Drink package- is it worth having?

[Astrajet]

Apologies if this is a bit off topic but can anyone tell me if the Wine Packages (6 bottles of wine) are available to buy onboard or do they have to be pre-ordered?  The blurb says to phone the customer contact centre to book but no mention of buying once onboard. Thank you.

[TOMCAT22]

It is the worst drinks package at sea in my opinion….Only single measures,125ml glass of wine,very few cocktails £6.95 or under,15 min wait between drink orders and a limit of 15 alcohol drinks a day.👎🏻👎🏻 It’s almost as if P&O wanted to make a package that would dissuade the majority of customers from taking it….Well they have achieved that objective😤

[No pager thank you]

On 8/27/2022 at 2:28 PM, Astrajet said:

Apologies if this is a bit off topic but can anyone tell me if the Wine Packages (6 bottles of wine) are available to buy onboard or do they have to be pre-ordered?  The blurb says to phone the customer contact centre to book but no mention of buying once onboard. Thank you.

We have just purchased the 12 bottle version on board (that way the OBC pays ... )

 

You purchase directly in the main dining restaurant.  6 bottle is the same.  Only catch is that the wines are accessible from there only...if using a specialty dining restaurant then a different wine list is passed to you.

 

Savings are about 25% depending on the bottles you choose.

[Mad4WDW]

This is a screenshot from the spreadsheet I made to check. You don't have to drink huge amounts to break even or be better off with the drinks package IMHO.  

 

A glass of wine with lunch, a drink at sail away, 2 glasses of wine with dinner and a couple drinks in the live lounge after dinner. 

 

 

[paulatsea]

23 minutes ago, Mad4WDW said:

This is a screenshot from the spreadsheet I made to check. You don't have to drink huge amounts to break even or be better off with the drinks package IMHO.  

 

A glass of wine with lunch, a drink at sail away, 2 glasses of wine with dinner and a couple drinks in the live lounge after dinner. 

 

 

That’s good ! Can you make an app for this please ! Auto load latest prices from p&o site ?  😀

[Astrajet]

58 minutes ago, No pager thank you said:

We have just purchased the 12 bottle version on board (that way the OBC pays ... )

 

You purchase directly in the main dining restaurant.  6 bottle is the same.  Only catch is that the wines are accessible from there only...if using a specialty dining restaurant then a different wine list is passed to you.

 

Savings are about 25% depending on the bottles you choose.

Thank you - we have not purchased a wine package before so that information is very useful.  Enjoy the rest of your cruise & thanks again for your reply.

Edited August 30, 2022 by Astrajet

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, paulatsea said:

That’s good ! Can you make an app for this please ! Auto load latest prices from p&o site ?  😀

You dont need one, just use this link from a well known cruise website.

 

https://www.cruisemummy.co.uk/cruise-drinks-package-calculator/

[FamilyCruiserUK]

The questions i always ask my self, am i only drinking alot of drinks a day because i am on holiday? If i didnt have the drinks package would i still drink lots of drinks? 

Is it worth it?  This is solely an individual question based on your drinking consumption. 

[Malibustacey79]

I’ve gone back and forward a hundred times on this decision! Have always had a drinks package with previous cruise lines, and I was aware that P&O doesn’t offer a great one - one reason we’ve never chosen them before. But the price, dates and itinerary won me over.

 

I do think we will get it, but today I have seen posts on another website saying that a number of the few included cocktails haven’t been available recently due to lack of ingredients. I will be disappointed if this is the case as they don’t appear to be offering alternatives from what I’ve read and I do like a cocktail! But I’ve done the calculator and I think we will spend more if we do ‘pay as you go’. 

I suppose time will tell if it’s disappointing enough to put us off another P&O cruise but the constant weighing up of the issue is certainly taking the pre-cruise shine off things at the moment…

[BornLucky]

25 minutes ago, Malibustacey79 said:

I’ve gone back and forward a hundred times on this decision! Have always had a drinks package with previous cruise lines, and I was aware that P&O doesn’t offer a great one - one reason we’ve never chosen them before. But the price, dates and itinerary won me over.

 

I do think we will get it, but today I have seen posts on another website saying that a number of the few included cocktails haven’t been available recently due to lack of ingredients. I will be disappointed if this is the case as they don’t appear to be offering alternatives from what I’ve read and I do like a cocktail! But I’ve done the calculator and I think we will spend more if we do ‘pay as you go’. 

