Drink Limit Question

[alyssamma]

I saw in another post that someone said HAL bartenders cannot tell you where you are on your 15 drink limit - is this correct? If so, what happens when/if you hit 16? Do you get a non-zero receipt to sign? Can you at that point say you don't want the drink?

 

TIA

[CruiserBruce]

Anything over 15, you pay full price.

[alyssamma]

15 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Anything over 15, you pay full price.

Thanks, and I knew that, but that wasn't my question 🙂

 

 

[CruiserBruce]

30 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

Thanks, and I knew that, but that wasn't my question 🙂

 

 

You asked what happens if you hit 16. I answered that question.

[brovol]

OP wants to know if waiters or bartenders give you an invoice to sign, showing an amount due to be charged for each drink after the 15.  So, there would be some indication you are over the 15 limit.

[brovol]

Its actually a good question.

[alyssamma]

23 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

You asked what happens if you hit 16. I answered that question.

I asked 2 questions related to what happens when you hit 16. I also asked is it true the bartenders can't tell you where you are with respect to your limit. guess you need to read the full text in context to understand what you answered wasn't what i was asking.

 

@brovolsummarized it perfectly.

[VMax1700]

1 hour ago, alyssamma said:

I saw in another post that someone said HAL bartenders cannot tell you where you are on your 15 drink limit - is this correct?

No reason to doubt the information.  Personally, I wouldn't be too keen on bar staff having access to how many drinks I have consumed in any particular day.  Data protection!

If so, what happens when/if you hit 16? Do you get a non-zero receipt to sign? Can you at that point say you don't want the drink? 

I believe that all the receipts are priced, partly because the bar staff do not know how many you have consumed.  Up to you to keep count.

 

TIA

 

[albingirl]

There were times when the bartenders could tell how many you've had.  Not just by looking at you but at the computer.  I think on our last cruise there was a couple exceeding their drink total of 15 and it was my personal opinion that they should be told to go to bed. They were in the bag, so to speak.

[julia]

26 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

I asked 2 questions related to what happens when you hit 16. I also asked is it true the bartenders can't tell you where you are with respect to your limit. guess you need to read the full text in context to understand what you answered wasn't what i was asking.

 

@brovolsummarized it perfectly.

I will answer your questions with my experience.  First, no, there will not be a slip to sign, the drink charge will just show up on your account.  This happened to my husband's account, and when I questioned it at guest services, it was clear that several bars charged his card for both of our drinks.  And no, the bartenders do not see your drink total... it's up to you to keep track.

[alyssamma]

21 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

 

I didn't "doubt" the information, but many times things change by ship, or even on the same ship in different areas. Just wanted to confirm it.

 

Interesting about all receipts priced...that absolutely doesn't make sense. I wouldn't want to sign a slip saying I owe money when I don't.

 

[Greysandy]

On the Koningsdam, we received a receipt with the dollar amount for the drink listed for nearly every drink, so that is not a method for tracking, unless you are holding and counting the receipts throughout the day. Personally, I just kept track of them in my phone notes. Ordering a double did not work out well for me and I was charged full price for the second shot, so I won't do that again. Ordering the $12 glass of wine did work out and I was just charged $1 extra and $0.18 gratuity.

[alyssamma]

13 minutes ago, julia said:

I will answer your questions with my experience.  First, no, there will not be a slip to sign, the drink charge will just show up on your account.  This happened to my husband's account, and when I questioned it at guest services, it was clear that several bars charged his card for both of our drinks.  And no, the bartenders do not see your drink total... it's up to you to keep track.

Thank you.

 

Were you able to get the double charge (you and your husband on the same card) taken care of at guest services?

 

Crazy they can't tell you the limit...

[alyssamma]

2 minutes ago, Greysandy said:

On the Koningsdam, we received a receipt with the dollar amount for the drink listed for nearly every drink, so that is not a method for tracking, unless you are holding and counting the receipts throughout the day. Personally, I just kept track of them in my phone notes. Ordering a double did not work out well for me and I was charged full price for the second shot, so I won't do that again. Ordering the $12 glass of wine did work out and I was just charged $1 extra and $0.18 gratuity.

