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BYO Liquor update


Stubblecruisers

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I have always brought a small bottle of liquor(rum) on board at the start of the cruise for consumption in our room and never had any problem with it being confiscated, but was told by some first cruisers that NCL will confiscate it even if it is in your checked luggage. they will xray your lugguge and remove it?? :eek:

 

Is this something new that is really being done, or being that they are first time cruisers ......

 

IF it is true that they are actually confiscating all hard liquor from checked luggage, is there any way that you can buy a bottle of rum (on the ship) to have in your cabin at the start of the cruise?

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you can order a bar set up through NCL and the bottles will be in your cabin upon arrival.

I just ordered Absolut and Kaluha through my TA-although in the past I've done it through passenger courtesy.

We KNOW that NCL reads these boards to hear the good the bad and the ugly. I used to be able to buy local beer at the ports and bring it on board, but I think talking about it here has alerted them to some of our "tricks"

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When I saw "update" in the title, I though something had changed.

 

Nope. If you scroll back through the messages, a new one comes up every few days about this topic. No hard booze allowed onboard. If you purchase some onboard, they hold it to the end of the cruise. Period.

 

Some people have done it many times and think this is a change. They just were not caught.

 

There are also multple message threads about wine. $15 corkage is the norm no matter where you are drinking it.

 

You can also scroll through the messages to see all about bar setups that some folks do.

 

You can buy all the booze you want in the bars on a per drink basis, or wine by the bottle.

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I used to smuggle booze because I wanted to have some in my cabin for drinks without going up to a bar to get it and lug it back. Once I discovered the bar setup option (thanks to the posters here on cc), I started ordering that instead. Much less stress. Worth the nominal additional cost.

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Booze confiscation is not a new thing. In the "old" days you could bring a bottle, or two, onboard for in room consumption. Some people started taking advantage of that to the point of openly consuming "their own" booze in public areas. Thus "screwing" it up for the people that played by the rules.

 

Smuggling is a catch as catch can proposition. Some people get caught and some do not. But, let's just say the most do get caught.

 

Bar setup is the most guaranteed way of having booze in your cabin for in room consumption. The number for bar setup is 866.625.1159. If the person you talk to does not know what you talking about try again later. This is a courtesy benefit that was implemented on a very loose basis.

 

PE<---would rather answer someones question than reprimand them for not researching properly before asking...:rolleyes:

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PE<---would rather answer someones question than reprimand them for not researching properly before asking...:rolleyes:

 

Your point is??:rolleyes: .........I really appreciated the quick answers from willing persons who could help me especially to those who realize that most do their research before posting a question, as well, most would be understanding knowing that in some areas of the country such as Northern Canada the internet access isn't the same so may take hours to find an answer to one simple question, thank you for this board. It is a great help. I will not hesitate to ask another question.

 

I will check out the bar set-up for sure.

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I have just returned from the NCL Jewel. Took a large bottle of Long Island's finest. My wife said she would paid the corkage fee if caught.

Since, the level of service has declined in the 2 years between NCL cruises (they asked us to open our bags last time) they missed it this time.

This cruise disappointed us in so many ways. If it wasn't for our previous sailings with NCL, it would be our last.

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A year ago on the Pride of America--I packed a case of Labatts beer,

a liter of Crown, a liter of Malibu and some vodka--no problem whatsoever.

Our friends packed a couple of bottles they bought in Honolulu and were called down to go through the booze caught thing. :eek:

I had a bottle of wine in my carryon (which you couldn't do today), and they told me to give it up at the next check in table--I put it back in the carryon and proceeded to board--again no problem.

Lucky I guess. I do think NCL is more strict than CCL and RCCL.;)

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Then why doesn't NCLA offer a bar setup? They are making money with it, so why not on NCLA? We will be on POH and should have the same option!

 

It has to do with the Hawaiian liquor laws. They are not allowed to offer this option. The same reason there is no casino on the NCLA ships, Hawaiian law does not allow gambling, not even the lottery.

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Title 16

(j) Class 9. Tour or cruise vessel licenses. A general license may be granted to the owner of any tour or cruise vessel for the sale of liquor (other than alcohol) on board the vessel while in the waters of the State; provided that sales be made only for consumption by passengers on board while the vessel is in operation outside the port or dock of any island of the State, unless otherwise approved by the county where the license has been issued. If the vessel has a home port in the State, the license shall be issuable in the county wherein the home port is situated; provided that if the licensee’s home port is not situated in this State, the license shall be issuable in the city and county of Honolulu. If, on any vessel for which no license has been obtained under this chapter, any liquor is sold or served within three miles of the shore of any island of the State, it shall constitute a violation of this chapter.

