No more unlimited Elite BP non-alcoholic beverages??

[Cruising Is Bliss]

5 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

 As it is, it's another rumour without verification. I'm wondering if the quote in the original post is from the "Heated Discussion" on another site mentioned in the thread from 02 July. On that thread someone who had litterally just got off a HAL cruise, and had the "Elite Package" knew nothing of this rumoured change.

The quote posted upstream anonymously was my reply to the other CC post. I’d link to my later clarification that I was wrong but I’m still onboard posting on my iPad. I went to Guest Services and got the policy in hard copy and the sloppy wording immediately made pretty obvious the source of the discrepancies between various passenger reports.

I was specifically told by various Crow’s Nest staff that I was limited to 15 drinks total including nonalcoholic drinks despite having the Elite package.

Here’s the exact wording in the first reference in the policy to the packages.  “Quench, Signature, and Elite have a daily limit of 15 drinks.” Period, no distinction between alcoholic and nonalcoholic. It’s not until the last sentence in the bulletin point that it says “The Elite Package includes all beverages up to $15 in value counts and includes all zero proof beverages.” Really? No, because the next bullet point is that fresh squeezed and cold pressed juice are excluded from all packages. Since canned water counts by their logic as a zero proof drink, juice would too.

 

 

Edited July 18 by Cruising Is Bliss

[coolbluegreenseas]

I have the HIA and considered upgrading from Signature to Elite specifically for the unlimited non-alcoholic beverages. Since HAL will count even water towards the daily limit, why bother? Also, the drink limit would not be so bad except I can’t even being bottles of seltzer onboard. The policy is a nickel and dime annoyance.. Honestly, I am way before final payment and will consider canceling the reservation for another cruise line that is more transparent. Regardless, if I follow through with this trip, it will be my last trip with HAL, specifically and the mass market lines, generally. The luxury lines appear more expensive, but the experience is better and unlimited actually means unlimited.

[SeaMatesNYC]

9 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

As it is, it's another rumour without verification

That’s totally a valid point. Seeking verification was the premise of my post as you may read at the top. And that’s also what I have done via the message to Guest Relations. I’ll share the response if/when it comes.  It would not be a surprise to find the beverage package changed without an update to the website description. It happened with the fresh juices, then Quench excluding N/A beer (but still having it in the picture), not to mention the endless changes about water size and container type. In any case, it seemed an interesting change of topic from the thousandth post about Club Orange…😂

Edited July 18 by SeaMatesNYC

[BBQ Bacon]

When we booked our upcoming Hawaii cruise, it was with the HIA which included the elite bev package.  We have screenshots of the non-alcoholic beverage as unlimited.  I'd hate to have to keep that handy and show it every time we order just a pop or coffee so it doesn't go against our 15 drink limit.  If they are making a change, they need to pick a date in the future and set it and all currently booked passengers are exempt from the change.

 

Will watch this thread to see if HAL responds to the inquiry put forth about this subject.

 

Edited July 18 by BBQ Bacon

[rollnoles2]

I currently have two future cruises booked with HAL and below is the description of the Elite package on both of those bookings (which is definitely not the same description as when we booked our cruises).  Similar to raising prices on most drinks, but not increasing the drink limit on the Signature package.  If HAL is losing money on the drink packages (or not making as much profit on them as they would like), they need to raise the price of the packages-not change the packages themselves. Or if it's part of the HIA packages, raise the cost of those. 

 

[SeaMatesNYC]

@BBQ Bacon @rollnoles2
Send an inquiry like mine above (copy if you like) to Guest Relations - the more they get the more likely they are to respond. 

 

GuestRelations@hollandamerica.com

[hokiemare]

I rarely post on topics like this, but this discussion has me completely flummoxed.  Can some detail the 15 drinks - alcoholic and non-alcoholic they drink a day??  I will start - I typically have a specialty coffee with my breakfast (1), I don't like fresh squeezed juices as they are so high in sugar content.  I ask my cabin steward to refill my ice bucket twice a day - I use the melted ice to refill my water bottle or go up to the buffet and refill from there - yes I use HAL's glasses then put refill my water bottle and put the used on glasses on a tray of dirty dishes.  I may have a second specialty coffee (2) before I go on an excursion or get on with my day at sea.  Maybe have a beer with lunch (3) but typically prefer ice tea especially if its made in the MDR - not instant.  Usually have a third specialty coffee in the afternoon - this one could be alcoholic (4).  A cocktail or two before dinner (6), wine with dinner (7), specialty decaf coffee after dinner (8).   This leaves me with 7 more drinks before I call it a night.  If I drank 7 bottles of water in a day I would be in the ladies room all the time.  If I drank 7 more coffees - I wouldn't sleep for days.  If I drank 7 more alcoholic drinks I would have a hangover for 2 days!!!!!!  Oh I don't drink soda  but I do like sparkling water - so would probably have one of those with dinner (9).  Okay so now I have 6 drinks left to consume.  Just curious as to how others consume 15 drinks a day.

