I am currently on The Star and this is my experience and I am stating fact:
Boarded at 11.30am on 21st to find alcohol was not being served, first drinks were served at 9pm
I was not informed by NCL prior to boarding
I put in a written list of questions to the GM (Tony) with no response.
I have asked 3 times for the written regulations regarding alcohol restrictions in UK ports (to date no response)
I emailed NCL but was told because in onboard I have to speak to guest services and was told there was no escalation procedure, so basically tough luck.
On day 2 I asked if there was going to be an issue in Belfast, again I never got a response.
NCL put out an announcement at 8pm on the night before arriving in Belfast that we would not be served alcohol.
There was also a small paragraph in the daily freestyle, again the night before Belfast and ours was delivered whilst we at dinner.
At no point did NCL clarify the position about bringing drink onboard in Belfast, which we found out after the event was allowed.
After leaving Belfast the bars were still not serving alcohol at 11.30pm, at this point we gave up. I still don’t know what time they eventually fully opened.
The Dawn has been to Belfast twice whilst I have been onboard and both times they were served alcohol, no one onboard can tell me why?
My issue with this whole debacle is the total lack of information from NCL.
I do have a case number and will be following this up when I get off the ship.