Lets try to sort out the (complicated) ai drinks issues

[sodafountain]

Ah. Now I see what they mean by soft drinks. Half a can of someone else's fizzy drink that has been sitting going flat being as a can will have been opened and poured over half a glass of ice thus leaving the remainder for the next customer.:eek::)

 

Although, in theory, as this is now standard practice, cans should be used quite quickly, i can't see it being hours (or even an hour) between 1 person orderin something with coke and then someone else ordering something with coke from the same waiter.

 

In the past, as everyone had cans that wanted them, obviously those not askign for cans was few and far apart, so drinks were going flat between pours, now though, they should be used up quite quickly.

 

Still not right though, but must admit, when i found out you could ask for cans unopened, we always got a few fo going ashore with, as did many others, probably just 1 of the reasons it has stopped (don't shoot me, i just followed the crowd).

[Jim The Scot]

Easy then.If someone goes to the bar for a soft drink the bar staff open the tin at the bar.If requested from a waiter in the bar its opened at your table

 

sodafountain,I had numerous flat mixers in my drinks hence why last year requested a tin for my mixer

[sodafountain]

sodafountain,I had numerous flat mixers in my drinks hence why last year requested a tin for my mixer

 

Yes, i know, but that was last year, surely BEFORE this change in system, thus my comment, if you re-read what i said.

 

Although, in theory, as this is now standard practice, cans should be used quite quickly, i can't see it being hours (or even an hour) between 1 person orderin something with coke and then someone else ordering something with coke from the same waiter.

 

In the past, as everyone had cans that wanted them, obviously those not asking for cans was few and far apart, so drinks were going flat between pours, now though, they should be used up quite quickly.

 

My reasoning being, as everyone is now going to be served from cans, there shouldn't be cans left lying around for hours, chances are an open can will be used up within minutes.

[Tina.w12]

"simple answer, ban the booze and put cans back to how they were"

I disagree, even if we are on AI we still buy booze from the shop for the cabin. We both like a drink while changing for the evening and the cabin staff always fetch us ice and at the end of the night we might have a nightcap. Also we fill up water bottles with cocktails while we are ashore hic hic.

 

If they banned booze being either bought at the shop or brought on board then it would be as bad as on the american ships with the Rum Runners, I want to enjoy a drink, not sneak about with my booze.:D

[Jim The Scot]

Yes, i know, but that was last year, surely BEFORE this change in system, thus my comment, if you re-read what i said.

 

 

 

My reasoning being, as everyone is now going to be served from cans, there shouldn't be cans left lying around for hours, chances are an open can will be used up within minutes.

 

Gotcha

 

If they gave me a full can, that does me 3 drinks there would be less lying around :D

 

The issue I have and call me pedantic but if I ask for a glass of coke I expect to get the full contents of the tin in my glass.Just give me the tin,opened at bar or table.

 

Also,what do they constitute as a glass of coke?If someone asks for a pint of coke which would require a minimum of two tins will they be refused?

[Rebel Rouser]

Gotcha

 

If they gave me a full can, that does me 3 drinks there would be less lying around :D

 

 

Not after 12 cans :D

[sodafountain]

Gotcha

 

If they gave me a full can, that does me 3 drinks there would be less lying around :D

 

The issue I have and call me pedantic but if I ask for a glass of coke I expect to get the full contents of the tin in my glass.Just give me the tin,opened at bar or table.

 

Also,what do they constitute as a glass of coke?If someone asks for a pint of coke which would require a minimum of two tins will they be refused?

 

Maybe we should all try it on our next cruises, ask for a pint of coke, or a large glass of coke, see what happens.

 

I believe they could have easily got round this whole situation by insisting the can is opened when purchased (to stop us taking it ashore), if this is the whole reasonong behind it (or one of the reasons anyway). This is what happens when you buy a can in a pub (alcoholic can anyway).

 

I am sure someone has probably checked the computers, and seen on port days how many passengers go to the bar, order a can of drink, and then magically leave the ship 5 minutes later (or maybe visit 2 different bars to get exta cans, then leave ship).

[Jim The Scot]

Not after 12 cans :D

 

:D

 

Maybe we should all try it on our next cruises, ask for a pint of coke, or a large glass of coke, see what happens.

 

I intend to ;)

 

I believe they could have easily got round this whole situation by insisting the can is opened when purchased (to stop us taking it ashore),

 

Exactly this

 

 

 

 

Must go,need a drink after all this

[skioncruises]

"The issue I have and call me pedantic but if I ask for a glass of coke I expect to get the full contents of the tin in my glass.Just give me the tin,opened at bar or table."

 

 

I agree with you on the above Jim.

 

What's the problem with taking a can on shore? The table is at the gangway before leaving the ship specifically for drinks to be purchased.:confused:

 

Am I right in saying that they used to serve mini cans of mixers to go with spirits and 330ml cans for just fizzy drinks. If you specifically wanted a 330ml can, which you would presumably use more than once or make a long drink, you were charged the fizzy drink price.

[sodafountain]

What's the problem with taking a can on shore? The table is at the gangway before leaving the ship specifically for drinks to be purchased.:confused:

 

Were these not treated the same as the drinks in your cabin though, as in, you will be charged for them, even if you had AI, that was the impression i always got.

 

Therefore people cottoned on and got their drinks from the bar.

 

In theory, anything bought with your AI should be consumed on the ship, which is probably why they have stopped issuing cans.

[whistlerbc]

£200 pppw.:eek: I'd have to drink a helluva lot of coke for that. Even DH would have to go some to consume a few pints to pay that in a week. In over 20 years of cruising our drinks bill for two weeks has never been reached above £250.

 

There are cruisers (including me) who don't drink but will be penalised. I also feel sorry for the families who will be cruising during the summer and may have the AI/Drinks Package thinking their spends are sorted until their kids want fizzy drinks and find there is a supplement.:eek:

 

You absolutely would not lose out, the idea isn't to do away with pay as you go but to make a standard price (£200) for a standard AI package which offers a proper uncomplicated drinks list offering decent brands and cans of soft drink. Standard packages for soft drinks, wine and beer should also be available to purchase onboard all the ships. That way there is something to suit everyone and no one would as you say be penalised which currently is me with an asking price for a half rate AI package at £200pppw! :mad:

 

Totally agree re kids and canned drinks on this new product, there will be a number of angry parents!!!

[whistlerbc]

Were these not treated the same as the drinks in your cabin though, as in, you will be charged for them, even if you had AI, that was the impression i always got.

 

Therefore people cottoned on and got their drinks from the bar.

 

In theory, anything bought with your AI should be consumed on the ship, which is probably why they have stopped issuing cans.

 

I see where your coming from there sodafountain but I read that to mean if Thomson sell cans at the gangway then there is no reason not to take a can from AI onshore?

 

I don't really see any problem with people taking cans ashore either. At the most people are likely to go off for the day with maybe 2 each and the cost of this is pennies. Thomson will want people off the ship when in port so they eat and drink less onboard. The ones that do stay onboard in port could in theory drink 40, 50, 100 cans a day of soft drink or beer or cocktails if they wanted to?? Something wrong there, its no skin off Thomsons nose to send people ashore with a can of drink that has been purchased as part of a package.

 

I maintain Thomson are going about their drinks packages the totally wrong way and in the process they are not maximising their bar profits by selling fairly. Its also not doing their reputation any good when as pointed out earlier the AI and drinks package products are now competative throughout the cruise industry.

[sodafountain]

Thomson will want people off the ship when in port so they eat and drink less onboard. The ones that do stay onboard in port could in theory drink 40, 50, 100 cans a day of soft drink or beer or cocktails if they wanted to??

 

A bit like the bloke on Carry On Cruisng who never left the ship and always went straight for the bar lol

 

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?hl=en&sa=X&tbo=d&biw=1280&bih=822&tbm=isch&tbnid=Ko4Iyo-K7V5BkM:&imgrefurl=http://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx%3FActorID%3D16518&docid=751cXTrsZAzsIM&imgurl=http://www.wearysloth.com/Gallery/ActorsS/16518-2995.gif&w=320&h=240&ei=eoD1ULqKB-Od0QXS9YC4Aw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=250&sig=107719092863355598825&page=1&tbnh=136&tbnw=181&start=0&ndsp=39&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:82&tx=60&ty=82

[geomagot]

