Drinks package/policy changes?

[Snow Hill]

10 hours ago, david63 said:

It would be if they were to upgrade the scanners in the same way that airports are doing - although I cannot see that happening as it would be too much cost for too little gain.

The airport scanners can detect alcohol, but I don’t believe they can distinguish between types of alcohol, 

[Megabear2]

It seems the Cunard UK website is now reflecting the no spirits ruling too.  A new debate has just opened over there.

[david63]

4 minutes ago, Snow Hill said:

The airport scanners can detect alcohol, but I don’t believe they can distinguish between types of alcohol, 

Agreed, but generally spirit bottles are a different shape to wine and certainly champagne bottles.

[waddle]

36 minutes ago, david63 said:

Not necessarily.

 

All luggage going onboard is scanned so a lot will depend on the requirements that P&O/Carnival have with the port authorities. It would not be difficult to single out every case that had a large bottle in to then have the passenger go to security and explain what the bottle is. This happens now if there are any suspect items in the case as it has happened to me on more than one occasion - sometimes in the terminal and sometimes onboard the ship.

If my memory serves, this happened to us on a Princess cruise from Florida

 

You were allowed to take a bottle of wine per person (not spirits) at the start of the cruise so we purchased a couple in duty free and then put them in the cases prior to boarding 

 

When our luggage hadnt been delivered by 6pm we queried with the steward who told us we might be

on the ‘naughty step’ if our bags had been identified containing bottles. I had to go to the staff area to open the case and confirm it was just wine we had taken with us

[Eddie99]

I’ve seen that boarding Princess in San Francisco 

 

Many passengers called to *The Table of Shame* in the embarkation hall 🙄

[S1971]

1 hour ago, 9265359 said:

 

Ironically the change will likely lead to lower revenue for P&O from me.

 

Unlike a lot of people, I am pretty varied in the type of cabin I will book, taking into account a whole variety of factor, such as route, time of year - and one factor in the past that has influenced me to book a balcony cabin has been the ability to sit out on it early evening before dinner with a drink.

 

Now if that ability is restricted (and yes I know that for the moment you can buy a bottle for the cabin - but frankly how long is that going to last before it changes) then as a factor in weighing up whether to book a more expensive balcony then it carries less weight.

 

Agreed, short term additional revenue, long term shooting themselves in the foot.

[S1971]

1 hour ago, david63 said:

But not overall as somebody else will buy that cabin, so no impact whatsoever on P&O

 

Quite possibly, but that's totally reliant on new cruisers becoming regular cruisers.

 

The younger generation in my opinion are choppers and changers, they'll enjoy themselves then move on to something more exotic, unlike those P&O appear to be alienating regular older cruisers who cruise very regularly.

 

Time will tell I guess.

 

[BouncingWheel]

I too believe the new younger couples/ families are less loyal (and why not). They will choose land or sea based on price against product offering more than anything else (previous experiences, loyalty tiers etc). Money is tighter for them nowadays and we are in an age of change providers annually, for many things, so I think if they do a cruise with P&O and they like it then the next could well be with Princess or MSC. It works both ways of course and they could pick up MSCers etc…

Keeping prices more competitive against their rivals and having deals (Brits love deals) will be their solution and it is working now and will keep working even if they lose many loyal customers to other brands.

[S1971]

18 minutes ago, BouncingWheel said:

it is working now and will keep working even if they lose many loyal customers to other brands.

 

But the younger generation generally have their one main holiday a year during the school holidays, most financially are not able to travel multiple times.

 

The older generation on the other hand tend to be more regular cruisers and sail out of term times, especially during winter, that's possibly when P&O will feel the pinch, especially on a ship that needs to fill to its 5200 capacity regularly.

 

"Biting the hand that feeds you" rarely pays off.

 

As previously said, time will tell.

 

Edited May 9 by S1971

[david63]

19 minutes ago, S1971 said:

especially on a ship that needs to fill to its 5200 capacity regularly

I cannot remember the exact percentage but not so long ago Moley was saying that the new big ships only need around 60% capacity to break even so lower capacity plus more bar bills equals a satisfied P&O

[Snow Hill]

2 hours ago, david63 said:

Agreed, but generally spirit bottles are a different shape to wine and certainly champagne bottles.

On another forum already seen someone post that they will decant the spirit they enjoy into a screw top wine bottle to disguise it. 
 

As I said previously doesn’t affect us as we rarely drink spirits, however the short notice given by P&O of the changes to what you can take onboard and what they are planning to charge is the bigger issue. Another PR fail by P&O?

[Megabear2]

7 minutes ago, Snow Hill said:

On another forum already seen someone post that they will decant the spirit they enjoy into a screw top wine bottle to disguise it. 
 

As I said previously doesn’t affect us as we rarely drink spirits, however the short notice given by P&O of the changes to what you can take onboard and what they are planning to charge is the bigger issue. Another PR fail by P&O?

P&O are no doubt thinking their customers are honest individuals rather than cunning looking for ways round it.  I'd guess that if too many aren't honest they'll start to get draconian and say if you're caught deliberately trying to smuggle drink onboard you'll be denied boarding at own cost or worse asked to leave at the next port unassisted.

Edited May 9 by Megabear2

[david63]

4 minutes ago, Snow Hill said:

On another forum already seen someone post that they will decant the spirit they enjoy into a screw top wine bottle to disguise it. 

