Cunard drinks are such a rip off..

[ToadOfToadHall]

LOL.

 

So we can put that topic to rest because "Alternative Facts" ?

 

Not really.

 

The prices on Cunard are very high. The prices on Celebrity are obscene. Just because Celebrity prices are, quite frankly, laughable (almost 10 quid for a bottle of London Pride - I mean, come on), does not make the Cunard prices acceptable.

[ToadOfToadHall]

$6.50 For a pint of Guinness is £5

 

It's actually more like £5.80 as the 15% is not open to debate.

[Shuffleboard Dude]

It's probably worth remembering that the pound has lost 25% of its value since 2013, 10% alone since April 2018.

So what was once a good price has turned into a rip-off despite the fact that Cunard didn't change anything.

[Host Hattie]

It's probably worth remembering that the pound has lost 25% of its value since 2013, 10% alone since April 2018.

So what was once a good price has turned into a rip-off despite the fact that Cunard didn't change anything.

Exactly, when I first cruised you could buy OBC from Cunard at 2$ to the £.

With those exchange rates the prices would be cheaper than P&O.

[warringtonian]

I once had a waiter approach me in the grills room to see if I wanted a drink and I said that I fancied a margarita but that drinks on ships always tasted like they had forgotten the alcohol. He said "Leave it to me" and came back with a drink that tasted exactly like it should.

[ZZRLAD]

The list posted by Host Hattie are less than I paid last month on Q.V. granted not by much but it’s not the latest prices. New prices were introduced on that cruise 20th July to 3rd August.

However, to also compare fairly instead of using celebrity prices. Why not use the Cunard sister company I.e P&O ? That would be more of a reasonable comparison as they are both basically the same, in terms of corporates purchasing and associated costs and taxes and operate mostly from Southampton.

In this case P&O prices seem to appear to be around 2/3 of Cunard but also crucially don’t then add a gratuity.

Cunard are very expensive but you know that when you book a cruise with them. But also to agree with others, apart from an hour before dinner and an hour or so after dinner the bars are fairly empty.

If think if they priced drinks (especially wine) more reasonably then they would actually increase their revenue and profits overall.

[majortom10]

$6.50 For a pint of Guinness is £5

 

$6-50 x15% =$7-50 and at current rates for $ in the UK being $1-25 to the £ makes it £6.

[Host Hattie]

The list posted by Host Hattie are less than I paid last month on Q.V. granted not by much but it’s not the latest prices. New prices were introduced on that cruise 20th July to 3rd August.

However, to also compare fairly instead of using celebrity prices. Why not use the Cunard sister company I.e P&O ? That would be more of a reasonable comparison as they are both basically the same, in terms of corporates purchasing and associated costs and taxes and operate mostly from Southampton.

In this case P&O prices seem to appear to be around 2/3 of Cunard but also crucially don’t then add a gratuity.

Cunard are very expensive but you know that when you book a cruise with them. But also to agree with others, apart from an hour before dinner and an hour or so after dinner the bars are fairly empty.

If think if they priced drinks (especially wine) more reasonably then they would actually increase their revenue and profits overall.

The comparisons were made to Celebrity because that is who the OP mentioned.

Nobody would argue that P&O drinks prices aren't cheaper and if that's important (& to avoid the exchange rate problems) then P&O might be a good choice. I have only sailed with them once and our total on board spend was higher, we found the included food so poor we spent money at the alternative dining restaurants.

[Tangoqueen]

Thanks, Host Hattie,

 

I'll post the bar menu of Celebrity Solstice when we are there, but as far as I remember, no beer could have been found at $6,-- like there are plenty on QM2.

 

 

I guess that the myth of Cunard drink price ripoffs will soon be busted.

 

 

 

Remember there’s 15% to be added to each drink

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Jack E Dawson]

LafyVol1,

Since the Manhattan is our go-to drink for a final-final in the evening I will be quite sure to confirm the price next week. We usually end up in either the Chart Room or Commodore Club at the end of the night depending on if we feel like listening to Jazz or Piano music at that point.

[Yoshikitty]

Remember there’s 15% to be added to each drink

 

Yes and 18% with Celebrity.

I‘ve just left it out to make benchmarking as simple as possible

[UFMOM]

We will be on the Sept. 15, 2019 crossing with the balcony drinks package. Am I right in assuming that the 8.95 drinks would be below our 9.00 dollar threshold or would the gratuity be counted in to put it above . I know we are over a year out and prices always go up, not down, so I hope these hold steady. By the way, I think the prices were quite reasonable for a cruise.

 

 

 

Mary Ann

[ratflinger]

Wow, I can't believe the whining about drink prices. Folks I travel 100% with my job - Go to the bar at any Marriott, in any decent sized city and a cocktail will be $12 - $15 and beer will be $9 or $10 plus a tip when you settle up.

[ratflinger]

We will be on the Sept. 15, 2019 crossing with the balcony drinks package. Am I right in assuming that the 8.95 drinks would be below our 9.00 dollar threshold or would the gratuity be counted in to put it above . I know we are over a year out and prices always go up, not down, so I hope these hold steady. By the way, I think the prices were quite reasonable for a cruise.

 

 

 

Mary Ann

 

 

You'll be fine - the package covers up to a $9 drink & then covers the gratuity. Yeah I asked that too :D

[Windsurfboy]

There are two questions.

