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Bringing liquor onboard ?


JoanneF

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Hi-

We've never been on a cruise before and our first cruise will be on the Volendam at the end of June. I've seen postings about it being OK to bring wine aboard but nothing about liquor.

Is it OK? People have told me all carry-on bags and luggage is searched before boarding and everything is taken and stored until the end. Is this true? We'd like to be able to bring vodka onboard for a cocktail in our room before dinner.

Thanks for your help. I've found lots of helpful info on this board.

Joanne

Medford, MA

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from HAL:

 

 

Bringing Alcoholic Beverages Onboard

Except for wine and champagne, alcoholic beverages purchased in the vessel's shops or otherwise brought on the ship cannot be consumed on the ship. Bottles and other containers will be collected for safekeeping and delivered to your stateroom on the last day of the voyage.

 

 

Have a great cruise!

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We brought a plastic liter bottle of rum on board, locked in our checked luggage, as did the couple we went with. Both arrived in the room, in the luggage with absolutely no problem. It couldn't have been easier. We also carried a 6 pack of Pepsi onbaord. No problem.

 

The reality ended up being we drank about 1/2 the vodka over the 10 days and mainly bought drinks throughout the cruise. We also bought the onboard wine package.

 

At one port, I think it was Dominica, we bought alcohol to bring back and it was taken as we boarded the ship and returned when we left. Soft drinks were not.

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As Dave has politely pointed out, you are not allowed to bring your own bottle of vodka onboard. You can, however purchase a bottle for use in your cabin. Either from Ship Services, in advance, or from Room Service or any bar once on the ship. Most of the vodkas are $25-30 for a 1 liter bottle and include 2 cans of mixer, such as tonic. Premiums like Grey Goose and Belvedere are more money. Its a very good way to go and well within the rules.

 

Tim

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joanne - you'll get plenty of folks telling you that it is against the rules (and some of them will get quite adamant about it) but the reality is that plenty of us bring alcohol on board in our checked baggage w/o incident. I would buy plastic bottles if you can find them and then seal them in a zip loc bag for additional protection against leakage. I've even brought glass bottles before (again in zip loc bags ) and have had no problems.

 

In all the discussion I've seen here on the boards I have never heard of anyone having their checked luggage searched for alcohol. And worse case the cruise line would likely take it for the duration of the trip and give it back to you at the end. Very worst case they take it and DON'T give it back.

 

Sup to you and what your own moral compass will permit, but I, for one, see it as a highly discriminatory policy on HAL's part to allow wine and champagne on board without a problem and yet prohibit beer and liquor.

 

Now.. I WILL say that it would be in bad taste to make drinks in your room and take them out to public areas on the ship. We still spend plenty of money in the bars. But I have no problem bringing a bottle for in room consumption and I will continue to do so.

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joanne - you'll get plenty of folks telling you that it is against the rules (and some of them will get quite adamant about it)....

I think what people get adamant about is whether there is anything wrong with hiding liquor in checked baggage in order to try to bring it on the ship.

 

No one is adamant as to whether it is or is not against the rules to do so. The rule is written (see post # 2), is very clear, and states that liquor, other than wine and champagne is not to be brought onto and consumed on the ship. The rule is a fact and not in dispute. :rolleyes:

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Ancient Chinese proverb/corollary (or paraphrase thereof)comes to mind:

 

The more laws/rules there are, the more criminals/violators there are!

 

:eek:

 

Spoken (and repeated) by truly wise men!!!!:cool:

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Funny ... I just typed the words World War III somewhere else.

 

Isn't it interesting that there are 2 new posts about taking alcohol aboard -- both posted by newbies as their first foray into this board?

 

Anyone? Anyone?

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I always laugh to myself, when someone says, that post count doesn't matter at all. Clearly, it does matter, and hence it is natural to be suspicious of new posters that suddenly appear and the first thread they start is not a reply to another thread, but they start a totally new thread on one of the hot button topics. Formal wear, children, alcohol smuggling, babies in the pool, etc. That doesn't mean that the OP meant to stir up a ruckus, but it can't be ignored as a possibility.:D

 

jc

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"No one is adamant as to whether it is or is not against the rules to do so. The rule is written (see post # 2), is very clear, and states that liquor, other than wine and champagne is not to be brought onto and consumed on the ship. The rule is a fact and not in dispute. " per peaches from georgia

 

 

Peaches, semantically correct. Indeed, my point re the adamancy had to do with the outrage many express at those of us who take exception to the rule and choose to bring alcohol on board anyway. As I see it, bringing booze smuggled in my luggage is behavior that affects no one else and while those who want to rail against it are welcome to do so, my posts in the previous thread merely said that none of us are going to convert the other on this issue. And you'll have to forgive me if I note that many who are the quickest to express outrage at the behavior of those of us who choose to flaunt the rule are the same who bring wine or champagne for THEIR enjoyment in THEIR cabin.

