Free Booze - are gratuities included?

[DoggyDaddy]

If I take a Holland America cruise with the “free drinks” option, are the gratuities included on a per drink basis or do you pay a gratuity on the list price of a drink, or are all gratuities pre-paid by HA? I know that on at least one other line, if you choose the free drink package, you are charged for a gratuity on the entire cost of the list cost of that package.

 

DD

[zelker]

the service fee is included

[DaveOKC]

As already stated - the tips are included, but you certainly can add a dollar or two for good service.

 

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Thank you. One secondary site I visited seemed to indicate otherwise. 

[AtlantaCruiser72]

NCL is the ONLY line that makes you pay a gratuity/service fee on the "free" drinks package.  Celebrity, HAL and Princess all cover the gratuity to the staff for all drinks consumed as part of the package.

[canadianbear]

27 minutes ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

NCL is the ONLY line that makes you pay a gratuity/service fee on the "free" drinks package.  Celebrity, HAL and Princess all cover the gratuity to the staff for all drinks consumed as part of the package.

This is what put our son and dil off NCL as they were used to HAL.   If it’s included as a perk it should be all included.  

[jimdee3636]

6 minutes ago, canadianbear said:

This is what put our son and dil off NCL as they were used to HAL.   If it’s included as a perk it should be all included.  

Not only that, but the (alleged) value of the NCL drink package is $99 per day, and the mandatory gratuity is 20%, i.e., nearly $20 per day, per person. NCL does something similar with the "free" specialty dining option.

 

Don't get me wrong: I was on two short NCL cruises last year and made good use of the "free"' drink and dining packages. But I had read the fine print beforehand and knew what I was getting into.

[canadianbear]

5 minutes ago, jimdee3636 said:

Not only that, but the (alleged) value of the NCL drink package is $99 per day, and the mandatory gratuity is 20%, i.e., nearly $20 per day, per person. NCL does something similar with the "free" specialty dining option.

 

Don't get me wrong: I was on two short NCL cruises last year and made good use of the "free"' drink and dining packages. But I had read the fine print beforehand and knew what I was getting into.

It bothers me that NCL does this.  Luckily our son read the fine print too so chose another perk when they did NCL.  But it opened my eyes as we’ve never sailed NCL but are open to different cruise lines but that put a sour taste in my mouth.  

[AtlantaCruiser72]

Not only is the retail value of the NCL beverage package inflated, it’s also the least inclusive in the industry.  They are the ONLY LINE to exclude specialty coffees, bottled waters, juices, etc. It’s essentially booze and fountain soda only. 
 

But back to HAL - I was very pleased with the Signature beverage package on my last cruise. I wish maybe a few more wines by the glass had been covered in the MDR, but I was able to find a couple that were enjoyable, if not special or memorable. As far as mixed drinks and beers I don’t think I ordered anything that wasn’t covered and I prefer more premium liquors in general. 

[Josie201]

We are booked on a HAL cruise for next fall and it’s been a few years since we’ve sailed with them.  We have the (included) signature beverage package.  We are both wine drinkers and I recall from our last HAL cruise the wines by the glass were very limited.  I understand there is now an option to upgrade to a premium type package and would like to know more about this option.  

[jimdee3636]

1 hour ago, Josie201 said:

We are booked on a HAL cruise for next fall and it’s been a few years since we’ve sailed with them.  We have the (included) signature beverage package.  We are both wine drinkers and I recall from our last HAL cruise the wines by the glass were very limited.  I understand there is now an option to upgrade to a premium type package and would like to know more about this option.  

Unless things have changed, you can always upgrade once onboard from a "Signature" beverage package to a "Premier" package (I hope I'm using the right terms)  for something like $10 per day, per person. We did it several times and felt it was well worth it, given the greater selection it offered. However, we reached four-star Mariner status just before our last cruise, which allowed us to purchase wine-by-the-bottle packages at 50% off. The package we had gave us an even better choice of wines at a very good price.

[kazu]

1 hour ago, Josie201 said:

We are booked on a HAL cruise for next fall and it’s been a few years since we’ve sailed with them.  We have the (included) signature beverage package.  We are both wine drinkers and I recall from our last HAL cruise the wines by the glass were very limited.  I understand there is now an option to upgrade to a premium type package and would like to know more about this option.  

 

29 minutes ago, jimdee3636 said:

Unless things have changed, you can always upgrade once onboard from a "Signature" beverage package to a "Premier" package (I hope I'm using the right terms)  for something like $10 per day, per person. We did it several times and felt it was well worth it, given the greater selection it offered. However, we reached four-star Mariner status just before our last cruise, which allowed us to purchase wine-by-the-bottle packages at 50% off. The package we had gave us an even better choice of wines at a very good price.

 

I believe the better package is called the Elite.  The gratuity is added to the cost.  It entitles you to drinks of a cost up to $15.  

Haven’t done it as we tend to use the wine packages at dinner (we like variety) but it’s been reported here on the boards that it is essential you request the package right away at a bar before you get your first drink.

[oakridger]

In my opinion even the Elite package wines by the glass weren't really great.  But, that said, since the Elite package is "only" about $10/day extra which is less than the cost of one of the better by the glass wines you would probably still be ahead with Elite.  I'm happy at home drinking $10-15 per bottle wines (grocery store prices) and the ones on HALs Elite list were still a bit below that level I thought.  Like Kazu, next cruise (hope, hope) I will probably get a wine package for dinner wines and use the Signature Beverage Package and have other types of drinks during the day...beer, sodas, margaritas, etc.

 

~Nancy

Edited November 25, 2020 by oakridger
wrong

[kazu]

13 minutes ago, oakridger said:

In my opinion even the Elite package wines by the glass weren't really great

 

I agree with you.  There was one we found on the Prinsendam that we really liked.  DH’s was $17 per glass and mine was $18.  We would go up every happy hour and take advantage 😉. 

 

Other than that, many of the wines by the glass but one did not appeal.  I just can’t drink the same wine over and over on a cruise - ergo the wine package (and some corkage when we are in Europe and bring some on to enjoy 😉 ) 

[Djptcp]

This thread was very helpful. We have the free Signature Drink Packages, Free Gratuities, etc. for a HAL cruise. We assumed we would have to pay the gratuity as we ordered each drink. Didn't think that the Free Gratuities part of the cruise included drink gratuities. We will still tip the drink waiters a buck or two.

 

We stopped cruising on NCL a long time ago, but had looked at some of their cruises and were always annoyed that you had to pay the "free" drink gratuities at booking whether you ended up ordering all the drinks or not. I expressed my annoyance at this one time in a NCL CC thread and was I ever flamed about it. My point was that I should pay the drink gratuity as I ordered drinks, not all up front as I would never drink so many drinks every day that the package allowed. I was told I totally misunderstood the idea behind paying the gratuities up front. Ah, I don't think so.

[Cruzaholic41]

22 minutes ago, Djptcp said:

This thread was very helpful. We have the free Signature Drink Packages, Free Gratuities, etc. for a HAL cruise. We assumed we would have to pay the gratuity as we ordered each drink. Didn't think that the Free Gratuities part of the cruise included drink gratuities. We will still tip the drink waiters a buck or two.

 

The drinks gratuities are included as part of the drinks package on HAL, not because you also have free gratuities.

 

And yes, there’s a reason why NCL is most notorious for their nickel and dime practices. 

Edited December 1, 2020 by Cruzaholic41