RJB Posted July 30, 2010 #1 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Trying to find out if there is a duty free store in the cruise terminal. And if they sell vodka, etc. Thanks, Richie:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sbecker604 Posted July 30, 2010 #2 Share Posted July 30, 2010 We were there last Summer on the Dover to Dover trip. No duty free store. As a matter of fact, there was not much in the way of shopping. We took the train from London to Dover Priory and took a cab to the terminal. I had picked up a bottle of scotch at the duty free store in the airport and we picked up some wine for my DW at a liquor store on the taxi ride from the train station to the terminal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted July 30, 2010 #3 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Trying to find out if there is a duty free store in the cruise terminal. And if they sell vodka, etc. Thanks, Richie:) 2 things: #1 There was no duty free shop when we were last there (09). #2 Be VERY CAREFUL about buying Duty free in Europe when you are outbound on your cruise. Duty Free Shops have to adhere to the EU rules now (although they are WILDLY UNHAPPY about it). If your cruise has ports elsewhere in the EU, then you dont qualify to buy Duty Free in Britain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cat Posted July 30, 2010 #4 Share Posted July 30, 2010 We were just there in June. No duty free or much of anything else except gentleman doing currency exchange. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickey 88 Posted July 30, 2010 #5 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Trying to find out if there is a duty free store in the cruise terminal. And if they sell vodka, etc. Thanks, Richie:) There is no ""Duty Free" store in the terminal or anywhere near. Due to the EU rules, not much is available in the UK as in years gone by. About your only option, if you don't make your purchase elsewhere, is to take a taxi into Dover to an 'off license' or Bottle shop and buy what you want there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruin Steve Posted July 30, 2010 #6 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Okay...I cannot help myself... I guess I am about to pick my usual fight on these boards... This is one of my pet peeves... Sorry if I am about to offend anyone... What is the point? I take it you want to buy booze to bring with you onto the ship, correct? (You are certainly not buying booze on your way home since you cannot carry any liquid over three ounces and would have to check the bottles IN your luggage, likely exceeding weight restrictions and/or risking breakage in baggage handling)... Okay, so what IS the point? They DO sell alcoholic beverages ON the ship...The bar is well stocked with just about everything and anything you might want to drink... You can even have it delivered to your cabin... And when you buy your drinks at the bar, they SERVE them to you...in an appropriate glass...with ice and any mixers... You can drink in public almost anywhere on the ship... So, why do people seem to want to bring their own onboard? It's not like you can carry your own bottle around from dinner to bar to showroom... Is it because of the price of liquor on board? Really? You are paying between $4,000 and $20,000 per person for a cruise on Oceania...How much are you saving with a bottle of Vodka from the Duty Free Shop? I just never seem to get it, I guess... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulchili Posted July 30, 2010 #7 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Steve, Do the words Pandora's box mean anything? You've just opened it - enjoy the ride :D BTW, I do not drink anything but club soda (just a preference - no agenda). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hondorner Posted July 30, 2010 #8 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Steve -- you're correct -- we don't care if it is from a duty-free shop, or not -- but O does not sell booze by the bottle, as far as I know, only by the drink -- and when Betsy gets all settled in her robe, watching a movie on the cabin TV or curled up watching the night glide by, and wants a drink, I am not going to get dressed and go to a bar, nor am I going to order room service, and wait while the mood passes, and get up to let a stranger in the room -- I'm going to crack open that bottle I brought on board and mix her a drink. It's not to save money. In fact, every once in a while we spring for an even larger amount of money to sail on Regent -- and rarely have a drink in one of the lounges or bars. What we like is the bar set-up in the room, any two bottles you like to start, and more where they came from. Those are probably the most expensive bottles of liquor that we ever buy -- but the most convenient and enjoyed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RetiredFL Posted July 30, 2010 #9 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Bruin Steve, I will mildly disagree with you. We like a drink in our cabin while getting dressed and we prefer our brand so we usually buy a bottle either at duty free in the US if we have a direct flight or at a local store. We also replenish our supply from the ships supply. The cabin attendant will supply glasses, ice, etc. We also enjoy picking up local treats such as cheese, etc to enjoy with our drink in the cabin. We also enjoy local wines and many times pay the corkage