Booze cruisers getting on a ferry in the hope of rich pickings could soon be in for a rude awakening.

Because new rules recommended by the EU could mean the reintroduction of restrictions on the amount of tobacco or alcohol brought in to the country.

The UK is now being asked to ratify a recommendation to end the free-for-all on what drivers could bring in - and it could come in as early as next January.

It could mean grim news for those who pre-order and pre-pay online, only to find they will be unable to bring their booty home.

According to Conservative MEP for the South East Daniel Hannan, the reinstating of the limits will mean innocent consumers will have thousands of pounds of legally

purchased alcohol and tobacco confiscated unfairly.

Talking point: Should there be a limit on how much alcohol and tobacco can be brought into the UK by consumers? Join our debate below, or vote in our poll

If rubber-stamped, consumers will only be able to bring in 400 cigarettes, 200 cigarillos, 100 cigars and half a kilo of smoking tobacco.

They will be limited to five litres of spirit drinks, 45 litres of wine (including a maximum of 30 litres of sparkling wine) and 55 litres of beer.

The levels were scrapped in 2005, but voted back in yesterday in the European Parliament.