Rumours again....

[Caravan 37]

As you say "at the end of the evening" or drink regularly and have struck up a "friendship" with the bar staff.

 

Not at the beginning of the evening in a strange bar in expectation of better service.

 

 

 

When and how much to tip is at my discretion - not other passengers

 

 

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[KarenandPaul]

I wash up three evenings nights a week in my local village country pub approximately 15 to 20 hours a week Any tips are divided between staff on duty at the time . (4 to 6 depending on night) Weekends in the evenings we can often have 200 diners over the course of the evening and if private function in skittle alley more. This is not pub grub, we have extensive gourmet menu Everything home made and use local produce providers. The pub receives mainly 4 or 5 stars and just received an award.

I’m In my 60s working for the minimum wage. Shifts include Saturday Sunday and in the run up to xmas will often be working after midnight especially Saturday nights , Can be six or seven hour shifts with no breaks. The chefs regularly work 12 /14 hour shifts with no breaks

I get my little brown envelope of tips for the week on a Sunday night. On average around the £10 pound. But these tipping posts do make me smile. I’ve done the maths Diners / staff/ hours. The majority of diners don’t tip.

On a side note I have a Cruise Fund Tin and my tips go in every week and I open it up when cruising and use the money for tipping staff.

[grapau27]

Wouldn’t be ‘frowned on’ by the person receiving the cash! [emoji23]

 

 

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Exactly.

[grapau27]

I wash up three evenings nights a week in my local village country pub approximately 15 to 20 hours a week Any tips are divided between staff on duty at the time . (4 to 6 depending on night) Weekends in the evenings we can often have 200 diners over the course of the evening and if private function in skittle alley more. This is not pub grub, we have extensive gourmet menu Everything home made and use local produce providers. The pub receives mainly 4 or 5 stars and just received an award.

I’m In my 60s working for the minimum wage. Shifts include Saturday Sunday and in the run up to xmas will often be working after midnight especially Saturday nights , Can be six or seven hour shifts with no breaks. The chefs regularly work 12 /14 hour shifts with no breaks

I get my little brown envelope of tips for the week on a Sunday night. On average around the £10 pound. But these tipping posts do make me smile. I’ve done the maths Diners / staff/ hours. The majority of diners don’t tip.

On a side note I have a Cruise Fund Tin and my tips go in every week and I open it up when cruising and use the money for tipping staff.

Interesting.

Often when I tip restaurant staff it goes into their pocket.

[grapau27]

Likewise and I like to think that whether I have a drinks package or not (most certainly will) my work life experiences have well equipped me to make my concerns known very politely if I find service problems. Plus it has given me the tenacity of a crab claw to ensure that someone answers those in very short order or finds someone who can help me better.

My thoughts and actions too.

[amajaa]

The more the success of this venture the busier the wait staff will be, as it is only natural to want to get one's value worth. We have seen this on other lines with package schemes, we have had the devil of a time getting a drink when desired.

 

It was an absolute nightmare on MSC trying to get served in any venue as people were making use of the drinks package and all ordering cocktails which all take a bit of time to make. It was quicker to go to the bar but it still took over half an hour each time to get a coke, plus being female they used to ignore me and go to the men stood behind me.

 

If they bring in free drinks packages as an incentive to book I will be going to a different line as I would only have one alcoholic drink a day and don’t like the ‘posh’ coffees. Finding another line though would not be easy.

[NoFlyGuy]

On most of the 8 RCI cruises we've done we,along with many others, had the 'free' drinks package. Waiting time at the bars could be long especially running up to first and second set dining times, but most of the time wasn't too bad.

 

We will not partake of the package on P&O - £50-60 per day between us is the most we average on a P&O cruise, so not cost effective for us as a couple.

 

I had wanted them to introduce a drinks package but, given the individual drinks prices on P&O, hoped that it would be at a more competitive price.

[ONT-CA]

Passengers who had planned to meet socially in the bar for a drink before dinner and who are unable to get service, might they revert to bringing along a drink from their cabin?

[chunkster20uk]

On most of the 8 RCI cruises we've done we,along with many others, had the 'free' drinks package. Waiting time at the bars could be long especially running up to first and second set dining times, but most of the time wasn't too bad.

 

We will not partake of the package on P&O - £50-60 per day between us is the most we average on a P&O cruise, so not cost effective for us as a couple.

 

I had wanted them to introduce a drinks package but, given the individual drinks prices on P&O, hoped that it would be at a more competitive price.

 

I agree with you, I wanted a drinks package but thought it would be more competitive and also a few less petty rules.

[Charleyben]

My main problem with the drink's package is that we are primarily wine drinkers. I may have pint of lager before dinner, a bottle of red with dinner and usually another bottle of red in the Glass House after dinner.

 

The wines currently sold by the glass are not to our taste and you don't know how long they have been hanging around since they were opened.

 

For this reason we always buy wine by the bottle or maybe by the glass in the Glass House where it is better controlled. Therefore i cannot see that we will be purchasing the package.

 

We do not have a problem with P & O introducing a drinks package, it just doesn't work for us.

[the english lady]

Passengers who had planned to meet socially in the bar for a drink before dinner and who are unable to get service, might they revert to bringing along a drink from their cabin?

 

It will not be long if drinks packages are fleetwide for drinks to be banned from bringing onboard at all. beware what people wish for.

[Caravan 37]

It will not be long if drinks packages are fleetwide for drinks to be banned from bringing onboard at all. beware what people wish for.

