Has there been a change in drink packages policy for drinks over the pricing caps?

[terrydtx]

There has been today a very spirited discussion on another social media platform that the policy for drinks over the price caps are now being charged for the full price of a drink or glass of wine not the amount over the $11 and $15 price caps. Several people have said they received notices from HAL about this change after booking drinks package this week, but nothing confirming this has been posted on the HAL website. The same people have said that this change only effects drink packages and or cruises booked after April 2024. Does anyone here know anything about this? Has it indeed changed? If this is true has HAL has gone back to their old Nickle and Diming ways for drinks?

Edited Tuesday at 11:40 PM by terrydtx

[POA1]

The T&C and FAQ for the beverage packages is unchanged. They don't address the overages now and they did not before. I have the FAQ and T&C from our cruises in December and March. They are the same as the cruise we booked in April - for sailing in March 2025.

[81Zoomie]

1 hour ago, terrydtx said:

There has been today a very spirited discussion on another social media platform that the policy for drinks over the price caps are now being charged for the full price of a drink or glass of wine not the amount over the $11 and $15 price caps. Several people have said they received notices from HAL about this change after booking drinks package this week, but nothing confirming this has been posted on the HAL website. The same people have said that this change only effects drink packages and or cruises booked after April 2024. Does anyone here know anything about this? Has it indeed changed? If this is true has HAL has gone back to their old Nickle and Diming ways for drinks?

How would the bartenders know when you booked your cruise or purchased your beverage package?

[terrydtx]

35 minutes ago, POA1 said:

The T&C and FAQ for the beverage packages is unchanged. They don't address the overages now and they did not before. I have the FAQ and T&C from our cruises in December and March. They are the same as the cruise we booked in April - for sailing in March 2025.

That's what I saw on the website too. 

[terrydtx]

21 minutes ago, 81Zoomie said:

How would the bartenders know when you booked your cruise or purchased your beverage package?

If the policy has indeed changed, that's a great question. Would have to be noted on sail card.

[0106]

1 hour ago, terrydtx said:

Several people have said they received notices from HAL about this change after booking drinks package this week,

How were these people notified? Could a screenshot of the notification be provided?  

[POA1]

I just bought HIA in April for us. And our friends got it in June. None of us received a notice like the one described. (And I pay attention to this drink stuff.)

[Haljo1935]

Usually there are signs posted at the bars that purchasers only pay the overage +18% as well as a "blurb" on bar menus. Perhaps someone currently on a ship can let us know if they see those of if they've been removed.

[hummingbird_206]

10 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Usually there are signs posted at the bars that purchasers only pay the overage +18% as well as a "blurb" on bar menus. Perhaps someone currently on a ship can let us know if they see those of if they've been removed.

Here's a screen shot of the blurb from https://rogerjett-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Ocean-Bar-Menu-2024.pdf

 

[Haljo1935]

4 minutes ago, hummingbird_206 said:

Here's a screen shot of the blurb from https://rogerjett-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Ocean-Bar-Menu-2024.pdf

 

Yep, that's the one.

I wonder if it's still on bar menus and hoping someone currently on a ship can let us know.

[hummingbird_206]

Just now, Haljo1935 said:

Yep, that's the one.

I wonder if it's still on bar menus and hoping someone currently on a ship can let us know.

I posted a link to your thread in a live thread for the Westerdam.  Hoping someone on that cruise will comment.

[terrydtx]

40 minutes ago, 0106 said:

How were these people notified? Could a screenshot of the notification be provided?  

There was a screenshot posted on the other social media platform, but when I went looking. I couldn't find the post. The admins on that page take down posts that get too many people upset or are controversial against HAL, which I think may have happened.

[bajae]

Here is a screen shot of an update that shows part of the original post.  Per the admin of the page, who contacted HAL, the info is incorrect.

 

[0106]

@bajaeThank you very much.  This seems to put an end to the misinformation. 

[terrydtx]

@bajae, yes thank you for posting this. I only posted the question here because people on CC are much more engaged and accurate with what is really going on with cruising. Much more than too many on the other platform.

[Ray4Fun]

I guess it is a good thing we purchased it back in January. So I will print the HAL confirmation with the said January date. Maybe I will tape the receipt to my sea card? Lots of guessing I guess. 

[TableGirl]

Ah, I see I didn’t understand the question before I answered it on the Westerdam live thread.

 

I haven’t seen that sign posted - you still just pay the difference.

 

However, our Westerdam cruise is full of disorganization to an extent that is astounding frankly.  I have been charged full drink prices for beverages over the $11 limit for the Signature Beverage package and when I questioned it at the front desk she fixed it.  

 

So, it pays to check your bill EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.  I can’t tell you how many mistakes my traveling party of 4 (all of us in single rooms) have had overcharges.  One of them has managed to rectify hers by putting it in the “Let Us Know” section on the Navigator app.

