Welcome Aboard Champagne?

[mechcc]

It's been 18 months since we were on HAL and we had a free Welcome Aboard Champagne waiting in our SA suite. HAL's benefits for suites on their web sit doesn't mention this benefit any longer so has this Welcome aboard champagne been discontunied?

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Maggie, No not at all, it was still there when we were on the Veendam a couple of weeks ago. Still the same brand they have been serving for the last several years.

[mechcc]

Maggie, No not at all, it was still there when we were on the Veendam a couple of weeks ago. Still the same brand they have been serving for the last several years.

 

Lisa - Thank you for your fast response. You are such a dear! We are not as particular about champagne as you are but do like a glass of bubbly on our veranda at sailaway. Now next question is what personal care items are provided? With all the restrictions on the airlines, do not want to bring along anything we can actually get on board and we really don't care about brands for the most part so what do we need to forget about packing?

[Sea King]

wouldn't worry about the champagne being in your suite .. it's a present and comes with a nice card welcoming you aboard

 

don't know the "brand" but if I were playing The Price is Right, I'd guess the Retail Value would be less than $10.00;)

 

it's really terrible; the on board mouth wash is tastier .. the only guaranty with that brand HAL is using is heart-burn:D

 

I usually like to bring it to the dining room and get a credit for a Perrier:rolleyes:

[Krazy Kruizers]

The welcome aboard champagne has really changed over the years -- we used to get a very nice brand of champagne. Sometimes new we get Andres!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

For the last year HAL has been using Elemis products on nearly all the ships: shampoo, conditioner (which most of us can't get out of the bottle -- too thick); 2 different kinds of soap; shower gel.

 

DH had a bad reaction to this brand of products so now we have to carry all of our own for everything.

[Tinknock50]

........... Now next question is what personal care items are provided? With all the restrictions on the airlines, do not want to bring along anything we can actually get on board and we really don't care about brands for the most part so what do we need to forget about packing?

 

The restrictions have been relaxed greatly. As long as each item is less than 3 ounces you can bring it. It has to fit in a quart sized baggie and kept handy in your carry-on so it can easily be inspected.

I would still pack powdered or any dry stuff in your suitcase and put any liquid in your carry-on.

[Davey Interweb]

don't know the "brand" but if I were playing The Price is Right, I'd guess the Retail Value would be less than $10.00;)

 

Yep. And it is in fact "Champagne" since it appears to hail from that region (at least according to the label), but it is of seriously low quality. It's Pol...something. No, not Pol Roger, a favorite of mine. Come on HAL, for less than $10 retail I can find a perfectly enjoyable sparkling wine like Wolf Blass. Yes, I know you can't technically advertise it as champagne but it's not downright offensive to drink, either :(

[grannynurse]

We usually trade it the champagne for something else and pay the extra.

We had the Elemis products and some extra Royal Dutch shampoo. I'm pretty sure there was no mouth wash included.

GN

[LAFFNVEGAS]

don't know the "brand" but if I were playing The Price is Right, I'd guess the Retail Value would be less than $10.00;)

 

it's really terrible; the on board mouth wash is tastier .. the only guaranty with that brand HAL is using is heart-burn:D

 

I usually like to bring it to the dining room and get a credit for a Perrier:rolleyes:

 

Sea King you got that right;) , I think Sea King was just joking about the mouth wash

 

I have to agree that unless it is extremely ICE COLD I cannot drink any of it at all. It tends to remind me of turpentine.

 

The welcome aboard champagne has really changed over the years -- we used to get a very nice brand of champagne. Sometimes new we get Andres!!

 

We have never had Andres, heck I would pay a few dollars extra to have Andres:D It has always been the same for us since we started getting S Suites in 2004. I believe it is called Chase-Limogere'. Personally I think HAL could pick a much tastier champagne for the price they are paying. I have gotten so that even at the Mariners Reception and the Captain's Welcome Party I just get a Bloody Mary

[mechcc]

Thank you everyone for your answers. I do remember the champagne as being nothing special but it was a nice touch.

[fann1sh]

Try drinking the Chase Limogere with something sweet, or save it for the dessert course in the dining room.

[Candy]

Thank you everyone for your answers. I do remember the champagne as being nothing special but it was a nice touch.

A short Google shows prices for the California Chase-Limogère Brut (our usual suite welcome treat) at between $15-33. We are not promised the finest of French Champagnes... it's a gift.

 

Candy the ZuiderPrincess

[jcrandle]

:D If you book an inside cabin, your gift is a pint of Mad Dog 20-20!

 

Only kidding.

[p.nutgirl]

As everyone has said there is the welcome aboard Champange and it is awful... However my experience in trading it in was different.. My room steward said that there was NO WAY to do a trade in.. I asked first day. I wanted a nice bottle of Champagne and did not mind paying for it.

 

However later when another bottle of Champange was sent to our room I took it down to the Neptune Lounge... Those girls were amazing, if it would not had been for Atchie and Abigail our cruise would have been HORRIBLE!!! (of course they only hesitated a little and traded it in)

 

We had the WORST CABIN STEWART EVER!!! I did leave $5.00 a day extra just in hopes that I would not get anything stolen...Nothing for service..