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drinks package on Azura


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On Azura recently, many people were filling mugs with water from the dispensers in the buffet and decanting it into their empty water bottles. It might be prohibited, but not a soul was stopping these people from doing this.

 

One of the very few things I liked about Marella Discovery 2 in January was that they have chilled water dispensers on many of the cabin decks and glass carafes in the cabins that you can fill from the dispensers.

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One of the very few things I liked about Marella Discovery 2 in January was that they have chilled water dispensers on many of the cabin decks and glass carafes in the cabins that you can fill from the dispensers.

 

I think that's a brilliant idea! We are going on Discovery 2 in November and look forward to trying that out.

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I think that's a brilliant idea! We are going on Discovery 2 in November and look forward to trying that out.

Please don't put flowers in the carafe, it upsets the stewards :D

 

You should like the drinks package as well, especially as you have paid for it in the fare. You can upgrade and get everything except champagne for £50 per person per week but lots don't bother as the basic package is so good. You can just pay for the occasional premium drink, 40ml measures for spirits and a free mixer.

 

Reading these P&O package topics has me thinking they don't really want it to succeed.

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My thoughts exactly

 

 

 

I think it unlikely that a company as large as P&O would go to the trouble and expense of launching a new product without hoping its a success and makes them more money [emoji848]

 

 

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I think it unlikely that a company as large as P&O would go to the trouble and expense of launching a new product without hoping its a success and makes them more money [emoji848]

 

 

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I don't think many will take them up on it - too many rules and the daily price is too expensive in relation to the bar prices. Many will not want to give them £1120 for a 14 night cruise and have to have to have pump mixers. I have had drinks packages on other cruise lines and they have been simpler than this and are priced more realistically compared to the bar prices, albeit more expensive per day, but P&O Bar prices are quite a bit cheaper.

I would also be interested to hear from anyone who has had a package on P&O how successful the wine by the glass at dinner is, are they topping up ? is there anyone taking further orders once you had 1 glass?

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I don't think many will take them up on it - too many rules and the daily price is too expensive in relation to the bar prices. Many will not want to give them £1120 for a 14 night cruise and have to have to have pump mixers. I have had drinks packages on other cruise lines and they have been simpler than this and are priced more realistically compared to the bar prices, albeit more expensive per day, but P&O Bar prices are quite a bit cheaper.

 

I would also be interested to hear from anyone who has had a package on P&O how successful the wine by the glass at dinner is, are they topping up ? is there anyone taling further orders once you had 1 glass?

 

 

 

I think you’re right that it won’t be that popular for a number of reasons: passenger demographic/that you can take 1ltr each of spirits on board/reasonable bar prices (but for how long)/drink preferences of majority of passengers (double gin and fever tree)

 

I’ve had packages on other lines that only serve wine by the glass and once the waiter knows what you want he either sends deputy to get it or they keep a bottle by their service area. I’ve never had to wait or found it restrictive.

 

We’re travelling with family who fall into the dbl G&T brigade and they hummed a bit but once we knew you could offset £400pc obc against it it seems a reasonable option (they’ll get used to tonic out of the gun) [emoji5]

 

 

 

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Also the measures on most US ships are larger too but I have always found the package to be worth it to me. I’ll be buying it next Sunday on the Azura!

 

 

 

Just got back from Fjords on Azura and we had the drinks package. Wouldn’t buy it again. Few staff know the ins and outs and finding somewhere to buy it is not easy. Java Coffee Bar is best but very slow. You are restricted to 15 drinks per day. Sounds a lot until you order a large glass of wine only to be told you can only have a small glass of wine on the package. There are other pit falls so don’t just ‘do the math’ and buy it.

 

 

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I think it unlikely that a company as large as P&O would go to the trouble and expense of launching a new product without hoping its a success and makes them more money [emoji848]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

 

I was on Azura recently and got the drinks package. V expensive and the staff didn’t have a clue how it worked. Was told in MDR we couldn’t get soft drinks with it. Wrong! You are restricted to 15 drinks per day. Nothing wrong with that surely. Well, I ordered a large glass of wine for £6.95 (within price budget) to be told you can’t have a large glass of any wine on the drinks package. They are still trying to find their feet with it. It’s going to fail unless they start training the staff to know how to sell it correctly. It’s doomed on P&O I’m afraid. Once our table wine steward knew we were on it she vanished. What a slap in the face from our favourite cruise line. Complained in writing, heard nothing! Oh dear.

 

 

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Thanks for that. Seems to be a reasonable option for those who like a lot of drinks but £39.95 per day for the ultimate package (alcoholic, non alcoholic and Costa coffee and tea) will be poor value for me. Full marks for offering it as an option though and much better doing it this way than adding £280 to the cost for an all inclusive 7 night cruise.

 

 

 

Drinks pack not worth the trouble on Azura. You are restricted to 15 drinks per day. What’s wrong with that I hear you say. Well, I ordered a large glass of wine for £6.95 (within budget) to be told “you can’t have a large glass of wine if you’re on the drinks package”. What a pain at the dinner table, where are all the wine waiters when you’re drinking wine from small glasses?!

