Why is alcohol availability different on Pride of America?

[texkat]

A group of us will be sailing Pride of America, and I've been trying to find info on bar setups. One thing I keep seeing is the phrase "except on Pride of America" on every article or price list I find.

 

My questions are: can you buy liquor by the bottle for your room on POA? What about bar setups?

 

Does POA provide a bottle of champagne in the suites (penthouses and owner's suites), like they do in the Caribbean?

 

Are Owner's suites stocked with liquor as on other itineraries?

 

Just trying to figure out how Pride of America amenities and alcohol availability are different from the other ships, and why.

 

Thanks for any help (and sorry if this has been asked before, I couldn't find it using search. )

Edited January 29, 2015 by texkat

[SeaShark]

A group of us will be sailing Pride of America, and I've been trying to find info on bar setups. One thing I keep seeing is the phrase "except on Pride of America" on every article or price list I find.

 

My questions are: can you buy liquor by the bottle for your room on POA? What about bar setups?

 

Does POA provide a bottle of champagne in the suites (penthouses and owner's suites), like they do in the Caribbean?

 

Are Owner's suites stocked with liquor as on other itineraries?

 

Just trying to figure out how Pride of America amenities and alcohol availability are different from the other ships, and why.

 

Thanks for any help (and sorry if this has been asked before, I couldn't find it using search. )

 

 

The plain and simple answer is that they have to follow the law in Hawai'i with regard to alcoholic beverages. It's really no more complicated than that.

[kato92]

Since Pride of America sails only Hawaii and not international, it must abide by Hawaii law. So, alcohol is restricted.

[don't-use-real-name]

So other than saying it is Hawaiian laws - what are the restrictions that NCL and

its cruising customers have to abide by ?

Is there a "Bar-Setup" ?

Does the UBP apply ?

Can you bring corkage fee wine on board ?

What about the Viva Vino program ?

Then the Corks n Caps program ?

And the liquor taxes what is the rate ?

I don't recall a great deal of "Blue Laws" being evident in Hawaii otherwise the

tourist industry would be dead and Don Ho would not be singing "Tiny Bubbles in the Wine"

and the state alcoholic drink the "Mai-Tai" would never exist.

Edited January 29, 2015 by don't-use-real-name
add material

[azgkrudi]

We were in an owners suite on POA, and we had complimentary champagne in the suite through the duration of the cruise. We also received two bottles of our choice of liquor. Not sure if the rules have changed since we sailed...but it felt like we could pretty much have whatever we wanted.

[texkat]

We were in an owners suite on POA, and we had complimentary champagne in the suite through the duration of the cruise. We also received two bottles of our choice of liquor. Not sure if the rules have changed since we sailed...but it felt like we could pretty much have whatever we wanted.

 

Thank you, Kristin! That is helpful.

[bonvoyagie]

From reading another thread from 2012 there were some changes in the Liquor Laws in the State that restricted what NCLA can do in terms of being able to provide liquor in the rooms. Apparently they can offer only wine now. Hard liquor can only be sold and served between 11:50 AM and 2AM.

 

I think that NCLA, being a US company, is doing what it need to so as to be within the law. I guess if that means no bar setups in the suites and restricted serving times and perhaps no UBP we will just have to live with it.

[hawkeyetlse]

I don't recall a great deal of "Blue Laws" being evident in Hawaii otherwise the

tourist industry would be dead and Don Ho would not be singing "Tiny Bubbles in the Wine"

and the state alcoholic drink the "Mai-Tai" would never exist.

In fact, the "happy hour laws" apply on land in Hawaii, too, although there may be differences in the details and level of enforcement from place to place. The laws are supposed to prevent excessive alcohol consumption, so they prohibit things like two for one specials, free drink with purchase of such and such, or offering unlimited alcohol for a fixed price.

 

So a land resort in Hawaii normally is not allowed to offer an all-inclusive package including unlimited alcoholic beverages. And NCL is not allowed to sell the UBP or Corks and Caps on POA. But there is no law against selling mai-tais one at a time for full price. :)

[rvsullivan]

Hawaiian law does not allow the alcohol packages to be sold. You are allowed to buy drinks by the drink. POA is an American registered ship and since it does not leave Hawaiian waters it must abide by their law.

[Cruzaholic41]

A group of us will be sailing Pride of America, and I've been trying to find info on bar setups. One thing I keep seeing is the phrase "except on Pride of America" on every article or price list I find.

 

My questions are: can you buy liquor by the bottle for your room on POA? What about bar setups?

 

Does POA provide a bottle of champagne in the suites (penthouses and owner's suites), like they do in the Caribbean?

 

Are Owner's suites stocked with liquor as on other itineraries?

 

Just trying to figure out how Pride of America amenities and alcohol availability are different from the other ships, and why.

 

Thanks for any help (and sorry if this has been asked before, I couldn't find it using search. )

 

I will try to actually answer your questions. First, the rules are different in Hawaii with this U.S. flagged ship because the alcohol is not duty free like it normally is on cruises. That, right there, is why the price list won't apply to POA.

 

I did not stay in an Owners Suite, so can't answer your question about bar set-up. However, friends of mine who were in a suite did receive their complimentary champagne.

 

Yes, you can still purchase liquor by the bottle. It's pricey though. I don't remember the cost, but remember it being a good $10-$15 more than on Caribbean cruises.

Edited January 29, 2015 by Cruzaholic41

[texkat]

Yes, you can still purchase liquor by the bottle. It's pricey though. I don't remember the cost, but remember it being a good $10-$15 more than on Caribbean cruises.

 

You might be surprised... Just paid $100 (plus the included 15% gratuity) for a bottle of vodka on an NCL Caribbean cruise. Crazy prices, even in the Caribbean.