Purchase of Cigarettes

[Rok4u2]

When I was on the QE2 I could purchase a carton of cigarettes and was able to take them to my cabin and smoke them on the cruise. This is also what I can do now on Carnival, NCL and a few other cruise lines. During my last QE2 cruise in 2008 I purchased two cartons and had a most of it left when I debarked in Southampton and went to London. Four days later I boarded the QM2 to return to NYC. When I went to purchase a carton on cigarettes I was told that it would be delivered to my cabin the night before our arrival in NYC since it was a “Duty Free Tax item” as is liquor. So I had to purchase 1 carton at a time at one of the bars at the price of $5.00 each. My question is: can I purchase cartons of cigarettes on the Queen Victoria and the Queen Elizabeth now and be able to smoke them on the ship? I know the limited areas of smoking areas on the ships, so that is not my question. I am booked on the QV for a long cruise in 2015.

[brigittetom]

This is not really answering your question either but on Qm2.... Some trips you can take the cartons to the cabins and others not. There is no planning ahead. Once I was told that the captain made the decision that we couldn't take our purchase to the cabin. Since then I don't trust anything they tell me.

[bunkrest]

If 20 cigarettes are only $5 I'd carry on buying them at the bar thus leaving my duty free purchase to last me when the cruise is over...(ex smoker by the way)..:-)

 

 

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[zider]

You can purchase cigarettes in the Cunard Shop on the Q.E & The Q.V. For use onboard.

[sarafinadh]

Yep, Himself purchased onboard QM2 and smoked'em while we were sailing.

 

The selection was limited. No Spirits. He wound up with Dunhills and doesn't much like them. They have the bigger brands I guess.

Edited September 19, 2014 by sarafinadh

[jomf]

It might depend on where you buy them?

If you buy from the duty free shop then I would expect them to be taken until the last night. If you buy from the normal shop ( assuming there is one and that they sell cigarettes) then I would expect you to be able to smoke ( in the appropriate place!) them immediately.

[sarafinadh]

We were in the duty free shop, he bought two boxes, we took them with us right then.

[Salacia]

This is not really answering your question either but on Qm2.... Some trips you can take the cartons to the cabins and others not. There is no planning ahead. Once I was told that the captain made the decision that we couldn't take our purchase to the cabin. Since then I don't trust anything they tell me.

 

 

Briggitte, I have to agree with you that there is no set plan on any particular voyage. But I think we were both on the same NY/Canada cruise last September, and on that cruise passengers were permitted to purchase cartons of cigarettes at the Duty Free Shop while the ship was at sea and take the purchase to their cabin.

 

I seem to remember that there was a also special sale one day (perhaps the penultimate day of the cruise?) where cigarettes and various liquors were on sale at a special price, and passengers were permitted to take that away at the point of purchase.

 

Just to mention that the cigarettes sold on board, even though they carry popular brands such as Marlboro differ from the same brand sold in the USA. Switzerland apparently is a big source for the manufacture of cigarettes.

[brigittetom]

I wonder if sometimes they just don't want to be bothered with delivering the purchases to the cabins on the last evening. :)

 

We appreciate it no matter how they do it but it does make it difficult to plan ahead. We would prefer to buy in the shops....but you never know whether you are allowed to consume on the ship or not.

[jomf]

I have just read the FAQ and they state that duty free cigarettes can be smoked immediately after purchase. It is only the alcohol that is taken until the last evening.

[brigittetom]

jomf, I can tell you from personal experience that you can't count on those facts. On some trips they've actually put a notice in the daily programme that alcohol and cigarettes may be purchased and taken straight to the cabin. I've also tried to purchase cigarettes to take away and have been told no, "we have a strict policy".

 

The main issue is that you cannot count on the policy for preplanning your consumption on board......and this is from personal experience.....not brochures or websites.

Edited September 22, 2014 by brigittetom

[cunardaddict]

It depends on the applicable tax and customs regulations of the ports on your journey.