Rare electro Posted May 24, 2022 #1 Share Posted May 24, 2022 I have the signature (HIA) drink package, I was thinking I might upgrade as I read people saying they upgrade for better wine choices. I was looking at the wine list and it looks like there are only 2 white wines that are above the $11 of the included drink package but still within the elite package of $15. Am I missing something? Is there another wine list that I haven't seen? I don't drink sparkling wine or red wine, so my decision to upgrade would be solely based on white wine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare The-Inside-Cabin Posted May 25, 2022 #2 Share Posted May 25, 2022 1 hour ago, electro said: I have the signature (HIA) drink package, I was thinking I might upgrade as I read people saying they upgrade for better wine choices. I was looking at the wine list and it looks like there are only 2 white wines that are above the $11 of the included drink package but still within the elite package of $15. Am I missing something? Is there another wine list that I haven't seen? I don't drink sparkling wine or red wine, so my decision to upgrade would be solely based on white wine. I don't think you are missing anything. This website by @Crew Newshas the most complete set of recent menus and wine lists. https://rogerjett-photography.com/ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KroozNut Posted May 25, 2022 #3 Share Posted May 25, 2022 2 hours ago, electro said: I have the signature (HIA) drink package, I was thinking I might upgrade as I read people saying they upgrade for better wine choices. I was looking at the wine list and it looks like there are only 2 white wines that are above the $11 of the included drink package but still within the elite package of $15. Am I missing something? Is there another wine list that I haven't seen? I don't drink sparkling wine or red wine, so my decision to upgrade would be solely based on white wine. You're not missing anything. Our experience is that there is an adequate selection of good wines available in the basic SBP. In our opinion, those that complain about not having enough 'good' wine included in the SBP are likely self-described wine <clearing throat> 'enthusiasts'. 😆 2 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakridger Posted May 25, 2022 #4 Share Posted May 25, 2022 Also, BC (before Covid) it was the case, in my opinion, that the Elite package did have more and better by the glass wine choices, so I upgraded to Elite from the SBP. Since the restart I feel that there have actually been a few wines by the glass added to the SBP that I can enjoy and the EBP has less. No reason to upgrade for me now. That said, I really think HALs wine selection in general should be improved! ~Nancy 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tampa Girl Posted May 25, 2022 #5 Share Posted May 25, 2022 13 hours ago, The-Inside-Cabin said: I don't think you are missing anything. This website by @Crew Newshas the most complete set of recent menus and wine lists. https://rogerjett-photography.com/ I am not seeing the list of drinks included in the standard package. Am I missing it? I only see the package prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare electro Posted May 25, 2022 Author #6 Share Posted May 25, 2022 1 hour ago, Tampa Girl said: I am not seeing the list of drinks included in the standard package. Am I missing it? I only see the package prices. I was able to see the wine list on the navigator app and just looked at the by the glass prices to determine what would be covered by each package. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare electro Posted May 25, 2022 Author #7 Share Posted May 25, 2022 6 hours ago, oakridger said: Also, BC (before Covid) it was the case, in my opinion, that the Elite package did have more and better by the glass wine choices, so I upgraded to Elite from the SBP. Since the restart I feel that there have actually been a few wines by the glass added to the SBP that I can enjoy and the EBP has less. No reason to upgrade for me now. That said, I really think HALs wine selection in general should be improved! ~Nancy Thanks. For the elite package, is the 15 drink max only alcoholic drinks or is it all drinks like the SPB? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare albingirl Posted May 25, 2022 #8 Share Posted May 25, 2022 Just want to comment that the wine choices are much better under the SBP that they used to be. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tampa Girl Posted May 25, 2022 #9 Share Posted May 25, 2022 3 hours ago, electro said: I was able to see the wine list on the navigator app and just looked at the by the glass prices to determine what would be covered by each package. Ah. . . I was looking at the bottle prices on the RogerJettphotography.com, provided above. No glass prices. Haven't gotten used to using the Navigator yet. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTemple212 Posted May 25, 2022 #10 Share Posted May 25, 2022 Question about glasses of wine onboard HAL ships. If you have the standard drink package and want a glass of wine is is a dollar or two over the $11 threshold, can you pay the difference? We recently were on a Celebrity cruise in February and we could pay the difference if you wanted something priced higher than the standard package price for a glass of wine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare kazu Posted May 25, 2022 #11 Share Posted May 25, 2022 42 minutes ago, MTemple212 said: Question about glasses of wine onboard HAL ships. If you have the standard drink package and want a glass of wine is is a dollar or two over the $11 threshold, can you pay the difference? We recently were on a Celebrity cruise in February and we could pay the difference if you wanted something priced higher than the standard package price for a glass of wine. No you can’t pay the difference. If it’s over the price tag, you will be charged the entire cost of the drink. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare VMax1700 Posted May 25, 2022 #12 Share Posted May 25, 2022 As kazu said, you will be charged the full price, plus the 18% gratuity. Whereas the SBP covers up to $11 list price and also covers the gratuity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhwestgrove Posted May 25, 2022 #13 Share Posted May 25, 2022 On our January cruise we upgraded from SBP because our two preferred wines were on the Elite package. Last week we sailed on Nieuw Statendam, and decided not to upgrade. We were glad that we made that decision as neither of the wines we liked on the Elite package were available. We were told one had run out in the past week or two but one hadn't been available for at least three months due to supply chain issues. If you are just upgrading for wine, I'd check to make sure what you want is actually available on the ship first. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rover16 Posted May 25, 2022 #14 Share Posted May 25, 2022 Two weeks ago the EBP on the Noordam made sense IF you want red wines. For whites not so much. DW would have been satisfied with the basic package. Of course toward the end they ran of of some wines and then the Elite wasn't of as much use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLizardHouse Posted May 26, 2022 #15 Share Posted May 26, 2022 4 hours ago, VMax1700 said: As kazu said, you will be charged the full price, plus the 18% gratuity. Whereas the SBP covers up to $11 list price and also covers the gratuity. Wow! we had planned on just paying the price difference for our N.A. cruise at the end of July. This hasn’t been a problem on other cruise lines (as another poster has pointed out). I’m really surprised that HAL does this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare kazu Posted May 26, 2022 #16 Share Posted May 26, 2022 2 hours ago, rover16 said: Two weeks ago the EBP on the Noordam made sense IF you want red wines. For whites not so much. DW would have been satisfied with the basic package. Of course toward the end they ran of of some wines and then the Elite wasn't of as much use. Agree B.C. (Before covid), the white wine choices in SBP were not great and I would have gone to Elite IF I had elected to do the package. Most times I nixed it because of the poor choices in the past. the white wine choices in the SBP have really improved (thankfully) and I see no benefit as a whit wine drinker to got to Elite. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare WNcruiser Posted May 26, 2022 #17 Share Posted May 26, 2022 11 hours ago, Tampa Girl said: I am not seeing the list of drinks included in the standard package. Am I missing it? I only see the package prices. https://rogerjett-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Wine-List-2021.pdf Try this link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julia Posted May 26, 2022 #18 Share Posted May 26, 2022 Honestly, things are so fluid right now, that any given wine menu, on any given ship, can (and will) change. Wine stocking is not immune to supply chain issues. We have always found wines in the SBP that suited us. Go, sail, have fun. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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