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Purchasing Alcohol at Port and bringing on ship

rissawey2015

By rissawey2015,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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rissawey2015

rissawey2015

Posted
Posted

I'm not a drinker so I've never bought alcohol at ports in past cruises. But, my brother in law wants me to pick up some sort of alcohol he really likes. What is the process of bringing it on board from port? (Montego Bay) and is there anything I need to do special? We are on a 7 day cruise out of Galveston in April. I understand at some point when you get back on the ship they take it and give it back the night you leave. Just looking for additional info!

 

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bury me at sea

bury me at sea

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Posted

On the Breeze out of Galveston you will turn it in upon getting back on board at the port. It will be returned to you the last evening of your cruise.

 

I have read some ships have a pick up area the morning of debarkation but don't have any personal knowledge of this.

 

You may be given a customs form, and may have to pay duty if you are bringing in over the limit per person.

 

In Galveston you will also be asked to declare it to state officials and to pay the Texas state sales tax.

 

I haven't bought liquor in ports for several years, so I hope if this information is outdated someone else will jump in with corrections or clarification.

 

Happy sailing.

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Rh2458

Rh2458

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Posted (edited)
On the Breeze out of Galveston you will turn it in upon getting back on board at the port. It will be returned to you the last evening of your cruise.

 

I have read some ships have a pick up area the morning of debarkation but don't have any personal knowledge of this. Shorter cruises you have to pick it up that morning. Per Carnival: Ports of Call

All alcohol purchased in ports will be stored for safekeeping until the end of the voyage. The retained items will be available for collection in a designated lounge on the morning of debarkation for cruise durations 5 days and less; for cruise durations 6 days and more, alcohol will be delivered to guest staterooms after 7:00pm, the evening prior to debarkation (some exceptions may apply).

 

You may be given a customs form, and may have to pay duty if you are bringing in over the limit per person.

 

In Galveston you will also be asked to declare it to state officials and to pay the Texas state sales tax.

 

I haven't bought liquor in ports for several years, so I hope if this information is outdated someone else will jump in with corrections or clarification.

 

Happy sailing.

Response in red

Edited by Rh2458
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Djptcp

Djptcp

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Posted

On our Carnival Paradise cruise in November, DH bought several bottles of liquor in the ship's store and he had to pick them up in the shop very early on the morning we left the ship. Other times, they have been left in our cabin on the last night. By the way, when we went through customs in Tampa and the agent asked if we had brought back any liquor, DH told him 4 bottles. The agent smiled and said we were over the limit, but let us through. We were ready to pay the fee, but weren't asked to.

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Rh2458

Rh2458

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On our Carnival Paradise cruise in November, DH bought several bottles of liquor in the ship's store and he had to pick them up in the shop very early on the morning we left the ship. Other times, they have been left in our cabin on the last night. By the way, when we went through customs in Tampa and the agent asked if we had brought back any liquor, DH told him 4 bottles. The agent smiled and said we were over the limit, but let us through. We were ready to pay the fee, but weren't asked to.

For a while there everyone had to pick it up the last morning, now it depends on the length of the cruise. Earlier in this thread I posted specifics on which cruises require pick up and which have drop off.

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  • 2 months later...
ChanceandAndy

ChanceandAndy

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Could someone please let me know why you can pre-order a bottle of liquor and have it delivered to your room for enjoyment on the cruise but you can't go to the shop onboard and buy a bottle of liquor to drink on your cruise? Why is this? If you buy it in the ship's shop, they keep it until you disembark.

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Pyrate13

Pyrate13

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Could someone please let me know why you can pre-order a bottle of liquor and have it delivered to your room for enjoyment on the cruise but you can't go to the shop onboard and buy a bottle of liquor to drink on your cruise? Why is this? If you buy it in the ship's shop, they keep it until you disembark.

 

The shops on board are duty free or similar, and are much cheaper. You can order a bottle for the cabin from Room Service but you will pay the premium price (same as on line) plus 15% gratuity (if you pre-order on line they call it a delivery charge).

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Retired_to_Cruise

Retired_to_Cruise

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they will give it back to you the day you leave or the morning that you leave. but besides that... there is nothing else you have to worry about unless the bottle is so expensive that you need to declare it.

 

I believe that in Galveston, state authorities can stop you in the terminal when you come back and charge you state taxes on the alcohol you bring back in. This is the same group that makes the ships buy any alcohol they serve on the ship while in Texas territory from Texas Distributors and have the Texas tax stamp on the bottles. That is why you cannot buy Cheers on the first day and why the alcohol selection is limited until you get out of Texas waters.

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jwjax

jwjax

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Purchased a bottle of rum in San Juan and sent it through the scanner in my backpack where I was carrying it. They never said anything so neither did I.

 

Unless things have changed in SJ, at the terminal there is a liquor store inside.

 

I don't think they checked our carry on luggage except for metal prior to boarding.

We had 2 bottles of rum we purchased at the store prior to boarding in our carry on bags. :confused:

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ParrotRob

ParrotRob

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Like everywhere in the Caribbean, Stoli is maybe $12

 

If you say so. I have a friend that o/o a bar in Jamaica (where they actually have a local Skyy bottling facility) who pays about $2,000 Jamaican (about $16 US) for WHOLESALE.

 

Stoli, $4400, almost $35.

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jwjax

jwjax

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SJ is not the best or cheapest place to buy booze

 

I am pretty sure no one mentioned SJ pricing? For that matter, now a days, NO Cruise Port has discounted prices. (except maybe St.Thomas...the big liquor outlet across from the docks)

 

When I traveled to St. Thomas in the '80s for work. I remember getting rum there for $2 for a 750ml bottle. Fast forward, to 2018...that same bottle in St. Thomas is now, at least $16-18.

 

Cheap liquor at a cruise port.....:) let me know when you find it??:confused::confused:

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ParrotRob

ParrotRob

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I am pretty sure no one mentioned SJ pricing? For that matter, now a days, NO Cruise Port has discounted prices. (except maybe St.Thomas...the big liquor outlet across from the docks)

 

When I traveled to St. Thomas in the '80s for work. I remember getting rum there for $2 a for a 750ml bottle. Fast forward, to 2018...that same bottle in St. Thomas is now, at least $16-18.

 

Cheap liquor at a cruise port.....:) let me know when you find it??:confused::confused:

 

Ask coevan. He's getting $9 Skyy all over the Caribbean.

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ParrotRob

ParrotRob

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Hmmm.... I must be buying the 1.75s for $16-18 here, not the 750.... Just checking to see if anyone is actually reading this thread??:):)

 

Not sure where you live, but the 1.75 is about $18-19 in Maryland, so that sounds about right.

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