P&O Cause A Storm Unveiling Their New Drinks Package

Last week P&O unveiled details of their all inclusive drinks package. There was a bit of a hoo haar on their facebook page with a massive outcry from many people berating the offer. A lot of people say that they think £39.95 per person per night was far too expensive. Personally I think spending £40 on a night out is fairly reasonable considering you are in the equivalent of a 4 star hotel. Not only that you can get soft drinks, speciality coffees etc included. Other cruise lines offer drinks packages that are closer to $70 a night, so this compares favourably.

Some people were complaining about the fact that there were 15 alcoholic drinks included which is way over the daily recommended units of alcohol per day. Seriously? Do you think that before drinks packages were introduced people stuck to the recommended allowance?

Some people said it just wouldn’t be worth the money as they don’t drink that much. Fine…don’t purchase the package then. Nobody is forcing you to.

So what’s in the package?
• The Ultimate drinks package is £39.95 per person, per day and includes an incredible array of beers, spirits, cocktails, liqueurs and wines by
the glass retailing up to £6.95 per serving as listed on our menus, subject to availability. Spirits will be served in single measures only with
a draught soda or long life juice mixer.
• The package includes bottled water (500ml only), draught soft drinks, long life juices, primo Costa coffees, teas, hot chocolates, nonalcoholic cocktails.
• In addition, the Ultimate drinks package provides a 20% discount on the following excluded items: any drinks retailing above £6.95, all
bottles of wine, large bottles of water, canned or bottled premium soft drinks or juices and smoothies.

For families every adult that purchases the package gets a soft drink package free for a child.

All the above drinks packages will be available to buy on board across the fleet from the following dates:

Azura: 26 March 2019
Britannia: 7 April 2019
Aurora: 8 April 2019
Oceana: 18 April 2019
Ventura: 23 April 2019
Arcadia: 5 May 2019

People are complaining that all adults in the cabin should buy the package. Let’s face it if not this would be open to abuse. History proves this as when other cruise lines started out offering these packages people really took the mickey getting drinks for people who hadn’t purchased it. As with other cruise lines there will be flexibility for people who can’t drink alcohol due to medical or religious reasons.

Everyone is entitled to air their opinion on social media, but I read a lot of these posts and it  makes me think that some people just love to take the opportunity to have a good old moan. P&O have only introduced these packages because people asked for them. If you won’t get your money’s worth then don’t buy it. If you’re one of those people that like to budget and know they’re not going to get any surprises on their bill at the end of the cruise then fill your boots.

I say Well Done P&O for finally delivering what a lot of people asked for and this will potentially gain you more customers that previously didn’t want to book a P&O cruise as they didn’t offer an all inclusive package.

What do you think? Good move or a bad one?