Edited Wednesday at 02:32 PM by TableGirl
Typo

[terrydtx]

We will be on the Volendam next month, we all have the Elite drinks package due to the early booking Premium promotion when we booked in 2023. I will see for myself if there has been any changes, but it looks like the person who posted the misinformation on the other platform must have been wanting to start either a firestorm of a discussion or was also misinformed. 

[TableGirl]

5 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

We will be on the Volendam next month, we all have the Elite drinks package due to the early booking Premium promotion when we booked in 2023. I will see for myself if there has been any changes, but it looks like the person who posted the misinformation on the other platform must have been wanting to start either a firestorm of a discussion or was also misinformed. 

@terrydtx  I just posted a response (longer) but now I’m going to see if I can find the price difference in the beverage packages.

[hummingbird_206]

6 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

We will be on the Volendam next month, we all have the Elite drinks package due to the early booking Premium promotion when we booked in 2023. I will see for myself if there has been any changes, but it looks like the person who posted the misinformation on the other platform must have been wanting to start either a firestorm of a discussion or was also misinformed. 

Doesn't seem like the OP on the other site had any malicious intent since HAL has stated they will be fixing the website.  Looks to me like HAL screwed up.

[TableGirl]

Corrected from previous post (sorry about that!)

 

I haven’t seen that sign posted - you still just pay the difference.

 

However, my group of 4 along with a number of other folks we have spoken to have noticed our Westerdam cruise is full of disorganization to an extent that is astounding frankly.  It feels like the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing.  And I am not exaggerating.

 

I have been charged full drink prices for beverages over the $11 limit for the Signature Beverage package and when I questioned it at the front desk with guest services she fixed it.  

 

So, it pays to check your bill EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.  I can’t tell you how many mistakes my traveling party of 4 (all of us in single rooms) have had overcharges.  One of them has managed to rectify hers by putting it in the “Let Us Know” section on the Navigator app.

 

But yes @terrydtx they are back to “nickel and diming” us on drinks.  (Sometimes you have to sign for your drinks but sometimes you don’t which is also irritating.  With the colds, coughs and sneezes - and Covid on this ship, touching pens is NOT a good idea.).

 

The last time I was on HAL (August 2022) I had the HIA Signature Beverage package.  It included fresh squeezed OJ and milkshakes but now it doesn’t.  The first trip back after the Covid shutdown the beverage package included the screw top can of water but then quickly after that trip they took it off the package but didn’t take it off the picture advertising that beverage package.  I protested and the F&B manager had some screw top cans delivered to my room.  Seriously, what good is a pop-top can of water unless you’re just sitting at table?  

 

Now many of the drink prices have increased.  I used to be able to get a Kir Royale and a Cosmopolitan under the $11 limit.  A Kir Royale is sparking wine ($9.50 on the menu) with a splash of cassis.  Over $11, really?

 

There is now an “Elite” beverage package which is even more expensive so perhaps it covers some of those drinks.  When I signed up for this cruise I had the Elite Beverage package but I rebooked it with the Signature HIA package and knocked over $2,000 off the final price.  

 

It’s very frustrating that these changes aren’t widely known or advertised ahead of time.  That said, the servers come back to us to tell us it is over the cost of the $11 limit.  So I give the servers that.

As always, the TCN crew save the day.  (One reason I continue to sail with HAL - great crew members.)  I hope that’s an indication they are being paid a fair wage - however I still tip well.

[POA1]

14 minutes ago, hummingbird_206 said:

Doesn't seem like the OP on the other site had any malicious intent since HAL has stated they will be fixing the website.  Looks to me like HAL screwed up.

I thought it was supposed to be a notice that was sent out, not from the website. The website looks just like it has since they instituted the "pay the difference" thing in late 2022.

[hummingbird_206]

3 minutes ago, POA1 said:

I thought it was supposed to be a notice that was sent out, not from the website. The website looks just like it has since they instituted the "pay the difference" thing in late 2022.

I'm just going on what was posted by the other site's Admin saying HAL said they would fix the website.  Could have been that they sent out a link to the website?  Who knows?

[terrydtx]

1 hour ago, hummingbird_206 said:

Doesn't seem like the OP on the other site had any malicious intent since HAL has stated they will be fixing the website.  Looks to me like HAL screwed up.

The language he posted was not on the Website, several including myself did not find any wording like what he posted.

[terrydtx]

46 minutes ago, POA1 said:

I thought it was supposed to be a notice that was sent out, not from the website. The website looks just like it has since they instituted the "pay the difference" thing in late 2022.

The poster on the other site clearly said he received the notice about the change by email after he booked his drinks package., no one including myself could find any wording like his on the HAL website.