General Questions - Bailey's and Rum Runners, Buying Booze

Hi All,

Going on a cruise in a few weeks, and has a couple questions:

Hi All,

Going on a cruise in a few weeks, and I have a couple questions:

- Bailey's in Rum Runners...does it work? I'd assume yes, but just wanted to ask to see if anyone has first-hand experience.

- Any tips for using RRs as well?

- Is the same booze that's available here in the US widely available in PR? And are prices relatively similar?

- Is Wifi readily available in PR, San Juan/OSJ to be exact. I assume so in the Casinos, but what about elsewhere?

Thanks!

- Bailey's in Rum Runners...does it work? I'd assume yes, but just wanted to ask to see if anyone has first-hand experience.

- Any tips for using RRs as well?

As you are new to CC, you may not realize that this topic is one of the most asked and discussed on these boards. I would suggest to save yourself from the barrage of responses - many critical to your intent - that you use the search feature and check for "rum runners" or any derivation on that to see the hundreds of previous threads to get your answers.

As to the questions regarding booze prices and wi-fi, maybe just resubmit that by itself on the PR board to get the best answers. Here is that thread:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=131

Enjoy your cruise.

Hi All,

 

Going on a cruise in a few weeks, and I have a couple questions:

 

- Bailey's in Rum Runners...does it work? I'd assume yes, but just wanted to ask to see if anyone has first-hand experience.

- Any tips for using RRs as well?

- Is the same booze that's available here in the US widely available in PR? And are prices relatively similar?

- Is Wifi readily available in PR, San Juan/OSJ to be exact. I assume so in the Casinos, but what about elsewhere?

 

Thanks!

Be careful with Bailey's.. it needs to be refrigerated after opening, sitting for a day or so before boarding may make it curdle.. the bright side is if you get sick many on this board would celebrate and say that is what you get for smuggling . happy cruising

Sage advice. No sense pouring gas on a fire that needs no help

i just checked and vegas has the over/under on this thread set at 11 posts...

get your money in!

Be careful with Bailey's.. it needs to be refrigerated after opening, sitting for a day or so before boarding may make it curdle.. the bright side is if you get sick many on this board would celebrate and say that is what you get for smuggling . happy cruising

This is incorrect. From the Bailey's web site FAQ.

"Baileys should be stored away from direct sunlight at temperature range of 41-95 degrees Fahrenheit (5 - 35 degrees centigrade). You don't have to refrigerate your bottle, but we would recommend it - and it tastes even better when chilled!"

I have taken Kahlua in a rumrunner to enjoy white russians. It stored fine in the rumrunner (kahlua, irish cream.... same diff right :p ) and after the first night when I asked for a tall milk at the end of dinner the waiter automatically brought my milk out every night before we left dinner :D

this is incorrect. From the bailey's web site faq.

 

 

"baileys should be stored away from direct sunlight at temperature range of 41-95 degrees fahrenheit (5 - 35 degrees centigrade). You don't have to refrigerate your bottle, but we would recommend it - and it tastes even better when chilled!"

.....................ok .................

youtube - tons of tips and tricks on how to use rum runners. Nobody gives you any crap over there.

youtube - tons of tips and tricks on how to use rum runners. Nobody gives you any crap over there.

Not true. Some of the people who find the practice to be low class here, comment on the same topic over there.

Not that I would call it low class or say "If you can't afford the booze, you can't afford the cruise". Nope, I don't have to. Plenty of others have.

Not true. Some of the people who find the practice to be low class here, comment on the same topic over there.

 

Not that I would call it low class or say "If you can't afford the booze, you can't afford the cruise". Nope, I don't have to. Plenty of others have.

and the "over" comes in at post 12 - those Vegas folks are pretty good, aren't they.

I have to assume that the price of purchasing bottles on board the ship must vary greatly by line, because in my experience on HAL the difference between the ship price and my local discount liquor store isn't that much.

On our last couple of cruises I bought a bottle of Baileys for my mother and Stoli for myself from HAL; it was in the room when we embarked and the price per bottle was about 10% higher than if I'd bought it myself and brought it aboard.

To save so little (about $10 together) it wasn't worth the hassle of bringing it aboard, and that doesn't even account for the cost of the rum runners.

I suppose if you go through many bottles in the course of the week the savings start to make sense, but then don't you have to purchase multiple rum runners? So then you need to use them across multiple cruises before this makes economic sense. Or maybe that's not the point?

Which brings me back to my original observation, the prices for in-cabin bottles must vary greatly by line.

I have to assume that the price of purchasing bottles on board the ship must vary greatly by line, because in my experience on HAL the difference between the ship price and my local discount liquor store isn't that much.

 

On our last couple of cruises I bought a bottle of Baileys for my mother and Stoli for myself from HAL; it was in the room when we embarked and the price per bottle was about 10% higher than if I'd bought it myself and brought it aboard.

 

To save so little (about $10 together) it wasn't worth the hassle of bringing it aboard, and that doesn't even account for the cost of the rum runners.

 

I suppose if you go through many bottles in the course of the week the savings start to make sense, but then don't you have to purchase multiple rum runners? So then you need to use them across multiple cruises before this makes economic sense. Or maybe that's not the point?

 

Which brings me back to my original observation, the prices for in-cabin bottles must vary greatly by line.

Bacardi runs $80 per liter bottle (with mixers) on NCL so yes, the price does vary across the lines. I figure I would only be saving $40-$50 and there is too much hassle involved to worry about it.

Be careful with Bailey's.. it needs to be refrigerated after opening, sitting for a day or so before boarding may make it curdle.. .... happy cruising

We don't refrigerate Bailey's at home after opening but put it in the liquor cupboard. We use it for months with no problem.

It has never curdled. Been doing this for years.

I have to assume that the price of purchasing bottles on board the ship must vary greatly by line, because in my experience on HAL the difference between the ship price and my local discount liquor store isn't that much.

 

On our last couple of cruises I bought a bottle of Baileys for my mother and Stoli for myself from HAL; it was in the room when we embarked and the price per bottle was about 10% higher than if I'd bought it myself and brought it aboard.

 

To save so little (about $10 together) it wasn't worth the hassle of bringing it aboard, and that doesn't even account for the cost of the rum runners.

 

I suppose if you go through many bottles in the course of the week the savings start to make sense, but then don't you have to purchase multiple rum runners? So then you need to use them across multiple cruises before this makes economic sense. Or maybe that's not the point?

 

Which brings me back to my original observation, the prices for in-cabin bottles must vary greatly by line.

HAL is one of the very few that charge a reasonable amount for bottles of liquor.

Bacardi runs $80 per liter bottle (with mixers) on NCL so yes, the price does vary across the lines. I figure I would only be saving $40-$50 and there is too much hassle involved to worry about it.

A lot of cruise lines won't allow any hard liquor to be brought onboard or allow you to purchase onboard and have it delivered to your cabin.

A lot of cruise lines won't allow any hard liquor to be brought onboard or allow you to purchase onboard and have it delivered to your cabin.

I think you may be confused, cruise lines will not allow you to buy at duty free prices and bring back to your room. They are very happy to sell you liquor at inflated prices for use in your room.

Also, all the cruise lines are aware of rum runners and take appropriate action when caught.

It may be that RCCI does not sell bottles of liquor/liqueur for the stateroom... and that is TAG's most sailed line.

RCCI and HAL have gift packages that can be ordered delivered to the cabin, with wine or champagne and cheese or fruit.

Carnival, Celebrity, and Princess all do sell bottles for the cabin and they are forthright about it on their websites. NCL sells bar setup pre-sailing but they do not publicize it, AND they will sell you a bottle on the ship that you can take to your stateroom with mixers included in the price.

HAL may have a bar setup list, or they used to (?) but you have to have a booking number to see this info... and/or to call or e-mail Ship Services Department for confirmation that they still do this and a list if they do; all the pricing info I found in search of CC/googling was years old.

It may be that RCCI does not sell bottles of liquor/liqueur for the stateroom... and that is TAG's most sailed line.

 

RCCI and HAL have gift packages that can be ordered delivered to the cabin, with wine or champagne and cheese or fruit.

 

Carnival, Celebrity, and Princess all do sell bottles for the cabin and they are forthright about it on their websites. NCL sells bar setup pre-sailing but they do not publicize it, AND they will sell you a bottle on the ship that you can take to your stateroom with mixers included in the price.

 

HAL may have a bar setup list, or they used to (?) but you have to have a booking number to see this info... and/or to call or e-mail Ship Services Department for confirmation that they still do this and a list if they do; all the pricing info I found in search of CC/googling was years old.

on our HAL crossing last year i think i paid $29 for a liter of Sky and about the same for a liter of Bacardi - very reasonable and i left the rum runners at home.

on our HAL crossing last year i think i paid $29 for a liter of Sky and about the same for a liter of Bacardi - very reasonable and i left the rum runners at home.

I wish RCCL would have a plan like that! I would not bother with a rum runner in that situation!

The cruise lines are now very up to date on Rum Runners and have gotten very good at spotting them in checked baggage.

When they sieze a Rum Runner you don't get it back at the end of the cruise. So you loose both the contents and the Rum Runner. Not worth the bother any more.

The cruise lines are now very up to date on Rum Runners and have gotten very good at spotting them in checked baggage.

 

When they sieze a Rum Runner you don't get it back at the end of the cruise. So you loose both the contents and the Rum Runner. Not worth the bother any more.

I had no issues on the Ruby Christmas cruise...

@ springfire

Did you buy the bottles pre-cruise or once you were on the ship?