First time cruiser questions.

[pugmadkate]

Taking our first ever cruise in June! We’ll be on the Eurodam and doing a round-trip to Alaska out of Seattle. Just can’t wait! But I have so many questions....

 

1. My husband and son drink alcohol, I do not. The three of us are sharing a cabin. Can I purchase drink packages for them but not for myself?

 

2. Speaking of drink packages, do they include specialty coffee or just alcohol?

 

3. If I skip the drink packages, is there an advantage to buying the pre-paid cards instead of just paying as we go?

 

4. Internet-As I understand it, you buy it on-board. How is the quality? My son and husband like to stream Netflix. Is that possible on-board?

 

I have so many more questions but that’s enough of your time. Thank you!

[Boatdrill]

You've chosen a terrific ship and itinerary for your first cruise !

 

1. Yes, you can purchase drink packages for your son and husband and not you.

2. Check the details on the HAL website of each package before you buy. Packages can be purchased on the ship too, where you can ask the bar tender exactly what's included.

3. If you purchase a drink card and don't use all the value, you'll be leaving money on the ship. There's alot to be said for pay-as-you-go, but it's up to you.

4. Since the internet service is provided by satellite, there's a delay as data is sent up, and back to the ship. So even though you've paid for service, the meter is running while uploads and downloads complete. The amount of usage at any time (ie. passengers and ship's staff using the internet) can also affect the speed. However in each port, there are internet cafes with good connections and lower prices than on the ship.

Also, cell phone service onboard can be disrupted because of Alaska's mountains. Keep these things in mind and have patience. You'll be connected one way or the other. :)

 

Have great time !

Edited April 18, 2018 by Boatdrill

[pugmadkate]

Thank you!

[OlsSalt]

There may be more information from others to consider here. My understanding is all people in the cabin must purchase some of the drink packages - wine package, spirts package, beer package, all alcohol drinks package. Depends on what where you will be consuming the drinks. I believe the alcohol packages are separate from the non-alcohol packages - not a mix and match on just the alcohol package. (Corrected on this one - one of the drinks package allows everything under the 15 drinks a day item)

 

Internet on the ship is pretty bad - it might become very expensive to stream Netflix while onboard. There are other movies available for in cabin viewing as well as a theater on board. Will you save on a pre-paid drink package or pay as you go? You will need to price this out depending upon the amount one thinks they will be consuming every day. And where.

 

How many at-sea days will you have where you might want to spend them watching movies instead of doing other ship board activities. HAL ships are fairly low key about on-board activities. This may be a concern for your family it they can't reasonable have access to their normal online diet. Lots of us use cruises to fully unplug and just enjoy being at sea and people watching.

 

You can each bring one bottle of wine on board so that gives you three free bottles of at least wine to enjoy in your cabin. Drinking it outside the cabin will require a corkage fee. But no other private alcohol spirits or beer is allowed to be brought on board. However, you can also bring as much soda or bottled waters onboard as you like for in-cabin use.

 

Sorry, but onboard policies and facilities change a lot and from ship to ship so this can lead to getting confusing or confused answers to very specific questions.

[Dancing Shoes]

If you are talking about beverage packages where you get 15 drinks per person, per day, everyone in the cabin must buy this. It does included specialty coffee and bottled water than you can get at the bar. Also any virgin drink too.

[Crew News]

Taking our first ever cruise in June! We’ll be on the Eurodam and doing a round-trip to Alaska out of Seattle. Just can’t wait! But I have so many questions....

 

1. My husband and son drink alcohol, I do not. The three of us are sharing a cabin. Can I purchase drink packages for them but not for myself?

 

2. Speaking of drink packages, do they include specialty coffee or just alcohol?

 

3. If I skip the drink packages, is there an advantage to buying the pre-paid cards instead of just paying as we go?

 

4. Internet-As I understand it, you buy it on-board. How is the quality? My son and husband like to stream Netflix. Is that possible on-board?

