Drinks package/policy changes?

[Selbourne]

Just now, david63 said:

Do we know for a fact that they are not looking for bottles?

 

As we all know certain liquids when mixed together in the right quantities can be used to make a bomb.

I don’t know for certain, but very much doubt it. If cruise ports adopted airport like security, looking for fluids that could be used to make bombs, then firstly we would know about it and secondly no fluids at all would be allowed on board.
 

For as long as they allow ‘certain’ bottles of drinks I think it’s safe to assume that these checks do not happen, as they would be completely impractical. Also, keep in mind that there is zero consequence if a bottle is found. It is merely confiscated and returned at the end of the cruise. 

[yorkshirephil]

1 hour ago, david63 said:

 

 

As we all know certain liquids when mixed together in the right quantities can be used to make a bomb.

Ironically spirits being one of them.

[cruising.mark.uk]

1 hour ago, Selbourne said:

I don’t know for certain, but very much doubt it. If cruise ports adopted airport like security, looking for fluids that could be used to make bombs, then firstly we would know about it and secondly no fluids at all would be allowed on board.
 

For as long as they allow ‘certain’ bottles of drinks I think it’s safe to assume that these checks do not happen, as they would be completely impractical. Also, keep in mind that there is zero consequence if a bottle is found. It is merely confiscated and returned at the end of the cruise. 

It seems to me that you are confusing what is being looked for with what is being enforced.

 

To all intents and purposes, cruise port security in terms of x-ray / scanning is the same as airport security.  Bottles / liquids in hand luggage or suitcases will be being detected.  So, the issue is not whether it is being looked for, but rather whether any action is being taken when it is found.

 

The security contractor will have a mandated list of items they must report (knives, firearms, explosives, narcotics etc) and then each operator will be able to specify other items which they wish to have flagged up to them if found.  As well as alcohol, that might include kettles, irons, drones and other items prohibited by some / all lines.  I've no personal experience of this out of Southampton, but if any of the non-P&O / Cunard lines that use Southampton as a boarding point and which do not allow guests to bring alcohol on board have asked the security contractor to flag up to them luggage with possible booze in it, I'm sure that is being done.  That being the case, should P&O / Cunard decide to enforce this new rule after a period of grace, it will be very simple to implement.  Doing that will merely bring their boarding security procedures into line with those of all the other cruise operators - P&O / Cunard were the outliers in terms of their alcohol policy rather than the norm.

[CountryStyleMe]

On 5/14/2024 at 10:02 PM, AndyMichelle said:

Not sure about this? 

Your post above only says alcohol apart from wine and Champagne are banned? 

Can't find anything on the website to say you can't specifically take soft drinks? 

Andy 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I spoke to P&O Cruises Call Centre when the drinks policy change email to a travel agent went out one call rep told me no they could not be brought on board, then when i rang up again a week later to clarify they told me yes so i do not know. 

yet others have been told by P&O Cruises that there is no alcohol policy changes which is clearly false as I've already posted that the change is happening.

[CountryStyleMe]

17 hours ago, Lee Jones Jnr said:

The rise of Karen-Culture onboard P&O is a real shame.

If you want to take bottles of spirits onboard, dress in leggings in the MDRs on formal night etc, then go on a ship where that is the policy.

its not just P&O Cruises who this will effect it will eventually be rolled out to all Cruise Ships no matter which port in which country you depart from as its the HSEE making these rules and giving them to cruise ships

[CountryStyleMe]

3 hours ago, Derek5001 said:

I feel really bad now. I mentioned the new spirit rule to a regular P&O cruiser, who's going again in July, and she had no idea there had been changes.  Always takes a bottle of Pimm's on board for having a drink on her balcony. 

 

If I hadn't have mentioned it, she would have carried on as usual, oblivious.    Do they sell bottles of Pimm's on room service?

 

Wonder if any of us who are travelling on a pre-booked cruise (we're going in August) will be notified of the changes?

