cigarettes at duty free

Hi,

can i buy cigarettes at duty free?

What is the cost?

Yes, you can buy cigarettes at the duty free but they don't have all brands. I can't remember the price but they were cheap relatively speaking.

Cigarettes run around $25 a carton. Less if you buy multiples which they sell like "buy four, get one free." Legal to take off one carton per person unless you buy them in St. Thomas. Then you can take (I think) 4 cartons a person. Save your receipt (lol).

That being said, I always tried to stay "legal." If I had more than 2 cartons, then I had "mules" to take the rest off if I could. If not, then stuck with the two cartons. If I had a few packs over, I spread them around--some in my purse, some in a tote, some in DH's pocket, whatever. I always list cigarettes on my declaration form. I have never been questioned, never been inspected.

In Texas when you disembark, though, they now want you to pay state sales tax which makes them not so cheap. I think it is around $15 a carton. Cruise lines aren't real quick to share that. However, I've heard people just stroll by the desk collecting the money. Me--I'm not going to jail or pay a huge fine or have them taken up to save a few bucks so I stick to the "rules."

Tucker in Texas

Can you purchase a carton on day 1, open and use while on the cruise, or do you have to wait and pick them up at departure?

Can you purchase a carton on day 1, open and use while on the cruise, or do you have to wait and pick them up at departure?

You can use them on the cruise.

Can you purchase a carton on day 1, open and use while on the cruise, or do you have to wait and pick them up at departure?

Yes but they won't sell them to you until they are in international waters. Once before we were in international waters, the crew member opened the carton and gave me a pack and then put the rest of it behind the counter for later pick-up once we were in international waters. I can't remember if they charged me then or when I picked them up.

Tucker in Texas