I’m sure people went in hope of seeing the Northern lights… not having them punched out.
Sadly this kind of event was inevitable.
Regrettably, the bean counters at Carnival recently decided to try out all inclusive drinks packages on P&O Cruises. This was brand new to P&O.
It had just been implemented on my last cruise a couple of months ago and happily there seemed to be very few, if any people taking up the “deal”.
The deal is such that if one person in the cabin buys the drinks package then all people in that cabin must also buy it so that a single person can’t just keep ordering drinks for other people.
The charge is steep and amounts to a lot of money every day for drinks. We estimated that you’d have to be ordering at least 8 to 10 drinks a day to get your money’s worth.
So clearly, if chav’s from Essex have bought that package (and I am purely guessing if they did) then people will want to “get their money’s worth” which means they will be drunk pretty much the entire cruise from morning to night.
Personally I think this is an utterly dreadful situation for P&O Cruises and I will be writing a customary letter to them as I expect many others will have done to express their disgust at this mercenary business practice.
It has to be understood that Carnival and P&O are different companies. P&O WAS a very excellent cruise line with great standards, excellent service and brilliant value for money.
Carnival came in a few years ago, took over whilst keeping the P&O brand name and began making numerous changes.
Over the years we’ve seen endless cutbacks, benefits curtailed, service reduced and so on. It is now a shadow of what it used to be but it is sadly the way of things at present.
Everything is geared towards increasing “On Board Revenue”, i.e. making as much money from passengers as possible.
Drinks packages are a way to do that.
It will have a very dramatic and negative effect on the whole cruising experience with P&O. There will be increasingly a lot more drunk people.
The key will be to avoid short cruises (party cruises) and stick to 14 to 30 day cruises imho.
With Oriana leaving the fleet and Aurora prices soaring as a result, it begins to look like it may be time to look to an alternative cruise line.
Thanks for that, really interesting. It all sounds like Ibiza afloat. I must remember not to use them again
My suspicions confirmed here:
"All you can drink cruise packages have been criticised by a passenger on the P&O journey which descended into a mass brawl, as police ruled out a clown as the perpetrator.
Two people were arrested on suspicion of assault after an explosive fracas sent families fleeing to their cabins at the end of a week-long cruise around Norway.
Violence had erupted between “drunken idiots” who threw plates and furniture across the 16th floor restaurant in the early hours of Friday morning, according to witnesses."
“The boat was basically Benidorm on Sea with a me, me, me attitude."
“We found many people were there purely to drink as much as they could with their unlimited drinks packages."
I agree, but I can trump that.
We went on a cruise down the Danube with hundreds of other people, but these were almost entirely Americans.
One particular man, with whom we once shared a table, was the most obnoxious person who insisted that his steak wasn’t cooked properly and demanded another. Another was forthcoming and was, apparently, ‘far too small’.
There was nothing remotely polite about him, which was particularly strange as he claimed to have been a graduate of West Point military academy.
Any British officers whom I have ever met have been singularly polite and gentlemanly.
We made sure we sat at a different table for the rest of the journey.
Dining companions are always a lottery JBR. On P&O Cruises you cna opt for “Freedom Dining” which means you turn up to the restaurant any time you wish (instead of having 2 set sittings) and you get put on a random table with random people every night. So you get to meet a wide variety of people and never have to suffer any bad ones more than 1 night.
Meanwhile, I have just submitted my email to P&O to express my disgust at the introduction of these inclusive drinks packages. Carnival are destroying the P&O brand imho which had a long and rich history and heritage. The bean counters are now only concerned with making more and more money instead of focussing on the cruise experience.
They will ultimately turn P&O into Stellios Easy Cruise.
Loyal passengers need to fight back to try and preserve the P&O brand and what it stood for.
Mrs Fox and me have been on five cruises with P&O including a 14 day cruise round the Canaries on the Britannia, and I have yet to find a passenger who we have not got along with.
