Can anyone confirm the true 'bringing onboard' policy of the SJ port's liquor store?

[puablo]

I've heard rumors here and there that if you cruise on Carnival, you can buy liquor from the store inside the port building itself, and bring it onboard no problem. Then I've heard other rumors that you just have to put it in your carryon and they don't care. Further still, I heard Princess will confiscate it.

 

Ultimately I'd love for you cruisers to answer the following questions:

- Have you brought alcohol (like rum) from the in-port liquor store onto a ship? - Have you concealed it? Did you bring it in openly?

- Has anyone had it confiscated?

- What are the prices like in that store?

 

Please note the cruise line you were on in your response. Seems like this rumor just drifts along, it would be great for all to get some confirmations on what actually happens when you try to bring on rum or other liquor from this store.

[RayInPR]

Sailed on Carnival - Oct 2007

 

Purchased rum at store between "check-in" and the gangway.

 

Put it into my backpack (mostly because our hands were otherwise full - including a cooler filled with canned soda and bottled water).

 

Nobody stopped us. Nobody asked questions. No problems.

[ancldaca]

There is no such thing as an "official" answer. Each cruise line has its own alcohol policy. All the major cruise lines "officially" don't allow you to bring alcohol on board with the exception of Princess, which allows a small quantity of wine (I believe 1 bottle of wine per person in the cabin). These policies are in place both to protect against lawsuits and to protect profits.

 

That said, there is a difference between "official" policy and reality.

 

From all the reviews/posts I have read here on CC, the lines are sometimes lenient on enforcement of their policies. It seems that people seem to be able to bring aboard a "reasonable" amount of their own supplies. What is reasonable? Sounds like 1 bottle (maybe 2) of hard alcohol for a 7 day cruise.

 

Then, there is the second factor which is your port of departure. If you are leaving from a port in a place that has puritanical views toward alcohol, then you tend to have employees working check-in and that x-ray the luggage that will likely be stricter toward what people bring on-board (say U.S. mainland departure ports in the northeast for example).

 

This is where we get to your question about SJU. We have an extremely lax attitude toward alcohol here in PR. Heck, I know we were the last jurisdiction left in the U.S. with an 18 year old drinking age (but I haven't gone out in such a long time that I don't even know anymore what our laws are here to that respect). Thus, you get employees working at the docks that don't think alcohol is such a big deal and are more likely to let things slide with embarking passengers.

 

This sort of squares up with the many reports of people bringing alcohol aboard in PR. An additional consideration may be that so many people buy here, that ship-board security would be overwhelmed confiscating every single bottle at check-in when lines form for x-rays and sail-pass digital picture.

 

I also wouldn't be surprised if some type of age-related unwritten policies are in place. If I was a cruise line, I'd be much likelier to let some middle or older aged passengers bring a bottle or two aboard than a 21 year old. Certainly not fair but just reality.

 

The prices in the local duty frees are pretty darn good. I would just buy some reasonable amount and if it goes through - great. If challenged by ship security, well, then you'll just get it back on the last day to pack and you already have some of your shopping done...

[puablo]

Excellent answers, I appreciate it. I think I'll try to smuggle on one bottle of rum and try to smuggle some coke as well.

[wrp96]

RCCL tends to be the strictest of all the lines. They frequently have a second scanner setup as you board the ship to catch people that bought stuff at the duty free in the terminal. They don't do it every time, and even when they do have the 2nd scanner they don't always catch people.

[foamtech]

Here's the link on cruise line BYOB policies...

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=46

 

You should find all you need there!

 

Happy Sailing and on top of it all Happy drinking;)

[raquel]

I have cruised out of San Juan on Carnival 3 times in the past 4 years...most recent being just last month. So heres the deal.....

On all 3 cruises, we have purchased alcohol (at least a couple bottles) at the port's duty free....at VERY good prices! We always put it into our carry-on (not trying to wrap it or hide it within anything) but not a problem and no questions asked. You don't want to walk on with it in your hands, but nothing will be said if you simply "put it away".....

Yes, it is that easy. One of the reasons I LOVE cruising out of San Juan on Carnival....:D

Hope this helps!

[arlodog]

We had a port stop in SJ on Costa last March and bought 4 bottles. They had us check 2 and allowed us to bring back to our room 2--don't know why that was, but we loved it! The port prices were good, can't remember the exact price. The best part was they wrapped the bottles in a airtube chamber so you could pack them for the flight home and not worry about breakage. Here's to balcony cocktails! :rolleyes:

[JillzyC]

My husband and I cruised out of San Juan on Carnival in May 2008. After checking in at the cruise pier, we went up some stairs where there was a ton of liquor for sale. I don't know if the promo type tables set up with loud music and free airplane size bottles of liquor with $50 + purchase were a special occasion sort of thing or not, but we bought a few bottles of Bacardi at amazing prices in the duty free, and just put them in our carry-ons and took them onboard no problem.

