No alcohol in Greece (unless you have drink package).

[Miwintersun]

Wondering if this is now also happening in Greece?  Looking for recent / current cruisers to confirm please.  
 

Edited May 22, 2023 by Miwintersun
Typo

[cwtravel]

Just left the Jade yesterday (May 14-21) & yes, no alcohol sold while in Greek ports unless you had the beverage package. We were in Patmos from about 6pm to 11 and I purchased a couple of local beers (1 euro each) for my balcony. Santorini was possibly a bigger deal for many due to the time in port (1-9pm) and it was the last night.

 

I am not sure if this is a NCL thing or, most likely a Greek rule. Lot’s of cruisers in the tavernas on Patmos. 

[Miwintersun]

Now that it’s been a couple of weeks, since the first post - is this still the case?  

[cmh]

On 5/22/2023 at 4:27 PM, Miwintersun said:

Wondering if this is now also happening in Greece?  Looking for recent / current cruisers to confirm please.  
 

Yes it is true.  I was on a cruise last month and we had the drink package, so we were OK, but our friends did not and they could not buy alcohol.

[KeithJenner]

This has been the rule in Greece for about a year now (on NCL cruises). It wouldn’t surprise me if it doesn’t change for a while.

[purplecow15]

We were on b2b Greek isle cruise last year in May and June. It was in effect at that time. No alcohol unless you had drinks package.

[IsanTom]

30 minutes ago, purplecow15 said:

We were on b2b Greek isle cruise last year in May and June. It was in effect at that time. No alcohol unless you had drinks package.

That's crazy!

[podgeandrodge]

33 minutes ago, purplecow15 said:

We were on b2b Greek isle cruise last year in May and June. It was in effect at that time. No alcohol unless you had drinks package.

It seems to be the way they persist in doing it - presumably has something to do with an interpretation that tax can't be imposed on drinks already purchased via a package, but why they can't offer drinks and charge the tax is weird.

[purplecow15]

[mcmomny]

Thank god I have pre-purchased the beverage package!

[DCGuy64]

I really don't understand why people DON'T get the drinks package. You basically just pay for the gratuities. I can't imagine NOT getting it. If you drink, get the package. If you don't, then why do you care whether the cruise line serves it or not? Doesn't make sense.

[jennjess]

On 6/5/2023 at 3:51 PM, DCGuy64 said:

I really don't understand why people DON'T get the drinks package. You basically just pay for the gratuities. I can't imagine NOT getting it. If you drink, get the package. If you don't, then why do you care whether the cruise line serves it or not? Doesn't make sense.

I don't get the drinks package because I don't drink, but I wasn't allowed to buy a soft drink in Greek waters either.  It's not just alcohol that is affected.  Just wanted to clear that up.  Not a problem for me as I could go to the buffet and get something to drink.

Also those not from the USA, or I guess Canada, do pay for the drink package is isn't free!

[podgeandrodge]

Ships are floating hotels. Whatever about charging VAT on drinks in port, it's outrageous to prevent 'residents' on the ship from purchasing a drink (be it law or NCL misunderstanding).  

 

Are the other lines preventing purchases too in Greek ports?

Edited June 7, 2023 by podgeandrodge

[ExArkie]

2 hours ago, podgeandrodge said:

Ships are floating hotels. Whatever about charging VAT on drinks in port, it's outrageous to prevent 'residents' on the ship from purchasing a drink (be it law or NCL misunderstanding).  

 

Are the other lines preventing purchases too in Greek ports?

From what I have read (we are on Jade out of Athens in September, so I have a vested interest...we did take the Free at Sea drink package, though), the prohibition on selling beverages in Greek ports appears to be exclusive to NCL.

 

[graphicguy]

On 6/5/2023 at 9:51 AM, DCGuy64 said:

I really don't understand why people DON'T get the drinks package. You basically just pay for the gratuities. I can't imagine NOT getting it. If you drink, get the package. If you don't, then why do you care whether the cruise line serves it or not? Doesn't make sense.

Wonder the same.  I understand if you’re not an alcohol consumer.  But, even if you only drink a couple of drinks/day, the FAS drink package is worth it to only pay for tips.

 

So, bottom line, the sign should say “No Drinks Served a la carte because of local regulations”.  And, if you want a drink in these ports, just get the drink package.

 

I don’t think it’s a monetary thing.  NCL makes a whole lot more money on drinks ordered a la carte than they do those served using the drink package.  Mentioned in another thread, it’s how NCL does their accounting on the drinks that they are not allowed to serve a la carte drinks because they are bought and paid for at the time of order, not pre-paid as the FAS drinks would be.

