Taking drinks onboard ?

[barney]

Have any of out regulars sailed since the new drink regulations came in, and if so, how did it all work?

Were there P&O security waiting to pounce at the boarding desk?
Has anyone ever had anything 'confiscated' and if how, how did they get it back?

I've had my own thoughts on this subject but I'd be interested to hear what is actually happening.

[Whynd1]

Hi Barney

On our recent cruise, if you bought drink ashore it was taken from you labelled etc and then you went on a specific day to collect it. You should have seen the number of plastic crates full of bottles.

I didn't see anyone having it taken from them at check in security but I have heard reports that some people have had their bottles taken if they were over the limit.

It's a lot of extra work for the staff.

One weird thing in Lisbon they took the bottles then the day after, two days before Southampton passengers were invited to collect them.

Lindsey

[barney]

That's interesting Lindsey because the new terms and conditions clearly state that if your bottles are taken, they will be returned to you.
"Alcohol over the 1 litre limit will be stored and returned to you prior to the end of your ‭cruise.

Not a mention of going to collect them at a certain time.
I assumed that they would be delivered to your cabin on the last night.

I wondering where you would stand at Southampton if you packed a wine box in your suitcase. Would they call you to go somewhere to open your case and remove it?

I must admit that I think this will fall by the wayside on longer cruises as time goes by.
It was clearly introduced because of the Stag/Hen parties on two and three nighters where it was reported that some groups embarked with trollies loaded with cases of beer.

I really don't see how me picking up a bottle of Cava in Cadiz is going to impact on their bar sales.
I'll put it to the test and see what happens

[david63]

I wondering where you would stand at Southampton if you packed a wine box in your suitcase. Would they call you to go somewhere to open your case and remove it?

You would certainly be called to security as a wine box has a foil bag inside which shows up as a large unidentifiable "blob" on the scanner and they would need to know what it was - whether it would be taken from you is something that I cannot answer.

This I know to be the case as I have a tee-shirt to prove it (albeit quite a few years ago!)

[Whynd1]

It was printed in the horizon, there was a collection point and time for on board drink purchases and then another time for the collection of drink bought ashore which had been taken from passengers.

Lindsey

[towny44]

On our Ventura Caribbean and USA cruise it seemed to be left to passengers honesty to hand over bottles bought ashore, one member of staff stood alongside the collection table asking passengers if they had any booze to declare.
As regards wine boxes over on CC some posters have said they have taken 2.2 litre boxes on board with no problems.

[London Cruiser]

Recently got back from a Ventura cruise, I did meet alot of people who carried booze on over the limit at Southampton, one couple said the had six boxes of wine !