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Liquor Smuggling Tips


TampaTwin

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Question...what is the best way to bring my liquor on board? Is it ok to just stick the bottles of rum in my luggage? Or should I bring on water bottles filled w the good stuff? Also, will they rummage through my stuff when I board the boat from nassau? I know they are supposed to hold any alcoholic beverages that you purchase until the end of the trip. Whoa, 20 questions....:o

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Is it ok to just stick the bottles of rum in my luggage?

 

Is it legal or will it work? It's not legal, but it works the vast majority of the time from what I read.

 

Or should I bring on water bottles filled w the good stuff?

 

A lot of people apparently do it that way, but from what's said it isn't really neccesary.

 

Also, will they rummage through my stuff when I board the boat from nassau?

 

I think they probably will, but you might get away with it.

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I've never tried to bring anything back at a port stop that I didn't intend to turn over when I got back on the ship. I suppose you could do the old water bottle trick with a clear liquor.

I have brought bottles onboard in my checked luggage at embarkation. I've rolled them up in a towel or body pillow my DW always brings.

Never had a problem.

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I just returned. I had bought a coupkle of 4 packs of wine before the cruise. they are small bottles. A little more than 1 glass of wine in each bottle. I wrapped them in paper towels and put them in zip;oc bags and put them in my checked luggage. We also brought on 12 bottle of water and put that in our checked luggage. No problems at all. Don't put any in your carryons and they put them through a scanner when you embark. Upon returning from ports, you have to put everything on a scanner so I'm sure they would pick up the liquor bottles. We didn't buy any so I'm not really sure.

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When we buy liquor in port I transfer the bottles into another stores bag such as a store that sells clothes etc. Yes, it all goes through the scanners but I have not been told to leave it with them.

 

I have seen a lot of similar colored bags from the liquor stores on the table that have been turned over to Carnival for delivery to the staterooms on the last day. (I think it is Nassau where the liquor stores use yellow bags.)

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Here are my personal favorite suggestions...not that I would ever do such things, first:

 

Obtaining Your Booze

 

 

I suggest buying it when you arrive at your port city. In Miami, for example, there are several reasonable liquor stores in your path if you travel directly to the port from MIA. If you've blown in town early and are spending the night in one of the downtown hotels, I suggest Road Runner Liquor #2 at 51 SE 1st Street. It's about a 3 minute cab ride from, say, the Sheraton and offers a unique look at another side of Miami (not good part of town- tell the driver to keep the cab running and lock the doors). If that scares you and you're staying at the Hyatt or the Intercontinental for a nice tip one of the valet's at the front door can take your order and your cash and bring it to your room after they get off work. (This is not listed as one of the hotel's services)

To find liquor store information in your own port before leaving home go to

 

http://www.superpages.com/

 

For better information, once you get in town ask people that look like they could use a drink....they probably have inside info on this topic

 

If you plan on bringing it from home, put it in some giant ziploc bags and pack it in the middle of your largest suitcase for added protection.

 

Consuming your booze

 

To be discrete, follow these suggestions:

 

  • On deck, use an insulated mug filled with your mixer- add your booze that you have cleverly concealed in a water bottle
  • If you have icky deck neighbors skip the insulated mug and drink directly from the refreshing water bottle filled with booze
  • Don't go to the bar with your concoction and ask the bartender to "give this a little spin" on their blender
  • There are nice, innocent looking picnic baskets available that will carry all you need for a complete bar set up
  • When the roving deck waiter comes by order a bucket of beer "Hold the beer" to have a nice supply of ice
  • If you've made your own "Drink of the Day" keep it to yourself and those directly around you. Other passengers lining up by your lounge chair for a sample is a dead giveaway that you're mixing your own booze or having your own a hairy chest contest, both of which are frowned upon.
  • Know the path back to your stateroom in the dark. If you can make it with your eyes closed you have a chance of making it when you are blitzed by the sun and your booze
  • To get a jumpstart on the day, stop by the gift shop to see if they're giving out free samples of booze for "tasting". Remember: You have a problem with making decisions so you'll probably have to try the samples again and again
  • After your jumpstart in the Gift Shop stop by the art auction for free champagne. It's not really necessary to pretend to be interested in the art work but don't make any sudden motions with your hands or you might end up with a really overpriced print that you could have found at Wal-Mart in the poster bin for much much less

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Next: Make It A Family Affair!

 

Here's my innocent looking daughter guarding our case of Heineken, cleverly wrapped in gold foil paper as a "gift for the Captain" that I would need to deliver personally....or so the story would go if asked about it

 

 

The_gift_beer.jpg

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My technique is a little simpler. I use mini bottles. While in port, and getting a souvenir bottle, I peruse the cheap mini bottles. Pusser's rum for 50 cents, Skyy Vodka for 99 cents, etc. These I tranfer to my cargo pockets or t-shirt bags. The big bottle goes to security. The small ones are mixed with soft drinks on deck. Just be cautious in disposal. A deck chair surrounded by a veritable fortress of empty minis might be a clue you are mixing your own.

