Drinks package/policy changes?

[JeanieC,Aston]

2 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

We are on Princess at present and the regulars have similar complaints. I appreciate both P&O and Princess are Carnival brands, but I bet Royal Caribbean, Cebrity, MSC, NCL, Saga, Fred etc are all saying the same thing. If cruise lines need to increase revenue to satisfy shareholders, then prices will need to rise, and we have the choice to accept the increase or not.

Hi

I cruise Celebrity (no more) and P&O,have a look at the Celebrity board here on CC,,,it’s worse than P&O.

[S1971]

1 minute ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Hi

A company can be in profit and have huge debt.

Most companies carry debt,,,how do you think they finance their Huge ship building programmes.

The question is are they making enough profit to service the debt and increasing costs.

 

Exactly, that's why I take all these figures with a pinch of salt.

 

 

[JeanieC,Aston]

4 minutes ago, S1971 said:

 

Then Carnival are paying the price for tax avoiding.

 

 

What price are they paying?

[Bazrat]

4 minutes ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Hi

I cruise Celebrity (no more) and P&O,have a look at the Celebrity board here on CC,,,it’s worse than P&O.

So your saying we are not trying hard enough to be worse then other boards

[JeanieC,Aston]

1 minute ago, Bazrat said:

So your saying we are not trying hard enough to be worse then other boards

Just saying.

[S1971]

2 minutes ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

What price are they paying?

Allegedly being in debt, but that as we all know is nonsense.

[Bazrat]

2 minutes ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Just saying.

I know but we pride ourselves on being the worst

[JeanieC,Aston]

7 minutes ago, S1971 said:

 

Exactly, that's why I take all these figures with a pinch of salt.

 

 

The figures are audited surely…the financial institutions wouldn’t lend them the money to finance new ships if the wasnt.

[Ardennais]

I would argue that things are different post-covid, but not necessarily worse. 
 

Ok, no flowers in MDR and cabin, no individual toiletries, no pen and paper in cabin, no chocolates on pillow etc. Do we miss these things - NO! And I suppose we could ask for fresh towels in the evening - I’ll have to ask next time.
 

We think that Iona offers so much and during term time, offers excellent value for money. School holidays possibly different in terms of slower service, which is most unfair when considering that prices are higher. 
 

I have personally never understood why people take their own alcohol aboard. You don’t take your own food to restaurants. Anyway, I’ll leave it at that!
 

On Iona last week, we had three new cruisers in our group. 3 young men in their 20s with healthy appetites who were simply bowled over by all the different offerings. They particularly enjoyed the Olive Grove and couldn’t believe that the supplement on a few dishes was so low. They also thought that bar prices were very reasonable. Our daughters and their partners eat out a lot at home and enjoy visiting different restaurants and can be quite critical. Not so on Iona. 
 

We had a very mediocre evening meal in Southampton pre-cruise which came to well over £200 for the eight of us. Our children and their partners often stay in city hotels on a bed only basis and breakfast in local cafes. We did that with them in Manchester last Christmas and the bill again was significant. On the way home last week, we stopped at some services and remarked how pricey everything was after a week of all-inclusive (excluding drinks) on Iona, 

 

Put in context, cruising on Iona offers excellent value for money. 
 

 

[JeanieC,Aston]

1 minute ago, Bazrat said:

I know but we pride ourselves on being the worst

The report is in ‘Must try harder’.

[Windsurfboy]

A lot of people are saying  they will leave P&O,  some quote Saga.

Saga just published latest 6 months.  Average per deim was £331 per passenger.  OK this includes suites,  singles. When you take into account the numbers of each type of cabin, average for standard balcony  cabin in last 6 months is £285pppn . Many including myself still think Saga is worth it. But it's a huge step up in cost to P&O.  P&O is still  value, but its a different line to what it was.

Edited May 11 by Windsurfboy
Spelling

[yorkshirephil]

1 minute ago, S1971 said:

Allegedly being in debt, but that as we all know is nonsense.

You only need to look at Carnivals own figures which are regulated in the same way as any company listing on the various indexes. Carnival have a massive debt which they are constantly refinancing. 

[S1971]

3 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

You only need to look at Carnivals own figures which are regulated in the same way as any company listing on the various indexes. Carnival have a massive debt which they are constantly refinancing. 

