Drinks package/policy changes?

[david63]

3 minutes ago, sandancer said:

If you are on a B2B cruise and you buy duty free, are you allowed to collect it on the last night of the first leg and drink it in your cabin on the second leg. We are doing 2 weeks followed by 5 weeks so a bottle or two to drink during the cruise would be very acceptable. 

I would guess - yes.

 

I doubt that the systems are so sophisticated that they would be aware that you are doing a B2B - the only way to find out is to try it.

[yorkshirephil]

1 hour ago, sandancer said:

If you are on a B2B cruise and you buy duty free, are you allowed to collect it on the last night of the first leg and drink it in your cabin on the second leg. We are doing 2 weeks followed by 5 weeks so a bottle or two to drink during the cruise would be very acceptable. 

Being on the same cruises I wondered that too. Because we have more OBC than we need we did plan on buying out duty free on the first cruise. If we get it at the end of the first cruise we would likely drink some on the second depending on what is available. However if they do notice we are on B2B and hold it till the end we will just buy accordingly as we usually get our favourite rum in St Maarten. 

[yorkshirephil]

1 hour ago, david63 said:

Not sure that is always true. I have seen items in the onboard duty free shop cheaper than at some of the ports' duty free shops.

I have certainly noticed that and some of the onboard special offers where they do say 2 for £30 are very good. 

[sandancer]

It’s possibly not relevant to us anymore Phil as we are thinking of cancelling the second cruise unless we can change to another cabin. 

[Presto2]

6 hours ago, david63 said:

Not sure that is always true. I have seen items in the onboard duty free shop cheaper than at some of the ports' duty free shops.

We paid £26 for 2 litres of Bicardi last week on a tui flight from Cyprus.

[GSPG]

On 5/20/2024 at 11:46 AM, Lady Meer said:

Only just discovered this thread. Was it just Bacardi that wasn’t available or did they have other bottles of white rum? 

Back today off the Britannia Baltic cruise, and I thought I’d put the record straight. I should have done this earlier, but decided after my post I wasn’t go to spend any more time on the internet.

 

Despite being told by reception there wasn’t any available for our room, Bacardi WAS available some hours later. Apparently it was onboard, but still had to be unpacked.

Why we weren’t told this by reception, but the goods were delivered.

 

I must say we had a great cruise, with fantastic weather throughout.

 

Faith has been restored in P&O after the last two trips on Arvia and Iona.
Too big for us!

[sweep2907]

To clarify, bottles.were confiscated from suitcases and passenger was called to reception. He had to go and collect it on final night and that was his first hand account at dinner. It was apparent he was not the only one it happened too and word soon spread amongst dinner tables as you'd expect on a cruise. You'll get a note in cabin saying your bag is held at reception and please go down to collect and remove the bottle as obviously they detect it but can't go into your bag. 

[Goosebear Mum]

I wonder how they distinguish bottles of alcohol, from bottles of non alcoholic ginger ale/ elderflower, etc?… 

[MellyMoo1989]

Do P&O still do the Beer Flights on board? I remember reading about one a little while back that sounded very intriguing (Banana Bread beer etc.) but now I can't remember where it was I read it and it doesn't seem to be on the main drinks menu.. unless I'm being dumb... again... 😆

[Selbourne]

11 minutes ago, Goosebear Mum said:

I wonder how they distinguish bottles of alcohol, from bottles of non alcoholic ginger ale/ elderflower, etc?… 

They can’t, which is exactly why I remain suspicious. They will be calling people to reception when the bottle is permitted. Even if it has happened once or twice so that word gets out, they wouldn’t continue doing it. Just not worth the ill will for the odd bottle that they ‘catch’. 

[Goosebear Mum]

Well, I’ll find out soon 🤣 (unless we take cans, but I have loads of bottles at home…)

[FangedRose]

25 minutes ago, Goosebear Mum said:

I wonder how they distinguish bottles of alcohol, from bottles of non alcoholic ginger ale/ elderflower, etc?… 

Obviously they can't. They will ask you to take the bottle out of the bag and show them. If it is alcoholic (unless it is the permitted bottle of wine) they will confiscate it until the end of the cruise. If it is anything else they will thank you for co-opering and wish you a happy holiday. Don't make such a big deal out of a simple process. 

Edited May 31 by FangedRose

[FangedRose]

1 hour ago, FangedRose said:

Obviously they can't. They will ask you to take the bottle out of the bag and show them. If it is alcoholic (unless it is the permitted bottle of wine) they will confiscate it until the end of the cruise. If it is anything else they will thank you for co-opering and wish you a happy holiday. Don't make such a big deal out of a simple process. 

I mean the staff won't make a big deal of a simple process that it is already in place for other contraband.

