No Alcohol in any UK ports - what! 😱

[ziggyuk]

On the Star now in Southampton, just boarded and told no alcohol in port or ANY UK port, not even with a package.

We had this in Athens a year ago now here in my home in the UK.

This is not a UK law as they claim, what the hell is going on with NCL

Edited May 11, 2023 by ziggyuk

[eileeshb]

4 minutes ago, ziggyuk said:

On the Star now I Southampton, just boarded and told no alcohol in port or ANY UK port, not even with a package.

We had this in Athens a year ago now here in my home in the UK.

This is not a UK law as they claim, what the hell is going on with NCL

Are you sure about the not a uk law ? I seem to remember any time I got a ferry between Ireland and the UK the bars onboard didn't open until we were a few of miles off shore. 

[ziggyuk]

4 minutes ago, eileeshb said:

Are you sure about the not a uk law ? I seem to remember any time I got a ferry between Ireland and the UK the bars onboard didn't open until we were a few of miles off shore. 

 

Sailed from Southampton loads of times, never before and no new laws here to explain it.

 

 

[KeithJenner]

Yeah, I did an round Britain cruise last September and there were no restrictions on alcohol sales.

 

I am struggling to find any sensible explanations for all of these things other than that NCL don’t want to pay the tax.

[ziggyuk]

17 minutes ago, KeithJenner said:

Yeah, I did an round Britain cruise last September and there were no restrictions on alcohol sales.

 

I am struggling to find any sensible explanations for all of these things other than that NCL don’t want to pay the tax.

 

I think that turned out to be the reason In Athens, wasn't it?

Later cruises they allowed the beverage package to be served.

 

 

 

Edited May 11, 2023 by ziggyuk

[ziggyuk]

[Laszlo]

The Brits are trying to sober up LOL

[tony s]

Again paying more for less! If I can’t get something I pay for I then ask for a prorated refund on service charge. That would be an attention getter 

[TPS123]

1 hour ago, ziggyuk said:

On the Star now in Southampton, just boarded and told no alcohol in port or ANY UK port, not even with a package.

We had this in Athens a year ago now here in my home in the UK.

This is not a UK law as they claim, what the hell is going on with NCL

This situation is getting worse! I was on the Gem last May on the first eastern med cruise following repositioning and experienced the ban on alcohol sales in Greek ports. This was resolved for folks with the beverage package as we argued the case that we were not being ‘sold’ alcohol it was just being ‘delivered’.

I’m currently enjoying a great western med voyage on the Epic (6th time on her). We were in  Livorno the last two days and had a similar notice that stated that spirits could not be served due to local regulations. I have the free at sea beverage package and would have been outraged if I had paid the additional alcohol supplement and could not be ‘served’ spirits. The latest notice is a clever play on words as we cannot be sold or ‘served’ spirits. Also bearing in mind the original itinerary for my cruise included a stop at Sardinia which was pulled and a second day at Livorno added. 
It seems to me that while NCL can away with it they will. P

[graphicguy]

Must be some sort of reg or agreement with the local port authorities.  We don’t have those sorts of restrictions in U.S., Mexico or Caribbean ports.

[Catchum]

8 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Must be some sort of reg or agreement with the local port authorities.  We don’t have those sorts of restrictions in U.S., Mexico or Caribbean ports.

Not a port thing an NCL thing - there is a report on the Princess Forum of a ship leaving Southampton  April 30, 2023, - May 8, 2023. It starts with a description of the wine ordered with lunch whist in port. No mention of problems on any of the UK centered forums (Fred and P&O UK)

[graphicguy]

Just now, Catchum said:

Not a port thing an NCL thing - there is a report on the Princess Forum of a ship leaving Southampton  April 30, 2023, - May 8, 2023. It starts with a description of the wine ordered with lunch whist in port. No mention of problems on any of the UK centered forums (Fred and P&O UK)

I don’t know, then.  I do know that my latest Alaska, Canada, Caribbean cruises on NCL allowed alcohol consumption when in port.  So, if it’s only EU ports, I’m thinking it must have to do with some restrictions with the ports involved.  Maybe some sort of restrictions between NCl and the European ports?

 

NCL makes mention of local restrictions.  So, that seems the most logical.  Maybe the EU allows P&O alcohol because of their mostly European focused itineraries?  Again, just guessing.

 

 

[KeithJenner]

6 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

I don’t know, then.  I do know that my latest Alaska, Canada, Caribbean cruises on NCL allowed alcohol consumption when in port.  So, if it’s only EU ports, I’m thinking it must have to do with some restrictions with the ports involved.  Maybe some sort of restrictions between NCl and the European ports?

 

NCL makes mention of local restrictions.  So, that seems the most logical.  Maybe the EU allows P&O alcohol because of their mostly European focused itineraries?  Again, just guessing.

 

 

The UK is not part of the EU.

