Drinks Package Changes

[Fionboard]

Talking of alcohol sales. Pub on Arcadia has no internet TV so no football. It is empty so I suppose fans are all ashore watching matches. Must be losing P&O drink revenue. Apparently will be no TV reception for next two days in Barcelona. What is going on? 

[Megabear2]

23 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

Talking of alcohol sales. Pub on Arcadia has no internet TV so no football. It is empty so I suppose fans are all ashore watching matches. Must be losing P&O drink revenue. Apparently will be no TV reception for next two days in Barcelona. What is going on? 

Maybe they forgot to pay the bill ... 

 

I can confirm Brodies on here overflowing with football fans yesterday and today.  Bit quieter than yesterday but still packed when i passed through 15 minutes ago.  Sounded like a good game from the cheer that went up when I reached the stairs.

[Tigger689]

So can anyone confirm if the deluxe drinks package includes Long Island iced tea? Could be a deal breaker! 😁

[rattla]

1 hour ago, Tigger689 said:

So can anyone confirm if the deluxe drinks package includes Long Island iced tea? Could be a deal breaker! 😁

I’m not sure they have a Long Island Ice tea now (whether on the package or not).  Certainly on Iona a couple of months ago they didn’t have one anywhere on any menu.

Sadly they are one of the cruise lines with some of the fewest cocktails available. And being on Iona twice in the last 18 months they definitely had less this time than they did last year.

Edited May 21, 2023 by rattla

[Mad4WDW]

1 hour ago, Tigger689 said:

So can anyone confirm if the deluxe drinks package includes Long Island iced tea? Could be a deal breaker! 😁

They haven't had Long Island Iced Tea for years, P & O have a terrible choice of cocktails. The best ones aren't on any of these packages either.

[Mad4WDW]

The following dates are when the new packages will be available on each ship:

20 May 2023 – Iona (G315)
20 May 2023 – Ventura (N313)
28 May 2023 – Arvia (K311)
6 June 2023 – Arcadia (J306N)
9 June 2023 – Britannia (B315N)
22 June 2023 – Aurora (R311)
6 July 2023 – Azura (A319)

[WestonOne]

On 5/14/2023 at 7:12 AM, Mad4WDW said:

Before people kick off about how you “need to be an alcoholic” or “you can’t possibly drink 15 alcoholic drinks a day” Pleae keep those type of options to yourself as we’ve all heard it before. 

Ok!

 

My wife does not drink alcohol and I drink very little so those packages have no interest for us.

 

The non-alcoholic package does not appeal either.  We do not drink that much coffee every day!

[Well boy 91]

On 5/20/2023 at 3:45 PM, Selbourne said:

That’s brilliant that the menus clearly state which drinks are included in each package and reassuring that the exclusions for the deluxe package aren’t as extensive as some of us cynics might have feared. It would be fantastic if someone was able to post a full set of drinks menus from all bars, all clear and the right way up. I know a very obliging chap who might help if the new packages are live on Iona yet @Interestedcruisefan😂 

 

If Peller Ice Cuvée is included I might have to reconsider my stance on drinks packages 😂 

I can report via a friend on Ventura that the Peller Ice Cold Cuvee is included in deluxe package 😃. As is the red wine Boom

Boom.  My personal favourite 

[daiB]

7 hours ago, Fionboard said:

Talking of alcohol sales. Pub on Arcadia has no internet TV so no football. It is empty so I suppose fans are all ashore watching matches. Must be losing P&O drink revenue. Apparently will be no TV reception for next two days in Barcelona. What is going on? 

There are ports where the satelite reception is poor, Teneriffe is bad for example. it couls be he position of the satelite 

[JeanieC,Aston]

And a Prosecco has risen from £6.25 to £6.45.

A package is becoming a no brainier.

 

[pete14]

Although I realise P&O have to generate as much revenue as they can from onboard spend, ‘encouraging’ people to potentially drink 15 alcoholic drinks a day (potentially stronger drinks on the highest package) could easily result in a higher level of alcohol fuelled incidents than most cruisers would like. Larger ships on sun cruises may be at greater risk. Whilst I am not suggesting that anybody on here would succumb to this, it seems fairly likely that others might. I guess they keep records of such incidents and cross match to whether culprits have the drinks package but it must be a concern. Maybe that is a contributory factor as to why drinks packages are not available on short cruises.

[kalos]

24 minutes ago, pete14 said:

Although I realise P&O have to generate as much revenue as they can from onboard spend, ‘encouraging’ people to potentially drink 15 alcoholic drinks a day (potentially stronger drinks on the highest package) could easily result in a higher level of alcohol fuelled incidents than most cruisers would like. Larger ships on sun cruises may be at greater risk. Whilst I am not suggesting that anybody on here would succumb to this, it seems fairly likely that others might. I guess they keep records of such incidents and cross match to whether culprits have the drinks package but it must be a concern. Maybe that is a contributory factor as to why drinks packages are not available on short cruises.

 

Fair comments Pete , just as places in the Balearics are bringing in rules to curb heavy consumption 

 

[Fionboard]

15 hours ago, daiB said:

There are ports where the satelite reception is poor, Teneriffe is bad for example. it couls be he position of the satelite 

But Barcelona?! Prefer Megabear's reason! Apparently will be restored once we have set sail tonight. 

