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Duty Free on QM2 - having a laugh?

Griller

By Griller,
in Cunard Line

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Salacia

Salacia

Posted
Posted
Complicated, as I suspected :) That said, I've never understood some travellers' obsession with buying alcohol on holiday. Clothing, shoes, etc, I can understand. But alcohol? Almost as odd as buying cigarettes!

 

A couple of years ago I was talking to a fellow passenger as we re-boarded the ship in Port St. Thomas. In discussing our purchases made on shore, he told me that he bought 5 cartons of cigarettes (that's the duty free limit for US citizens buying cigarettes in St. Thomas) - and saved $400 when comparing the price to what he would have paid in Manhattan. (I don't know if the prices have changed since then.) With a savings like that, I can understand why people might want to buy their cigarettes on holiday. And I've purchased rums on various islands the Caribbean that I can't find here. One particular brand made in St. Kitts I really liked, but unfortunately I didn't save the label and now I can't remember the name!:eek::) -S.

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ToadOfToadHall

ToadOfToadHall

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Posted
That said, I've never understood some travellers' obsession with buying alcohol on holiday. Almost as odd as buying cigarettes!

 

I think it's engrained in people's heads from the days when duty free in airports was very cheap compared to UK prices so people liked to save a few quid (which was actually a fair amount). But now the price differences are minimal, so to me it's just not worth the bother of carting the bottles (especially on a plane).

 

And here's one to the think about: You can't take your own liquids, or anything remotely sharp on to a plane for "security reasons", and yet you can buy a bottle of scotch from the airport's duty free shop and take that on board. So you can take a large glass bottle, full of liquid, on board. And then you could quite easily kill someone by either smashing it over their head or smashing it and using the broken bottle as a weapon. Funny how suddenly those "security reasons" don't apply any more. Anyone would think a large loss of revenue was involved.

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capnpugwash

capnpugwash

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Posted
I think it's engrained in people's heads from the days when duty free in airports was very cheap compared to UK prices so people liked to save a few quid (which was actually a fair amount). But now the price differences are minimal, so to me it's just not worth the bother of carting the bottles (especially on a plane).

 

And here's one to the think about: You can't take your own liquids, or anything remotely sharp on to a plane for "security reasons", and yet you can buy a bottle of scotch from the airport's duty free shop and take that on board. So you can take a large glass bottle, full of liquid, on board. And then you could quite easily kill someone by either smashing it over their head or smashing it and using the broken bottle as a weapon. Funny how suddenly those "security reasons" don't apply any more. Anyone would think a large loss of revenue was involved.

 

Very true and when you look at a lot of airports, the only way to get to the gates is to physically walk through the labyrinthine "duty free" section.

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Skipper Tim

Skipper Tim

Posted
Posted (edited)
I think it's engrained in people's heads from the days when duty free in airports was very cheap compared to UK prices so people liked to save a few quid (which was actually a fair amount). But now the price differences are minimal, so to me it's just not worth the bother of carting the bottles (especially on a plane).

 

Yes, the savings in the airport 'duty free shop' used to be very significant. We travelled as a family of 4 to Ca'n Picafort, Majorca with in 1972 for £40 per adult and £20 per child including flights, transfers and a hotel on the beach with breakfast, evening meal and entertainment.

 

The one litre per adult duty-free allowance each way at the airports would recoup around 10%-15% of the total holiday cost compared to buying the spirits not duty free. It was an essential activity every holiday I can remember as a child.

 

Now, at what price would Cunard or airport duty free shops have to sell four litres of spirit to recoup 10% of the cost of the holidays of two adults and two children with airfare included? I will give a clue - it is hugely negative.

 

And here's one to the think about: You can't take your own liquids, or anything remotely sharp on to a plane for "security reasons", and yet you can buy a bottle of scotch from the airport's duty free shop and take that on board. So you can take a large glass bottle, full of liquid, on board. And then you could quite easily kill someone by either smashing it over their head or smashing it and using the broken bottle as a weapon. Funny how suddenly those "security reasons" don't apply any more. Anyone would think a large loss of revenue was involved.

 

My mother said something very similar going through security at Manchester recently and she was taken to one side and cautioned along the lines of "don't give people ideas".

 

Airport security is a farce. It is a very public, in-your-face farce and no doubt benefits the profits of the airport through dispensing with all those 'liquids' and 'pastes' that you then need to buy again, at the conveniently located shops just on the other side of security.

 

This type of airport security is designed to 1) reassure us that the Government is doing something about 'the terrorist threat' and 2) increase airport profits as part of the deal. Nothing more, or less.

