Cost of Spirits for Cabin Consumption

[tring]

We are on a cruise which goes to ports outside of the EU and would like to have an idea if P&O still sell bottles of spirits for cabin consumption and, if so, what size are they and what is the approximate cost?  We would want rum, Bacardi or vodka as it would be used with Diet Coke as a mixer.

 

I am assuming we would still be able to bring big bottles of Diet Coke on the ship - is that correct?    

[daiB]

41 minutes ago, tring said:

We are on a cruise which goes to ports outside of the EU and would like to have an idea if P&O still sell bottles of spirits for cabin consumption and, if so, what size are they and what is the approximate cost?  We would want rum, Bacardi or vodka as it would be used with Diet Coke as a mixer.

 

I am assuming we would still be able to bring big bottles of Diet Coke on the ship - is that correct?    

This is up to date and yes you can bring on soft drinks/mixers. It says 2018 but I have had it confirmed last month it was still valid, certainly was in March.

Edited June 19, 2019 by daiB

[tring]

Thanks for that daiB, much appreciated. 

[daiB]

1 hour ago, tring said:

Thanks for that daiB, much appreciated. 

Meant to say that apart from the Andersons Gin they are all Ltr. Bottles

[Clodia]

Still the same paucity of choice for vodka and brandy drinkers like me. No wonder i bring my own onboard! Whisky, rum and gin drinkers are well provided for at reasonable prices.

[Castle25]

On Azura at Xmas 2018, we purchased bottles in the 'Duty Free' shop and drunk them in out cabin.  Got a good deal on Baileys as it was on offer at £12 for 1 or £20 for 2

[tring]

57 minutes ago, Castle25 said:

On Azura at Xmas 2018, we purchased bottles in the 'Duty Free' shop and drunk them in out cabin.  Got a good deal on Baileys as it was on offer at £12 for 1 or £20 for 2

 

I thought they normally deliver duty free bottles to take home the night before you leave the ship so you can pack them.  I am surprised you were able to drink them on board - unless perhaps you were on a back to back and got them at the end of the first cruise.

[brian1]

46 minutes ago, tring said:

 

I thought they normally deliver duty free bottles to take home the night before you leave the ship so you can pack them.  I am surprised you were able to drink them on board - unless perhaps you were on a back to back and got them at the end of the first cruise.

On the longer cruises like the world segments,I think they do an offer halfway thru the cruise.You can take them back to your cabin.

[Jennizor]

Just returned from the Fjords on Arcadia. Was really surprised when we went to purchase spirits to take home and they let us take them to the cabin. As previously said, in the past we have had them stored until the night before disembarkation 

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, Jennizor said:

Just returned from the Fjords on Arcadia. Was really surprised when we went to purchase spirits to take home and they let us take them to the cabin. As previously said, in the past we have had them stored until the night before disembarkation 

That doesnt happen fleet wide as only as recent on Britannia in May we purchased alcohol from duty free shop onboard and it wasnt given to us until the morning of the last sea day and also they took off you any alcohol that you purchased in Gibraltar.

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, Jennizor said:

Just returned from the Fjords on Arcadia. Was really surprised when we went to purchase spirits to take home and they let us take them to the cabin. As previously said, in the past we have had them stored until the night before disembarkation 

Could that be because fjords cruises don't go to any duty free ports, and presumably the prices from the shop are the same as you would pay for a room service bottle of spirits?

[daiB]

12 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Could that be because fjords cruises don't go to any duty free ports, and presumably the prices from the shop are the same as you would pay for a room service bottle of spirits?

John for DF rules Norway is outside the EU. This means they can sell goods DF. Therefore the price in the shop will be less.

Edited June 22, 2019 by daiB

[Jennizor]

I bought the drinks on the last sea day before Southampton. They were one for £12 or two for £20. Smirnoff vodka and Gordon’s gin.

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, Jennizor said:

I bought the drinks on the last sea day before Southampton. They were one for £12 or two for £20. Smirnoff vodka and Gordon’s gin.

That is probably why they allowed you to take them back to your cabin, they normally allow the collection of earlier purchases around the same time.

[daiB]

8 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

That is probably why they allowed you to take them back to your cabin, they normally allow the collection of earlier purchases around the same time.

Spot on John. Interestingly when recently we had a last port of Lisbon they were not taking booze of people as they boarded, they said there was no point as they would have to give it back the next day. As we were on a back to back I went back into the terminal and got some DF for the next cruise.

[Jennizor]

Just checked our account statement, I purchased the spirits on the 19th. We only returned to Southampton on the 21st. 

[tring]

7 hours ago, Jennizor said:

I bought the drinks on the last sea day before Southampton. They were one for £12 or two for £20. Smirnoff vodka and Gordon’s gin.

 We will be buying two bottles of Smirmoff to bring home from our Arcadia cruise then as well as one for cabin use at the beginning of the cruise.  Hope they do not run out of stock 🙂

 

We are on a Med fly cruise in October and will be calling at Monte Carlo (Monaco).  Is that considered to be outside the EU for duty free alcohol purchase? 

