I tried Holland America's 'Have It All' package. For just $55 a day, my cruise felt way more luxurious.
I tried Holland America Line's Have It All package on a recent cruise to Alaska.
For $55 per person per day, we got complimentary drinks, special meals, and other perks.
The price was so worth it we already booked this package for future cruises.
Cruise bookings are predicted to reach record levels this year, and travelers are especially interested in luxurious sailings.
But as many of us know, luxury doesn't always equate to value, even when it comes to upgrades and special packages.
So, on our recent cruise to Alaska, my husband and I put one of many cruise packages to the test: Holland America Line's "Have It All" package, which costs $55 per person per day.
It includes perks like a beverage package, ship credit for shore excursions, onboard WiFi, and dinner at specialty restaurants.
Here's why we found it to be such a great value we're going to add it to future cruises.
The beverage package was great, and it included special drinks without alcohol
The biggest perk of the "Have It All" package was the ability to order drinks without worrying about the bill at the end of the cruise.
Our previous cruises had us drinking only tap water, drip coffee, tea, and an occasional glass of wine with dinner to avoid any sticker shock at the end of the trip. We felt restricted in enjoying our vacation.
But this time, we had the freedom to enjoy ourselves. The "Have It All" package we booked came with 15 drinks a day under $11. If you want a drink over $11, you only pay the difference.
The beverage package also covers non-alcoholic drinks. It was perfect for when we wanted espresso drinks for cold Alaska days or a bottle of water for a shore excursion.
The shore-excursion credit helped push us to have more fun
We knew we had to do a whale-watching excursion in Alaska, but didn't consider booking other excursions due to price. Many of the ones we were interested in cost over $100 per person.
But with the package, we each got credits to use toward shore excursions during our cruise. The value of the credit varies depending on the duration of your cruise — ours was less than 10 days, so we each got a $100 credit.
The $200 worth of credits made us feel more comfortable booking an incredible excursion to kayak the wild waters of Sitka.
We probably would've hesitated to book an excursion and missed an incredible experience if we hadn't felt compelled to use the credits in the package.
Specialty dining helped us celebrate our anniversary
Our "Have it All" packages each included at least one dinner at one of the ship's specialty restaurants. If you're on a longer cruise, this package would get you access to more dinners.
We used our credits to eat at the Pinnacle Grill, known for its premium steaks and intimate dining experience. Our anniversary dinner was extra special because of the access to premium dishes unavailable in the main dining room, five-star service, and a luxurious setting.
WiFi kept us connected
The package included WiFi, which really came in handy as we shared photos with friends and family throughout our trip.
We were able to use the internet to search for whatever we needed and research the highlights to visit at the next port of call.
We've already booked the package for future cruises
For less than what a few drinks cost per day, the package helped us relax, have fun, and enjoy each port of call with a shore excursion. Plus, we got to indulge in the ship's specialty restaurants.
We loved it so much we've already purchased this same package for three future cruises.
Read the original article on Business Insider
