Drinks package/policy changes?

[Camberley]

8 hours ago, Peter Lanky said:

we've only been on one P&O cruise and I found it acceptable, but not very inspiring,

Oh this needs to be snuck into their advertising campaign as a passenger quote. Love it 🤣🤣

[S1971]

2 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

I had just come on here to advise that the website had now been updated but it appears someone else beat me to it.

P&O set the restricted items list and the security teams check in line with that policy. Thats not to say that every bottle of will get found, but some will. Their higher priority is items of a terrorist/weaponry nature.

 

As its not permanent confiscation of the items, there is no need to advertise in advance, unlike the liquids allowance at airports.

 

It matters not whether it has to be advertised in advance or not, it's more a matter of good customer service to allow those affected by the change some reasonable advanced warning.

 

Instead of hiding behind policy, they should just be open and honest.

 

 

 

 

[yorkshirephil]

7 minutes ago, Lee Jones Jnr said:

WELL... P&O want to change the game IMO, they are changing where the line sits in the market by offering bargain basement cruises and then recouping via extras, sort of a little more in the MSC direction.

You are probably right, however this suits us as we don't drink a lot and very rarely use wifi so are quite happy to pay as we go.

[MellyMoo1989]

So it looks like the no spirits on board is all but official now and straight away people are advising how to get round it or announcing they’ll get spirits on board somehow.. exactly the reason for these new changes, no? A small few trying to dodge the rules and in the end ruin it for everyone else.. 

Edited May 7 by MellyMoo1989

[elmsliebev]

On 5/4/2024 at 1:43 PM, yorkshirephil said:

I can see both sides too, I am surprised it hasn't happened before now as I can't think of another cruise company we have used that allows a litre of spirits per person. We usually take a couple of litres of rum but I think we will muddle through. A bit like parties when I was a youth, sup the beer and spirits first, move on to the sherry and cheap Spanish wine then attack the cupboard under the sink to see if any cleaning products have alcohol in them.

would that be Don Simon Spanish wine in a carton? We had a carton that went to more parties than we did for several years 🤣

[S1971]

4 minutes ago, MellyMoo1989 said:

exactly the reason for these new changes, no? A small few trying to dodge the rules and in the end ruin it for everyone else

 

It was previously allowed so how have the small few ruined it for everyone else??

 

It's purely down to P&O profiteering.

[Lee Jones Jnr]

The P&O website still shows A-OK to take spirits onboard for me, maybe I need to clear internet history or summink.

 

EDIT

It appears that one part of the website has been updated and one has not.

Edited May 7 by Lee Jones Jnr

[AndyMichelle]

1 minute ago, Lee Jones Jnr said:

The P&O website still shows A-OK to take spirits onboard for me, maybe I need to clear internet history or summink.

On that other site, people still receiving emails saying there is no change... 

It is changing, we just need to let the P&O employees know😂

Andy 

[Lee Jones Jnr]

13 minutes ago, S1971 said:

 

 

It's purely down to P&O profiteering.

I think its not really quite as mercenary as that, its in order to make the revised business model work, all in all its probably around the same but they are trying to offer low headline cruise costs

[AndyMichelle]

9 minutes ago, S1971 said:

 

It was previously allowed so how have the small few ruined it for everyone else??

 

 

We were shocked to see very many passengers last week pouring their own drinks in the bars, have never really noticed it before. 

Even saw a couple asking the waiters for 2 glasses with ice... 

Andy 

[S1971]

1 minute ago, Lee Jones Jnr said:

I think its not really quite as mercenary as that, its in order to make the revised business model work, all in all its probably around the same but they are trying to offer low headline cruise costs

Agreed.

[S1971]

2 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

We were shocked to see very many passengers last week pouring their own drinks in the bars, have never really noticed it before. 

Even saw a couple asking the waiters for 2 glasses with ice... 

Andy 

 

I think it's very unlikely that the policy was changed because of the odd few pouring their own and if the waiters are encouraging it, then can't blame the customers for that.

 

As has been said, this change is as a result of low baseline prices, wanting to sell packages etc.

[Peter Lanky]

50 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

 

The logic  doesn't compute, you are willing to spend £1000s more on Amazara/ silversea/Oceania,  so you can save at most a £100 or so bringing own drinks

They can cost a lot more if you let them, but careful choosing of cruises can net a bargain. Our 20 night Azamara cruise just before Christmas cost under £5K for 2 of us including flights (return from Cape Town) so not exactly a fortune. Also you cannot compare small ship cruising with a ship with 3,000 people on. The whole atmosphere and service is on another level, so it's not simply a case of having an included drinks package.

