Smuggling Alcohol On Board

[niknik]

Bicker: That's true.

[DrD]

I tried to smuggle liquor on board last year, but I got caught. My court date is in 3 weeks, my lawyer tells me I'm VERY unlikely to get any jail time, but I'll almost certainly have to some community service. Most likely I'll have to clean out all the toilets on the grandeur before my next cruise (with a toothbrush.)

 

But seriously, in my opinion, if they say don't bring liquor on board, then I won't. That's just how I was raised.

 

Niknik, did you mean to post the info about the Costa Maya tour in our other thread?

[niknik]

DrD: yes. oops.

[EMc]

>>On other cruise lines, we've put a couple of of 12-packs of beer in a carry on piece of luggage. We simply wheeled it on with no questions. Would we be able to do this on RCCL??<<

 

Yes, you will. In fact, you won't need to hide it in any way...and IMO, it is the people that go out of their way to "smuggle" booze onboard that causes

RCCL and other cruiselines to limit (crack down) or, outright deny the right to bring booze. Bringing your own alcohol onboard should be limited to in cabin consumption, only. It IS tacky to bring your own booze that you expect to drink in any of the public areas. Say what you want, BUT, just as with a hotel stay, drinking in your room should be allowed....expecting to BYOB to the hotel bars or restaurants is just plain tacky. You should not expect to BYOB your booze on cruiseship bars or restaurants, either.

I used to wonder why the CL's would have to reserve this right..... well, the one and only time we used the cruiselines transfers at a cruiseline booked pre-cruise hotel stay, we found ourselves in line with many, many pax dragging HUGE (we're talking those large outside trash bags, usually green, but, shockingly, in this case they were totally clear, see-through bags) filled with, I kid you not, gallons and gallons of booze, not only that, some even had blenders AND the cruiseline logo glasses!! Not only that, they bragged about *beating* the CL and how they would take those glasses or maybe, if they had to, buying ONE high priced tropical drink in the official glass and runing back and forth to the cabin to refill them with their own booze!

Ugh, couldn't wait to get out of that line, couldn't wait to get away from those pax! Cheap, Cheap, Cheap! And, extremely tacky!

This subject has nothing to do with how much money one has....we are regular *blue collar* cruisers who save all year to cruise.. we are thrilled to be in such elegant surroundings with such fantastic service.. we wouldn't dream of demeaning that experience or insulting the the wait staff/bar staff.

We bring one bottle of booze and a twelve pack onboard, for in room consumption, only...last 2 cruises, bottle was not even finished..and DH didn't even bring beer, if he wanted beer for the room he, either, bought a bucket of beer or asked a bartender for some beers to go... your room steward will be happy to keep your ice bucket filled, and if you let him know, he will even provide a cooler filled with ice and your beer, whether bought on board or not.

Again, we have NEVER had to hide this. We have brought a reasonable (see above) amount right through at embarkation, in plain sight....

Use some tact and you won't have any problems, whatsoever.

 

Eileen

[xpcdoojk]

We generally only drink in the evening or at lunch on shore. We will have a bottle of champagne with our travelling friends in their room or ours before our late seating dinner. We never consume the wine anywhere, but in the cabins. We always buy wine from the cruiseline for dinner, and usually we may have a cocktail in a bar before entering the dining room.

 

However, I find it funny that someone who brings a 12 pack and a bottle can throw stones so freely. :D

 

jc

[Denese96]

Sounds like there is no set policy. I contacted 3 different agents at RCCI and received 3 different responses. The first said the surcharge was $20 per bottle of spirits and $12 corkage fee for wine you brought on board. I asked for that in writing...still waiting. The second said the fee was $9.95 per bottle and if you bring any liquor aboard in your checked and/or carry on they would confiscate it. I asked if it would be returned at the end of the trip. she said no. The third said it was $9.50 surcharge on any liquor that was NOT duty free. She said you would pay the regular liquor store price +$9.50. The duty free would be held until the end of the cruise.

I find it interesting the different "takes" on this subject. I must agree with some writers that everyone who inquires is not alcoholic and/or immoral--just checking out the options. I work all year to go on a cruise. I enjoy having a drink in my cabin. No, I would not bring my liquor to the bar. You can check out my bar bills to confirm. LOL

I am leaning towards just buying the bottle in the store-assuming they have my type. If not, then I will get over it and still have the blast of a lifetime. Thanks for everyone's input. Happy cruising!!