 

Can scanners differentiate between wine and spirits?

everybody has been notified of the alcohol policy changes when P&O Cruises along with Cunard, and others made a public statement about it 

[CountryStyleMe]

16 minutes ago, cruising.mark.uk said:

It seems to me that you are confusing what is being looked for with what is being enforced.

 

To all intents and purposes, cruise port security in terms of x-ray / scanning is the same as airport security.  Bottles / liquids in hand luggage or suitcases will be being detected.  So, the issue is not whether it is being looked for, but rather whether any action is being taken when it is found.

 

The security contractor will have a mandated list of items they must report (knives, firearms, explosives, narcotics etc) and then each operator will be able to specify other items which they wish to have flagged up to them if found.  As well as alcohol, that might include kettles, irons, drones and other items prohibited by some / all lines.  I've no personal experience of this out of Southampton, but if any of the non-P&O / Cunard lines that use Southampton as a boarding point and which do not allow guests to bring alcohol on board have asked the security contractor to flag up to them luggage with possible booze in it, I'm sure that is being done.  That being the case, should P&O / Cunard decide to enforce this new rule after a period of grace, it will be very simple to implement.  Doing that will merely bring their boarding security procedures into line with those of all the other cruise operators - P&O / Cunard were the outliers in terms of their alcohol policy rather than the norm.

its not the cruise lines making these new rules alcohol being allowed onboard its the HSEE making the rules

[terrierjohn]

4 minutes ago, CountryStyleMe said:

its not the cruise lines making these new rules alcohol being allowed onboard its the HSEE making the rules

Why would the HSEE be interested in what alcohol and how much is permitted to be taken on board by passengers.

[Lee Jones Jnr]

17 minutes ago, CountryStyleMe said:

its not just P&O Cruises who this will effect it will eventually be rolled out to all Cruise Ships no matter which port in which country you depart from as its the HSEE making these rules and giving them to cruise ships

 

WELL... Thats not really the case, HSEE did not make this rule but I am perfectly happy with it regardless. What people should do is vote with their feet and if you don't want to go on a P&O cruise, then don't, rather than go on it and dress inappropriately on formal nights and smuggle alcohol onboard etc.

[Stokie33]

We booked with the cold TA and have heard nothing for our cruise on Iona in 4 weeks unless they decide to tell us when they send the boarding info, so just goes to show some TA’s are useless

[S1971]

47 minutes ago, CountryStyleMe said:

everybody has been notified of the alcohol policy changes when P&O Cruises along with Cunard, and others made a public statement about it 

Obviously they haven't, hence the reason for this debate.

 

Friends of mine who are due to travel soon still haven't had notification, they are only aware because of this thread.

Edited May 18 by S1971

[Selbourne]

1 hour ago, cruising.mark.uk said:

It seems to me that you are confusing what is being looked for with what is being enforced.

 

To all intents and purposes, cruise port security in terms of x-ray / scanning is the same as airport security.  Bottles / liquids in hand luggage or suitcases will be being detected.  So, the issue is not whether it is being looked for, but rather whether any action is being taken when it is found.

 

The security contractor will have a mandated list of items they must report (knives, firearms, explosives, narcotics etc) and then each operator will be able to specify other items which they wish to have flagged up to them if found.  As well as alcohol, that might include kettles, irons, drones and other items prohibited by some / all lines.  I've no personal experience of this out of Southampton, but if any of the non-P&O / Cunard lines that use Southampton as a boarding point and which do not allow guests to bring alcohol on board have asked the security contractor to flag up to them luggage with possible booze in it, I'm sure that is being done.  That being the case, should P&O / Cunard decide to enforce this new rule after a period of grace, it will be very simple to implement.  Doing that will merely bring their boarding security procedures into line with those of all the other cruise operators - P&O / Cunard were the outliers in terms of their alcohol policy rather than the norm.

Everything is possible, but I’m talking about the real world practicality of what you are suggesting and what it would achieve versus the additional cost and delay of doing so.
 

I suspect that a very large proportion of passengers (my wife and me being amongst them)  don’t take alcohol on board anyway, so there’s nothing to be achieved with that group.