 

 

 

I said this from the very start of the news that P&O were trialling the package. On majority of other lines, that have a package, you can’t bring any alcohol on board and the bar prices rocket so as to make the package seem better value. I can’t see P&O keeping low price bar drinks AND the package AND allowing you to bring 1ltr pp onboard but hopefully, for those not interested in the package, they will.

 

On RCI package 2 years ago there was a limit on the price of each drink to $13 - there were only 2/3 wines by the glass that were under $13 so you can see how that made the package more attractive. (Expensive but no limit on how many or what brand of drinks you can have)

 

 

 

 

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[grapau27]

I said this from the very start of the news that P&O were trialling the package. On majority of other lines, that have a package, you can’t bring any alcohol on board and the bar prices rocket so as to make the package seem better value. I can’t see P&O keeping low price bar drinks AND the package AND allowing you to bring 1ltr pp onboard but hopefully, for those not interested in the package, they will.

 

On RCI package 2 years ago there was a limit on the price of each drink to $13 - there were only 2/3 wines by the glass that were under $13 so you can see how that made the package more attractive. (Expensive but no limit on how many or what brand of drinks you can have)

 

 

 

 

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On RC you can each bring a bottle of wine on board at embarkation.

[Caravan 37]

On RC you can each bring a bottle of wine on board at embarkation.

 

 

 

Maybe but how far does that go[emoji23] I’d drink that myself on one day!!

 

 

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[grapau27]

Maybe but how far does that go[emoji23] I’d drink that myself on one day!!

 

 

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For us as RC D+ loyalty we get a nightly 3.5 hours of free drinks in the Diamond and Concierge lounges.

For RC drinks package you pay the difference plus 18% tip for any drink over $12.

Even with the drinks package if you want a bottle of wine it only covers 40% off the price.

[jeanlyon]

Last time we sailed with Fred O, tips and tipples were included. We saw no loss of service at all. Obviously the ships are a lot smaller, but it didn't change anything. They have done away with their wine waiters at dinner and the waiters poured the wine.

[stephen@stoneyard.co.uk]

I had a drinks package with Royal Caribbean on Symphony of Seas. Most people seemed to have it. I paid for it in the overall price of my cruise. Service was still very good and better than most ships I have been on. Sometime I declined a drink because I can only drink so much. One night at dinner the wine waiter served us three times during our dinner. I really liked the freshly squeezed orange juice it included. I would have that at Breakfast (several times) and mid morning at the Spa cafe. The package included all drinks to $13 which covered all my wines and cocktails. Odd things were not included like drinks with burgers at Johnny Rockets. Coffee from the Starbucks outlet is not included. Fifty feet away is the Royal Caribbean coffee shop which serves the same brand of coffee and that was included. All in all I have done four all inclusive cruises and I really like it. I probably to drink slightly more but not excessively so. With the current price of the P and O package versus the cost of individual drinks it would probably not be worth it for me. I wonder what P and O will do to price of individual drinks though.

 

Best wishes, Stephen.

 

 

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[OrianaOf1995]

We had the drinks package on the Azura from 8th-15th and was amazing value.

 

We're younger cruisers (26/22), but from what the wine steward told us they sold 600+ Ultimate packages.

 

Gave me the opportunity to try new cocktails (I'm a beer person!) And a wine with every meal.

 

Good news this is coming across the fleet if true!

[Caravan 37]

We had the drinks package on the Azura from 8th-15th and was amazing value.

 

 

 

We're younger cruisers (26/22), but from what the wine steward told us they sold 600+ Ultimate packages.

 

 

 

Gave me the opportunity to try new cocktails (I'm a beer person!) And a wine with every meal.

 

 

 

Good news this is coming across the fleet if true!

 

 

 

Glad to hear it! I view it as a way to enjoy my regular choice of wine plus be a bit adventurous with drinks I might not otherwise try - plus the coffees/water/soft drinks etc without wondering what my final bill will be

 

 

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[sandancer]

so what about people who do not drink alcohol (me :) ) ? I need my soft drinks card !

 

 

No soft drinks or coffee card for our Christmas cruise on Azura but wine package still available. We do drink alcohol but nowhere near enough to justify £80 a day for 2 AI packages. Very happy to see wine packages still available on CP.

 

 

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[blueboo]

No soft drinks or coffee card for our Christmas cruise on Azura but wine package still available. We do drink alcohol but nowhere near enough to justify £80 a day for 2 AI packages. Very happy to see wine packages still available on CP.

 

 

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Thanks for that...I mostly drink water or tea and a few pepsi's or juices here and there so not a issue for me really..hubby has a glass or tow of red wine most evenings..that would still not cost anywhere near £80 per day !

[ONT-CA]

I feel that when drinking in moderation a passenger would be hard pressed to find value in £80/day. But isn't that the concept of the package? The moderate drinker is in effect subsidizing those who seek to find value +++ in the daily charge.

[grapau27]

I feel that when drinking in moderation a passenger would be hard pressed to find value in £80/day. But isn't that the concept of the package? The moderate drinker is in effect subsidizing those who seek to find value +++ in the daily charge.

Exactly.

These packages are for EVERY day so when you are on a tour or just in port most of the day it would be almost impossible to get anywhere near the £80 in drinks at night.

[Caravan 37]

I feel that when drinking in moderation a passenger would be hard pressed to find value in £80/day. But isn't that the concept of the package? The moderate drinker is in effect subsidizing those who seek to find value +++ in the daily charge.

 

 

 

To be correct - ‘a passenger’ needs to find value in £40 pd not £80

 

 

 

 

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[ONT-CA]

To be correct - ‘a passenger’ needs to find value in £40 pd not £80

 

I stand corrected but in my case and perhaps others, only one of the two passengers in the cabin drinks alcohol