P&O alcohol prices

[Deltech]

We have never been on a cruise, but my good lady will be 60 in July, and wants a cruise. The only one that fits into both our shift patterns, destination, and budget, is P&O Arvia, ex Southampton, 23rd July, 14-nights med, available for around £900 from several websites.

 

I don't generally drink alcohol, though I do normally have a few rum & cokes on holiday, but I'm happy to go without.

 

My good lady enjoys a few glasses of wine, and the odd gin and tonic.

 

The P&O alcohol "package" @ £44.95 per night equates to £629.30 per person for this cruise, which I think is extortionate. The cruise is only around £900 per person.

 

I'm one of those fussy weirdos who hates the taste of water, so on any other holiday I drink fizzy drinks, but even the "refresh" package to allow me to have fizzy drinks @ £10.95 a day equates to £153.30.

 

Does anyone have details of individual drinks prices on P&O Arvia?

 

ALSO, is it possible to bring some wine and fizzy drinks aboard each time the ship docks during the cruise?

 

 

Edited June 18, 2023 by Deltech

[9265359]

Google is your friend if you want to see a full drinks menu, but roughly £6ish for a 175 wine  or £8ish for 250, beer from £5 pint, £9ish for a large rum & coke (they charge a silly £2.20 for a mixer within that). i.e. roughly south of England pub prices.

 

As for bringing alcohol on board, you are allowed to bring on 1 litre of spirits, wine, or beer per person at the start of the cruise to drink in your cabin, and the policy* is that you cannot bring alcohol on at port stops but you can bring on soft drinks - https://www.pocruises.com/short-breaks/code-of-conduct

 

*policy because what people choose to do and risk is up to them.

Edited June 18, 2023 by 9265359

[Waju]

As 9265359 says you are each allowed 1 litre of spirits or wine when you board in Southampton - you can also take as much water or fizzy drinks as you can carry.  The water and fizzy drinks can be replenished as you return to the ship on a port stop.  This is all for consumption in your cabin.

 

I would also say that P&O bar prices are really quite reasonable and IMO you wouldn't spend anywhere near what the drinks package would cost if you only drink what you mentioned above.  Remember, for quite a few days of your cruise you will more than likely be ashore anyway.

 

I can't comment on Arvia but we have sailed on other P&O ships and always have a great time - cruising is addictive!

[LifeonMars]

Here is the new Bar list for Aurora due to be introduced Thursday 

Edited June 18, 2023 by LifeonMars

[Cloudyrain]

Honestly unless you drink a lot I really wouldn’t consider the package.

 

You can take as many soft drinks on as you want for consumption in your room, and a bottle of wine or litre of spirits each for the room only.

 

Someone has posted the menus above. I think the prices are like City drinks prices.
 

If she does like a bottle she can have a glass or two with her meal and then carry the bottle either to the next venue, or back to the room to use at another meal. Some bottles are screw tops, but others are cork so if she is likely to have a bottle for more than one meal/evening it’s worth taking your own wine bottle stopper just to stop spillages etc 😊

[Son of Bare]

Although policy suggests otherwise, its my recent experience that a blind eye is turned towards bringing alcohol aboard at ports.

If your wife likes a glass of wine, my advice is to pack a corkscrew. The ship does have a supply but they can be very difficult laying hands on one.

[daiB]

3 hours ago, Deltech said:

We have never bTheeen on a cruise, but my good lady will be 60 in July, and wants a cruise. The only one that fits into both our shift patterns, destination, and budget, is P&O Arvia, ex Southampton, 23rd July, 14-nights med, available for around £900 from several websites.

 

I don't generally drink alcohol, though I do normally have a few rum & cokes on holiday, but I'm happy to go without.

 

My good lady enjoys a few glasses of wine, and the odd gin and tonic.

 

The P&O alcohol "package" @ £44.95 per night equates to £629.30 per person for this cruise, which I think is extortionate. The cruise is only around £900 per person.

 

I'm one of those fussy weirdos who hates the taste of water, so on any other holiday I drink fizzy drinks, but even the "refresh" package to allow me to have fizzy drinks @ £10.95 a day equates to £153.30.

 

Does anyone have details of individual drinks prices on P&O Arvia?

 

ALSO, is it possible to bring some wine and fizzy drinks aboard each time the ship docks during the cruise?

 

 

The booze package is not for you, or us. You would have to drink a great deal, every day to make it worth wile. I like a drink and for one or two days i could drink enouth but not for 7/14 or longer nights.

[daiB]

1 minute ago, Son of Bare said:

Although policy suggests otherwise, its my recent experience that a blind eye is turned towards bringing alcohol aboard at ports.

If your wife likes a glass of wine, my advice is to pack a corkscrew. The ship does have a supply but they can be very difficult laying hands on one.

Shhhhhhh. Forums have ears.

[jh1809]

4 hours ago, Cloudyrain said:

Honestly unless you drink a lot I really wouldn’t consider the package.

 

You can take as many soft drinks on as you want for consumption in your room, and a bottle of wine or litre of spirits each for the room only.

 

Someone has posted the menus above. I think the prices are like City drinks prices.
 

If she does like a bottle she can have a glass or two with her meal and then carry the bottle either to the next venue, or back to the room to use at another meal. Some bottles are screw tops, but others are cork so if she is likely to have a bottle for more than one meal/evening it’s worth taking your own wine bottle stopper just to stop spillages etc 😊

On "club dining", if you don't finish a bottle, then the waiter will write your table number on the label, take it the bottle and stopper it for you, and you will find it back on your table the following evening. I don't know if that's also possible on "freedom dining", as I don't know how the bottle would find you again.

