Drink package- is it worth having?

[BillieJeanKaraokeKing]

I'm glad I am generally just a social drinker. I can sink quite a few of an evening, but thankfully that'd generally mean I'd be put off the idea for a while (and most certainly the next day). So on P&O at least PAYG is a no-brainer for me. 

[Windsurfboy]

I think we must accept  there's holiday drinking and there is every day drinking. Even my doctor  says ignore 14 limit on holiday , just dont get plastered every night. It won't  do you harm once in a while as long as it doesn't become everyday. 

 

We are well under the 14 units a week for everyday,  but clearly  exceed it by a large amount on holiday. What's a good meal without an excellent wine and a night cap. Which is why I  don't buy a package as it's geared around quantity not quality. Also don't drink in day as it would put me to sleep

[Cruisemeister2002]

I have never bought a drinks package and to me it's a bit like "Supermarket Sweep", buy the drinks package and you feel you have to get your money's worth. When you take say a 14 night cruise, possibly 6 of those will be port days, the location, not the drink. Therefore you are left with 8 sea days. Most people I imagine go ashore and either take in an excursion or venture somewhere themselves. This may take 3,4,5 hours away from the ship, I know a few excursions are virtually all day. Taking this into account are you going to be drinking the best part of £40 worth of booze, coffees or whatever per day. Whilst I don't consider myself a miser I do allocate a certain amount of money per day and when I have a handful of receipts I go through them and make sure I am keeping roughly to my ultimate spend. My wife may purchase a handbag and I a watch. Not always and I guess the next cruise I take I won't be getting any more watches, can't say the same of the wife buying a handbag. I think it's her favourite pastime ? So in essence I won't be buying a drinks package. But that doesn't mean others won't. Must admit I am not quite sure, bearing in mind it's £39 + per day whether you can carry over part of this to the following day or whether that's it and if you don't spend the one day allowance it's lost. Do feel you should be able to get a bottle of wine at dinner on this allowance as long as it doesn't put you over the monetary limit.

[wowzz]

6 minutes ago, Cruisemeister2002 said:

Must admit I am not quite sure, bearing in mind it's £39 + per day whether you can carry over part of this to the following day or whether that's it and if you don't spend the one day allowance it's lost

It doesn't work like that.  The £39+ daily cost allows you to have 15 alcoholic drinks, each to the value of £6.95. If you only have 10 drinks on one day, you cannot roll the remaining 5 drinks onto the following day.

[Megabear2]

17 minutes ago, wowzz said:

It doesn't work like that.  The £39+ daily cost allows you to have 15 alcoholic drinks, each to the value of £6.95. If you only have 10 drinks on one day, you cannot roll the remaining 5 drinks onto the following day.

It's the same across all three of the Carnival stable.  Big difference as I see it with P&O is the draft beers.  Someone drinking beer can actually have 15 pints a day whereas on Princess for instance there are few bars selling draft beer so it is 15 bottles (33cl size).  That's a hell of a difference in what your 15 daily alcohol drinks covers.

 

We had the Celebrity premium drinks package added to our June cruise, there was no limit. Strangely I saw less people drinking for the sake of it on that cruise than I have on any other.

[Bin man]

See today's Mail stating £20 a pint to save the pubs Will P and O increase their prices ? Drinks package would cover 2 pints in your local ! 

[Son of Anarchy]

2 hours ago, Bin man said:

See today's Mail stating £20 a pint to save the pubs Will P and O increase their prices ? Drinks package would cover 2 pints in your local ! 

There's a craft beer boozer near us which charges £8 for some beers.  They are over 8 - 9% abv though.  Does have a small selection of reasonably priced stuff as well, ie £3.60 - £4.00.

[Josy1953]

We have never had the drinks package on P&O but we did have one on Celebrity as part of a deal and we have had the Princess package also as part of a deal that includes Wi-Fi, drinks and tips. We are not great drinkers but we both like a glass of wine with our meals on holiday, OH likes a beer and I like a cocktail after the show and we both like coffee and a cake mid-afternoon.  We calculated after our last cruise that we would have paid more of we had bought drinks as we went rather than taking the package.

