The TRUTH about brining own beverages on board, both alcohoic and nonalcoholic

I know what Celebrity guidelines state, but what is the reality of bringing your own beverages on board - for example bottled water, soda, Gatorade. If I pack a collapsable cooler will they let me bring it on or do I have to conceal these.:confused:

You will get as many different answers to this question as you get responses. In general you won't have any problems. Many people take wine, soda and other drinks onboard all the time. Rarely do you hear of anyone getting stopped and having their stuff confiscated. BUT as soon as I say that someone will say it happened to their Aunt Sally's second cousin.

 

BTW, we've done it with not even a hint of a problem.

We have always taken a collapsable cooler that holds 24 soda cans (or water and such) and checked it with our luggage. Never any problem. Wine we wrapped in bubble wrap and put in our checked luggage - again no problem.

We always bring on beverages and never had a problem.

I'm surprised you dont already have the answers to your questions from this thread:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=303325

Reklawr,

My Aunt Sally's 2nd cousin want's you to know she has never had a problem with it. I actually buy a Box of wine and put it into my luggage. I know, I know, everyone is making fun of me and my Box of wine but actually they travel well and "I LIKE EM".

The first "scanning" you go thru at the port is before you've checked in. Those homeland security people surely are not the ones looking for liquor. Is there a Celebrity employee standing next to them, reading the scanner? And that would only be for hand luggage anyway.

 

In ports of call the scanners on the ship are manned by people who work for Celebrity in that they live on the ship just like spa personnel do, but are independent contractors, not employees of Celebrity, so do they care?

 

I've just never noticed this famous table on which they stack the "liquor to be held til the last day." Is that somewhere else, where they've scanned the luggage you checked with the porters?

 

Please enlighten me. thanks

I've put cases of water and soda through the baggage check (with ID as to which cabin they go to) and they have always made it to my room.

If they ever do take anythiing, they'll return it the last night anyway - not like airport security that keeps stealing useful things for keeps (my scissors - that goodness I can bring them again - really hard to quilt in the airport without scissors!). Nancy

Thank you everyone for your responses. I know what to do now.

P.S. - I "love" the box of wine idea :D

Thank you everyone for your responses. I know what to do now.

P.S. - I "love" the box of wine idea :D

 

Hope you plan on sharing.

They will not take the bottles, they will just not deliver that suitcase. You will wonder where it is, you will call, they will direct you to go down to a specific deck and a specific location...You will be asked to open the suitcase, they will then hold your booze until the last day of your cruise and return it to you.......IF they catch ya

I've only heard of this on NCL (that's why I would never consider sailing them)

 

Has anyone actually seen this on Celebrity? :eek:

I've seen other passengers' booze being confiscated on Celebrity ships.

It hasn't happened to us, since we don't bring booze onboard.

Reklawr,

My Aunt Sally's 2nd cousin want's you to know she has never had a problem with it. I actually buy a Box of wine and put it into my luggage. I know, I know, everyone is making fun of me and my Box of wine but actually they travel well and "I LIKE EM".

I'm not making fun, DD and I are going on a cruise in 8 days, just us and our box of wine. WEll we will take some clothes as well. !!!!! LOL

I've only heard of this on NCL (that's why I would never consider sailing them)

 

Has anyone actually seen this on Celebrity? :eek:

It happened to us on Celebrity a few years ago. They didn't call us down, but stopped us as we were entering the ship. They took all our liquor but let us keep our wine. Actually we were not the only ones: I think they do this more often in SAn Juan because of the duty free store just as you are boarding. On the Zenith last Dec they were checking people's bags as we boarded from the ports. So don't be so sure it is only NCL> I have heard Carnival is also cracking down. This may be the start of something none of us like, but we will live with it. As for NCL, they started cracking down about 2 years ago and we were among those who knew how to smuggle. Now, we have decided it just isn't worth the effort. We get a bar set up in our room, bring a little wine on board and what other booze we need or want we purchase. NMnita

Actually, I bought two bottles of Brinley Gold Rum in St. Kitts this past January when we stopped there on the Constellation. They were taken away at the gangway when we returned to the ship and re-appeared in our cabin the last night of the cruise. As long as I got it back, in undamaged condition, there wasn't any problem. I had purchased it to take home anyway and wasn't planning to drink it while on board.

