AIBU to be a bit peed off about the new all inclusive drinking rule in Spain?

[Pinkycloud]

Don’t want to come across a raging alcoholic but we’ve booked an all inclusive holiday (costing about £7.5k) for me DH and 4 DC and am peed off to see you can now only have 3 alcoholic drinks with lunch and three with dinner. I know six seems a lot but it’s more about being told when you can have them and how many you can have at a given time. We’ve been to this place before (Majorca) and used to enjoy lazy afternoons sipping a beer or three by the pool. Doesn’t seem like ‘all inclusive’ anymore and we’re paying thousands for the bloody thing!

You just spend the week in a nice steady state of relaxation.

But can't you do that just by relaxing? You don't need the alcohol for that.

Great, but then why complain about a small change?

Because it's not a small change and it changes the dynamic ( and potentially the cost) of your holiday.

Part of the appeal of this type of holiday is the flexibility and these changes make it more restrictive.
I wouldn't have an alcoholic drink with lunch but I would probably get a cocktail or beer mid afternoon while around the pool. I wouldn't drink more than one or two drinks with my evening meal and I would probably have a drink while watching the evening entertainment or while DS gets involved in the entertainment. Under the new rules that either couldn't happen or it would be an additional cost.

So I probably wouldn't drink 6 drinks a day overall anyway but the issue is the times being dictated to people. It makes AI lose its appeal.

Off you fuck to Majorca then, I will be going somewhere else. The world is a big place
No I wasn't refering to you personally, only your quite but ultimately we both agree. The world is indeed a big place.

Struggle with the sudden increase in intake? I was think of it in terms of, say myself I drink maybe half a glass of wine at a time (party animal 😂) but if I jumped to 3 times that I’d be wasted (again, party animal pissed on 1.5 glasses of wine). I was thinking everyone would be pissed at trebling their intake (going from 14 to 42 units and averaging over the week) that’s all I meant there’s really no judging going on. Makes sense you saying about spreading it through the day, i don’t (party animal) so it didn’t really enter my head.

In the summer holidays including all food, drink, and entertainment?

(Yes with an AI holiday you can spend more, but you can have an enjoyable holiday without spending a penny extra)

Well good for you, but no on is saying all Ai resorts are booze halls. Although it does show the people who expect Ai to be some kind of a constant on tap of drink.

I'd be surprised if the OP could take her whole family to Australia or the US and cover all/most food and drink for £7.5k and the other places are only likely to be comparable in cost if you exploit the lower cost of living locally, or put a lot of research into finding accommodation in suitable areas where there is interesting things to see and do, which is something that people might not always want to do if their main driver is to just get away and relax.

Otherwise, you might find yourself somewhere where there isn't much of interest or they're not set up for tourists to have a nice time. You wouldn't want to go all that way and find you've ended up in the Chinese equivalent of Basingstoke but its hundreds of miles away from anything interesting.

Plus I don't understand why Spain is considered somehow less interesting/worthy as a holiday destination. Each region has it's own identity and there's so much in the way of cultural and historical sites, you could go there many times and spend all day every day going round museums, castles, palaces, galleries, ancient ruins and monuments, explore the cities, mountains and countryside etc etc and you'd still not run out of things to see and do.

If it was in Asia or Central America people would go backpacking there from Europe and everyone would be impressed as to how adventurous and cultural you are but because its 'just Spain' then people look down on it as nothing more than a place to get pissed in the sun.

Which is a separate issue. I can understand the evening entertainment thing a bit more but this problem is not insurmountable if they serve free non alcoholic versions of drinks which you like.

Anyone made one drink last three days for a family of four yet?

😂

Which is a separate issue. I can understand the evening entertainment thing a bit more but this problem is not insurmountable if they serve free non alcoholic versions of drinks which you like.

And if a don't want a soft drink? I'd have to pay extra which is on top of what I've already paid for an AI holiday.

I think you're still allowed as many soft drinks as you want. The restriction is only on alcohol. But I still don't agree with it.

There should definitely be more than 6 drinks allowed. It should be more like 12. The drinks aren't that big and they aren't that strong. Part of the appeal of AI holidays is being able to eat and drink as much as you want for a week or two and not worry about it.

