Signature Beverage Package (Eurodam)

[Avril]

I have this package on my NYE cruise as part of the deal we got when booking (not the Explore4 promotion, just the free SBP). Super excited to try it out!! :D My question is (and it's purely out of curiosity since 15 alcoholic drinks/day is more than enough for me), is there a way you can get drinks past 15? Can you just ask the bartender/server to charge your drink to your cruise card and not count it towards the SBP? Like I said, just curious!! :D

[Alberta Quilter]

Yes. If you should max out your SBP, any additional beverages would have to be charged to your room card. Same thing if you want a beverage with a price over $7; it would have to be charged to your room card.

[Avril]

That's what I thought but wasn't sure. Some lines (such as Carnival) will cut you off after 15 so you can't even charge extra drinks to your card. Also (again on Carnival) if the drink you want is over the price limit ($10 on CCL) it still counts towards the 15. Great to hear HAL is different!! :D Another question, can you charge drinks to your cruise card (and not have them count towards your daily limit), can you do that before you hit 15? I'm just really curious to how this program works!! It sounds better than Carnival's Cheers Program (although with Cheers, non alcoholic drinks such as soda don't count towards the 15, I think that's different on HAL which is unfortunate) and I really enjoyed that one (and never once hit 15).

[PathfinderEss]

That's what I thought but wasn't sure. Some lines (such as Carnival) will cut you off after 15 so you can't even charge extra drinks to your card. Also (again on Carnival) if the drink you want is over the price limit ($10 on CCL) it still counts towards the 15. Great to hear HAL is different!! :D Another question, can you charge drinks to your cruise card (and not have them count towards your daily limit), can you do that before you hit 15? I'm just really curious to how this program works!! It sounds better than Carnival's Cheers Program (although with Cheers, non alcoholic drinks such as soda don't count towards the 15, I think that's different on HAL which is unfortunate) and I really enjoyed that one (and never once hit 15).

 

Why not, just give them your cruise card instead of you drink card. Bartenders don't care, as long as your pay for your drinks one way or the other.

 

[Alberta Quilter]

That's what I thought but wasn't sure. Some lines (such as Carnival) will cut you off after 15 so you can't even charge extra drinks to your card. Also (again on Carnival) if the drink you want is over the price limit ($10 on CCL) it still counts towards the 15. Great to hear HAL is different!! :D Another question, can you charge drinks to your cruise card (and not have them count towards your daily limit), can you do that before you hit 15? I'm just really curious to how this program works!! It sounds better than Carnival's Cheers Program (although with Cheers, non alcoholic drinks such as soda don't count towards the 15, I think that's different on HAL which is unfortunate) and I really enjoyed that one (and never once hit 15).

 

To answer your other question, yes you can charge drinks to your cruise card at any time. I accidentally did it when I had the SBP and I never got anywhere close to the 15 drink limit! It was a little challenging to have it reversed and applied to the SBP but it was done with a smile, even though it was my mistake.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Okay -- now I am confused.

I thought that the Signature Beverage Card had a $50 limit per day. In other words once you bought -- for example -- 6 drinks at $7 each would be $42 + 15% gratuity -- and that would be all you could use for a day on that card.

[OVgirl]

Okay -- now I am confused.

I thought that the Signature Beverage Card had a $50 limit per day. In other words once you bought -- for example -- 6 drinks at $7 each would be $42 + 15% gratuity -- and that would be all you could use for a day on that card.

 

KK, there is no $ limit for the SBP. It includes (and always has included) a maximum of 15 beverages that cost $7 or less before the gratuity. This will include drinks with alcohol, wine, water, special coffees and sodas.

Definitely no $50 limit.

Edited December 3, 2014 by OVgirl

[Avril]

Why not, just give them your cruise card instead of you drink card. Bartenders don't care, as long as your pay for your drinks one way or the other.

 

 

Oh, it's a separate card? On Carnival (the only other line I've had a drinks package with), they just put a sticker on your card so they won't not be not counted towards the Cheers Package (SBP on HAL) and they won't serve you (other than soda and other non alcoholic drinks) after you hit 15. Having a separate card so you can charge instead of using one of the 15 is awesome!! :D Although it does mean an extra thing I have to be careful not to lose. Can you get a hole punch in the SBP card and put it on a lanyard with your ship card?

 

To answer your other question, yes you can charge drinks to your cruise card at any time. I accidentally did it when I had the SBP and I never got anywhere close to the 15 drink limit! It was a little challenging to have it reversed and applied to the SBP but it was done with a smile, even though it was my mistake.

 

Thanks!! I can see how that could happen by mistake, lol. Maybe next time, you could keep 1 of the 2 cards in your pocket or purse so it doesn't happen again. Just a thought, not trying to be rude or anything (in other words, not saying it's your fault or because you were stupid, far from it!). It's great they were able to reverse it and fix the problem for you!! :D

[Krazy Kruizers]

KK, there is no $ limit for the SBP. It includes (and always has included) a maximum of 15 beverages that cost $7 or less before the gratuity. This will include drinks with alcohol, wine, water, special coffees and sodas.

