Booze cruises

[roberts8]

Just a thought. Years back there were great deals on cross channel day or two trips mainly for booze cruise customers but really good for short cycle trips. With the duty changes I was wondering if they may start again. Genuine thoughts as they were fun and I could do with some cheering news.

[simonineaston]

I remember them! Who knows what's in store?! Don't worry - if they don't start up again, keep in mind you can get on one of the booze cruises they have down the Avon - pop yer bike on and cycle back to Briz'l from Bath!

[jb]

We were still in the EU then. How can we return to it when we're not anything to do with them?

[Redvee]

One local was a regular doing them, getting on the 2am ferry out of Dover and back on the 8am after visiting several locations in Belgium and France. One time he got collared by the Police and they took him to a weighbridge for his van and trailer. Did the weight and wasn't overweight, coppers then phoned Dover asking if they were interested due to the booze and 'baccy in the van and trailer but cause the location was 70 miles from Dover they weren't interested leaving too pee'd off coppers. I went a couple of times and the number of foot passengers getting out of cars outside the port was high, all of them had large rucksacks so obvious they had a serious smoking habit to need such an amout of tobacco.

[Ugly]

Many years ago, the early 80s, I did the ultimate booze cruise. Leaving our local in sw London, coach to Newcastle ferry to Norway, not aloud to land and then return. Nice cabin, free food and entertainment, duty free booze and a casino. Great fun after a hard racing season.

[De Sisti]

Many years ago, the early 80s, I did the ultimate booze cruise. Leaving our local in sw London, coach to Newcastle ferry to Norway, not aloud* to land and then return. Nice cabin, free food and entertainment, duty free booze and a casino. Great fun after a hard racing season.

*allowed

[roberts8]

Jb. True we were part of the union but booze and other items were cheaper in mainland Europe so our personal consumption allowance made it attractive to many. With the potential of tariffs being added to goods coming in from the eu it may be once again worth the ferry companies doing 1 pound a day return for foot passengers which included the bike.
We would get the 7.30 Dover ferry, have a great ride in rural France and Belgium and catch the 1730 return boat.
I am looking for good news on this front and this may be it.

[CliveyT]

If you ever want to see a booze cruise then catch the ferry between Stockholm and Turku/Helsinki that stops in the Åland islands. The Ålands are part of Finland and the Eu, but also have duty-free status. Seeing Finns and Swedes with access to duty-free booze is quite an experience

[iandriver]

When you got 1.5 euros to the pound and we were in the EU and could bring back as much as you liked for personal consumption, they were worth it. I supplied my wedding with all the wine and beer via the Eurotunnel super cheap day trip after 3pm.

With duty free limits so low and having to pay import duty on anything over the small allowance, no chance of them retuning.

Nothing to stop a bike ride though. If you turn right out of Calais, nice undulating countryside.

[thirdcrank]

We seem to be discussing two different types of booze cruise: travelling outside the jurisdiction where the hospitality is duty free on the ship or plane, and going to another country, usually France to take advantage of the lower duty on booze and bringing a van load back free of import constraints within the EU.

[simonhill]

Pre our entry into the EEC (as it was) you could get day trips to France and probably Belgium. They were a cheap way for normally stay at home Brits to see foreign lands. You could go on one of those paper passports bought from the Post Office.

I did a day trip to Calais from Southend Pier on The Londoner. I seem to remember that on a day trip (then) you weren't allowed any duty free goods. An open packet of twenty cigarettes was all that was allowed.

Nowadays, the price difference between Europe and the UK for baccy and booze isn't so great making any trip less appealing.

[Jdsk]

I think that these are the new rules:
"Bringing goods into Great Britain from outside the UK from 1 January 2021"
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bringing-goods-into-great-britain-from-outside-the-uk-from-1-january-2021

Jonathan

[Jdsk]

With the potential of tariffs being added to goods coming in from the eu it may be once again worth the ferry companies doing 1 pound a day return for foot passengers which included the bike.

I have no idea which way round the changes will work out... there aren't many tariffs to begin with, there'll be a lot more red tape and delays, there's a disease outbreak, there'll be an economic downturn, a lot of ferries will have to be withdrawn because they pollute the atmosphere, new routes are opening between Ireland and France and the Netherlands...

Jonathan

[thirdcrank]

I can't speak for day trips, but in the 1960s you could bring back limited quantities: 200 cigs or an equivalent amount of smoking tobacco, one bottle of wine (possibly two) and I think it was half a bottle of spirits for your own consumption. I've seen it a few times where the British Customs Officer asked "Do you smoke?" receiving the answer "No, they are for my dad." Bingo! Duty payable.

Jdsk posted his link while I was typing and the current limits appear more generous than they used to be

[Jdsk]

2013 NAO report on tobacco smuggling:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bringing-go ... nuary-2021

includes:

Jonathan