One of many sensible issues about cruising is that you understand you’ll by no means go hungry. Nonetheless, one factor I at all times marvel earlier than becoming a member of a cruise is whether or not to purchase the all inclusive drinks bundle – will 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 publish, I check out whether or not the P&O drinks bundle is price it and provide you with some alternate options you would possibly like to think about.
2024 replace: the worth of drinks on P&O cruises and the P&O drinks bundle included on this publish have been appropriate after we sailed. I’ve up to date this publish 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 Bundle 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 Bundle – beforehand identified on the P&O Youngsters’s drink bundle
This very primary packages is finest suited to children and adults who can’t be and not using a few primary comfortable drinks. It consists of common and enormous comfortable 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 youngsters aged 16 or below and purchase both the Basic of Deluxe drink packages (see beneath) your youngsters will get the Refresh Drink Bundle without cost.
The Alcohol-Free Drink Bundle
This bundle is finest fitted to adults who need free flowing non-alcoholic drinks. It consists of the identical comfortable 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 Bundle prices £24.99 per particular person, per day
The Basic Drink Bundle
This packages works finest if you wish to add alcohol to your drinks bundle. It consists of all the pieces 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 Bundle prices £44.95 per particular person, per day.
Save extra: get 10% off the Basic Drinks Bundle 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 Bundle
P&O’s high tipples drink bundle is for passengers who get pleasure from premium drinks. It consists of all the pieces within the Basic Drink Bundle plus:
The total 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
Good 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 Bundle 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 examine, you could find the most recent drinks bundle costs right here.
My evaluation about whether or not the P&O drinks bundle is worth for cash is unlikely to vary 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 will get worth from it.
It’s essential ask your self:
What number of drinks will you might have every day?
Will you get worth from a P&O drinks bundle when 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 additional value to paying as you go.
Right here’s what we determined
On our 15 night time Caribbean cruise on P&O Azura we determined to not get the drinks bundle. Let me clarify why…
Don’t get me flawed. We get pleasure from a drink and may 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 look like a no brainer.
Caffeine followers may also 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 would spend £44 down your native all day, on a regular basis (or almost £90 for a pair) you then’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 needed 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 youngsters we would have thought once more.
It is because if you happen to purchase the P&O Basic or Deluxe Drinks Bundle for the adults in your cabin the youngsters routinely get the P&O Refresh drinks bundle included. That is price £10.95 per little one, per day.
In case your children can get by way of quite a lot of comfortable 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 might have the higher worth it turns into) or intend to completely calm down and spend your days by the pool, then who wouldn’t desire a piña colada by their facet 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 traces.
Details in regards to the P&O Drinks Packages
As with all cruise drinks offers there are T&Cs. These might have an effect on the worth you get out of your P&O drinks bundle.
Right here’s among the necessary questions answered:
When can you purchase the drinks bundle?
Your P&O drinks bundle will be purchased while you guide your cruise proper by way of to midnight on the second night time of your cruise. It’s not accessible after day two and should be purchased for day by day of your cruise from that time.
Is it cheaper to purchase a drinks bundle on board?
No, P&O don’t provide reductions for drinks packages purchased onboard.
You would possibly really discover it cheaper to purchase prematurely relying on affords accessible at time you guide.
What does the P&O Cruises drinks bundle embody?
Every of the 4 drinks packages have an in depth checklist of what’s included. See my clarification above or go to the P&O web site for the hottest data.
If you happen to 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’ll be able to have?
Sure. You’ll be able to ‘solely’ have as much as 15 drinks every day and there should be quarter-hour between your orders.
Your every day allowance resets at 6am every day.
You can’t 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 in case you are seated the workers will take your glass away earlier than bringing you one other.
Does everybody in you cabin need to have a drinks bundle?
Everybody aged 18 or over in your cabin will need to have the identical drinks bundle.
If you’re in the identical cabin as youngsters aged 16 and below they are going to obtain a complimentary Refresh Drinks Bundle the place all adults have bought a Basic or Deluxe Drinks Bundle.
Any friends aged 17 years should buy both a Refresh or Alcohol-Free Drinks Bundle when any adults in the identical cabin buy a Basic or Deluxe Drinks Bundle.
Remember that the Basic and Deluxe Drinks Packages can solely be bought by friends 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 provide 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 comfortable drinks, juices, sodas, primo Costa coffees, chosen pigteas, and non-alcoholic cocktails.
Different non-alcoholic drinks, resembling canned drinks, will be purchased at a 20% low cost.
Is your cabin’s mini bar included within the bundle?
No. Mini bar and room service drinks aren’t 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 would 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 Bundle.
However we did get different drinks packages whereas onboard and know we received worth for cash verses paying as we drank.
You will want to examine if these can be found in your cruise while 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 considered one of these and you may make a saving on buying a bottle every night time 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 crimson, white, rose and glowing wines (not champagne) included on the bundle wine checklist.
If you’re pleased 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 checklist.
You should purchase a wine bundle at any time throughout your cruise and get a booklet of vouchers to provide handy over in the primary restaurant.
Take excellent care of this little booklet as it’s paper and will simply get misplaced.
We had a panic one night time after we thought Mr Tin Field had put it by way of the wash in considered one of his shirt pockets.
Draught beer bundle
On Azura, there was additionally a draught beer bundle that labored in an analogous option to the wine packages.
They don’t seen to promote this off the ship however we noticed details about it onboard. We have been in a position to get a guide of 10 or 20 vouchers and saved 15% on shopping for pints individually.
You’ll must examine 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 Youngsters’s drink bundle?
That is now the Refresher Drinks Bundle and prices £10.95 per little one and consists of draught comfortable drinks (Pepsi, Pepsi Max and Lemonade), chosen juices and fruit cordial by the glass.
Every little one in your cabin has to have the bundle and it will probably’t be shared.
The excellent news for any mums and dads who purchase the Basic and Deluxe Drinks Bundle is that your children get the Refresher Drinks Bundle without cost.
That is helpful for households with youngsters who eat plenty of comfortable drinks every day and provides so much worth of the grownup drinks bundle.
Nonetheless, in case you are cruising with a child or younger youngsters you received’t get the profit.
How a lot do P&O mini bar drinks value?
In your cabin you might have a choice of mini bar drinks together with lager, gin in a tin and comfortable 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 dearer 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 hassle you then get the water bundle or convey some cordial. We at all times 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 in case you are proud of these primary drinks.
High tip: for a free glass of bubbly, be sure you attend the Captain’s drinks reception. Wine will also be on provide at buying and gallery occasions throughout your cruise.
Value of drinks on P&O Azura
If you happen to’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 convey onboard P&O cruise ships?
Don’t neglect which you can convey alcohol onboard while you embark your P&O cruise.
We every introduced a litre bottle of spirits that we’d purchased in obligation free on the airport on our option to the Caribbean.
You would use your allowance to convey a litre of wine, Champagne, or beer as a substitute. We opted to convey our personal pre-dinner drinks.
If you happen to purchase the rest in port throughout your cruise this will likely be taken away while you board the ship.
It isn’t gone eternally although. You’re given a ticket and can get your booze again on the finish of your cruise.
Pay attention to private allowances for spirits in case you are 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.
If you happen to like plenty of alcoholic or premium drinks whereas on vacation then it’s price wanting into, particularly when you have plenty of sea days.
It’s additionally one thing to think about if you happen to don’t need to convey your personal one litre bottle allowance onboard.
What do you concentrate on 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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