Captain's Welcome Aboard Reception - Buy Your Own Drink!!!

[kryos]

Just curious -- How does one snare an invitation to one of the "VIP Parties" which you reference in a couple of your posts on this tread?

 

Also, I believe that the OP's experience of being charged for their vodka occurred at the Captain's Welcome Aboard Party, not the Mariners' Party.

 

Thank you.

Mariner's Party and Captain's Welcome Aboard Party are similar in that pretty much the whole ship is invited to attend. That's why I got them confused.

 

LOL ... How to snare an invite to the VIP party? Be lucky ... or be staying in one of the luxury suites. Those are the only ways I know of to snare an invite.

 

For what it's worth, I got invited to the VIP party once ... on my very first cruise. Two of us attending a writer's conference onboard the Rotterdam missed the ship (along with four other general passengers) in Fort Lauderdale due to airline problems (lost an engine). So, we had to trek to Costa Rica to meet the ship three days later. As a result, the two of us attending the writer's conference missed our free cocktail party on the first night of the cruise. To "compensate" us, HAL invited both of us to the Captain's VIP party which took place after Costa Rica.

 

Other than that one time, I've never secured another invitation. I stay in the "cheap seats," especially when I am traveling solo, and my luck doesn't run too good. So, I've never enjoyed that pleasure again. :(

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[gizmo]

Just my personal opinion here but if you were invited to a party off the ship let's just say your boss's home and you only drank Chivas Regal but your host was offering only Canadian Club and Southern Comfort would you get upset and expect your host to run out and buy it for you???

HAL is our host and inviting us to a party, they are passing around free drinks. If I must have something special they are not offering I have no problem with paying for it and getting myself. Just like any party I am invited to.

 

I don't think is the real issue. Hal is eliminating something that they once provided.

 

I have never attended a Captain's Party on Hal or Mariner's Party but this has nothing to do with the issue. KK does attend and always ordered vodka with no charge attached. Now she is being charged for the drink. It is a cut back.

 

The example of the boss's party is not the same thing. You don't pay to go to the boss's party but you do pay for your cruise. IMO the drinks that you could order was part of the cost of the cruise. Take that away and it is a cut back.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

You don't pay to go to the boss's party but you do pay for your cruise. IMO the drinks that you could order was part of the cost of the cruise. Take that away and it is a cut back.

 

First off what sail7seas said I totally agree with "I think we're making a bigger deal out of all this than it really is. They are still offering free drinks."

Secondly, Yes I do pay for the cruise but in doing that I also know that I will need to pay for my drinks. This is plain and simple HAL does not offer all inclusive cruises. When I am invited to a party may it be the Captain's Reception, Mariner's Reception or a VIP party that is what it is a PARTY. I graciously except the drinks offered to me just like I would at any party.

[gizmo]

Secondly, Yes I do pay for the cruise but in doing that I also know that I will need to pay for my drinks. This is plain and simple HAL does not offer all inclusive cruises. When I am invited to a party may it be the Captain's Reception, Mariner's Reception or a VIP party that is what it is a PARTY. I graciously except the drinks offered to me just like I would at any party.

 

This has nothing to do with all inclusive. Paying for your drinks outside of the Captain's Party/Reception is entirely different and has nothing to do with this subject.

 

Hal allowed a person to order drinks in the past at these Party's/Receptions with no charge , but now it has changed. Pure and simple, it is a cut back.

[iceman93]

Hal allowed a person to order drinks in the past at these Party's/Receptions with no charge , but now it has changed. Pure and simple, it is a cut back.

 

Life is rarely so cut and dried. Why not look at it the way HAL did in that e-mail to a previous poster? They are in fact IMPROVING the quality of service offered by making it so guests don't have to wait so long for drinks.

[jhannah]

Why not look at it the way HAL did in that e-mail to a previous poster? They are in fact IMPROVING the quality of service offered by making it so guests don't have to wait so long for drinks.

And can you spell S-P-I-N D-O-C-T-O-R ? ;)

[kryos]

The example of the boss's party is not the same thing. You don't pay to go to the boss's party but you do pay for your cruise. IMO the drinks that you could order was part of the cost of the cruise. Take that away and it is a cut back.

And haven't you ever attended a party on land where beer and wine were offered by the host, but if you wanted something else it was BYOB? True, I don't pay to attend a private party on land, but then I do realize that often the host will provide certain libations and those only. If those libations are not acceptable to me, well ... what can he say? "Sorry ... that's all I've got stocked."

