2024 itineries from Southampton.

[Joanne G.]

Thanks for the explanation.   I was on a Carnival cruise from Dover to Rome last summer, and I was charged sales tax on a drink due to, I believe, being in Spanish waters but not later when we were well into the Mediterranean approaching Rome.   Sales tax wasn't too big a deal, but not having alcohol served at all would definitely make a lot of people unhappy, especially without a credible explanation.    

[insidecabin]

37 minutes ago, KeithJenner said:

Various issues that NCL have had in Europe regarding drink sales (and usage of the beverage package).

 

On some Med cruises people have been charged tax on the drinks they consume, sometimes for the entire cruise, but the issue being referred to here is probably where, in some places like the UK, Greece and Gibraltar they haven’t been serving drinks at all whilst in port.

Drinkgate was specifically some  UK ports on Dawn and Star,  was not consistent and no one in NCL ship or corporate could come up with any credible explanation.

[complawyer]

i have absolutely no problem departing from one european port and disembarking from an other. we live in los angeles, fly into heathrow, (love London) so spend a few days there. Prior to leaving we book a shuttle service to take us from london hotel directly to the pier in southampton, we usuaallyalso stay inthe disembarkation city for a few days, get a cab when we get off the ship and have him take us to a pre-booked hotel.  Piece of cake, and you get to see other countries. we've done southampton to copenhagen, a 19 day b2b souhampton to copenhagen, copenhagen to stockholm. athens to rome 

 

and in april we're doing rio to lisbon. have to fly to all points .

 

and id love to book a cruise to iceland, regardless of where to cruise ends up.

[KeithJenner]

9 hours ago, insidecabin said:

Drinkgate was specifically some  UK ports on Dawn and Star,  was not consistent and no one in NCL ship or corporate could come up with any credible explanation.

I’d never heard the term Drinkgate mentioned before, but the term fits them all. If you want inconsistency then two NCL ships, both in Santorini at the same time with one serving drinks and the other not probably hits the jackpot.

[insidecabin]

5 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

I’d never heard the term Drinkgate mentioned before, but the term fits them all. If you want inconsistency then two NCL ships, both in Santorini at the same time with one serving drinks and the other not probably hits the jackpot.

I started the use 27  May on the Star May 11-21 cruise round Ireland live thread after the fiasco on Star and Dawn.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/search/?&q=Drinkgate&search_and_or=or

 

Our dinner with the officers had wine in a port where no one else could buy drinks, drinks bought the day before and kept overnight could be drunk.

 

 

The Med VAT issues have been around for 10years plus originally known as the Spanish tax as they were first to impose VAT on ships.

 

NCL just try to pretend it's all new they need a better strategy to avoid the regular fall, out inconsistent application.

 

As suggested many times may also fall foul of the application of VAT on all inclusive where there is no purchase at point of consumption which means no VAT.

 

 

 

 

[KeithJenner]

14 minutes ago, insidecabin said:

The Med VAT issues have been around for 10years plus originally known as the Spanish tax as they were first to impose VAT on ships.

 

NCL just try to pretend it's all new they need a better strategy to avoid the regular fall, out inconsistent application.

 

As suggested many times may also fall foul of the application of VAT on all inclusive where there is no purchase at point of consumption which means no VAT.

The Med issues aren’t just the VAT. They are also exactly the same issue that you had in the UK. NCL not serving drinks at all in some ports.

 

It may not have been referred to as “drinkgate” at the time, but it is exactly the same thing.

[KforKitty]

Drinkgate was a storm in a teacup.  We were on the Star sailing out of Southampton on 31 May.  We were served alcohol in O’Sheehan, at lunch, whilst still in port.

 

Catherine 

 

[cruiseny4life]

1 hour ago, KforKitty said:

Drinkgate was a storm in a teacup.  We were on the Star sailing out of Southampton on 31 May.  We were served alcohol in O’Sheehan, at lunch, whilst still in port.

 

Catherine 

 

At least use tempest! It paints a better picture. 

 

I'm glad it was just a teapot for you, but others that couldn't get drinks...well, that's a sucky experience. Don't discount what they went through so glibly. 

[insidecabin]

4 hours ago, KforKitty said:

Drinkgate was a storm in a teacup.  We were on the Star sailing out of Southampton on 31 May.  We were served alcohol in O’Sheehan, at lunch, whilst still in port.

 

Catherine 

 

Lucky those of us on the previous two(11-21&21-30) cruises fixed the problem for those on later cruises.

 

Dawn also had problems on its early cruises.

 

First Star cruise, late leaving Southampton no drinks till something like 11pm it takes so long to leave the UK waters into the channel.

[Victress2007]

You might want to check out the cruises from Portsmouth.

Vic

[Silverhairedbee]

28 minutes ago, Victress2007 said:

You might want to check out the cruises from Portsmouth.

Vic

Yes, I have spotted the one cruise returning to Portsmouth, thank you

[insidecabin]

57 minutes ago, Victress2007 said:

You might want to check out the cruises from Portsmouth.

Vic

Portsmouth travel  logistics need thinking about if used to Southampton.

 

Need to check how the terminal & berth facility changes are going.

 

Dec 2022 they were not great and that was for a small ship.

[FLAHAM]

Where are all the cruises from Ohio round trip?  Cleveland through the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway into the Atlantic.

[ColdCruise]

7 hours ago, FLAHAM said:

Where are all the cruises from Ohio round trip?  Cleveland through the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway into the Atlantic.

Ohio is too exotic of a location for the masses - regular ole ships just can’t handle it and you have to use mostly expedition lines or luxury lines, eg new Viking.

 

 

 

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