Alcohol onboard questions, comments, etc. (merged)

[vlnovak]

I asked the lady who ran the store if we were allowed to carrry this liquor on the ship in san juan. She said yes but you have to put it in a bag or carry on. Yes it went through the scanner so I think the rule there is, if you are boarding the ship, you can carry on what ever you want including pop, but once you land in the ports you may not bring any liquor on. I am not sure of the pops. They did take my wine in Florence and also my liquor in St thomas but that was fine as I was going to drink the wine with dinner. They did not charge me the corkage. I did have to go to guest services and have it sent to the table. The only reason we like to take it on is to have a drink in our room as we are sailing away or a party on the baclony and to sluff a glass of wine or two from the bar to your room is a pain in the glass. Also I have seen many people who were well !!! over the limit and not cut off at a bar. They just keep bringing more and also really try to push drinks on you around the pool and show area. This is were the problem starts.

[kristen1206]

Do they do a thorough check of each bag or just a crsory spot check?

[Welshman & Yorkshire l]

Hi

 

We are on the Navigator on Saturday the 25th Nov and have a drinks inclusive package !

 

It was a TA group booking but I have not worked out what we paid for it, it did not seem that much.

 

The list of drinks available is pretty comprehensive and includes wine by the glass in all lounges and dining room, beers and lagers, domestic and imported, spirits both local and premium brands and it also includes all sodas and juices.

 

Only 3 days to go!!!

 

Phil

[billh65]

Do they do a thorough check of each bag or just a crsory spot check?

The bags are scanned just like at the airport. So carryon bags need to fit about the same size as you'd see at an airport. They are looking for the harmful stuff, I would thin on the scanner, not the six pack of diet cokes.

[Croozin Soozin]

Carryon bags go through an xray machine - similar to the airport screening.

[mrsfuzzmo]

I say if you want to do it, do it. You may get caught you may not. If you do, all you get is the liquor taken away. We have done it on some cruises and others we just didn't bother. This cruise (in 4 days!!!) we are having a gift basket sent to the cabin with a bottle of whiskey and and bottle of vodka and some cheese/sausage/crackers and a couple of 6 packs of soda for mixers. We will have our cocktails in our room while getting ready for dinner. While out wandering around, we buy from the bars. Works fine for us and I don't feel a bit guilty about it. Especially when we have a $1000 bar bill at the end of a cruise. I can tell you, the ship made a whole lot more money on us, than it did on the people who don't drink, and yes, God forbid.....we carried some on!

[cb at sea]

Checked bags may do through some kind of detector, but if you lock them, they won't be opened. Carry-ons are x-rayed. They're looking for guns, explosives, etc.... It's not like the airport where you're not allowed to have certain items while on the airplane! TSA does NOT cover cruises!

[cb at sea]

If they do catch you, they will simply confiscate the contraband item! If you want to bring it, put it in your checked luggage and lock it. They don't open locked, checked bags.

[FitzLA]

If they do catch you, they will simply confiscate the contraband item! If you want to bring it, put it in your checked luggage and lock it. They don't open locked, checked bags.

 

I would just try to hide a bottle and not put it in water bottles. That is what pisses them off. If you have it in a regular bottle, you can just say you didn't know. If you have it in a water bottle, you can't say that. And then they COULD not let you board. They probably wouldn't go that far, but they could.

[Treven]

As I responded to a similar post, on my recent Serenade of the Seas sailing, upon boarding in San Diego, our carry-on bags were not checked. However, at each port when we got back on the ship, everything had to go through the ship's x-ray machine, including my digital camera carried by it's strap around my neck (no camea bag). Those bags which had something suspicious looking were opened by the ship's crewmember(s) looking for alcohol, and that was confiscated for the duration of the cruise.

[mikeblum]

OK i need help...i fully understnad the whole bit about buying it on board or buying it in port that RCCL holds it until the last day and then you pass thru customs with it...how about getting it home on the plane...with all of the new post 9-11 non sense about bringing liquids on the plane how do you get around this one...i have seen the way these airlines baggage handles toss bags from the plane to the luggage carrier and down to luggage claim...i think that every bottle would be broken and destroyed by the time it came around on the baggage carosel...CAN YOU BRING BOTTLEs OF BOOZE ON THE PLANE NOW...anyone out there recently just got off a cruise that has brought back bottles...how did you get them home... maybe i'm worring about nothing...reassure me...thanks

