P&O Drinks packages……recipe for disaster

I heard along the grapevine last week that P&O were to trial Selected drinks packages over the next few months. I only hope they do not offer an ‘All Inclusive’ drinks package as I can only think that this would be a recipe for disaster!!!!!!

I’ve just come back from the pub after watching the England match, great night, great atmosphere, however there were a few people in a sorry state by 10pm, they had only started drinking at 6pm, and most have to tackle work tomorrow too.

Let’s face it, us Brits are not the best Nation at handling alcohol, they say everything in moderation but we’ll still finish the bottle of red if there’s a glass left in the bottom, everytime……

I use the fact that P&O do not offer an ‘All Inclusive’ drinks package as a huge ‘unique selling point’. I feel they don’t need to pour as much drink down customers necks to ensure they have a good time, their product, the whole experience, entertainment, comfortable on-board style and friendly staff sells itself. They don’t need to follow the gimmicks of the American lines as their drinks are very reasonably priced and many of the bars on board offer a ‘Happy hour’ too which creates a great atmosphere as it is, rather than having people stumbling around worse for ware.

I recently came back from a mini cruise with Royal Caribbean, the better name for it would have been a booze cruise, we were heckled by a large party of gents on the ‘sea day’ one afternoon on the main promenade. The beer had got a little too much for them and they started to get quite vocal and personal with a member of our party, they took it all in jest, however they offended us, as the staff just looked on. The bars were rammed with passengers waiting for drinks, I queued for 45 minutes when we came out of the restaurant at 9:45pm to get a drink, in the end we gave up and called it a night. We were aimlessly scouring the ship to find a bar where we could get served.

I can only hope that P&O don’t go down the same road!! What’s your thoughts? P&O All Inclusive, how does it sit with you?