 

I may have got grumpy in my old age.

Edited by Skipper Tim
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ToadOfToadHall

ToadOfToadHall

Posted
Posted

Airport security is a farce. It is a very public, in-your-face farce and no doubt benefits the profits of the airport through dispensing with all those 'liquids' and 'pastes' that you then need to buy again, at the conveniently located shops just on the other side of security.

 

This type of airport security is designed to 1) reassure us that the Government is doing something about 'the terrorist threat' and 2) increase airport profits as part of the deal. Nothing more, or less.

 

Spot on. The authorities have to give people the impression of doing something as opposed to actually doing something. For example, a few years ago I was regularly flying from Manchester to Madrid. At Madrid airport myself and my colleague would eat in the restaurant and had to have plastic knives and forks. It was for "security reasons", in case we took the metal knives and forks on the plane (since we'd already been though security). But the fact that anyone travelling business or first class is given metal knives and forks was somehow a complete irrelevance.

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Austcruiser84

Austcruiser84

Posted
Posted
A couple of years ago I was talking to a fellow passenger as we re-boarded the ship in Port St. Thomas. In discussing our purchases made on shore, he told me that he bought 5 cartons of cigarettes (that's the duty free limit for US citizens buying cigarettes in St. Thomas) - and saved $400 when comparing the price to what he would have paid in Manhattan. (I don't know if the prices have changed since then.) With a savings like that, I can understand why people might want to buy their cigarettes on holiday. And I've purchased rums on various islands the Caribbean that I can't find here. One particular brand made in St. Kitts I really liked, but unfortunately I didn't save the label and now I can't remember the name!:eek::) -S.

 

You have to stand in awe at someone who proudly proclaims to save $400 buying stuff that slowly kills them.

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Austcruiser84

Austcruiser84

Posted
Posted
I think it's engrained in people's heads from the days when duty free in airports was very cheap compared to UK prices so people liked to save a few quid (which was actually a fair amount). But now the price differences are minimal, so to me it's just not worth the bother of carting the bottles (especially on a plane).

 

And here's one to the think about: You can't take your own liquids, or anything remotely sharp on to a plane for "security reasons", and yet you can buy a bottle of scotch from the airport's duty free shop and take that on board. So you can take a large glass bottle, full of liquid, on board. And then you could quite easily kill someone by either smashing it over their head or smashing it and using the broken bottle as a weapon. Funny how suddenly those "security reasons" don't apply any more. Anyone would think a large loss of revenue was involved.

 

I. Surprised in this day and age, what with the Internet accessible on phones, that people still buy in duty free stores at airports etc. Surely a quick search would show how prices are virtually the same as outside, and even sometimes more expensive.

 

At Gatwick recently, I saw Dom selling for 199 GBP. I nearly fell over - that's basically $400 AUD! Here I can get it for $190 AUD.

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Salacia

Salacia

Posted
Posted (edited)
You have to stand in awe at someone who proudly proclaims to save $400 buying stuff that slowly kills them.

 

Well, I don't know that he proudly proclaimed his purchases, just rather mentioned it in conversation. Anyway, I don't thing paying more for cigarettes lowers the health risk, anymore than my custom of buying local brands of rum on Caribbean islands lowers my health risk from drinking (health guidelines for a woman being not to consume more than 3 drinks per week). But I do stand in awe for those who follow all health guidelines. No doubt they will live much longer - it might even feel like f o r e v e r. :D Cheers, S.

Edited by Salacia
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AVACTION

AVACTION

Posted
Posted

Well with cigarettes here in Australia (NSW) being over $20 a packet (20), I am looking forward to buying at $20 a carton (200).

 

And YES I do know that smoking has harmful health effects, so PLEASE no lectures on what damage I am doing to my body.

 

With taxes, medicare levy, private health fund payments and duties on booze and cigarettes I reckon I am paying over $60,000 a year into the Australian public health & welfare systems, so if I enjoy a drink and a smoke it's up to me!!

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Austcruiser84

Austcruiser84

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Well with cigarettes here in Australia (NSW) being over $20 a packet (20), I am looking forward to buying at $20 a carton (200).

 

And YES I do know that smoking has harmful health effects, so PLEASE no lectures on what damage I am doing to my body.

 

With taxes, medicare levy, private health fund payments and duties on booze and cigarettes I reckon I am paying over $60,000 a year into the Australian public health & welfare systems, so if I enjoy a drink and a smoke it's up to me!!

