Beverage Package Upgrade $10/day vs. $5/day

[Guardsy]

This is one MAJOR difference between HAL and Princess.  On Princess, the beverage package is for up to 15 drinks $12mor less per day, but you also get, free, your fancy coffees, bottled water and sodas over and above your alcoholic beverages.  They do not count against your 15 drinks per day.

[AFNavigator]

1 hour ago, Guardsy said:

This is one MAJOR difference between HAL and Princess.  On Princess, the beverage package is for up to 15 drinks $12mor less per day, but you also get, free, your fancy coffees, bottled water and sodas over and above your alcoholic beverages.  They do not count against your 15 drinks per day.

For those concerned about going over the 15 item limit due to sodas, waters, coffees, load up on soda cans and waters on embarkation day.  The day is already partway over by the time you board so you probably likely will use less of your 15 limit that day.  Same goes for Half Moon Cay day.  If you go ashore and buy drinks there, you probably will have more left of your 15 drink onboard limit that day (the packages don't work onshore at HMC).

[oakridger]

9 hours ago, alyssamma said:

New to HAL, but I don't understand this. Is the $15 limit *any* drink or *only alcoholic* drinks?

 

I've never seen a drink package on any line where sodas and mocktails count towards your daily limit.

 

From their website:

 

SIGNATURE PACKAGE

Only $54.95 per guest/per day*

Our Signature package includes everything from our Quench Package along with your favorite premium beers, spirits, cocktails, and wines by the glass priced $11 and under.

 

 

QUENCH PACKAGE

(NON-ALCOHOLIC)

Only $17.95 per guest/per day* Quench your thirst with our nonalcoholic package which includes an unlimited variety of premium coffees such as espresso and cappuccino, juices, Coca-Cola™ products, our signature mocktails, Red Bull, and bottled waters 500ml and under.

 

Also, from a 2019 post here...

 

The correct answer is you are limited to 15 Alcoholic beverages.  I had HAL send me a letter on official letter head confirming it.  Below is a portion of that correspondence. 

 

"Thank you for your recent correspondence with Holland America Line regarding our Signature Beverage Package and Elite Beverage Packages.  You are correct in believing  if you were to purchase either of these beverage packages, that they would include unlimited non-alcoholic beverages and bottled waters 500ml and under."

 

@alyssamma states that the email was from 2019 and yes, that was the policy then.  They changed the 15 beverage max policy after the start up to include all beverages. (Unfortunately!!)

 

This is on the HAL website right now 08/20/22 at 23:00----HOWEVER, I wouldn't be surprised that it says something different somewhere else on the website!!!  It's been happening with a lot of info lately~~

 

"7 DAY SIGNATURE BEVERAGE PACKAGE

Our convenient, affordable Signature Beverage Package allows you to select from a variety of wine, beer, spirits, cocktails (including non-alcoholic), sodas, bottled water (sparkling or still, 400ml or less) & coffee! Includes any beverage priced at $11.00 or lower (up to 15 beverages per day). Prices are per day at $44.95 if pre-booked online compared to $54.95 if purchased on board. A 18% service charge will be automatically applied to your purchase. The package must be purchased for the entire duration of the voyage. All adults over 21 years old booked in the same stateroom must also purchase the package. Participants may order only one drink at a time and must be 21 years or older. Sharing is not permitted. Excludes Mini Bar, Honor Bar, Chocolate Seduction, Room Service, beverages on Half Moon Cay, Freestyle Coca-Cola and any self-service draft beer..."

 

HAL needs to get their information consistent for sure!!! 

 

~Nancy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[alyssamma]

25 minutes ago, oakridger said:

@alyssamma states that the email was from 2019 and yes, that was the policy then.  They changed the 15 beverage max policy after the start up to include all beverages. (Unfortunately!!)

See post #23...

 

The important part is...

 

Hmm...edited for the below from their site:

 

Enjoy beers, spirits, cocktails and wines by the glass priced at $11 and under, plus everything from our Quench package. 15-drink daily limit for alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverages.

 

So it seems you need Elite to get unlimited non-alcoholic and that, of course, is $10pppd, correct?

[oakridger]

Unfortunately, earlier in the startup, the Elite Package still included the non-alcoholic drinks for free, so the l5 limit was for alcoholic only.  Sometime earlier this year they changed the Elite to include non-alcoholic in the 15 limit also.   I haven't sailed this year yet so don't have personal experience but the HAL site when I checked it just now has this:

 

"Our premium, Elite Beverage Package allows you to select from a variety of wine, beer, spirits, cocktails, non-alcoholic beverages, sodas, bottled water (sparkling or still, 400ml or less) & coffee. Only on the ms Koningsdam & ms Nieuw Statendam, the package includes Freestyle Coca-Cola which provides 100+ refreshing Coca-Cola flavors to choose from. Includes any beverage priced at $15.00 or lower (up to 15 beverages per day). Prices are per day at $49.95 if pre-booked online compared to $59.95 if purchased on board."

 

Bummer.

