Pre paid wine packages

[Elviex]

Hi everyone, looking for info from anyone who has bought a package before. I have gone ahead and bought one for our May Azura cruise, but I did read a comment somewhere that it can be difficult to actually get hold of the bottle.

 

 

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[tom_uk]

We've had wine packages on a couple of cruise in the past but more recently we haven't. We found a couple of issues: a) sometimes, as you suggest, the wine in the package was no longer available (more likely at the end of the cruise, of course); and b) we sometimes found that the bottle we needed to drink constrained our dinner choice - red wine doesn't go with fish, for example.

 

But the first time we did it we enjoyed it a lot - the menu choices went on our favour and all the bottles were available. And we saved some money.

[Elviex]

Thanks Tom..we have gone for an all white package as I don't drink red, so that should eliminate one problem...hopefully there will be some white available and they don't run out!! I confess I am not too fussy so long as it is dry and chilled!

 

 

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[Elviex]

Just had another thought....it means we have more OBC to use up on board...and we have what seems to be a generous amount as the price went down after we booked so they gave us some more!

 

 

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[Antmadmanda]

We have never cruised before. We like a glass of wine, and would enjoy a glass or two on our balcony. We were pleased to see P & O allow passengers to take some of their own alcohol aboard. Have any of you done this? If so, what is considered a reasonable amount please?

[tom_uk]

We have never cruised before. We like a glass of wine, and would enjoy a glass or two on our balcony. We were pleased to see P & O allow passengers to take some of their own alcohol aboard. Have any of you done this? If so, what is considered a reasonable amount please?

 

Well, I think if you carried a case on they might look askance at you. I'm not sure how many people carry wine on at Southampton - spirits, perhaps, but not wine so much. Generally you see people buying local wine in the ports of call.

 

Oh, by the way - you can only drink anything you take on yourself in your cabin or on your balcony. If you take your own bottle into the restaurant/lounge/bar you have to pay 'corkage' - currently £11 per bottle, it says. That said, I've come across a very few people who were prepared to do that - they were drinking seriously good ( and expensive) wines from their own collection - classed-growth clarets, for example - that either wouldn't be available on board or, if available, would be prohibitively expensive. They were happy to be able to take their own fine wine and pay the corkage.

[Antmadmanda]

Thank you. It would just be for our cabin. We're off to Paris shortly, and were thinking of doing a bit of wine shopping on our way home! Normally we like to buy local, but not sure about Baltic wines (if any)! Hahaha! I have looked at the prices on board, however, and they seem comparable to restaurant prices at home! So that's fine! ;-)

 

 

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[Comeondown]

Hi Antmadmander we have taken on board a 5 litre carton of wine plus a couple of bottles in our wheeled hand luggage with no problems apart from it being quite heavy, but well worth the effort.

[Antmadmanda]

I intend t get up very early the day we enter the Baltic Sea, put on my onesie, and sip a glass of wine in the balcony!

 

 

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[johncandt]

Hi we have just returned from a Caribbean cruise on Azura and we bought a red and white wine package, the downsides were if you select a bottle whilst in a bar or restaurant other than your allocated dining option they have to go get one from there this took 5/10 mins sometime also we tried to use ours one lunchtime in Sindhu and were told as our selected dining was closed at lunchtime we could not use it , a bit of a pain and i have written to P O to complain, would i do it again probably not as you only save pennies, as to taking wine onboard we took a couple bottles back on board after going ashore and never had a problem...

[Elviex]

Thanks for the replies and info...on balance then we probably won't buy the package again, but as it is only our first longer than a mini cruise, we are still learning! All advice much appreciated.

[scifimonkey]

On Azura 2 years ago there was a package where you could choose any bottle from a selection of about 20 or so wines in at least 2 different price categories. (Captains choice or Commodores choice or something) This worked pretty well for us and resolved the red or white with your dinner choice issue. There was no need to have one of each bottle over the cruise, you could have the same wine every night if you wished and the vouchers they gave us were valid in all the speciality restaurants as well so there was no issue about where we were eating.