[BBQ Bacon]

Would be harder on shore days, but on sea days, sitting around the pool you can easily polish off 3 - 5 drinks (just to stay hydrated 😉 ).  So a couple of spiked coffees to start the day, beer and/or wine with dinner then an after-dinner aperitif, followed by a couple drinks while listening to music and it doesn't take long to hit that 15 drink limit.

[CruiserBruce]

We typically have, on a sea day on board, 2-3 waters, a couple diet cokes, and anywhere from 6-8 champagnes spread across the day. That allows, as needed, to stockpile a water or diet coke for various needs. This was always on the SPB, haven't had the EBP yet, but have it on our next 3 cruises.

 

But its just us. Everyone is different...you may or, most likely not, resemble us.

[SeaMatesNYC]

31 minutes ago, hokiemare said:

Can some detail the 15 drinks - alcoholic and non-alcoholic they drink a day??

Easy for me. I don’t drink alcohol. Can easily have the following:

 

2 coffees before breakfast (to get things ‘moving’)

1 Cappuccino with bfast 

1 Fre sparkling with bfast

3 waters for the fridge

5 N/A beers around the pool

2 grapefruit “not a cosmo” before dinner

1 Fre sparkling to start dinner

2 glasses Fre wine with dinner

 

I’m at 17 and the night is young. 
 

This is a sea day. 90 minutes in the gym.  2 miles walking around promenade. Lots of perspiration. Bathrooms are plentiful and used appropriately. Does this help?

[POA1]

Aak your PCC to send you the Beverage Package PDF. Keep the email, the PDF attachment, and print the PDF. You'll be armed for bear.

 

However, I doubt you'll need it. There's so much bad information on the internet, and folks love to get their panties in a bunch. I like my underbritches smooth and comfy. Attached is the July 13th PDF from HAL. I plan to get the latest version in March before we sail, but here is July's.

 

 

Beverage-Packages.pdf

[SeaMatesNYC]

9 minutes ago, POA1 said:

Aak your PCC to send you the Beverage Package PDF. Keep the email, the PDF attachment, and print the PDF. You'll be armed for bear.

 

However, I doubt you'll need it. There's so much bad information on the internet, and folks love to get their panties in a bunch. I like my underbritches smooth and comfy. Attached is the July 13th PDF from HAL. I plan to get the latest version in March before we sail, but here is July's.

 

 

Beverage-Packages.pdf 1.2 MB · 2 downloads

I don’t have a PCC. But this seems a decent alternative for “proof” for those who do. BUT the ship and shore management may just say “Your PCC was not up to speed with the changed policy when that was sent to you.” I’m seeking other “bear ammo” that will cover me. I’ve been thru this so many times with cruise lines that I know only concrete, time-stamped proof will work.  Even in the face of a picture of Heineken 0.0 in their Quench package promo materials in the sales portion of the website and NO language excluding this zero proof beverage, I had HAL insist it was not in the Quench package. They work with a unique logic. 

[coolbluegreenseas]

44 minutes ago, hokiemare said:

Can some detail the 15 drinks - alcoholic and non-alcoholic they drink a day??

In reality, that is not the point. What is the point is not having to think about hitting up on a limit for a drink package. You may have 6 drinks left at the end of the day, but I exercise vigorously and water is terribly important, so it is very possible I can go beyond the limit. I do not want to have to keep count. Keep that in mind when you can’t imagine how anyone else could possibly use 15 beverages a day.

[coolbluegreenseas]

24 minutes ago, SeaMatesNYC said:

This is a sea day. 90 minutes in the gym.  2 miles walking

^^THAT

[coolbluegreenseas]

Actually, the photo snip above really indicates the non-alcohol beverages are counted towards a 15 drink total. Again, this would not be so bad if I could bring water onboard, but that is verboten. Also, the lack of response for customer relations is a clue. 
 

Oh well, it is what it is and the last trip with HAL.

