One of many good issues about cruising is that you understand you’ll by no means go hungry. Nonetheless, one factor I all the time marvel earlier than becoming a member of a cruise is whether or not to purchase the all inclusive drinks bundle – will or not it’s price it? Forward of our Caribbean cruise we have been critically tempted by the P&O drinks bundle.
However did we go for it? On this put up, I check out whether or not the P&O drinks bundle is price it and offer you some alternate options you would possibly like to contemplate.
2024 replace: the worth of drinks on P&O cruises and the P&O drinks bundle included on this put up have been correct after we sailed. I’ve up to date this put up with details about P&O’s revamped drinks packages to make it related for 2024.
Up to date P&O drinks packages
In 2023 P&O scrapped the Final Drinks Package deal and gave their drinks packages a revamp, introducing 4 new choices for passengers onboard for 5 nights or extra:
- The Refresh drink bundle
- The Alcohol-free drink bundle
- The Basic drink bundle
- The Deluxe drink bundle
However what’s included in every?
The Refresh Drink Package deal – beforehand recognized on the P&O Kids’s drink bundle
This very fundamental packages is finest suited to children and adults who can’t be and not using a few fundamental tender drinks. It consists of common and enormous tender drinks (Pepsi, Papsi Max and Lemonade) on faucet and small glasses of juice or squash all through your cruise.
The Refresh drink bundle prices £10.95 per particular person, per day.
If you’re crusing with kids aged 16 or beneath and purchase both the Basic of Deluxe drink packages (see under) your kids will get the Refresh Drink Package deal without spending a dime.
The Alcohol-Free Drink Package deal
This bundle is finest fitted to adults who need free flowing non-alcoholic drinks. It consists of the identical tender drinks and juices because the Refresh drink bundle, plus:
- 300ml bottles of water
- Mixers
- Bottled juices and soda together with sugar-free
- Non-alcoholic drinks (over 18s solely)
- Chosen Costa Espresso (small) and teapigs
- Non-alcoholic cocktails (over 18s solely)
This Alcohol-Free Drink Package deal prices £24.99 per particular person, per day
The Basic Drink Package deal
This packages works finest if you wish to add alcohol to your drinks bundle. It consists of every part within the Alcohol-free bundle plus:
- Chosen cocktails like Piña Colada and Mai Tai
- Chosen 25ml measures of spirits like Marabelle Gin, Golden Tide Rum, Smirnoff Vodka, Bell’s Whisky
- Beers and ciders like Birra Moretti, Heineken, John Smith’s
- Chosen 175ml glasses of wine like Pinot Grigio, Rioja, Malbec
- Fortified and dessert wine like Graham’s Port
- 125ml glasses of Prosecco
If you wish to high up your spherical with premium drinks you will get 20% off on merchandise excluded from this drinks bundle like bottles Champagne, massive bottles of water, craft beers, the total vary of Costa Espresso and premium wines, cocktails and spirits.
The Basic Drink Package deal prices £44.95 per particular person, per day.
Save extra: get 10% off the Basic Drinks Package deal when bought on the time of reserving an Early Saver and Choose Worth vacation of 5 nights or extra crusing from March 2024.
The Deluxe Drink Package deal
P&O’s high tipples drink bundle is for passengers who take pleasure in premium drinks. It consists of every part within the Basic Drink Package deal plus:
- The complete vary of Costa Espresso drinks together with Frappés and Fruit Coolers
- Premium cocktails like Aperol Spritz and the Sundown Cooler
- 50ml spirits like Gray Goose, Salcombe Gin, The Tidal Rum and Johnnie Walker
- Craft beers like St Austell Brewery Tribute and Okell’s IPA
- 250ml glasses of wine like Côtes de Provence Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot
- Excellent serve vary of spirits like Gray Goose Vodka, Salcombe ‘Begin Level’ and The Tidal Rum
If you wish to high up your spherical with premium drinks you will get 20% off on merchandise excluded from this drinks bundle like bottles of wine and Champagne, massive bottles of water and signature spirits.
The Deluxe Drinks Package deal prices £54.95 per particular person, per day.
How a lot is the P&O drink bundle?
I’ve included all the costs above however in abstract:
- The Refresh drink bundle – £10.95 per particular person, per day
- The Alcohol-free drink bundle – £24.99 per particular person, per day
- The Basic drink bundle – £44.95 per particular person, per day
- The Deluxe drink bundle – £54.95 per particular person, per day
To double verify, you could find the newest drinks bundle costs right here.
My evaluation about whether or not the P&O drinks bundle is worth for cash is unlikely to alter considerably 12 months to 12 months.
Is the P&O drinks bundle price it?
To chop to the chase, the P&O drinks bundle, and certainly any cruise drinks bundle, is just price it if you’re going to get worth from it.
You might want to ask your self:
- What number of drinks will you could have every day?
- Will you get worth from a P&O drinks bundle in case you have extra days ashore than at sea?
- How a lot do drinks value on P&O cruise ships and would shopping for individually work out higher?
It’s additionally price noting that P&O don’t cost gratuities or a service cost on high of the worth of your drinks, so there’s no further value to paying as you go.
Right here’s what we determined
On our 15 evening Caribbean cruise on P&O Azura we determined to not get the drinks bundle. Let me clarify why…
Don’t get me improper. We take pleasure in a drink and might simply sink a bottle of wine with dinner and some bevies afterwards. We additionally like a drink by the pool in the course of the day.
Add to {that a} very competitively priced P&O drink bundle (it was £39.95 per grownup in a cabin on the time we sailed) and it would appear to be a no brainer.
Caffeine followers also can have as many primo speciality coffees as they need from Costa Espresso onboard. Add to that bottles of water in your cabin.
Pub costs
Nonetheless, after we sailed in December 2019 we discovered the drink costs on P&O have been no dearer than what you’d discover in a fairly priced pub within the UK.
So except you can spend £44 down your native all day, on a regular basis (or almost £90 for a pair) then you definitely’re going to be falling in need of getting good worth from the highest drinks bundle.
After we did the maths and factored in days ashore and days after we wished to provide our livers a break, the P&O drinks bundle wasn’t price it for us.
What about with children?
Had we been cruising with our two kids we would have thought once more.
It is because in case you purchase the P&O Basic or Deluxe Drinks Package deal for the adults in your cabin the youngsters robotically get the P&O Refresh drinks bundle included. That is price £10.95 per baby, per day.
In case your children can get via various tender drinks, juices and fruit cordials every day then that’s price fairly a bit to you.
So, as I’ve already talked about, the P&O drinks bundle could also be worth for cash for some folks.
If you’re travelling with children (the extra you could have the higher worth it turns into) or intend to completely loosen up and spend your days by the pool, then who wouldn’t desire a piña colada by their aspect all through the day?
Plus, the bundle consists of gratuities and is rather a lot cheaper than the packages I’ve seen marketed by different cruise strains.
Information in regards to the P&O Drinks Packages
As with all cruise drinks offers there are T&Cs. These could have an effect on the worth you get out of your P&O drinks bundle.
Right here’s a number of the essential questions answered:
When can you purchase the drinks bundle?
Your P&O drinks bundle may be purchased if you guide your cruise proper via to midnight on the second evening of your cruise. It’s not accessible after day two and have to be purchased for daily of your cruise from that time.
Is it cheaper to purchase a drinks bundle on board?
No, P&O don’t supply reductions for drinks packages purchased onboard.
You would possibly truly discover it cheaper to purchase prematurely relying on affords accessible at time you guide.
What does the P&O Cruises drinks bundle embrace?
Every of the 4 drinks packages have an in depth listing of what’s included. See my clarification above or go to the P&O web site for the hottest data.
When you by the Basic or Deluxe packages you get a 20% low cost off drinks that aren’t included.
Is there a restrict on the variety of drinks you possibly can have?
Sure. You’ll be able to ‘solely’ have as much as 15 drinks every day and there have to be quarter-hour between your orders.
Your each day allowance resets at 6am every day.
You can not order doubles or bigger spirit measures, or glasses of wine bigger than your bundle permits.
Are you able to share your drinks with different folks?
No. You’ll be able to’t give drinks to different folks.
You’ll be able to solely order one drink at a time and if you’re seated the employees will take your glass away earlier than bringing you one other.
Does everybody in you cabin must have a drinks bundle?
Everybody aged 18 or over in your cabin should have the identical drinks bundle.
If you’re in the identical cabin as kids aged 16 and beneath they may obtain a complimentary Refresh Drinks Package deal the place all adults have bought a Basic or Deluxe Drinks Package deal.
Any visitors aged 17 years should buy both a Refresh or Alcohol-Free Drinks Package deal when any adults in the identical cabin buy a Basic or Deluxe Drinks Package deal.
Bear in mind that the Basic and Deluxe Drinks Packages can solely be bought by visitors over the age of 18 on UK, European and Asian cruises, or these aged over 21 in case your cruise visits USA or UAE waters.
Does P&O supply a non-alcoholic drink bundle for adults?
Sure. The P&O non-alcoholic drinks bundle prices £24.95 and consists of bottled water (500ml solely), draught tender drinks, juices, sodas, primo Costa coffees, chosen pigteas, and non-alcoholic cocktails.
Different non-alcoholic drinks, comparable to canned drinks, may be purchased at a 20% low cost.
Is your cabin’s mini bar included within the bundle?
No. Mini bar and room service drinks usually are not included in any P&O drinks bundle.
Are you able to get a P&O drinks bundle on a mini-cruise?
No, sadly not.
This is likely to be a kind of events when you can get worth for cash however drinks packages are solely accessible on cruises of 5 nights or over.
Different P&O cruises drinks bundle choices
So, we didn’t go for the P&O Drinks Package deal.