 

Maybe in the past special drinks were provided at the Mariner and Captain's Welcome Aboard parties ... but then, maybe most people just accepted the preoffered drinks and let it go at that. So, the few who were savvy enough to know that they could order something else got away with it and weren't charged. However, over time, maybe a lot more people have gotten "wise" to the fact that they could order their Pina Colada or Wang Wang or Stoli on the Rocks, and are doing so. Suddenly, HAL realizes ... "Whoa, we can't keep holding these parties if we're gonna be supplying $5, $6 or more dollar drinks to half the guests." So, they were faced with a choice ... either eliminate those parties altogether or cut out the free special drink orders. They did the fair thing ... and cut out the special drink orders.

 

You know, often you can get away with something for years if most people don't pull the same thing you do. A handful of special drink orders, hey ... HAL will deal with that ... and they probably will continue to deal with it with the more "intimate" gatherings such as the VIP parties. But with large-scale events, they simply can't. If a vast majority of those in attendance at the larger affairs ... such as Mariners parties ... started special ordering, obviously that is gonna make a major dent in HAL's profit margin, and ... of course, one can't blame HAL for declining to absorb those extra costs, and that is probably why room cards are now being asked for any time someone special orders. Just by asking for the room cards probably eliminates 90% of those special orders since people most likely just cancel them once they realize they are gonna have to pay. All of a sudden, the house offerings look pretty good and they will just avail themselves of one of them.

 

I don't understand what's the big deal here. HAL never said they were all-inclusive as far as drinks, did they? So, why would having to pay for a special drink at a Mariner or Welcome Aboard party be any different that ordering and paying for that same drink in a lounge or bar aboard ship?

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[gizmo]

Why not look at it the way HAL did in that e-mail to a previous poster? They are in fact IMPROVING the quality of service offered by making it so guests don't have to wait so long for drinks.

 

 

And can you spell S-P-I-N D-O-C-T-O-R ? ;)

 

:D I got dizzy reading it !!!

[Barocl]

I have to agree it's a cut back.. My wife always has a glass of the white wine that is offered but I'm different. I always drink a diet coke. It doesn't matter which party it is. In fact at some of the VIP parties (and we have attended many) the waiters or waitresses say to me "diet coke sir." Yes, I am unhappy that HAL will not provide me with my diet coke at some of their parties. I always figured it was a way for HAL to say: thank you to me for sailing with them.. Take care.

[kryos]

Hal allowed a person to order drinks in the past at these Party's/Receptions with no charge , but now it has changed. Pure and simple, it is a cut back.

Things change ... at work, at home and, yes, even onboard a HAL ship. I don't consider this a cut-back ... rather, it's probably a policy change brought about by the simple fact that more people have gotten wise to the fact that they could, in fact, special order. Since these events, too, have gotten bigger (more Mariners attending the Mariner party, more people onboard the larger ships attending the Captain's Welcome Aboard Gala), the policy change probably couldn't be avoided. It was either that, or eliminate these parties ... something that would force everyone to suffer. I think HAL took the fairest option by requiring people to pay for any special order drinks.

 

To be honest, the only thing I would have done differently is simply not offer special drink orders ... just tell people that there is no bar service available in the Queen's Lounge or wherever the party is being held. If people want a special drink, they would have to walk over to the Explorer's Lounge or Ocean Bar and fetch it themselves. At the party all that would be available would be the pre-poured stuff brought around by the servers on trays.

 

To me, as long as HAL continued to offer the normal drink and nibbles selections that have long been served at these parties, stopping the special order drinks would not be a cut back ... but merely a policy change brought about by the fact that way too many people are now trying to special order ... and the costs associated with that are threatening to put an end to these galas altogether.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

I have to agree it's a cut back.. My wife always has a glass of the white wine that is offered but I'm different. I always drink a diet coke. It doesn't matter which party it is. In fact at some of the VIP parties (and we have attended many) the waiters or waitresses say to me "diet coke sir." Yes, I am unhappy that HAL will not provide me with my diet coke at some of their parties. I always figured it was a way for HAL to say: thank you to me for sailing with them.. Take care.

Isn't Coke (and presumably Diet Coke) normally one of the options available at these parties? I seem to recall getting a Coke at the Mariners party, and I don't recall the server having to go anywhere special to get it either. After all, not everyone drinks alcohol ... so I can't imagine HAL would consider a Diet Coke to be a "special order" (i.e., chargeable) at one of these affairs.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I have to agree it's a cut back.. My wife always has a glass of the white wine that is offered but I'm different. I always drink a diet coke. It doesn't matter which party it is. In fact at some of the VIP parties (and we have attended many) the waiters or waitresses say to me "diet coke sir." Yes, I am unhappy that HAL will not provide me with my diet coke at some of their parties. I always figured it was a way for HAL to say: thank you to me for sailing with them.. Take care.

