No Alcohol in any UK ports - what! 😱

[jennjess]

13 hours ago, Twolittleboys said:

This seems so strange. Surely they MUST know that this will upset customers. I am not a big drinker but if I have a drink package I expect to be able to get a drink unless it is really impossible due to regulations etc. (which it clearly isn't as other cruise lines manage).

 

I can't imagine NCL would willingly do this. Do they need to save money that badly? 

I also drink very little alcohol but I would be upset too, purely on principle.  It seems such a bad idea to annoy so many customers for the sake of a financial saving.  Raising the price of the drink package, to cover the cost, would make more sense than denying people what they feel they have paid for.

[flamingo_fancies]

41 minutes ago, Pooston said:

 The 'problem' is NCL are lying......to their customers, and also to their staff. There is no such restriction in place stopping them fulfilling what customers have paid for.

 

What next? Will they decide not to serve food until they've sailed and blame that on the UK government?

😆😆. I'm only laughing because you are right. On the cost cutting slippery slope NCL are on what is next?

 

There is some truth to what you are saying when it comes to food. My other half is a steak butcher and use to supply P&O.  There is meat that hasn't had duty or tax paid on it,  that they can only serve when in international waters, even the trim has to go to them as it cant legaly enert the uk supply chain due to the duty.

 

So your right what's next NCL saying we can't serve xyz as the government say we can't where in reality it's just they don't want to pay duty on items.

 

 

[SakeDad]

Also, if I paid for the drink package even if NCL allows wine & champagne to be brought onboard why should I be FORCED to pay in port prices on wine I have already paid for on my package??? NCL is now forcing me to pay twice for a bottle of wine or champagne I already paid to enjoy.

[luv2kroooz]

18 minutes ago, flamingo_fancies said:

On the cost cutting slippery slope NCL are on what is next?

Bankruptcy.

[Greener123]

This is the current corporate line from NCL chat agents… note she responded with this statement after only seeing my chat topic “alcohol restrictions” I had not yet written a question mentioning any ports or ships… obviously they’ve had a lot of questions and are told to write the following only…

 

Let me help you with this Some port authorities could apply alcohol restrictions whilst docked at their port. However, our Company is not able to foresee in advance what will be the restrictions prior to sail and arrive in a specific port. Currently we do not have any information for the concerned ports you mentioned. Please note that port authorities may apply some local rule anytime, prior or during the cruise for all worldwide cruise lines. Even if we understand that this will impact our guests, we are obliged to follow any local rules and we do hope our valued guests can understand our Company position in this matter. In any case, if some restriction will apply during your sailing, our onboard staff will inform you accordingly.

 

 

Edited May 15, 2023 by Greener123

[johala_reewi]

That is prertty much what my NCL Cruise Consultant said when I asked about the situation.  The local rules are constantly changing and help desk can verify.

 

Trouble is, the UK rules haven't changed for years.  Other cruise lines are serving alcohol while in UK ports. Even the Isle Of Wight car ferry serves alcohol. 

Edited May 15, 2023 by johala_reewi

[Greener123]

She didn’t have a response when I questioned why the ship docked at the next birth from a different line would have different restrictions.

[johala_reewi]

22 minutes ago, Greener123 said:

She didn’t have a response when I questioned why the ship docked at the next birth from a different line would have different restrictions.

 

She would have to admit it wasn't the local laws themselves but how NCL went about following them.

Edited May 15, 2023 by johala_reewi

[SakeDad]

Time to bring the little airline bottles on!!! And NCL allows wine & champagne but if you have the drink package you are paying to bring something on you already paid for!!! There are so many things wrong with this policy it has to be corrected very soon!

[SouthamptonCruiseFan]

NCL have got away with these practices regarding taxes for the fast few years. It's not handled in the same way on other lines. But I think they may come unstuck this time as so many if the passengers are UK residents who know for sure they are being lied to. 

Let's be clear, NCL are simply refusing to pay taxes and duties that have not changed since last year. It's simply a cost cutting exercise.

[flamingo_fancies]

From our personal experience NCL have a proven track record of lying about beverages. They use to let you bring soft drinks on board for consumption in your rooms. We had taken some cans with us as we were on 3 b2b for 26 days in 2016. Before boarding they confiscated the drinks and said a new policy was in place and drinks couldn't be taken on board.