However we did get different drinks packages whereas onboard and know we bought worth for cash verses paying as we drank.
You will have to verify if these can be found in your cruise if you board as they can’t be purchased prematurely.
The P&O wine packages
Two wine packages have been accessible on P&O Azura after we sailed. These got here in packages of six or 12 bottles.
Purchase one in all these and you may make a saving on buying a bottle every evening with dinner.
After we sailed, we purchased the Captain’s wine bundle of 12 bottles for £230, which labored out at £19.16 a bottle. It’s not grocery store costs nevertheless it’s nonetheless a saving to purchase in bulk.
There have been pink, white, rose and glowing wines (not champagne) included on the bundle wine listing.
If you’re joyful to pay a bit extra then there’s the Commodore’s wine bundle (£270 for 12 bottles on the time we sailed), however we loved each bottle within the Captain’s listing.
You should buy a wine bundle at any time throughout your cruise and get a booklet of vouchers to provide handy over in the principle restaurant.
Take excellent care of this little booklet as it’s paper and will simply get misplaced.
We had a panic one evening after we thought Mr Tin Field had put it via the wash in one in all his shirt pockets.
Draught beer bundle
On Azura, there was additionally a draught beer bundle that labored in an identical technique to the wine packages.
They don’t seen to promote this off the ship however we noticed details about it onboard. We have been capable of get a guide of 10 or 20 vouchers and saved 15% on shopping for pints individually.
You’ll have to verify if that is accessible in your P&O ship.
You’ll find out extra about most of P&O’s drink packages on their web site.
What in regards to the P&O Kids’s drink bundle?
That is now the Refresher Drinks Package deal and prices £10.95 per baby and consists of draught tender drinks (Pepsi, Pepsi Max and Lemonade), chosen juices and fruit cordial by the glass.
Every baby in your cabin has to have the bundle and it might’t be shared.
The excellent news for any mums and dads who purchase the Basic and Deluxe Drinks Package deal is that your children get the Refresher Drinks Package deal without spending a dime.
That is helpful for households with kids who devour numerous tender drinks every day and provides lots worth of the grownup drinks bundle.
Nonetheless, if you’re cruising with a child or younger kids you gained’t get the profit.
How a lot do P&O mini bar drinks value?
In your cabin you could have a number of mini bar drinks together with lager, gin in a tin and tender drinks. You’ll be able to ask your steward to take these away to make room on your personal drinks.
The mini bar is barely costlier than the ship’s bars, however no extra so than a resort mini bar.
You’ll additionally discover a big bottle of nonetheless water in your cabin quickly after boarding. That is complimentary and comes with a kind hooked up to enroll to get six extra bottles for a set worth.
The water in your cabin has a chemical style however is drinkable.
If the style will trouble you then get the water bundle or deliver some cordial. We all the time journey with a mini Robinson Sauash’d tremendous concentrated cordial bottle.
What drinks are included in your cruise?
You may get faucet water, tea and low within the buffets and in your cabin on P&O cruise ships.
Some juices are additionally accessible within the buffets. So that you don’t want to purchase drinks in any respect if you’re proud of these fundamental drinks.
Prime tip: for a free glass of bubbly, be sure you attend the Captain’s drinks reception. Wine will also be on supply at buying and gallery occasions throughout your cruise.
Value of drinks on P&O Azura
When you’re questioning how a lot it prices to purchase drinks on a P&O cruise right here’s a number of of the drinks menus from onboard in December 2019 to January 2020.
Costs may have been up to date since then so take these as indicators of what you would possibly anticipate plus inflation.
Right here’s the menu from the Terrace Bar, Aqua Bar and The Retreat.
P&O lounge and bar drinks menu
Right here’s the menu for the Planet Bar, Mala Bar and Brodie’s Bar.
What number of bottles of alcohol are you able to deliver onboard P&O cruise ships?
Don’t neglect you could deliver alcohol onboard if you embark your P&O cruise.
We every introduced a litre bottle of spirits that we’d purchased in responsibility free on the airport on our technique to the Caribbean.
You can use your allowance to deliver a litre of wine, Champagne, or beer as a substitute. We opted to deliver our personal pre-dinner drinks.
When you purchase anything in port throughout your cruise this shall be taken away if you board the ship.
It isn’t gone perpetually although. You might be given a ticket and can get your booze again on the finish of your cruise.
Concentrate on private allowances for spirits if you’re flying again to the UK.
So, is the P&O drinks bundle price it?
It wasn’t for us, however that doesn’t imply different folks wouldn’t get worth.
When you like numerous alcoholic or premium drinks whereas on vacation then it’s price wanting into, particularly in case you have numerous sea days.
It’s additionally one thing to contemplate in case you don’t wish to deliver your personal one litre bottle allowance onboard.
What do you consider cruise drink packages? Do you assume they provide worth for cash or do you like to pay as you go?
Extra cruise studying
Right here’s some extra posts I’ve written about cruising:
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