British cruise line P&O Cruises has introduced more diversity to its drinks packages with four new options for guests to choose from to quench their thirst.
Each package is available on sailings of five nights or longer for a fixed price per passenger, per day, offering a great value for each traveler depending on their drink preferences.
New Drink Packages From P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises is introducing four new drinks packages, each one a different tier to cater to guests’ diverse preferences, and to ensure the best value for passengers.
It has long been a complaint by cruise guests that drink packages may be too limited, excluding coffees, juices or premium teas, milkshakes and other beverages for non-alcoholic packages, or not including the most premium spirits or wines even for upgraded alcoholic options.
Now, the new packages from P&O Cruises offer more customization in guests’ drink package choices and what is included in each one.
The “Refresh” package is the least expensive and most restrictive option, including only select soft drinks and juices. This package is just £9.85 (approximately $12.25 USD) per person, per day.
The next elevated option is the “Alcohol-Free” package, which includes all the beverages from the Refresh package, as well as a greater selection of sodas, coffee, and premium teas, for £22.45 ($27.91 USD).
For guests who do want to enjoy more spiritous beverages, the “Classic” package is priced at £40.45 ($50.29 USD) and includes select spirits, wine, and classic cocktails, as well as all beverages from the previous two package options. A 20% discount on any not-included drinks is also part of the package, giving guests a further discount on more expensive beverages.
Finally, the “Deluxe” package for £49.45 ($61.48 USD) is the most inclusive package of all, including all drinks in the previous three packages, an extended range of cocktails, spirits, and wines, and a 20% discount on any non-included beverages.
All prices are per person, per day, for pre-cruise purchases. If purchased onboard the ship, each package will be slightly more expensive per day. All packages must also be purchased for the complete duration of the cruise, and are not available on a pro-rated day-by-day basis.
Guests who purchase the “Classic” or “Deluxe” packages will also receive a free “Refresh” package for any children age 16 years or younger traveling in the same party.
Limitations Still Apply
In addition to the limitations for each type of package based on the types of drinks included, there are other standard limits that apply to each package.
For example, all adults in the same cabin must purchase the same beverage package, despite any differences in their personal drink preferences.
This will make the most expensive packages much less of a value, for example, if one adult does not drink alcohol but their traveling partner does, because both individuals must purchase one of the higher-priced packages.
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All packages are also limited to 15 drinks in any 24-hour period. This type of limitation is common for drink packages that include alcohol as a way to minimize dangerous or disruptive overindulgence, but is not as often applied to non-alcoholic packages.
The drinks-per-day limits also help to curb any unauthorized sharing of drinks on the packages.
All Packages Coming Soon
The new drinks packages are first being introduced aboard P&O Cruises’ Iona, as well as Ventura, from May 20, 2023.
The new options are expected to be available aboard the remaining five ships in the fleet by July, beginning with the line’s newest ship, Arvia, from May 28; Arcadia from June 6, Brittania from June 9, Aurora from June 22, and Azura, the last in the fleet to get the new packages, from July 7.
It is possible tweaks to the schedule may be made depending on guest responses to the new packages and the popularity of the different options.