 

A large proportion of those who do take the now banned booze on board as hand luggage will now stop doing so, either because they don’t want to break the rules or because they know that there’s a good chance that it will be confiscated until the end of the cruise. Some will also be fearful of some ‘consequence’ of being caught, as is evidenced by this thread. 
 

All you are left with is those who will ‘smuggle’ a bottle on board in their main luggage, either because they are trying to get around the rules or are ignorant of them. I’d suggest that going forward this will be a tiny proportion of the passenger numbers on board and will not warrant the additional expense, delay and inconvenience of additional luggage checks. OK, if someone is checking in crates of beer or cases of booze then yes, that will be pulled out, but we are talking about a single bottle of spirits here and that’s a different matter altogether. 
 

This new policy doesn’t affect me in the slightest, so I have no axe to grind either way, but I do feel that a huge mountain is being made out of a tiny molehill and there’s a lot of scaremongering - all of which will delight P&O as it further ensures compliance. But let’s just have a reality check here and ask what is the worst thing that will happen if this arch criminal passenger is found to have packed a bottle of their favourite balcony tipple in their luggage. Will they be made to walk the plank? Will they be keel-hauled? Will they been thrown off the ship? NO! They will be told that the bottle will be kept and handed back to them at the end of the cruise.
 

If the ability to take a particular bottle of something on board, especially if it’s something that you cannot buy on board, was a deal breaker for me (and, I stress, it’s not) would I be tempted to take the chance when there is no consequence? Probably!

Edited May 18 by Selbourne

[Lee Jones Jnr]

P&O didn't contact people to tell them that they COULD take spirits onboard so what reason is there to contact people to tell them that they can't?

[S1971]

40 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Why would the HSEE be interested in what alcohol and how much is permitted to be taken on board by passengers.

Exactly, and if it was of so much if a concern why are they still allowing spirits to be purchased from room service!!!

[Lee Jones Jnr]

Hang on lads… I’ve got an idea…

The wording says no bottles of spirits, but it doesn’t mention wellington boots full soooo…..

[Derek5001]

48 minutes ago, Lee Jones Jnr said:

P&O didn't contact people to tell them that they COULD take spirits onboard so what reason is there to contact people to tell them that they can't?

I expect, if at all, people read the T&Cs when booking.  I wouldn't expect them to check them for changes prior to departure.   I knew when I booked a litre of spirits was allowed as it's common practice to have a private drink in your cabin. One of the bonuses of having a balcony.  Neither P&O nor my TA have advised the new rules.  I expect a bottle of Gordon's will be in my luggage, as it's not available on room service, unless I'm told differently by P&O or my TA.

 

 

[Paulant]

2 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

Why would the HSEE be interested in what alcohol and how much is permitted to be taken on board by passengers.

And if they were so concerned about your potential alcohol consumption why did they put the price of the soft drink packages up too! You would think they'd lower those 😂

[sweep2907]

Just got off Iona and they were confiscating bottles from luggage and had to go collect on last night. It is certainly being enforced for those thinking nothing would change. What is the point in smuggling a bottle on board to save £3-4? The mindset of some beggars belief.

[Lee Jones Jnr]

1 hour ago, Derek5001 said:

I expect, if at all, people read the T&Cs when booking.  I wouldn't expect them to check them for changes prior to departure.   I knew when I booked a litre of spirits was allowed as it's common practice to have a private drink in your cabin. One of the bonuses of having a balcony.  Neither P&O nor my TA have advised the new rules.  I expect a bottle of Gordon's will be in my luggage, as it's not available on room service, unless I'm told differently by P&O or my TA.

 

 

Uh huh. Well done you.

[Eglesbrech]

53 minutes ago, sweep2907 said:

What is the point in smuggling a bottle on board to save £3-4? The mindset of some beggars belief.

Personally I used to take onboard a decent aged cask strength whisky which is generally hundreds of pounds worth. P&O don’t sell that or anything vaguely near that quality. Consequently it’s not to “save £3-4” its to have a decent drink on my balcony.
 