[Son of Bare]

14 minutes ago, jh1809 said:

On "club dining", if you don't finish a bottle, then the waiter will write your table number on the label, take it the bottle and stopper it for you, and you will find it back on your table the following evening. I don't know if that's also possible on "freedom dining", as I don't know how the bottle would find you again.

That was no longer the case on our last 2 cruises. We had to take the bottle with us as we left the table. That was on Arcadia in November and Azura in April.

[Deltech]

Thanks to all for the various replies. I will take some time to digest them all before responding further.

[jh1809]

46 minutes ago, Son of Bare said:

That was no longer the case on our last 2 cruises. We had to take the bottle with us as we left the table. That was on Arcadia in November and Azura in April.

That's surprising, as on club dining on Aurora in Nov/Dec they were happy to do it, and you'd expect it to be the same on Arcadia and Aurora. Perhaps their willingness to do it varies from one waiter to another.

[Son of Bare]

Possibly.

We are club dining on Aurora in Sept, so will see if that's still the case.

[Winifred 22]

1 hour ago, Son of Bare said:

That was no longer the case on our last 2 cruises. We had to take the bottle with us as we left the table. That was on Arcadia in November and Azura in April.

Same on Britannia 

[TigerB]

Welcome to the boards, Deltech👋

 

From what you have written about your alcohol consumption, I don't think the drinks packages are for you.

 

Follow the advice of others and take your allocation of spirits onboard with you at the start, and as much soft drink as you think you need.  Ask you cabin steward to brink you ice every day before they knock off; usually about 13:00. You can then have your pre-dinner drinks in your cabin, or a nightcap, whatever you prefer. If you or your wife would like a slice of lemon or lime in your cabin drinks, take one or two onboard and keep in your fridge.  Don't do as this fool did though, and put a knife with a 10cm serrated blade in your checked luggage.🤭

 

On Arvia there are water bottle filling stations on all public decks. It is filtered, and I don't think it tastes like water straight from the tap. You can be the judge.

 

For your wife, for most wines but not all, you can purchase a 175ml glass, a 250ml glass, or a bottle. If you buy the small glass each time, it it work out a little more expensive pro-rata than buying a bottle. If you bought three separate 250ml glasses, it generally works out a few pence cheaper than buying a bottle.

 

For you, they serve spirits in 25ml measures, and both prices are shown on the drinks menu; however, unless you ask for a single, they always serve a double.

If you ask for a rum and coke on Arvia, you will get Coca Cola and be charged for a can, which is at least £2.20, possibly more now.  If you don't mind Pepsi, then ask for a splash; it comes from the post-mix pump and is a fraction of the price; it used to be 95p for a splash, but bar prices have recently gone up.

 

If you don't mind a lime and soda now and again, that will currently cost you £2.05 for a large one, that being in a pint glass.

[9265359]

8 hours ago, TigerB said:

If you or your wife would like a slice of lemon or lime in your cabin drinks, take one or two onboard and keep in your fridge.

 

No need to do that as in my experience any of the bars are happy to provide sliced lemon.

[TigerB]

2 minutes ago, 9265359 said:

 

No need to do that as in my experience any of the bars are happy to provide sliced lemon.

 

Bit of a pain though, trekking to a bar then back to the cabin. Mind you, it'll burn off extra calories 😉

[9265359]

1 minute ago, TigerB said:

 

Bit of a pain though, trekking to a bar then back to the cabin.

 

Only if you don't remember to do so as you are heading back to the cabin - and it's not like you are unlikely to pass a bar on the way!

[TigerB]

1 minute ago, 9265359 said:

 

Only if you don't remember to do so as you are heading back to the cabin - and it's not like you are unlikely to pass a bar on the way!

 

Looks like I'll be getting a plate full each time; our lass likes two good slices in her drinks, then she eats the slices, and has to have fresh ones for the next one. I suppose while I'm there I'll grab a load of mint to make mojitos! 🤭

[Son of Anarchy]

Ask your cabin steward for sliced lemon/lime with the ice.  They've always obliged for us.

[Cloudyrain]

13 hours ago, jh1809 said:

On "club dining", if you don't finish a bottle, then the waiter will write your table number on the label, take it the bottle and stopper it for you, and you will find it back on your table the following evening. I don't know if that's also possible on "freedom dining", as I don't know how the bottle would find you again.

Club dining on Britannia last year they didn’t, they said they have stopped doing that since Covid - unless it’s changed again, we have been Freedom since then. Plus I would rather take it and have a drink from it at a show or in a bar afterwards, but I’m a slow drinker so a bottle will last me 4 glasses over 2 nights.

[TigerB]

28 minutes ago, Son of Anarchy said:

Ask your cabin steward for sliced lemon/lime with the ice.  They've always obliged for us.

Do you think asking our cabin steward for a rack of the containers containing all the accompaniments would be seen as taking the proverbial?🤭

[Fionboard]

1 hour ago, Cloudyrain said:

Club dining on Britannia last year they didn’t, they said they have stopped doing that since Covid - unless it’s changed again, we have been Freedom since then. Plus I would rather take it and have a drink from it at a show or in a bar afterwards, but I’m a slow drinker so a bottle will last me 4 glasses over 2 nights.

They do not keep bottles for you now. People look like winos walking around the ships with bottles!  

[Cloudyrain]

13 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

They do not keep bottles for you now. People look like winos walking around the ships with bottles!  

It’s worse for me - I put the bottle in the mesh bag on the back of the pushchair/wheelchair: I look like an alcoholic and a neglectful mother 😬

[Fionboard]

Actually, the bags your slippers come in are perfect for a bottle!