E ffective as of Friday, July 1, 2016, for sailings as of Friday, July 15, 2016 and beyond, the bringing of any beverages — including liquor, beer and non-alcoholic drinks such as water, soda and juices — by guests of cruises operated by Norwegian Cruise Line aboard vessels either as carry-on or checked luggage is prohibited.
Major Change in Beverage Policy on Cruise Line
According to the liquor and beverages section of the official Internet web site of Norwegian Cruise Line, “Open beverages of any kind must be consumed or discarded at the security check-point, on embarkation day and at any port of call.”
Exceptions to the new policy include:
- Purified or distilled water in factory-sealed containers for use in conjunction with medical devices or for the reconstitution of infant formula
- Fully sealed or corked wine bottles for personal consumption aboard the vessel which is subject to screening and a corkage fee — which applies to guests who are 21 years of age or older
Reaction
“This is ridiculous.” This was the response posted by FlyerTalk member Clipper801.
“NCL is said to be the worst example of money grabbing (not much included in the base are anymore) so why not go all the way?”, FlyerTalk member YVR Cockroach sarcastically asked. “Hasn’t hurt their bottom line, it seem.”
FlyerTalk member BamaVol feels that “This is a minor disappointment. We usually bring our own bottled water. It’s not a huge expense, but just another of NCL’s changes designed to drive me elsewhere.”
Summary
I would have to agree with the aforementioned members of FlyerTalk. This new liquor and beverage policy from Norwegian Cruise Line seems petty at best; and although it may not be significant enough for some guests to first consider other cruise for their trips, the policy can potentially be an irritant.
I will not drink to that…
Photograph ©2010 by Brian Cohen.