I suppose time will tell if it’s disappointing enough to put us off another P&O cruise but the constant weighing up of the issue is certainly taking the pre-cruise shine off things at the moment…

I would rather pay 60 pounds a day on drinks i want rather than 40 on ones that P&O deem to allow.

In all probability will end up up not spending much more than 40 anyway. Also heartening to me that I can feel a satisfaction from giving my money to a grateful bar owner ashore rather than endorsing the P&O Ultimate Frustration package aboard.

[Malibustacey79]

35 minutes ago, BornLucky said:

I would rather pay 60 pounds a day on drinks i want rather than 40 on ones that P&O deem to allow.

In all probability will end up up not spending much more than 40 anyway. Also heartening to me that I can feel a satisfaction from giving my money to a grateful bar owner ashore rather than endorsing the P&O Ultimate Frustration package aboard.

I totally understand where you’re coming from, and had at one point decided to do this also. But the fact that this was meant to be a reasonably priced ‘extra’ holiday is making me stubborn! I think we might wait til we’re onboard and see if any/many cocktails are crossed off the list.

[emam]

11 hours ago, Malibustacey79 said:

I think we might wait til we’re onboard and see if any/many cocktails are crossed off the list.

 

I can't see them crossing them off the list, as that would spoil the lists for when the ingredients return. I would say you won't find out until you try to order a drink. Did you take into account port days when using the calculator?

 

I don't know why it would put you off cruising with P&O just over a drinks package. You can't blame P&O for your indecision. ☺ Don't forget that the price of drinks is very reasonable compared to other cruise lines. Try using the calculators, make your decision and then enjoy your holiday. At the end you can either say that was or was not worth it for you and the next time you cruise with P&O you will know whether to get one or not ☺

[Malibustacey79]

2 hours ago, emam said:

 

I can't see them crossing them off the list, as that would spoil the lists for when the ingredients return. I would say you won't find out until you try to order a drink. Did you take into account port days when using the calculator?

 

I don't know why it would put you off cruising with P&O just over a drinks package. You can't blame P&O for your indecision. ☺ Don't forget that the price of drinks is very reasonable compared to other cruise lines. Try using the calculators, make your decision and then enjoy your holiday. At the end you can either say that was or was not worth it for you and the next time you cruise with P&O you will know whether to get one or not ☺

I’ve seen photos this week of menus with items crossed off - I was surprised too! But unless someone has gone to very elaborate measures to deceive, that’s what’s happened (on Azura).

 

I’m not blaming P&O for my indecisiveness - that’s a lifelong affliction unfortunately 🤣 It’s more that if I find the drinks package TOO restrictive I am unlikely to book again. But we shall see!

[Rosy 2 cakes]

1 hour ago, Malibustacey79 said:

I’ve seen photos this week of menus with items crossed off - I was surprised too! But unless someone has gone to very elaborate measures to deceive, that’s what’s happened (on Azura).

 

I’m not blaming P&O for my indecisiveness - that’s a lifelong affliction unfortunately 🤣 It’s more that if I find the drinks package TOO restrictive I am unlikely to book again. But we shall see!

From what I  remember you both have to have the drinks package. I agree about the non alcoholic packages. Limiting if you don't like fizzy pop.We didn't  bother and just pay as you go which worked out fine for us as we had increased OBC, and didn't used it all by the end of the cruise.

[emam]

Yes you both have to buy the package.

 

Don't forget that you can get tea/coffee and water for free, either in your cabin or in the buffet any time of day. You could even get a glass of milk if you wanted (haha), but I don't know what type of milk it is.

 

You could also get a few glasses of juice at breakfast time in the buffet and then pour them into your own bottle and refrigerate for later. 

 

 

Edited September 1, 2022 by emam
Duplicate sentence.

[Rosy 2 cakes]

5 minutes ago, emam said:

Yes you both have to buy the package.

 

Don't forget that you can get tea/coffee and water for free, either in your cabin or in the buffet any time of day. You could even get a glass of milk if you wanted (haha), but I don't know what type of milk it is.

 

You could also get a few glasses of juice at breakfast time in the buffet and then pour them into your own bottle and refrigerate for later. 