 

So, while it is legal to sell alcohol on cruise ships sailing in Hawaian seas, it's not when the ship is in port or docked. The sail away party has real signifance in Hawaii.

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Does this mean the ship has to close the bars while in port? What about wine (and other alcohol) consumption in the dining room during overnight stays in certain ports?

PE

 

Note: There is a clause in Title 16 that allows the County of record to make some changes.

 

"unless otherwise approved by the county where the license has been issued"

 

I'm not that familiar with NCL's liquor license. It's possilbe NCL can serve wine, but not liquor, while in port.

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Note: There is a clause in Title 16 that allows the County of record to make some changes.

 

"unless otherwise approved by the county where the license has been issued"

 

I'm not that familiar with NCL's liquor license. It's possilbe NCL can serve wine, but not liquor, while in port.

Was on the PoAm in Oct. and they certainly sold mixed drinks, wine, beer, liquor, in drink form ... etc. while docked at the ports, during the day, in the evening, at night , and in the bars and restaurants.

 

NCL/NCLA certainly make 'the best' pina colada's, cosmo's, and martini's... my favorites.... ;)

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NCL is the only line enforcing the no booze policy at this time, but RCI/Celebrity have given notice they will. Actually Celebrity liquor from us 3 years ago when we sailed out of San Juan.

 

We usually bring our wine on (NCL) in our carry on bags and pay the corkage fee, some have sent small amounts of liquor throw in the shipped luggage and had no problems. Just be prepared to surrender it til the end of the cruise if you get caught.

 

HAL, a couple weeks ago did take our purchased liquor we picked up in Panama and delivered it to us the last night. The little bit we got in Curacao went through just fine.

 

As for mixed drinks, stanard ones were about the same price as Celebrity's and a little cheaper than HAL, but the difference was minimal.

 

Just my gut feeling, all the lines will soon start cracking down. Princess no longer has bar set ups. They do allow a bon voyage gift of a small bottle of alcohol and a little mix, but no liter bottles anymore. HALs bar set up is much cheaper than NCLs but Celebrity's is much higher and I mean much!!!!!! NMNita

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  • 4 years later...
I have always brought a small bottle of liquor(rum) on board at the start of the cruise for consumption in our room and never had any problem with it being confiscated, but was told by some first cruisers that NCL will confiscate it even if it is in your checked luggage. they will xray your lugguge and remove it?? :eek:

Just to clarify - NCL will not remove any contraband from your luggage without you being present. They do not open your bags. If their screening detects something suspicious, the bag will be "detained", sent to the so-called naughty room. You will then be called down to the room to retrieve your bag. When you get there, you will be asked to open the bag to show the crew what's in your bag. If it's hard liquor or beer, it will be confiscated and held until the end of the cruise, at which point it will be returned to you.

 

Now, I'm almost certain that my previous paragraph refers only to sealed, unopened original containers of beer and hard liquor. I believe that if your contraband has been transferred to a different container (e.g., mouthwash bottle, shampoo bottle, rum runner, etc.), then the booze will not be returned to you. Somebody with first-hand experience, please correct me if I'm wrong about this.

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Just to clarify - NCL will not remove any contraband from your luggage without you being present. They do not open your bags. If their screening detects something suspicious, the bag will be "detained", sent to the so-called naughty room.

 

I thought this true as well. But we sent through with our regular luggage, a travel size padded bag with a case of water minus 2 and a small water bottle size milk (for my coffee). It came to our room quite a while after our regular suitcases and had definitately been handled inside, as the bottle of milk had not been put back in the plastic water shrink wrap case the same way I had put it in before handing it to the porter.

 

Not that I cared, I was not taking anything on that was unallowed, just surprised me.

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I thought this true as well. But we sent through with our regular luggage, a travel size padded bag with a case of water minus 2 and a small water bottle size milk (for my coffee). It came to our room quite a while after our regular suitcases and had definitately been handled inside, as the bottle of milk had not been put back in the plastic water shrink wrap case the same way I had put it in before handing it to the porter.

 

Not that I cared, I was not taking anything on that was unallowed, just surprised me.

Interesting. First time I've heard of this happening.

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Interesting. First time I've heard of this happening.

 

Good word, I thought that too! :)

 

Now perhaps they woudn't have did this, if when they sent it through the xray it appeared to have personal items in it, but all that was in that bag were the above water and milk bottles.

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