 

 

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Just got back from Fjords on Azura and we had the drinks package. Wouldn’t buy it again. Few staff know the ins and outs and finding somewhere to buy it is not easy. Java Coffee Bar is best but very slow. You are restricted to 15 drinks per day. Sounds a lot until you order a large glass of wine only to be told you can only have a small glass of wine on the package. There are other pit falls so don’t just ‘do the math’ and buy it.

 

 

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Well that’s interesting. If the limit per drink is £6.95 why did they say you couldn’t have a large wine @ say £6.75?

 

Large = 250ml small = 175ml so not a deal breaker but annoying. Was there a limit on whether you could have 1/2 pint of beer versus a pint?

 

I’ll be emailing P&O about this as the advertising is misleading if this is the case - maybe staff misunderstanding?

 

You said finding where to buy it was difficult? Was Java the only place? Why was it slow - lots of people buying?

 

Any other issues you faced? Thanks for replying there are a few posters that have been waiting for answers.

 

Did you notice if drinks prices generally had risen?

 

 

 

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Drinks pack not worth the trouble on Azura. You are restricted to 15 drinks per day. What’s wrong with that I hear you say. Well, I ordered a large glass of wine for £6.95 (within budget) to be told “you can’t have a large glass of wine if you’re on the drinks package”. What a pain at the dinner table, where are all the wine waiters when you’re drinking wine from small glasses?!

 

 

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That’s not great - I’ll ask P&O about this by email. We’ve had packages on other lines and never had to wait for glasses of wine - it’s all organised as they’re used to dealing with people on packages. In fact it’s the junior waiter who organised the drinks on other lines not the wine waiters.

 

 

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That’s not great - I’ll ask P&O about this by email. We’ve had packages on other lines and never had to wait for glasses of wine - it’s all organised as they’re used to dealing with people on packages. In fact it’s the junior waiter who organised the drinks on other lines not the wine waiters.

 

 

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Thinking about it now I don’t think any wine by the glass I’ve had on a drinks package has been 250ml - 175ml sounds more like it. But it does sound silly if you can order a pint of beer!

 

 

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Also the measures on most US ships are larger too but I have always found the package to be worth it to me. I’ll be buying it next Sunday on the Azura!

 

 

 

Hi Deeliteful - as a ‘pro’ package person I’m very interested in your view on the package - have a great cruise and please do let us know how you found it operated.

 

 

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I was on Azura recently and got the drinks package. V expensive and the staff didn’t have a clue how it worked. Was told in MDR we couldn’t get soft drinks with it. Wrong! You are restricted to 15 drinks per day. Nothing wrong with that surely. Well, I ordered a large glass of wine for £6.95 (within price budget) to be told you can’t have a large glass of any wine on the drinks package. They are still trying to find their feet with it. It’s going to fail unless they start training the staff to know how to sell it correctly. It’s doomed on P&O I’m afraid. Once our table wine steward knew we were on it she vanished. What a slap in the face from our favourite cruise line. Complained in writing, heard nothing! Oh dear.

 

 

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Just as I thought wine at dinner would work on P&O package !!

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This is what I thought would happen with wine at dinner! Where other lines refill your glass, it's clear that P and O don't have enough wine stewards to do that. As mostly I drink wine with dinner, and I like a large glass, clearly the package would not work for me.

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This is what I thought would happen with wine at dinner! Where other lines refill your glass, it's clear that P and O don't have enough wine stewards to do that. As mostly I drink wine with dinner, and I like a large glass, clearly the package would not work for me.

 

 

 

Yes they’ll need to sort it out if they’re going to stick with the package. No one will be happy paying £40pd and not be able to get a drink in the MDR!

 

The difference between glass size is only 75ml so not a huge difference - would be an issue if their small glass was 125ml tho

 

 

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Hi Deeliteful - as a ‘pro’ package person I’m very interested in your view on the package - have a great cruise and please do let us know how you found it operated.

 

 

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I am (fingers crossed with back issue) on the same cruise as Deeliteful, and we will also more than likely be taking up the Ultimate package. We will also have our 14 year old son with us, so his will be free, and kids do like their fizzy!!

 

Having looked at a lot of the concerns mentioned, a lot would not apply to us anyway. We generally drink water with our meals, so trying to get an alcoholic drink in the MDR won't be an issue. Plus its not just the 15 alcoholic drinks, as I would not drink that many in 24 hours anyway. But you can still have draft fizzy, primo Costas, Teapigs etc every 15 minutes.

 

A quick look at prices and with say 5 bottles of Corona , 2 late evening cocktails, some water, coffee and fizzy during the day and I will easily exceed the £40 cost. And with the wifes drinks and the sons package would also exceed their £40 cost.

 

We would have anticipated teething problems and the waiters not quite up to speed, but would just take it as it comes.

 

Looking forward to our cruise next Saturday.

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