We're going to have to watch that - our youngsters often go to the bar to get their own soft drinks - I can just see the bar staff taking advantage, giving them a can & getting them to sign for it & we end up paying 95p per can! I always check my receipts to ensure it shows as "nil" before I sign

 

it was an ongoing battle to get them to serve soft drinks in glasses:mad:

 

a glass (with ice) of coke is half a can (£1.10)

 

we were not on ai, I kept telling the kids to order a coke by the glass but they were always ALWAYS given a can! (£1.80) basically 2 glasses (I know it looks like better value but why buy 2 when they only wanted one)

 

one time I ordered a glass of fizzy....was (by pure happenchance) given a glass of fizzy, i handed over the card, the bar steward took one look at the card saw we were not on ai and insisted that we take the rest of the can....what a performance!

 

also if you are not on ai and order a spirit with mixer you are given a tall glass (filled up) if you are on ai and order a spirit & mixer you are given a tumbler with a splash of mixer

[Grez]

You absolutely would not lose out, the idea isn't to do away with pay as you go but to make a standard price (£200) for a standard AI package which offers a proper uncomplicated drinks list offering decent brands and cans of soft drink. Standard packages for soft drinks, wine and beer should also be available to purchase onboard all the ships. That way there is something to suit everyone and no one would as you say be penalised which currently is me with an asking price for a half rate AI package at £200pppw! :mad:

 

Totally agree re kids and canned drinks on this new product, there will be a number of angry parents!!!

 

According to Thomson, kids on AI can still get cans. Would love to see someone try though!

 

Christina @Thomson says:08/01/2013 at 10:16

Hi Joanne, You’ll be able to purchase our All Inclusive drinks package for your children, but there’s not a special children’s package available. Canned branded soft drinks are included in this package, which range from Sprite to Diet Coke to Ginger Ale. There’s a small supplementary charge for Robinson’s Fruit Shoots, energy drinks and bottled water, but all other soft drinks are included under the AI package.

[thebooler]

Agree but what abut those that purchased AI prior to the new AI drinks list being implimented

 

 

 

Personally think this spirit along with a soft drink(by the glass)mixer being classed as two drinks is farcical.Previously when ordering a vodka and coke for instance was quite happy for it to come already mixed(no tin)but when it frequently kept on being mixed with flat coke from a tin that had obviously being lying on the bar opened for some time was when I started ordering vodka and a tin of coke.Now thats not an option unless I`m willing to pay over the odds for a tin of coke which was free on AI up till November 2012 and the options left open are back to my vodka being topped up with flat coke or once the waiter delivers my vodka is then to ask for a glass of coke(possibly flat)meaning two trips to the bar for the waiter.:confused: This will be one fit waiter with the soles on his shoes thinning rapidly.Last option is to drink the vodka straight

 

Another thing.When the trolley came along the deck often had the odd soft drink( tin)which was free on AI.Does this new system now mean if I order a glass of juice the waiter will open the tin in front of me,pour the whole tin into the glass and its free but if I ask for the soft drink( tin) I will be charged?

 

Does someone actually get paid to come up with these ideas?

 

No. He'll fill the glass with ice, pour half the tin over it, and then do the same with the next customer. 1 tin = 2 glasses.

[thebooler]

Something I`ve never done is bring booze aboard outwith to take home

 

Never really understood this policy of being allowed to bring booze aboard for personal consumption.Surely Thomson would want punters to spend at their bars so why allow booze aboard which can then be consumed in your cabin or in and around the ship resulting in less being spent aboard

 

So you'll drink less on the AI.........................

[Jim The Scot]

No. He'll fill the glass with ice, pour half the tin over it, and then do the same with the next customer. 1 tin = 2 glasses.

Dont take ice so will request the full tin

 

So you'll drink less on the AI.........................

 

Not everyone is on AI

 

also if you are not on ai and order a spirit with mixer you are given a tall glass (filled up) if you are on ai and order a spirit & mixer you are given a tumbler with a splash of mixer

 

Never heard anything so absurd.I`ll be requesting a tall tumbler.This should be fun and games

[geomagot]

fun and games it is:mad:

 

also lookout for phantom minibar charges!

