Storage of outside alcohol

[Gig103]

Hello,

I'm familiar with the idea of, if I make a purchase of alcohol in a port of call (or Ulu knives in Alaska), that security will confiscate it and return it on the last evening. Is the same true if I bring sealed containers of alcohol at embarkation? There are some things I want to pick up in LA, but may not have time to stop after my cruise on the way from Long Beach back to LAX, but have time in the city prior to prior to boarding. I have the classic package, I don't want the bottles in my room, I just want to be able to shop in advance. Will this work?

[GastroGnome]

I can't see why not.  Have them in your carry on luggage and declare them to security on arrival.  (If you put them in your checked bags you might end up called to the naughty room to unpack).  Security take loads of stuff off folk on embarkation - irons etc  - I can't see why they can't store your alcohol for you!

 

[1025cruise]

My understanding is that alcohol confiscated during embarkation is poured down the drain.

[dcbiker97]

Yes. They will keep the alcohol for you and give it back before you debark.  I have done this before. 

[Belgian fry]

I had this very same question. What worries me is that alcohol is on the prohibited list and it says that those items will not be returned.

 

Does anyone have any actual stories, rather than theories?

[cruisestitch]

My experience is from a few years ago. I had a special bottle of alcohol I was bringing on a transatlantic to Europe to give to a friend there, something that wasn’t easy to find in his country. I wrapped it carefully in bubble wrap, made a label with my name and stateroom number on it, and when I got to the terminal I found an officer and explained what I wanted to do and put it in his care. He took care of it for me and I received it at my state room on the last night of the cruise.

[Brews'n'Cruise]

I've checked in a whole case of alcohol before in Fort Lauderdale as I'd bought bottles in America to bring back home on a Transatlantic. I got called to the naughty room, as I'd expected, and they just stored it and returned it at the end of the cruise.

 

Andy.

[Gig103]

Reporting back post-cruise. I arrived at the LA World Cruise Port and had my alcohol in my carry on. I mentioned it at check-in, because I didn't want anyone to think I was trying to break rules. Agent told me that security would handle it, so I passed my bag through and security didn't even blink. I was now on board with my bottles, but I had the classic package so they stayed sealed to fly home.

[mac66]

I was on 3 X cruises last year where they allowed booze from shore excursions to be brought on board without confiscation.  We had drink packages on 2. We openly carried it on board on all 3.

 

Just saying. 

[Jim_Iain]

Celebrity Cruises® guests are expected to be responsible for their actions at all times, including during transfers to and from ships, inside terminals, while onboard, at our ports of call, during shore excursions and at our private destinations. Consuming alcohol to excess impairs one's judgment and reduces one's ability to recognize and avoid potentially dangerous situations. Guests who choose to consume alcohol must do so responsibly. The ship's staff may refuse to serve alcoholic beverages to any guest who does not consume alcohol responsibly, including those who have purchased an all-inclusive beverage package. Ship's personnel may request verification of a guest's age to verify they are of age to consume alcohol pursuant to this policy. Any guest that violates this alcohol policy will be considered for disciplinary action pursuant to the "Consequences Section" of this Guest Conduct Policy, and may lose their privileges to use areas or facilities of the ship.

 

Guests are only permitted to bring alcohol onboard under the following circumstances

 

1.)  Embarkation day when each guest is permitted to bring onboard with them up to two (2) bottles of wine (which are subject to a corkage fee) per guest. A corkage fee does not apply to guests with the Classic Beverage Package or Premium Beverage Package. Security may inspect containers (including water bottles, soda bottles, mouthwash, canteens, etc.) at any time and will dispose of alcohol concealed in such container.

 

2.)  Alcoholic beverages that are purchased from onboard shops or in ports of call (which must be presented to security upon re-boarding), will be secured by ship's personnel. Alcohol secured by ship's personnel will be returned to guests just prior to the conclusion of their cruise vacation. 

 

[Belgian fry]

OK, so here is what happened with us, in case anyone else has the same question:

 

- We took on 4 bottles of wine (2 each) in our carry-ons. No problem with this.

- We put through the scanner, separately, the bottles of spirits we had bought to take home. Security reacted immediately to this. After an initially hostile reaction, we were taken over to a desk to have it "confiscated". The person who did the actual "confiscating" was absolutely fine and gave us a receipt for what she took from us - it was obviously a standard procedure. Departure paperwork indicated we would have to retrieve anything that had been confiscated in the terminal after leaving the ship. However, this wasn't the case. It was actually returned to us in our cabin on the last day of the sailing.