charge to take them to the dinning room. Also, and hopefully it will be better on Marina, Martini's gets very crowded during happy hour and many times you cannot find a table, especially if you have a group of 8 or 10. Many times the wait staff will serve happy hour drinks in the Upper Hall even though it is not technically part of the Happy Hour area. We bring booze or wine on board for our enjoyment, not due to price and still patronize the ship's bars and lounges. Since we usually have a several hundred dollar credit on board we usually have to struggle to use it up. I think it is nice that Oceania gives it passengers the option to bring liquor on board and treats them as adults, unlike some other lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruin Steve Posted July 30, 2010 #10 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Steve -- you're correct -- we don't care if it is from a duty-free shop, or not -- but O does not sell booze by the bottle, as far as I know, only by the drink -- and when Betsy gets all settled in her robe, watching a movie on the cabin TV or curled up watching the night glide by, and wants a drink, I am not going to get dressed and go to a bar, nor am I going to order room service, and wait while the mood passes, and get up to let a stranger in the room -- I'm going to crack open that bottle I brought on board and mix her a drink. It's not to save money. In fact, every once in a while we spring for an even larger amount of money to sail on Regent -- and rarely have a drink in one of the lounges or bars. What we like is the bar set-up in the room, any two bottles you like to start, and more where they came from. Those are probably the most expensive bottles of liquor that we ever buy -- but the most convenient and enjoyed. Don, Not being one who typically drinks in my cabin, I wasn't aware of that. I know many lines (Celebrity, for example, offers an in-cabin "Stateroom Bar Setup" packages--a one liter bottle of your favorite drink plus mixers for $80)...not exactly inexpensive, but available nonetheless...Perhaps Oceania should consider doing the same... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruin Steve Posted July 30, 2010 #11 Share Posted July 30, 2010 ...we usually buy a bottle either at duty free in the US if we have a direct flight or at a local store. We also replenish our supply from the ships supply. The cabin attendant will supply glasses, ice, etc... So, now I am confused... Will they sell you a bottle onboard for in-cabin use or not? If they will, I have no problem with that... My problem is that some people go to the trouble of going out of their way to bring onboard what they can already buy onboard...Buying something back home to schlepp through airports and flights in one's luggage--especially with all the new restrictions hardly seems worthwhile...Going out of one's way in the embarkation port upon arrival seems too much a hassle as well... As to specific brands, I have always found that the ships all carry a very wide range of brands...and, if they don't stock my specific brand, I just see it as an opportunity to try something new... But, if one can purchase onboard for use in one's cabin and the cabin steward will bring you glasses and ice, etc., I just don't see the point of going to the extra trouble... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharicruz Posted July 30, 2010 #12 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Yes, you can purchase bottles of liquor onboard for use in your stateroom... It can be ordered as a gift order prior to boarding so that it will be in your stateroom upon arrival or purchased after you board. Shari Sharicruz6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickey 88 Posted July 30, 2010 #13 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Yes, you can purchase bottles of liquor onboard for use in your stateroom... It can be ordered as a gift order prior to boarding so that it will be in your stateroom upon arrival or purchased after you board. Shari Sharicruz6 Quite true - but the prices "by the bottle" are quite excessive. For example, none of the Scotches offered was under $100.00 and and bottle of Highland Park 12 yr old was up to $125.00. I think the OP and those many who have started threads such as this are trying to avoid high shipboard prices, and are looking for bargains such as we used to see in Duty Free shops. There seems to be some sort of fascination in 'sneaking booze on board' and where and how to get away with it .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hondorner Posted July 30, 2010 #14 Share Posted July 30, 2010 I may not care about the difference between retail and duty free, which is peanuts and often doesn't really exist, but couple of days ago there was a thread about whether one was foolish to spend too much. My momma didn't raise no fools. There's no way I will pay $80 for a $20 bottle of booze; I'll give it up, first. As a matter of fact, that's exactly what I did and why I did it -- the last mixed drink I ever purchased at a bar was in 1977, and that was because I could buy a whole quart of bourbon for what they charged me for one bourbon and Coke. I dropped the bourbon (except at home) and stayed with the Coke, later Diet Pepsi...and have never missed it since. The money I saved over the years with this and other thrifty decisions is the money I'm spending today on Oceania and Regent cruises, and I'm not about to change my