Have we become known as a country who likes a drink?
With dry January now over and well done to these people who did do this to actually raise money for Charity, This week saw 2 more cruise lines announce they are moving down the All Inclusive drinks package route – P&O and Cunard. Is this a wise move in the hope to keep up with the likes of Royal Caribbean and Celebrity cruises, or will this just create a binge drinking culture and taint the brand names of P&O and Cunard? Have we become known as a country who likes a drink?
P&O have introduced 4 new packages on cruises of 5 nights or more and must be purchased onboard before midnight on night two of the cruise –
The Ultimate drinks package at £39.95 per person per day and for all drinks up to the value of £6.95 (anything over that value gets charged as extra) There is a daily limit of 15 alcoholic drinks per day (if you can drink that much) and if you want this but your husband/wife doesn’t as they don’t drink that much then, unfortunately, someone will have to compromise as all adults in the cabin have to have the same drinks package. The good thing is if you take this package out and have kids under the age of 16 in your cabin then they will get the children’s drinks package at no extra cost.
The launch days for this going live across the fleet is as follows:
Azura: 26 March 2019
Britannia: 7 April 2019
Aurora: 8 April 2019
Oceana: 18 April 2019
Ventura: 23 April 2019
Arcadia: 5 May 2019
The Non-alcoholic drinks package is £19.95 per person per day – including are draught soft drinks, selected juices, costa coffee drinks, mocktails and 20% saving on selected excluded drinks. Again everyone in the cabin must purchase the same drinks package.
Hot drinks package is £10.95 per person per day – included are small Costa Coffees, hot chocolates and Teapigs tea. Again everyone in the cabin must purchase the same drinks package.
Children’s Drinks is £7.95 per person per day – included are unlimited draught soft drinks, selected juices and primo hot chocolates.
Cunard is rolling out similar packages:
Beer, Wines and spirits option are $69 per person per day for drinks up to $11
Premium Soft drinks are $29 per person per day
Soft drinks are $10 per person per day
Speciality Hot drinks are $15 per person per day
What are your thoughts – would you buy one of these drinks packages? For me, I wouldn’t make the most of spending £39.95 a day on drinks and my husband doesn’t drink so even if I wanted that package it wouldn’t work for us as we would both have to pay for it. Is this a wise move by P&O or Cunard to keep up with the competition or will it spoil the brnad they have built up?
Have a great couple of weeks
Kerry
xx
One Comment on “Have we become known as a country who likes a drink?”
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Hello there Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and in getting to know more about me My name is Kerry James and I have worked within Travel for the last 19 years. I have worked in different areas within the industry - selling package holidays, around…
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I doubt the majority of people would drink their moneys worth. It’s just another feature of the decline of the traditional cruise industry. If the drinks onboard were more realistically priced in the first place then people would undoubtedly buy more any way. I know I would. On the last couple of cruises I’ve been on I’ve actually seen waiting staff taken back by the fact that I didn’t have a drinks package when placing an order. It’s just another moneyspinner, a bit like the speciality restaurants. Why pay twice when you already get excellent food in main dining?