Bringing Beer On Board

[Shirley and Les]

We are part of a group traveling to Alaska on the Summit this coming June. Since my DW and I have been on previous cruises, we agreed to be hosts to this group for a short cocktail hour each evening. Beer and wine seem to be the adult beverages of choice for the group. Getting the wine onboard is kind of easy since we can pack a few wine boxes in our checked luggage.

The problem is the beer!

My dear wife can carry a full 1/2 barrel of beer strapped on her back for a good two miles. The last few hundred yards are kind of tough for her and I have to offer a great deal of encouragement to her. But, we have done sufficient testing to know she can make it from a cab through the departure lounge up to our cabin with no problems. Now, here is our dilema! Should we keep the beer iced down while she is toting it through the departure lounge onto the ship? Or, should we forego the ice and have her tote a carryon bag full of pilsner glasses onto the ship? I really don't like to drink beer from a plastic cup. Particularly, on a Celebrity cruise. Since we are going to Alaska, I plan to decorate the half barrel in a totem/papoose theme. You know, a couple of wooden faces and a headpiece on the barrel with a few feathers. It should look pretty nice. The average security guard might not even realize it is a barrel of beer. However, if the keg is iced down, the ice will be melting and we might be leaving a water trail throughout the ship.

OK, what do you think?

To ice or not to ice?

Glass or no class?

:p ;)

[canderson]

I like the totem/papoose theme decoration, but how are you going to get a half keg to fit into the X-Ray scanner? Perhaps you could carry an empty along (since your DW has already demonstrated that she can handle the full one, no sense testing your own skills), place it on the far side of the scanner, and just pump the beer through the scanner from one side to the other as a demonstration of good faith? Dunno. Sounds like a logistics problem to me.

 

As for glassware -- no question, bring the pilsner glasses along. If you're going to do a whole party, you'll only have the two glasses from your cabin before you wind up having to use the ones from the bathroom, and they only hold a swallow two at best. And NOBODY would want to drink beer from those little plastic glasses from the buffet line.

[canderson]

Wait -- what am I thinking?!? Why not let someone else carry it aboard for you? By any chance to you own one of those old fashioned steamer trunks?

[Leela]

Are service/guide dogs allowed on Celebrity? Why not dress the keg in a dog costume and walk (well, roll) it on that way. As a dog, it wouldn't have to go through the X-ray.

 

Oh wait, I forgot about the metal detector. Well, just say the dog has a plate in his head or something.

[prcox]

Most important question -

WHICH sailing are you on!

[cruisepest]

You do know how much beer you are talking about. A half keg is 180 12oz servings of beer, which weighs in with the empty keg at around 160 lbs. A quarter keg or 5 gallon is around 90 to 70 servings and both weigh in at around 80 to 50 lbs. You also would have to carry the keg off the ship with you or you would loose your deposit. Not only that you will pay a hefty charge for overweight luggage, if the airlines would even let it through security, you also risk the keg freezing and burst in the airplane. Your best bet if you are not pulling everyones leg would be to bring on cases of beer at one of your ports of call.

[davehau]

I'd definitely ice it... don't want to take the chance of you wanting a cold beer while waiting in the security photo line and it being warm.

 

Better make sure you check the tide tables for that day though. Might need to up her training schedule a bit if you'll be boarding at high tide, given the few extra degrees of slope the gangway may have :D

[pking]

This is the best laugh I've had in a long time!

[Ma Bell]

:D I could hardly wait to see if someone took you seriously.

[Shirley and Les]

Your best bet if you are not pulling everyones leg would be to bring on cases of beer at one of your ports of call.

Well, cabin fever does affect people in different ways. I did like the idea of having a brew while standing in the security checkpoint line.

Les :cool: