No alcohol in UK Ports...

[Krydstosser]

Hello Guys

 

I have a cruise in December with Ventura, do P&O have restriction on alcohol in UK ports and Italy? As with NCL?

 

 

 

 

[david63]

Never in over 30 years of cruising out of Southampton have I ever seen that on a P&O ship - unless they have run out of supplies😇

[newport dave]

Never seen or heard that before. Sailed on P&O, Princess & RCI from Southampton and they've all served alcohol. 

[Purdey16]

Never seen anything like that before and MSC were serving drinks while in port a couple of weeks ago, that’s probably a NCL rule to cut back expenses 😉

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, Purdey16 said:

Never seen anything like that before and MSC were serving drinks while in port a couple of weeks ago, that’s probably a NCL rule to cut back expenses 😉

I wonder if the NCL ship was a port visit, rather than sailing  out of Sourhampton. In which case maybe it's similar to VAT  being added to drink prices in Spanish ports?

[Yorkypete]

2 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

I wonder if the NCL ship was a port visit, rather than sailing  out of Sourhampton. In which case maybe it's similar to VAT  being added to drink prices in Spanish ports?

It is, as NCL do not go from Southampton on a regular basis as far as I know.

[SteveH2508]

Lengthy discussion of this issue here 

It seems to be exclusively an NCL issue.

[david63]

48 minutes ago, Yorkypete said:

as NCL do not go from Southampton on a regular basis as far as I know.

I don't know what you class as regular but there are four sailings from Southampton in the next two weeks

[SteveH2508]

1 hour ago, Yorkypete said:

It is, as NCL do not go from Southampton on a regular basis as far as I know.

NCL have departed from Southampton (and Dover) on and off for at least the last 15 years! I think they should know the rules and paperwork by now.

[yorkshirephil]

2 hours ago, david63 said:

I don't know what you class as regular but there are four sailings from Southampton in the next two weeks

If we were not cruising next week we would have booked the upcoming NCL cruise which is a circumnavigation of Ireland, I believe they have several similar cruises from Southampton over the next 2 years and I am hoping to book one, especially with the current give away prices. NCL is the only main stream cruise line we have not tried.

[Fionboard]

No drinks at sailaway then. Sounds like fun! 

[Bill Y]

Have NCL had their UK drinks licence rescinded?

 

Keeping a disorderly house/longship?

[Leomins]

I’ve sailed on NCL from Southampton, drinks were served from the moment we got on.

[showingdiva]

I worked on board Norwegian Dawn last Saturday, which departed Southampton.  Aside from them initially refusing to play live coverage of the coronation, which was swiftly reversed, I heard no grumblings from any passengers.

[molecrochip]

There are numerous bits of 'paperwork' required nowadays before a ship can dock in port. Some of which is done a long time in advance, some is done 2-7 days out, such as finalising piloting times and berthing instructions, some of which is done literally on arrival such as passenger manifests. A lot of it is done electronically and that reduces workload to confirmations on the day.

 

The UK has one national rule for all of its mainland ports. Likewise, the UK doesn't charge VAT on drinks consumed in port. however this is unlikely to be a VAT point - as VAT is charged on soft drinks such as Coke or juices, teas and coffees. I suspect that NCL didn't complete some piece of paperwork relating to licensing laws - it was missed, or not submitted early enough, or NCL deemed the fee to high to pay. Was it the ships first visit for a while?

 

Therefore saying that it was UK regulations is stretching the truth but not lying. They are just not stating that it was their failure to comply with said regulations.

 

Turning this back to P&O, this should not affect them one bit. Whilst technically, I'm sure they could make a slip up, as a turnaround port, they are far more used to the requirements of UK ports and should be on top of it.

[showingdiva]

1 hour ago, molecrochip said:

Was it the ships first visit for a while?

Yes, the first of her numerous round-UK cruises ex-Southampton.   She's turning around today on her second voyage (due back at us on Tuesday).

[flamingo_fancies]

4 hours ago, molecrochip said:

There are numerous bits of 'paperwork' required nowadays before a ship can dock in port. Some of which is done a long time in advance, some is done 2-7 days out, such as finalising piloting times and berthing instructions, some of which is done literally on arrival such as passenger manifests. A lot of it is done electronically and that reduces workload to confirmations on the day.

 

The UK has one national rule for all of its mainland ports. Likewise, the UK doesn't charge VAT on drinks consumed in port. however this is unlikely to be a VAT point - as VAT is charged on soft drinks such as Coke or juices, teas and coffees. I suspect that NCL didn't complete some piece of paperwork relating to licensing laws - it was missed, or not submitted early enough, or NCL deemed the fee to high to pay. Was it the ships first visit for a while?

 

Therefore saying that it was UK regulations is stretching the truth but not lying. They are just not stating that it was their failure to comply with said regulations.

 

Turning this back to P&O, this should not affect them one bit. Whilst technically, I'm sure they could make a slip up, as a turnaround port, they are far more used to the requirements of UK ports and should be on top of it.

It seems to be down to a VAT / Duty issue this is what I received from the NCL southampton port agent, when questioned.

[molecrochip]

There is two separate points there: 

a) requesting permission which is a licensing requirement, likely with an application fee; and

b) paying duty and VAT.

 

Its likely that a was the issue as otherwise b can just be passed onto the end consumer (guest).

[davecttr]

5 hours ago, molecrochip said:

There is two separate points there: 

a) requesting permission which is a licensing requirement, likely with an application fee; and

b) paying duty and VAT.

 

Its likely that a was the issue as otherwise b can just be passed onto the end consumer (guest).

So do P&O add duty and VAT to drink prices whilst alongside on embarkation day?

[david63]

6 hours ago, davecttr said:

So do P&O add duty and VAT to drink prices whilst alongside on embarkation day?

I would suspect that it is built into the overall pricing

[cruisenewbie1976]

21 hours ago, davecttr said:

So do P&O add duty and VAT to drink prices whilst alongside on embarkation day?

No duty is payable by P&O for bar sales whilst alongside on embarkation day - 

Once passengers start boarding for an entitled journey on board a ferry or cruise ship

Where a cruise ship or ferry is departing on an entitled journey, the ship operator may start to sell stores for consumption on board once the passengers start to board. However, they must not sell stores for retail take away until the ship has left the port.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/excise-notice-69a-duty-free-ships-stores/excise-notice-69a-duty-free-ships-stores#ships---loading-excise-good-as-stores-in-the-uk

Edited May 15, 2023 by cruisenewbie1976