beverage package question

[iriemon]

Will be sailing on the Nieuw Amsterdam in a couple of weeks and was thinking of buying a beverage package. It says you can order drinks up to $8. I've been on HAL before but never paid attention to the prices I just ordered what I wanted. Does anyone have a copy of the bar menu that is recent? Or can you tell me if there is a large selection at this price? I usually have a variety of drinks on board so I am not looking for a particular one. Thanks

[Ancientferguson]

Will be sailing on the Nieuw Amsterdam in a couple of weeks and was thinking of buying a beverage package. It says you can order drinks up to $8. I've been on HAL before but never paid attention to the prices I just ordered what I wanted. Does anyone have a copy of the bar menu that is recent? Or can you tell me if there is a large selection at this price? I usually have a variety of drinks on board so I am not looking for a particular one. Thanks

 

 

My advice is to avoid the drinks package. We did it and found that there was a genuine contempt from the bar staff, as these packages, will save you money which mean less gratuities. Additionally, I used to read the cocktail description and never once was the named spirit used. It will always be the cheap under strength ones sitting on the bar, out of your view. I made a point of asking them to show me what they had just used and I never knew they made spirits as weak as some of those used.

 

As for the wine available, the glasses under $8 were comparable to a good quality vinegar.

 

No matter how hard I tried, I never felt the effects of drinking all day on board the Nieuw Amsterdam. I never have that problem with P&O. :-)

 

The drinks package is by no means, signature.

 

Buy what you want and ensure the cocktails are made with proper stuff, it will work out cheaper in the end.

[Krazy Kruizers]

There are a lot of drinks priced under $8. I do not have a list of them.

One thing to remember is that each person over the age of 21 in your cabin must buy the package. There is no sharing of the Signature Beverage Package as it is loaded onto your ID card.

You are allowed up to 15 drinks a day. This includes the specialty coffees, bottled water, sodas. You can not use the card on HMC or for anything in your mini bar. Nor can you buy bottles of wine.

We found that it was not worth it for us to buy the Signature Beverage Card.

[chefestelle]

I didn't have the same problem as ancient Ferguson. I bought my wine separately at dinner though. My drink package came with a really good deal. It also gets you soda and lattes. I had thought I would chalk up lots of purchases there. As it was, with water, lattes, sodas and a refreshing cocktail here and there, I only came to four or five drinks a day. There were tons of alcoholic drinks under $8 and I don't worry about the quality of rum when there is fruit juice added or the quality of tequila with a margarita. If I had wanted a nice brandy or a glass of scotch, it would not have been covered. So for me, I would not need the signature package at full price as I would have been at or around $20 per day.

[iriemon]

There are a lot of drinks priced under $8. I do not have a list of them.

One thing to remember is that each person over the age of 21 in your cabin must buy the package. There is no sharing of the Signature Beverage Package as it is loaded onto your ID card.

You are allowed up to 15 drinks a day. This includes the specialty coffees, bottled water, sodas. You can not use the card on HMC or for anything in your mini bar. Nor can you buy bottles of wine.

We found that it was not worth it for us to buy the Signature Beverage Card.

 

I am traveling solo so that is not a problem. Thanks

[Crew News]

Will be sailing on the Nieuw Amsterdam in a couple of weeks and was thinking of buying a beverage package. It says you can order drinks up to $8. I've been on HAL before but never paid attention to the prices I just ordered what I wanted. Does anyone have a copy of the bar menu that is recent? Or can you tell me if there is a large selection at this price? I usually have a variety of drinks on board so I am not looking for a particular one. Thanks

 

As requested, here is the Bar Menu from Nov 2015:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Bar-Menu.pdf

 

Since you are on the NA, here is the Silk Den Menu:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Silk-Den-Exotic-Beverages.pdf

[iriemon]

As requested, here is the Bar Menu from Nov 2015:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Bar-Menu.pdf

 

Since you are on the NA, here is the Silk Den Menu:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Silk-Den-Exotic-Beverages.pdf

 

Thanks. Very helpful

[dakrewser]

My advice is to avoid the drinks package. We did it and found that there was a genuine contempt from the bar staff, as these packages, will save you money which mean less gratuities. Additionally, I used to read the cocktail description and never once was the named spirit used. It will always be the cheap under strength ones sitting on the bar, out of your view. I made a point of asking them to show me what they had just used and I never knew they made spirits as weak as some of those used.

 

 

I don't think the "contempt" you claim to have noticed was for the SBC, as the staff have no knowledge of who has this or not (it's simply a notation on your account). Perhaps they simply reacted to your manner.