 

We asked about this at GS as we had alway taken them on before. We were told no drinks were to be taken on to the ship and this wasn't just NCL, it was a industry wide safety regulation. Just the same as you can't take liquid on aircraft. Fair enough we thought.

 

In vancouver a port agent was walking us back to the ship as we were "in transit" and not embarking that day. I said I had to stop to get rid of my partial drink and asked when the new safety policy was put into place. She actually laughed at us and said that didn't exist it was a new policy with NCL only to stop people taking soft drinks and water on board.

 

A company lying about industry wide safety regulation so people can only buy their water🤯🤯

[ollienbertsmum]

4 minutes ago, flamingo_fancies said:

From our personal experience NCL have a proven track record of lying about beverages. They use to let you bring soft drinks on board for consumption in your rooms. We had taken some cans with us as we were on 3 b2b for 26 days in 2016. Before boarding they confiscated the drinks and said a new policy was in place and drinks couldn't be taken on board.

 

We asked about this at GS as we had alway taken them on before. We were told no drinks were to be taken on to the ship and this wasn't just NCL, it was a industry wide safety regulation. Just the same as you can't take liquid on aircraft. Fair enough we thought.

 

In vancouver a port agent was walking us back to the ship as we were "in transit" and not embarking that day. I said I had to stop to get rid of my partial drink and asked when the new safety policy was put into place. She actually laughed at us and said that didn't exist it was a new policy with NCL only to stop people taking soft drinks and water on board.

 

A company lying about industry wide safety regulation so people can only buy their water🤯🤯

 

Along the same lines, on my recent cruise to Croatia and Slovenia, we were clearly told that local laws prevented food and drinks being taken ashore.  Fair enough.  So how come they were selling cartons of water to people going ashore.  The very same cartons that we had left in our cabin in order to comply with local laws !!!!!  Lying or what???

[insidecabin]

Dinner with the officers scheduled for a port day with no alcohol probably won't have left port long enough.

 

Getting serious when they make moves to avoid comping a bottle of wine to their most loyal customers.

[Greener123]

9 minutes ago, insidecabin said:

Dinner with the officers scheduled for a port day with no alcohol probably won't have left port long enough.

 

Getting serious when they make moves to avoid comping a bottle of wine to their most loyal customers.

Sounds like a perfect opportunity to voice your concerns 

[SakeDad]

15 minutes ago, insidecabin said:

Dinner with the officers scheduled for a port day with no alcohol probably won't have left port long enough.

 

Getting serious when they make moves to avoid comping a bottle of wine to their most loyal customers.

Can't wait to hear the lies they tell you! (yes, crew lie to guests.....SHOCK!)

[insidecabin]

6 minutes ago, SakeDad said:

Can't wait to hear the lies they tell you! (yes, crew lie to guests.....SHOCK!)

The general crew are mostly quite honest but they don't often have the information you need themselves.

 

Be interesting if they send pawns to take any heat, our covid cruises dinner   "officers" were non operationally important.

[insidecabin]

2 hours ago, jennjess said:

I also drink very little alcohol but I would be upset too, purely on principle.  It seems such a bad idea to annoy so many customers for the sake of a financial saving.  Raising the price of the drink package, to cover the cost, would make more sense than denying people what they feel they have paid for.

Very few people pay for the drinks package these days on any ship.

 

it'swrapped up in bundles with other stuff often not wanted or low value.

 

With NCL it's free at sea,

 

USA pay grats on an inflated retail value for the drinks

 

UK pay a fixed rate depending on number of days for these 10n it's £199 unless a TA discounts it.

Problem is what's the drinks portion of the £20 when there is a useless $50pppd and some internet mins and one special meal included.

We value the meal at £30pp the rest zero.

Our drinks portion £17pppd

 

Southampton we lost 9hrs out of say 12hrs(noon to midnight). £12.75, but we did have some soft drinks.

 

A concession we would have been happy with with would have been to extend the package to water and other chargable non alcohol like fresh juice.

 

Suspect Belfast will be lower proportion as we don't drink before getting off and aiming to be back by 5pm.