 

My advice is to just keep repeating to security "we bought this to take home after the cruise and want to hand it in"

[Mark_T]

The issue is with concealment, it is only if you attempt to smuggle it onboard in other containers that it will be destroyed.

 

Just declare it at security and it will be stored for you until the last night of the cruise.

Edited February 20, 2023 by Mark_T

[COREYATMN]

On 2/11/2023 at 3:34 PM, Jim_Iain said:

Celebrity Cruises® guests are expected to be responsible for their actions at all times, including during transfers to and from ships, inside terminals, while onboard, at our ports of call, during shore excursions and at our private destinations. Consuming alcohol to excess impairs one's judgment and reduces one's ability to recognize and avoid potentially dangerous situations. Guests who choose to consume alcohol must do so responsibly. The ship's staff may refuse to serve alcoholic beverages to any guest who does not consume alcohol responsibly, including those who have purchased an all-inclusive beverage package. Ship's personnel may request verification of a guest's age to verify they are of age to consume alcohol pursuant to this policy. Any guest that violates this alcohol policy will be considered for disciplinary action pursuant to the "Consequences Section" of this Guest Conduct Policy, and may lose their privileges to use areas or facilities of the ship.

 

Guests are only permitted to bring alcohol onboard under the following circumstances

 

1.)  Embarkation day when each guest is permitted to bring onboard with them up to two (2) bottles of wine (which are subject to a corkage fee) per guest. A corkage fee does not apply to guests with the Classic Beverage Package or Premium Beverage Package. Security may inspect containers (including water bottles, soda bottles, mouthwash, canteens, etc.) at any time and will dispose of alcohol concealed in such container.

 

2.)  Alcoholic beverages that are purchased from onboard shops or in ports of call (which must be presented to security upon re-boarding), will be secured by ship's personnel. Alcohol secured by ship's personnel will be returned to guests just prior to the conclusion of their cruise vacation. 

 

For the two allowed wine bottles per person:.  Do they need to be in your carry on, or is checked baggage ok?

[Belgian fry]

They need to be in your carry-on

[smtcan]

Has anyone experienced what happens on B2B?  Can we bring 4 bottles each and have 2 held for the second cruise?

[kayehall]

On 1/31/2023 at 9:07 AM, Belgian fry said:

I had this very same question. What worries me is that alcohol is on the prohibited list and it says that those items will not be returned.

 

Does anyone have any actual stories, rather than theories?

2018, RCCL from San Juan.  I was turning 60 on the cruise and someone bought me a bottle of vodka in San Juan.  The ship sails and no luggage in my cabin.  Next day I visited the concierge desk to find they are holding my luggage because of the vodka.  They took the bottle in exchange for my clothes...LOL.  I was able the retrieve it on just before getting off the ship.  60 years old and I was in the naughty room!!!  

[wadewood]

The cruise terminals are run by outside staff.  We visited San Diego for 3 days prior to cruise last year.  I purchased a 375ml bottle of whiskey by a local distillery.  I told security and they said no way allowed on board.  I wound up having to go outside and dump it out; wasn't going to give them free whiskey.  

But on other side on recent Solstice trip out of San Pedro, CA, the 4 bottles of wine in backpack (2 per person is allowed) was never even looked at.  It could have been 4 bottles of whiskey.

[wadewood]

16 minutes ago, smtcan said:

Has anyone experienced what happens on B2B?  Can we bring 4 bottles each and have 2 held for the second cruise?

I emailed Celebrity about that a few months back and was told yes, copy of response in photo. That said we didn't chance it.  Took 4 bottles on 1st week.  On second week of B2B we walked to local wine store and bought 4 more.

[smtcan]

6 hours ago, wadewood said:

I emailed Celebrity about that a few months back and was told yes, copy of response in photo. That said we didn't chance it.  Took 4 bottles on 1st week.  On second week of B2B we walked to local wine store and bought 4 more.

Thank you.

[M&M Hayden]

6 hours ago, smtcan said:

Has anyone experienced what happens on B2B?  Can we bring 4 bottles each and have 2 held for the second cruise?

We have taken 4 (or 6) bottles on board both Celebrity and RCL and explained that we were b2b (or b2b2b) without a problem.