sandjb

Thanks, everyone, for your thoughts and recommendations! Now we're thirsty 🙂

We've never bothered with a beverage package before since we don't drink alcohol or a lot of soda. We've always been fine with water and the free juices, lemonades, etc. But we're about to board our first HAL cruise and as part of the deal we got, we find ourselves with a beverage package for the first time. So we figure since we have it, we might as well make good use of it. I've read some threads about people's favorite mocktails, and looked at the bar menus, and I have some questions. Up front - if you don't drink mocktails, no need to chime in and let everyone know. This thread obviously isn't directed at you. 1. On the 2023 bar menus that I have found online, most of them have alternatives like water and soda listed, but I think the Lido bar menu is the only one that lists and describes actual mocktails. I am assuming though that they could be ordered off-menu at other bars, right? 2. I've seen lots of people suggest the chocolate mint buzz, but I haven't seen it on any menu. So am I to assume that I can order it anywhere? Or are there only certain bars that would be able to make it? And if so, how do I know which ones? 3. Related to #2, it seems like there are lots of drinks, like daiquris, that you don't see on the menu but I'd assume would be available. And even the mocktail menu doesn't have standards like Arnold Palmers or Shirley Temples but I'd think they'd be available, right? Is the menu really just to give people suggestions? 4. I see hot chocolate on the Explorations Cafe menu. Anywhere else on the ship that hot chocolate should be available? (We'll be on the Nieuw Statendam sailing from Copenhagen to Norway, btw). 5. What's your favorite or go-to mocktail, and can you order it by name or do you have to explain to the bartender what it is? Thanks and happy sailing!

You got it backwards - smoothies are specifically included in the HIA package. Milkshakes are not included in the package (in writing) but many have ended up with free milkshakes. I have heard many say they were also charged for them, even with HIA. So it's mostly just how the crew on your ship is handling them that day.

This is a cruise to Norway, out of Copenhagen.

The cruise is 7 days but we've got 4-5 days before the cruise and two after in the home port. We like to pack a week's worth of clothes so we'll be about ready to do some laundry when we get on the ship. Then if we have unlimited, we don't have to worry about stretching out anything near the end of the cruise with a few days still left to go.

Thank you!

I'm planning a 7-day trip on the Nieuw Statendam and noticed I can pre-order unlimited laundry service on the website for $73.50 for the seven days (priced per stateroom, which is great). However, I am assuming if I pre-order that now, it will charge my credit card. The thing is, we're going to have some extra OBC that I am not sure what else we'd use it on. So if we just wait to get the laundry package on the ship, can I use my OBC for that? And if I wait to order the laundry package on the ship, can I expect the price to still be at or around the $73.50 it is to pre-order?