Were you asked to sign the receipt with the dollar amount on it?

[julia]

1 minute ago, alyssamma said:

Thank you.

 

Were you able to get the double charge (you and your husband on the same card) taken care of at guest services?

 

Crazy they can't tell you the limit...

Yes...  but not immediately.  Guest services will check with the bar manager regarding the charges. They were eventually credited and we now make sure that each card gets charged.

[Greysandy]

2 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

Were you asked to sign the receipt with the dollar amount on it?

Yes, but if we didn't sign it, they didn't do anything about it. Yes, so the bartenders spent the whole first day telling everyone that it will be taken off (actually it never showed up on our account statement).

[alyssamma]

2 minutes ago, Greysandy said:

Yes, but if we didn't sign it, they didn't do anything about it. Yes, so the bartenders spent the whole first day telling everyone that it will be taken off (actually it never showed up on our account statement).

LOL, this is madness. I understand it's a separate line, but Carnival (which has a 15 drink limit on alcohol) works completely differently. They print the number of drinks (once you've hit 10) on your receipt.

 

I've also never been asked to sign a non-zero receipt and be told it will come off. I would think that would cause all sorts of confusion (like you said the BTs spending the first day explaining it.

[alyssamma]

All, thank you for the prompt and detailed answers. You've all been very helpful.

[Wakepatrol]

 

 

Edited November 28, 2022 by Wakepatrol

[Hendy59]

It will be interest when we go in February.  We have the drink package and I get free drinks in the casino.  I wonder how they will handle that situation?

[HALcruiser2001]

11 hours ago, albingirl said:

There were times when the bartenders could tell how many you've had.  Not just by looking at you but at the computer.  I think on our last cruise there was a couple exceeding their drink total of 15 and it was my personal opinion that they should be told to go to bed. They were in the bag, so to speak.

 

Over the course of a day 2 coffees, 1 OJ, 6 waters, 2 teas, 2 cocktail 2 glasses of wine.   That is 15 right there and probably rather common.

[CruiserBruce]

4 hours ago, bdd123 said:

 

Over the course of a day 2 coffees, 1 OJ, 6 waters, 2 teas, 2 cocktail 2 glasses of wine.   That is 15 right there and probably rather common.

Paying for OJ? The water out of the tap, and at a meal is free.

[Florida_gal_50]

4 hours ago, bdd123 said:

 

Over the course of a day 2 coffees, 1 OJ, 6 waters, 2 teas, 2 cocktail 2 glasses of wine.   That is 15 right there and probably rather common.

I’m water drinker for sure. I never came close to the 15.  I remember someone saying they had 6 or 7 coffees in the morning.  If that was me I’d either be tempted to have free coffee on the ship or buy a beverage card.  I don’t drink a lot of alcohol but I personally wouldn’t want to “waste” the drinks on non alcoholic if I’d be close.

[mikebsxm]

A friend travelling with me using the SBP was drinking Tequila shots, but doubles.  So after a day of other beverages. He was shocked when he saw his account total the next day.  He forgot that a double shot counts as 2 of your 15, and the waiters Just kept on pouring.  They let accounting figure it out and his account was billed for each one over 15, including the 18% tip.

[tuolumne couple]

6 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

Paying for OJ? The water out of the tap, and at a meal is free.

You dont quite understand the full picture. The fresh squeezed OJ counts as a drink, the regular frozen OJ is free. And for the discerning consumer there is a taste difference. The water in the can is handy when going ashore, and counts as a drink as well. And with the coffees and juice and waters and drinks as bdd123 said, it is easy to reach 15. I just keep track on my own, for the cost of the drink and how many. I often would order a double cocktail just so that i could taste it. Only once did they get it wrong by putting drinks on one card, even though I presented two cards. I was charged, but they removed it. Not a big deal. These bartenders are very very busy. I appreciated every single coffee, juice, beer, cocktail and wine. Worth it. 

Edited November 29, 2022 by tuolumne couple