 

Likewise, there's no way for them to know who to "stiff" on brands. of liquor.

 

The wine selection by-the-glass is a tad meager, but satisfactory.

 

Anyone who wants a couple of specialty coffees in the AM, beer or wine with lunch, a couple/few cocktails before dinner, glass or two of wine with dinner then a couple of after dinner drinks will find themselves saving money by using the Signature Beverage pkg.

[blizzardboy]

My advice is to avoid the drinks package. We did it and found that there was a genuine contempt from the bar staff, as these packages, will save you money which mean less gratuities. Additionally, I used to read the cocktail description and never once was the named spirit used. It will always be the cheap under strength ones sitting on the bar, out of your view. I made a point of asking them to show me what they had just used and I never knew they made spirits as weak as some of those used.

 

As for the wine available, the glasses under $8 were comparable to a good quality vinegar.

 

No matter how hard I tried, I never felt the effects of drinking all day on board the Nieuw Amsterdam. I never have that problem with P&O. :-)

 

The drinks package is by no means, signature.

 

Buy what you want and ensure the cocktails are made with proper stuff, it will work out cheaper in the end.

 

You don't use a separate beverage card any longer, just your room card, so I don't know if the barkeep knows if you have a package. I've never had a problem with drink strength, but I establish a relationship, greased with a little cash, on my first meeting with a bar tender. I inquire as to what my choice of spirits are and let the bartender know that I'm as much or more of a professional on my side of the bar as he is on his. We usually get along fabulously.

Edited January 9, 2016 by blizzardboy

[kevingastreich]

"and let the bartender know that I'm as much or more of a professional on my side of the bar as he is on his."

 

How DO you become a professional barfly? :p

Edited January 10, 2016 by kevingastreich

[blizzardboy]

"and let the bartender know that I'm as much or more of a professional on my side of the bar as he is on his."

 

How DO you become a professional barfly? :p

 

Practice. Practice. Practice.

Edited January 10, 2016 by blizzardboy

[Ancientferguson]

I don't think the "contempt" you claim to have noticed was for the SBC, as the staff have no knowledge of who has this or not (it's simply a notation on your account). Perhaps they simply reacted to your manner.

 

Likewise, there's no way for them to know who to "stiff" on brands. of liquor.

 

The wine selection by-the-glass is a tad meager, but satisfactory.

 

Anyone who wants a couple of specialty coffees in the AM, beer or wine with lunch, a couple/few cocktails before dinner, glass or two of wine with dinner then a couple of after dinner drinks will find themselves saving money by using the Signature Beverage pkg.

 

They most certainly do know who has the package, simply by the fact you hand over BOTH your room cards upon ordering. They know within a very short time who has a drink package. The contempt was palpable.

 

They will use the cheap stuff for the drink package passengers, there is no ifs or buts about that.

[1884Vic]

I had a different experience than some posters with our package.

We sailed on the Westerdam right before Christmas this year.

 

We had a huge onboard credit that we didn't have plans for. It was an itinerary we had done two times prior and to be honest, we only did it because my parents wanted to go. So we decided to burn up our credit by buying the package.

 

We had a couple of minor issues (one semi-major issue, unrelated to the drinks package), but the bar staff was NOT one of them. They were lovely and sought us out for refills whether we were on the pool decks, up in the Crow's Nest or watching the BB King band. We are friendly, like to chat with bartenders if they like to talk and were not served weak or rotgut drinks.

 

I love gin & tonics and was served Hendricks (at my request). Rum was fine, scotch was ok, beer eh, but there isn't even an option to buy better beer. This is my husband's #1 complaint but not a deal-breaker. We go with the flow.

 

Wine is a definite weakness and for that reason I would not buy the package again. I love reds and the selection was very slim. It was drinkable but not even close to good. It was very basic but I didn't die. I found Canaletto's wine to be much better than the MDR.

 

Would I buy it again? No. But if it was given to me as an incentive or I could buy it using a credit I wouldn't pass it up. It was a lot of fun to try new stuff. Try the Peach Melody in the BB King Blues Club- it's fantastic!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited January 11, 2016 by 1884Vic

[1884Vic]

And for the record, I watched them pour many drinks. It's the SAME liquor used as any other drink ordered. The better bartenders pour a wee bit more, adding a wink as they pour it into the glass. This has been my experience over 6 cruises with HAL, with and without the package.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[headhunterke]

I also have no experience of being served 'weaker' drinks when using a package.

On my last 3 cruises with HAL, I was traveling solo. And whenever I was sitting at the bar watching a game, or just chatting with some fellow guests, I have never seen a bartender use any other bottles than the ones that were on display.

