Port of Livorno regulations - Only beer and wine allowed????

[gregluk]

Hi,

 

Someone on the Norwegian Breakaway yesterday posted the below. Is this a permanent thing? Any reason why?

We are on the Epic in the summer and have an overnight in Livorno and don't leave the next day till 7pm. Does that mean we will only be allowed those drinks below for that whole time?

 

Edited May 6, 2023 by gregluk
.

[hawkeyetlse]

Yeah, lots of weirdness on this sailing and probably all Med sailings for the foreseeable future. When we docked in Civi today the rules had changed again, and we will soon hear what the various Greek ports have come up with to screw around with NCL. 

 

 

 

I can also confirm that the beer & wine thing wasn’t just in the port of Livorno. They never started serving liquor again for the entire last evening, even hours after we left Livorno. At least we didn’t crash into Giglio Island and sink, but it sucked nevertheless. 

Edited May 6, 2023 by hawkeyetlse

[gregluk]

This doesn't look good 😞.

But based on that one above, it look's like if you have the free at sea drinks package you are still allowed all your drinks?

 

Don't understand, if you have left and you are at sea surely they can serve liquor ? :S

Edited May 6, 2023 by gregluk
.

[podgeandrodge]

It would be helpful if NCL could post the "Port of Civitavecchia Regulations" referred to, if only to get an idea of the background/logic to such a weird rule.

[gregluk]

Would be interesting to hear if it's the same for others if anyone else is at these ports soon on a cruise. 

[casofilia]

It was the same at Livorno recently on the Gem but we did get my Drambuie later in the evening.   If I remember cigarettes and cigars could not be sold and the "shop" was closed all evening and the casino was closed for the whole time after we left Cannes to go to Livorno and also after Livorno.

[casofilia]

@podgeandrodge

 

It would be helpful if NCL could post the "Port of Civitavecchia Regulations" referred to, if only to get an idea of the background/logic to such a weird rule.

 

The rumour on the Gem was that the Italian Authorities were charging too large a "Fee" for Sales to take place and for the Casino to open.

 

 

I am not sure when and where but one evening we were in Le Bistro and the staff were in a discussion about the "Free" Latitudes bottle of wine.     The rule they were working under at the time was that Bottles could not be SOLD!!

Edited May 6, 2023 by casofilia

[gregluk]

So if it's just to do with fees for sales, surely if you are getting free drinks under free at sea drinks package then everything should be included as you aren't purchasing anything, so NCL should have no fees to pay to any authorities

[casofilia]

@gregluk

 

The documents shown in photos are for two different ports; the regulations are set by the port authorities not countrywide.

 

Just like the rules on taxes at some US ports but not others.

[hawkeyetlse]

Yes the casino also stayed closed for the entire last night, so many people were left with chips and tickets that they were unable to cash out before disembarking. 

 

Before that we had 4 ports in Spain where they charged 10% tax on all drinks, and most nights this continued all through the night long after sailaway, because we were sailing too close to shore. But the shops and casino opened up right away, so that didn’t make any sense. 

[podgeandrodge]

4 minutes ago, hawkeyetlse said:

Yes the casino also stayed closed for the entire last night, so many people were left with chips and tickets that they were unable to cash out before disembarking. 

 

Before that we had 4 ports in Spain where they charged 10% tax on all drinks, and most nights this continued all through the night long after sailaway, because we were sailing too close to shore. But the shops and casino opened up right away, so that didn’t make any sense. 

Can they charge that 10% if you're on a beverage package?

[casofilia]

@hawkeyetlse

 

Yes the casino also stayed closed for the entire last night, so many people were left with chips and tickets that they were unable to cash out before disembarking. 

 

The information was widely announced both in the Freestyle Daily and in the Casino so people should have known. 

 

@podgeandrodge

 

Can they charge that 10% if you're on a beverage package?

 

 They CAN and sometimes DO!!   Our account had some charges and at other times a zero charge!!