And we all know that approach will only achieve one thing and that is that all liquids will be banned.

[S1971]

1 hour ago, david63 said:

I cannot remember the exact percentage but not so long ago Moley was saying that the new big ships only need around 60% capacity to break even so lower capacity plus more bar bills equals a satisfied P&O

 

I couldn't for one minute put a figure on their break even costs, but I'd be very sceptical that 60% would break even, but only to accountants could confirm that, even then not a good business plan.

[Bazrat]

After reading the great debate on, should we ever cruise with P&O again because they have removed our god given right to take alcohol onboard, I must remember to stock up on more nibbles.

[S1971]

35 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

P&O are no doubt thinking their customers are honest individuals rather than cunning looking for ways round it.  I'd guess that if too many aren't honest they'll start to get draconian and say if you're caught deliberately trying to smuggle drink onboard you'll be denied boarding at own cost or worse asked to leave at the next port unassisted.

 

Back people into a corner and they'll always find a way round it.

 

By your own experiences, it seems highly unlikely they'll deny boarding for booze smuggling, I very much doubt they'll even have time to do a detailed check on all cases anyway.

 

Perhaps Marella's got it right, should P&O go all inclusive?

 

[yorkshirephil]

1 minute ago, S1971 said:

 

 

 

Perhaps Marella's got it right, should P&O go all inclusive?

 

IMO no. P&O cater for retired people during off peak periods, many that don't drink much which is us now, plus many take medication that doesn't mix well with alcohol. We used to cruise regularly with what was Thompsons but stopped when they went all inclusive as I do not feel the need to subsidise other peoples drinking. If P&O go all inc then I very much doubt we would continue using them.

[S1971]

8 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

IMO no. P&O cater for retired people during off peak periods, many that don't drink much which is us now, plus many take medication that doesn't mix well with alcohol. We used to cruise regularly with what was Thompsons but stopped when they went all inclusive as I do not feel the need to subsidise other peoples drinking. If P&O go all inc then I very much doubt we would continue using them.

 

Fair point, I thought I'd put the idea out there as most on this thread appear to be that older generation who much prefer a tipple of their own brand prior to their meal or a night cap, which has now been taken away from them.

 

P&O all inclusive and no restriction on carry ons may of suited many of them.

[happy v]

23 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

IMO no. P&O cater for retired people during off peak periods, many that don't drink much which is us now, plus many take medication that doesn't mix well with alcohol. We used to cruise regularly with what was Thompsons but stopped when they went all inclusive as I do not feel the need to subsidise other peoples drinking. If P&O go all inc then I very much doubt we would continue using them.

I could have written this. It describes our reasons exactly 

[AndyMichelle]

33 minutes ago, Bazrat said:

After reading the great debate on, should we ever cruise with P&O again because they have removed our god given right to take alcohol onboard, I must remember to stock up on more nibbles.

If they ban mini cheddars, all hell will break loose in my house😂

[Cruise enquirer]

42 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

If they ban mini cheddars, all hell will break loose in my house😂

Don’t give them ideas….

 

Still unsure whether i can get a bottle of Pimms through security. Probably worth a shot.

[Ardennais]

1 hour ago, S1971 said:

 

Back people into a corner and they'll always find a way round it.

 

By your own experiences, it seems highly unlikely they'll deny boarding for booze smuggling, I very much doubt they'll even have time to do a detailed check on all cases anyway.

 

Perhaps Marella's got it right, should P&O go all inclusive?

 

NO! I don’t drink alcohol and my husband drinks very little. 
 

The idea of drinking alcohol on the balcony is very alien to me, as is the concept of pre-dinner drinks. Not part of our culture! 

[JeanieC,Aston]

1 hour ago, yorkshirephil said:

IMO no. P&O cater for retired people during off peak periods, many that don't drink much which is us now, plus many take medication that doesn't mix well with alcohol. We used to cruise regularly with what was Thompsons but stopped when they went all inclusive as I do not feel the need to subsidise other peoples drinking. If P&O go all inc then I very much doubt we would continue using them.

Hi

I have sailed Thomson since 1997,,,54 cruises in all,last one 3 weeks ago,,,I can’t remember Thomson/Tui/Marella ever being anything but All Inclusive.

I also cruise P&O (Britannia in 4 weeks) and always buy the DP,,this time with the 20% discount was a no brainier.

Each to their own I say.

 

If this topic turns into a ‘the merits or not’ of drink packages I’ll pull my chair up and get the popcorn out.its a bit like the old boring dress code or smoking threads.

Edited May 9 by JeanieC,Aston

[S1971]

20 minutes ago, Cruise enquirer said:

Don’t give them ideas….

 

Still unsure whether i can get a bottle of Pimms through security. Probably worth a shot.

 

A large Ribena bottle may help 🤪

 

Just don't get caught 😁

Edited May 9 by S1971

[happy v]

3 minutes ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Hi

I have sailed Thomson since 1997,,,54 cruises in all,last one 3 weeks ago,,,I can’t remember Thomson/Tui/Marella ever being anything but All Inclusive.

I also cruise P&O (Britannia in 4 weeks) and always buy the DP,,this time with the 20% discount was a no brainier.

Each to their own I say.

Definitely has not always been all inclusive. I stopped going when it changed and the prices went up.