Livorno port - No spirits allowed when in port ???

[gregluk]

On Norwegian ships just now, no spirits are allowed when in port of Livorno.

Is this happening on other cruise ships too? Anyone know why? And is this something that will likely change?

 

[princeton123211]

2 hours ago, gregluk said:

On Norwegian ships just now, no spirits are allowed when in port of Livorno.

It's most likely that there is some additional tax or duty on spirits and cigarettes that's specific to Livorno that NCL doesn't want to have to pay. Clearly it's not because alcohol is banned outright. 

[John Bull]

Ditto NCL in Barcelona

Perhaps attempts by authorities to squeeze tax out of cruisers, and NCL retaliating by saying "Then we won't sell any in your port. The tax that you'll gain will be a percentage of zilch"

 

JB 🙂

[euro cruiser]

Someone reported the same thing in Gibraltar on NCL in December:  Not serving Alcohol while in Gibraltar - Norwegian Cruise Line - Cruise Critic Community

 

And Greece as well:  Norwegian Cruises in Greece, not serving alcohol in port? - Cruises Forum - Tripadvisor

 

Why only NCL?  I haven't seen reports of this from other lines.

Edited May 9, 2023 by euro cruiser

[gregluk]

44 minutes ago, John Bull said:

Ditto NCL in Barcelona

Perhaps attempts by authorities to squeeze tax out of cruisers, and NCL retaliating by saying "Then we won't sell any in your port. The tax that you'll gain will be a percentage of zilch"

 

JB 🙂

Are you saying you can't get spirits when docked in Barcelona too?

[John Bull]

36 minutes ago, gregluk said:

Are you saying you can't get spirits when docked in Barcelona too?

 

That's actually a "was".

But Southampton, Livorno, Civitavecchia (for Rome, Greek ports and Gibraltar are currently reported by others.

All involving NCL.

So Barcelona might be involved too, but it needs someone there on NCL to post.

 

Since Southampton & Gibraltar are involved, this presumably is nothing to do with the EC.

We're currently all in the dark about the "why".

 

JB 🙂

[princeton123211]

2 hours ago, euro cruiser said:

Why only NCL?  I haven't seen reports of this from other lines.

They might be just being bigger penny pinchers than other lines that might eat the cost for the benefit of guest experience. Again, we don't have the official reason but it has to be something with taxes and a business decision that NCL made that others didn't. 

[-Lew-]

Barcelona has been taxing alcoholic beverages served onboard ships while in territorial waters for a few years. I recall tax being added to the cost of drinks purchased on a Princess cruise until we cleared territorial waters.  Some who embarked in Barcelona and purchased a drink package while in port experienced a rude awakening when presented with their bill.

[carlmm]

On 5/9/2023 at 2:39 PM, gregluk said:

On Norwegian ships just now, no spirits are allowed when in port of Livorno.

Is this happening on other cruise ships too? Anyone know why? And is this something that will likely change?

 

 

No, other lines do not do this. Alcohol is served on other ships, thus it cannot be due to "local laws" as NCL claims. 

Just like stated by previous posters NCL is notorious for not serving drinks in many ports where other lines do.

Why?

Good question and up to speculation.

Anyway a reason to avoid this NCL which puts customer service at the back. 

[cruisemom42]

There's no way to get the correct answer without asking NCL, but I could imagine a few scenarios. For example, in order to serve liquor in ports there must be some sort of requirement to monitor and report sales and then pay whatever tax is due. It could be that:

 

-- NCL doesn't want to expend the effort required to track the sales and report them, so they just turn sales off in port.

 

-- NCL doesn't want to pay whatever fee is required to allow liquor sales in ports (similar to a liquor license).

 

-- NCL did not comply with this regulation in the past and was penalized by not being allowed to sell liquor in these ports.

 

-- NCL realized that closing the bars in ports kept passengers from utilizing the almost ubiquitous beverage packages and perhaps in this way (limiting time windows) made it more profitable via fewer drinks orders. 🤣

 

Who knows? 

 

 

[ollienbertsmum]

Ditto on NCL Gem cruising out of Trieste.  ‘Local laws’ seems to be an odd phrase when it is happening across Europe in and out of the EU.    On the Gem only those who had bought packages were served.  