 

Given the recent increase in drink prices, I can see why they would want to protect their on-board "monopoly" as much as possible: there has got to be a significant amount of money involved.

The chances of having your alcohol confiscated when re-boarding from a port of call are significantly higher then if you bring it on with you at embarkation.

The chances of having your alcohol confiscated when re-boarding from a port of call are significantly higher then if you bring it on with you at embarkation.

I'd agree with that and it also seems to depend on which port you bring it on at. St Maarten we had no trouble at all, but I heard of others on our cruise had a problem at St Thomas. I know not why. Perhaps someone else can enlighten?

 

Bottom line, give it a go, be discreet about it, but don't be surprised and kick up a fuss if they confiscate it. And if you get it onboard, enjoy it. With your fellow CCers of course;)

 

Phil

I know Celebrity will take liquor from ports and carry-ons (if the mood strikes them) --- What I was asking is - has anyone heard of anyone but NCL having a liquor room where checked bags suspected of containing booze are sent and the passenger is required to go there and open the bag for inspection by the ship's security people?

 

This would be too much for me to deal with -- we'd either start going on a better line or it's time to try an all inclusive land resort

I know Celebrity will take liquor from ports and carry-ons (if the mood strikes them) --- What I was asking is - has anyone heard of anyone but NCL having a liquor room where checked bags suspected of containing booze are sent and the passenger is required to go there and open the bag for inspection by the ship's security people?

 

This would be too much for me to deal with -- we'd either start going on a better line or it's time to try an all inclusive land resort

Why would you say "a better line?" In answer to your question, No, I think they are the only ones so far that do this. Maybe others have had experiences. As for all inclusive land resorts, if drinking is your one of your reasons for vacationing you probably would better off. Of course you realize a good all inclusive resort will run you 1.5 to 2 times more than a cruise of the same catagory and same time of the year. Both are great vacations; we prefer the cruising cause we see more, but all inclusives offer a value. As a TA I don't think the value is there for non drinkers; for those of us who like having a liquior included they are great. NMnita

I don't know about such a room. If I want something special on board I just don't leave it in the original container. There are all sorts of plastic bottles to be purchased that are capable of holding liquid. Put them in Ziplocs and forget it. They will arrive in your cabin and you won't have to pay $7 a pop for well liquor. I can't drink that. Some of the drinks are mixed horribly and not only the booze but the mix. I ordered a margarita and it was undrinkable. It was made with sour mix someone said. It was the only drink I purchased all week. If they made good drinks I would buy them but I will not pay for swill. So, I disguise my Commemoritivo and bring it along. If they want it they are going to have to find it. So far I have never had a problem. I can hear you about not wanting a confrontation. It would be embarrassing but moreso for them. They should be able to serve a palatable cocktail.

I know cruising is an amazing value. I guess it's the libertarian streak in me that would not be able tolerate a cruise line searching my checked bags looking for liquor. No hotel in the free world would dream of doing such a thing. I didn't think that Celebrity would do that and I'm glad that appears to still be true.

 

We would rather do several Celebrity cruises then one on a "premium line" (Crystal, Seven Seas ect)

 

We've never been on a cruise that we didn't throughly enjoy - you can see by our signature that we have tried many lines. I know many people enjoy NCL, but at least in my mind I would never sail them because of their "big brother" attitude. Yes, I know it's there right to enforce their policy, as it is my right to choose to take my business elsewhere (plus I'm a shareholder in RCI & Carnival ;) )

 

Three weeks from today we'll be on the Mercury - my fingers are crossed the the people who board today will have a great cruise without any virus issues

I really just wanted to save a few $$$ on cocktails, but I understand that Celebrity is in desparete need of obtaining even more of our money ;)

We will just try and see what happens. Thanks everyone:D

What you do in your cabin is your business but taking alcohol into public areas of the ship is A BIG NO-NO. Taking alcohol out into public areas is not being respectful to Celebrity or the other passengers...it is TACKY and BAD MANNERS to say the least.

 

If you want to enjoy a beverage in the privacy of your own cabin then go right ahead. If you want Celebrity to crack down on alcohol then just continure to bring it out into the public areas of the ship. WOW!!!