 

 

[cybermirth]

Rare siting of alcohol on Norwegian Dawn!

[Lauale]

We are on the Star now.  It’s our first NCL cruise, but We knew we could bring wine aboard before boarding. there is no limit (within reason) and no corkage for guests with a drinks package. We chose to bring our own wine aboard as we were unsure of what wine was on offer on board.  We brought 6 bottles on board. During the ‘we can’t sell you alcohol’ periods we have been allowed to bring our own wine to bars and restaurants to drink.  And last night leaving Dublin we were encouraged to get cans for tonight. I’m disappointed that NCL are not allowing alcohol sales for whatever reason , but grateful we have our own wine. We are on vacation and like to have a drink.We have visited guest services to complain, their stance is, it’s the law, it’s nothing to do with duty and HMRC.  We refuse to allow this to spoil what is so far a lovely cruise, ship and itinerary.  

Edited May 15, 2023 by Lauale

[DCGuy64]

1 minute ago, Lauale said:

We refuse to allow this to spoil what is so far a lovely cruise, ship and itinerary.  

What a productive attitude, so much better than whinging about something that's out of your control. I mentioned this thread to my wife and she just rolled her eyes. I think her exact words were "if you can't go without alcohol for one day, you have bigger problems." 🤣

[KeithJenner]

9 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

What a productive attitude, so much better than whinging about something that's out of your control. I mentioned this thread to my wife and she just rolled her eyes. I think her exact words were "if you can't go without alcohol for one day, you have bigger problems." 🤣

If only it were just one day.

[johala_reewi]

11 minutes ago, Lauale said:

 ..their stance is, it’s the law, it’s nothing to do with duty and HMRC...

 

 

But UK law permits the sale of alcohol in ports provided you follow the rules.

It isn't banned or prevented.

 

[belchro22]

8 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

I mentioned this thread to my wife and she just rolled her eyes. I think her exact words were "if you can't go without alcohol for one day, you have bigger problems." 🤣

Again it's not strictly about the alcohol or a few hours. These folks are on multiple UK port cruises.

 

It's about being lied to about the reasons for the ban.

 

It's like buying a specialty dining package and going to Cagney's and being told they aren't allowed to serve you a steak but they can give you a burger.

 

It's about the fact that even if you have the free at-sea drinks package you've paid about $42 a day in gratuities on drinks you can't have.

 

It's about the false advertising of "Free unlimited Open Bar"

 

It's like bringing a bottle of wine to a BYOB and still being charged for wine the restaurant didn't provide. 

 

[KeithJenner]

19 minutes ago, Lauale said:

We are on the Star now.  It’s our first NCL cruise, but We knew we could bring wine aboard before boarding. there is no limit (within reason) and no corkage for guests with a drinks package. We chose to bring our own wine aboard as we were unsure of what wine was on offer on board.  We brought 6 bottles on board. During the ‘we can’t sell you alcohol’ periods we have been allowed to bring our own wine to bars and restaurants to drink.  And last night leaving Dublin we were encouraged to get cans for tonight. I’m disappointed that NCL are not allowing alcohol sales for whatever reason , but grateful we have our own wine. We are on vacation and like to have a drink.We have visited guest services to complain, their stance is, it’s the law, it’s nothing to do with duty and HMRC.  We refuse to allow this to spoil what is so far a lovely cruise, ship and itinerary.  

Yes, bringing on your own wine is an option, and probably what we would do in this instance.

 

Of course it does rely on knowing in advance about the restriction, and also being able to find somewhere to get some wine. Fairly easy for us in the UK, but if you are flying in from overseas and relying on transfers then it’s not as straight forward.

 

It also seems a bit tacky to me. Rather than just being able to walk to a bar whenever you fancy a drink you have to nip back to your room to get a can from your stash. Hardly sophisticated cruising. 🙂

[DCGuy64]

6 minutes ago, belchro22 said:

It's about being lied to about the reasons for the ban

Where's the evidence you were lied to? Saying "I don't care what they say, they're lying" just won't cut it. That's not evidence. Neither is "but no other cruise line is doing this" or "no one has mentioned it on Cruise Critic."