 

I continue to believe the rule is discriminatory and I'm simply not going to abide by it. I'll gladly post the dates of future cruises as we plan them so that those who will have THEIR cruise ruined by my attitude and/or behavior have the option of avoiding those of my ilk.. *S*

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As I see it

 

That's my problem, how YOU (or any other individual) see's it. You don't get to pick and choose which rules you'll observe and which you won't. You either abide by them, work openly to get them changed, or go elsewhere. That's what civilization is about. Even college kids know that.

 

-dave

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That's my problem, how YOU (or any other individual) see's it. You don't get to pick and choose which rules you'll observe and which you won't. You either abide by them, work openly to get them changed, or go elsewhere. That's what civilization is about. Even college kids know that.

 

-dave

 

And how would you suggest one is to work openly to get this rule changed?

 

I assume you follow all the rules all the time. You never chose, right?

 

Did you speed on the freeway? Are you sure you made a complete stop at that stop sign? Was that light you went through really yellow or was it more like red? When you did your taxes, did you fudge anything? Ever call in sick when you probably could have made it in?

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Dave,

 

So "that's what civilization is all about". I think that following the rule of law as well as cultural and ethical mores may be civilization, but blindly obeying self-serving corporate dictums is not. I don't go on a cruise to be the yellow dog lackey of some Seattle corporate financial analyst's latest revenue raising scheme.

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Well said Ballzee! ;)

There does seem to be a few perfect people that know and obey every single rule that has ever been created! It's a beautiful thing!

Other than the perfect ones the others on here must work for the cruise line companies and are dedicated employees just trying to help pull in as much profits as possible. By the way profit is not a dirty word of course, but what ship services charge for a bottle booze is a down right crime! Those of you that like to pay those kind of prices ... go for it...if that makes you feel all fuzzy and warm inside that you are not breaking any rules that's cool too.

NOT ME!

I don't feel any guilt having my scotch on the rocks on my balcony as I watch an incredible sunset.I feel pretty darn good actually! It's the little devil in me I guess.

Not sure if God or Peaches from Georgia will forgive me for these indiscretions. Well, maybe God ( he probably has more important matters to judge on)

Then again.......:D

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Here's my theory from outside the box: HAL is promoting their product (cruising) to the quiet rebels of the world with their "no liquor" rule. Allow me to explain. With their benign rule of no alcohol, offering only the punishment of "confiscation", this allows the quiet, passive rebels to smuggle a perfectly legal substance on board and drink it on their own little balcony "speak easy", feeling sneaky and sly. For most folks, getting away with something, especially when breaking a rule that is silly and based in greed, is a little bit fun. I know this is hard for the goody-goody rule folks to comprehend, but we just can't hep it!

 

So HAL plays the game and so do we. What a great exercise in psychology.

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I've tried to stay out of this one, but I'm compelled to make just a couple of comments.

 

I assume you follow all the rules all the time. You never chose, right?
As my dear father used to tell me when I tried to make such a justification, "Two wrongs don't make a right."

 

I continue to believe the rule is discriminatory and I'm simply not going to abide by it.
I believe that heavily taxing the middle class while many extremely wealthy folks get off scott free is discriminatory. But the rules are set and I have to live with them. Sure, this is a much different issue than smuggling liquor on board, but the principle is the same.
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HERE WE GO AGAIN!!! LOL!!!

 

The reality is...What you do in your cabin is your business (You have "rented your cabin" just like a hotel room and what you do inside your cabin is up to you...it is your right to privacy...as long as you are not disturbing or bothering anyone else.) DO NOT take your booze to a public area outside your cabin...this is really in poor taste and a big NO NO from the standpoint of shipboard ettiquette. Show me a hotel where you are not allowed to take your own alcohol into your own room. The real regulations are written into your cruise contract and state that "HAL reserves the right to limit...etc." "The booze rule" is all about money and nothing more. Carnival and Norwegian NCL do confiscate booze out of luggage...and I will no longer consider them for cruising.

 

Take what you need to enjoy your in-cabin experience and have a great cruise!!! (DON'T FORGET THE CORKSCREW!!! LOL!!!)

 

ROSS...From Somerville!!!

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HERE WE GO AGAIN!!! LOL!!!

 

The reality is...What you do in your cabin is your business (You have "rented your cabin" just like a hotel room and what you do inside your cabin is up to you...it is your right to privacy...as long as you are not disturbing or bothering anyone else.) DO NOT take your booze to a public area outside your cabin...this is really in poor taste and a big NO NO from the standpoint of shipboard ettiquette. Show me a hotel where you are not allowed to take your own alcohol into your own room. The real regulations are written into your cruise contract and state that "HAL reserves the right to limit...etc." "The booze rule" is all about money and nothing more. Carnival and Norwegian NCL do confiscate booze out of luggage...and I will no longer consider them for cruising.

 

Take what you need to enjoy your in-cabin experience and have a great cruise!!! (DON'T FORGET THE CORKSCREW!!! LOL!!!)

 

ROSS...From Somerville!!!

 

Not going to even start naming what you can't do in the privacy of your room either at a hotel, cabin or in your home--or even what you are allowed to see or do on your own private computer in your room or home--oops, there I have named one:eek:

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