HAL Wine Policy

[Hawaiidan]

I noticed this posting and was amazed the Holland tolerated the practice for as long as they did.

I remember reading, and maybe you have, of the hunderds of posters who openly bragged and encouraged bringing cases of wine on board.

You can only thumb your nose in the face of the company so long before they get fed up.

If you have to find fault find, it with the people who for years openly pushed the limits and wrote about it. They caused the change...cause and effect

 

A good solution would to be like other lines and offer a liquor package... unlimited sprits, beers and wine by the glass for a flat rate....

[kazu]

Jacqui...please go on the BLOG and post your comments. I just did...there are several there with a comment from HAL as well.

 

Taxmantoo...the first comment posted is from Louis...I presume that is you!

 

already posted Sheila ;)

[kazu]

I noticed this posting and was amazed the Holland tolerated the practice for as long as they did.

I remember reading, and maybe you have, of the hunderds of posters who openly bragged and encouraged bringing cases of wine on board.

You can only thumb your nose in the face of the company so long before they get fed up.

If you have to find fault find, it with the people who for years openly pushed the limits and wrote about it. They caused the change...cause and effect

 

A good solution would to be like other lines and offer a liquor package... unlimited sprits, beers and wine by the glass for a flat rate....

 

Agree, but HAL's wine choice is limited and the only package they have says all drinks must be less than $7. Their decent wine is more.

 

Never took a case - never slapped a luggage tag on one - just like to enjoy European wines on board :D

[kazu]

Folks ....Do you realize how much storage space is available below deck... this idea has very little merit in my opinion.. the only thing that this will accomplish is people wasting money buying wine the will not drink because at the end of the day they cannot transport the wine back home for one reason or another ...

Once again.. I believe you have to hit them hard where it counts in revenue.. and to accomplish that there needs to be a first night boycott of wine purchases.. by all cruisers who normally drink wine.. this goes for buying wine packages and single bottles on embarkation day and night...by generating a deliberate boycott on the first night.. it gets the message across to the front line..

 

The boycott should start with YOUR next cruise!

just my opinion...

 

There is not as much room as you think (especially on the Prinsendam) and more importantly - storing it, marking it, etc. is work - a lot of work.

 

If they have enough down below, they might just let some go through.

 

Ok, you can call me the ever optimist.

 

I don't know why they just didn't institute a corkage fee? I was expecting that and would have been fine.

 

We'll wait and see

[Cruzin Terri]

I think the boycott is a great idea as is the storage (except that might come back to haunt us).

For the storage idea to work you have to get all the passengers on the ship on the bandwagon and that will never happen.

I am thinking of standing near the shore excursion desk on my Med cruise and reminding people that if they sign up for a winery tour the wine they buy will be confiscated upon return to the ship.

They may tell me to cease and desist.

Terri

[ekkc10753]

My comment on the blog is awaiting moderation or something.

I love the protest coupon idea

I'm going to try to design one and post it here that could be cut/copied and printed by anyone who wanted to use it next year (assuming Seattle continues this silliness)

[YubaSutter]

I noticed this posting and was amazed the Holland tolerated the practice for as long as they did.

I remember reading, and maybe you have, of the hunderds of posters who openly bragged and encouraged bringing cases of wine on board.

You can only thumb your nose in the face of the company so long before they get fed up.

If you have to find fault find, it with the people who for years openly pushed the limits and wrote about it. They caused the change...cause and effect

 

A good solution would to be like other lines and offer a liquor package... unlimited sprits, beers and wine by the glass for a flat rate....

 

So basically, you are blaming people who followed the guidelines. Remarkable.

[catl331]

So basically, you are blaming people who followed the guidelines. Remarkable.

The rules said that you were allowed to bring on as much as you liked for personal consumption, but many were bringing large quantities to host parties.

 

I don't blame HAL for imposing restrictions, but IMHO they have gone too far to other extreme by not allowing bottles to be brought on in ports of call for on-board consumption, with a corkage fee imposed.

...

Edited December 7, 2013 by catl331

[startwin]

Jacqui...please go on the BLOG and post your comments. I just did...there are several there with a comment from HAL as well.

