Soda in airline checked luggage???

[John Reid]

I'll be flying into FLL for a Liberty cruise out of Miami. I have no choice but to fly same day as departure. I will have plenty of time to take a shuttle to Miami Cruise Port, but being dropped off there, I won't have a chance to pick up soda. It isn't so much a cost thing, I just need to have decaffeinated soda (caffeine free Diet Coke). Other than HAL, I've never seen it available on any ship.

 

Have any of you ever packed soda padded in checked luggage? Do airlines allow it?

 

Thanks for any insights.

[irishnyc]

I would not do it. Take a cab instead of a shuttle and have them stop on the way to pick up your soda.

[Kingisacruiser]

I have checked a suitcase full of soda and water. I had plans to buy it the night before when we drove into Miami after landing in Ft. Lauderdale. My plans changed when my flight was canceled and I was forced to fly in the morning of. I left the airport, went to BJs, pulled out and extra suitcase and packed cans of soda and bottled water into the suitcase.

 

It arrived safely, nothing broke or leaked. I didn't take any special precautions either with the suitcase. The suitcase wasn't a hard sided suitcase either.

 

However, the suitcase with the drinks became my carryon onto the ship.

 

I would do it again if necessary. You should be fine. Enjoy!

[shopril]

Carnival Ships do have Caffeine Free Diet Coke. I know because that is all I drink as well.

[somesong12]

You can buy caffeine free diet coke and maybe regular caffeine free coke from bon voyage!

[firefly333]

You could not pay me to do that. I once flew with coffee in a bag from Hawaii and it exploded all over my clothes.. what a mess to wash out.

 

If a bag of coffee can explode, so can soda.

 

I learned my lesson the hard way.

[WishIwasOutThereNOW]

I put 2 12 packs cans in my checked bags from atl to ft Lauderdale and had no problems.

[cruise_girl2002]

you can and it is allowed, however, I wouldn't do it. have you seen how some baggage handlers handle luggage? take a cab, and make a quick walgreens-cvs stop. in and out

[gymmonkeymomma]

I would not take a chance with soda in checked luggage. Right outside the Carnival terminal in Miami there are food trucks and vending machines.

[John Reid]

Thanks for the insights everyone.

Good to know it is available through Bon Voyage!

[VAGentleman05]

I'm a Diet Mountain Dew fan who travels internationally quite a lot for my job, and I just about always take a case of plastic soda bottles in my checked luggage. I've never had any of the problems others in this thread are describing, but for a cruise I typically just make a stop somewhere near the departing port, since that's so much easier.

[beachbum53]

I would not take a chance with soda in checked luggage. Right outside the Carnival terminal in Miami there are food trucks and vending machines.

 

There is? Where? How much are the sodas?

[morganboys]

do you have a small suit case with wheels on it? if so you could carry it on if the airline would let you.

[irishnyc]

do you have a small suit case with wheels on it? if so you could carry it on if the airline would let you.

 

You cannot carry that much liquid on, per TSA rules.

[beachbum53]

I'll be flying into FLL for a Liberty cruise out of Miami. I have no choice but to fly same day as departure. I will have plenty of time to take a shuttle to Miami Cruise Port, but being dropped off there, I won't have a chance to pick up soda. It isn't so much a cost thing, I just need to have decaffeinated soda (caffeine free Diet Coke). Other than HAL, I've never seen it available on any ship.

 

Have any of you ever packed soda padded in checked luggage? Do airlines allow it?

 

Thanks for any insights.

