular dive cruises.

 

Thanks!

 

Well, from all the caribbean vacations I've taken, I've seen that the operators who work with cruise ships are often taking very large parties out to dive, sometimes all on one boat, sometimes two, but rarely more. For this reason I decided to book independent dive excursions, and I found that the prices are about the same. I'll deal with the slight inconvenience of having to cab it to get to the shop, for the promise of a boat with 8 divers max. Can't stand the cattle boat mentality. In Key West once we had a situation like that and the divemaster/captain anchored on the reef, it was deplorable. :mad:

 

I can't get into my shore excursion page anymore as I'm so close to sailing, but I believe the two tank dive in GC was either $89 or $109, and I'm paying $85 with Neptune Diver's. I can also choose the dive sites I'd prefer NOT to visit, for example Sting Ray City with 60 zillion people. I also made sure that if we dont't dock or can't dive for any weather-related reason, I do not pay. I also have trip insurance so if I miss the ship, I'm covered to catch up.

 

I've never been diving in the BVI, but I hear it's wonderful. You can check out the scuba/snorkeling board for more info there. But if your husband is experienced, I recommend doing an independent excursion.

 

I am doing the one tank at HMC, however that is quite costly for a one tank ($69), but as my husband says, how often do I get to dive in the Caribbean? :)

[Lynzchat]

Well, from all the caribbean vacations I've taken, I've seen that the operators who work with cruise ships are often taking very large parties out to dive, sometimes all on one boat, sometimes two, but rarely more. For this reason I decided to book independent dive excursions, and I found that the prices are about the same. I'll deal with the slight inconvenience of having to cab it to get to the shop, for the promise of a boat with 8 divers max. Can't stand the cattle boat mentality. In Key West once we had a situation like that and the divemaster/captain anchored on the reef, it was deplorable. :mad:

 

I can't get into my shore excursion page anymore as I'm so close to sailing, but I believe the two tank dive in GC was either $89 or $109, and I'm paying $85 with Neptune Diver's. I can also choose the dive sites I'd prefer NOT to visit, for example Sting Ray City with 60 zillion people. I also made sure that if we dont't dock or can't dive for any weather-related reason, I do not pay. I also have trip insurance so if I miss the ship, I'm covered to catch up.

 

I've never been diving in the BVI, but I hear it's wonderful. You can check out the scuba/snorkeling board for more info there. But if your husband is experienced, I recommend doing an independent excursion.

 

I am doing the one tank at HMC, however that is quite costly for a one tank ($69), but as my husband says, how often do I get to dive in the Caribbean? :)

Divinggirl- My husband to be, wants to know if he can bring his own regulator and mask? What is your experience with that?

[RevNeal]

Those 'in-room' packages, can they be pre-ordered? They seem reasonably priced, and less stressful, than trying to pack/smuggle it.

 

Yes. The Ships Services telephone number, already posted on this board, is the number you'll want to call. Christopher has already ordered the Gin and Tonic package ... he likes a glass while dressing ("to get ready for cocktails" LOL) and I, from time to time, have been known to join him in one too.

 

The price for the package ($32 for a liter of Beefeaters Gin and three cans of Tonic, inclusive of the 15% gratuity) is very reasonable when one factors in the additional expenses:

 

1. The average price for the same Gin here in Dallas,

2. The cost of three cans of tonic (negligible, but still factored in),

3. The Taxes (high),

4. The gas expended making a special trip to the liquor store for a fresh bottle,

5. And, most importantly, the hassle, risk, space, and weight involved in properly packing and transporting the bottle in one's baggage to the port of departure.

[RevNeal]

I'm a champagne lover myself...do you know if there cheaper bottles of champagne taste ok? Just curious???

 

I'm not a champagne drinker, so I'm really not the one to ask on this. I prefer wine with my dinner and for toasting. Christopher has said that the champagne that the ship serves at receptions is "o.k." and I would imagine that comes from the cheaper supply. :)

[sheldrvrT6A]

Lynzchat

We preordered our wine a few weeks before the cruise and had a bottle waiting for us on board when we arrived at our room. The others our wine steward presented us every night at dinner and we had them a couple of nights and when we did not want wine at dinner he was very receptive to a "no" not tonight and he would just be there for us. It was really less stressful than "hauling" them on board and the wine was not bad. I have a better and worse so all and all it was a good thing. We will do it again next year on our cruise to Cabo and Baja.

Jerry and Tami

[divinggirl]

Divinggirl- My husband to be, wants to know if he can bring his own regulator and mask? What is your experience with that?

 

You can bring whatever you want onboard...I for one will never use rental gear of any kind when diving in the Caribbean (ex. tanks and wgts), and plan to bring all my own stuff on my cruise. I had a very bad experince with a reg in Jamaica and would carry an extra suitcase with my equipment gladly. Life support equip is not something to mess around with. That said, if he's going to bring the mask, he should just bring fins/snorkel too, if he wants to hop in the water at HMC or another port, he can do it without having to rent just those two things. And if he's bringing his regulator, why not just throw in the BC too, I wrap my reg in my BC for protection anyway. Just pretend it's like a heavier vest ;)

[Lynzchat]

Lynzchat

We preordered our wine a few weeks before the cruise and had a bottle waiting for us on board when we arrived at our room. The others our wine steward presented us every night at dinner and we had them a couple of nights and when we did not want wine at dinner he was very receptive to a "no" not tonight and he would just be there for us. It was really less stressful than "hauling" them on board and the wine was not bad. I have a better and worse so all and all it was a good thing. We will do it again next year on our cruise to Cabo and Baja.

Jerry and Tami

Hi all-- I'm confused, I'm looking at the list from RevNeal, and the wine says 187ml, isn't that really a small glass of wine? Where do I find the nice normal bottles of wine and champagne list? I see some on the Gift Order Form, is that the pricing? Sorry to be so stupid when it comes to all of this! I do appreciate everyone's input!

 

Lyn

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

 

The 187 ml bottles are the small bottles.

Calling ship services will give you an a different list than the gift list.

:)