There has been no drunkenness or aggressive behaviour, and despite there being several thousand other passengers (especially on the Britannia) it has been relatively easy to find some space and some peace and quiet.
On a 120,000 ton ship a couple of thousand passengers spread out thinly except at breakfast times and during showtimes. We don’t all do things at the same time. We have met some wonderful people, some of whom we still keep in touch with. There are thousands of cruises on hundreds of ships and these types of events are extremely rare, it’s such a pity that the media likes to big these things up and not provide the whole story…
I never wanted to cruise, but having tried a couple I have discovered a beautiful way of travel and it’s changed my mind about cruising.
That’s purely down to lack of exposur to cruising OGF. Over time, you’ll see and wotness a great deal more of everything, unruly behaviours, medical evacs, horrendous hurricane weather and so on.
On my cruise a couple of months ago, when they had just started the new drinks package thing, there was nearly an incident in the ship “pub”. Known as Champions on Aurora.
I was just walking through on my way somewhere when I heard 2 guys sitting at the bar on stools facing up to each other. Very aggressive raised voices, very close to physical confrontation, one guys taunting the other saying “would you like to take this outside?”
Drunk as skunks, irresponsible behaviours, very disrespectful to all the other fellow passengers. Wholly the wrong type of material for a cruise imho.
This problem will get worse and worse with these drinks packages.
It won’t stop me cruising, but it does affect how I cruise.
I would never ever go on a 2 or 3 day spin to Amsterdam for example. Total party cruise with stag and hen parties galore, one big piss up.
Would never do a one week cruise either. It will attract the same kind of people. Neither will I cruise when kids are on holidays except on certain ships.
Even so, you will still find a contingent of irresponsible drinkers and alcoholics at times. Best to just steer clear and go somewhere else on the ship.
Here’s the detail of the P&O Ultimate Drinks Package
It costs £39.95 per person per day
What is Included
• The Ultimate drinks package is £39.95 per person, per day and includes an incredible array of beers, spirits, cocktails, liqueurs and wines by the glass retailing up to £6.95 per serving as listed on our menus, subject to availability. Spirits will be served in single measures only with a draught soda or long life juice mixer.
• The package includes bottled water (500ml only), draught soft drinks, long life juices, primo Costa coffees, teas, hot chocolates, nonalcoholic cocktails.
• In addition, the Ultimate drinks package provides a 20% discount on the following excluded items: any drinks retailing above £6.95, all bottles of wine, large bottles of water, canned or bottled premium soft drinks or juices and smoothies.
• Loyalty discount will be applied when purchasing the Ultimate drinks package.
Package Details and Qualifications
• Each adult assigned to the same cabin must purchase the Ultimate drinks package. Sharing is not permitted.
• The Ultimate drinks package applies to every day a guest is sailing other than day of disembarkation and is not offered on a per day basis. Partial / pro-rated packages or purchase for segments of a guest’s cruise are NOT accepted. For avoidance of doubt if the cruise is advertised as a seven night cruise, then seven shall be applied as the multiplier to the price of the package.
• The package is purchased on board on the first two days of your cruise. If you opt to purchase your package on day two, you pay only for the remaining nights of the cruise.
• The package is STRICTLY NOT refundable or transferable once purchased on board.
• Only one drink at a time may be ordered. There is a minimum 15 minute wait time between ordering drinks. Sharing is not permitted
• Items selected that exceed the £6.95 are charged at full menu price minus a 20% discount (the difference cannot be paid).
• The Ultimate drinks package is not available for Charter Cruises. Age restrictions apply for purchases of the Ultimate drinks package. Anyone under the age of 18 (under 21 when in USA and UAE waters) may not purchase the Ultimate drinks package.
Exclusions and Limitations
• The Ultimate drinks package excludes any drinks retailing above £6.95, all bottles of wine, large bottles of water (750ml/1.5L), canned or bottled premium soft drinks or juices and smoothies.