stripes regarding the small stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian_uk Posted July 31, 2010 #15 Share Posted July 31, 2010 Steve...... So often you make sensible statements but this is without doubt one of the daftest you have ever made. You are free to make all your decisions to suit YOU but to actually question the logic of ME saving about $175 if I were to buy my own bottle of Bacardi to make up a drink at the exact time I fancy it defies credulity. So often Jean is getting ready for Dinner and we are leaving Port ..... Let me see I have ice, diet coke and a bottle of Bacardil and of course a glass. Say $30 total cost. Cost on board say $10 times 20 shots $200. Then factor in the getting changed, getting to a bar and ordering a watered down version of my tipple....and then add the 17.5% service charge cause I am incapable of mixing 3 things in my room. Hopefully you will appreciate that this is, as always, tongue in cheek but really !!!!! See you next Summer. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benita Posted July 31, 2010 #16 Share Posted July 31, 2010 I may not care about the difference between retail and duty free, which is peanuts and often doesn't really exist, but couple of days ago there was a thread about whether one was foolish to spend too much. My momma didn't raise no fools. There's no way I will pay $80 for a $20 bottle of booze; I'll give it up, first. As a matter of fact, that's exactly what I did and why I did it -- the last mixed drink I ever purchased at a bar was in 1977, and that was because I could buy a whole quart of bourbon for what they charged me for one bourbon and Coke. I dropped the bourbon (except at home) and stayed with the Coke, later Diet Pepsi...and have never missed it since. The money I saved over the years with this and other thrifty decisions is the money I'm spending today on Oceania and Regent cruises, and I'm not about to change my stripes regarding the small stuff. Don, I have to laugh - in you I have found a kindred spirit. Years ago, when I was in school, I started drinking iced tea, because it always came with free refills (sodas, at the time, did not). My husband and I never developed much of a taste for alcohol, still drinking our iced tea when out. As a matter of fact, we have not sailed Regent because we don't feel the need to subsidize everybody's bar bill. We tease our friends that we will retire early and take lots more trips from the savings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrammieK Posted July 31, 2010 #17 Share Posted July 31, 2010 I can see both sides of this thread - as "social" drinkers we always keep a supply in the room - hubby drinks Bombay and we have ordered it by the bottle for under $65 dollars (with service charge). 6 cans of tonic (or whatever you want) came with it. This helps to pass the time while my hubby waits for me to get ready for dinner. He enjoys the balcony, drink in hand, as the ocean goes by. If there is a duty free, we will pick up a bottle (or two), but as hubby says, after the first $15,000 or $20,000 or whatever the case may be, a few bucks here or there are not gonna' break us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woozlebear Posted July 31, 2010 #18 Share Posted July 31, 2010 The Cruise Terminal in Dover is rather devoid of shopping experiences. If you want to purchase alcohol I would suggest you ask your taxi driver[if using] to the local Tesco or Sainsbury's. These supermarkets have a large stock of wines and spirits at very good prices..often cheaper than 'duty free' eg 1litre bottle of Bombay Sapphire about $35. Happy Sailing Susan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agnesd Posted July 31, 2010 #19 Share Posted July 31, 2010 We're in Dover port and want to buy some wine at the local discount store in town. We did not have pounds for the taxi ride. The ship's bank was not open but the money changer was in the terminal. We get there and he just closed up since it was so slow. He said no problem I'll drive you there. And in we go with a perfect stranger and gobs of money in the back seat off to town. Pleasant start to a wonderful cruise. We thought we better have our own since our first onboard drink (2 glasses of med. quality Merlot) cost $20 and change. We only used this in our room but in the past we have paid as much as $25 corkage to use the wine we prefer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickey 88 Posted July 31, 2010 #20 Share Posted July 31, 2010 Trying to find out if there is a duty free store in the cruise terminal. And if they sell vodka, etc. Thanks, Richie:) Richie, if you want to bring booze on board Oceania, you probably won't have any difficulty. Some other lines do have strict rules and absolutely prohibit their passengers from carrying bottles on board and will confiscate them. However, with the new EU rules in effect these past years, "Duty Free" as we remember it is pretty much a bygone feature. You simply won't find such a place anymore. Unless you don't mind going to a Dover bottle shop and paying shelf price, then your alternative would be the "Duty Free Arrivals Stores" available in all five terminals at Heathrow. I have not been in one - so I can't comment on prices, but do make your purchase before leaving the Arrivals terminal... you can't go back in later. Good Luck!