Busted on the Facination

[paradoc1]

Hey all, yep they are indeed cracking down on smuggling. we went on the facination on Oct 25, sent our luggage with the porters. Yes it was locked as always. had one suitcase with bottled water and sodas, the ither I had 2 bottles of wine and a small bottle of VO GOLD just like I have always done. After we were allowed to go to our rooms there were 2 letters on the bed telling me to go to the naughty room, that is the first time after all the cruises that I had to go to the naughty room. When I did find it I was one of at least 50 people standing in line and we were not all young partiers or such, most of us had wine or soft drinks and of course some other stuff. I did see them take a large bottle of wine from the guy in front of me and he argued that it was the allowed amount but all in 1 bottle, they didn't buy it and kept it, they did find my VO and kept it till the end of the cruise and I had to go to guest services to get it back as well as most of new friends. while it was a little demeaning it was not that bad. As for all the people that are going to flame me well go ahead but I will be ordering the booze from the bon voyage dept again next time because if I do this again my wife said the will beat me. Other than that it was a great cruise and we will go again soon

[nrdsb4]

Well, sounds like you took your medicine with a good attitude.;)

[jaxxx321]

what if I had a bottle of "mouth wash" would that work??

[montekat]

what if I had a bottle of "mouth wash" would that work??

 

We got called to the naughty room, but it was really only mouth wash. Just a very small bottle of Scope. I would have put it in the carryon, but didn't think it would trigger a search!

[Alliezona09]

Hey all, yep they are indeed cracking down on smuggling. we went on the facination on Oct 25, sent our luggage with the porters. Yes it was locked as always. had one suitcase with bottled water and sodas, the ither I had 2 bottles of wine and a small bottle of VO GOLD just like I have always done.

 

You might have gotten away with the VO if you had done what they now ask you to do and carry on your water, soda and the wine~;)

[6fan]

You have to rinse the mouthwash bottles very very well or the alcohol tastes like mouthwash.:(:o

[Thirsty Cruiser]

...I will be ordering the booze from the bon voyage dept again next time because if I do this again my wife said the will beat me. ..

This is a totally new era for smugglers. It used to be just a matter of sticking booze in your checked bags. Now, even those "fool proof" rum runners are getting snagged.

 

what if I had a bottle of "mouth wash" would that work??

Nope. They are onto the whole mouth wash bottle approach. Bon Voyage ;)

[travelntreats]

You learned a lesson..... follow the rules about liquor and smuggling...end of story !

[Tapi]

what if I had a bottle of "mouth wash" would that work??

 

Sounds like summer camp back in high school all over again....

[shof515]

Hey all, yep they are indeed cracking down on smuggling. we went on the facination on Oct 25, sent our luggage with the porters. Yes it was locked as always. had one suitcase with bottled water and sodas, the ither I had 2 bottles of wine and a small bottle of VO GOLD just like I have always done.

 

i thought soda, water and other drinks have to be carried on and not put in check luggage?

[BeccaBecca1713]

You should have just smuggled it in soda bottles. I didn't smuggle but passed 24 12-oz bottles (for me and DH) of soda thru the scanner in my carry-on cooler and they didn't even give it a second glance. I could've easily opened them, emptied, refill with booze and screw the cap back on.

[bguppies]

They are pulling any bags that scan with bottles of any kind inside.

 

They flagged our bag on the Fascination for having 3 eight packs of soda in a bag. (nothign else, just that)

They opened it and put a note inside that the bag had been opened and everything was ok. Have a great cruise.

Had the bag of sodas at our cabin by 2PM with the other bags.

 

Seems that any large bottles like mouthwash and shampoo are getting flagged and searched also.

 

Luckily my Wife came up with a bottle from her younger years, that they used to smuggle liquor into concerts/football games in high school/college.

Decent sized.

Doesn't need much of a rinscing.

Did not get a 2nd look from scanners on our last two cruises. (knocking on my wooden head as I type this.:D)

 

Gonna pack them again in less than two weeks on the Fascination again.

 

Bill

[paradoc1]

Thanks for the replies, it was kind of fun for all those past cruises but oh well. As to taking the sodas and water in a carry on I did see several cases yes cases of water being carried on the shoulders as well as 12 pack of cokes carried around on the lido. They did open a persons carry on at the x-ray machine and checked his sodas and found that one of the seals was broken and took it away from him and threw it away right in front of him and it truley was only coke ( no open containers at the check in point) when I did have to open my bags the guy looked very hard at the bottles to be sure that the seals were not tampered with and he did say that they were getting much more strict about bottles.

[nbsjcruiser]

I have a sure fire way of smuggling and it hasn't failed me yet. Its so obvious that it always works.

 

Note to Carnival - I'm not saying what that is either so there! :D

[elcuchio24]

Well, doesn't hurt to try. I used to just recap water bottles and fill them with gin, or fill an empty bottle of wine with gin and recork it. But BV is just to reasonable and easy, so BV is what I do now.