 

Those that say don't do it have probably never tried it. Here's what I do. First, I buy my sodas in the disposable bottles, NOT cans. Second, I put the bottles in large, heavy duty zip lock bags. Three or four will fit in one bag. Although I've never had one leak, I double the zip lock bags just in case. Then I pack them in my checked luggage, cushioned between some layers of clothing. Once we get to the airport and claim our luggage, I transfer the sodas to my carry on bag. I've used this method for many years and never had any problems (and we use soft-sided luggage). The plastic disposable bottles are more durable and less likely to get damaged than cans. In addition, I have a small soft sided cooler (12x12x12) that collapses flat that I take along. Once we get to our cabin, I take one of the zip lock bags and get ice from the Lido deck. I leave the ice in the zip lock bag and put it in the cooler with some sodas. As the ice melts, most of it will be contained in the zip lock bag, so there will be less in the cooler. :)

[Star1]

Three of us cruise every year. We bring packed in one checked suite case ---- 1 bottle of wine each, 12 sodas each, 12 bottle waters each . I pack the wine in a soft case cooler pack to take cold drinks to port. We bubble wrap each bottle. The water bottles go on the outside rim of the suitcase. We also put the can sodas with some bubble pack too. When we get to the ship we keep one bottle of wine, six waters and six sodas in the suitcase. I have two fabric carry bags(type you use at the grocery store) each get 1 bottle of wine, soda and water just to pass the security. Right after we move to the side and replace them into suitcase. I have never lost a bottle of anything. Remember you can buy drinks in port and bring onto the ship, Pack your wine the best you can- that can not be bought onto the ship later. Smuggling is another thread. To return home we place the suite case into another suite case. The cost for us is $25 for the cost to send our 50 LBS of drinks.

Good luck and

Relax and Enjoy life.

[combatboots2jimmychoos]

Instead of paying an airline possible added money for soda and risking ruining your clothes, perhaps just ask one of the roll call members to pick you up some soda and buy them a DOD for their troubles.

[LibratPDX]

I like beachbum's idea of getting the bottled sodas, but I have packed canned soda several times without any problems. I also believe in thoroughly wrapping them in case of bursting cans, who wants to do laundry the first day of the cruise?

 

I also use large ziplocks for my clothing, makes it easier for TSA to repack if they end up pulling your suitcase for screening.

[Archie796]

We have not taken cans but we did take it in the plastic bottles and never had any problem with leakage or anything else. we have brought olive oil and wines back from Europe as well with no problem.

 

The cargo compartment is pressurized so it is no different than flying with it in the cabin. (which the airlines does not allow anymore)

 

I felt safer with bottles than cans though, we never tried cans

[beachbum53]

Instead of paying an airline possible added money for soda and risking ruining your clothes, perhaps just ask one of the roll call members to pick you up some soda and buy them a DOD for their troubles.

 

As long as the bag doesn't weigh over 50 lbs., you don't have to pay extra. We use a luggage scale, and our bags (even the one with sodas in it) weigh less than 50 lbs. each (usually around 45 -47 lbs.). I wouldn't ask a roll call member to pick up sodas for me. First of all, I wouldn't want to put that extra burden on someone that doesn't know me personally, and secondly, it could be a big hassle trying to make arrangements to meet up. What if we don't arrive at approximately the same time, or what if the r.c. member just decides "To heck with it! I don't know this guy. Let him get his own sodas!"?

[gymmonkeymomma]

There is? Where? How much are the sodas?

 

I don't remember how much but the machines were definitely less than $2 so less than what you would pay on the ship!

[craftykitty]

do you have a small suit case with wheels on it? if so you could carry it on if the airline would let you.

 

The Airport Security (hasn't anything to do with the airline) will not let you carry on liquids over 3 oz. In New Orleans I had to go back through the lines and check the bag with Sierra Mist in it.

[gymmonkeymomma]

The Airport Security (hasn't anything to do with the airline) will not let you carry on liquids over 3 oz. In New Orleans I had to go back through the lines and check the bag with Sierra Mist in it.

 

Unless you buy the drinks at the gate (after going thru security) :D

[craftykitty]

Unless you buy the drinks at the gate (after going thru security) :D

 

I have not found a place to purchase a 12/24 case of soda after the security check. If I was going to purchase them loose and bring them that way, it would likely be cheaper to purchase on board.

[spunkyhungry]

Or you could just not drink soda on board. There are plenty of other drinks. Do you have to have soda for one week?