No, a couple of cocktails will not get you drunk, but over the last 4 years with HAL, I can not say I have had a drink that was watered down.

[BravoTango]

Lining up for first cruise on HAL and the first for over 20 years, so this thread is helpful for making a decision around this very subject.

Still undecided, but a bit of maths on the posted bar menu will help a lot.

 

Cheers

[1st]

So how much is the drink passage on HAL?

[POA1]

So how much is the drink passage on HAL?

I believe it's $44.95 per day + 15% service charge, or $51.69.

 

Take a look at the bar menus posted by Crew News above. Look at the prices of what you would normally drink on a daily basis. If the menus prices add up to more than $44.95, the package makes sense. If your total is less, then it doesn't.

Edited January 11, 2016 by POA1

[1884Vic]

That is correct - we paid $361.83 per person for 7 days. In reality we paid much less because we used OBC.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Overhead Fred]

I would not buy the drink package. Instead, have your cocktails during the several happy hours in the various bars. Order one drink at the regular price and get another of the same for $1. This works on drinks below $8-9 (not sure of the exact price limit) including glasses of wine and bottles/cans of beer. For example, you can get a Johnnie Walker Black on the rocks for $7.25 and a second one for $1 (they will pour it as a double if you like). On our recent cruise, the happy hours were in the Crow's Nest and Ocean Bar (4-5 PM), the Silk Den (9-10 PM), and the Northern Lights (10-11 PM).

[NaughtyNanna]

As requested, here is the Bar Menu from Nov 2015:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Bar-Menu.pdf

/quote]

 

Oh my goodness! I had a look at the menu and just out of curiosity looked up our local price for the Penfolds Koonunga Hill Chardonnay which is on the menu at $8.50 per glass. It's $11.35 per bottle here. Assuming 5 standard drinks per bottle, that's $2.27 per glass. Convert that to US$ and it's $1.59. That's some mark-up!!! :eek:

 

Regards

Jan

[TheCalicoCat]

I believe it's $44.95 per day + 15% service charge, or $51.69.

 

Take a look at the bar menus posted by Crew News above. Look at the prices of what you would normally drink on a daily basis. If the menus prices add up to more than $44.95, the package makes sense. If your total is less, then it doesn't.

 

Thanks for this and to the poster who posted the links to drinks menus.

 

I'd have to drink about 7 drinks a day to make it worth while.

 

I'll be travelling with an 8.5 year old - glad to hear that he does not need to be signed up as well, but can I use my package to buy him a virgin daiquiri? (I know I could on the sly, but I'd prefer to be honest in my dealings.)

[dakrewser]

As requested, here is the Bar Menu from Nov 2015:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Bar-Menu.pdf

/quote]

 

Oh my goodness! I had a look at the menu and just out of curiosity looked up our local price for the Penfolds Koonunga Hill Chardonnay which is on the menu at $8.50 per glass. It's $11.35 per bottle here. Assuming 5 standard drinks per bottle, that's $2.27 per glass. Convert that to US$ and it's $1.59. That's some mark-up!!! :eek:

 

Regards

Jan

 

 

Are you looking at the retail price or the restaurant price? It's always best to compare apples to apples.

[TheCalicoCat]

As requested, here is the Bar Menu from Nov 2015:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Bar-Menu.pdf

/quote]

 

Oh my goodness! I had a look at the menu and just out of curiosity looked up our local price for the Penfolds Koonunga Hill Chardonnay which is on the menu at $8.50 per glass. It's $11.35 per bottle here. Assuming 5 standard drinks per bottle, that's $2.27 per glass. Convert that to US$ and it's $1.59. That's some mark-up!!! :eek:

 

Regards

Jan

 

Transport from AUS to USA or where ever HAL stocks up? But there is a mark-up. Soda anywhere besides the grocery store (on sale) has a huge mark-up, as another example.

[A1000]

As requested, here is the Bar Menu from Nov 2015:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Bar-Menu.pdf

 

Since you are on the NA, here is the Silk Den Menu:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Silk-Den-Exotic-Beverages.pdf

 

Hi there, we're going on our first HAL cruise later this year and in the past have been used to the AI approach on Celebrity and therefore looking at the drinks package.

 

If the package covers drinks upto US$8 (including 15% service) that means drinks priced up to $6.95 on the menu. All of the cocktails (other than cocktails of the day) seem to be ~$7.50+ so wouldn't now be included.

 

Is my layman's understanding correct or have the increased the $8 limit?

 

Thanks in advance.