New beverage cards just posted

[Laminator]

We'll be on the Zuiderdam this upcoming Wednesday and I will try to find out the answers to some of these questions. I'll post back here while we're on the cruise. I'll go straight to the food and beverage manager who I hope will know the answers.

[RSVE821]

We'll be on the Zuiderdam this upcoming Wednesday and I will try to find out the answers to some of these questions. I'll post back here while we're on the cruise. I'll go straight to the food and beverage manager who I hope will know the answers.

 

Super! Looking forward to what you find out as I'll be on the Zuiderdam next month.

[aaerobear]

This discussion is really funny. When I reported that I had purchased a soda card on the Statendam for $25.00 and it was worth $50.00 of soda I was crucified on here and told I was wrong, had made a mistake, blah blah blah.

 

I do feel vindicated now as others are seeing that I was right.

[RSVE821]

OK, so I call ship services to make a change to my beverage indulgence order that I placed a couple of weeks ago for my cruise in Nov. It consisted of various cards that are no longer offered for a total of $163.02. She pulled up my order and before I could say anything, she said you do realize that we no longer offer these cards and you will be given an onboard credit of $163.02 towards the purchase of any beverages of your choice! Huh? I explained that when the new beverage cards were introduced a couple of days ago, my order did briefly convert to the new cards but then switched back to my original order. I assumed this mean't that my order was intact as requested since it was before the old cards were no longer offered. According to her, I assumed wrong. I said to her that if what she says is true, then I don't even get to take advantage of the 10% discount the new cards offer. She offered to refund my money and order the new cards. I politely declined, hoping that before my departure in a few weeks, someone will report back that their previously ordered cards were honored as stated. The plot thickens!!!!

[serendipity1499]

<SNIP>

 

I do know the amount charged for the drink on the card does include the mandatory 15% gratuity so it does in fact save the pax more than 10%.

 

No where does it show that the 15% service charge is included in the beverage card..My understanding is you will only save the 10%...When you purchase a drink with the beverage card, you will be charged the price listed on the liquor/wine list plus 15% extra for service charge....Guess that a 10% discount is better than nothing..

 

We'll be on the Zuiderdam this upcoming Wednesday and I will try to find out the answers to some of these questions. I'll post back here while we're on the cruise. I'll go straight to the food and beverage manager who I hope will know the answers.

 

That would be great, maybe if you refer the Beverage Mgr to this thread, he might be willing to post the rules himself..;)

 

OK, so I call ship services to make a change to my beverage indulgence order that I placed a couple of weeks ago for my cruise in Nov. It consisted of various cards that are no longer offered for a total of $163.02. She pulled up my order and before I could say anything, she said you do realize that we no longer offer these cards and you will be given an onboard credit of $163.02 towards the purchase of any beverages of your choice! Huh? I explained that when the new beverage cards were introduced a couple of days ago, my order did briefly convert to the new cards but then switched back to my original order. I assumed this mean't that my order was intact as requested since it was before the old cards were no longer offered. According to her, I assumed wrong. I said to her that if what she says is true, then I don't even get to take advantage of the 10% discount the new cards offer. She offered to refund my money and order the new cards. I politely declined, hoping that before my departure in a few weeks, someone will report back that their previously ordered cards were honored as stated. The plot thickens!!!!

 

A major problem with calling Ships Services is, a person will get contradictory info. depending on who they talk to..I really don't think they themselves understand what is going on..Even if Laminator does post the answers, I'm wondering if there will be a consistent policy fleet wide..;)

We'll just have to wait & see...

Cheers....:)Betty

[NoWhiners]

This discussion is really funny. When I reported that I had purchased a soda card on the Statendam for $25.00 and it was worth $50.00 of soda I was crucified on here and told I was wrong, had made a mistake, blah blah blah.

 

I do feel vindicated now as others are seeing that I was right.

 

aaero

 

I remember that!! Your post was made me start thinking about buying wine cards early. Now you should revel in the knowledge that all you were trying to do was help and a bunch of people posted their disbelief!!

