Drink Package Confusion

[terrierjohn]

13 minutes ago, davemorton said:

Do any of the drinks packages on other lines include a bottle of wine?  You like a bottle of wine, great, so dont order the package, I am quite happy with a couple of glasses of wine out of the bottle.

I really dont get all this over the drinks package, it really is like the new tipping conversation piece.  It isn't that hard (for most) to work out if it is worth it for them or not, once they establish that soft drinks/coffee/children's drinks are included.  If it is worth it, buy it, if it isnt, dont, simples 🙂 

I agree with you but, as someone who could never drink enough to make it worthwhile, I worry that just like Celebrity and RCI did when they introduced drinks packages, P&O will increase their drink prices and moderate drinkers like me will be faced with bigger bills.

I realise its a selfish attitude but so is wanting a drinks package no matter the potential inconvenience to other passengers.

[davemorton]

8 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I agree with you but, as someone who could never drink enough to make it worthwhile, I worry that just like Celebrity and RCI did when they introduced drinks packages, P&O will increase their drink prices and moderate drinkers like me will be faced with bigger bills.

I realise its a selfish attitude but so is wanting a drinks package no matter the potential inconvenience to other passengers.

I dont think anyone was particularly wanting a drinks package, there is no way I personally could justify the cost of one on a 14 nighter, but if its there, it may as well be used if it works for you.  I do agree, I can see the prices of drinks increasing - either that, or they start using the drinks package as a hook to get more bookings and offer it for 'free'. 

Edited January 7, 2020 by davemorton

[terrierjohn]

8 minutes ago, davemorton said:

I dont think anyone was particularly wanting a drinks package, there is no way I personally could justify the cost of one on a 14 nighter, but if its there, it may as well be used if it works for you.  I do agree, I can see the prices of drinks increasing - either that, or they start using the drinks package as a hook to get more bookings and offer it for 'free'. 

Which of course will have the same effect as the cruise prices will increase, because nothing is ever free.

[peteukmcr]

23 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I agree with you but, as someone who could never drink enough to make it worthwhile, I worry that just like Celebrity and RCI did when they introduced drinks packages, P&O will increase their drink prices and moderate drinkers like me will be faced with bigger bills.

I realise its a selfish attitude but so is wanting a drinks package no matter the potential inconvenience to other passengers.

I know I shouldn’t, but I have to ask, what is the potential inconvenience to other passengers because a drinks package is being offered? I don’t want a drinks package but if I consider one that is offered is financially beneficial to me, I'll take it. 

Edited January 7, 2020 by peteukmcr

[AndyMichelle]

9 hours ago, peteukmcr said:

I know I shouldn’t, but I have to ask, what is the potential inconvenience to other passengers because a drinks package is being offered? I don’t want a drinks package but if I consider one that is offered is financially beneficial to me, I'll take it. 

We have been on a few cruises now since the P&O drinks package was introduced, and it doesn't inconvenience us at all. 

If it worked for us, we would take it in a heartbeat, but just can't quite get there, even including Costa etc. 

I wouldn't want the drinks prices to increase drastically to make it sound more attractive or the fare price to include it, but at the moment, neither has happened. 

Crack on enjoying your cruises the best way that suits you. 

Andy 

[terrierjohn]

10 hours ago, peteukmcr said:

I know I shouldn’t, but I have to ask, what is the potential inconvenience to other passengers because a drinks package is being offered? I don’t want a drinks package but if I consider one that is offered is financially beneficial to me, I'll take it. 

Did you read my post!  I consider it very inconvenient if drink prices increase as a result of the introduction of a drinks package,

[crompton21]

I would assume that carnival have rather a lot of knowledge when it comes to pricing all elements of a cruise.  It is hardly likely that they would introduce something that would cost them money and is presumably priced at a level they believe to be attractive to prospective purchasers whilst being revenue enhancing.  Sometimes described as a win win situation.  

As such, I would assume that the plan would be to make more money and not less.  Assuming that to be the case, then it could help to keep prices down.

 

As an aside, what is it about the drinks package that causes everyone to need to make a profit on buying it?  The majority of people do not feel the need to eat every last item of food on offer, attend every event etc and yet the cost of all of that is in the ticket price.  The drinks package somehow sits in a very different part of our brain when analysing it.  I feel the same, just don't quite understand why. 