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, tring said:

 We will be buying two bottles of Smirmoff to bring home from our Arcadia cruise then as well as one for cabin use at the beginning of the cruise.  Hope they do not run out of stock 🙂

 

We are on a Med fly cruise in October and will be calling at Monte Carlo (Monaco).  Is that considered to be outside the EU for duty free alcohol purchase? 

No it is not classed as outside EU. With regards the vodka the price you will pay for a bottle for cabin consumption will be in your cabin folder and ordered through room service and will be a higher price than vodka sold in onboard shop which will be kept until last full sea day and you will be given a ticket and it will tell you in the daily newspaper where and what time to collect.

[tring]

4 hours ago, majortom10 said:

No it is not classed as outside EU. With regards the vodka the price you will pay for a bottle for cabin consumption will be in your cabin folder and ordered through room service and will be a higher price than vodka sold in onboard shop which will be kept until last full sea day and you will be given a ticket and it will tell you in the daily newspaper where and what time to collect.

 

Thanks for the reply.  I did think my hopes for Monte Carlo were a bit of a long shot, but we can pick up some Spanish brandy in Barcelona, were we have a couple of days pre cruise.  It is an Azamara cruise, so drinks are included on board anyway.

 

I started the thread to ask about prices of spirit for cabin consumption - seems like that is currently £22 a bottle, so not worth buying from Tesco's and carting with us, even at there current offer of £18.  We have a lot of on board spend anyway.

[Brayman]

Don't just assume that prices in the Duty Free shop will be cheaper than the in-cabin prices, we checked last year before completing our purchases and there was a difference and not always the same way! I believe the Duty Free shop is run by a franchise but the in-cabin sales are P&O direct, hence the discrepancies.

By the way the in-cabin sales count towards your duty free allowance if bringing them into the UK.

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, Brayman said:

Don't just assume that prices in the Duty Free shop will be cheaper than the in-cabin prices, we checked last year before completing our purchases and there was a difference and not always the same way! I believe the Duty Free shop is run by a franchise but the in-cabin sales are P&O direct, hence the discrepancies.

By the way the in-cabin sales count towards your duty free allowance if bringing them into the UK.

The prices in your folder in your cabin are for bottles of spirits to be drunk onboard in your cabin and are not there to be purchased to be bought home. Never been on a cruise where spirit prices for onboard consumption purchased through room service are cheaper than those purchased in the shop onboard. All shops onboard are franchises and not run by P&O.

[Brayman]

3 hours ago, majortom10 said:

The prices in your folder in your cabin are for bottles of spirits to be drunk onboard in your cabin and are not there to be purchased to be bought home. Never been on a cruise where spirit prices for onboard consumption purchased through room service are cheaper than those purchased in the shop onboard. All shops onboard are franchises and not run by P&O.

On Aurora last year that was definitely the case and i will be checking again in two weeks. Having ordered two bottles of Anderson's Gin in the Duty Free shop we found them cheaper in the Cabin so cancelled the Duty Free order.

[picsa]

Anyone know if P&O are still doing this, and if so the current prices.

[Technoman2]

From the P&O frequent questions.

 

Each guest aged 18 years (21 years in United States of America ports) and older may bring up to 1 ‭litre of wine, Champagne, beer, spirit or liqueur on board as they embark the ship for the first time ‭only. Alcohol over the 1 litre limit will be stored and returned to the guest prior to the end of the ‭cruise.

Wine brought on board may be consumed in the dining rooms, bars, restaurants, or lounge areas, but will be ‭subject to a corkage fee of £20 per bottle*, per occasion which will be charged to the guests' on-‭board account. Spirits or liquor brought onboard can only be consumed in guests' cabins.

 

 

Any alcoholic beverages purchased mid-cruise in ports of call cannot be consumed on board. Guests will need to declare and  hand over any alcohol bought in port at the gangway. It will be stored and returned to the guest prior to the end of the cruise, at no charge.

If a bottle of wine/Champagne has been bought for a guest through P&O Cruises gifts, guests will need to ensure they carry the gift card with them to avoid having the corkage charge applied to their on-board account.

On eligible cruises, guests are welcome to buy duty free alcohol to take home via the on-board shops. It will be stored until the end of their cruise.

Should you wish to enjoy a drink in your cabin, please refer to the in cabin directory which has a selection of spirits and wines which can be purchased by the bottle, as well as our extensively stocked mini bars in all cabins. 

Guests are expected to drink responsibly. This applies at the terminal, on board and on shore excursions. We reserve the right to deny access to the ship to anyone who appears to be heavily under the influence of alcohol.

[majortom10]

13 hours ago, picsa said:

Anyone know if P&O are still doing this, and if so the current prices.

You could do with somebody currently on Britannia to tell you if they still sell bottle of spirits for cabin consumption and prices to see if its reasonable but if you dont get any response I would consider taking your own in your hand luggage there are some good offers on at the moment in supermarkets.

Edited September 3, 2021 by majortom10