Signature Beverage Package becoming a frequent perk?

[sprockie]

Just wondered if anyone knew if HAL is offering the beverage package fairly regularly these days as a free perk. We are regular HAL sailors, but just got off the Constellation where we picked the beverage package perk and we really enjoyed it. I just wondered if everyone thought this is something that cruise lines are moving toward. My booking for next year on HAL includes the Beverage package but the price is obviously very high since it's a year away. I am hoping the price decreases, but wondered how likely it is I could score both a lower price and the beverage package again. Any thoughts appreciated.

[SilvertoGold]

As you note, the pricing for you cruise is "obviously very high", but maybe not only because you are so far out: you are paying for this Beverage package. It is not free.

 

A few on this board have said they were able to get decreased pricing on their cruise AND keep the Explore4/Signature Bev package, but this seems rare.

 

Usually pax are asked to pay quite a sum to get the decreased pricing and keep the Explore4/Signature Beverage package.

 

These promos seems to be very popular and are the marketing strategy of many lines recently. Pax love to think they are getting something free, so it works well for the lines and many pax.

[PathfinderEss]

As you note, the pricing for you cruise is "obviously very high", but maybe not only because you are so far out: you are paying for this Beverage package. It is not free.

 

A few on this board have said they were able to get decreased pricing on their cruise AND keep the Explore4/Signature Bev package, but this seems rare.

 

Usually pax are asked to pay quite a sum to get the decreased pricing and keep the Explore4/Signature Beverage package.

 

These promos seems to be very popular and are the marketing strategy of many lines recently. Pax love to think they are getting something free, so it works well for the lines and many pax.

 

Absolutely agree with your analogy SilvertoGold. Seems passengers think they are getting these wonderful drinking perks for free, when in actuality they are paying for them in the higher price of their cruise. Whatever works for the cruise lines.

[Mr and Mrs CIQ]

Keep in mind that the SBP card cost about 376.00 per person for a seven night cruise. Each person must buy that is in your room (adults).

[SilvertoGold]

Absolutely agree with your analogy SilvertoGold. Seems passengers think they are getting these wonderful drinking perks for free, when in actuality they are paying for them in the higher price of their cruise. Whatever works for the cruise lines.

 

Thanks, Melody.

 

It really is a sight, seeing the advertising for different lines with the choices of "perks". One look at the price and I get out the calculator to see how much "free" costs.

 

Not only are pax paying for these drink perks, but some are paying way beyond the actual price of what they are "spending" on the drinks on the ship.

 

This is quite a good promo for the cruise lines, not so much for the pax.

[SilvertoGold]

Keep in mind that the SBP card cost about 376.00 per person for a seven night cruise. Each person must buy that is in your room (adults).

 

This is what blows me away!

Do that many pax actually drink any combination of drinks to that sum?

 

I could see it if you could buy bottles of wine of your choice, but otherwise.....

 

I know some have said it is convenient to have the Signature Bev Card, but that could be expensive convenience.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

We have lost it every time the price goes down ..:mad::mad:

[Mr and Mrs CIQ]

Think about it like this, drink seven drinks a day and you have paid for the SBP. These drinks do not have to be alcoholic. Mix them between coffee, sodas,waters and alcoholic and you have made it in your favor.Also, remember 15% gratuity is included.

[SilvertoGold]

Think about it like this, drink seven drinks a day and you have paid for the SBP. These drinks do not have to be alcoholic. Mix them between coffee, sodas,waters and alcoholic and you have made it in your favor.Also, remember 15% gratuity is included.

 

7 coffees and/or sodas a day doesn't equal $50.00

 

More like $16.00 - $20.00

Edited March 1, 2015 by SilvertoGold

[HALaftSuitesfor2]

As you note, the pricing for you cruise is "obviously very high", but maybe not only because you are so far out: you are paying for this Beverage package. It is not free.

 

A few on this board have said they were able to get decreased pricing on their cruise AND keep the Explore4/Signature Bev package, but this seems rare.

 

Usually pax are asked to pay quite a sum to get the decreased pricing and keep the Explore4/Signature Beverage package.

 

These promos seems to be very popular and are the marketing strategy of many lines recently. Pax love to think they are getting something free, so it works well for the lines and many pax.

 

We always book as soon as ship itineraries become available. We don't worry about price or what comes with the reservation when we book because we are after cabin location. No money is lost unless you cancel after final payment and we are always watching for a price decrease.

