Strange signing for drinks question......

[DShier1a]

Currently on Alaska cruise and have the premium drink package. Sometimes, but not always, we are asked to sign for drinks. Anyone know why the inconsistency? Just curious.

Thanks.

[CruiserBruce]

Its seems to be up to the bartenders and waiters. Has been going on for over a year...

[seagarsmoker]

That has happened on our last 3 cruises with HIA package for even a fountain soda. 

[0106]

I do not sign for drinks because I don’t like to use a commonly shared pen. I frequent the same bars and try to develop a relationship with the servers so after the first time, they don’t even offer a slip.  If offered by a new server, I look at the check, explain why I’m not signing and return it.  

[ellieanne]

2 minutes ago, 0106 said:

I do not sign for drinks because I don’t like to use a commonly shared pen. I frequent the same bars and try to develop a relationship with the servers so after the first time, they don’t even offer a slip.  If offered by a new server, I look at the check, explain why I’m not signing and return it.  

Or you could just bring your own pen, like we do.

[cccole]

It wasn't a big deal to us in January.  Sometimes we signed and sometimes we did not.  It just wasn't a big deal.  And as previously posted this inconsistency has been talked about so we were prepared.  If I didn't want to sign with a "common" pen I would have had one in my pocket.  Inconsistency was just part of the cruise for us.  Cherie

Edited May 9 by cccole

[0106]

44 minutes ago, ellieanne said:

Or you could just bring your own pen, like we do.

I carry a pen in my purse but I don’t carry my purse on the ship. It was never a problem when I said I preferred not to sign.  Not using a common pen isn’t the only reason I prefer not to sign, it was just the quickest and easiest thing to tell the server.
 

HAL states, “Our efforts to significantly reduce non-essential single-use items, including plastics, on our ships is key to our environmental compliance program, Operation Oceans Alive. We are committed to reducing these items by 50%. It is our shared responsibility to limit our environmental footprint. The more we learn, the more we must be willing to move in the direction of zero-impact. We are committed to reducing, reusing, recycling, as well as to properly dispose of the waste we generate.
 

For me, the slips are a waste of paper. Typical thermal receipt paper contain high levels of BPA and phenol chemicals and cannot be recycled.  Only receipts printed on phenol-free paper can be recycled.  Unfortunately, I saw a receipt accidentally fly overboard at the Seaview pool while in Antarctica.  I made these comments on my post cruise survey.

[cccole]

0106 - I respect both of your reasons for not signing.  I hardly ever carry a purse, if it doesn't fit in a pocket I don't have it.  And a good solution for not using a common pen is putting a plastic glove in your pocket.  This comes in handy in many situations on a cruise ship.  The HAL staff, including the bar staff, are always happy to accommodate passengers' preferences. It is amazing how wonderful they are.  Cherie  

[0106]

8 minutes ago, cccole said:

The HAL staff, including the bar staff, are always happy to accommodate passengers' preferences. It is amazing how wonderful they are

Regardless of the inconsistencies, I agree that the staff on HAL is the best!

 

PS: Thanks for your suggestion but I will not be carrying a one time use plastic glove in my pocket…just washing my hands frequently with soap and water.

Edited May 9 by 0106

[albingirl]

My clothes generally do not have pockets for pens or gloves.  I respectfully refuse to sign anything at the bar.  Not a big deal. 

[Fly and Sail]

Same on Rotterdam. This ticked me off, and I cancelled my drinks package mid-journey. Got a full refund for the remaining 4 days. Not dealing with this nonsense when I already overpay for drinks (I never order 15 drinks/day).

 

My dad suddenly had charged show up on his account and when i asked the F&B Director to produce the receipts there was one for two Heineken (same receipt) at 10:04AM - we were at breakfast during that time and the receipt said "card swiped". Makes zero sense!

[Blackduck59]

For all the excuses for not signing the slip, that's your personal decision. Look at it this way, if you want to dispute a charge and you refuse to sign it's they said you said. If you always sign (we sign) they better have the signed slip to prove the charges. How hard is this? Sign the chit.

[0106]

2 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

Sign the chit.

Nope.
 

How does my unsigned slip prove the charge?  Over the past two years, I have cruised 80 days on 5 different HAL cruises. Twice, I had an incorrect charge on my drink bill.  Since I had the HIA package, I should not have been charged.  Both times, I used the “let it know” feature on the Navigator app stating I should not have been charged.  In less than 8 hours, the charge was removed from my bill.  (I check my bill every morning.) 

[SeaMatesNYC]

1 hour ago, 0106 said:

Nope.
 

How does my unsigned slip prove the charge?  Over the past two years, I have cruised 80 days on 5 different HAL cruises. Twice, I had an incorrect charge on my drink bill.  Since I had the HIA package, I should not have been charged.  Both times, I used the “let it know” feature on the Navigator app stating I should not have been charged.  In less than 8 hours, the charge was removed from my bill.  (I check my bill every morning.) 

I believe the point was if you sign then a slip with no sig will be easier to dispute. A drink that falls under HIA incorrectly charged is not the experience that shows the wisdom of signing. The expensive bottle of champagne showing up once on New Years on my shipboard account is the instance where I was happy to be signing and the powers that be could see the chit for the champers was signed differently. I think they still thought it was me and I had signed funny. But I was asleep at the time of the purchase and my spouse backed me up on that! And I suppose they could have checked the logs seeing me having keyed into my room. 

[cccole]

1 hour ago, 0106 said:

Nope.
 

