Can you bring your own alcohol on a P&O cruise? (Rules and limits)
The full lowdown on P&O Cruises' alcohol policy - what you can carry on at embarkation, what gets confiscated, and how to keep your drinks bill down.
One of the most-Googled questions before any P&O sailing is a simple one: can you bring your own booze on board? The short answer is yes, but only within strict limits. Get it wrong and your hard-earned bottles disappear into a holding store until the last night. Here is exactly how the policy works in 2026, and how to stay on the right side of it.
The headline rule
P&O Cruises lets each adult (18 and over) bring a small allowance of wine or Champagne on board at the start of the cruise. The current allowance is one litre per person, carried on in your hand luggage at embarkation. That is roughly one standard bottle of wine or fizz each, so a couple can comfortably bring two bottles between them.
Spirits, beer and larger quantities of wine are not permitted to be carried on. If they are found in your luggage, they will be removed at the security scanner and stored for you, ready to collect on the final evening.
What about duty-free and port purchases?
Anything you buy in a port of call or from the on-board duty-free shop is treated differently. These purchases are held securely by the ship and returned to your cabin on the last night of the cruise. This stops people stocking up ashore and drinking it in their cabins, which protects the bar revenue that keeps fares competitive.
Can you drink your own wine in the restaurant?
Yes, and this is where the allowance really pays off. You can take your own bottle into the main dining room or a speciality restaurant, but a corkage charge applies (typically around £20 per bottle). If you have brought a special bottle for an anniversary or celebration, that is often still cheaper than buying an equivalent wine from the list.
Soft drinks and water
P&O is relaxed about non-alcoholic drinks. You can bring cans or cartons of soft drinks and bottled water in your hand luggage within reason. Many families pack a few favourites for the kids rather than paying bar prices.
What is strictly banned
- Spirits and liqueurs carried on for cabin consumption
- Large quantities of beer or cider
- Any alcohol decanted into water bottles (security are wise to this)
- Glass bottles over the stated wine allowance
How to keep your drinks bill sensible
Drinks add up fast at sea, so a little planning goes a long way:
- Use your full wine allowance. Two bottles brought on board for a celebration is two bottles you are not buying at list price.
- Consider a drinks package. If you enjoy a few drinks a day, a pre-paid package can work out cheaper than paying as you go. Do the maths on your typical daily spend first.
- Drink in port. A glass of local wine ashore is usually a fraction of the on-board price, and it is part of the fun.
- Watch the auto-gratuity. Bar prices already include a service charge, so there is no need to tip again on each round.
The bottom line
You can absolutely bring your own wine or Champagne on a P&O cruise, but only around a bottle each, carried on at embarkation. Everything else, whether duty-free or bought ashore, is stored and handed back on the final night. Plan around the allowance, weigh up a drinks package, and you will keep your bar bill firmly under control.
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