 

That said, we all know, whenever you make a change, you loose whatever was with that booking. That is, unless your PCC has some pull and you are higher up the Mariner level. We never do a beverage package. Really a bad deal. If you could use all of the funds for one day on one purchase, like a great bottle of wine, that would make sense. However, the $7 cutoff on all drinks (HAL), really limits you to what the ship wants to market. How many "$7 drinks" can one person consume in a day? Another reason we don't sail the all inclusive lines. I want to spend my money on myself, not pay for the drinks of other passengers.

 

Caveat: We choose to sail in "Neptune Suites Aft" and because of early bookings that has been our fortune. For us, that is, value for money. 41 Days @ $100 beverage credit per day, per cabin, is $4100.00. I would rather have my sunsets sailing to Europe for 10 days.

[sprockie]

7 coffees and/or sodas a day doesn't equal $50.00

 

More like $16.00 - $20.00

 

I'm not really interested in the soda's myself;). 10-12 beverages can easily be done for us.

 

Morning coffee, another coffee or tea throughout the day

Water

3 to 6 drinks in the afternoon/before dinner

A few glasses of wine with dinner

A cappuccino or two after dinner

 

It's true that on some days if you tallied up what you purchased without the beverage card, you might be ahead without it. However, we learned on our last cruise that not thinking about the individual cost of drinks and our tab at the end is a huge bonus for us while on vacation. We really enjoyed the beverage package.

[DaveOKC]

Just wondered if anyone knew if HAL is offering the beverage package fairly regularly these days as a free perk. We are regular HAL sailors, but just got off the Constellation where we picked the beverage package perk and we really enjoyed it. I just wondered if everyone thought this is something that cruise lines are moving toward. My booking for next year on HAL includes the Beverage package but the price is obviously very high since it's a year away. I am hoping the price decreases, but wondered how likely it is I could score both a lower price and the beverage package again. Any thoughts appreciated.

 

I was one of the lucky ones on my past cruise. Booked a January 7 days Eastern Caribbean cruise with the Explore4 package in Sept. In Nov., cruise price dropped $500 pp, so I rebooked for the cheaper fare but lost the Explore4. Around final payment time there was a promotion for free Signature beverage package only with the lower price, so I was able to get that! Just shows that you have to carefully watch these deals and do not be afraid to move on them when they pop up.

[Caribbean Chris]

I was one of the lucky ones on my past cruise. Booked a January 7 days Eastern Caribbean cruise with the Explore4 package in Sept. In Nov., cruise price dropped $500 pp, so I rebooked for the cheaper fare but lost the Explore4. Around final payment time there was a promotion for free Signature beverage package only with the lower price, so I was able to get that! Just shows that you have to carefully watch these deals and do not be afraid to move on them when they pop up.

 

So true. I've had that experience with Celebrity as well.

[Koali]

During our last 14 day cruise, I thought about purchasing the SBP since my husband was drinking up a storm! When we got our bill, we probably spent ~700. Definitely cheaper than 2 weeks of SBP. If it could only be purchased for a single person in a cabin, we would think about it but I understand why they don't do that.

 

 

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[4friends]

Our 19 day cruise included the Exploe 4 promotion when we booked. When the promotion ended, the prices only dropped about $100 PP and at final payment, no further significant changes. We will not use 15 drinks per day but for us it is still a great value as the overall cruise pricing didn't drop significantly. Each person has to factor in the value for their cruise as in some cases it is definitely a better value to go with a price drop.

[HALaftSuitesfor2]

This is a marketing managers dream. Just in this thread, people are figuring out how to make the beverage package work for them. That is, the key. I just dont like the per drink price cutoff (HAL). If I want a beverage package and I pay "X" per diem, then let me choose how to spend that money, individual or one lump. They are increasing their profit margin with the set max. drink price. They less expensive the drink, the more they sell, the more volumn they sell, the larger the profit.

[Hlitner]

One needs to be very careful when factoring-in the value of the Signature package. We will repost our experience which is just one example. Last year we booked a 38 day Oosterdam cruise and our original total price was about $23,000....which did include the Signature Beverage package. We did this booking more then 10 months in advance. By the time we took the cruise we had asked our cruise agent to "reprice" the cruise 3 times (whenever we noticed price drops). In the end, that $23,000 cabin cost us about $12,000! And, as our friendly cruise agent kept reminding us, we did lose that Signature Beverage Package. So, we saved about $11,000 ($144 per passenger day) or about $289 for the two of us. I explained to our cruise agent (who does have a good sense of humor) that DW and I decided we could not possibly use $288 a day of drinks...and even if we could do that (without bursting at the seams) the drink restrictions imposed by HAL made it impossible.

 

We have been dealing with drink packages on other cruise lines for several years. As a matter of course, we simply value the packages based on our previous drinking habits which means the packages on Celebrity (which are superior to the HAL package) is worth about $35 per passenger day (not the $50+ claimed by the cruise line). So if we can get a drink package for less then $35 per passenger day we consider it reasonable.

 

Hank

[DaveOKC]

Our 19 day cruise included the Exploe 4 promotion when we booked. When the promotion ended, the prices only dropped about $100 PP and at final payment, no further significant changes. We will not use 15 drinks per day but for us it is still a great value as the overall cruise pricing didn't drop significantly. Each person has to factor in the value for their cruise as in some cases it is definitely a better value to go with a price drop.

 

As I mentioned previously, on my last cruise it was better to drop it and take the lower price. On my upcoming one (we are past final payment date), the price has actually gone up! from what we paid, so obviously we are keeping the drink package. Its all supply and demand and watching your pricing.

[cavecreekguy]

This is what blows me away!

Do that many pax actually drink any combination of drinks to that sum?...

 

Yes. Paying "by the drink" my daily average is over $50/day.

[SilvertoGold]

Yes. Paying "by the drink" my daily average is over $50/day.

 

I mean 15 drinks per day, alcohol or whatever, per person each and every day of the cruise for the Explore4 Bev Package card.

 

If many pax do that it would amaze me.

Edited March 1, 2015 by SilvertoGold

[DaveOKC]

I mean 15 drinks per day, alcohol or whatever, per person each and every day of the cruise for the Explore4 Bev Package card.

 

If many pax do that it would amaze me.

 

We just did the SBP and could not reach 15 drinks per day FOR THE TWO OF US.

 

DaveOKC

[SilvertoGold]

We just did the SBP and could not reach 15 drinks per day FOR THE TWO OF US.

 

DaveOKC

 

I know how it is!!

 

Even if you purchase the Signature Bev Card, you have to buy one for both pax, at a cost of over $100.00 per day. Without bottles of wine allowed, $100.00 per day for 2 pax, each and every day of the cruise, is LOT to drink.

 

This is a great package for those who truly put away a LOT of liquid per day! I just cannot see that there all that many who would ultimately benefit from this package!

[OVgirl]

Keep in mind that the SBP card cost about 376.00 per person for a seven night cruise. Each person must buy that is in your room (adults).

 

And that means over $450CAD per person for the SBP if purchased.

[HALaftSuitesfor2]

One needs to be very careful when factoring-in the value of the Signature package. We will repost our experience which is just one example. Last year we booked a 38 day Oosterdam cruise and our original total price was about $23,000....which did include the Signature Beverage package. We did this booking more then 10 months in advance. By the time we took the cruise we had asked our cruise agent to "reprice" the cruise 3 times (whenever we noticed price drops). In the end, that $23,000 cabin cost us about $12,000! And, as our friendly cruise agent kept reminding us, we did lose that Signature Beverage Package. So, we saved about $11,000 ($144 per passenger day) or about $289 for the two of us. I explained to our cruise agent (who does have a good sense of humor) that DW and I decided we could not possibly use $288 a day of drinks...and even if we could do that (without bursting at the seams) the drink restrictions imposed by HAL made it impossible.

 

We have been dealing with drink packages on other cruise lines for several years. As a matter of course, we simply value the packages based on our previous drinking habits which means the packages on Celebrity (which are superior to the HAL package) is worth about $35 per passenger day (not the $50+ claimed by the cruise line). So if we can get a drink package for less then $35 per passenger day we consider it reasonable.

 

Hank

 

That is just about a verbatim for our booking last year on 26 day T/A Nieuw Amsterdam. The first substantial price drop wiped out the drink package. However, we didn't care since the cabin price went down $3000.00. The next drop was $1500.00. By the time we boarded our cabin had dropped $4900.00. That's a good deal of drinking $7 beverages. And yes we were reminded on the first reprice we were loosing the drink package and were we sure about that since it was such a good deal.

 

Keep in mind, price drops are not all created equal. The higher priced the cabin the bigger the discount when they do come down. So, that said maybe if you're in an outside cabin you can justify the drink package because it would be getting value. This year the pricing did just about the same thing but it was even more discounted. No way would I give up the money in my pocket and be forced to drink the value of the drink package to get my money out of it.

[albingirl]

Without starting another thread, does anyone know which cruises provide for the SBP? We love it, esp. for all the coffee, water, and wine with dinner. We enjoyed it on our European cruise.