Bringing alcohol on board

[royandjenn]

We are doing a back to back cruise (ten day cruise and then 4 day). I know we will be buying alcohol on our first cruise; and would like to know if we could leave it in our suitcases.. or in our carryon... or do they check everything and take it away till the end of the cruise. Never been on Norwegian, so it would be nice to know what to expect. A bottle of rum and a bottle of wine would be nice to have in our room ;).

[garycarla]

I am a bit confused over the back to back part.

 

BUT - you can not take booze onboard. They will take it and hold until the last day.

 

You can take wine, but you will pay $15 corkage fee per 750ml.

 

If you want to read some long message threads about this, go back a few days. There was another long one.

[AFAMILY]

Now this OP has an interesting scenario. I don't recall in ALL the threads regarding alchohol, B2B's ever being discussed. If the crew doesn't realize you are on a back to back, your liquor may be available for you at the end of your first sailing, therefore available to you in your cabin for the second sailing. Since your luggage doesn't go through the security screening process again, I'm guessing you're home-free.

 

I'm interested in hearing from the more experienced cruisers on this one.

 

Happy Cruising! :)

[*Wink*]

Now this OP has an interesting scenario. I don't recall in ALL the threads regarding alchohol, B2B's ever being discussed. If the crew doesn't realize you are on a back to back, your liquor may be available for you at the end of your first sailing, therefore available to you in your cabin for the second sailing. Since your luggage doesn't go through the security screening process again, I'm guessing you're home-free.

 

I'm interested in hearing from the more experienced cruisers on this one.

 

Happy Cruising! :)

Wow A... You might be onto something!!

[AFAMILY]

Wow A... You might be onto something!!

 

Sure, with the money saved on the onboard liquor bill, people can afford another $3000 for a second sailing! :D

[mpk218]

It has been covered and you are correct . When you buy your booze on the first leg , simply pick it up along with every one else and put it in your room . Your rooom remains your room correct ? You will most likly have to disembark for the second leg but your "stuff " will stay in your room.:D

[dark star]

never thought of that quite clever.

[tdcjerry]

Yes like mpk218 says, just leave it in your cabin and what you don't drink on the second leg of your cruise just take it home. I did this on our B2B on the Pearl last year and it was no problem.

[terrymtex01]

WOW.. finally a "legal" way to have booze in your room other than the package you can buy. I certainly would not scortch anyone for doing this. After all, you really have not broken any rule. You didn't bring it on board, you didnt pick it up before they said you could, etc. I wonder though if you would have to keep it hidden once you got it in your room and you were on the next leg of your back to back. Like would you have to keep it hidden from your room stewards, etc.

 

I can't believe there is actually a "alcohol onboard" posting that I'm excited to see the results of. When I first read the title of the thread on the main page.. I was like.. OMG.. here we go again. This one has a great twist.

[*Wink*]

I agree Terry.. and the room stewards will not say a word. ;)

[royandjenn]

Yeah, I am blonde... my husband always bugs me... we are sailing ten days with one cruiseline... and then getting off, driving to miami, and hopping on the sky. I have been told certain cruiselines scan every piece of luggage and confiscate the alcohol... while others are more slack. The first cruise MSC isn't that hardcore. All I was curious of is if we hand in all the booze we've picked up at all the ports from our last cruise, but keep a few in our carry on... will they go through your carry on? Was only wondering to know what to expect, not to start anything... sorry!! Thank you for your opinions.......

[terrymtex01]

Yeah, I am blonde... my husband always bugs me... we are sailing ten days with one cruiseline... and then getting off, driving to miami, and hopping on the sky. I have been told certain cruiselines scan every piece of luggage and confiscate the alcohol... while others are more slack. The first cruise MSC isn't that hardcore. All I was curious of is if we hand in all the booze we've picked up at all the ports from our last cruise, but keep a few in our carry on... will they go through your carry on? Was only wondering to know what to expect, not to start anything... sorry!! Thank you for your opinions.......

 

NCL is probably the most strict of all the cruiselines on bringing alcohol onboard. They will probably ask you to surrender it and then have you pick it up from the them last day of your cruise.

[*Wink*]

Yeah, I am blonde... my husband always bugs me... we are sailing ten days with one cruiseline... and then getting off, driving to miami, and hopping on the sky. I have been told certain cruiselines scan every piece of luggage and confiscate the alcohol... while others are more slack. The first cruise MSC isn't that hardcore. All I was curious of is if we hand in all the booze we've picked up at all the ports from our last cruise, but keep a few in our carry on... will they go through your carry on? Was only wondering to know what to expect, not to start anything... sorry!! Thank you for your opinions.......

OOOOOHHHH!!! lol.. just like Gary said, booze isn't allowed, but you can bring on as much wine as you'd like for a $15 service fee ea.

