that concern is high on everyone's list. I've been trying to crack that nut but still don't have anything.
Just curious: are you allowed to bring alcohol on the flight to Qatar like when you're going to normal countries?
I don't know that any airlines let you bring/drink your own alcohol.. maybe I'm wrong. The issue will be customs and sounds like they will definitely checking and confiscating any liquor in your luggage.
Right. I didn't mean to drink on the plane. I meant to take into the country so you have something to drink while there, which pretty much every airline allows. But yeah, I suspected that this would be frowned upon at customs.
Have definitely seen that it's not allowed but the real question is how much they will enforce it and what enforcement looks like. Will they just pour it out or will they arrest and hang you in the public square or just a ticket or nothing. There's just no way that they will be 'arresting' people, right? Assuming with all the people coming in they just pour it out and you move on. Not sure...
I don't think any sensible person will try if its illegal. Pretty difficult to pass liquids through security even in your checked baggage. I was just curious if it was in fact illegal or if this was a possible loophole because, hey, a bottle of gin would enable you to make yourself 2 strong gin & tonics per day for about a week.
https://dohahamadairport.com/airport-guide/at-the-airport/security-customs Security Check: Your hand-baggage will be security screened before you can proceed to the baggage claim area. Prohibited items will be confiscated and you won’t be able to retrieve them at any time. These include (but are not limited to): Weapons, firearms and ammunition Alcoholic beverages Pork products Narcotic drugs Customs After you’ve collected your checked baggage, you can exit the airport by passing through Customs. There are two Customs channels to choose from. Select the Green Channel if you have “Nothing to declare”. Select the Red Channel if you have “Something to declare”. These include: Alcoholic beverages (cannot be imported under any condition)
I've chatted with a few locals and every one of them strongly suggested that I not try it. Believe me, I was tempted to bring in a bottle. I guess the bag screenings/searches are pretty thorough on entry. No way you'd go to jail but I suspect you'd get a black mark on your file. Personally, I don't want to start out on the wrong foot there. I think if you instead truly try to smuggle it in, that is put it in a mouthwash bottle or buy one of those special flasks that would be more of a problem, as that indicates you knew in advance it was illegal and were purposely trying to smuggle it in. I've decided I'm just going to hope that some options to buy while there pop up, but it's not looking real good. I've seen some posts of hotel room service menus that include whole bottles, but the prices are ridiculously high. It came out to well over $20 a shot for the cost of the bottle, so a cocktail with 2 oz shot of booze will run close to $50. It just doesn't make sense. I'm hoping for cheaper options.
And those bottles were probably the same ones stolen from visitors entering the country ["sorry, we don't have any bottles of tequila to sell you tonight, but expect to have it in stock tomorrow after the flight from Mexico City arrives."]. So basically the country didn't ban alcohol at all, they just put an astronomical tax on it. But whatever helps the law-makers feel good about themselves....
https://www.iq-mag.net/2022/09/mdlbeast-announces-world-cup-concert-series-aravia/ For the dance music lovers who are going to Qatar, we should be in for some decent DJ’s
Good news for me - my love of electronic music is second only to my love of soccer. It says the performances will “start at the end of every match”. So this leads me to believe there will be screens showing the matches here as well. It’d be weird to turn off the music if they’re not showing the match. And I assume with the organizers (MDLBeast) being a Saudi company, there will be no alcohol there.
That was my assumption re alcohol and going to a dance event sober will be interesting, but I'll gladly take it vs no dance music.
Seriously, going to an electronic music festival with no alcohol might be even stranger than going to the games with no alcohol.
I’m not a big drinker, but I’ll certainly miss my other usual vices at dance events….I’m a certified idiot, but even I’m not daft enough to chance that
So, Qatar just went back on their word on yet another issue. No beer sales in and around the perimeter of the stadiums. They said fans would be able to buy beer 3 hours before until 1 hour after matches, but they lied (again). If you like beer, don't go. If you're LGBTQ don't go (or if you do, don't bother booking a return ticket). Also, its 32-34C and humid right now! Even moving the tournament to the winter only mitigated the weather issue. Didn't eliminate it.
I went for a walk to the market, it was so hot, it felt like 105 degrees, but not humid at all, totally dry heat. I went back to my Airbnb, I'm near to Lusail City area. Anyway, most things close from 1pm to 4pm, and I'm slowly getting used to that reality. I managed to drink beer every night over the past 3 nights, at hotel bars, it's do-able. It was $46 for 2 tall Leffe beer on tap, and a pretty large Jameson on the rocks. But, not every bar supports Happy Hour pricing.
Good to hear. I am sure it is easy enough to get drinks during normal times (albeit at outlandish prices) . The bigger question is, what about during the WC when you have tens of thousands of fans trying to get in the same 50 or so places that serve alcohol?
46$ for a couple beers? This is why it is not allowed you are so desperate for pleasure you spend so much on pitty pleasures that anger the gods.
Tbf, you would pay something similar in New York for 3 premium drinks (once you add the tax and tip). And I am talking about a regular pub in New York. Hotel bars would probably be more.
Anyone know if it's still possible to get J Balvin concert tickets? I checked on tixbox but there's no queue. Could I just arrive on site and buy some at Doha golf course?
Apparently, there were some ticket problems outside the stadium as fans were trying to get inside for the England v Iran match. Probably related to the alcohol ban in and around the stadium, since now all fans arrive to the stadium at the last minute
I have been able to drink at some bars and hotel restaurants, still have not been able to score beer that I could take back to my apartment. I still have not been able to check out FIFA fest.