Bringing water/soda onboard

[lindi52]

This is my first cruise with NCL.  Can you bring water or soda onboard?

[baystone]

no

[GUT2407]

Some exceptions re water, mainly for medical reasons, I’ve been told can’t even take an half drunk Soda on, youbhave to finish it or toss it.

[don't-use-real-name]

NOPE nada nil zilch ZERO coke - - -

 

You can bring on EMPTY water bottles to fill on the ship with "UGH" ships water - Oh it isn't that bad and it

doesn't cost extra like the beverage packages.

You can purchase water in various packages just like you would in a convenience store

as for the soft drinks there is a Soda Package

There is also a beer package - a wine package - and the ultimate liquor package includes everything except specialty coffee !

 

At the origin port you will not get past security - at ports of call you will not be permitted to bring it on board.

 

Water weighs in at about 8 pounds per gallon - you just might be able to smuggle it in under some physical fitness

program - NAH - nice try - seriously you are not the first or will be the last to pose this question issue.

 

Don't get dehydrated over it !  LOL !

[newmexicoNita]

I swear, this question is asked at least once every couple of weeks. The answer is absolutely NO unless there is doctors order, in writing, starting one must have a certain type of water.even then it might not work. Soda"NEVER!!!!! Our granddaughter went through this with RCI a few months ago. The only thing she drinks except water is DR. Pepper. She can almost not function without it. RCI has the same policy: Luckily they had a soda machine inside the terminal where you could purchase a few kinds of soda, other than what they offered on the ship. she said she paid ore than if it had been booze but she was able to get her fix at least. I know this sounds silly and it cracks the family up, but it made her cruise a better one. Her hubby is't quite a picky about what he drinks. 

[lindi52]

Thank you everyone for your quick responses.  

[1025cruise]

2 hours ago, newmexicoNita said:

I swear, this question is asked at least once every couple of weeks. The answer is absolutely NO unless there is doctors order, in writing, starting one must have a certain type of water.even then it might not work. Soda"NEVER!!!!! Our granddaughter went through this with RCI a few months ago. The only thing she drinks except water is DR. Pepper. She can almost not function without it. RCI has the same policy: Luckily they had a soda machine inside the terminal where you could purchase a few kinds of soda, other than what they offered on the ship. she said she paid ore than if it had been booze but she was able to get her fix at least. I know this sounds silly and it cracks the family up, but it made her cruise a better one. Her hubby is't quite a picky about what he drinks. 

It has been reported that at ports with soda machines, NCL sometimes does a secondary inspection to look for "contraband". 

 

I'm surprised you had an issue with RCI, they do allow a limited number of sodas to be brought on board.

[newmexicoNita]

4 minutes ago, 1025cruise said:

It has been reported that at ports with soda machines, NCL sometimes does a secondary inspection to look for "contraband". 

 

I'm surprised you had an issue with RCI, they do allow a limited number of sodas to be brought on board.

I didn't have the problem my grand daughter did. Believe me, she did check it out and the response was: NOPE, no soda can be brought on. I don't know how long ago you sailed them, but all I can say, is: she couldn't. It was really worrying her for weeks before the sailing. She drinks her soda to get the caffine (spelling) She had pretty much decided she would have to drink coffee on the cruise which she doesn't even like. 

[ziggyuk]

I was told you could not even bring a bottle of water back to the ships at port and would need to pour it away.

On the Jewel on every port visit we were both able to bring a partial drunk bottle of water back on board without question.

[PTC DAWG]

The Dr. Pepper thing is funny and sad all at the same time.  

[casofilia]

I was told you could not even bring a bottle of water back to the ships at port and would need to pour it away.

On the Jewel on every port visit we were both able to bring a partial drunk bottle of water back on board without question.

 

You were very lucky then.  I have seen people lose their bottles on reboarding after a port excursion on many occasions.  We always pour out any water left as we lost a bottle on one occasion.

[ziggyuk]

10 minutes ago, casofilia said:

I was told you could not even bring a bottle of water back to the ships at port and would need to pour it away.

On the Jewel on every port visit we were both able to bring a partial drunk bottle of water back on board without question.

 

You were very lucky then.  I have seen people lose their bottles on reboarding after a port excursion on many occasions.  We always pour out any water left as we lost a bottle on one occasion.

 

Odd, It was 2 of us at 5 ports and at one port they asked me to open my bag after scanning and the bottle was right on top, they waved me through.

I topped the bottle up each day from the large all inclusive 1L bottles in the cabin and took the same bottle every day.

Edited November 30, 2018 by ziggyuk

[JoeTec]

We were on the Jade in Oct out of Miami.  We got to the port at 230 & all the workers were rushing us along (had to be on board by 3) after security when we checked in at the counter & was just about to board - I turned around & there was the most gorgeous coke machine! I asked the lady at the counter if I could go buy one & she said if I hurried.  I bought 4 threw them in my beach bag I was carrying & went right on board.

[rtkenmore]

7 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

It has been reported that at ports with soda machines, NCL sometimes does a secondary inspection to look for "contraband". 