 

I have so many more questions but that’s enough of your time. Thank you!

 

Here is a link to the latest Beverage Packages that answer questions 1 & 2 as well as other FAQ.

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Beverage-Packages.pdf

 

1. Answer is "No". Everyone of drinking age must purchase the alcohol packages.

2. Quench Package does not contain alcohol but the Signature and Elite Packages do include alcohol.

3. No advantage to purchasing card.

4. If your ship has been upgraded to the new "high speed" internet, the "Streaming Package" costs $29.99/day with about a 40% discount if you pay for each cay of the cruise on your initial login. Ships that have not yet been through drydock in the last year are quite slooooowww with page loading measured in minutes so Netflix would be impossible.

[Stratheden]

You've chosen a terrific ship and itinerary for your first cruise !

 

1. Yes, you can purchase drink packages for your son and husband and not you.

2. Check the details on the HAL website of each package before you buy. Packages can be purchased on the ship too, where you can ask the bar tender exactly what's included.

3. If you purchase a drink card and don't use all the value, you'll be leaving money on the ship. There's alot to be said for pay-as-you-go, but it's up to you.

4. Since the internet service is provided by satellite, there's a delay as data is sent up, and back to the ship. So even though you've paid for service, the meter is running while uploads and downloads complete. The amount of usage at any time (ie. passengers and ship's staff using the internet) can also affect the speed. However in each port, there are internet cafes with good connections and lower prices than on the ship.

Also, cell phone service onboard can be disrupted because of Alaska's mountains. Keep these things in mind and have patience. You'll be connected one way or the other. :)

 

Have great time !

I believe you are wrong about the alcoholic beverage packages. They have to be bought by all occupants of the cabin.

 

Here is all the information about the various drink packages.

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/news/2017-press-releases/news-20170424-holland-america-line-new-beverage-packages.html

[Krazy Kruizers]

Crew News has the correct answers.

Buying the regular Beverage Cards doesn't save you any money. They just make it easier to keep track of your bill because at the end of the cruise you will have less receipts to keep track of.

Watch the movies on the TV -- there will be a list of them in your cabin. Internet will be very expensive to watch movies on a laptop, etc. The movies shown in the theater will be shown the next day in the cabins.

[*Miss G*]

Just a correction to OlsSalt's 4th paragraph: You are allowed unlimited bottles of wine in carry-on but you will pay corkage for anything beyond the one free bottle per person. Currently corkage is $18 per bottle but you will be able to bring it with you to the dining room of your choice without further charges. I believe I saw where someone said you could also bring it to a specific bar(s) but someone will need to confirm that. If you buy wine/alcohol in port to bring home they will hold it for you, with no further charges, and deliver it to your room the last night. Have a great cruise!

[gdy0354]

Not sure if you are referring to soft drink beverage card.

I just pre purchased pre-cruise $50 soft drink card for $25. That is a value. Shouldn't be a problem using that card up as I believe soft drinks are $1.95+ gratuity.

[OlsSalt]

Hope the OP is still reading this thread and has gotten the updated information.

[RuthC]

3. If I skip the drink packages, is there an advantage to buying the pre-paid cards instead of just paying as we go?

There is no financial advantage, but at least some of us consider that not needing to keep all the purchase slips, and balancing the final bill on the last morning is an advantage. Only the one purchase of the card itself shows on the bill, not a separate entry for every single drink.

3. If you purchase a drink card and don't use all the value, you'll be leaving money on the ship. There's alot to be said for pay-as-you-go, but it's up to you.

This is not correct. If the beverage card has been activated, and you don't spend all the money attached to it, whatever is left over is refunded to your account.

[pugmadkate]

What a wealth of information! Thanks, all.

[Boatdrill]

If the beverage card has been activated, and you don't spend all the money attached to it, whatever is left over is refunded to your account.

 

Unfortunately that has never been the case for anyone I know, or for myself.

If it's worked out that way for others, that's good news.