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No problems with bringing alcohol on board. We were on the Victory in June and brought wine in our carry-on luggage, rum was packed in the suitcases that was checked and I had a collapseable cooler that held 2 doz beer under 2 doz cola that was also with the checked baggage. You can get OJ, lemonade, iced tea and fruit punch from the dispensers on the ship for you mix just have a couple of water bottles to put it in. Your room stewart will fill your cooler with ice if you ask, I was close enough to the ice machine that I just rolled it there and filled it myself.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

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On my last two Carnival cruises I have brought liquor in its original bottle in my checked luggage without problems. My brother in law had a bottle of rum in his carry on and it was held for him until the end of the cruise. I have brought liquor back onto the ship from ports. They seeit on the scanners and tell you to check it in for return the last night of the cruise. No one ever said anything when I bypassed the line and yook it to my room. Security is much to busy screening all returning passengers to follow everyone to the line and insure that they turn in the booze.

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To the people who pack a case of water and cokes to take on board..........

 

We want to do this too (our first cruise) and assume we will buy them on our way to the ship but how do you "pack" them? Do you buy a large cooler to put them in or just carry them?

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To the people who pack a case of water and cokes to take on board..........

 

We want to do this too (our first cruise) and assume we will buy them on our way to the ship but how do you "pack" them? Do you buy a large cooler to put them in or just carry them?

 

Well, we put a 12 pack in each of our suitcases, I like Diet Cherry Coke & it fit perfectly in the bottom of my suitcase my dh like Diet Dr. Pepper & he put his in his box & all just like me now my ds had to take his DP out of the box & just pack it in with his clothes, but I was NOT going to pay $2.50 per soda when I could get 4 12 packs for $10 at Kroger's!

 

As far as the booze went I bought a big bottle of Margarita mix at Wally world & mixed it with my Sauza & Cointreau & poured it back into the mix bottle then took a bottle of Bacardi 151 & put it into a plastic water bottle & a bottle of Smirnoff & also poured it in a plastic water bottle, I put all three of these in a 2 gallon Ziplock & then into another Ziplock & packed it in the middle of my suitcase. I was scared the glass would break. I stopped by the bar one day & asked if I could grab a couple of bar glasses (not drink of the day glasses) & that was what we drank our margaritas in! We had our rum & cokes or vokda & fruit punch or screw drivers in our insulated mugs from home! Worked out great!

 

We took a small 6 pack igloo for ice, our steward kept it full for us!

 

We bought GREAT bottles of wine with dinner every night at dinner & bought drinks at the shows. We also bought bloody mary's in the mornings. So its not like Carnival didn't make any money off of us.

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I may be going a little over board but here is what I was thinking to do.. Since I plan on buying stuff I will need an extra piece of luggage.. I have an OLD hard piece of luggage really nasty ugly that I am going to use this for..

 

I was going to fill those large alcohol container with Vodka. Peroxide with my Scotch and Saline Bottles for my Vermouths. I enjoy a nice Rob Roy at the end of the day.. And a Bloody Mary when I am getting dressed in the AM... For some reason when your on vacation, getting dressed without a drink in my hand just isnt the same!!!!!

 

I already have set aside like 500 for Liquor for 2 (one of us doesnt drink) And 2K for spending and excursions.. This is my first cruise and I want to HAVE FUN! MY WAY!

 

I cant wait! Only 37 more days til my Destiny!

 

Marc in Chicago

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Here's my innocent looking daughter guarding our case of Heineken, cleverly wrapped in gold foil paper as a "gift for the Captain" that I would need to deliver personally....or so the story would go if asked about it

 

Oh-my-goodness.....what did they say when it wen through the x-ray machine (I assume this was a carry-on)?

BRILLIANT!!! I love it and want to try it....:D

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Great info. Love the FedEx idea and gift for the Captain. I like the flavored rums - Malibu in particular. We used 32 ounce water bottles that had previously held flavored water - tangerine and lime. That way there was no breakage with glass. These were placed in our bags which were locked. No issues at all. I brought a 32 ounce cup with lid (from Wahoo's Fish Tacos) and it worked perfectly (and you could mix by shaking). The fruit punch mixed with lemonade and Malibu was fantastic and fruity....mmmmmmmm

 

Makes me want to go back, yet I was just there last week!!!:cool:

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Fed Ex a keg and a couple cases of Jack Daniels for early delivery that morning of your cruise. On the shipping invoice make sure you note please deliver to passengers cabin. It works great.

 

 

Are you serious??? You can actually do this? No.....really??? FedEx will actuall deliver to the ship???:confused:

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