NCL board post - no alcohol can be bought on ship while in Greek Ports - is this for all cruise lines?

[kleibo]

I have seen where no alcohol can be bought on the ship (unless you have the drink package) on NCL cruises at Greek ports.  Is this the same for all cruise lines or just NCL?  I also see Carnival allows you to bring alcohol back on board from the ports (not the case in the states and Caribbean) - I wonder if this is in response to the above?

[CruiserBruce]

There have been a couple of discussions about this. It appears to be a tax issue, and NCL doesn't want to charge and collect the taxes. Other cruise lines seem to be eating the taxes.

 

Other countries do a number of similar things. Canada only allows one bar per deck to be open.

[MeHeartCruising]

I saw no such restriction issues on Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas a couple weeks ago.  We had 3 stops in Greece.  

[edinburgher]

I am agreeing with CruiserBruce.  There have been a few threads referring to this in the  last couple of months or so.  And not only Greece. UK,  Italian and Spanish ports have had restrictions too, and Gibraltar has also been mentioned.Tthere may also be others but I do not know of them

 

The issue appears to be unique to NCL and I think may be  something to do with local taxes.  Can only assume that other lines suck up the taxes but NCL do not, hence the no sales rule, but this I do not know alhough others might.  Whatever the reason, there must be little to cheer about if you are an NCL passenger.

 

There is a long thread on NCL where it is discussed:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2935678-port-of-livorno-regulations-only-beer-and-wine-allowed/

 

[SchenectadyTraveler]

No restrictions at all on our Azamara cruise in May-June. 

[jsn55]

On 6/5/2023 at 3:12 PM, CruiserBruce said:

There have been a couple of discussions about this. It appears to be a tax issue, and NCL doesn't want to charge and collect the taxes. Other cruise lines seem to be eating the taxes.

 

Other countries do a number of similar things. Canada only allows one bar per deck to be open.

One bar per deck in port!??!  What a disaster.  Seriously, it must be VERY hard on the bar staff to deal with this.  I can hear the pax screaming now.  OTOH, collecting and remitting the taxes from drinks sales all over the ship during the short time in port is probably a real pain.  But I'm thinking ... since NCL gives away so many Free at Sea perks, this might not be a problem at all.  Need some current reports and posts.

[Rick&Jeannie]

This is strictly an NCL issue!  We had the same problem when we sailed out of Athens 2 years ago.  They (NCL) made it sound like "it's against the law" to serve while in port.  Well...this is certainly true if you don't pay the tax fees!!!