How does my unsigned slip prove the charge?  Over the past two years, I have cruised 80 days on 5 different HAL cruises. Twice, I had an incorrect charge on my drink bill.  Since I had the HIA package, I should not have been charged.  Both times, I used the “let it know” feature on the Navigator app stating I should not have been charged.  In less than 8 hours, the charge was removed from my bill.  (I check my bill every morning.) 

0106, I'm with you on minimizing our footprint on the world and support your post #7.  But if there is already a paper charge slip but you will not sign...how does this stop the charge slip from being printed?  It won't be signed and the bar tenders deal with it but it does not eliminate the paper printed.  Hopefully HAL will figure this out.  Cherie  

[SeaMatesNYC]

4 minutes ago, cccole said:

0106, I'm with you on minimizing our footprint on the world and support your post #7.  But if there is already a paper charge slip but you will not sign...how does this stop the charge slip from being printed?  It won't be signed and the bar tenders deal with it but it does not eliminate the paper printed.  Hopefully HAL will figure this out.  Cherie  

Tap to pay from Navigator would be great! With signed slips as a backup. 

Edited May 9 by SeaMatesNYC

[DFWGUYZ]

It's so you can add an additional tip...and we do...

[SeaMatesNYC]

10 hours ago, DFWGUYZ said:

It's so you can add an additional tip...and we do...

That’s a good theory. And in fact one can do so. One can also put one larger tip on a check near the voyage end. Another theory is that the accountants want it. A third is to provide proof when someone reaches 15 drinks. A fourth is that there is no function on POS terminal to omit the printed receipt and bartenders/servers are just in the habit of presenting the check. I’ve seen many people waste their breath and vacation time arguing with staff about why they need not sign. Good entertainment on a slow day on a barstool. 

[0106]

1 hour ago, SeaMatesNYC said:

That’s a good theory. And in fact one can do so. One can also put one larger tip on a check near the voyage end.

Agreed, the servers certainly deserve it.

1 hour ago, SeaMatesNYC said:

Another theory is that the accountants want it.

Ok, but then why aren’t they presented every time?

1 hour ago, SeaMatesNYC said:

A third is to provide proof when someone reaches 15 drinks.

? The number of drinks served is not on the receipt.

1 hour ago, SeaMatesNYC said:

fourth is that there is no function on POS terminal to omit the printed receipt and bartenders/servers are just in the habit of presenting the check.

I wonder if this is true.

1 hour ago, SeaMatesNYC said:

I’ve seen many people waste their breath and vacation time arguing with staff about why they need not sign.

I would never argue with the hardworking HAL servers.

On 5/8/2024 at 7:29 PM, DShier1a said:

Sometimes, but not always, we are asked to sign for drinks. Anyone know why the inconsistency?

But back to the OP’s original question…why the inconsistency?

 

Wish I was cruising and could ask the Food & Beverage department for the answer.

[rodndonna]

My comments on the signing thing - 

 

We asked a bartender on our Oosterdam cruise last fall why sometimes we were asked to sign and other times not. He said it is left to the discretion of the bar manager (or his boss). I don't recall if we inquired further but I think it would then be how busy the bar is, is it just regulars who are known to the bartenders and such....

 

As someone mentioned they can be used for additional tipping. We like them towards the end of a cruise as an easy and cashless way to provide extra tips to bars. It's good for us as Canadians who prefer limiting US cash requirements and also allows us to use up OBC for those extra tips 😀

[SeaMatesNYC]

1 hour ago, 0106 said:

 

But back to the OP’s original question…why the inconsistency?

 

Wish I was cruising and could ask the Food & Beverage department for the answer.

My most recent cruise in April, it was slip every time.  But where there is not a check presented, it is possibly 1) forgetfulness, 2) inattentiveness, 3) opposition, 4) or some other answer(s), none of which we can know the answer to even were the F&B department (manager?) available to answer.  The poster above reports that they were told by a bartender that it is bar manager's discretion whether to present slips to pax for signature, which seems a reasonable reply,  

 

The more interesting question for me, which you brought us to in post #4 above (and has been the topic of discussion for the remainder of the thread), is signing versus not signing, when a slip is presented along with a pen.  This we each can answer for ourselves with our own reasons, as opposed to guessing (as I was doing ad nauseam in post 18 above, that being the point; there are as many reasons why the slip is given and why maybe it's not as our creative imaginations can come up with, none of which may be true).

 

For me, I am now ready to sign off on this thread. Bon voyage and sign your chits! 😉

[Fly and Sail]

On 5/9/2024 at 9:32 PM, Blackduck59 said:

For all the excuses for not signing the slip, that's your personal decision. Look at it this way, if you want to dispute a charge and you refuse to sign it's they said you said. If you always sign (we sign) they better have the signed slip to prove the charges. How hard is this? Sign the chit.

 

It's not they said, you said. Check the cameras and prove that I charged it when I dispute it. Plus, a beverage package should not have any requirement to sign for items that are included and HAL's limitation to 15 drinks is totally impractical.

[bartexas]

I have a variety of wristlets (to match my outfits) that hold my phone, key card, and lipstick. It would be easy enough to have a mini pen in there, too (if I cared). Personally, I would feel guilty if a server had to spend time listening to my convoluted explanation of not signing vs. moving on to serve the next customer who is likely thirsty.

 

For those people saying they don't have pockets, wondering what they do with phones/key cards. Personally, the idea of wearing a card on a lanyard is far more grotesque than using a pen and following it with some hand sanitizer. If you are carrying your phone and setting it down on various surfaces, it's made as much contact with others as a shared pen. There are also plenty of phone cases that hold a small pen.

 

Seems like a cry for attention when the problem is so easily resolved. I guess some people need to feel special.