 

 

I am really confused:confused: where in any of this discussion did someone say you could not have a Diet Coke???????

This is just becoming a "Let's Bash HAL" thread because I feel like complaining the last few days. I am finding this all to be extremely petty. I started contacting different people I know at HAL just to find some information because I like KK and I could tell this bothered her. I had no plans to post on this thread till I did get this information. To me it made total sense. I for one have never ordered anything special, Tom drinks a glass of the champagne and I usually take one of the Bloody Marys. If the servers were all off the floor running to get a special drink they were not offering I would be upset. My guess is for many years they did get special orders for the few that asked but then more and more people discovered "hey here's my chance to order a special expensive drink for free" suddenly all the servers are running all over the place and those of us who are more than happy with what are host is serving us at this party are left with nothing. Now I am not saying that this is how everyone is thinking but I have known plenty of people that if they hear someone get something special they will jump on the band wagon to get something for free.

If we all want to continue to Bash HAL then maybe those people should try another cruiseline that will let them have their special drink for free......... but I bet that special drink will cost a lot lot more.

I am now stepping off my soap box and will attempt to not post on this thread any more.

[RuthC]

I don't consider this a cut-back ...

If something once was offered, and now is not, that is by definition a "cut back". Spin it any way they want, but there is now less than there was before.

A handful of special drink orders, hey ... HAL will deal with that ... and they probably will continue to deal with it with the more "intimate" gatherings

On the HAL/CC group cruise on the Zaandam there was an included cocktail party for about 25-30 of us. Can't get any more "intimate" in public than that. "Champagne" was offered, but if I wanted a cocktail (and I did) I had to pay (and I did).

[sail7seas]

When you analyze the price of our cruises and what we paid ten years ago. The numbers are very similar. I don't about anyone else but I most assuredly cannot run my house on the same number of dollars I did ten years ago. The ships have to either charge us here or charge us there.

 

Pay it up front in the fare or pay it a la carte. HAL (and the other cruise lines) have determined it is best from their business perspective to charge as low fares as they can and make adjustments aboard for what is still included in that fare.

 

No one has to have a cocktail at the party that is not among those included by our hosts. If you really want something extra, I see it as fine to pay for it. If you can enjoy the red or white wine or champagne or whatever is offered, then there is no additional charge.

 

I don't see anything they are doing so terrible in this situation.

 

JMHO......

[Odd Ball]

If something once was offered, and now is not, that is by definition a "cut back". Spin it any way they want, but there is now less than there was before.

 

 

 

I am in the "cut back" camp also. Yep, spin it anyway you want but it is clear as a bell that it is a "cut back".

 

Free

I have seen the word "FREE" mentioned in reference to the drinks. Nothing is free, not the drinks at these parties, the suite perks, or the food you eat. The passenger pays for it in the cruise fare.

 

Hal Bashing

I read through this entire thread and I don't see any HAL BASHING. What I do see is disappointment because of another cut back, spin in the email, and the normal disagreements, speculations and the infamous, try another cruise line.

[xpcdoojk]

Just my personal opinion here but if you were invited to a party off the ship let's just say your boss's home and you only drank Chivas Regal but your host was offering only Canadian Club and Southern Comfort would you get upset and expect your host to run out and buy it for you???

HAL is our host and inviting us to a party, they are passing around free drinks. If I must have something special they are not offering I have no problem with paying for it and getting myself. Just like any party I am invited to.

 

I think this is exactly what I believe. Maybe, HAL has spoiled its passengers in the past, but the other lines I have sailed do it exactly this way. In these competitive times I can see how they can not be as accomodating as we might desire. Still they are directly in line with their competition.

 

jc

[xpcdoojk]

I don't think is the real issue. Hal is eliminating something that they once provided.

 

I have never attended a Captain's Party on Hal or Mariner's Party but this has nothing to do with the issue. KK does attend and always ordered vodka with no charge attached. Now she is being charged for the drink. It is a cut back.

 

The example of the boss's party is not the same thing. You don't pay to go to the boss's party but you do pay for your cruise. IMO the drinks that you could order was part of the cost of the cruise. Take that away and it is a cut back.

 

She didn't order Vodka. She ordered Stoli.... When you go to any bar, and you order vodka on the rocks it is one price. When you order a brand they always charge you more. However, if she did this in the past then she is in fact getting less than before, and that is always a dissappointment. So, I feel her pain, but I just take what they offer. I am a simple kind of guy.

 

jc

[Cruiseoften]

I haven't taken the time to plod through 60 plus posts and someone has probably said this already.........