 

Given that the cost to taxpayers to treat smoke related disease well and truly exceeds the taxes paid on cigarettes, I've no intention on remaining silent :)

 

I cannot wait for the day when smoking is banned on cruise ships and in any public space.

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Chunky2219

Chunky2219

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Hi Chunky. Would you please give more information about the "Chef's Table"? Is $240 per person? I've never seen it advertised on QM2 - what have I been missing? Thanks for any information. -Salacia

Hi, sorry for the delayed reply.

 

I can't remember if it was $220 or $240 on QV a couple of weeks ago, but the advertised price was somewhere around there. That was price per person. I didn't notice if there was a 15% surcharge for the drinks as well. They were looking for minimum six, maximum twelve people - I can't tell you if that was per table or the all-in headcount.

 

It was a multi-course meal which IIRC included the executive chef, some of the other kitchen meastros and matching wine for each course. It did look like an interesting menu but the price did seem a bit rich. . We were in QG so, with very good food and service already there would have been no point anyway splashing the cash for the experience.

 

I'm sorry I can't give you more details, I normally grab a copy of everything for posterity but didn't do so this time. But there's a thread running from a lady who's on QV right now, so maybe she could post a copy of the deal if it is still running.

 

.

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Salacia

Salacia

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Posted
Hi, sorry for the delayed reply.

 

I can't remember if it was $220 or $240 on QV a couple of weeks ago, but the advertised price was somewhere around there. That was price per person. I didn't notice if there was a 15% surcharge for the drinks as well. They were looking for minimum six, maximum twelve people - I can't tell you if that was per table or the all-in headcount.

 

It was a multi-course meal which IIRC included the executive chef, some of the other kitchen meastros and matching wine for each course. It did look like an interesting menu but the price did seem a bit rich. . We were in QG so, with very good food and service already there would have been no point anyway splashing the cash for the experience.

 

I'm sorry I can't give you more details, I normally grab a copy of everything for posterity but didn't do so this time. But there's a thread running from a lady who's on QV right now, so maybe she could post a copy of the deal if it is still running.

 

.

 

Thanks, Chunky. Must be some meal - at that price, it had better be! :) -S.

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Salacia

Salacia

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Posted
Hi Salacia

The rums I have seem in St Lucia are Chairmanship Reserve, Admiral Rodney, Bounty, Mount Gay among others. Maybe this will help jog your memory.

 

Oh yes, thanks, Sanjam! You did jog my memory! Two of my favourite Caribbean rums are Mount Gay from St. Lucia and Clark's Court Old Grog from Grenada - that's the brand I can't get here in NY. I guess I'll just have to go back to Grenada and stock up :) Cheers, -Salacia

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Pies4u

Pies4u

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Posted

Agreed. Always makes me smile - people scrambling to save a few quid on booze (or ciggies) but then they'll spend a fortune in the bar!

 

Just give it a miss for a day & you'll save more than the duty you may, or may not, be avoiding.

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Pies4u

Pies4u

Posted
Posted
. Re: trying to save a few bob (bellboy's post, I think) Agreed. Always makes me smile - people scrambling to save a few quid on booze (or ciggies) but then they'll spend a fortune in the bar!

 

Just give it a miss for a day & you'll save more than the duty you may, or may not, be avoiding.

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Salacia

Salacia

Posted
Posted (edited)
. Re: trying to save a few bob (bellboy's post, I think) Agreed. Always makes me smile - people scrambling to save a few quid on booze (or ciggies) but then they'll spend a fortune in the bar!

 

Just give it a miss for a day & you'll save more than the duty you may, or may not, be avoiding.

 

It seems to me that this thread has evolved from buying duty free on board to purchase made at ports.

 

Often it is true that purchases made on shore could be matched on board, based on the 'price guarantee" - provided the ship had that particular brand offered for sale. Obviously, it is not possible to carry a huge inventory on a cruise ship, so the price match is de facto limited.

 

However, it is possible for passengers to make select purchase on shore for those items that are not otherwise available due to limited export, albeit not duty free. From what I've observed, Cunard passengers do their best to show their appreciation by making purchases in ports. And no doubt, Cunard passengers have appreciated the crafts offered to us at various ports. -S

Edited by Salacia
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Salacia

Salacia

Posted
Posted
Hi Salacia

Glad to be of help, will raise a glass to a fellow rum tippler when in St Lucia in March as part of my Caribbean Cruise.

Happy Cruising to you.

 

Hi Sanjam. The voyage from Scotland to St Lucia sound like an interesting voyage. What ship are you sailing on, if you don't mind my asking? -Also, can you recommend your favourite rum please ? Thanks very much . -S

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