 

The one common feature of all cruises though is the extortionate price of excursions, whether on P&O or a premium line.

[AndyMichelle]

1 minute ago, S1971 said:

 

I think it's very unlikely that the policy was changed because of the odd few pouring their own and if the waiters are encouraging it, then can't blame the customers for that.

 

As has been said, this change is as a result of low baseline prices, wanting to sell packages etc.

That's my point, it used to be the odd few, now it seemed commonplace. 

I don't doubt you are right about the baseline etc, but was just surprised how many were blatantly doing it now. 

As has also been said before, if we don't like it, we can go elsewhere. 

With all the ships sailing at capacity, there seems to be a stream of people willing to replace us, despite the cuts. 

Andy 

 

[Lee Jones Jnr]

2 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

As has also been said before, if we don't like it, we can go elsewhere. 

With all the ships sailing at capacity, there seems to be a stream of people willing to replace us, despite the cuts.

Yep, there are cruise lines that suit everyone.

It appears from this thread that I am in the minority in that I am a little disappointed that P&O has moved to a different market. 

I am not against lines appealing to whomever, I suppose that its just a shame for me that it is P&O who has changed the product rather than a line that I wasn't as affectionate towards.

At the moment there are plenty of lines that fill the space that P&O were in, so ultimately very little change in the market other than an extra line for MSC passengers to try.

[Snow Hill]

3 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

Wel of course you can drink for that price at home!   BUT if you go to a pub, a large glass of wine is about the same as on P&O.  You are not at home!

Depends where you live, a glass of wine in my local/pub restaurants is cheaper by around £1 on what P&O were charging before the latest increase. 

[Gettingwarmer]

19 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

That's my point, it used to be the odd few, now it seemed commonplace. 

I don't doubt you are right about the baseline etc, but was just surprised how many were blatantly doing it now. 

As has also been said before, if we don't like it, we can go elsewhere. 

With all the ships sailing at capacity, there seems to be a stream of people willing to replace us, despite the cuts. 

Andy 

 

Are you saying it’s the newbies replacing us that are bringing their own drinks to the bars. Seems this is what P&O wanted and now they’re cracking down. 

[Angel57]

2 minutes ago, Snow Hill said:

Depends where you live, a glass of wine in my local/pub restaurants is cheaper by around £1 on what P&O were charging before the latest increase. 

At a hotel in Cheshire last week a 250ml glass of Shiraz was £9.50 🍷🙄

[AndyMichelle]

Just now, Gettingwarmer said:

Are you saying it’s the newbies replacing us that are bringing their own drinks to the bars. Seems this is what P&O wanted and now they’re cracking down. 

Definitely not solely blaming the newbies, as many have said before, they take their own drinks because they cannot get what they want on board. 

I had never noticed it so blatant before, but this time I did and it wasn't being discouraged. 

Andy 

[S1971]

Just now, Fionboard said:

The loyal older ones (like me!) are still filling the two small ships, which are, unfortunately, very pricey! 

Agreed, but they are quickly coming to the end of their commercial life, then what?

 

 

[AndyMichelle]

6 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

The loyal older ones (like me!) are still filling the two small ships, which are, unfortunately, very pricey! 

Yeah, tell me about it... 

Looked at an Aurora cruise yesterday, the cost was eye watering compared to what you could pay on the biggies..

Andy 

 

[Gettingwarmer]

1 minute ago, AndyMichelle said:

Definitely not solely blaming the newbies, as many have said before, they take their own drinks because they cannot get what they want on board. 

I had never noticed it so blatant before, but this time I did and it wasn't being discouraged. 

Andy 

It seems that if they reintroduced more selection of drinks as in previous times it could rectify the unhappiness. 

[jeanlyon]

1 minute ago, AndyMichelle said:

Yeah, tell me about it... 

Looked at an Aurora cruise yesterday, the cost was eye watering compared to what you could pay on the biggies..

Andy 

 

And yet, I have just booked Aurora for October 2025 and it was just over £100 pppn.  OK that's an inside, but it's not expensive.  19 nights.

[Fionboard]

1 minute ago, S1971 said:

Agreed, but they are quickly coming to the end of their commercial life, then what?

 

 

Another adults only ship, Ventura maybe?  But hopefully a few years left in them yet. Both being refitted in 2024/25. 

[BandBlady]

46 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

We were shocked to see very many passengers last week pouring their own drinks in the bars, have never really noticed it before. 

Even saw a couple asking the waiters for 2 glasses with ice... 

Andy 

Witnessed it a lot on Britannia last year on our Baltic cruise .Quite disheartening really .