Duty free in cabins

[carhirer]

Some reviewers mention the fact that they were able to buy duty free in the shop for consumption in the cabin. The PO website says this is not allowed: duty free is delivered the night before disembarkation.

 

Has the rule changed in the past year?

[wilson2579]

I did read somewhere it had changed. When we were on Ventura 3 years ago we bought a litre bottle of gin for just over £10, so was disappointed to read this. On our first day we just asked our cabin steward and it was delivered that evening.

[the english lady]

Yes things have changed. Partly tied in with travelling to EU countries I think. Sometimes they sell duty free you can take back to the cabin, at some stage during the cruise, but that is very rare now. Near the end you can purchase it cheaply, but as has been said you collect it on the last day, to take home.

If I remember correctly on our last one ,OH brought a bottle in a port shop and took it onboard-no problem at all.

[Growler5010]

Yes it has changed. You can buy Duty Free alcohol on board but you can't collect it until the evening before you disembark - and it doesn't matter where you are sailing to as this happened on our transatlantic USA & Caribbean cruise in February. You can still buy alcohol for in cabin consumption but it is at a far higher price than the duty free & even higher than some supermarket prices - this is to try & encourage passengers to buy & drink in the bars instead of in their cabin so they make more revenue.

If you want to have a drink in your cabin I suggest you take some on board with you & replenish it in ports if you run out although P & O will probably start to tighten down on how much alcohol is taken on board when they realise their revenue hasn't gone up much!

 

Angie

[daiB]

Some reviewers mention the fact that they were able to buy duty free in the shop for consumption in the cabin. The PO website says this is not allowed: duty free is delivered the night before disembarkation.

 

Has the rule changed in the past year?

 

There was only a period of less than a year in which you could buy duty free for cabin use. It started on Ventura I think Sep 11 and was spread over the fleet just after Christmas 12 it then stopped by the summer of that year. This coincided with P&O giving over the sale of D/F to the shop people, I think they are called Hardings. They run all on board shops.

 

Before this happened the price of a Gordens Gin was £16.00 delivered to your cabin via a bar or the steward or room service. This has now gone up to £22.00 which is about the supermarket price when not on offer.

 

Personally I cannot be bothered to lug bottles of booze on to the ship to save £10. A better bet is to get some D/F in Gibraltar however most cruises visit Gib. On the way back.

 

Unlike many other lines the steward is only to willing to provide ice and lemon on a daily basis.

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

 

 

Dai

 

:cool:

[NSWP]

It was great on World cruise - Arcadia last year, (we did the 49 days Sydney to Southampton) you could go to the on board shop and get bottles of spirits for £10 for cabin consumption - unlimited, lubberly jubberly. Said to say as indicated on here, P&O has stopped it. No doubt due to a dramatic drop in booze sales in the bars.

[kersh]

We take booze on board for cabin and balcony consumption. We just couldn't be bothered ordering room service for booze when sat in the balcony. If we are on the shady side we use the pool areas and order from the bar. We have a pre dinner drink in cabin whilst getting ready but the rest of the evening we use the bars and restaurant. Our drinks bill is still quite high at the end of the cruise so I don't think PO lose out from us. What is the point of having a fridge in your room if there is no booze in it.

 

Sue