P&O Cruises has a policy that limits how much wine or champagne passengers can bring onboard, and the allowance is not available to everyone. The cruise line says each guest aged 18 or over can bring up to one litre of wine or champagne when they first embark.
For anyone sailing from the UK this year, that means passengers born after 2008, or born in 2008 but who have not yet had their birthday, cannot use the allowance. However, the minimum age rises to 21 when the ship departs from a port in the US.
Per-guest limit and what is covered
The limit applies to each eligible guest rather than being a shared allowance for a group of travellers. The policy covers wine or champagne only, not a general allowance for alcoholic drinks such as spirits, liqueurs or beer.
Bringing a bottle does not mean passengers can exceed the limit by combining several litres between them. P&O says wine or champagne above the permitted amount will be confiscated and discarded, with no compensation given to passengers.
Corkage fees and port purchases
Where the bottle is opened can also matter. Guests who drink their own permitted alcohol in their cabin can do so without a corkage charge, but P&O applies a £20 fee per bottle, per occasion when it is consumed in dining rooms, bars, restaurants or lounges.
Alcohol bought during a stop at a port is subject to separate arrangements. P&O says passengers must declare alcohol purchased ashore when they return to the ship, and it will be held by the cruise line until the end of the voyage.
For families preparing for a cruise from the UK, the key point is not simply remembering the one-litre limit. The passenger must also be old enough to qualify, while anyone departing from a US port faces a higher threshold. Checking the rules before packing could avoid having alcohol taken away at embarkation, particularly for groups travelling with older teenagers.