All the wines were of pretty reasonable quality and compared to Celebrity were very reasonably priced even without the benefit of the package.

Hope this package choice is still available as we will be returning to P&O next year.

[Elviex]

Thanks for the info scifimonkey. Sounds good to me, and I will write a review after the cruise and update this thread. It's getting exciting!

 

 

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[Antmadmanda]

Thank you Comeondown. We do like a glass of wine, or a rum, out in the garden. Our balcony is going to be our garden for two weeks, but without the gardening (obviously a lot smaller too). Not sure we'd drink 5 litres, hahaha, but a few bottles will be coming aboard!

 

 

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[tartanexile81]

I'm not sure how many people carry wine on at Southampton - spirits, perhaps, but not wine so much. Generally you see people buying local wine in the ports of call.

 

This is not our experience. We know lots of people who take aboard a few bottles of bubbly for the first few days then buy duty free spirits in the ports. The OP asked what would be a reasonable amount and we've never taken any more than 3 bottles but we have heard of people who've taken a box of wine.

 

As regards the wine package, we've never taken it as there's always been wines on it we didn't like and more expensive wines that we need to buy. Wine is relatively cheap on P&O and on a recent cruise we had a carafe of the house wine most night and on other nights a different bottle which cost around £14. Both very, very palatable.

[shallwe]

We have never cruised before. We like a glass of wine, and would enjoy a glass or two on our balcony. We were pleased to see P & O allow passengers to take some of their own alcohol aboard. Have any of you done this? If so, what is considered a reasonable amount please?

 

Back in February we took on board in our luggage: - 3 bottles of red, 2 bottles of white, and a bottle of Bollinger. All was drunk in our cabin but it still didn't stop us from buying wine and beer in the dining room and bars.

[Elviex]

I forgot to mention that we will be bringing some on board as we too like a drop in the privacy of our own balcony! The package will be for the restaurants and bars. If anyone runs short on our cruise I can come to some arrangement!! Hahaha!!

 

 

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[Antmadmanda]

Don't think your on ours, unfortunately, Elviex hahaha!

 

 

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[alvin moondust]

I intend t get up very early the day we enter the Baltic Sea, put on my onesie, and sip a glass of wine in the balcony!

 

 

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Why Can't i get this image out of my head LOL:)

[alvin moondust]

Last year we limited our carry on to a bottle of Veuve Cliquot bubbly for our balcony, The rest we paid for on board. The wine prices on Azura were no more expensive than you would pay in a typical restaurant.

[Antmadmanda]

Why Can't i get this image out of my head LOL:)

 

Don't worry, I shall only wear it in the privacy of my own room!:D

[Elviex]

After spending hours in the traffic getting to the ship which I have just been reading about we will need a tipple on the balcony!

 

 

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[louhun88]

This is not our experience. We know lots of people who take aboard a few bottles of bubbly for the first few days then buy duty free spirits in the ports. The OP asked what would be a reasonable amount and we've never taken any more than 3 bottles but we have heard of people who've taken a box of wine.

 

As regards the wine package, we've never taken it as there's always been wines on it we didn't like and more expensive wines that we need to buy. Wine is relatively cheap on P&O and on a recent cruise we had a carafe of the house wine most night and on other nights a different bottle which cost around £14. Both very, very palatable.

 

Hi

 

I was wondering whether you.could buy a carafe of the wine only in the dining room or also in the bars and other dining venues?

 

Louise

 

 

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[tartanexile81]

I'm pretty sure it's only in the dining rooms, alternative restaurants or buffet at night. You can get a bottle of house wine in the bars though.

 

 

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[louhun88]

I'm pretty sure it's only in the dining rooms, alternative restaurants or buffet at night. You can get a bottle of house wine in the bars though.

 

 

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Thanks, as long as I can at least get a bottle i'll be fine - might work out quite expensive if I was buying per glass!

 

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