 

We are cruising out of San Juan again this May, this time on Princess. It may be a different pier than last time (I think there are 3 in SJ), but I hope we are able to take advantage of duty free liquor at the pier again and bring it on board without issue. We still buy drinks on the ship, but it's nice to take advantage of the amazing prices on liquor at the pier.

[CorbinCatFan]

Purchased a liter of Scotch and a liter of Rum at the second level duty free shop. They packed into our carry on and no one at the screening said a word.

 

What I thought was odd was at the end of the gangway onto the ship, Carnival had a table setup for you to check in your liquor for the cruise. It didn't look like many people were turning over their purchases.:D

[Caribbean Sunsets]

I had no problem on the Crown Princess in 07. Put the bottles right in my back pack, security/x-ray was steps away and there was no issue at all. Also, no problem in FLL for my Ruby cruise last year.

[swom]

Same with me on the Crown in 07, but I put it in my checked luggage. Arrived intact.

Let me add that I bought my share of bucks of beer though. Princess didn't lose any money on me. :D:D

[etoile]

Excellent answers, I appreciate it. I think I'll try to smuggle on one bottle of rum and try to smuggle some coke as well.

Does Carnival not allow soda to be brought onboard??

[mousey]

Okay, I've been asking this question a lot but have only gotten two answers which contradict each other, so I'll try asking here, if I may!:p It seems you are allowed to bring alcohol onto a cruise ship if you sail out of San Juan, PR, however, if it is only a port stop, can you get back on the ship with alcohol from SJ? SJ is our first port stop with Carnival. Thanks for any responses!:D

[RayInPR]

I really think it depends on the ship, more than the port, and how permissive they are about allowing you to "carry-on" alcohol. We took one cruise and every bottle from every person was collected on the way back onto the ship, regardless of port. And, on a different cruise, we had so many bottles of alcohol in our room we were practically begging someone to hold it all until we got off the ship.

[RayInPR]

I really think it depends on the ship, more than the port, and how permissive they are about allowing you to "carry-on" alcohol. We took one cruise and every bottle from every person was collected on the way back onto the ship, regardless of port. And, on a different cruise, we had so many bottles of alcohol in our room we were practically begging someone to hold it all until we got off the ship.

[mamoune]

What about Celebrity? We are cruising the Summit in two weeks and would like to know what to expect. Last year we cruised Carnival but it was at a different pier. Is there a liquor store at the Pan Am Pier. Incidentally, there was a very limited selection of wine at the port liquor store.

[psblin99]

Bottom line all these answers are correct. Only two possibilities, they will or they won't. Either way there are also only two outcomes. You won't get thrown off the ship and you will get it back. Give it a shot!

 

Excuse the pun:D

[lovetocruise99]

What about Celebrity? We are cruising the Summit in two weeks and would like to know what to expect. Last year we cruised Carnival but it was at a different pier. Is there a liquor store at the Pan Am Pier. Incidentally, there was a very limited selection of wine at the port liquor store.

 

We're buying the 2 bottles of wine for Summit in Old San Juan. There is a liquor store at the Pan Am Pier, though I don't think there is a good selection of wines there either.

[pbc1]

Carnival allows you to bring soda and water aboard. you also are allowed 1 bottle wine per person. I've done this numerous times. As for the booze I sail out of San Juan for the first time in 3 weeks and I am planning on stoping at the pier store. Hope it works

[OVgirl]

Our experience: Galaxy Jan.30/09

We bought some wine and after our bags were scanned they asked us what kind of liquor we had in them. Told them it was wine and after I showed them the package we were allowed to take it with us. They had a table set up to collect hard liquor. Don't know how much they actually collected from pax.

[mwebb]

In SJ from 5-11 on Carnival as a port stop. In the past they made purses backpacks everything through scanner. How have people taken a bottle of Rum on ship for in cabin usage and bypassed the scanner??? Also with airline policies not allowing bottles in caryon has anyone had any luck with liquor in checked baggage. Open to suggestions hate to pass up the great bargains.

[SunSoaker44]

Do you guys know if Princess Caribbean usually sails out of the pier by the duty free store? I can't seem to find the info as to which pier it sales out of (leaving March 29th)!

[wrp96]

Caribbean Princess sails from the Pan Am Pier. There is a duty free store at the Pan Am Pier.

[swom]

Do you guys know if Princess Caribbean usually sails out of the pier by the duty free store? I can't seem to find the info as to which pier it sales out of (leaving March 29th)!

I subscribe to a thread that's called: puertoricodaytrips.com and here is the latest email I received. Hope this helps!

 

 

http://www.puertoricodaytrips.com/san-juan-cruise-pier-duty-free/