[craig01020]

On 6/5/2023 at 9:51 AM, DCGuy64 said:

I really don't understand why people DON'T get the drinks package

Simple, because my bar tab ends up costing less than the gratuities on the "free" package.

[KeithJenner]

As there is a charge for the getting the beverage package, whether that be gratuities or the free at sea charge, there will always be people who it works best for not to get it.

 

I would say that if you are only going to have a few drinks then not being able to do so in port is unlikely to be all that much of an inconvenience. However, as I've said before, Santorini is a particularly annoying port for this because you are generally docked there until late and it isn't easy just to nip off the ship. Again, probably not too much of a problem for those who don't drink much but it does mean that you can't even order a coke to go with your evening meal.

[Norwayfan1]

Is this another issue exclusive to NCL? Maybe the company should provide information on any such restrictions pre-cruise (rather than on notices displayed on the ships), and then it is up to the individual to decide whether they care or not. 'Buyer beware' and all that.

[luv2kroooz]

It's just math. For NCL, they probably have to pay some sort of fee or tax to the local port/country in order to open the bars. NCL has set their menu prices at ridiculous levels so that passengers that don't have the beverage package can't afford to buy a drink. I know on our recent cruise, we saw maybe three people over the course of two weeks sign for a drink. So if NCL has to pay a port authority $1,000 to open the bars and they end up selling 100 drinks in port, it doesn't make economic sense because the per drink cost to open the bar is $10. Why would they pay $1,000 to sell 100 drinks?

[insidecabin]

3 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

As there is a charge for the getting the beverage package, whether that be gratuities or the free at sea charge, there will always be people who it works best for not to get it.

 

I would say that if you are only going to have a few drinks then not being able to do so in port is unlikely to be all that much of an inconvenience. However, as I've said before, Santorini is a particularly annoying port for this because you are generally docked there until late and it isn't easy just to nip off the ship. Again, probably not too much of a problem for those who don't drink much but it does mean that you can't even order a coke to go with your evening meal.

 

For those that pay the fixed fee(UK) FAS is more complicated because it comes with a meal a tiny bit of WiFi and a potentially useful shorex $50 per excursion.

 

FAS used to a selection from a list but desperation turned that into a get all.

 

We(UK) don't get to select it's all or nothing.

 

Which changes the value proposition if it goes back to a selection.

 

We(others may do something different) value each meal(varies by cabin cruise length) at £30, WiFi £0, shorex £0 to determine the drinks portion.

 

 

 

Even with the relatively poor drinks package it still works for us at regular UK price for FAS

The 50% offer a no brainer for just about everyone.

 

Still needs the base cruise fare to be sensible as its total that matters and if you are a DSC/tipper that's another £15.50day to add in.

 

 

What I don't understand is those port where there is a drink embargo people don't just stock up the day before, that's what happened on the Star/Dawn UK cruises you could not buy anything but could still drink what you had.

 

Where package people can still get drinks you just get some mates.

[Norwayfan1]

Stale sparkling wine doesn't taste so nice the next day! 😬

[podgeandrodge]

9 hours ago, graphicguy said:

So, bottom line, the sign should say “No Drinks Served a la carte because of local regulations”.  And, if you want a drink in these ports, just get the drink package.

 

I asked in the Royal Caribbean thread and someone said "We were just in Greece last month and didn’t have any problems getting a drink in the Schooner.  We were also in Greece for 4 stops last year and no issues."

[graphicguy]

34 minutes ago, podgeandrodge said:

I asked in the Royal Caribbean thread and someone said "We were just in Greece last month and didn’t have any problems getting a drink in the Schooner.  We were also in Greece for 4 stops last year and no issues."

Yeah….the other cruise lines bake the taxes into the drinks.  NCL doesn’t and breaks it out separately.   If you have NCL’s drink package, that was part of Free at Sea you chose when you booked, you can get drinks, which is what the vast majority do.  If you go a la carte with drinks, those fees (VAT) is added..it’s broken out separately with NCL, that’s not allowed in Europe.  The other cruise lines don’t break out the VAT.  They just add it to the drink and don’t break it out as a separate charge!

 

You can get drinks with NCL.  They just have to be part of the Free at Sea!

Edited June 7, 2023 by graphicguy

[DCGuy64]

20 hours ago, craig01020 said:

Simple, because my bar tab ends up costing less than the gratuities on the "free" package.

How? I don't see how that's possible. How much do you drink? 1 per day? What's the point, LOL? 😊

[insidecabin]

1 minute ago, DCGuy64 said:

How? I don't see how that's possible. How much do you drink? 1 per day? What's the point, LOL? 😊

Its actually quite easy on NCL as the package is relatively poor.

 

My OH would be under if she did not have me encouraging her, she could do a cruise with zero drinks from the package.