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71% price increase for in room liquor

CafeBruno

By CafeBruno,
in Holland America Line

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AncientWanderer

AncientWanderer

Posted
Posted

That's a shame. 

HAL may find that the price jump doesn't help their bottom line.  We order bottles for the room so that we can enjoy a cocktail while sitting on our balcony.  We won't go to a bar instead, as that's a different experience entirely.  We will continue to find a way to enjoy our balcony -- without ordering excessively overpriced bottles.

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stratixman

stratixman

Posted
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Wow. I didn't know inflation for booze was so big. Makes one think seriously about becoming a tea totaler. Since we most commonly sail in inside cabins we have never found an appeal to buying bottles to consume in the cabin. At the new prices quoted I would say beverage packages are going to be looking more appealing in the future. 

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gknep

gknep

Posted
Posted

This just shows how different people enjoy different aspects of cruising. I love bars on land and sea and would much rather have a drink in one the onboard venues than in my cabin on my verandah. 

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Tom O. Great Review Rare

Tom O.

Posted
Posted
19 minutes ago, wrldtvlr said:

Perhaps we can blame Congress for this also.   

https://fortune.com/2019/12/17/whiskey-tax-price-hike-law-tariffs/

 

The possible tax increase would only be $1.71 per bottle, and that would only occur for small craft makers of whiskey. So, I don't think it has anything to do with this massive price increase by HAL.

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TAD2005

TAD2005

Posted
Posted

HAL would pay the same wholesale price for a bottle of liquor if it was sent to your cabin for your personal use or sent to a bar for by-the-drink service.   So, if the actual price of the liquor went up by those large amounts, you would assume the cost of individual drinks served at the bars would also go up,  and following that logic, the cost of the 2 beverage packages would also go up.   I just checked the HAL website, they didn't !!!

The SBP is still $44.95 per day, (purchased online) and the Elite package actually went DOWN.   The Elite package used to be $59.95  and it was the same price purchased online or onboard.  (All prices plus 15% SC).   The Elite package is now $49.95 per day, online purchase, and $59.95 purchased onboard.    With the massive increases in in-room liquor, the 2 beverage packages become more interesting.   As some have posted, it seems that HAL is discouraging you to stay in your cabin and drink your own liquor, and to go out to the bars and pay by the drink or get one of the packages.   With the online price of the Elite package now only $5 more per day than the SBP,  but you get a $4 higher per-drink allotment,  there will be more people buying the Elite package, or upgrading their SBP once onboard, IF that is still possible with this new rate structure.

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crystalspin

crystalspin

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57 minutes ago, TAD2005 said:

...following that logic, the cost of the 2 beverage packages would also go up.   I just checked the HAL website, they didn't !!!

The SBP is still $44.95 per day, (purchased online) and the Elite package actually went DOWN.   The Elite package used to be $59.95  and it was the same price purchased online or onboard.  (All prices plus 15% SC).   The Elite package is now $49.95 per day, online purchase, and $59.95 purchased onboard...

TAD -- I want to thank you in words (not just a "LIKE" click)! I had not noticed the lower price for Elite BP when purchasing the SBP for our upcoming cruise.

 

I assumed the difference would be $30x28 and we are not that discerning of wine drinkers. But for $10 a day (for both of us together) -- and using @Crew News recent Wine List -- ESPECIALLY the reds are SO much more appealing -- I cancelled the SBP and bought the EBP! WooHoo!

 

Also a hat-tip to @kazu who long ago pointed out that the difference in price (even at $15pppd) is the cost of one glass of wine.

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AJSkarbo

AJSkarbo

Posted
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2 hours ago, texkat said:

I’m having trouble finding where to prepurchase the beverage packages online... please help!

Once you log into your Holland America account, go to "cruise activities" then "beverages" the option for both packages will be listed.

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DoggyDaddy

DoggyDaddy

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I went to the site last night and sure enough the gin and tonic package I usually buy (with plain Bombay Gin) had gone up significantly. However, a bottle of Bombay Sapphire had not gone up at all, and was now cheaper than the G&T mix. Guess what I did?

 

DD

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Tom O. Great Review Rare

Tom O.

Posted
Posted
28 minutes ago, whitford said:

My bottle of Gin went from $46.25 reasonable to $80.00 not so much. I guess they are not making enough money on the tickets.

I assume you were talking about the Gin and Tonic Package that included Original Bombay Gin.

I suggest that you switch to Bombay Sapphire, which is still priced the same at $56.25, and then order a couple of cans of tonic once you are on the ship.

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CafeBruno

CafeBruno

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5 hours ago, Woofbite said:

For some reason Skyy Vodka is only $40 a liter compared to $69 or more for the others.  I figure they missed it so I snagged some for our November trip before they notice.

I did the exact same thing!! I agree with you that HAL probably just missed a giant increase on that one. I didn't want to say anything in case HAL is reading this board. But hopefully, they are just allowing one final reasonable cost option, instead of a lot of them back on Dec. 31.  

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