😠

~Nancy

[oakridger]

The above descriptions are from the "Manage Your Booking"  section

[alyssamma]

9 minutes ago, oakridger said:

Unfortunately, earlier in the startup, the Elite Package still included the non-alcoholic drinks for free, so the l5 limit was for alcoholic only.  Sometime earlier this year they changed the Elite to include non-alcoholic in the 15 limit also.   I haven't sailed this year yet so don't have personal experience but the HAL site when I checked it just now has this:

 

"Our premium, Elite Beverage Package allows you to select from a variety of wine, beer, spirits, cocktails, non-alcoholic beverages, sodas, bottled water (sparkling or still, 400ml or less) & coffee. Only on the ms Koningsdam & ms Nieuw Statendam, the package includes Freestyle Coca-Cola which provides 100+ refreshing Coca-Cola flavors to choose from. Includes any beverage priced at $15.00 or lower (up to 15 beverages per day). Prices are per day at $49.95 if pre-booked online compared to $59.95 if purchased on board."

 

Bummer.

😠

~Nancy

Well, they really need to fix something because this link...

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/onboard-packages/beverage-packages.html

 

Says...

 

A stunning array of premium spirits, cocktails, and wines $15 or under, including Dale DeGroff’s Original Cocktails and all the benefits of Signature & Quench. 15-drink daily limit, unlimited non-alcoholic beverages.

[oakridger]

Yep, you are correct that they really need to fix the consistency!!  I've been going around and around about that for the last couple of weeks regarding whether HAL accepts Covid results from any online proctoring service and have a verbal from a HAL PCC that said they do, the online chat guy says no it must be the ones associated with eMed or Optum, and real-life experience from current cruisers that yes, they got aboard just fine with a different proctoring service!!   Ackkkkk!!!

 

It's been my experience pre covid that policies vary from ship to ship about other things too.

 

I still enjoy HAL and have a few cruises booked later this year and I'll just go with the flow when I get onboard.  I'll send in feedback on anything that is wacky and maybe someone in Seattle will make some changes.  Maybe?

 

~Nancy

 

 

 

[oakridger]

Ah hah!  I tried to find the info in the link @alyssamma provided about the Drink and Beverage Packages.  The current HAL website doesn't show it but doing a google search for HAL Drink and Beverage Packages shows that other link as described.  There isn't a date on it so it appears the older version is what shows up under a general online search.  I don't know enough about how google chooses what to display.

 

Sorry for the blathering on about this but it was driving me bonkers on why both versions are showing up!!  

[alyssamma]

38 minutes ago, oakridger said:

Ah hah!  I tried to find the info in the link @alyssamma provided about the Drink and Beverage Packages.  The current HAL website doesn't show it but doing a google search for HAL Drink and Beverage Packages shows that other link as described.  There isn't a date on it so it appears the older version is what shows up under a general online search.  I don't know enough about how google chooses what to display.

 

Sorry for the blathering on about this but it was driving me bonkers on why both versions are showing up!!  

Yeah, not quite solved yet. Go into their FAQs and navigate to:

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/faq.shipboard-life.how-do-i-order-beverage-packages-and-cards.html

 

This is not through a Google search. I clicked on their FAQ link, then Shipboard Life, then scrolled to page 4)

 

The Elite package has a daily limit of 15 alcoholic beverages with a menu price of $15 or less. Unlimited non-alcoholic beverage.

The Signature package has a daily limit of 15 alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks with a menu price of $11 or less.

The Quench Beverage Package is limited to 15 non-alcoholic drinks daily.

 

Edited August 21, 2022 by alyssamma

[alyssamma]

39 minutes ago, oakridger said:

Ah hah!  I tried to find the info in the link @alyssamma provided about the Drink and Beverage Packages.  The current HAL website doesn't show it but doing a google search for HAL Drink and Beverage Packages shows that other link as described.  There isn't a date on it so it appears the older version is what shows up under a general online search.  I don't know enough about how google chooses what to display.

 

Sorry for the blathering on about this but it was driving me bonkers on why both versions are showing up!!  

And yet another FAQ says: (this FAQ I clicked on their FAQ link, then Shipboard Life, then scrolled to page 5)

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/faq.shipboard-life.what-are-my-beverage-package-options.html

 

Note, this FAQ appears to contradict the Signature Package info in the other FAQ...but the Elite info is the same.

 

 

The Signature and Elite packages have a daily limit of 15 alcoholic beverages, which includes all alcoholic beverages with a menu price of $15 or less (Elite Beverage

Package), or $11 or less (Signature Beverage Package). The Quench Beverage Package includes unlimited non-alcoholic beverages and bottled waters 500ml and under.

Edited August 21, 2022 by alyssamma

[oakridger]

Oh geez!  Three versions all on the site then!  Thanks for that info.

 

I can't take any more craziness tonight.  I'm going to bed.  

 

🥱

[Guardsy]

13 hours ago, AFNavigator said:

For those concerned about going over the 15 item limit due to sodas, waters, coffees, load up on soda cans and waters on embarkation day.  The day is already partway over by the time you board so you probably likely will use less of your 15 limit that day.  Same goes for Half Moon Cay day.  If you go ashore and buy drinks there, you probably will have more left of your 15 drink onboard limit that day (the packages don't work onshore at HMC).

You make a good point.  AND, on Princess, drinks on Princess Cay are also covered under the drink package.