Free Mini Bar?

[LMHSRN]

If you are in a full Suite, is the first set-up of the mini bar free? If so, how does that work?

[Randyk47]

If you are in a full Suite, is the first set-up of the mini bar free? If so, how does that work?

 

No free mini bar. It's pay per consumption from the get go.

[catl331]

You do get a free bottle of champagne though - which we don't drink - and the steward kept on ice all the time even when we emptied the bucket. Finally we stashed it in a suitcase to take home for guests sometime. :)

[cruz chic]

You do get a free bottle of champagne though - which we don't drink - and the steward kept on ice all the time even when we emptied the bucket. Finally we stashed it in a suitcase to take home for guests sometime. :)

 

I've been successful in trading it in for wine. Also I have left a note to not fill the ice bucket. I don't like the stewards to do unnessisary work.

[Tripper10]

The mini bar is pay as you go. Nothing is included.

[DaveOKC]

I've been successful in trading it in for wine. Also I have left a note to not fill the ice bucket. I don't like the stewards to do unnessisary work.

 

Ditto here. I exchange it for the house (Santa Carolina) chardonnay.

[Mary Ellen]

The discription on the HAL site for Neptune suite amenities includes "No-host mini-bar for easy entertaining". That (by definition) means what the others have stated - there isn't a host. No one else is paying for your beverages. Sorry. :o

[take us away]

Or you can exchange it for sodas, Pellegrino, etc. at a bar. Wine stewards in the MDR seem to have less ability to exchange the bottles.

[cruz chic]

Or you can exchange it for sodas, Pellegrino, etc. at a bar. Wine stewards in the MDR seem to have less ability to exchange the bottles.

 

I've gotten the concierge to do it. Dealing with wine stewards in the MDR can be difficult.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

You do get a free bottle of champagne though - which we don't drink - and the steward kept on ice all the time even when we emptied the bucket. Finally we stashed it in a suitcase to take home for guests sometime. :)

 

With 25 cruises on HAL, this last one was the first time the cabin steward continually kept the sparkling wine on ice

[Randyk47]

You do get a free bottle of champagne though - which we don't drink - and the steward kept on ice all the time even when we emptied the bucket. Finally we stashed it in a suitcase to take home for guests sometime. :)

 

I've been successful in trading it in for wine. Also I have left a note to not fill the ice bucket. I don't like the stewards to do unnessisary work.

 

As I recall one of the last two or three nights of our last Maasdam cruise all three couples at our MDR table bought their bottles of champagne from our cabins. The wine steward traded them in for us for two or three bottles of wine. I think over the years we've done everything from actually drinking it ourselves....which is quite a challenge as it isn't the best champagne....to giving it away to trading it in to simply just leaving it in the cabin.

[Typhoon1]

Nothing is free on HAL.

Edited March 15, 2015 by Typhoon1

[PathfinderEss]

Nothing is free on HAL.

Nothing is free on any cruise line - you pay for if one way or another.

[catl331]

I've been successful in trading it in for wine. Also I have left a note to not fill the ice bucket. I don't like the stewards to do unnessisary work.

After 3 days of emptying the ice/water and telling the steward not to bother, we gave up and just hid the bottle. Never thought to try to trade it.

[CruiseWhere]

Not always do you arrive to your suite and there is a bottle of Champagne, actually it's Sparkling Wine. Our cruise in December of last year and another one we were served the "Champagne" by the glass in the Neptune Lounge.

[sail7seas]

No free set up of mini bar.

[sail7seas]

Nothing is free on any cruise line - you pay for if one way or another.

 

Exactly. :)

 

Pay for something included in the fare or pay for it at the time of use or consumption.

 

There is nothing free on a cruise ship. :)

 

[Typhoon1]

Nothing is free on any cruise line - you pay for if one way or another.

 

Those that think they are getting something free have actually paid for it in their cruise price.

[whogo]

Good question, LMHSRN. I figured there was a charge for anything taken from the minibar, but was unfamiliar with the term "no-host". I see that the term is in fairly wide use, has not made it into my dictionary.