[ollienbertsmum]

On 1/5/2020 at 2:08 AM, peteukmcr said:

I have checked the latest prices and at £5.60 per G&T and £6.35 per cocktail and £5.65 per glass of wine, it won’t take much to get to £39.95 per day when you consider that cost includes soft drinks, bottles of water and speciality coffees. 
 

2 G&Ts before dinner = £11.20 (remembering P&O measures are UK single 25ml not USA nearly double U.K. measures), 1 cocktail £6.35 (during the day or after dinner), 3 glasses of wine = £16.95, that’s £34.50 before I’d add a bottle of water, 2 coffees and a soft drink during the day. No brainer for me. 

 

I like your thinking Pete, your sums add up for me.  Not a boozer, just someone who enjoys the holiday.  

 

I was thinking on the lines of : two decent coffees in the morning, a bottle of water per day, a couple of beers at lunchtime (or as we eat our meal on coming back on board after the port, , two G& Ts before supper, a couple of Prosecco during the meal, one or two drinks in the casino.  Then the DH insists on the package.  I thought we might have been throwing money away, but now you have added in the coffee and bottled water I think that we are going to break even. 

 

If we pass each other on the Iona let’s raise a glass.  

[jeanlyon]

The other things finally to consider are the days you spend ashore, so you are not buying coffees aboard.  Also, if you are not very well at all whether it's for one day or more, you have paid for that day's drinks.

 

There are days when I drink more and days when I drink less or don't have coffees.  It's wasted if you are either ashore or ill.

[peteukmcr]

53 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

The other things finally to consider are the days you spend ashore, so you are not buying coffees aboard.  Also, if you are not very well at all whether it's for one day or more, you have paid for that day's drinks.

 

There are days when I drink more and days when I drink less or don't have coffees.  It's wasted if you are either ashore or ill.

We are on a 14 night transatlantic with 8 sea days, so not much opportunity to be ashore. Even on port days, I won't stop having coffees onboard, either before we go ashore after breakfast or when we return mid afternoon. We are also more likely to purchase even more water to take ashore with us.

 

I read this excuse a lot, about drinking less onboard due to being ashore, but I respectively suggest this is a myth and used as a reason not to purchase a package. Maybe as we never do an excursion or are ashore for more than possibly 4 hours, we are still onboard to have sodas, waters, coffees, and beers. Obviously once we set sail again in the evening we are at sea and seeing this is when we consume alcohol (rarely do we drink alcohol before 7pm except for the odd beer with lunch) we don't consume any less on a sea day as on a port day.

 

As for being ill, then of course that can impact the advantages and effectiveness of a package, but our view is we can't not consider purchasing it just because we maybe unwell. Hopefully, we won't be.

 

I am repeating myself justifying why we look to purchase a package, and again I will say this is our decision, we are not forcing anyone to buy one, but it would be nice if sometimes people accept our decision. 

 

Edited January 8, 2020 by peteukmcr

[AndyMichelle]

6 minutes ago, peteukmcr said:

We are on a 14 night transatlantic with 8 sea days, so not much opportunity to be ashore. Even on port days, I won't stop having coffees onboard, either before we go ashore after breakfast or when we return mid afternoon. We are also more likely to purchase even more water to take ashore with us.

 

I read this excuse a lot, about drinking less onboard due to being ashore, but I respectively suggest this is a myth and used as a reason not to purchase a package. Maybe as we never do an excursion or are ashore for more than possibly 4 hours, we are still onboard to have sodas, waters, coffees, and beers. Obviously once we set sail again in the evening we are at sea and seeing this is when we consume alcohol (rarely do we drink alcohol before 7pm except for the odd beer with lunch) we don't consume any less on a sea day as on a port day.

 

As for being ill, then of course that can impact the advantages and effectiveness of a package, but our view is we can't not consider purchasing it just because we maybe unwell. Hopefully, we won't be.

 

I am repeating myself justifying why we look to purchase a package, and again I will say this is our decision, we are not forcing anyone to buy one, but it would be nice if sometimes people accept our decision. 

 

I totally accept your decision Pete, if it works for you then that's great. 

We are only a couple of drinks short of it being worthwhile for us, but can't quite get there, despite our best efforts... 