[JeanieC,Aston]

Why do non drinkers or those who to profess to only drink one drink a day flood threads that ask if DP’s are worth it,,,,,,,,they add nothing to the question,of course it’s not worth it for them.

I like a drink,I don’t get drunk,I don’t abuse people or sway all over the place.

 

I just filled in the ready reckoned for myself for a medium number of drinks…

A couple of beers pre dinner,,,a wine with dinner,another 3 or 4 beers after dinner in the show lounge or pub and a Macchiato and whisky nightcap,,,,,it came to £79.

I don’t drink alcohol during the day so port days mean nothing,,,most people drink at night,,,ships sail at night.

 

I am on Britannia in 3 weeks so will probable snatch their hand off,,,,,I will buy it on day2 after seeing my spend on day 1.

[BornLucky]

The problem with the drinks package is not the number of drinks allowed but rather the absurd restrictions on what you can order and the way it makes you feel (3rd rate passenger). On every other cruise line I have been on I buy the drinks package. On P&O I did the last time but the resulting frustrations ruined my cruise experience, I will cruise P&O again but no matter how much I spend on drinks by ordering as I go it will be better than with the package.

[Bazrat]

I like a drink or two but my beloved is teetotal so the package is no us to me

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, Bazrat said:

but my beloved

Great turn of phrase !

[Cruisemeister2002]

Personally, if P&O want people to purchase drinks packages then in my opinion they should be geared to various needs of their passengers. Some as has been indicated believe that a few beers pre dinner, wine with their meal, beers after dinner and a nightcap is what they consume. Some have one, maybe two beers a day, a wine at dinner and unless going to a club maybe don't have any more. Some may not drink at all, but like speciality coffees, mocktails etc. I do think that P&O could be a bit more inventive. Not make so many restrictions on things like doubles, bottles of wine and costs per drink. After all as long as the daily cost isn't exceeded what difference does it make ?  Also for those who wouldn't come anywhere near the daily cost why not make a package for two people. Although some would not blink at the daily cost many like myself try and keep spending in check and although I am not saying that my daily limit can't be exceeded I do try to not go too overboard (besides you get wet ). So in essence, please don't feel I am getting at you if like a few bevvies. But I personally, even when cruising, don't have more than two beers a day. I like the occasional scotch and American Dry and am partial to a glass of Port. We have when at dinner stretched a bottle of wine over two nights. But generally we would consume at one diner. So currently wouldn't buy a drinks package.

[emam]

Personally I don't think that P&O actually wanted to have drinks packages but bowed to pressure from folks. So with that in mind they compiled the most basic they could for those people that want one.

[majortom10]

P&Os drinks package is very similar if not exactly the same as Princess and Cunard you are limited to number of alcoholic drinks per 24hrs, price limit even though higher on Princess and Cunard per drink the actual prices of drinks on there are dearer than P&O and no bottles of wines allowed. So obviously all 3 packages are the same and cannot see any reason for any changes to drinks packages on P&O anytime soon. Having said that the price of Princess Plus is very competitive being £40 pppd which includes wi-fi and crew appreciation whereas Cunard not so competitive.

Edited September 8, 2022 by majortom10

[BornLucky]

The problem is that P&O restrict the choice of inclusions far more than on the others. The Cunard package is more expensive but you can have pretty much any drink  you want. On P&O you almost have to ask what you are allowed !

[terrierjohn]

11 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

P&Os drinks package is very similar if not exactly the same as Princess and Cunard you are limited to number of alcoholic drinks per 24hrs, price limit even though higher on Princess and Cunard per drink the actual prices of drinks on there are dearer than P&O and no bottles of wines allowed. So obviously all 3 packages are the same and cannot see any reason for any changes to drinks packages on P&O anytime soon. Having said that the price of Princess Plus is very competitive being £40 pppd which includes wi-fi and crew appreciation whereas Cunard not so competitive.

We have only had a drink package on one cruise and that was a freebie offer from Celebrity.  About the only extras we had were a few Irish coffees, or similar as a night cap.  We could no longer get anywhere near full value out of one that we paid for, my wife rarely drinks, and I don't want to be accused of being drunk in charge of a wheelchair!!

