BigBlue

My wife and I plan to fly to Bergen directly from Germany in order to board the Hurtigruten for the full 11-night voyage Bergen-to-Bergen. My wife's customary drink is vodka and she normally carries a flask of it with her. We almost never order drinks in public places as she prefers to have her cocktails in the cabin or in our hotel room (when on shore) prior to dinner. I've stopped alcohol entirely since my aortic valve replacement last October. I've just lost the taste for it.

So, a few questions, please:

1. Does anyone know the Hurtigruten policy regarding bringing alcohol on board their ships?
2. Does anyone know the current regulations regarding non-EU residents bringing alcohol into Norway (for example, here in the US we would not be allowed to carry a bottle of vodka on board the airplane and we would only be allowed a liter duty-free each upon returning to the US)?
3. Does anyone know about how much a bottle of run-of-the-mil vodka would cost in a shop in Bergen?

Thanks very much,
BigBlue

AAFrequentFlyer

for example, here in the US we would not be allowed to carry a bottle of vodka on board the airplane

Liquids on planes are banned worldwide. The only time you can have duty free alcohol on board is when you are on the last leg of your trip and you are past security and only then you purchase Vodka or whatever at the land duty free or on the plane duty free. DO NOT purchase any liquids if you still need to connect, as it will be confiscated at the security desk.

You can always pack it in your checked luggage. No regulations against that.

hetismij

Non EU residents can import 1 litre of spirits duty free provided they are not more than 60% volume (120 proof).
It is expenisive to buy any alcohol in Norway.
No idea what the Hurtigruten rules are, but how would they know?

PalenQ

Not only is it EXTREMELY expensive to buy booze in Norway it's i believe also only sold in gov't shops that have bankers hours and used to be at least closed on weekends. Plan accordingly

I'd risk being in from another country whatever you need apart from the two legal (one for each) bottles of Vodka and having customs confiscate it - unlikely to search average tourists though it seems - they did open our car trunk once however when entering by road.

I've known only a handful of transportation in Europe that does not allow your own booze to be drunk on board.

Cowboy1968

Tax free shopping on intra-European flights is (almost) a thing of the past, so your best bet will be to buy it when you connect in Germany. You will find enough duty free shops after immigration.
1 liter of vodka costs 13-15 Euros (Smirnoff, Moskovskaya, Absolut, Danzka). Each of you two can bring one bottle to Norway.

Or shop, pack, and check w/ luggage at home.

hetismij

Norway is not EU so still has duty free allowances.
http://tinyurl.com/2mxyou

markrosy

Went to Tromso in Jan 2008,

The best way to purchase booze is in their duty free shops just before you enter the country. It is duty free and very much cheaper than the scary prices in-country.

travelgourmet

We have a winner. Makrosy hit it on the head. All of the Norwegian airports with international flights have duty-free upon arrival (or at least I think they do). I'm not guaranteeing that it is cheaper, but it is cheap enough, and the convenience should swing the decision.

BigBlue

Thanks to all for the help. We will actually be stopping in Bavaria for four nights between leaving the US and going to Bergen so buying it there sounds the thing to do.

As to the question about how would Hurtigruten know, those of you who have traveled cruise ships here in the US know that baggage is searched on boarding and any alcohol brought on board (save for a bottle of wine or champers each) is confiscated, held, and returned only when one disembarks at one's final destination.

Taking it with us from Germany sounds by far the best idea as our time in Bergen before the cruise is quite limited.

Again, my thanks,
BigBlue

PalenQ

<As to the question about how would Hurtigruten know, those of you who have traveled cruise ships here in the US know that baggage is searched on boarding and any alcohol brought on board (save for a bottle of wine or champers each) is confiscated>

I have never cruised so i'm not contradicting you but that type of search would really turn me off - are you saying that such searches are routine on cruise ships?

Again i have no idea just want to make clear as then i will never go on a cruise ship if they need to search my baggage looking for booze!

Barb_in_Ga

PalenQ--most cruise ships do expressly prohibit bringing on liquor for consumption on the ship, whether at the beginning of the cruise or purchased in ports. They do permit wine or champagne, which can be brought into the dining room on payment of a corkage fee. This is no different than any fine restaurant prohibiting alcohol from outside the premises, unless a corkage fee is paid.

The screening for this becomes necessary because many cruisers feel that "the rules shouldn't apply to them". The reality is that at less than $100/person per day for food, room, and entertainment, the cruise lines make very little profit on the basic cruise fee, but plenty on alcohol, souvenirs, shore excursions, etc.

I prefer land-based independent travel, but I have cruised several times, and was glad that the basic rate was kept low, and I could choose my own level of expenditure for the add-ons, just as I do during my land trips.

Cruising isn't for everyone, but it has some plus points. Just don't expect to "BYOB" on most ships.

Cowboy1968

I am 100% with PalenQ.. just the idea of some cruise ship personnel snooping through my belongings on the search for booze.. totally wild LOL

Hurtigruten's website does not mention anything on a ban of alcohol in its section on regulations and travel information. It says that the ships have a state concession to serve and sell alcohol (also by the bottle in ship stores), but not duty or tax free. So it will be expensive as in any Norwegian liquor store.

In Norway, Hurtigruten has evolved from a means of public transportation plus postal service, which also takes passengers cruising for pleasure. While the ratio of these three groups (tourists, locals, cargo) has shifted a bit since the old days, it still serves those purposes nowadays. So the clientele is a bit different. Don't expect ladies in fancy evening robes or gowns, or guys in smokings.

Cobos

As such if the Hurtigruten has a liquer license to sell alcohol there shouldn't be a problem to bring it onboard. BUT within the restaurants at the ships they will most likely not accept any outside alcohol, as a general rule any restaurant that itself sells alcohol is not allowed to give out any non-opened bottle of wine or beer. So consume within your cabin at the boat or bring it with you on daytrips is my tip for the Vodka.
And consuming in your cabin is a long Norwegian tradition of "vorspiel", a pre-party where you drink (and socialise) at someones home before you go out.
Vinmonopolet in Oslo is usually open to 18:00 weekdays and 15:00 saturdays. One bottle of 100cl Smirnoff 37% Vodka costs 372,50NOK. So about $75 with todays exchange rate.

Cobos

markrosy

Cruise ships in the Carribean have tried to search my mother - mainly due to the clanging nature of her luggage - when the threat of a search was mooted - she countered with a threat of no tips.

She then then didn't tip anyway due to as she puts it "her nationality".

BigBlue

We have just returned from our trip and found that we were able to pack in our suitcases two 750ml bottles of vodka we brought from home along with a flask my wife filled in Germany just before going to Bergen to board the ship.

No one was the least bit interested in our vodka at any stop along the way. The only sign we saw on the Midnatsol, the Hurtigruten ship we were on, said that it is against Norwegian law to consume alcohol in public places on the ship which was not purchased on the ship. Easy enough. We drank in our cabin prior to dinner.

We stopped in a government owned liquor store to compare prices. Inexpensive vodka was about US$40 per liter. Single malt Scotch whiskies were around US$80.

Fyi,
BigBlue