Bringing Alcohol Aboard Cruise Ships?

[Debbie0329]

We are travelling with another couple this coming July to Alaska and are taking a Celebrity cruise down the coast to Vancouver. Does anyone know what the rules are regarding brining your own alcohol?

Thanks, Deb

[Princess Sunflower]

Hubby and I went on our first cruise last year and from what I remember it's not allowed but people sneak it on anyways.

Here's a site with a very helpful and friendly messageboard about cruising. I found this site to be a wealth of information. There is a messageboard for every cruise line and the people there are very friendly and informative.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/

[riverside]

Nope, not officially allowed. But we always do it. Pack it carefully in your checked luggage and they'll never know. They do tend to throw those suitcases around so either pack it amongst your clothes or put some bubble wrap around it. We've never had a problem. They do scan your carry on luggage. We don't do it to get away with something, we just like a glass of wine on the balcony and it's much easier to have your own.

[lvhmbh]

Took our first cruise last Thanksgiving and were advised to wait until the first port to buy liquor. The store was packed with cruisers buying lol!!! That said, I never even opened the bottle. We would go to the champagne bar for apps and order our drinks. We DID have a balcony room and I sat out there but the rooms are so small that DH (who doesn't drink much) preferred to go out into the ship. Next time I won't bother. Linda

[JEFF H]

I have not cruised in a couple years but the store on the ships always had plenty for sale at good prices. Mixers on the other Hand were harder to get.
Has this changed over the years?

[Debbie0329]

Thanks for the hint about buying it at the first stop! We may do that or may try to pack it inside the luggage....

Also thanks for the bulletin board website on cruising - I was a little dismayed to read about the Celebrity Summit "adventure" . Has anyone sailed on the Summit since it has been back in service?

Thanks, Deb

[Dave M]

If you plan to pack it inside luggage, put it in your carryon bag. The cruise staff can be a bit rough with the luggage they will take to your cabin for you and you won't be accompanying that luggage as you might in a hotel. Don't risk a broken bottle with the resulting mess.

[Art]

Generally speaking, the official rule is that one can not bring alcoholic beverages aboard for personal consumption. This includes something purchased in port or in the ship's shops. The one official deviation is wine brought on board can be consumed at dinner after payment of a corkage charge.

The practical truth is that something brought aboard in one's luggage most likely won't get caught. However, pax returning to the ship from a port have to go thru scanners. There is a real chance that anything bought on shore might be confiscated and held until disembarkation.

Now the wild card is the recent publicity about people going missing (overboard) from cruiseships. A common thread seems to be the victim had been drinking heavily from liquor he or his friends had brought on board. The desire to head off future bad publicity could motivate the cruiselines to put a little more effort into enforcing their rules.

Art

[seenett]

Do not put it in your carry-on. That is the first place they look! They will never find it in you regular luggage. And, unlike airlines, you can have your luggage locked. Buy booze in plastic bottles, or pour it into a plastic bottles before you pack.

Also, buying alcohol in port probably won't work (you have to be security screened each time you embark). Neither will buying it in the Duty Free store on board. In both cases, the cruise line will "hold" it for you unlit the end of the cruise.

[pcgirl54]

Last cruise we went on their were stacks of liquor a mile high from people trying to bring it on the ship- Royal Carribean pre 9/11. You were not allowed to bring it on board period. They would hold it for you when your cruise was over. Lots of upset passengers.
You could buy liquor in the first port but I forget if you could bring it on the ship for immediate personal consumption or needed to wait at the end of the trip. Also have been on Carnival ships.

[Dave M]

Originally Posted by seenett

Do not put it in your carry-on. That is the first place they look!

It would appear as though we all have different experiences!

In nineteen cruises, including five after 9/11, all of my luggage has been carry-on (no checked bags) and never has the cruise line security opened any of my bags to search.

[Princess Sunflower]

Depends on what you have in your carry on. I've only been on one cruise and had to open my carry on because they saw wires from my curling iron and steamer. You just never know and personally it's just not worth the hassle of trying to smuggle the liquor or an iron that is also prohibited.