 

Taxmantoo...the first comment posted is from Louis...I presume that is you!

 

Sheila - my comment appeared for awhile last night, and by this morning it was removed, along with quite a few others. I think we're getting under their skin, so we should keep it going.:D

[ekkc10753]

This is the text for a wine protest coupon:

 

I WILL NOT BE ORDERING WINE TONIGHT

IN PROTEST AGAINST THE NEW WINE POLICY

 

This coupon represents the $25.00 in corkage revenue

that could have been generated had

I been allowed to bring my own wine on board

 

Please pass this note to your supervisors

for their consideration

 

I have it set up with a border and a little graphic of a server with a tray with wine glasses on so it could be printed out and used on your cruise. But I also know that you might be nervous that it's a virus thing. It isn't. You can make your own using Microsoft Word and their standard clip art

Wine Protest.doc

[Wakepatrol]

Folks ....Do you realize how much storage space is available below deck... this idea has very little merit in my opinion.. the only thing that this will accomplish is people wasting money buying wine the will not drink because at the end of the day they cannot transport the wine back home for one reason or another ...

 

 

 

 

Yes they drive forklifts below deck,this sounds like a plan that only Wile E Coyote would come up with

[startwin]

So predictable, and quicker than I anticipated.:D

[Cruzin Terri]

This is the text for a wine protest coupon:

 

I WILL NOT BE ORDERING WINE TONIGHT

IN PROTEST AGAINST THE NEW WINE POLICY

 

This coupon represents the $25.00 in corkage revenue

that could have been generated had

I been allowed to bring my own wine on board

 

Please pass this note to your supervisors

for their consideration

 

I have it set up with a border and a little graphic of a server with a tray with wine glasses on so it could be printed out and used on your cruise. But I also know that you might be nervous that it's a virus thing. It isn't. You can make your own using Microsoft Word and their standard clip art

 

I love it. I,for one, will print it out and use it. Thanks.

Terri

[Cruzin Terri]

I suggest going to that blog again and getting the names of the various wineries mentioned and sending them emails informing them of HAL's new restrictive wine policy. I think making them aware of the situation and asking them to get in touch with HAL prior to the upcoming European cruising season may be of some merit.

Just my suggestion.

Terri

[taxmantoo]

Jacqui...please go on the BLOG and post your comments. I just did...there are several there with a comment from HAL as well.

 

Taxmantoo...the first comment posted is from Louis...I presume that is you!

 

Yes, that is my post. I have also written to Guest Relations and Stein Kruse to let them know that all replies are not being posted and that Julie's explanation is very weak.

 

I do not plan on any protest form suggested here that will not allow me to enjoy our favourite wines on board. Boycotting wine is not something my sommelier training instilled in me ;) Drinking wine on board in the future will simply mean being on another line that allows us to bring as much as we want for a $20 a bottle corkage fee or has a much better wine list, both in terms of selection and price, i.e. Princess.

[rucrazy]

I do not plan on any protest form suggested here that will not allow me to enjoy our favourite wines on board.

 

The wine boycott should be for one night only... the first night of the cruise.. the sommelier or wine steward should be invited back to the table the next night to take an order....

the whole idea is to make an impact/point not spoil a vacation!

[kazu]

The wine boycott should be for one night only... the first night of the cruise.. the sommelier or wine steward should be invited back to the table the next night to take an order....

the whole idea is to make an impact/point not spoil a vacation!

 

The trouble is - if you don't order the first night the wine steward may not be back:eek:

[rucrazy]

The trouble is - if you don't order the first night the wine steward may not be back:eek:

 

And I am sure if you mention to your waiter you would like a bottle of wine the steward will find you!;) After all when you give the steward the coupon night one.. you need to tell them this is a one NIGHT protest!

Edited December 8, 2013 by rucrazy

[sail7seas]

I think the boycott is a great idea as is the storage (except that might come back to haunt us).

For the storage idea to work you have to get all the passengers on the ship on the bandwagon and that will never happen.