[krispyk]

Never had a problem taking a few bottles of wine and some 12yr old single malt.We like to have a drink in the room before go out. My bar bill still runs $500 to $1000 during the cruise.:) Besides, on trips to Europe we like to try new wines that are not available on the ship. It a vacaction an I want to enjoy myself!

[SA Traveler]

We've always bought our liquor on the first night and only paid a single 9.50 charge. Our last RCI cruise was in February so I guess the policy could have changed but even if it is per bottle it isn't worth "smuggling". The price is still comparable to what we would have paid at home and we didn't have to worry about the extra "weight" of our luggage.

[MszKitty]

How can one be certain that the ship carries the brand/type of alcohol I like?

 

For example...I only drink Barcardi Limon (a lemon flavored rum. And no...its not the same as regular Barcardi rum with lemons squeezed into it.)

I have been on ships that don't carry it in the bar, let alone in the duty free shop. So, last July, I smuggled it on the AOS, only to find out that they did, indeed, carry it in their store and I could have bought it for my in-cabin consumption. I would have much rather purchased it onboard than deal with lugging it all the way from California.

[Denese96]

Thanks for the Barcardi Limon information. That is exactly what I drink and why I was concerned. One more question -with the surcharge did it come to the reqular liquor store price or was it more?

 

 

So much fun is to be had on a cruise and having cocktails in my cabin is on my list!!!

[MszKitty]

Thanks for the Barcardi Limon information. That is exactly what I drink and why I was concerned. One more question -with the surcharge did it come to the reqular liquor store price or was it more?

 

 

So much fun is to be had on a cruise and having cocktails in my cabin is on my list!!!

Since I did take my own Barcardi Limon, I didn't purchase it onboard, so I don't remember exactly how much it was, but I do remember thinking it was comparable to regular liquor store prices.

[Bond-JaneBond]

We only drink wine and then only particular ones that the CL doesn't carry. In the past we have wrapped each bottle carefully in baby bubble wrap and packing tape and divided what we're bringing among all our checked luggage so if one gets confiscated (none ever has), we won't lose them all. Personally, I think slapping on a surcharge for drinking something you buy onboard is outrageous and I just won't throw away money like that. In the dining room, however, I will buy a bottle of wine and it may last for 2-3 dinners since I don't drink much and the waiter will hold it for you. What they charge for alcoholic drinks onboard is too high for us to buy much and still enjoy our vacation.

[xpcdoojk]

I still think you should use a waterproof float bag anytime you put wine(red in particular) in your suitcase. Trust me someday the gorilla will break a bottle.

 

jc

[SharC]

We just returned from The Vision. We bought wine at the hotel which they put in a box that held four bottles. We carried it on board. There was a table just as we boarded collecting alcohol. We told them we had four bottles of wine and were asked if we had anything else. We told them no, just the wine. They let us go right on with the wine.

[jerseyjohn]

Rccl is very mature in their treatment of packaged alcohol in youir room. They expect you to act responsibily and they treat us as adults. They allow you to purchase package goods in the duty free shop on board and charge you a nonimal "corkage" fee. The total price is equal to what you would pay at home for this on the low end items and much cheaper in the case of premium stock such as Johnny Walker Blue.

 

No need to sneak!!!!

[JoJo24]

It would seem that we'd be hearing more tales of confiscated liquor if RCI really did care what we bring on board for consumption in our cabin.

 

I wanted to get the latest scoop on purchasing liquor on board so I called the info number and was first told (in a very grandmotherly voice, I might add!) "Of course we already know that RCI does not allow any liquor to be brought on board." To that I simply responded "uh huh" and didn't even bother to bring up the "reserves the right to limit, etc., etc." section in the Cruise Vacation Planner booklet! However the young lady did tell me that liquor may be purchased on board and that a $9.50 consumption fee will be added if taken to your cabin. Sounds good to me....but I'm thinking that the Bud Light and Diet Coke w/ lime will still be going in my checked luggage!

 

Cruising on the Jewel on Nov 6th....can't wait!