 

 

The free coffee is dire. I took my own coffee for the cabin. 

[emam]

11 minutes ago, Rosy 2 cakes said:

The free coffee is dire. I took my own coffee for the cabin. 

 

I don't drink coffee only tea so wouldn't know.

[BornLucky]

You can bring unlimited soft drinks (and tea/coffee) with you when you board plus two litres of alcohol for in cabin consumption.  That is an easy way to have drinks you like, keep costs down, then pay as you go for some nice drinks in the bars / restaurants. Far less hassle than trying to work around the drinks package restrictions. I think one of the daftest restrictions I encountered was being told I could only have a single espresso coffee after dinner, not a double !

[hebbie67]

Currently our last night on Iona. We like a drink and have averaged 10 drinks a day - sounds a lot but Buck’s Fizz for breakfast, drink before lunch, wine with lunch, sail away, pre-dinner drink, wine with dinner and drinks with evening entertainment - plus Costa coffees and bottled water - it has paid for itself.

BUT!! Cocktails limited to £6.95 and many are priced over that. Advertised water as 500ml but they are 300ml. 15 mins between drinks. No double spirits.

Biggest bugbear - ‘ultimate’ package only included small glasses of wine (175ml) however there are large glasses (250ml) on the menu for under £6.95 and they are not included!!! Ordering a drink over £6.95 you don’t just pay the difference but get a 20% discount on full price. We bought a glass of Tattinger champagne each night - £14 for 2 - as there is only so much cheap Canti Prosecco you can drink! (major supermarket cheap orange label!)

Overall we got our money’s worth but feel this is a case of ‘when is a drinks package not a drinks package?! Personally we prefer RCI.

[zap99]

On 8/30/2022 at 11:43 AM, Mad4WDW said:

This is a screenshot from the spreadsheet I made to check. You don't have to drink huge amounts to break even or be better off with the drinks package IMHO.  

 

A glass of wine with lunch, a drink at sail away, 2 glasses of wine with dinner and a couple drinks in the live lounge after dinner. 

 

 

OK. Only 10 Alcoholic drinks a day and you are winning.

[SteveH2508]

5 minutes ago, zap99 said:

OK. Only 10 Alcoholic drinks a day and you are winning.

Yes but the choice (or rather lack of choice) of said alcoholic drinks make it somewhat of a deal-breaker.

 

We are on a 24 day P&O cruise soon. Normally we absolutely muller a drinks package: this one is looking very unlikely. We shall do the first day and see how it goes and then make a final decision, but the cocktail restrictions are almost certainly a deal-breaker for DW.

[zap99]

7 minutes ago, SteveH2508 said:

Yes but the choice (or rather lack of choice) of said alcoholic drinks make it somewhat of a deal-breaker.

 

We are on a 24 day P&O cruise soon. Normally we absolutely muller a drinks package: this one is looking very unlikely. We shall do the first day and see how it goes and then make a final decision, but the cocktail restrictions are almost certainly a deal-breaker for DW.

Some days we don't have any alcoholic drinks at all. Some days 3,or 4. A no brainer for us.

Edited September 2, 2022 by zap99

[Astrajet]

2 hours ago, hebbie67 said:

We bought a glass of Tattinger champagne each night - £14 for 2

Was this a special offer - not much more than the Prosecco?

 

Sorry, just realised this price takes into account 20% discount! Note to self - read posts more carefully!

Edited September 2, 2022 by Astrajet

[Mad4WDW]

4 hours ago, zap99 said:

OK. Only 10 Alcoholic drinks a day and you are winning.

That's per cabin not per person, do you 5 each is excessive?

[zap99]

11 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Volume of drink and what each person considers "normal" is a personal choice.  A cautionary tale: a doctor friend tells me that most presenting to her with drink related illnesses are middle class who think having a bottle of wine most days isn't really drinking and only "heavy drinkers" have anything to worry about.  Figures from AA also tend to mention a problem with the more affluent.

 

An interesting topic and very emotive.

I know that If I drink 5, or 6 drinks a day every day on my cruise would spend most if the time asleep. We join Anthem tomorrow.  A gallon of petrol is cheaper than a bottle of beer. Now there's a thought.🤔

Edited September 3, 2022 by zap99