[FitzLA]

OK i need help...i fully understnad the whole bit about buying it on board or buying it in port that RCCL holds it until the last day and then you pass thru customs with it...how about getting it home on the plane...with all of the new post 9-11 non sense about bringing liquids on the plane how do you get around this one...i have seen the way these airlines baggage handles toss bags from the plane to the luggage carrier and down to luggage claim...i think that every bottle would be broken and destroyed by the time it came around on the baggage carosel...CAN YOU BRING BOTTLEs OF BOOZE ON THE PLANE NOW...anyone out there recently just got off a cruise that has brought back bottles...how did you get them home... maybe i'm worring about nothing...reassure me...thanks

 

No, you can not bring it on the plane. You will have to check it or maybe you can find a way to have it shipped home.

[mikeblum]

by the time your done paying for the shipping and possible taxes it really doesn't make it worth it to buy it in the islands anymore...

[wckdtrix]

OK i need help...i fully understnad the whole bit about buying it on board or buying it in port that RCCL holds it until the last day and then you pass thru customs with it...how about getting it home on the plane...with all of the new post 9-11 non sense about bringing liquids on the plane how do you get around this one...i have seen the way these airlines baggage handles toss bags from the plane to the luggage carrier and down to luggage claim...i think that every bottle would be broken and destroyed by the time it came around on the baggage carosel...CAN YOU BRING BOTTLEs OF BOOZE ON THE PLANE NOW...anyone out there recently just got off a cruise that has brought back bottles...how did you get them home... maybe i'm worring about nothing...reassure me...thanks

 

We put each bottle we bought in a 2 gallon size baggy, then wrapped each bottle individually in our dirty clothes, and packed it in the center of our luggage as best we could, with more dirty clothes "cushion" around it. Everything made it from back home no problem. We were relieved. :D

[mrsfuzzmo]

NO, you cannot take it on a plane with you unless it is in your checked luggage. It's just the requirements now and we all have to live by them. As far as shipping, I do not believe you can ship alcoholic beverages to some states. I know we cannot ship wine to WI. Not sure why if it has to do with taxes, laws or actually shipping an ORMD liquid.

[RonneyKay]

Put it in your checked luggage. You should be fine. It just qualifies as another "liquid" it doesnt matter what the liquid is (shampoo, mouthwash, liquor, etc), you need to check anything more than 3 oz.

:) hope that helps!

[AMR40509]

Yeap, checked bags.

 

We just went out to Napa/Sonoma and brought back a few cases of wine, just didn't buy anything REALLY good because we knew it would be abused, and checked it through.

[Puffinater]

We put each bottle we bought in a 2 gallon size baggy, then wrapped each bottle individually in our dirty clothes, and packed it in the center of our luggage as best we could, with more dirty clothes "cushion" around it. Everything made it from back home no problem. We were relieved. :D

 

We have done this several times minus the baggy and have not had any problems. The baggy is an excellent idea just in case there happens to be some breakage.

[mikeblum]

Thanks for the help...i guess we need 2 gallon freezer bags...so bubble wrap and lot's of dirty clothes that week on the adventure...hopefully continental airlines won't shot put the luggage...

[yogimax]

A friend of ours tried the strategy of checked luggage - dirty clothes, etc.

 

End of story - bottles broke, clothes ruined.

[dodygirl]

you can actually get "beer baskets" delivered to your ship as well... I have done that for our cruise this weekend for a "surprise" for my hubby...... it not only works out to be half the price as ordering the beer on the ship.. but you can get any kind you want. Not a bad deal.

[Welshlady]

How do you go about arranging a beerbasket?? Is that something from RCI? Sounds like a good idea!

[dodygirl]

I called Shelley from the "just for you" basket company that a few people have posted. They do all sorts of baskets and I called to see if they did a beer basket. She said they do a 12 bottle or 24 can beer basket, dress it all up etc. and deliver to the ship along with the regular wine, liquor, flower and food baskets. When worked out it is about 2 bucks a beer. They pay the ship a handling fee to bring the baskets on and incl that in the cost along with the sales tax. Not bad if you ask me. So all I will do now is take a few of my hubby's beer up to the deck and use our pop card to get some gingerale and make shandy's. I am excited. :D saves a little bit of dosh!

[Welshlady]

Where do you get those from?? They souind like a good idea!

[kenf333]

On my last cruise a case some how found its way into my suite case!!!!:D