[KeithJenner]

20 minutes ago, Catchum said:

Not a port thing an NCL thing - there is a report on the Princess Forum of a ship leaving Southampton  April 30, 2023, - May 8, 2023. It starts with a description of the wine ordered with lunch whist in port. No mention of problems on any of the UK centered forums (Fred and P&O UK)

It was the same last year in Greece when NCL ships were reporting issues and there was nothing from other lines.

 

One thing that really is clear is that this is an NCL problem.

[amelia3171]

We were in Falmouth and Portsmouth with Viking last month, no issues getting alcohol while in port at all. Def not a UK issue. 

[di T]

Agree this is NCL, I don’t believe it happens on other lines.We had heard of the no alcohol served in Gibraltar just before our cruise in February.But this did not happen on our cruise when we were docked in Gibraltar,still had to pay the tax on any drinks served from the free at sea package when in Spain, will be in interested to see if this is the case in June on Oceania.

[hawkeyetlse]

I'm sure it is local/national regulations (whether old or new) seeking to tax on-board sales, but it seems like there are different ways that a cruise line can satisfy these regulations (paying the tax themselves, passing it along to guests, or agreeing to simply stop sales in port). And while I like many things about NCL, it would not surprise me to learn they have chosen the solution that costs them the least, even if it severely degrades the cruise experience for their guests. Not only do they avoid paying tax, but they also have a convenient excuse to prevent people from using their beverage packages (which costs them money every time someone orders a drink).

 

This is the very beginning of the Star cruise with lots of UK ports. I'm confident that the passengers won't just take this lying down. See the General Manager? Confront them. See the F&B Manager? Confront them. See the Guest Services Director? Confront them.

 

But be very very nice to the bar staff, please!

[UKstages]

2 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

I am struggling to find any sensible explanations for all of these things other than that NCL don’t want to pay the tax.

 

but, of course, NCL doesn't pay the tax. 

 

it's passed along to their guests.

[hawkeyetlse]

36 minutes ago, hawkeyetlse said:

This is the very beginning of the Star cruise with lots of UK ports.

Sorry, I checked the itinerary and it's mostly Irish ports. The only other UK port is Belfast. We'll see if they put up signs again that day. And if Ireland has decided to demand taxes, too!

Edited May 11, 2023 by hawkeyetlse

[DCGuy64]

2 hours ago, ziggyuk said:

Not sure someone can claim it's definitely NCL's fault when this clearly says its due to local UK customs and border restrictions. 🤷‍♂️ BTW this is a good reason to bring your own stuff onboard and drink it wherever you like. 😊

[graphicguy]

28 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Not sure someone can claim it's definitely NCL's fault when this clearly says its due to local UK customs and border restrictions. 🤷‍♂️ BTW this is a good reason to bring your own stuff onboard and drink it wherever you like. 😊

The way I see it, too.  They can serve non-alcoholic beverages, but not alcohol.  Some sort of restrictions Southampton is putting on NCL.  Not sure why.  But, dividing up what specific ships/cruise lines can and can't serve on the ship  is an over reach.  But, there we have it.

[Greener123]

1 hour ago, DCGuy64 said:

Not sure someone can claim it's definitely NCL's fault when this clearly says its due to local UK customs and border restrictions. 🤷‍♂️ BTW this is a good reason to bring your own stuff onboard and drink it wherever you like. 😊

It can only be a NCL thing since no other line sailing out of Southampton has such restrictions? 
 

very strange, searching the topic the restrictions seem to almost exclusively a NCL issue in other ports too. 

[DCGuy64]

1 minute ago, Greener123 said:

It can only be a NCL thing since no other line sailing out of Southampton has such restrictions? 
 

very strange, searching the topic the restrictions seem to almost exclusively a NCL issue in other ports too. 

Well, that assumes that the lack of posts means there are no restrictions. It could just as easily be that people on other ships simply have chosen not to post about it. Perhaps they're too busy enjoying themselves to bother? I almost NEVER post on CC while I'm on a cruise, I'm having too much fun.

[Huntingdon1701]

5 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Well, that assumes that the lack of posts means there are no restrictions. It could just as easily be that people on other ships simply have chosen not to post about it. Perhaps they're too busy enjoying themselves to bother? I almost NEVER post on CC while I'm on a cruise, I'm having too much fun.

 

 

The only applicable law is the Licensing Act 2003, and that exempts ships on a journey from requiring a licence, which includes the period when passengers board and disembark. This is a NCL thing - although I've sailed on many NCL ships from Southampton and have always been able to get a drink. Sounds like they're either lying or someone on board doesn't understand UK licensing law. 

[DCGuy64]

Perhaps some clever person onboard the ship could ask someone in charge what the relevant rule/regulation/restriction is, because the reality is, all of us on Cruise Critic can conjecture until the cows come home, but none of us (including me) can know 100% what the reason is, because we're not there.