• The package does not apply to bottled spirits, bottled wine or any items offered in shops on board.
• The package cannot be used for Room Service or Mini-Bar items. Additionally, the package cannot offset the cost of, or be a substitution for, special or private events such as cocktail parties, wedding receptions or similar.
• The Ultimate drinks package excludes beverages offered via self-service or vending machines.
• The package excludes and is not combinable with other Programs, Promotions, On-board Specials, or Events such as Wine Tastings, Cocktail Masterclasses, Buckets of Beer, Buy One Get One free or multi-buy offers, Specialty Dining cover charges, or food items for sale in all food and beverage venues.
• The package may be used at all food and beverage venues and other areas such as public spaces that offer beverage service. Selections and service are limited to each venue’s menu offering and operating hours.
• P&O Cruises reserves the right to introduce exclusions or limitations without prior notice.
• The package is only available on cruises of five nights or more. For avoidance of doubt, the cruise element must be advertised as at least a five night cruise.
• Pricing is subject to change without prior notice and price adjustments (up or down) implemented on the day of sailing will replace any previously advertised price. Packages purchased in advance may vary from on-board pricing due to timing, currency fluctuations and other factors. Guests will NOT incur additional charges, nor be issued any credits or refunds for such variances.
• Local tax may apply for certain ports or itineraries.
• Alcoholic drinks are limited to 15 beverages per 24-hour period (6 am to 6 am). Alcoholic drinks requested above the daily limits are at the discretion of the shipboard management and crew and charged at regular menu prices. The programme is subject to our Responsible Service of Alcohol Policy which requires bar staff not to serve those they believe to be over a reasonable level of inebriation.
• Ordering a double shot or a large glass of wine is not permitted under the programme as it counts as two drinks.
• All bottles and cans will be served opened.
• Guests may purchase a round of drinks for themselves and friends. One drink will count towards the Ultimate drinks package and the remaining drinks will be charged to the guest’s account at full price.
• Shipboard management reserves the right to refuse the service of alcohol at any time in accordance with our policy for the Responsible Service of Alcohol.
• Shipboard management also reserves the right to add additional restrictions and revoke or cancel the Ultimate drinks package at any point during a guest’s cruise for any reason without a refund, as appropriate. A guest’s beverage package may be forfeited if they:
-
Provide beverages to other guests or do NOT comply with the terms, conditions and limitations of the package
-
Exhibit behaviour that is inappropriate, a safety risk to themselves or others, or become offensive or disruptive to other cruise guests or staff
-
Exceed, or attempt to circumvent, the daily limits and service limitations outlined
=================================
So, you have essentially £40 to burn through every day to get your money’s worth. So most people will be looking to get probably £50 to £70 worth of drinks in for that £40 cost.
One can see how insipid this whole idea is.
It leads to unruly people, it then puts immense pressure on bar staff to try and manage pasenger drinking and then it falls to on board security teams to mop up the outfall.
This is essentially the blatant money making business BS that we see in every major city in the UK. The laws permit the pubs and clubs to keep serving alcohol even though they know it fuels mass abuse resulting in daily unruly behaviours, fights, brawls, property damage etc etc which the police then have to try and manage.
Cruises have for a long time been a wonderful place to enjoy a break and not have to worry about city centre drunken yobs. Now things appear to be changing for the worse.
It’s all about the money.
I had been invited to join some friends on a Norwegian Fjord cruise - don’t think I will bother now. Much as I love sea and air travel, sadly, the drunks have spoiled both.
Are people these days incapable of enjoying themselves without being drunk? I like good red wine, champagne and Irish whiskey - but know when to stop!
Cruising is definitely for the yobs and bogans. Let’s face it it is the cheap holiday of today in the same way that the package tour to Costa del whatever (or Bali) used to be.
Nothing wrong with that but that is the reality of cruising.
Cruising is quite dangerous too .
People disappear from cruise ships all the time.