 

If they find booze in your luggage, you will get it back on the last day.

 

Some people don't get caught, some do. Carrying on would be a "for sure" capture. They XRay luggage that's checked, and if they do see what they think is booze, you'll be summoned to the naughty room where they'll search your bag. It sounds worse than it is. Your cruises sound great!

[tdcjerry]

As for leaving the alcohol in your cabin, our butler did not care as he made sure that we had plenty of OJ to mix with. We just left it on the bar.

[royandjenn]

I found the other thread on page 6 just now. Thanks a lot. Just a dumb question on my part I guess. One other question is that on Norwegian's site, u can preorder things... I was hoping to order a bottle of wine to be in our room when we arrive at lease, but there is nothing there, unless I spend 79$ and get a bunch of other things I don't want. Does anyone know if there is another list that can be obtained from a TA of other items I can preorder. Maybe another common question.... but can only go back so many pages.... thanks a bunch

[*Wink*]

Yes.. email groupeventsky@ncl.com and let them know you want to order a bottle of wine. Hopefully they'll send you a list of wines they offer and you can choose. You'll pay the price for the wine and a $3 set up fee. This needs to be done at least 2 weeks before your cruise. It'll be in your room on ice, if necessary, and with a wine key and glasses.

[Suni99]

I found the other thread on page 6 just now. Thanks a lot. Just a dumb question on my part I guess. One other question is that on Norwegian's site, u can preorder things... I was hoping to order a bottle of wine to be in our room when we arrive at lease, but there is nothing there, unless I spend 79$ and get a bunch of other things I don't want. Does anyone know if there is another list that can be obtained from a TA of other items I can preorder. Maybe another common question.... but can only go back so many pages.... thanks a bunch

 

I asked this same question about the romance package for the 79$, and come to find out you get a good deal, it is worth it, you get the bottle of champagne and a bottle of wine with dinner at le bistro so although you get a few things you do not want, the alchohol you get itself might be worth it depending on how much the bottles would cost seperately, just something to thinkabout as i have:)

[booklady26]

I know this topic has been discussed at great length, but I have a question about NCL's screening policy.

 

We'll be sailing on the Gem in February. We haven't sailed on NCL in a couple of years, but have sailed on Princess, Carnival & HAL all of which have a "no alcohol allowed" policy also and brochures and docs state that alcohol brought on board will be confiscated and returned at the end of the cruise, much like NCL.

 

We normally transfer the booze into a plastic bottle like a large juice bottle and put it in a carry on and have never had any problems. Nor have I ever seen anyone else stopped for carrying on booze and I'm sure we're not the only ones doing it.

 

When you first board the ship on embarkation day, the security screeners at the pier are TSA employees and are looking for items far more dangeous than a smuggled bottle of vodka. Their job is to insure passenger safety and not enforce the cruise lines liquor policies.

 

So, my question is, on embarkation day does NCL actually post their own employees, in addition to the TSA people, at the security lines on the pier to look at all the paasengers who screen their carry ons?

[*Wink*]

I guess there is TSA at the port, I don't recall actually seeing someone with a TSA uniform. I think the employees who look at the xray machine where you've placed your carry-on, are port employees. They may inquire about your booze in another bottle, they may not. If the booze is in the original bottle, it's a sure thing that it will be taken. They aren't lenient like other lines may be.

[garycarla]

I am pretty sure that they are NOT TSA and security is a concern, but not a major one. After all, you can have knives, liquids, and all that stuff on the ship unlike on a plane.

 

It is very rare that I see them do a personal inspection of bags when boarding the ship. In fact some people even bring their full size suitecase and run it through the machine. It is NOTHING like boarding a plane.

 

Yes, they do look for booze and will send you over to the table. The level of inspection varies considerably. Some people with appararent bottles get stopped and as you indicated some are not.

[daldog]

Boarded the Star in San Pedro, CA, a couple weeks ago. I am also pretty sure the screeners weren't TSA and definitely were not NCL employees, and no NCL employee standing over or around them. It appeared to us to be a contracted security company, but perhaps they were port employees.

 

In any case, we carried on a liter of rum in a plastic bottle; they didn't say anything. There was an NCL employee further along checking in one person with a bottle of wine.

[JenaMH]

Since we are on the topic.. has anyone tried the shampoo bottle method and had it NOT work?

[tallblonde]

I don't know what we're evidently doing right - but I always pack liquor (original bottles - either glass or plastic) in the bags we check - and have NEVER had it confiscated. Many NCL cruises - as well as other cruise lines - it's just never happened. We always have a healthy bill at the end of the cruise - but it's nice to have drinks while you're in your cabin - especially with a balcony :)