Bringing home alcohol

[Chadrapp]

Is there a limit to how much alcohol you can bring home. I understand there is a duty fee for over your 2 bottle limit, but could I bring home a dozen bottles if I pay the fee. When and how do you pay the fee?

[chrisbd1]

It depends on where you go. The limit is 1 litre per person unless you come from St Thomas. The limit is 5 LITRES!!. Am going back to St Thomas in November.:D

[misterbuds]

On our last cruise we sailed out of Bayonne and had driven to the port, so we bought 6 bottles on the ship. When we went through customs, we had to pay the duty there. It was much. I think like $3 a bottle. They made my husband go off to the side to pay it. Not a big deal. Just tell them you have extra bottles. We didn't say anything at first, but the customs guy saw the boxes and said you know the duty free limit is one liter per person, we said yes and asked where do we pay the duty on the extra bottles. Didn't want to try hiding anything. You could put them in your suitcases and they probably won't open them, but then again you never know these days. Why chance them taking your extra liquor for a few dollars if they catch you in a lie. The prices were still better than in the states on the stuff we bought.

 

The other thing, if you're flying, all that liquor needs to go in a suitcase so that adds weight with today's airline restrictions. I'd be afraid to put a whole case under in cargo and then when you go to pick up your luggage at the carosel, the liquor isn't there!! :eek:

[paul929207]

The St. Thomas limit is 5 liters/person, but 4 of them must be distilled in the US Virgin Islands. Only 1 can come from other countries.

[KreinKrunker]

The St. Thomas limit is 5 liters/person, but 4 of them must be distilled in the US Virgin Islands. Only 1 can come from other countries.

 

This is incorrect! Check page 18 of "Know Before You Go", a publication from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It is the direct opposite, one liter must be a product of the Virgin Islands.

 

http://help.cbp.gov/cgi-bin/customs.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=190&p_created=1043364937&p_sid=C8N8VNNi&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPSZwX3NvcnRfYnk9JnBfZ3JpZHNvcnQ9JnBfcm93X2NudD01NzksNTc5JnBfcHJvZHM9JnBfY2F0cz0mcF9wdj1_YW55fiZwX2N2PX5hbnl_JnBfc2VhcmNoX3R5cGU9YW5zd2Vycy5zZWFyY2hfbmwmcF9wYWdlPTE*&p_li=&p_topview=1

[CrystalWater]

I've always taken off at least 4 ltrs, was honest and wrote it down on my customs slip, and no one has every asked me to pay the extra duty or questioned me. I just recently took 5 off a cruise in September. No problem.

[chasetf]

.....Didn't want to try hiding anything. You could put them in your suitcases and they probably won't open them, but then again you never know these days. Why chance them taking your extra liquor for a few dollars if they catch you in a lie.

I would advise anyone against trying to smuggle stuff, even a few bottles of booze, through customs. Declare it. My mother tried that trick some years ago to save the duty and got caught. The fines were tremendous and the search they put her through was not fun. Additionally she went of the "list" which mean she was earmarked for the rest of her life.