[Eli Mairs]

We have cruised several times with Celebrity, and have brought liquor in our carry on bags, without trying to hide it.
We have also bought liquor in ports and have sent it through the scanners in plastic bags, without a problem. Security does not seem to care.
If you buy liquor onboard, it will be held until the end of the cruise.

Yes, I have been reading about the Summit fiasco. We are booked on this ship in November, but this will probably be our last Celebrity cruise due to the problems with the M class ships, management's lies, and the terrible customer service, all of which we experienced first hand on our Millenium transatlantic cruise last November.
We've already been informed of an itinerary change on our Summit cruise - arrival to Puerto Rico instead of Ft. Lauderdale, which is rather annoying.

[donnaval]

Royal Caribbean allows you to buy liquor onboard at the duty-free shop and take it to your room, but you have to pay more than the duty-free price; on our last cruise, I think it was $9 above the duty-free price to be able to take it to the room, which was still a bit cheaper and a whole lot easier than lugging it from home.

Princess allows you to order a bottle for your room via room service. The price is in line with what it would cost us to buy it at home. Very limited selection, however.

Carnival didn't allow us to purchase onboard in any way. We did manage to bring some in. Listerine bottles hold quite a bit Also, if you want to buy some clear liquor like vodka in port and get it back in, just buy a big bottle or two of water early in your day, drink it while you're out, and refill the bottle with your liquor before you get back on board. They never question water bottles. We usually buy several bottles of liquor while in port -- the stores where you buy it will deliver it to the ship for you, if you don't want to lug it around, and it will be delivered to your stateroom the night before you leave. If you don't have the store deliver it, then they will take it from you when you get back on the ship, and deliver it to your stateroom the night before you leave.

We always take soft drinks with us on a cruise because I like to drink caffeine-free diet colas, and they never have it on the ship. They have never stopped us from bringing soft drinks or bottled water on board.

[rlblack]

We have taken two Princess cruises- with other couples- both times, we brought a small bottle- and some mixers with us- in our luggage- we may have had a drink in our cabin- while we were dressing for dinner- but the cabins are small- it is so much more enjoyable with friends to be out in the common areas- and one or two drinks before dinner- and one or two after- were not overly expensive- for a 7 day cruise. I would not worry about a big supply. - rlb

[lvhmbh]

We sailed on Royal Carib and they told us we COULDN'T purchase on the ship and bring it back to our room. They held all purchases until people left the ship. When we purchased at the first port, PR, we put it in a carry-on. They asked us to open our plastic bags but NOT the carry-ons. Linda

[hvsteve1]

Spring for a cruise line that includes onboard liquor. We've taken our past two cruises on Regent (Radisson) Seven Seas. On our recent Caribbean cruise we got two free bottles of rum in port and gave them away to the crew as we were already taking home the bottles from our stocked bar we had not opened as we were drinking all we wanted at meals and receptions.

[fnewman]

It varies a lot by cruise line; I know on our last Princess Cruise to Mexico we came back on board with two bottles of Tequila. Just ran it through the metal detector and took it to the room. I guess they know people will bring back lots from the 'factory' tours - probably to much hassle to confiscate it all.

[JanB]

Officially, no alcohol is allowed to be brought on board by guests.

Here is what we did. In our carry-on luggage, we substituted the water in the Crystal Geyser bottles for vodka and gin. We put bourbon and dramboui in Snapple bottles. We purchased our mixers on board. Because we had late dinner, every sea day, we 4 couples took turns hosting a "coctail party." We ordered from room service (free except tip) pizza, casadias(sp?), and/or fruit, cheese and cracker trays and mixed our own drinks. We had a great time.

Alcohol purchased in the duty free shops on board is held by the shop until the day before disembarcation. Alcohol purchased at any time on shore and discovered by the crew is also held till the day before disembarcation.

[fnewman]

Way too much trouble for me! JMHO, but I agree with Dave - I've never had my bags opened for inspection and have never had liquor confiscated that I brought back from an excursion. If you buy from the on-board duty-free shop they have little choice but to hold it because of the rules and oversight associated with such shops.