[RD64]

The European countries can do whatever they want. Their countries - their rules. At the end of the day, everybody wants their share of the financial pie. If the cruise lines aren’t willing to play, then no casinos / shops / drinks etc. Or - as a previous poster mentioned in the case of Spain - 10% tax. It is not up to NCL to make the rules (which can change overnight- and then again the next day). They just need to learn to play the game.

[luv2kroooz]

1 hour ago, gregluk said:

So if it's just to do with fees for sales, surely if you are getting free drinks under free at sea drinks package then everything should be included as you aren't purchasing anything, so NCL should have no fees to pay to any authorities

Good point and it makes sense, but it doesn't work that way. You will be charged sales tax in all US HomePorts based on the menu price of the drink (even though you have free drinks). 

[luv2kroooz]

30 minutes ago, RD64 said:

If the cruise lines aren’t willing to play, then no casinos / shops / drinks etc.

That is fair, but if the cruise line decides not to pay, then they need to inform their guests in advances of the rules of the game. I know someone who bought the upgraded drink package and was faced with unexpected $29-$30 taxes on each bottle of champagne. There were also times when they couldn't get the premium spirits they paid for due to port rules and regulations. 

[RD64]

1 minute ago, luv2kroooz said:

That is fair, but if the cruise line decides not to pay, then they need to inform their guests in advances of the rules of the game. I know someone who bought the upgraded drink package and was faced with unexpected $29-$30 taxes on each bottle of champagne. There were also times when they couldn't get the premium spirits they paid for due to port rules and regulations. 

Definitely in agreement - the cruise lines should make passengers aware prior to sailing. 

[gregluk]

Do the ports not make the rules they impose to cruise ships public ? So you know what the rules will be for every port ?

 

It doesn't seem consistent either, some Norwegian ships have been able to have drinks with no restrictions when in these ports

Edited May 7, 2023 by gregluk
,

[hawkeyetlse]

I agree, people with the Premium Plus package got hit especially hard. The tax on one bottle of champagne shouldn’t be $30 though, since the menu price of the included brand (Veuve Clicquot) is $120, and I doubt any port is asking for 25% in taxes (yet).

 

When something like this happened to me, I asked for the detailed receipt and it turned out that they had charged me for 10 glasses instead of one bottle! Maybe they do that all the time for whatever reason, but since it almost tripled the taxes, I got them to redo the ticket. 

[insidecabin]

The key is what are other lines experiencing in the ports.

 

If specific to NCL why?

 

 

 

 

 

[CruiseMH]

14 hours ago, RD64 said:

The European countries can do whatever they want. Their countries - their rules. At the end of the day, everybody wants their share of the financial pie. If the cruise lines aren’t willing to play, then no casinos / shops / drinks etc.

As long as the ship is in national waters-yes.

As soon as it is in international waters they can do whatever they want.

 

[RD64]

36 minutes ago, CruiseMH said:

As long as the ship is in national waters-yes.

As soon as it is in international waters they can do whatever they want.

 

Yes - but that is the point. While docked in Livorno or Civitavecchia - no bar service. For a longer port stop in Civitavecchia (for example), people might like to enjoy a beverage (other than a beer or wine) upon returning to the ship, before dinner, or during sail away but are not able to.

[gregluk]

If someone is docked on an NCL ship in livorno or civitavecchia soon, can you post what the bar service was and if any restrictions 🙂

[podgeandrodge]

1 hour ago, gregluk said:

If someone is docked on an NCL ship in livorno or civitavecchia soon, can you post what the bar service was and if any restrictions 🙂

Yes, interesting to hear more on this, incl impact on those with beverage packages (which is probably most people these days)

[schmoopie17]

When did this change go into effect? We departed from Livorno on the Escape last November 1st and there were no such signs. The first thing we did after boarding was head to the bar for cocktails...

Edited May 7, 2023 by schmoopie17

[isopalms]

Yep. Docked in Livorno now on the NCL Edge and this is true. Guests are upset that there was no notification, especially since we are docked here overnight.