[Cheshire Blue]

In terms of actually buying the packages - am I correct that the Deluxe Package on board is approx £55 per person per day and the Classic Package on board is approx £45 per person per day.   

 

I appreciate the above prices ignore any loyalty tier discounts - but think these apply both on board and in advance - so no material difference. 

 

If I buy in advance - I save approx £5 per day on these prices, but cannot use my OBC for this (and so have to pay in advance by credit card).   If I do this (buy in advance) between my wife and I on an 18 night voyage, we would "save" £180 - so worthwhile doing.  However am then left with OBC to spend (which I assume is non refundable) ?   

 

I can use this on excursions / speciality dining - but really wanted to use it on the drinks.  Any ideas ?    

[daiB]

9 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

But Barcelona?! Prefer Megabear's reason! Apparently will be restored once we have set sail tonight. 

There are hills behind Barcelona which may be blocking the signal. I would be unhappy tonight as Newcastle are playing at home and its on the tele

[DamianG]

47 minutes ago, Cheshire Blue said:

In terms of actually buying the packages - am I correct that the Deluxe Package on board is approx £55 per person per day and the Classic Package on board is approx £45 per person per day.   

 

I appreciate the above prices ignore any loyalty tier discounts - but think these apply both on board and in advance - so no material difference. 

 

If I buy in advance - I save approx £5 per day on these prices, but cannot use my OBC for this (and so have to pay in advance by credit card).   If I do this (buy in advance) between my wife and I on an 18 night voyage, we would "save" £180 - so worthwhile doing.  However am then left with OBC to spend (which I assume is non refundable) ?   

 

I can use this on excursions / speciality dining - but really wanted to use it on the drinks.  Any ideas ?    

 

If you buy in advance there is a 10% discount, then the reduced total is discounted further with whichever Peninsular Club discount you are entitled to.

 

I completely understand your dilemma as we too were considering a package partially using OBC but the advance booking discounts still work out cheaper.

 

We have also calculated that even delaying buying the package onboard but on day 2 (thus saving one day's cost) does not work out cheaper either.

 

Seems to me that they have pitched it at a point where the majority who wish to purchase it will do so in advance rather than onboard.

 

Edited May 22, 2023 by DamianG

[Fionboard]

52 minutes ago, daiB said:

There are hills behind Barcelona which may be blocking the signal. I would be unhappy tonight as Newcastle are playing at home and its on the tele

Hills, but not the Himalayas! Satellite is in the sky, I believe. No problem with internet on the ground either. 

[daiB]

14 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

Hills, but not the Himalayas! Satellite is in the sky, I believe. No problem with internet on the ground either. 

Its the hills in Teneriffie cause the problerm and they are not that high.

 

Edited May 22, 2023 by daiB

[zap99]

20 minutes ago, daiB said:

Its the hills in Teneriffie cause the problerm and they are not that high.

 

I think Teide is the highest point in Spain, but the satellites are pretty much overhead.

[daiB]

45 minutes ago, zap99 said:

I think Teide is the highest point in Spain, but the satellites are pretty much overhead.

Cant be as the reception in the port is almost nil. And no they are not overhead.

[bobstheboy]

1 hour ago, DamianG said:

 

If you buy in advance there is a 10% discount, then the reduced total is discounted further with whichever Peninsular Club discount you are entitled to.

 

I completely understand your dilemma as we too were considering a package partially using OBC but the advance booking discounts still work out cheaper.

 

We have also calculated that even delaying buying the package onboard but on day 2 (thus saving one day's cost) does not work out cheaper either.

 

Seems to me that they have pitched it at a point where the majority who wish to purchase it will do so in advance rather than onboard.

 

Totally agree. With loyalty discount it would be about  £46 pp pd  pre cruise, using OBC it is £54.95 pp pd onboard. I know it is their money but not worth it IMO and will PAYG.

[pmd98052]

One thing people don't seem to have noticed. Previously when travelling with kids under 18 in your cabin they received the soft drinks package for "free" if the adults bought the alcoholic drinks package.  With this change now only 16 and under get the "Free" soft drinks and if you have a 17 year old they now HAVE to buy the soft drinks (refresh) package. So 77 quid price rise there for the cabin on top of the 5 quid increase in adult drinks package.

Edited May 22, 2023 by pmd98052

[zap99]

1 hour ago, daiB said:

Cant be as the reception in the port is almost nil. And no they are not overhead.

Most geostationary communication satellites are in the Clarke belt above the equator at 22k odd miles. Tenerife is 28o North.

[terrierjohn]

3 hours ago, DamianG said:

 

If you buy in advance there is a 10% discount, then the reduced total is discounted further with whichever Peninsular Club discount you are entitled to.

 

I completely understand your dilemma as we too were considering a package partially using OBC but the advance booking discounts still work out cheaper.

 

We have also calculated that even delaying buying the package onboard but on day 2 (thus saving one day's cost) does not work out cheaper either.

 

Seems to me that they have pitched it at a point where the majority who wish to purchase it will do so in advance rather than onboard.

 

How can pre purchase ever be cheaper than paying with free OBC?

[pmd98052]

1 minute ago, terrierjohn said:

How can pre purchase ever be cheaper than paying with free OBC?

 

Can't use OBC on a pre-purchase. Thats the catch.