Yes I'm the sort of person who expects drinks to be on tap all day because it's AI. I want to drink wine with meals and never touch beer or cocktails but I'd still expect them to be available at an AI

Because, just maybe, others have different tastes to me?

It's the fact that the choice is being taken away.
Those saying 'well just get a soft drink' are missing the point.

I understand the reasoning but I would be very annoyed in your situation. The alcohol related problems in resorts like Magaluf are well documented. I do think it needs addressing but I'm not sure this particular measure will work.
My son went to Magaluf some years ago & he said the drinks promotions in the nightclubs were rediculous. I wonder if the changes to legislation (limit on happy hours etc) will have sufficient impact to stop such reckless drinking.

Exactly. You would be paying within the AI price for (up to) 6 drinks but if you didn't want them within the (very specific) time criteria, you would lose out or pay twice.
I like soft drinks, but sometimes I like an alcoholic drink and it would be annoying that I could have had one at lunch but chose not to, but have to pay for the same thing (which essentially I have already paid for in the holiday price) at 9pm for example.
And enjoying a beer by the pool or a cocktail or g and t in the evening doesn't mean you can't take part in all manner of more active pursuits during the day (lots of hotels have gyms and fitness programmes, watersports, or golf)

I do feel you though. £7000 for Spain!? I'd go to Costa Rica, China, Indonesia, Australia or the US but thats just me!

School holidays, 6 people?
Yeah that's really unlikely to happen!
Have you taken a look of holiday prices to these places in school holidays?

Ie spent yesterday planning a holiday for me, dh and 20y dd. I teach so school holidays only. 2 weeks in Thailand, mainly B&B, in 4 star hotel (2 or 3 depending on if we move centre) - cheapest I've found for 3 people is £5-6k. That's with us sharing one room. I priced up Miami and a Caribbean island trip for same weeks and it was over £10k for same weeks, nothing fancy either and not AI. Costa Rica, Central America, Canada all around same numbers in summer holidays. And remember that's for 3 people, not 6.

Dh and I went a way at February, long haul, AI - just 2 of us and that was £5k, albeit a 5 star resort.

Me, dh and dd are going to New York for 5 nights in May half term. Room only, average hotel, all in one room. £2500 without any food or add ons, for 3 people. We are actually going there as I proved up Greek islands, Spanish resorts, Italy and south of France and they wanted more money for the same dates and duration, without AI. Again, for 3 people not 6.

Our holiday to Japan in 2019, in school holidays, was in excess of £10k for 3 people, without spending money and with RO accommodation.

I seriously doubt you'll find a long haul destination, even if not AI, for 6 people in school holidays for much lower. I was surprised how much the prices were coming in at for short haul destinations when I have been looking recently. Prices have really risen.

It's not the whole of Spain though. I've just looked it up and it's three resorts in the Balearics - Magaluf, El Arenal in Majorca and San Antonia in Ibiza. Are you going to any of these places?

Also the law was passed during 2019 so you should have been advised of this when you booked if it will affect you. If you weren't advised then you could take it up with the tour operator.

Could you go back to the company that sold you the holiday and state its not what you paid for and change?

Sorry forgot to quote you earlier. I’ve only stayed in one AI resort and the drinks were strong- proper brands not cheap local stuff or watered down. If that’s how they are elsewhere then maybe 1 drink = 1 alcohol unit since most non-spirits drinks are more than one unit per drink.

I've just looked it up and it's three resorts in the Balearics - Magaluf, El Arenal in Majorca and San Antonia in Ibiza

Yes, and all three are in places notorious for piss-ups and the resulting damage, fighting, public sex and pools of vomit

If it's "just three resorts" the very worst will just go somewhere else in those towns, so while it may help those particular places I'm not sure how this will make any difference overall?

Not always the case with me, One AI I was on, the bartender was pouring rum and cokes with about 50% rum. He looked at me a bit funny when I asked for a weak one.

This happened to me once with young and very new-to-the-job barstaff in spain.
I had to tell them how to use the measures after I got a 50-50 v&dc that was designed by committee after 3 of them had put their heads together!