[majortom10]

4 hours ago, BornLucky said:

The problem is that P&O restrict the choice of inclusions far more than on the others. The Cunard package is more expensive but you can have pretty much any drink  you want. On P&O you almost have to ask what you are allowed !

No you cannot as Cunard have a limit of $12 on any drink and because Cunard bar prices are a lot higher than P&O there are many drinks not covered by drinks package and at ,$69-95pppd is a lot more expensive.

[BornLucky]

38 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

No you cannot as Cunard have a limit of $12 on any drink and because Cunard bar prices are a lot higher than P&O there are many drinks not covered by drinks package and at ,$69-95pppd is a lot more expensive.

two rubbish cocktails permitted on P&O drinks package. Pages and pages included on Cunard and all properly presented. 

[JeanieC,Aston]

22 hours ago, BornLucky said:

two rubbish cocktails permitted on P&O drinks package. Pages and pages included on Cunard and all properly presented. 

Hi

Do you mean you are only allowed two cocktails a day,or the choice is only two?

[davecttr]

5 minutes ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Hi

Do you mean you are only allowed two cocktails a day,or the choice is only two?

Choice of two i think 

[wowzz]

3 minutes ago, davecttr said:

Choice of two i think 

Only two below the price limit,  but you get 20% off the price of the more expensive cocktails. 

Still not a great deal.

[SteveH2508]

My take FWIW

 

If you drink lots of beer, basic wine (by the small glass) or single shot spirits and a cheap mixer then you might come out in front on the package (with a bit of effort). If you like cocktails then forget it.

 

If you want to enjoy your holiday, enjoy your bevvy of choice, then the drinks package is probably not a good choice.

[Cruisemeister2002]

On 9/4/2022 at 8:51 AM, wowzz said:

It doesn't work like that.  The £39+ daily cost allows you to have 15 alcoholic drinks, each to the value of £6.95. If you only have 10 drinks on one day, you cannot roll the remaining 5 drinks onto the following day.

Appreciate that. Wasn't sure although must admit I thought that was the case. I think I would find it very difficult to consume 15 drinks a day. In the past have been out with mates and they are consuming their third pint whilst I am still on my first. On a cruise it differs from one day to the next. If it's a sea day and there's football on in one of the lounges we go along, my wife generally reads as I watch the football and she will partake in a Pina Colado, G&T or a cider and I a pint or two. After the afternoon proceedings we go back to the cabin. Have a G&T or Vodka & Tonic whilst getting ready for the evening meal which is usually around 20.30 we then go to a bar and have a pre diner drink. Sometimes we have a bottle of wine, but not always. Once leaving the MDR we usually go to the Theatre for a show. We don't normally drink whilst the show is on. More times than not we then, after the show, make our way back to our cabin. Occasionally we go to see a cabaret and will have another drink. So realistically no more than half a dozen drinks per day, very rarely more, very often less. 

[JeanieC,Aston]

43 minutes ago, Cruisemeister2002 said:

Appreciate that. Wasn't sure although must admit I thought that was the case. I think I would find it very difficult to consume 15 drinks a day. In the past have been out with mates and they are consuming their third pint whilst I am still on my first. On a cruise it differs from one day to the next. If it's a sea day and there's football on in one of the lounges we go along, my wife generally reads as I watch the football and she will partake in a Pina Colado, G&T or a cider and I a pint or two. After the afternoon proceedings we go back to the cabin. Have a G&T or Vodka & Tonic whilst getting ready for the evening meal which is usually around 20.30 we then go to a bar and have a pre diner drink. Sometimes we have a bottle of wine, but not always. Once leaving the MDR we usually go to the Theatre for a show. We don't normally drink whilst the show is on. More times than not we then, after the show, make our way back to our cabin. Occasionally we go to see a cabaret and will have another drink. So realistically no more than half a dozen drinks per day, very rarely more, very often less. 

Mmmm!
Half a dozen drinks a day?

So if you drink White wine….

2 watching the football

1 pre-dinner.

1 during dinner

2 after dinner .

Throw in a cup of coffee and you are over the £39.95

Not much is it.

Ooops,I forgot the G&T in the cabin.

Edited September 10, 2022 by JeanieC,Aston