I am thinking of standing near the shore excursion desk on my Med cruise and reminding people that if they sign up for a winery tour the wine they buy will be confiscated upon return to the ship.

They may tell me to cease and desist.

Terri

 

 

Such an action may well be frowned on enough to instigate removal from the ship. While it sounds like a plan, Captain might not consider it one he wishes to permit. :eek:

 

[innlady1]

Our comments have been posted in the blog.

The following is HAL's reply:

 

 

And how much will the wineries charge to ship it to our homes???

 

Quite a bit. We visited a winery in Tuscany on our recent cruise. I bought 4 bottles of wine; one bottle of their olive oil. Asked about shipping...can't remember how much it was...but suffice to say, it was enough to make me take it back to the ship and pack 3 of the bottles plus the EVO in our luggage! These folks at HAL have their heads in the sand...or, they're just trying to spin their way around this.

[Wakepatrol]

Such an action may well be frowned on enough to instigate removal from the ship. While it sounds like a plan, Captain might not consider it one he wishes to permit. :eek:

 

 

 

Let's bring back keelhauling:)

[ekkc10753]

And I am sure if you mention to your waiter you would like a bottle of wine the steward will find you!;) After all when you give the steward the coupon night one.. you need to tell them this is a one NIGHT protest!

 

It's really easy to edit the wording on a one night protest to express your thoughts more clearly

 

I WILL NOT BE ORDERING WINE TONIGHT

AS A ONE-NIGHT PERSONAL PROTEST AGAINST THE NEW WINE POLICY

 

This coupon represents this evening's $25.00 in corkage revenue

that could have been generated had

I been allowed to bring my own wine onboard

 

Please pass this note to your supervisors for their consideration.

 

(or whatever you'd prefer it to say)

 

I'm going to use it in August assuming this policy is still in effect

[rucrazy]

It's really easy to edit the wording on a one night protest to express your thoughts more clearly

 

I WILL NOT BE ORDERING WINE TONIGHT

AS A ONE-NIGHT PERSONAL PROTEST AGAINST THE NEW WINE POLICY

 

This coupon represents this evening's $25.00 in corkage revenue

that could have been generated had

I been allowed to bring my own wine onboard

 

Please pass this note to your supervisors for their consideration.

 

(or whatever you'd prefer it to say)

 

I'm going to use it in August assuming this policy is still in effect

 

 

Your coupon is VERY close to what I produced and found very effect when we did this on Celebrity, the only difference was I did mention on the coupon "please stop by tomorrow evening so that I can place my wine order for the rest of the cruise"

 

I felt it was important that I needed to reinforce that we knew it was not the wine stewards fault we were not allowed to bring wine onboard, and wanted to show we still supported the crew!

Edited December 8, 2013 by rucrazy

[earljr]

Hi all

 

On Oct.31 I received a letter from Christine Ferris, Senior Advisor to the President of HAL

 

This letter was in response to the latest of 3 letters sent to HAL regarding the new wine

policy. I made only one request -- Please allow one bottle of wine per port visited per person.

 

The response from HAL was to thank me for my interest in the new wine policy and to advise that my communications had been forwarded to the SR.. V.P. of Marine Hotel Operations.

 

She also hoped that DW and I had a wonderful 41 days on our just completed cruise on the Veendam.

 

So now I await a communication from the V.P. -- or not:(

Edited December 8, 2013 by earljr

[kazu]

Hi all

 

On Oct.31 I received a letter from Christine Ferris, Senior Advisor to the President of HAL

 

This letter was in response to the latest of 3 letters sent to HAL regarding the new wine

policy. I made only one request -- Please allow one bottle of wine per port visited per person.

 

The response from HAL was to thank me for my interest in the new wine policy and to advise that my communications had been forwarded to the SR.. V.P. of Marine Hotel Operations.

 

She also hoped that DW and I had a wonderful 41 days on our just completed cruise on the Veendam.

 

So now I await a communication from the V.P. -- or not:(

 

Don't count on it. My reply came from her a long time ago and I have heard nothing since and doubt that I will:rolleyes: