Alaska cruise - drinks package advice

[Terry Everall]

"pirates"of the high seas probably

Booze will be close to one persons cabin 

[uk89camaro]

Apparently they search bags for booze!

 

Oh yes!  All bags through the x-ray machine on boarding, and after day trips.  they will "look after" any bottles until the end of the cruise.  It seems the x-ray machines aren't that great at detecting bags of wine apparently.

 

I bought a wine package for dinner.  Not cheap, but cheaper than my assumed cost per bottle prior to the trip.  Believe it or not I also bought a juice and water package too.  Just easier if you've got a ready supply of cold drinks in your room prior to boarding.

[Dodgey]

OT I know, but I laughed when I saw the picture on their drinks booking web page showing lots of young people (predominately young single females) at the bar :-)

[ACW]

As someone who has been on a few short UK cruises with P and O, The def search all bags for anything they might be able to sell you (ie booze) and they know how to charge.

 

My cruising however is limited to two IT Directors Forums per year over the last few years with Richmond Events. My Booze bill (which can only be at standard bar rate) comes to around 800 -1000 quid for three nights. This is usually allowing for between 4 and 10 people's entertainment each night. Typically pre-dinner drinks, wine with dinner, cocktail/port and then a post meal session.

[funky munky]

Terry, definately going to be expensive seek out any packages on offer, some operators give you regular account updates, have a great holiday

[Barry Ashcroft]

We're regular cruisers and like the rest can confirm they will remove any booze you try to bring on board. Everything is scanned even the wifes handbag. Any drinks you buy on board will be plus 15% service charge, most drinks work ok £5-7 each expect to be charged in usd. Wine packages are better value than pay as you go. Never bought an alcohol package as we're not big drinkers but usually have a water package (it's hot in the Caribbean)

No cash change hand it's all charged to your room.

[Terry Everall]

Barry

Do you normally buy 2 wine packages and 2 soft drinks/water packages/

[Barry Ashcroft]

No 1 wine package you buy a number of bottles to be drunk bu whoever, you can have your wine brought to you if you eat in different restaurants even half drunk bottoes they store it all for you. On royal Caribbean they mark your card with a sticker for soft drinks so we just use one card for the drinks,

One one cruise we were lucky to find a dodgy barmen who sold us soft drink stickers for half price.

The first cruise you can get quite annoyed at the expense but you just have to accept your going to pay more for drinks than your normally used to you and just get on with it or it will ruin your holiday, just remember the food is free so eat eat eat

[Wile E. Coyote]

As someone who has been on a few short UK cruises with P and O, The def search all bags for anything they might be able to sell you (ie booze) and they know how to charge.

 

My cruising however is limited to two IT Directors Forums per year over the last few years with Richmond Events. My Booze bill (which can only be at standard bar rate) comes to around 800 -1000 quid for three nights. This is usually allowing for between 4 and 10 people's entertainment each night. Typically pre-dinner drinks, wine with dinner, cocktail/port and then a post meal session.

 

P&O (and Princess) definitely let you take your own wine on board and will only charge modest corkage for having it opened in their bars/restaurants if you so wish - £10 on P&O, $10 on Princess.  If you're on the same table for dinner each night, a decent cash tip to the wine waiter the first night and you'll usually find that the corkage never appears on your bill.

 

Soft drinks they're OK with you taking on board for consumption in cabin.  Spirits they don't let through though.

 

We don't tend to bother with the alcohol packages / offers, but if it's somewhere hot do buy into the unlimited soft drinks packages.  Can imagine you'd get through a fair bit of coffee too (there's usually crap stuff available at the buffets, but expect a coffee bar at Starbucks type prices if you want anything passable).