For a week or two I can live without it however, I won’t smuggle as I tend to follow rules.

 

I do however object to unfounded assumptions. The mindset of some does indeed beggar belief.

[AndyMichelle]

1 hour ago, sweep2907 said:

Just got off Iona and they were confiscating bottles from luggage and had to go collect on last night. It is certainly being enforced for those thinking nothing would change. What is the point in smuggling a bottle on board to save £3-4? The mindset of some beggars belief.

Yes, friends of ours have just got off Iona too and tell the same story. 

They also received an email before they sailed advising of the changes, so no excuses. 

Andy 

[CountryStyleMe]

5 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

Why would the HSEE be interested in what alcohol and how much is permitted to be taken on board by passengers.

I don't know re: HSEE but that is what P&O Cruises have said under their Alcohol Policy found under Code Of Conduct on their website 

[CountryStyleMe]

4 hours ago, Derek5001 said:

I expect, if at all, people read the T&Cs when booking.  I wouldn't expect them to check them for changes prior to departure.   I knew when I booked a litre of spirits was allowed as it's common practice to have a private drink in your cabin. One of the bonuses of having a balcony.  Neither P&O nor my TA have advised the new rules.  I expect a bottle of Gordon's will be in my luggage, as it's not available on room service, unless I'm told differently by P&O or my TA.

 

 

well expect your bottles to be confiscated and given back to you on the last night of your cruise as its happened to people putting bottles in their luggage when boarding P&O Cruise ship Iona recently within the last week or so 

[CountryStyleMe]

 

the only spirit that does not smell, is odourless and tasteless and you could easily get away with taking onboard without raising suspicion to those checking bags and scanning luggage is Vodka and Coca Cola(in a coca cola bottle) or Vodka and Lemonade (in a lemonade bottle) as Vodka does not smell, its odourless and tasteless (where as Rum, Baileys, Archers, Tia Maria, Whiskey like Jack Daniels, Grey Goose, Groose, etc etc etc all smell, they have a colour and they have a taste to them even with Lemonade or Coca Cola or on their own). so the alcohol policy really is stupid and ineffective in a small way. 

 

personally and this is my own opinion I think think its being done as a way to get rid of the in cabin fridges(apart from if you declare you will need one for medication) and to cut down on cruise ship recycling waste but if its to cut down on recycling waste they need to offer more selection of alcohol like whiskey, spirits, larger, cider, beer, wines and get rid of the champagne unless you are celebrating a big birthday like 18, 21, 30, 40 etc, or a wedding, or wedding anniversary, honeymoon and lower the cost of the drinks packages especially as most of the bottles of wine, spirits, bottles & cans if soft drinks they buy from Bookers Cash and Carry

 

Deluxe Drinks Package is now £60.50p per person per day (total for 7 nights is £423.50 or 14 nights total is £847.00 etc etc etc you get the gist)

 

Classic Drinks Package £48.85 per person per day so for 7 nights its a total of £341.95p or 14 nights its a total of £683.90 per person

 

Alcohol Free Package is now £26.95 per person per day so for 7 days the total cost will be £188.65p per person or 14 days the total cost will be £377.30p per person

 

the Refresh Drinks Package is a total of £14.45p per person per day so the total cost for 7 days will be £101.15 or 14 days the total cost will be £202.30p per person 

 

and if there is two or more guests in a cabin each person must buy the same drinks package (quoted from P&O Cruises website) 

 

[S1971]

8 hours ago, sweep2907 said:

Just got off Iona and they were confiscating bottles from luggage and had to go collect on last night. It is certainly being enforced for those thinking nothing would change. What is the point in smuggling a bottle on board to save £3-4? The mindset of some beggars belief.

 

What beggars belief is that P&O are using a policy for the alleged wellbeing of their passengers to reduce their alcohol content, yet they'll allow you to buy the same alcohol from room service, so makes no sense.

 

This is purely P&O profiteering.