 

I'm surprised you had an issue with RCI, they do allow a limited number of sodas to be brought on board.

 

In Miami and NOLA at least, this is not true.  There were little shopping kiosks after check-in and security where you could buy knick knacks, soda, water, lanyards, etc.  Those were all completely fair game for taking on board but be prepared to pay dearly for them...  I think I recall a 20oz bottle being something like $3 or $4 bucks.

[BirdTravels]

9 hours ago, newmexicoNita said:

I swear, this question is asked at least once every couple of weeks. The answer is absolutely NO unless there is doctors order, in writing, starting one must have a certain type of water.even then it might not work. Soda"NEVER!!!!! Our granddaughter went through this with RCI a few months ago. The only thing she drinks except water is DR. Pepper. She can almost not function without it. RCI has the same policy: Luckily they had a soda machine inside the terminal where you could purchase a few kinds of soda, other than what they offered on the ship. she said she paid ore than if it had been booze but she was able to get her fix at least. I know this sounds silly and it cracks the family up, but it made her cruise a better one. Her hubby is't quite a picky about what he drinks. 

RCI policy never use to be enforced. Earlier this year, you could check a case with the porters (even though the written policy was no). 

 

About two months ago, RCI updated the policy so that you can bring on a dozen bottles of water or soda. We carried water onboard the Symphony last month without any problems. 

[newmexicoNita]

19 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

The Dr. Pepper thing is funny and sad all at the same time.  

I agree but she is the granddaughter that only eats chicken breast, no other part of the chicken, hate beef in any way but lovers hamburgers. Guess she thinks the beef has been removed. I could go on and on. Her hubby is as picky but likes opposite things than her and then there is their 3 daughters. . 

[newmexicoNita]

14 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

RCI policy never use to be enforced. Earlier this year, you could check a case with the porters (even though the written policy was no). 

 

About two months ago, RCI updated the policy so that you can bring on a dozen bottles of water or soda. We carried water onboard the Symphony last month without any problems. 

ok, this must have happened just before the policy was changed. I am guessing they went on their cruise about 4 or 5 months ago, toward the end of the school year last year. I don't remember exactly. Thanks, I will let her know, but she  is more likely to go back to cruising NCL anyway. 

[aceparty]

I remember when people would put a luggage tag on a case of water and they would take it right to your cabin.

[SAmome]

I was thinking I'd bring reusable insulated cups to just fill (using clean small ncl cup) but then realized my collection is mainly RCCL mugs and that would be tacky 😜

[Two Wheels Only]

45 minutes ago, SAmome said:

I was thinking I'd bring reusable insulated cups to just fill (using clean small ncl cup) but then realized my collection is mainly RCCL mugs and that would be tacky 😜

 

Nah, nothing tacky about that at all. Maybe it will get the staff to treat you better because they know that if the service isn't great, you'll go back to RCCL.

[BirdTravels]

3 hours ago, SAmome said:

I was thinking I'd bring reusable insulated cups to just fill (using clean small ncl cup) but then realized my collection is mainly RCCL mugs and that would be tacky 😜

Not tacky at all. The RCCL RFID cups are much nicer that the NCL stuff. 

[Chelsea1]

What is the issue that NCL has with water?

I completely understand limits on bringing wine/ hard alcohol completely, but water, or a half drunk bottle of water in port?

We just finished a Holland America Asia cruise, with strict limits on bringing alcohol on board, but unlimited water could be carried on and Evian included in the drinks package and available as a package to pre-purchase. Same on Princess and Celebrity.  Cunard – mineral water unlimited to bring on board.

NCL does not even seem to offer a proper mineral water package, only Aquafina and Dasani.

[NLH Arizona]

40 minutes ago, Chelsea1 said:

What is the issue that NCL has with water?

I completely understand limits on bringing wine/ hard alcohol completely, but water, or a half drunk bottle of water in port?

We just finished a Holland America Asia cruise, with strict limits on bringing alcohol on board, but unlimited water could be carried on and Evian included in the drinks package and available as a package to pre-purchase. Same on Princess and Celebrity.  Cunard – mineral water unlimited to bring on board.

NCL does not even seem to offer a proper mineral water package, only Aquafina and Dasani.

Because folks are known to smuggle alcohol onto the ship and it can be in a half drunk bottle of water or full bottle.

[Sauer-kraut]

Because Norwegian isn't Holland America, their ships-their rules.

[GUT2407]

1 hour ago, Chelsea1 said:

What is the issue that NCL has with water?

I completely understand limits on bringing wine/ hard alcohol completely, but water, or a half drunk bottle of water in port?

We just finished a Holland America Asia cruise, with strict limits on bringing alcohol on board, but unlimited water could be carried on and Evian included in the drinks package and available as a package to pre-purchase. Same on Princess and Celebrity.  Cunard – mineral water unlimited to bring on board.

NCL does not even seem to offer a proper mineral water package, only Aquafina and Dasani.

You can thank the booze smugglers