 

except for one bottle of water which we used to fill the kettle we didnt use the minibar at all (in fact I kept my bottles purchased ashore in the fridge)

 

when we received the bill on the last day there were 4 phantom minibar charges on it...its worth keeping your own tally if you do use the minbar

 

BTW anyone else ever noticed this??

[CRUISIN LINDA]

Wouldn,t it be fairer if the A1 offers were just scrapped, then everyone is in the same position. Perhaps drink packages could be bought on board, they were mentioned on a previous post, so many bottles of wine, pints or shorts, whatever is your tipple. I think if people want to get drunk, they will, with or without A1. :confused:

That's a good idea. DH & I only drink beer or wine, and don't drink fizzy drinks or squash, so the onboard offers would suit us better, in fact we shall probably buy the beer offer on the Majesty (if they haven't suddenly decided to scrap in before we go :rolleyes:)

 

I'm a bit of a tightwad, so I always try to drink the free stuff during the day (tea, coffee and water) and have bottle of wine with our dinner at night. We would never pay full price for AI as we have checked on the last two cruises and only drank half of the amount we would have paid for :(

[CRUISIN LINDA]

 

Never really understood this policy of being allowed to bring booze aboard for personal consumption.Surely Thomson would want punters to spend at their bars so why allow booze aboard which can then be consumed in your cabin or in and around the ship resulting in less being spent aboard

 

So you'll drink less on the AI.........................

But surely if you are on AI you wouldn't buy drink off the ship, when it is free on the ship :confused:

[whistlerbc]

According to Thomson, kids on AI can still get cans. Would love to see someone try though!

 

Christina @Thomson says:08/01/2013 at 10:16

Hi Joanne, You’ll be able to purchase our All Inclusive drinks package for your children, but there’s not a special children’s package available. Canned branded soft drinks are included in this package, which range from Sprite to Diet Coke to Ginger Ale. There’s a small supplementary charge for Robinson’s Fruit Shoots, energy drinks and bottled water, but all other soft drinks are included under the AI package.

 

Well well that is interesting!! Guessing this was on Thomson blog? Must go have a look. Not sure whether I'd like to be the one putting this to the test though :rolleyes:

 

Read that again and yes the drinks are canned but that doesn't mean that they won't be 'served by the glass'!

[whistlerbc]

A bit like the bloke on Carry On Cruisng who never left the ship and always went straight for the bar lol

 

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?hl=en&sa=X&tbo=d&biw=1280&bih=822&tbm=isch&tbnid=Ko4Iyo-K7V5BkM:&imgrefurl=http://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx%3FActorID%3D16518&docid=751cXTrsZAzsIM&imgurl=http://www.wearysloth.com/Gallery/ActorsS/16518-2995.gif&w=320&h=240&ei=eoD1ULqKB-Od0QXS9YC4Aw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=250&sig=107719092863355598825&page=1&tbnh=136&tbnw=181&start=0&ndsp=39&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:82&tx=60&ty=82

 

 

Ha ha yes...just like him :D

[kruzseeka]

That's a good idea. DH & I only drink beer or wine, and don't drink fizzy drinks or squash, so the onboard offers would suit us better, in fact we shall probably buy the beer offer on the Majesty (if they haven't suddenly decided to scrap in before we go :rolleyes:)

 

I'm a bit of a tightwad, so I always try to drink the free stuff during the day (tea, coffee and water) and have bottle of wine with our dinner at night. We would never pay full price for AI as we have checked on the last two cruises and only drank half of the amount we would have paid for :(

 

 

That's an idea then as an early booking incentive varying amounts of on-board spend could be offered - £200 p.p./week (equivalent to full price AI) to start with dropping to £100 p.p/week etc. and then disappearing nearer to departure as cruise prices drop (or not as the case may be!) Then you can spend it on what you want - premium, cans, coffees, excursions whatever.

[thebooler]

That's a good idea. DH & I only drink beer or wine, and don't drink fizzy drinks or squash, so the onboard offers would suit us better, in fact we shall probably buy the beer offer on the Majesty (if they haven't suddenly decided to scrap in before we go :rolleyes:)

 

I'm a bit of a tightwad, so I always try to drink the free stuff during the day (tea, coffee and water) and have bottle of wine with our dinner at night. We would never pay full price for AI as we have checked on the last two cruises and only drank half of the amount we would have paid for :(

 

Yer no drinking enough. ;)