 

Firstly is Cunard much dearer than other cruise lines or 4/5 star hotels or top restaurants, I would say NOT

 

Secondly are the prices in all these establishments expensive, and a bit of a rip off, possibly YES.

 

But you pays your money and takes your choice. There are cheap all inclusive cruises and hotels if that's the most important criteria.

 

PS :RE The price of a pint of Guinness, $6.50, £5 without sevice or £6 with service. If it being compared to a pub where you serve yourself, i.e. with no service charge then £6 is dear. But in a lounge in a hotel where you are being served at your seat, where one would be expected to add a service charge / tip , then it's not that dear. Although the red lion is called a pub, you can't compare it to pub prices, it must be compared to a upmarket hotel.

[ToadOfToadHall]

Wow, I can't believe the whining about drink prices. Folks I travel 100% with my job - Go to the bar at any Marriott, in any decent sized city and a cocktail will be $12 - $15 and beer will be $9 or $10 plus a tip when you settle up.

 

But not in the UK it's not.

 

For example, I sometimes drink in the Hilton in Liverpool. A pint of beer is between £4 and £5 depending on what you have. That's the price, no one expects a tip. £5 is $6.45. It's not $10 + tip like you are expecting to pay.

 

And that's the problem right there; It seems reasonable hotels in the US (Hilton,Marriott etc) are changing roughly twice what the UK charges.

 

So, as can be seen from the comments on here, people in the US think the prices on Cunard are reasonable (because they compare them to what they pay in a hotel in the US) and people in the UK think they are expensive because they too compare them to UK prices.

[Yoshikitty]

I fail to understand the issue of a £ 4-5 beer in the Liverpool Hilton and a £ 5-6 beer on Queen Mary 2!

 

It‘s the QM2, and you pay for it on top and it‘s still cheaper than in my last pub in London.

 

 

It‘s much cheaper to stay in Liverpool.

[Solent Richard]

€32.30 for two glasses of box standard Pinot.... what a con...

 

 

And why I always buy the bottle.

[Solent Richard]

But not in the UK it's not.

 

For example, I sometimes drink in the Hilton in Liverpool. A pint of beer is between £4 and £5 depending on what you have. That's the price, no one expects a tip. £5 is $6.45. It's not $10 + tip like you are expecting to pay.

 

And that's the problem right there; It seems reasonable hotels in the US (Hilton,Marriott etc) are changing roughly twice what the UK charges.

 

So, as can be seen from the comments on here, people in the US think the prices on Cunard are reasonable (because they compare them to what they pay in a hotel in the US) and people in the UK think they are expensive because they too compare them to UK prices.

 

Actually I'm from the UK and I think Cunard prices are reasonable, particularly when one considers the location, atmosphere and, oh yes, we are on holiday.

 

As I have often said, the moment one starts worrying about price, that's the moment your personal enjoyment barometer goes into free fall.

[Wordzz]

I'm not really sure what the point of all these comparisons is, to be honest. That said, a couple of weeks ago I was sitting in the bar of a very nice upscale hotel in London. I didn't order a pint of Guiness, but we did have a couple of cocktails. They were £18.50 (about $24?) each, and they weren't the most expensive drinks on the menu. Doesn't prove a thing, of course, except perhaps that it depends what (or where) you are comparing against. Yes it was expensive, but we chose to be there. Drinks on Cunard might also be a bit on the pricey side (though not that pricey!), but again, we choose to be there. I don't want to go on P&O, and what Cunard - and especially QM2 - delivers for us is way more important than the bar prices.

[Solent Richard]

Sorry, have never seen a Cunard Sommelier pour a glass of wine from a box. However, witnessed this by guests in various venues on another line.

 

You appear to be an officianardo of BIB.

 

Believe it or not there are some folk who bring wine boxes onboard QM2.

[majortom10]

If as everyone who says that drinks on Cunard are not a rip off, they might not be compared to US as drinks prices are in general dearer than the UK or drinking in a upmarket hotel in London then why are most of the bars relatively empty at night except for prior to dinner. Surprisingly many cruisers on Cunard from the UK and from north of the country would find the drinks prices either a rip off or expensive at least.

[LadyL1]

I'm not really sure what the point of all these comparisons is, to be honest. That said, a couple of weeks ago I was sitting in the bar of a very nice upscale hotel in London. I didn't order a pint of Guiness, but we did have a couple of cocktails. They were £18.50 (about $24?) each, and they weren't the most expensive drinks on the menu. Doesn't prove a thing, of course, except perhaps that it depends what (or where) you are comparing against. Yes it was expensive, but we chose to be there. Drinks on Cunard might also be a bit on the pricey side (though not that pricey!), but again, we choose to be there. I don't want to go on P&O, and what Cunard - and especially QM2 - delivers for us is way more important than the bar prices.

 

Well said! I agree with your summing up entirely; to travel with Cunard because we like it.

[babs135]

My view is that yes, for us in the UK the price of the drinks is high, BUT I'm on holiday on probably the finest cruise line there is and if I want a drink I will have one.

[simonsolent]

Regardless of each persons perception of 'value', unfortunately fewer and fewer people are frequenting the bars in the evenings. During our most recent TA, the bars were empty by midnight and even the casino was finished up by 1.30. Such a shame on a TA (especially west-bound); 10 years ago it was a very different story.