Definitely no $50 limit.

 

Thank you for explaining that to me.

[Alberta Quilter]

Oh, it's a separate card? On Carnival (the only other line I've had a drinks package with), they just put a sticker on your card so they won't not be not counted towards the Cheers Package (SBP on HAL) and they won't serve you (other than soda and other non alcoholic drinks) after you hit 15. Having a separate card so you can charge instead of using one of the 15 is awesome!! :D Although it does mean an extra thing I have to be careful not to lose. Can you get a hole punch in the SBP card and put it on a lanyard with your ship card?

 

 

 

Thanks!! I can see how that could happen by mistake, lol. Maybe next time, you could keep 1 of the 2 cards in your pocket or purse so it doesn't happen again. Just a thought, not trying to be rude or anything (in other words, not saying it's your fault or because you were stupid, far from it!). It's great they were able to reverse it and fix the problem for you!! :D

 

Yes, it's a separate card. It's probably better to keep both cards together and take a extra second or two to look at them to ensure one gives the server the correct card. But in dark venues, well, mix ups can and do happen!

 

Here's an extensive thread about the SBP (and more): http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1999316&highlight=sbp

Edited December 4, 2014 by Alberta Quilter

[aa7yy]

Thanks!! I can see how that could happen by mistake, lol. Maybe next time, you could keep 1 of the 2 cards in your pocket or purse so it doesn't happen again.

 

Yea, I tried that. Always fun to try and get into your room with your drink card.

 

I did not understand the Signature until after spending 26 days on the Noordam. The advertising keeps taking about the $50 a day limit, but it doesn't matter. I spent a lot of time trying to get my wife to quit spending our drink money on coffee and fizzy water.

[Avril]

Yes, it's a separate card. It's probably better to keep both cards together and take a extra second or two to look at them to ensure one gives the server the correct card. But in dark venues, well, mix ups can and do happen!

 

Here's an extensive thread about the SBP (and more): http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1999316&highlight=sbp

 

Ya, I figured that it would be best to keep them together. That's why I'm wondering, can you punch a hole in the SBP card? That way, I can keep it and my ship card on my lanyard together. Sure, I can see how in a dark room it would be hard to tell them apart!! :eek:

 

Yea, I tried that. Always fun to try and get into your room with your drink card.

 

I did not understand the Signature until after spending 26 days on the Noordam. The advertising keeps taking about the $50 a day limit, but it doesn't matter. I spent a lot of time trying to get my wife to quit spending our drink money on coffee and fizzy water.

 

Sorry but LOL!! I have a great mental picture now of someone trying repeatedly to open their cabin door and getting more and mrs frustrated/confused only to realize their using their drink card. :D

 

I think it's a 15 alcoholic drinks/day limit not a $ limit so wouldn't your wife be ok with coffee and fizzy water? It wouldn't matter how many she bought, they're non alcoholic drinks (unless of course she was buying Baileys coffee or something similar).

[OVgirl]

Ya, I figured that it would be best to keep them together. That's why I'm wondering, can you punch a hole in the SBP card? That way, I can keep it and my ship card on my lanyard together. Sure, I can see how in a dark room it would be hard to tell them apart!! :eek:

 

 

 

Sorry but LOL!! I have a great mental picture now of someone trying repeatedly to open their cabin door and getting more and mrs frustrated/confused only to realize their using their drink card. :D

 

I think it's a 15 alcoholic drinks/day limit not a $ limit so wouldn't your wife be ok with coffee and fizzy water? It wouldn't matter how many she bought, they're non alcoholic drinks (unless of course she was buying Baileys coffee or something similar).

 

If the beverages are charged to the SBP card it doesn't matter if they are alcoholic drinks or not. Any beverage with a charge is counted as one drink.

[Alberta Quilter]

Ya, I figured that it would be best to keep them together. That's why I'm wondering, can you punch a hole in the SBP card? That way, I can keep it and my ship card on my lanyard together. Sure, I can see how in a dark room it would be hard to tell them apart!! :eek:

 

I'm sure you can get a hole punched in the card and wear it on an lanyard; I've just never done it.

[aa7yy]

I'm sure you can get a hole punched in the card and wear it on an lanyard; I've just never done it.

 

Yes you can, lots of people do it with their room card. Just not me. Having two cards on the lanyard ? At dinner, your waiter does not want to deal with your lanyard with two cards on it to get you a glass of wine at a table for 6. Carrying two cards together can cause one to go bad. (often) Even in your pocket. I just carried one in each front pocket or one in a shirt pocket.

 

It's not easy, this cruising stuff.