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted August 1, 2010 #21 Share Posted August 1, 2010 Richie, if you want to bring booze on board Oceania, you probably won't have any difficulty. Some other lines do have strict rules and absolutely prohibit their passengers from carrying bottles on board and will confiscate them. However, with the new EU rules in effect these past years, "Duty Free" as we remember it is pretty much a bygone feature. You simply won't find such a place anymore. Unless you don't mind going to a Dover bottle shop and paying shelf price, then your alternative would be the "Duty Free Arrivals Stores" available in all five terminals at Heathrow. I have not been in one - so I can't comment on prices, but do make your purchase before leaving the Arrivals terminal... you can't go back in later. Good Luck!! Unless you don't mind going to a Dover bottle shop and paying shelf price, then your alternative would be the "Duty Free Arrivals Stores" available in all five terminals at Heathrow. I have not been in one - so I can't comment on prices, but do make your purchase before leaving the Arrivals terminal... you can't go back in later. Good Luck!! We recently had a duty free problem at Heathrow, enroute to our Athens to Rome cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubbec Posted August 1, 2010 #22 Share Posted August 1, 2010 2 things: #1 there was no duty free shop when we were last there (09). #2 be very careful about buying duty free in europe when you are outbound on your cruise. Duty free shops have to adhere to the eu rules now (although they are wildly unhappy about it). If your cruise has ports elsewhere in the eu, then you dont qualify to buy duty free in britain. can you please tell me , if anyone has landed at heathrow,did you use private transfer to dover----if so, who and how much--thanks bunny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orchestrapal Posted August 1, 2010 #23 Share Posted August 1, 2010 can you please tell me , if anyone has landed at heathrow,did you use private transfer to dover----if so, who and how much--thanksbunny If you use the search function you will find some discussions on this topic with many recommendations.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mother Country Cousins Posted August 2, 2010 #24 Share Posted August 2, 2010 Hi all....reading this thread has so made my day. Highly amusing exchanges that open up all sorts of questions. Personally I subscribe to the freedom of choice option and admire the ability to take a bottle on board as I like to mix up a G&T just the way I like it for an aperitivo on the balcony while DW finishes her preps for dinner. For me it has nothing to do with money....just the simple pleasures of life. Seeing other Brits contribute to this debate has emboldened me and I'd like to open Pandora's Box just a little more if I may. Dover....this great car ferry port on the south coast of Kent serving France and other countries in Europe! Why does O call it London Dover? It is nowhere near London, it is in Kent and about 80 miles and 2 hours plus away by bus if you are on an excursion. I know our island is rather small but 80 miles is a lot of descriptive licence! And to add to this it's even 20 miles further from LHR which is where most of our dear friends from across the pond first set foot on this blessed land to join their ship at 'London' Dover. Now, Woozlebear is quite correct when she suggests you go to a supermarket to buy the nectar of your choice and be assured there are zillions of Sainsbury's and Tesco's between LHR and Dover so you will have no difficulty in that regard. As to whether it is even worth thinking about a private transfer from LHR though is another debate. We are new to this cruising game and almost virginal in our experience having completed only one (Sydney to Bangkok 2009) but we are now O fans in extremis and will be joining Nautica for the Greek Islands in September and Marina for Miami to Barcelona next March. I just wish though that O would stop giving the impression that 'London' Dover is a mere hop away. It isn't and if I were coming into LHR with a whole load of luggage I would first consider hiring a car, our dear friends from Prescott AZ (Mountain Grandma) are doing just this next year for the British Isles cruise, or taking the train down from London to Dover and then a cab. Quite perversely, O has Insignia down for cruises in May/June next year...Rome/Greenwich, Greenwich/Copenhagen, Copenhagen/London (Dover) and so on. Greenwich is virtually in the centre of London and the ship will moor on the River Thames itself quite close to the Greenwich Observatory and the National Maritime Museum. This will be a delight. Greenwich itself is a London Borough and using the Thames Clipper service you can be in the very heart of London in 10/15 minutes. So why does O not describe this as London Greenwich but still refers to the distant Dover as London I wonder? Perhaps someone can enlighten me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian_uk Posted August 2, 2010 #25 Share Posted August 2, 2010 I guess Oceania use a Poetic Licence in very much the same way that Southend says it is on The Sea. It is actually on the Thames Estuary in my opinion. I have the evidence for this and refer you to the illustrious Thames Estuary Yacht Club in the heart of Westcliffe. I guess that in the same way that Ryanair fly to to destinations that are nowhere near the names they use. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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