Tourists are often mugged at the ports that they call at .
I used to live in the Carribean and it happened all the time .
Not all cruise passengers are drunks and yobs many are elderly people having a trip of a lifetime .
Local people are under the mishaprehension that all are rich and therefore ripe for being ripped off.
Thieves consider them an easy target and they are most are extremely vulnerable .
Programme I watched the other week stated that if someone is lost overboard, investigations aren’t held by say the FBI or British police.But by whichever flag the ship is sailing under.
According to website Cruise Junkie, 327 cruise and ferry passengers and crew members have gone overboard since 2000, with 2015 recording the highest total when 27 people toppled into the sea.
Sounds a lot poohdog, but when you consider that’s over almost a twenty year period and how many ships are floating around at any one time?
When a plane goes down 327 passengers get killed all in one go!
YouTuber, 41, is one of two people arrested after mass brawl kicked off on P&O cruise liner
Boxing enthusiast Tabatha Young, from Chigwell, Essex, was detained when a brawl erupted on the Britannia on Friday.
She has interviewed boxers on YouTube and writes affectionately about her ‘boxing family’ online.
Ms Young also appeared in a video interviewing Luton Town FC’s Linus Udofia after he won a fight against Darren Dordona in March this year at York Hall. She introduces herself as an interviewer for the channel Pep Talk UK.
Holidaymakers are offered a £40-a-day ‘ultimate package’ entitling them to up to 15 alcoholic drinks from 6am.
There are supposed to be 15-minute breaks between drinks, but passengers have reported that staff are not enforcing the limit.
So, if a passenger wished (and my calculations are correct), they could drink a fortnight’s worth of alcohol “units” while waiting for breakfast … :shock:
£40 a day, for drinks??? Blimey, I’d be hard pushed to spend that much on a year’s holiday!! I think when on cruises with mum, or going by myself, I would occasionally go to the bar and get a soft drink with ice, because invariably I’d be thirsty after a trip/port visit. The rest of the time it would be water or a good old cup of tea.
Time was when you could avoid drunken brawls by NOT going to seaside resorts in the south of Spain and, preferably, not flying on Ryanair!
Sadly, the yobs seem to have spread their wings and turn up in more unexpected places. Perhaps benefits have been increased or proceeds from crime have escalated.
I agree Jazzi. I do have a drink on holiday but I wouldn’t be happy spending forty pounds per day - not even for both of us.
Dumb comment TBH.
How many people are rushing to spend £4000 per person on an 14 night holiday over Christmas and New Year?
Cruising on a decent cruise line is still expensive, but the problem is that many chavs are now “in the money”.
As the saying goes, you can stick a pig in a jacket but you can’t stop it “oinking”!
The simple principles of supply and demand dictate what kind of passengers go to any given cruise line. If thousands of Essex yobs descend on a cruise line and regularly spend lots of money on board then that demand will be catered for by the cruise line, at the expense of alienating a previous long standing loyal customer base who perhaps don’t spend as much money on board.
We are witnessing a marked change to some cruise lines. The P&O brnad has been diluted by Carnival in this way and is now nothing like it used to be. Much lower standards and respect and a more “anything goes” attitude. Carnival are free to make such changes but they will lose the loyal customer base as a result. Such is life. There are other cruise lines with better standards and a stricter set of behaviour requirements.
Unfortunately this appears to happening to holidays of all types, everything is being dumbed down.
Although I don’t condone the mass brawl over an alleged clown suit, I can understand why someone might get upset about it. We booked a two week holiday in Cyprus and paid extra for an ‘Adults only’ hotel. Half way through the week, several loud - mouthed children arrived and spoiled any time spent by the pool. I’m not generally someone who complains to the management but I was annoyed that we had picked this hotel specifically but now had to resort to earplugs. When I went to complain, I was told that the hotel is advertised as ‘Adults only’ in the UK but not necessarily in other Countries. :shock:
And there it was … in the small print. 