 

NCL really does need to provide a proper explanation that clarifies why other cruise lines are not similarly affected.  

 

 

[Bryrosie]

I dont think it has anything to do with NCL not wanting to pay the tax.  When you cruise out of New Orleans it takes about 6 hours to get down the mississippi river to the gulf and they serve alcohol and we just got charged the tax.  I dont know about a rude awakening, it was like 1 buck a drink or less.  

 

[princeton123211]

58 minutes ago, Bryrosie said:

I dont think it has anything to do with NCL not wanting to pay the tax.  When you cruise out of New Orleans it takes about 6 hours to get down the mississippi river to the gulf and they serve alcohol and we just got charged the tax.

It's most likely not the full story but it most likely does have something to do with it. The accounting becomes a lot trickier in Italy than it is in the US-- its possible that NCL's systems aren't set up to accommodate it. 

 

Also New Orleans has some of the laxest drinking laws in the country, if not the world. Local Italian laws or licensing might be a lot scricter to the point where NCL decided it wasn't worth it. Clearly NCL decided that it wouldn't be financially prudent to open the bars or else they would. 

[Hlitner]

It is apparently an NCL issue!  We have been in Livorno on at least a dozen cruise lines and do not recall ever having an issue getting an adult beverage.  

 

Hank

[John Bull]

2 hours ago, Hlitner said:

It is apparently an NCL issue!  We have been in Livorno on at least a dozen cruise lines and do not recall ever having an issue getting an adult beverage.  

 

Hank

 

Yes, very much an NCL issue, and as per this and other threads not limited to just (some) ports in Italy or even just to ports in (some) EU countries.

I've not seen or heard of any other cruise lines affected - not even NCL's sisters Oceania or Regent 7 Seas.

 

All very mysterious.

Any NCL cruisers willing to ask them what it's all about?

 

JB 🙂

[luv2gonow]

Hmmmmm, I remember a few years back in europe they taxed beverages when in port.

i was just on the viva and they Did tax beverages in some ports. Specifically San Juan, embarkation and st thomas. Maybe one other.

i will be sailing on viva for 10 day out of rome. If they-are NOT serving alcohol, that is terrible and i will be calling!!

[Host Bonjour]

Given the high rate of VAT and or any associated costs associated with alcohol, I could see where NCL might not want to see these costs gobble up the profitability they earn on beverages.

 

Sister lines Oceania and Seven Seas can probably absorb into their bottom lines a bit more comfortably with different fare schedules, but NCL might take this step in port to preserve better rates for passengers.

 

Beverages tend to be highly profitable, but why give away any of that profit when they can offer better value/savings etc to passengers? Plus, it's not merely the amount of the tax, but also the related costs for complying with the taxes will also eat into the bottom line, and each line (including sister lines) will be responsible for its profitability so strategic planning decisions like this make sense from a profit/loss standpoint, however unpopular it might be. 

 

If they served, they'd still have to pay the VAT to whichever country because they wouldn't get a waiver for collecting/paying to locality. 

 

It's a theory, but since almost everything comes down to money, that's where I'd bet a euro. 🤑 

[Girr]

Yes, this was limited to NCL, and is somewhat a "fluid" issue.  I believe it was late May or June when NCL limited Livorno stops to only beer and wine.  During this same time NCL identified some Greece cruises to only allow passengers with a beverage package to order alcoholic drinks - you could not buy a drink without a package!  Both of these events were limited to one, maybe two cruises.  By the time I sailed in July out of Rome (loop to Barcelona/Epic) NCL had implemented charging VAT on all beverages with or without beverage package - not just Spain, but the entire cruise in port or out.  We were never limited to only beer or wine at any port. 

 

Then due to hoopla over the VAT charges they stopped levying the tax leading to speculation NCL had reversed their decision on VAT and was absorbing the cost.  However, most of these cruises were making at least one non-EU stop which also changes the rules and may have been a factor.  Then all of a sudden VAT was being charged again the entire cruise, but again, beverages never limited.  When I sailed on the Epic again in December (TA) VAT was never charged (not even in Barcelona) nor beverages restricted in any ports.  

 

Who knows what the rules will be next year.

[luv2gonow]

I called NCL regarding my Viva cruise from rome to venice. Including croatia, malta and corfu.

They stated they will be selling alcohol at all ports!