Alcohol prices

[stringo]

I would appreciate if anyone can tell me the average price of a drink, for instance, vodka & soda, on HAL. I also wondered if it was worthwhile buying the pre paid drinks card ($90 I believe). We are leaving on the Volendam in 13 weeks so I am now, excitedly, starting my planning ! Many thanks :)

[jaspersmycat]

Drink of the day is usually $5.75 plus 15% gratuity

Signature Cocktails are $6.75 plus 15% gratuity

 

Not sure what a vodka & tonic would cost.

 

FYI:

On the Zaandam, I had a beverage card but found that if I wanted either Happy Hour (2-for-1) drinks or the Drink of the day, I could not use the card. (Trhey said if I used the card, they would have to charge regular pricing.) We ended up using the card for bottles of wine.

[Krazy Kruizers]

this is very true -- we were not able to use the beverage cards during happy hour on any of our recent cruises

 

[Bill B]

Just to show HAL's consistent inconsistancy, I could use my Beverage Card at 'happy hour' 2 for1 on the Volendam in January. Nothing they publish or say means anything - it's all subject to change: from the website to anything in the daily, onboard 'Explorer'. Pathetic!

[KirkNC]

To the OP, gin and tonics or rum and cokes or other standard cocktails I believe are $5.50 or something like that (plus tip).

 

I would buy the card as you save 10% on everything. Our ecperience was similar to Bill B's, we could use the beverage card at Happy Hour but not the now extinct wine card.

 

Kirk

[barbarah33]

We had no problem using beverage cards on the Westerdam at any time last week.

[RonJoan]

In April aboard the Ryndam we could get two-for-one drinks during Happy Hour provided they were not the reduced price Drink-of-the-Day. Sometimes it gets very complicated.

 

RonJoan

[Bill B]

Sometimes it gets very complicated.

LOL... Yes! They would not sell me buckets of beer (5 for the price of 4) at 2 for 1 happy hour. The conversation went like this -

"Can I get two buckets of Stella for the price of one?"

"No, I'm sorry sir."

"I thought that would be too good to be true. Can you sell me six Stella for the price of three?"

"Oh yes. Certainly."

"Ok then... give me six Stella... put five unopened in a bucket of ice and give me one open... Thanks."

 

It's just as well because two buckets are difficult to carry. ;)

 

I got most of my beer on the cruise for 55% off the 'regular' price by buying it at happy hour and using my beverege card.

[ironin]

I would appreciate if anyone can tell me the average price of a drink, for instance, vodka & soda, on HAL. I also wondered if it was worthwhile buying the pre paid drinks card ($90 I believe). We are leaving on the Volendam in 13 weeks so I am now, excitedly, starting my planning ! Many thanks :)

 

Attched below is a copy of the current bar menu for the Ryndam courtesy of RetiredMustang, who is maintaining a "Live from..." thread here. While some of the specialty drinks may differ, the basics are all there and should give you a good idea whether or not the beverage cards will be worth it to you.

 

The cards give you a 10% discount if used in their entirety. $90 buys a $100 card. Drinks and tips are charged against the card at normal prices. If you have a balance on a card at the end of the cruise, late the last night it is automatically credited to your stateroom account but the 10% discount is withheld. (IOW, if a card shows $11 remaining, $1 is credited back.)

 

You can buy the cards beforehand or aboard ship. They cost the same.

 

As others have noted, different bartenders on different ships have different understandings about whether or not you can use the card to get an even bigger discount during the 2-for-1 happy hour. Officially, the answer is, "No." While we aboard the Amsterdam in December, that's also the answer we heard being given. As we already knew the rules, we didn't bother trying to bend them, figuring that 50%-off was, all things considered, a good deal.

Ryndam Bar menu.txt

[sfels]

We buy bottles of liquor for our cabin. They're around $30 per liter and include 3 cans of mixer. It's much less than buying drinks in the bars and lounges and it's nice to relax with your feet up in your cabin or on your verandah (if you have one).

 

I gave up on the Roll Call for our cruise and you and I were the only omes who signed on. See you on 5/18.

[OVgirl]

Drinks at HMC Captain Morgan Bar were $9.25. The NA sold a "Drink all Day at HMC" Card for $29. Don't know if that is offered on all the ships yet.

[stringo]

Thanks to you all for answering my queries. Nice to hear from you Sfels - maybe we are the only ones sailing that date!!! Not long now 'til happy days on the high seas :D

[sengil]

How about soft drink prices? Thanks.

[maxout]

How about soft drink prices? Thanks.

 

A 12 oz (355ml) can is $1.95 + gratuity = $2.24 each.

 

So if you buy the Soft Drink Card at $25 for $50 dollars worth of soda, it equals about 22 cans for $25.

[Gabruska]

What time is the happy hour? Is it at all bar locations?

Thank you

[Bill B]

If, when and where there is a 'happy hour' varies from ship to ship and cruise to cruise. Anything reported is purely anecdotal.

 

Post on the Roll Call of the cruise before yours and ask after the cruise starts... there's a good chance your cruise will be the same (but no guarantees).

[Hawaiidan]

there is no "happy hour" per se.

 

A vodka and soda can run from $4.75 to $7.75 bepending on the call

 

a bottle in the cabin will be under $29.00 and will pour you $130.00 worth of drinks.

 

The trick the waiters do is to ask you if you have a special liquor to make your drink. THey will say no extra charge.... but you will always be up-charged.... Wehn you mention a name... that is a call drink. I order by saying...give me the $4.75 stuff...... Chances are thet the brand will be the same if you call or cheap it.

 

Get the bottle in the cabin 28 drinks will save you $100.00:eek:

[kazu]

I'm a little confused by the above post. The ship posts when the specials ('happy hour') is in each bar daily.

 

Just don't ask for any special kind of liquor.