 

Kind of funny now, but i wasn't on the receiving end of the disbelief!!

 

ML

 

PS: I bought 4 wine cards for our 16 day cruise next April about 2 weeks ago!! Seems to still show on my account but i will keep tracking this thread.

[canadarocks]

What I'm waiting to hear is if those who have pre-purchased wine cards will get what they paid for when they actually take their cruises: ie. 20 glasses of wine for a 20 House Pour Wine Card. Hopefully they will not get an onboard credit for what they paid for the card. And hopefully someone will post as soon as they know for sure, and others on future cruises will as well (because obviously the policy could change at any time!). :rolleyes:

 

Wine cards and beverage cards are not the same, and those of you who insist there is no difference.... I'm sorry but you are wrong. There is a very big difference in value between the two options.....

 

I can see HAL having to refund quite a few "indulgence" accounts in the near future if they do decide to change.

[Laminator]

This is from HAL'S site regarding the beverage cards:

 

A premium wine tasting experience is available throughout the length of your cruise with the Cellar Master Package. Two wine tasting events conducted by our Cellar Master, two evenings of fine dining in the Pinnacle Grill, five vintage bottles based on the wine navigators' preference, a Holland America Line commemorative bottle and wine gift are included for on board enjoyment. Pricing based on single guest, 7-10 day voyages. A 15% service charge is included in the price of the item. You must be 21 years of age or older to order and receive alcoholic beverages.

 

I started to doubt myself after listening to this being explained by the bartenders numerous times. This is what I heard. If you have a beverage card and order a drink that costs $5 your beverage is charged $5. If you do not have a beverage card then your room card would be charged $5 for teh drink and a 15% gratuity of .75 cents for a total of $5.75. So you do in fact save the 15% gratuity charge also.

 

After the 10th $5.00 drink the card that you paid $45 for would expire. Me, the dummy that doesn't buy the cards, would have spent $57.50.

 

This is why high school was the seven best years of my life.

[Bill B]

The plot thickens!!!!

No kidding! It seems as though they have made a real mess of the 'change over'. At the very least, they have failed to communicate to their employees what, exactly, the plans are - as evidenced by the conflicting information - so the employees can 'pass it on' to the customers.

 

I find it difficult to believe they will not issue/honor cards (as bought and paid for), but...

 

I also find it difficult to believe that (should they decide not to issue/honor cards as bought & paid for), they will issue OBC instead of a refund to the credit card used to make payment.

 

If I had bought a card (I'm almost glad I didn't now), I'm be telling them -

"Either give me what I bought, or give me my money back."

[Bill B]

Laminator,

 

I'll try to make this simple.

 

The old, 10-drink 'beverage cards' and the old, 10 (or 20)-glass wine cards did indeed include the 15% service charge.

 

All the new cards are for specific, DOLLAR amounts - not for a specific number of drinks - and a 15% service charge will be added to the menu price for whatever one orders.

 

Edit: Cellar Master, Admiral's or Navigator's wine PACKAGES have nothing to do with the cards in question.

[NoWhiners]

This is from HAL'S site regarding the beverage cards:

 

This is why high school was the seven best years of my life.

 

Too funny!!

[NoWhiners]

 

If I had bought a card (I'm almost glad I didn't now), I'm be telling them -

"Either give me what I bought, or give me my money back."

 

This is my plan. I will be watching this thread to see how things evolve!!

 

ML

[Laminator]

Laminator,

 

I'll try to make this simple.

 

The old, 10-drink 'beverage cards' and the old, 10 (or 20)-glass wine cards did indeed include the 15% service charge.

 

All the new cards are for specific, DOLLAR amounts - not for a specific number of drinks - and a 15% service charge will be added to the menu price for whatever one orders.

 

Edit: Cellar Master, Admiral's or Navigator's wine PACKAGES have nothing to do with cards.

 

 

I understand the old cards Bill. I also know what I heard repeated over and over again on my last cruise two weeks ago. I also know what I just read on HAL's site. The info that I posted above came directly from HAL's website. Maybe you should call them and make it easier for them. I believe, and I will verfy this next week, that HAL is upgrading their onboard accounting software. Since I can assure you that this is an extremely tedious task this is probably the reason that different ships have different programs now. I am sure they may have to go ship by ship to update everything. It is possible that after putting in my booking number I am be offered a program that is only relevant for the ship that I am going on. As I am sure you have all noticed HAL's website has shown an inordinate amount of downtime for website maintenance lately. This is usually a vey good clue that there are system software updates going on.

I'll get more definitive answers when I am on the ship this Wednesday.

[Silver sailor]

I'm a little late in reading this post and maybe others have alreday responded

Had bought a 20 pour wine card for our upcoming cruise

Just got off the phoe with ship service

Apprently we have two options

1) receive a shipboard credit for the amount we have PREVIOUSLY PAID

2) Cancel and get refund to our credit card

 

Not very goos PR seemm its a little "nickel & dime"

I'm sure other will be totally shocked when they board and find out they are not getting what they have paid for

 

Our cruise is in April so I assume the numbers will be rather large

 

Will continue to follow this post with interest:rolleyes:

[Silver sailor]

Just checked my "Custom Itinerary"

Show 1 "House Wine Card for 20 Glasses" under gifts

[Bill B]

Had bought a 20 pour wine card for our upcoming cruise

Just got off the phoe with ship service

Apprently we have two options

1) receive a shipboard credit for the amount we have PREVIOUSLY PAID

2) Cancel and get refund to our credit card

In that case, I hope the onus is on HAL (I'm unsure as to legality - State of Washington?) to contact the purchasers and give them a choice; and not to go to a 'default' system whereby the purchaser gets OBC if they don't contact HAL to request a refund!

[serendipity1499]

This is from HAL'S site regarding the beverage cards:

 

A premium wine tasting experience is available throughout the length of your cruise with the Cellar Master Package. Two wine tasting events conducted by our Cellar Master, two evenings of fine dining in the Pinnacle Grill, five vintage bottles based on the wine navigators' preference, a Holland America Line commemorative bottle and wine gift are included for on board enjoyment. Pricing based on single guest, 7-10 day voyages. A 15% service charge is included in the price of the item. You must be 21 years of age or older to order and receive alcoholic beverages.

 

I started to doubt myself after listening to this being explained by the bartenders numerous times. This is what I heard. If you have a beverage card and order a drink that costs $5 your beverage is charged $5. If you do not have a beverage card then your room card would be charged $5 for teh drink and a 15% gratuity of .75 cents for a total of $5.75. So you do in fact save the 15% gratuity charge also.

 

After the 10th $5.00 drink the card that you paid $45 for would expire. Me, the dummy that doesn't buy the cards, would have spent $57.50.

 

This is why high school was the seven best years of my life.

 

Laminator you are not reading the up to date info...Under your booking Number they list all the indulgancies...Next to every Liquor & wine package it states that the price includes the 15% service charge..However it does not state that next to the new $50 & $100 beverage card which was just changed on Monday..HAL has not updated their WEB site to show the changes....

Yes you are correct that the Bartenders did explaiin that the old cards included the 15%, but they did not have the new cards..Effective this past week the new cards came out & it changes everything..

Bill is right you are confusing the old wine/liquor beverage cards & the cellar master package, which has nothing to do with the new beverage card..Yes the old cards had the 15 % included, but not these two new cards..

Think about it..with the old cards you could only purchase basic well drinks..You could not purchase a specialty drink with the old beverage card or if you wanted a special gin such as a beefeater martini or a special scotch you could not purchase those drinks with the old cards...

However, with the new beverage card you can purchase, wine, liquor, coffee beer etc..This new card will be just like a credit card & each time you use it they will tell you what you have left on it..

Cheers....Betty

[NCTribeFan]

Well, darn. Here I finally went online yesterday to order my 20-glass wine card when I bought some shore excursions and found that it no longer exists.

 

I thought it seemed like a great deal, as I had read that the Pinot Grigio was quite drinkable and at a price of around $3.75/glass including tip, I was ready to buy.

