All inclusive

With a limit on the drink you are now allowed to bring on board, do you think P&O are looking to go all inclusive?

If they were, do you think the latest brawl on a Carnival ship may make them think twice?

I am not a snob and have only done 4 cruises, but I have seen standards start to slip. If P&O want to introduce an all inclusive type cruise, may I suggest only on limited sailings and ships, to give us old godgers the option to steer clear:)

With a limit on the drink you are now allowed to bring on board, do you think P&O are looking to go all inclusive?

 

If they were, do you think the latest brawl on a Carnival ship may make them think twice?

 

I am not a snob and have only done 4 cruises, but I have seen standards start to slip. If P&O want to introduce an all inclusive type cruise, may I suggest only on limited sailings and ships, to give us old godgers the option to steer clear:)

I hope they don't go down the all inclusive path. IMHO the only people who benefit are the heavy drinkers while the non-drinkers supplement them because the cost of the cruise will rise for everyone regardless of how much or how little they consume.

We went on Celebrity 3 years ago and got a " free drinks package ", we do not drink during the day and tend to have one glass of wine with dinner and one other drink after we have been to the show. We often saw the same people propping up the bars all day every day obviously bent on getting their money's worth. These people were not the majority but by evening some were becoming belligerent and sometimes making other passengers uncomfortable.

Based on our Celebrity cruise we will not go on any cruise or holiday that is all-inclusive again.

Given the market segment that Carnival are positioning P&O in they will have to offer drinks packages eventually. When they judge it will be costing them revenue not to do it then it will happen. All inclusive holidays are an important part of the business.

Last Fred O cruise was free tips and tipples, so all wine and drinks in the bar were free. It was fine. Didn't see any mis-use of it. But then maybe the clientele are older? And actually, just not being allowed to bring booze on board doesn't really affect that does it? When you could bring any amount on, I didn't see people emerging from their cabins drunk?

I have been on Costa (another Carnival brand along with P&O) a few times and they offer all inclusive drinks for a fairly cheap price. I have never seen any drunkenness, and frankly you see far more alcohol being consumed in the 'pub' bar on any P&O cruise.

Last Fred O cruise was free tips and tipples, so all wine and drinks in the bar were free. It was fine. Didn't see any mis-use of it. But then maybe the clientele are older? And actually, just not being allowed to bring booze on board doesn't really affect that does it? When you could bring any amount on, I didn't see people emerging from their cabins drunk?

Could possibly be a contributary factor. I have recently taken a couple of coastal small ship cruises in Croatia with Saga. A free bar was available every day from 11am until 10pm but it was not abused and I never saw anyone the worse for wear from excess consumption.

I have been on Costa (another Carnival brand along with P&O) a few times and they offer all inclusive drinks for a fairly cheap price. I have never seen any drunkenness, and frankly you see far more alcohol being consumed in the 'pub' bar on any P&O cruise.

Were the bulk of the passengers Italian? Unlike the British, they do not have a culture of alcohol consumption for entertaiment, regarding it instead as an accompaniment to dining. As a Costa employee said to me once, the Italians come to the disco to dance but do not drink. The British come to the disco to drink but do not dance. This was confirmed by personal observation, with the Italians on the dancefloor and the Brtitish at the bar.

We have been to a Warner’s when it was an all in weekend. Not a good idea.

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Whilst All Inclusive can be a 'drunkards' charter', that doesn't necessarily mean it will be. I was recently on a Marella (Thomson) All Inclusive cruise and did not witness any drunken behaviour - mind you, I was always in bed a little after midnight! What would concern me more is that All Inclusive can mean being palmed off with sub-standard alcohol. On Marella Discovery 2, if you did not ask for a brand-name specifically, you got a cheap drink. For instance, if I didn't ask for Gordons Gin, they served something called Kamel Gin, which had very little taste to it.

Whilst All Inclusive can be a 'drunkards' charter', that doesn't necessarily mean it will be. I was recently on a Marella (Thomson) All Inclusive cruise and did not witness any drunken behaviour - mind you, I was always in bed a little after midnight! What would concern me more is that All Inclusive can mean being palmed off with sub-standard alcohol. On Marella Discovery 2, if you did not ask for a brand-name specifically, you got a cheap drink. For instance, if I didn't ask for Gordons Gin, they served something called Kamel Gin, which had very little taste to it.

all you need to do is ask for the brand by name. The Marella Discoveries drinks package is IMO excellent value. Of course you can't not have it which some are not happy about.

all you need to do is ask for the brand by name...

Which is what I did once I worked out that the cheap gin was given as a default. I just think it is a bit disingenuous to make a point in the brochure and on-line that the All Inclusive includes brand-name spirits but then serve a poor quality spirit as the default.

I hope they don't go down the all inclusive path. IMHO the only people who benefit are the heavy drinkers while the non-drinkers supplement them because the cost of the cruise will rise for everyone regardless of how much or how little they consume.

 

We went on Celebrity 3 years ago and got a " free drinks package ", we do not drink during the day and tend to have one glass of wine with dinner and one other drink after we have been to the show. We often saw the same people propping up the bars all day every day obviously bent on getting their money's worth. These people were not the majority but by evening some were becoming belligerent and sometimes making other passengers uncomfortable.

 

Based on our Celebrity cruise we will not go on any cruise or holiday that is all-inclusive again.

What I like about the Celebrity package is that even for those who drink little alcohol there is a brilliant selection of coffee, teas, hot chocolate, soft drinks, mock tails, fresh press fruit and vegetable juices to choose from. You can also get bottled water for taking ashore or to the cabin.

A decent coffee can cost every bit as much as an alcholic drink so non drinkers can also benefit from a package IMO.

For me the packages that are subsidised by those who don't drink or drink little alcohol are the ones which exclude many of the hot drinks and water etc and only offer post mix soft drinks from the spray thing (very technical)

I would say you were just very unlucky if you saw drunks on a Celebrity cruise, we have been on many and never seen anyone who has been belligerent. Merry perhaps but not belligerent.

 

We went on Celebrity 3 years ago and got a " free drinks package ", we do not drink during the day and tend to have one glass of wine with dinner and one other drink after we have been to the show. We often saw the same people propping up the bars all day every day obviously bent on getting their money's worth. These people were not the majority but by evening some were becoming belligerent and sometimes making other passengers uncomfortable.

 

Based on our Celebrity cruise we will not go on any cruise or holiday that is all-inclusive again.

OTOH, on four Celebrity cruises with most passengers having a drinks package, I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of noticeably drunk people I've seen. Given the prices of drinks on Celebrity, and that the packages include bottled water and the usual range of coffees, the packages are well worth it if included in the price. Two coffees, two glasses of wine, a couple of bottles of beer in the heat of the day and a Bailey's can easily reach $60.

Stuart

With a limit on the drink you are now allowed to bring on board, do you think P&O are looking to go all inclusive?

 

If they were, do you think the latest brawl on a Carnival ship may make them think twice?

 

I am not a snob and have only done 4 cruises, but I have seen standards start to slip. If P&O want to introduce an all inclusive type cruise, may I suggest only on limited sailings and ships, to give us old godgers the option to steer clear:)

I have never seen more drunk people on an all inclusive cruise than a not all inclusive cruise