You have no need to justify yourself to us, we all have to do what works for us. 

The fact that we can have these differing opinions proves that P&O have pitched it just right, that it works for all of us, whether we use it or not. 

Andy 

[jeanlyon]

Yes agree Andy.  If it works then buy it, if it doesn't then don't.  The thing is though, if you can only just get to £80 per day per couple, then it probably isn't worth it, because of days when you don't want booze, sodas, coffees etc.  If you are well over that amount, then it is worth it.

 

Although we like our alcohol in the evenings, we do like a bottle of wine on the table, and it doesn't include that.  We don't drink sodas, bottled water or coffees.  I am quite happy to fill my water bottle in the cabin from the kettle.  Love real coffee ashore especially in Italy 🙂

[majortom10]

As usual when this subject comes up which it has repeatedly since the introduction of drinks packages on P&O we are going over the same things over and over again. Nobody wants to know personal consumption or peoples opinions of what they drink at the end of the day like everything else if you think it is value for money for you personally then buy it and if not dont buy it.

[beachmad123]

Absolutely well said 

[Elaine0138]

I hope P&O doesn't go the way of RCI and offer a 'free' drinks package, We like to choose to buy one or not.  Did I read that both people in the cabin have to buy the package on P&O and you are only allowed 15 drinks in a 24 hour period.  I don't drink alcohol so the would make a tidy profit from my package. 

[jeanlyon]

Well we did free drinks on Fred Olsen and that's fine, because you still just drink as you want.  If you don't drink alcohol at all, then the package wouldn't suit you at all.  Both people in the cabin have to buy it.

[AndyMichelle]

1 hour ago, Elaine0138 said:

I hope P&O doesn't go the way of RCI and offer a 'free' drinks package, We like to choose to buy one or not.  Did I read that both people in the cabin have to buy the package on P&O and you are only allowed 15 drinks in a 24 hour period.  I don't drink alcohol so the would make a tidy profit from my package. 

I think that is what a lot of passengers fear, that they could bump fares to include the drinks package... 

No sign of it yet, so let's all enjoy our choice while we have it. 

Yes, both adults in a cabin have to buy it. 

Andy 

[leesam]

you can find reviews on the drinks package on you tube.

[jeanlyon]

If by buying it, you think you are only going to break even, then don't buy it, because circumstances might mean you don't spend as much.  If you think it will save you money, then obviously buy it.

[jaydee6969]

2 hours ago, Elaine0138 said:

Did I read that both people in the cabin have to buy the package on P&O and you are only allowed 15 drinks in a 24 hour period.

 

Its 15 alcoholic drinks in 24 hours.  Soft drinks, Costa's, mocktails and small bottled waters are included in the package and limited to 1 every 15 minutes.

[Clodia]

I have had the package twice now and saw no sign of people being limited time wise or in total drink numbers. The main inconvenience for me was single spirit measures drowned by mixers. In the end if I wanted a double I ordered 2 singles about 15 minutes apart but more often 10 minutes! At first getting wine by the glass at dinner in the MDR was problematic until I complained to the Head waiter; after that my glass was refilled on request. Never reached the 15 drink limit and probably enjoyed more non alcoholic drinks as these were included.

My personal feeling was that as long as you are seen to be drinking sesnibly there are no real restrictions.

[Pennbank]

On 1/10/2020 at 9:03 AM, Clodia said:

I have had the package twice now and saw no sign of people being limited time wise or in total drink numbers. The main inconvenience for me was single spirit measures drowned by mixers. In the end if I wanted a double I ordered 2 singles about 15 minutes apart but more often 10 minutes! At first getting wine by the glass at dinner in the MDR was problematic until I complained to the Head waiter; after that my glass was refilled on request. Never reached the 15 drink limit and probably enjoyed more non alcoholic drinks as these were included.

My personal feeling was that as long as you are seen to be drinking sesnibly there are no real restrictions.

 

Found no restrictions on Cunard, In fact doubles were the norm, I notice that Cunard have now altered their t&c to allow Double spirits and drinks up to value $12. For $69 per day pp  includes the 15% service  you get speciality Teas, Illy Coffees, Fruit Juices and Soda from fountain  and  Bottles and small water.

WoD_Beer_Spirits_Flyer.pdf

Edited January 15, 2020 by Pennbank