Hard Liquor

Im not a wine drinker and plan on making many of my own drinks in my cabin. Has anyone just purchased vodka, rum, or tequila in non-breakerable bottles and got those onboard? Instead of using the rum runners I keep hearing about. What about brining on TGIF mixers? Anyone done this?

You can buy liquor onboard, but carnival's policy states that they hold onto it until the end of your cruise (which kind of defeats the purpose) :(

Yes, folks do manage to "smuggle" their own bottles aboard--not ALL make it, but some do!

I managed to bring 2 of the plastic bottles of Bacardi on board in my checked luggage during my cruise in November. I hear that it is more difficult to "sneak" liquor aboard during March/ April (college spring break times) since they apparantly crack down more.

Put the liquor in a couple water bottles and you will have no problems!

Im not a wine drinker and plan on making many of my own drinks in my cabin. Has anyone just purchased vodka, rum, or tequila in non-breakerable bottles and got those onboard? Instead of using the rum runners I keep hearing about. What about brining on TGIF mixers? Anyone done this?

You can buy powdered mixers that come in envelopes. Look for those too. My sister takes those on all her trips. Some aren't too bad.

Put the liquor in a couple water bottles and you will have no problems!

Sorry, but I disagree. I know of too many people who've been called to the "naughty room" and made to open their water bottles - as well as mouthwash, soda, and other things that look like bottles. Yes, it's entirely possible that you'll make it onboard with your booze either in an original bottle, or transferred into some other kind of bottle. But Rum Runners really do have a much higher chance of making it to your cabin. I wouldn't chance it.

I bring plastic pints and I carry them in my pocket. Then at the first port I take a back pack off with me and if I need more Booze or mixers I buy them there and bring them on board. The method I use (and it works every time) is Buy 3 turn in one. Most of the time the security scanner people will tell you to go over there to turn in your booze. The table is usually 10-15 feet away from the scanners. The people at the scanners are usually busy watching the scanner screen so I either walk right past the turn in table or just open the bag and pull one bottle out and turn it in. That leaves me with 2 for the room. Just make sure that they don't clang together when you are taking the one out. Most of the time I just walk right by the table and go straight to my room with everything.:D

if they know you are bringing it back from a port they will take it and deliver it the last day...

which kind of defeats the purpose

not if the purpose is to sell you liquor at the bars and prevent pax from drinking excessive amounts in their rooms after getting a significant head start at the lounges

if they know you are bringing it back from a port they will take it and deliver it the last day...

 

 

 

not if the purpose is to sell you liquor at the bars and prevent pax from drinking excessive amounts in their rooms after getting a significant head start at the lounges

Not always true. I was on the AOS the end of September and they not only did not have a table set up at any of the ports of call but the young legal man immediately in front of me carried two bottles onboard. The only requirement was that they made him put it through the scanners with his daypack and then gave him the bottles and daypack back. I guess it is selective.

Preventing pax from drinking too much in the staterooms is next to impossible. There are always enablers. Otherwise no one would ever over imbibe.

I would suggest putting the alcohol in plastic bottles and then folding them into your clothes when packing. You can also purchase alcohol at port and then poor it into plastic bottles, if your not obnoxious, the security probley won't check the water bottle when boarding. A third way is, many wines come in milk like containers that are not easily picked up on with the scanners, pick some up while at port.

We pack bubble wrap in our luggage. We normally purchase our alcohol in the port we're leaving from and I then wrap it in the bubble wrap for safe keeping. We cruise every year, sometimes twice and we haven't had a problem yet.

Rumrunners also works very well as I have not heard of anyone getting them taken away.

Sorry if this is a silly question, but....What are rumrunners???? I'm assuming it's not the actual rummrunner in which I'm thinking of.

So please don't laugh at this cruise virgin and just tell me what they are...LOL

Rumrunners also works very well as I have not heard of anyone getting them taken away.