 

 

[Cruise Junky]

1 hour ago, hokiemare said:

I rarely post on topics like this, but this discussion has me completely flummoxed.  Can some detail the 15 drinks - alcoholic and non-alcoholic they drink a day??  I will start - I typically have a specialty coffee with my breakfast (1), I don't like fresh squeezed juices as they are so high in sugar content.  I ask my cabin steward to refill my ice bucket twice a day - I use the melted ice to refill my water bottle or go up to the buffet and refill from there - yes I use HAL's glasses then put refill my water bottle and put the used on glasses on a tray of dirty dishes.  I may have a second specialty coffee (2) before I go on an excursion or get on with my day at sea.  Maybe have a beer with lunch (3) but typically prefer ice tea especially if its made in the MDR - not instant.  Usually have a third specialty coffee in the afternoon - this one could be alcoholic (4).  A cocktail or two before dinner (6), wine with dinner (7), specialty decaf coffee after dinner (8).   This leaves me with 7 more drinks before I call it a night.  If I drank 7 bottles of water in a day I would be in the ladies room all the time.  If I drank 7 more coffees - I wouldn't sleep for days.  If I drank 7 more alcoholic drinks I would have a hangover for 2 days!!!!!!  Oh I don't drink soda  but I do like sparkling water - so would probably have one of those with dinner (9).  Okay so now I have 6 drinks left to consume.  Just curious as to how others consume 15 drinks a day.

You haven’t added an evening event yet so that add in a couple for say BB Kings. A show, more than one glass of wine with dinner and an after dinner port.  It’s not hard.  

[BBQ Bacon]

It's even in their Terms & Conditions.

[coolbluegreenseas]

26 minutes ago, Cruise Junky said:

A show, more than one glass of wine with dinner and an after dinner port.  It’s not hard.  

Of course, the irony here is I wanted to move to the Elite package for the unlimited water and seltzer, not the 15 dollar drink. I will drink 2 or three alcohol drinks and this includes the wine. It is not inconceivable HAL would make money off of me even with me getting 2 coffees, a cappuccino, a tea, a mocktail, a ginger ale and 6 or so waters on top of the three drinks. Now, I won’t bother. What I was buying was peace of mind. This is not it.

 

 

[SeaMatesNYC]

1 hour ago, BBQ Bacon said:

It's even in their Terms & Conditions.

It is. We need to await an answer from Guest Relations. As indicated above, this may all be just based on a rumor with mistaken info. It does seem borderline moralizing to question how someone needs more than 15 drinks. Many sedentary people who do drink alcohol don’t understand an active, sober lifestyle. But hey, each to his or her own. 

[coolbluegreenseas]

33 minutes ago, SeaMatesNYC said:

It does seem borderline moralizing to question how someone needs more than 15 drinks

Thank you for pointing that out. I can easily consume 6 cans of seltzer, a coffee and one or two liter bottles of water while working from home. Since the liter bottle of water is approximately 3 cans of seltzer, I am getting close to the limit during my workday. Once I get on the Peloton, strength train or attend a hot yoga class, I’ve blown the 15 drink limit out the window. And this does not include any alcohol. 
 

Along with waiting on Guest Relations, I reached out to my TA to see what she can ascertain.

[StLouisCruisers]

We're on Zuiderdam and DH just asked the Lido pool bartender this morning if fresh squeezed orange juice is included in any package and they said no.  Someone was just lucky getting theirs for free!  He also said on the Elite package all other non alcoholic drinks are unlimited, the 15 limit only applies to alcoholic drinks.  That has been our experience on this ship for the last 69 days.  There's always someone starting rumors out there.

[luv2kroooz]

26 minutes ago, StLouisCruisers said:

There's always someone starting rumors out there.

?? No one is starting rumors. Holland's print media referenced in this thread seems to contain inconsistent wording which is creating legitimate confusion among forum members. We are waiting for Holland's guest relations to clarify the policy.

[StLouisCruisers]

1 hour ago, luv2kroooz said:

?? No one is starting rumors. Holland's print media referenced in this thread seems to contain inconsistent wording which is creating legitimate confusion among forum members. We are waiting for Holland's guest relations to clarify the policy.

 

Good luck.

[Blackduck59]

So, we have several posts showing screen shots of the wording on the website. We also have a member on a HAL ship stating that the "Elite" beverage package does indeed include unlimited non alcoholic drinks. For the member who said one of the posted screen shots didn't say "unlimited" soft drinks...you didn't look hard enough. Now can we put this to bed, until a member, actually on a ship encounters something different. And yes you are spreading rumors when you say "someone on another forum said..."

Edited July 19 by Blackduck59
Typo

[coolbluegreenseas]

Tossed my 2 cents into an email to guest relations. Here is the email:

 

Hello,

 

I am booked on the NA from FLL in December for the Tropical Cruise. Also, I purchased HIA. I am considering upgrading the Signature Drink Package to the Elite. My rationale behind this is I am an avid exerciser and can easily consume 2 liters of water a day. According to the Terms and Conditions (below), the Elite package does not count non-alcohol beverages towards the 15 drink total. On the other hand, the website (also below) indicates the opposite. Would it be possible to get clarity on this question for the purposes of planning and budgeting expenses? I look forward to your response.

 

Thank you.

 

MJ

 

I included the links in the email. There is no need to repost here.

 

Does anyone have a Twitter account? It might help to post on the HAL thread as that is terribly visible. Sometimes you have to embarrass corporations into responding.