[david63]

But how will they know if you have also brought a bottle on in your hand luggage?

[Palaceman]

57 minutes ago, david63 said:

But how will they know if you have also brought a bottle on in your hand luggage?

Because your han luggage is scanned as well

[david63]

48 minutes ago, Palaceman said:

Because your han luggage is scanned as well

But not at the same time in the same place

[Northeastcruiser007]

I'm approaching the end of 16 nights on Aurora, with 2 family members.

 

We brought 3 bottles of champagne on board, in our suitcases, as we always do. I'm sure we could have brought 3 more in the hand luggage had we wanted to, which we didn't.

 

Regarding collection of alcohol in ports, the ship has shown little interest.

 

We have bought some liqueurs and unusual wines as gifts for family back home. I would have been happy enough to hand them in, but in most ports there was no one collecting alcohol. I saw someone supposed to be doing so in Tallin, although the man looked bored stiff and appeared to have collected nothing! 

 

This cruise is to Scandinavia. Maybe they would be more rigorous in Med ports, Gibraltar etc?

[Northeastcruiser007]

13 hours ago, MellyMoo1989 said:

Do P&O still do the Beer Flights on board? I remember reading about one a little while back that sounded very intriguing (Banana Bread beer etc.) but now I can't remember where it was I read it and it doesn't seem to be on the main drinks menu.. unless I'm being dumb... again... 😆

Yes, they do. I think they are now £5.25.

[9265359]

On 5/31/2024 at 8:07 PM, sweep2907 said:

To clarify, bottles.were confiscated from suitcases and passenger was called to reception. 

When I boarded Arvia a week ago nobody questioned or asked to look at the two litre bottles of squash that was in my hand luggage, so maybe it is selective checks. 

[FangedRose]

19 minutes ago, 9265359 said:

When I boarded Arvia a week ago nobody questioned or asked to look at the two litre bottles of squash that was in my hand luggage, so maybe it is selective checks. 

There again i've never seen a two litre bottle of squash look anything like a bottle of spirits.

[9265359]

57 minutes ago, FangedRose said:

There again i've never seen a two litre bottle of squash look anything like a bottle of spirits.

Not one two litre bottle, but two litre bottles (plural). 

[MellyMoo1989]

Stupid Question again, sorry… 

 

there seems to be conflicting information on “the site that shall not be named” groups regarding the 15 drinks limit  on board.. 

 

some people seem to be under the impression it’s a 15 alcoholic drinks limit and no limit on soft drinks, mock tails etc.

 

however some people are saying it’s 15 drinks in total, alcoholic or not. 
 

could anyone verify please? 
 

thanks :) 

[david63]

11 minutes ago, MellyMoo1989 said:

some people are saying it’s 15 drinks in total, alcoholic or not.

the limit is for alcoholic drinks  https://www.pocruises.com/content/dam/po/pdfs/Drinks-packages-Terms-and-Conditions-2023-.pdf page 3 - Limits and use

Edited June 3 by david63

[Clodia]

Just come off 2 back to back cruises on Britannia and will be writing to P and O Head Office about some of the issues. As I've previously said, I have no problem with buying bottles of spirits for in cabin consumption from room service, but I DID have some problems actually purchasing said bottles over 3 weeks of cruising; sometimes it was like getting blood out of a stone. Because I am someone who refuses to take no for an answer, I made an enormous fuss, spoke to senior food and beverage staff, and got the short term problem sorted in that I got the bottles I wanted, but you shouldn't have to make a fuss; they should be available, and I was left with the very strong impression that only my loyalty status had led to my getting what I wanted, which shouldn't happen either.

There is clearly an underlying issue which was putting the room service staff under stress and they were reacting badly; given the very good level of service everywhere else on the ship I cannot see why the room service staff should be so poor. I think that the AI ordering system underestimated, on these first 2 cruises, the numbers of bottles that would be ordered by guests who previously brought their own spirits, and they consequently ran out. I shall be seeking reassurance from P and O that this issue will be addressed, and promptly.

Edited June 4 by Clodia

[Bartender1]

Could it be that P&O are attempting to maximise their profits which is their right I suppose. Bar prices are creeping up, spirits have been withdrawn from being able to bring on board, your supposed to hand over any alcohol bought in port. I wouldn't be surprised if next it'll be alcohol must be carried in your hand luggage on embarkation to stop doubling up in suitcase's then they could withdraw being able to buy spirits to consume in your cabin. All this then leaves guests with no choice but to buy from the bar or purchase a drinks package.

Now they're attracting a younger demographic and bookings are doing well they probably think they can push all this through without much fuss.

Sorry it's all a bit negative but .......