 

:(

 

So, can someone please tell me what the approximate price is for a glass of house wine? And a run-of-the-mill domestic beer?

 

I'd like to know how many glasses of wine I might get for a $50 card. I had thought that with the wine card, I wouldn't have to haul on multiple bottles of wine. I may have to re-think that.

[Bill B]

 

So, can someone please tell me what the approximate price is for a glass of house wine? And a run-of-the-mill domestic beer?

 

I'd like to know how many glasses of wine I might get for a $50 card.

 

I don't know the current price of: a glass of house wine or a single bottle of domestic beer. However, a 6-pack of domestic beer ordered from Room Service or through the website is $19.00 + 15% = $21.85

 

How many glasses of wine you will get for a $50 card will depend entirely on the price of the glasses of wine(s) you choose.

[croozer]

How many glasses of wine you will get for a $50 card will depend entirely on the price of the glasses of wine(s) you choose.

 

So true. The number of glasses of wine you'll get for a $50 card is exactly the same number you'd get by charging it to your onboard account, except you'd have paid $45 in advance.

[Laminator]

Yes you are correct that the Bartenders did explaiin that the old cards included the 15%, but they did not have the new cards..Effective this past week the new cards came out & it changes everything..

 

Hi Betty:

 

The NEW BEVERAGE CARDS WERE AVAILABLE on the Oosterdam two weeks ago. At least thery were at the AFT pool bar. This is what resulted in me listening to explanation after explanation as many pax had questions. The information I am giving you is what I heard from them. Actually several of them. To be honest it is still ringing in my ears. Now it is very possible that the bartenders did not have the correct information as the program is new. It may have also been in the test phase prior to HAL going live online with the new beverage cards.

 

Now this is what leads me to believe I AM NOT WRONG. I related to a few of the bartenders that this in fact would be a great thing for them. Their response was that it would make it easier for the pax as they would only need the one card. What I was referring to was the fact that it would mean additional tips for the bartenders. A $5 drink with a 15% tip is .75 cents. With the tip included in the cost of a $5 drink their tip is .65 cents. I am sure they would have figured out there was additional money for them with the new beverage card system. But like I said it is a very new program and they may not have all of the correct information yet.

 

I will let everyone know after I am onboard a few hours Thursday and I hunt down the Food and Beverage manager. I will get the answers directly from him or her. I hope to God that they know what is going on.

 

Actually if all here want to get together and come up with a few other significant questions regarding the new beverage cards I will try and have the Food and Beverage manager answer those also. Let everyone on here determine the top 10 questions and I will try my best to get them answered. Obviously I don't want 300 questions as I want to enjoy the cruise but if everyone can agree on a top 10 let's go for it.

[canadarocks]

Laminator, here's what I want you to ask:

 

(1) If a passenger has pre-ordered a wine card, will they get an actual wine card when they board?

 

And if the answer is yes, then ask:

 

(2) If they will continue to honor that policy, regardless of how long from now the cruise is?

 

And if the answer is no, feel free to warn them of the potential "fallout" ;)

 

I appreciate your offer to find out for sure. Let us know asap please!

[slabeaume]

 

Actually if all here want to get together and come up with a few other significant questions regarding the new beverage cards I will try and have the Food and Beverage manager answer those also. Let everyone on here determine the top 10 questions and I will try my best to get them answered. Obviously I don't want 300 questions as I want to enjoy the cruise but if everyone can agree on a top 10 let's go for it.

 

I would be curious to know if we would be able to convert a $50 soda card to a beverage card or to on-board credit? We're suppose to get 2 from the travel agent, but that's a lot of soda. I would understand if they charged an extra $20 for converting it to a beverage card or just give $25 OBC. Just curious to know what they would say about that.

[lilly4350]

Are we able to buy the soda cards once we are on board? or do they have to be purchased beforehand to get the discounted price? Also, what is the price of a soda - glass and/or can

Thanks

Lilly

[OVgirl]

Can we use the beverage card to buy a bottle of wine?