 

In all honesty it would be wasted on me, the figures are all different wherever you look.

[Selbourne]

33 minutes ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Hi

A company can be in profit and have huge debt.

Most companies carry debt,,,how do you think they finance their Huge ship building programmes.

The question is are they making enough profit to service the debt and increasing costs.

I was about to make a similar point, but you have explained it better than I would! Carnivals debt burden is almost like that of a small country so, as you say, the operating profit is but one part of a much bigger picture. You only need to look at the share price pre and post Covid to see the damage that debt mountain has had on the value of the business. It’s worth less than 25% of what it was at peak, in spite of all the new ships.

[Eglesbrech]

44 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

We are on Princess at present and the regulars have similar complaints. I appreciate both P&O and Princess are Carnival brands, but I bet Royal Caribbean, Cebrity, MSC, NCL, Saga, Fred etc are all saying the same thing. If cruise lines need to increase revenue to satisfy shareholders, then prices will need to rise, and we have the choice to accept the increase or not.

You are correct John.

 

As an example those with the Aurea experience on MSC used to get the basic drinks package included which has now been removed (prices are apparently reduced a bit but not by the package price).

 

Diamond voyages members used to get a sculpted chocolate ship, it’s now a toblerone!

Most of the lines are making small changes so they can reduce the base price advertised.

We used to book suites on P&O but many years ago decided it was not value for money as they offer so few extras. Now we book standard cabins for the odd P&O we do and suites on lines that offer much more for the money.
 

Princess took away the previously free and very popular Alfredo’s, then added it as a new benefit to their drinks packages. All hell let loose on the boards about that 
 

It’s all choices and what is important to me may not be to others. What annoys others may not even register for me.

[JeanieC,Aston]

I have sailed many Celebrity cruises always with AI,,,but not now,apart from astronomical rises in cruise prices to the point where I see no value.

Last spring I sailed X from Southampton and found they had taken Boddingtons Bitter off the menu and put Guinness into the Premium DP.

 

Now if that isn’t a reason not to sail Celebrity again,,I don’t know what is.

[Selbourne]

57 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

We used to book suites on P&O but many years ago decided it was not value for money as they offer so few extras

Exactly the same with us. 

[Windsurfboy]

51 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

 

We used to book suites on P&O but many years ago decided it was not value for money as they offer so few extras. Now we book standard cabins for the odd P&O we do and suites on lines that offer much more for the money 

 

It’s all choices and what is important to me may not be to others. What annoys others may not even register for me.

 

I think suites on P&O are great value . Physically as good as any other.

 

Price wise half the price of say Cunard QG or a Saga midship suite.

 

Yes you don't get much as other lines in extras , but even with the cost of speciality restaurants every night, plus excellent wine and champagne. You can create everything you get on others for less. Anyway that's the experiment I'm  trying. The only negative is gamble in hoping to book restaurants.  With the huge rear balcony on aft suites you can avoid sunbed wars

[Megabear2]

1 hour ago, Bazrat said:

So your saying we are not trying hard enough to be worse then other boards

I promise to try harder ..

[Megabear2]

1 hour ago, Ardennais said:

I would argue that things are different post-covid, but not necessarily worse. 
 

Ok, no flowers in MDR and cabin, no individual toiletries, no pen and paper in cabin, no chocolates on pillow etc. Do we miss these things - NO! And I suppose we could ask for fresh towels in the evening - I’ll have to ask next time.
 

We think that Iona offers so much and during term time, offers excellent value for money. School holidays possibly different in terms of slower service, which is most unfair when considering that prices are higher. 
 

I have personally never understood why people take their own alcohol aboard. You don’t take your own food to restaurants. Anyway, I’ll leave it at that!
 

On Iona last week, we had three new cruisers in our group. 3 young men in their 20s with healthy appetites who were simply bowled over by all the different offerings. They particularly enjoyed the Olive Grove and couldn’t believe that the supplement on a few dishes was so low. They also thought that bar prices were very reasonable. Our daughters and their partners eat out a lot at home and enjoy visiting different restaurants and can be quite critical. Not so on Iona. 
 

We had a very mediocre evening meal in Southampton pre-cruise which came to well over £200 for the eight of us. Our children and their partners often stay in city hotels on a bed only basis and breakfast in local cafes. We did that with them in Manchester last Christmas and the bill again was significant. On the way home last week, we stopped at some services and remarked how pricey everything was after a week of all-inclusive (excluding drinks) on Iona, 

 

Put in context, cruising on Iona offers excellent value for money. 
 

 

Totally agree, hotel pricing but does really depend where you are. For instance one night mediocre Holiday Inn Express Greenwich this Thursday - £249.00 or One night Premier Inn, Newmarket (not a race day) £196.

 

Just looking at Harrogate, 1 night Crowne Plaza two week times £98.00.

 

 

[Eglesbrech]

3 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

I think suites on P&O are great value . Physically as good as any other.

 

Price wise half the price of say Cunard QG or a Saga midship suite.

 

Yes you don't get much as other lines in extras , but even with the cost of speciality restaurants every night, plus excellent wine and champagne. You can create everything you get on others for less. Anyway that's the experiment I'm  trying. The only negative is gamble in hoping to book restaurants.  With the huge rear balcony on aft suites you can avoid sunbed wars

If that’s what suits you then great. I hope you manage to get the dining reservations. It would be interesting to hear how your experiment goes.

 

You don’t however get the same as other suites eg on MSC

 

Boarding at 10 am with a butler to collect you and take you straight to your private lounge. Drinks and snacks all day.

 

Full service YC pool and sunbeds area with food & drinks service.

 

Evening entertainment in the suites only lounge

 

Reserved seats in the theatre every night and butler takes you there to bypass any queues.

 

Priority lift call

 

Priority off and back on at every port

 

Stocked and replenished mini bar / bottle of choice for the cabin / premier extra drinks package/ treats in cabin every night

 

Daily printed newspaper of choice

 

Private restaurant for all meals 

 

etc etc etc

 

Thats not to knock P&O, it’s just a different package that they don’t do

[Windsurfboy]

Sorry you can get much better hotels in UK than premier Inn,  or holiday in  express for £200 a night.  Stayed in a great 4 star hotel outside Worcester on way up to northwest for that money.

 

But I'm not arguing that Cruises can not be great value. 

 

It depends on what you  book.  Very hard to beat the quality you get on P&O for the money on a inside cabin.

 

But once you are spending £500 a night on a P&O suite or £1000 night on a Cunard or Saga suite, can get exceptional land holidays for that money. It is then a matter of personal preference to cruise or UK or fly.

[Windsurfboy]

4 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

If that’s what suits you then great. I hope you manage to get the dining reservations. It would be interesting to hear how your experiment goes.

 

You don’t however get the same as other suites eg on MSC

 

Boarding at 10 am with a butler to collect you and take you straight to your private lounge. Drinks and snacks all day.

 

Full service YC pool and sunbeds area with food & drinks service.

 

Evening entertainment in the suites only lounge

 

Reserved seats in the theatre every night and butler takes you there to bypass any queues.

 

Priority lift call

 

Priority off and back on at every port

 

Stocked and replenished mini bar / bottle of choice for the cabin / premier extra drinks package/ treats in cabin every night

 

Daily printed newspaper of choice

 

Private restaurant for all meals 

 

etc etc etc

 

Thats not to knock P&O, it’s just a different package that they don’t do

 

Luckily I  have got dinning booked.  It is a one off experiment so far Sagabis our go to line.

 

Never tried Yacht club,  much of what you quote , mini bar etc can be paid for . 

 

My one reservation is plan to use own balcony,  I  think my wife may miss the YC sun deck , she always ends up chaaway to neighbours. 

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, S1971 said:

 

In all honesty it would be wasted on me, the figures are all different wherever you look.

I suggest you look at the audited annual accounts if you want the official figures.

 

 

[Eglesbrech]

10 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

Luckily I  have got dinning booked.  It is a one off experiment so far Sagabis our go to line.

 

Never tried Yacht club,  much of what you quote , mini bar etc can be paid for . 

 

My one reservation is plan to use own balcony,  I  think my wife may miss the YC sun deck , she always ends up chaaway to neighbours. 

Great re the dining.

 

We have not tried SAGA as yet. We are finding MSC Yacht club suits us well.

 

Yes you can pay for the mini bar but on P&O not pre booked theatre seats nor a nice quiet private lounge and restaurant which we enjoy. I also really enjoy avoiding almost every queue but others may not find that an issue.