 

Personally when issue invits to a Wine and Cheese Party, that's what we serve - a selection of red, white, sweet, dry and always include a bottle or two of nonalchlic wine - you want a mixerd drink - sorry you're out of luck.

 

When we invite you for Drinks/Cocktails, we're prepared (within reason) to mix and fix your pleasure. Non-alcholic/soft drinks are also available

 

Traditionally HAL served sparkling wine, so called champagne and juice at Mariner affairs. I was always amazed when people requested something other than what was offered - it just seemed rude to me. The wine server signaled a waiter who trotted off to fill your order - and yes I guess it was free. Too many have now climbed on that bank wagon and I can fully understand HAL now charging. Seeems only fair that you should pay for your 'special order'.

 

I do feel however that severe cutbacks have been made in quality and quantity of food offered at Mariner affairs - time was when there were plump shrimps to be had, truly tasty meat balls and tiny, melt in your mouth spring rolls etc.etc. I miss the three shrimps I always tried to snag!!!! Such treats have been less and less availabe over the past few years...an understandable cut back, I think.

[harley22]

Wow, after reading through this entire thread, it's clear that this issue is highly controversial. I view the changes (if they are in fact a change) as HAL being fiscally responsible so they can continue to offer a wonderful cruise experience at a reasonable price. Personally, I don't drink alcohol, and would be rather upset if the cost of my cruise increased as a result of HAL providing free alcohol to cruisers, especially at the larger events. Lord knows how people like to take advantage of anything "free". Same goes for the orange juice situation. The cost of orange juice has skyrocketed. It is HAL's duty to monitor situations like this and make the necessary modifications. In business, competitive advantage is achieved by monitoring your costs and making adjustments accordingly. In my opinion, HAL has done just this. I've worked for a company that was forced to file Chapter 11 because they let their expenses get out of control. I know this is taking it to the extreme, but in HAL's defense, we must be a bit more understanding and thankful for their "minding of the store," so to speak. Good job!

[Sunshine91]

I am really confused:confused: where in any of this discussion did someone say you could not have a Diet Coke???????

 

Lisa - I was confused too. I'll drink the free bubbly. John however likes it that the receptions are the one place he can get a diet coke for free. He's never been asked for the room number.

 

(And yes, I understand that "free" is a relative term. We've "paid" for all of those drinks we consume as part of the cruise fare, but are not charged anything extra once onboard.)

[Barocl]

For those that didn't know before soft drinks we never on the trays carried by the waiters with the regular "free" drinks. If someone wish to order a soft drink a waiter or waitress went to obtain it. They usually returned with it on a tray along with other specially ordered drinks. The thing that I can't get my head around it the number of people that think it's just fine to lose another item that made HAL so special before. Take care.

[gophercruiser]

It does take all types , here is something that we saw in person at a Captains reception on the recent Volendam sailing of October 24. When the waiter coming along with a large tray of assorted goodies approached the couple in front of us, you should have seen the look on his face,when they just took the tray all for themselves.It is happenings such as this and at another sofa, some 10 to 12 glasses of champagne had been accumulated on the floor in front of them, that is probably forcing HAL to indeed make changes, as in over 300 days of sailing on HAL we have never encountered items such as previosly described.Changes are happening, but I truly believe that we are incurring some of these by our own actions. As far as the "special drinks" being charged for, I believe that numerous posters have hit the nail on the head, if this was allowed to mushroom, no one would ever get served as they would be running after special orders all the time.

[AAAAmerican]

The simple look-see is::

 

A Mere, not dear, Carnivalization.

 

;)

 

Write CCL:NYSE your comments on this and thats the only way anything will ever get done qucikly.

 

:eek:

[Vic The Parrot]

Write CCL:NYSE your comments on this and thats the only way anything will ever get done qucikly.

 

 

 

I hate to be a gadfly, but I seriously doubt that CCL:NYSE, CCL:AMEX , or CCL:LON for that matter, will actually consider taking a letter of that nature into perspective.

 

It's all about money

[gizmo]

For those that didn't know before soft drinks we never on the trays carried by the waiters with the regular "free" drinks. If someone wish to order a soft drink a waiter or waitress went to obtain it. They usually returned with it on a tray along with other specially ordered drinks. The thing that I can't get my head around it the number of people that think it's just fine to lose another item that made HAL so special before. Take care.

 

I was going to ask this question, so thanks for the post. :)

 

Soda is a "special order". According to the email Laffnvegas received, the "change / cut back" is do to it taking too long for special orders. It takes just as long to pour vodka on the rocks as it does to pour the soda.

 

I can't believe the number of people on this board that think the cut backs are ok either. I see it over and over again. :rolleyes: