Taking alcohol on board

A simple Google search uncovered the following recent article on UK average pub prices for a pint, which shows £3.05 for bitter (£3.58 for lager), with average prices of £4.20 in London and £4.40 in Surrey. As these are average prices, there will be as many places charging more as there are places that charge less.

 

Not fair !! - I live in Surrey

I don't believe that any cruise line will serve cask conditioned beer, which needs to be served at cellar temperature which I doubt exist in a cruise ship bar. Most beers will be served pressurised from kegs and the recommended way to serve these is chilled.

All this talk reminds me of a joke from the 80's, I believe, "I don't mind these Camra guys trying to improve beer quality, but ever since they came on the scene you cannot find a decent pint of Watneys Red Barrel anywhere".

Cask-conditioned beer will not work on a cruise ship for two main reasons. The motion of the ship will make it difficult to settle the barrels and the relatively short lifespan of 'real ale' will make logistics difficult.

P&O's bottled beers are a pretty good bunch (Tanglefoot etc.) IMHO.

I don't believe that any cruise line will serve cask conditioned beer, which needs to be served at cellar temperature which I doubt exist in a cruise ship bar.

It was the bottled beer that is served far too cold.

P&O's bottled beers are a pretty good bunch (Tanglefoot etc.) IMHO.

They have a reasonable selection, but they are all chilled to death.

2–4°C: Mass market light lagers.

4–7°C: Czech and German Pilsners, Munich Helles, wheat beers, and Kölsch.

7–10°C) IPAs, American pale ales, porters, and most stouts.

10–13°C: Belgian ales, sour ales, Bocks, English bitters and milds, Scottish ales.

Unfortunately P&O seem to keep everything at the lowest temperature of 2-4°C.

It was the bottled beer that is served far too cold.

 

 

 

 

They have a reasonable selection, but they are all chilled to death.

 

2–4°C: Mass market light lagers.

4–7°C: Czech and German Pilsners, Munich Helles, wheat beers, and Kölsch.

7–10°C) IPAs, American pale ales, porters, and most stouts.

10–13°C: Belgian ales, sour ales, Bocks, English bitters and milds, Scottish ales.

 

Unfortunately P&O seem to keep everything at the lowest temperature of 2-4°C.

Order one before you have finished the previous one and let it warm up a bit - easier to warm it up than cool it down.

I order 2, one cold and one hot and mix them in the glass :D

Order one before you have finished the previous one and let it warm up a bit - easier to warm it up than cool it down.

Better still order two bottles of Old Speckled Hen at the same time.

I just ask for one that hasn’t been chilled. Only once has it ever been a problem.

I just ask for one that hasn’t been chilled. Only once has it ever been a problem.

Good idea and i will do that on our next P&O cruise.

Good idea and i will do that on our next P&O cruise.

It’s always worked for me. If those of us who like beer at correct temperature keep asking for it, the sooner they will realise that many prefer it at room temperature and stock the bar accordingly.

I live in the south and I can get a decent pint of ale for £2 .

People comparing P &0 to a 4 star hotel - fair play but most people can walk out of a 4 star hotel to get a drink. The assumption that people in a 4 star hotel drink in the bar for 2 weeks is hilarious - hotel bars are usually empty for a reason

P&O charge £4 for a can....yes a can, delivered on a black tie night by a waitress with a glass....it looks a bit naff all dressed up to the eyeballs pouring your can into the glass but hey ho.

So we can take 2 one litre bottles of spirits, yet only two bottles of wine ....

Something tells me this rash decision (probably dreamt up by an American) will go down like a lead balloon. I had the full intention of booking a Caribbean cruise but they can shove it up their windpipe.

Princess DO NOT allow any alcohol to be taken on board at the start of your cruise or when coming back on board at each stop.

Princess permit 1 bottle of wine per person to be brought on board at embarkation only, not at ports enroute.

But often that policy is relaxed as I have found out on my 18 Princess cruises, the last being in November last year.

I am surprised no one else has yet posted about the latest news. I have today received an email about "important changes" to my booking on Brittania next October. It states from 1.2.18 on embarkation passengers are allowed to take 1 bottle of alcohol upto a 1litre limit, also passengers are not allowed to consume any alcohol purchased in any port whilst on board. From 1.1.18 they are also going to stop fancy dress and inappropriate clothing with names/slogans on. Not being big drinkers this doesn't bother us I'm just pleased they aren't changing our dates as this was my main concern when first seeing the important changes heading.

I am surprised no one else has yet posted about the latest news. I have today received an email about "important changes" to my booking on Brittania next October. It states from 1.2.18 on embarkation passengers are allowed to take 1 bottle of alcohol upto a 1litre limit, also passengers are not allowed to consume any alcohol purchased in any port whilst on board. From 1.1.18 they are also going to stop fancy dress and inappropriate clothing with names/slogans on. Not being big drinkers this doesn't bother us I'm just pleased they aren't changing our dates as this was my main concern when first seeing the important changes heading.

I also just got an email with that header and was panicked it had been changed or cancelled!

People have posted on the other changes but that thread was closed by the host as this thread was going!

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Hi Bartswife..... Yes, see the previous 22 pages for posts on this topic ;) The email that you - and I - received today is just confirming what has been doing the rounds for some time. I think they are making a point of making sure we have all been notiified.

Sadly their very reasonable policy has been abused and we are now being brought in line with most other lines. Fred Olsen however do not allow any alcohol being brought on board.

The email is not very clear though. As of 1 February 2018, guests can only bring on board a single bottle of

alcohol (up to 1litre in size) as they embark the ship for the first time only.

And alcohol bought at ports along the way cannot be consumed while on board.

IS this 1 bottle per person or 1 per booking.

Think it will be a bottle of wine for the wife and a bottle of vodka and a bottle of pepsi max for me :-)

How do they intend managing this anyway? If you check in multiple bags and take on hand luggage

Hi Bartswife..... Yes, see the previous 22 pages for posts on this topic ;) The email that you - and I - received today is just confirming what has been doing the rounds for some time. I think they are making a point of making sure we have all been notiified.

Sadly their very reasonable policy has been abused and we are now being brought in line with most other lines. Fred Olsen however do not allow any alcohol being brought on board.

I confess to not having read all 22 pages. I did wonder whether I should post or not, you can tell I'm a newbie!!!!

The email is not very clear though. As of 1 February 2018, guests can only bring on board a single bottle of

alcohol (up to 1litre in size) as they embark the ship for the first time only.

And alcohol bought at ports along the way cannot be consumed while on board.

IS this 1 bottle per person or 1 per booking.

Think it will be a bottle of wine for the wife and a bottle of vodka and a bottle of pepsi max for me :-)

How do they intend managing this anyway? If you check in multiple bags and take on hand luggage

Hi Glenn...

Yes, it is 1 litre bottle per person just as you embark. Most of the other cruise lines already operate a strict alcohol policy now and Fred Olsen doesn't allow any at all.

They manage it by scanning all your bags and calling you to reception if they see it in your luggage. It will be looked after until your last night.

I think that it’s highly unlikely that you’d be called to Reception if you have a bottle in your lugggage. As far as I can tell, the new rules do not specify that the bottle must be taken on as hand luggage. I suspect that those who are desperate to take alchohol on board will get wise to the fact that each adult will be able to take on 2 litres - one each in hand luggage and one each in hold luggage. There would be no practical way that they could establish that you had done that, even if they wanted to (which they won’t). They will rely on the fact that most passengers (especially Brits) will be compliant. The new policy doesn’t bother me one jot and we just won’t bother to take any alcohol on board, but what’s the worst that can happen? In the highly unlikely event that you are rumbled, you just get the extra bottle back at the end of the cruise.

It sounds a bit controlling to me, a bit like paying for the pleasure to spend a week in prison with all the want you can't do. All inclusive is the way forward, that will stop all this.

Keith (Southend)

It sounds a bit controlling to me, a bit like paying for the pleasure to spend a week in prison with all the want you can't do. All inclusive is the way forward, that will stop all this.

 

Keith (Southend)

All inclusive is a bit of a dirty word on here. Some people simply aren't happy with the concept.

It sounds a bit controlling to me, a bit like paying for the pleasure to spend a week in prison with all the want you can't do. All inclusive is the way forward, that will stop all this.

 

Keith (Southend)

No good to the large numbers of cruisers who do not drink at all. So not a good idea to include it in everyone’s price.

If you offer it too cheaply then you are encouraging excessive drinking and too expensive you are trying to make excessive profit.

Looks like a lose lose lose situation to me.

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It sounds a bit controlling to me, a bit like paying for the pleasure to spend a week in prison with all the want you can't do. All inclusive is the way forward, that will stop all this.

 

Keith (Southend)

Not for me. We would all end up paying a lot more (nothing in life is free) and those of us who aren’t alchohol obsessives would be subsidising those who are. And being on holiday with people who are drunk in order to ‘get their moneys worth’ is my idea of hell.

All inclusive is a bit of a dirty word on here. Some people simply aren't happy with the concept.

Exactly like the price structure on those expensive river cruises 'all inclusive beer, wine and spirits and soft drinks with lunch and dinner', or on some of them 24/7. Those who don't drink alcohol or are light drinkers are paying for those who imbibe heavily and plenty do.:o

The email is not very clear though. As of 1 February 2018, guests can only bring on board a single bottle of

alcohol (up to 1litre in size) as they embark the ship for the first time only.

And alcohol bought at ports along the way cannot be consumed while on board.

 

IS this 1 bottle per person or 1 per booking.

 

Think it will be a bottle of wine for the wife and a bottle of vodka and a bottle of pepsi max for me :-)

 

How do they intend managing this anyway? If you check in multiple bags and take on hand luggage

X Rays at security or at gangway will detect one's excess booze bottles.:halo: As they do now.

X Rays at security or at gangway will detect one's excess booze bottles.:halo: As they do now.

But I maintain the view that it will be very easy to take on 2 litres per adult - 1 in each suitcase going in via the hold and 1 each in your hand luggage. The new restriction does not stipulate that the 1 litre must be one or the other, which means that you can do either. And as there is no way that they can tally the two, you can do both!

I seem to be in a minority of one who agrees with the new policy but has spotted the glaring loophole in it!