Funny you should ask-I was online and about 10 min. ago the doorbell rang and it was my rumrunners being delivered. I couldn't believe it -I ordered them Mon. afternoon! They are well made plastic flasks with a screw on plastic cap. They are clear industrial plastic and people rave about them....very cheap for 3-2 8oz. and 1 -16oz. for like $10.00 and if you put in REPEAT you will get 15% off.

Well I googled them and just placed my order...LOL

I did 2 day shipping since I'm leaving for my cruise Sunday...lol

Funny you should ask-I was online and about 10 min. ago the doorbell rang and it was my rumrunners being delivered. I couldn't believe it -I ordered them Mon. afternoon! They are well made plastic flasks with a screw on plastic cap. They are clear industrial plastic and people rave about them....very cheap for 3-2 8oz. and 1 -16oz. for like $10.00 and if you put in REPEAT you will get 15% off.

OMG!!! I just noticed that you're from Naperville. Is that IL? If so I used to live in Aurora!

Funny you should ask-I was online and about 10 min. ago the doorbell rang and it was my rumrunners being delivered. I couldn't believe it -I ordered them Mon. afternoon! They are well made plastic flasks with a screw on plastic cap. They are clear industrial plastic and people rave about them....very cheap for 3-2 8oz. and 1 -16oz. for like $10.00 and if you put in REPEAT you will get 15% off.

Here is another site to order from.

http://www.rumrunnerflasks.com

What are TGIF mixers and powdered mixers that come in envelopes? They are just mixers for drinks, right? They don't have alcohol in them, right? I was thinking about bringing Crystal Light orange flavor, mixed w/ vanila vodka they taste like and orange cremsicle and the only real calories come from the vodka.

I bring plastic pints and I carry them in my pocket. Then at the first port I take a back pack off with me and if I need more Booze or mixers I buy them there and bring them on board. The method I use (and it works every time) is Buy 3 turn in one. Most of the time the security scanner people will tell you to go over there to turn in your booze. The table is usually 10-15 feet away from the scanners. The people at the scanners are usually busy watching the scanner screen so I either walk right past the turn in table or just open the bag and pull one bottle out and turn it in. That leaves me with 2 for the room. Just make sure that they don't clang together when you are taking the one out. Most of the time I just walk right by the table and go straight to my room with everything.:D

The "in the pocket" idea, sounds like the easiers one yet! So, I am assuming that since there is no metal involved that it does not set off any detectors. Right? Now I just have to find a long top to cover those pockets.

I use my seal-a-meal, just make sure there are really good seals, usually double or triple seal. It makes a totally flat package that can be placed between beach towels, etc. Have never even had one drop leak out. Have put some in carry on and checked. Just pour into empty water bottle and you are all set. The only problem was when my daughter(33) took a huge drink of one thinking it was water.:eek:

I understand some cruise lines allow a bottle of wine be brought on board. Does anyone know if cognac would be included in their category of 'wine'?

OMG!!! I just noticed that you're from Naperville. Is that IL? If so I used to live in Aurora!

Small world....I used to live in Romeoville, IL!

I understand some cruise lines allow a bottle of wine be brought on board. Does anyone know if cognac would be included in their category of 'wine'?

I highly doubt it. Cognac is not wine - even though it's made from wine, which is double-distilled to produce a type of brandy. It's considered a distilled spirit, and has a much higher alcohol content that wine (40% vs 14%). Also, the bottle looks entirely different from a wine bottle, so it would stand out as being "hard liquor" to security if they happened to see it during a bag scan.

Rum runners would be perfect for carrying Cognac - unlike wine, Cognac doesn't deteriorate over time. So you can pack it in your luggage in a rum runner, and enjoy it for the duration of your cruise. :)

I understand some cruise lines allow a bottle of wine be brought on board. Does anyone know if cognac would be included in their category of 'wine'?

Probably not but you could probably relabel a bottle of cognac as a wine and the ship would never know the difference.