[Traveler353]

Hey all, yep they are indeed cracking down on smuggling. we went on the facination on Oct 25, sent our luggage with the porters. Yes it was locked as always. had one suitcase with bottled water and sodas, the ither I had 2 bottles of wine and a small bottle of VO GOLD just like I have always done. After we were allowed to go to our rooms there were 2 letters on the bed telling me to go to the naughty room, that is the first time after all the cruises that I had to go to the naughty room. When I did find it I was one of at least 50 people standing in line and we were not all young partiers or such, most of us had wine or soft drinks and of course some other stuff. I did see them take a large bottle of wine from the guy in front of me and he argued that it was the allowed amount but all in 1 bottle, they didn't buy it and kept it, they did find my VO and kept it till the end of the cruise and I had to go to guest services to get it back as well as most of new friends. while it was a little demeaning it was not that bad. As for all the people that are going to flame me well go ahead but I will be ordering the booze from the bon voyage dept again next time because if I do this again my wife said the will beat me. Other than that it was a great cruise and we will go again soon

 

Sounds like you knew the rules before hand and decided to test the system. You took your chances and lost. Better luck next time.:D

[pjspin]

What if your large bottle of mouthwash really does contain mouthwash, and what if your large bottles of shampoo/creme rinse really contain shampoo/creme rinse? They better give it back! :mad:

 

As per instructions, we packed our allowable soda and wine in a carry-on.

[jaxxx321]

would a bottle of grey goose pass on my carry on?

[jaxxx321]

sorry for the dumb question but can someone show me the link to the rules of taking wine or soda on board

[shof515]

sorry for the dumb question but can someone show me the link to the rules of taking wine or soda on board

 

here:

Guests are prohibited from bringing alcoholic beverages on board. However, at the beginning of the cruise during embarkation day, guests (21 years of age and older) may bring on board one bottle (750ml) of wine or champagne, per person, only in their carry-on luggage. A $10 corkage fee per bottle will be charged should you wish to consume this wine in the main dining room; $14 corkage fee per bottle in the steakhouse. (A corkage fee is a charge exacted at a restaurant for every bottle of liquor served that was not bought on the premises)

 

On embarkation day, guests may bring a small quantity (package of 12 per person) of non-alcoholic beverages onboard, only in their carry-on luggage.

 

All alcohol/hard liquor/beer (sealed, unopened bottles/cans), wine/champagne over the allowable 1-bottle per guest (sealed, unopened bottles) or excessive quantities of non-alcoholic beverages (over 12 per person, sealed, unopened bottles/cans) will be confiscated and stored for safekeeping until the end of the voyage. The retained item(s) will be delivered to the guest’s stateroom on the last night of the cruise. Unsealed liquids that are prohibited will be discarded, as well as any unclaimed items left after the voyage, and no compensation will be given in either case.

http://www.carnival.com/cms/faq/default.aspx?icid=CC_Header_442

[Hottiesatsea]

Thanks for letting us know. This is great info as we leave next Saturday the 13th on the Fascination from Jacksonville. I am now wondering if I am wasting my time on buying rum runners or if I should just suck it up and buy a $40 bottle of Skye Vodka from Bon Voyage and just forget about it.

 

I guess I answered my own question typing this...By time I pay for the rum runners and a bottle of vodka I will have spent over $40. No sense in taking a chance, I will just call tonight and order it.

[Wyattcruiser]

What if your large bottle of mouthwash really does contain mouthwash, and what if your large bottles of shampoo/creme rinse really contain shampoo/creme rinse? They better give it back! :mad:

 

As per instructions, we packed our allowable soda and wine in a carry-on.

 

This is a real question?

[GoofyDog]

Funny thing for everyone from my last cruise which we got off a couple days ago. My wife was in front of me by 2 people when going through security. She had 3 bottles of Champagne in her carry-on luggage alone. They didn't question her at all. Now I suspect that all 3 of us could have brought 3 bottles a piece and not been questioned!

[papilliontraveler]

 

I guess I answered my own question typing this...By time I pay for the rum runners and a bottle of vodka I will have spent over $40. No sense in taking a chance, I will just call tonight and order it.

 

Exactly. If you are only going to drink 1-2 bottles, it makes no sense not to buy from BV. If you are drinking more than that, I can see trying to "get" it onto the ship then.

[pjspin]

This is a real question?

 

Yeah, and a comment. I don't want to be annoyed with standing in a line 50 cruisers long on embarkment day just to retrieve my bottles of REAL shampoo/creme rinse and mouthwash.

 

Are the bag checkers smart enough to open the bottles, take a sniff of what's inside, conclude you are not smuggling, and then put the bag in the area to be brought to the proper cabin? Or do I need to have a separate carry on for anything in a bottle (large or small bottles) at this point at JAX?