Liquor prices -ship, st. Maarten or st. Thomas

[RDMOREU]

DH would like to know which location might have the best prices. We'll be on NCL. TIA

[fideauxdon]

St. Thomas had excellent prices for a long time, but for the past couple of years, I've found that the prices at area FL stores a close enough to St. Thomas that it isn't worth the effort to lug the liquor home. Of course, proces vary by state, so your experience may be different.

[RDMOREU]

St. Thomas had excellent prices for a long time, but for the past couple of years, I've found that the prices at area FL stores a close enough to St. Thomas that it isn't worth the effort to lug the liquor home. Of course, proces vary by state, so your experience may be different.

 

Thank you! Actually, we live in FL so this is very interesting.

[Cruzman]

Last time we were in St Thomas, we went to Kmart and bought liquor for $3.29 per liter; no tax. You decide!

[jewopaho]

These days, the best prices by far are in St. Maarten ... even the jewelry stores sell liquor there; but you are only permitted 1 litre per person (since the country is not a US territory), and are required to declare anything over the limit on the US Customs form ... I can't say whether anyone's been handcuffed and dragged off the ship for not doing so. On our last cruise there, we purchased about six bottles, figuring that the savings would more than compensate for the small duty charges ... and we were right. We did list them on the declaration form, paid a few bucks, and went on our way. Based on US prices, we saved about $50. St. Thomas, being a US possession, has much less stringent regulations ... but the prices are higher.

 

You might want to check with your cruise line to see if they have a price-matching policy ... some do, others don't. If you can get a price list from a store in port, it's possible that the ship's venue will charge you the same (and you won't have to schlep the bottles all over the port). But some places are reluctant to divulge their prices in writing for this very reason ... they'd be losing business to the cruise lines.

 

Hope this helps ... have a great cruise!

 

Al

[okbowler]

If the ship stops at both St. Thomas & St. Maarten generally customs won't ask where it was bought. Duty is not much, a couple of bucks a bottle, and my 15 yr. old scotch is just a little more than half of what I pay in GA. As of yet I have not had to pay duty on any I have brought back to the states,last time was a case, allowed 5 liters each for wife and I if you stop in St. Thomas. Read somewhere on CC that customs will not charge duty if under $10? Booze is cheaper in St. Marteen but probably only a buck a bottle. Bill

[Hlitner]

The truth is that it really depends on the specific product and cruise line. For example, on our recent Grand Princess cruise the ship was selling liters of Courvousier XO for less than the price in St Thomas. Also keep in mind that US citizens are allowed to bring back 4 liters or booze (per adult) from St Thomsas whereas the limit is 1 liter from the ship or anywhere else in the Caribbean. We do think that St Maarten generally has the best prices on high-end booze (they have less taxes than in St Thomas) but you do have that limit. We will often combine purchases from both St Thomas and St Maarten on a single cruise which is complicated from a customs point of view, but we keep our limits within the 4 liters per person total and have never had a problem. The reality is that if you buy high-end stuff (we are talking over $50 per bottle) even paying the duty is not a big deal (only a few dollars per bottle). If you buy a bottle of Vodka you might save $10 a bottle...but if you buy a good bottle of scotch or cognac you can save $100 a bottle.

 

Hank

[RDMOREU]

For all the replies!

[Rjbobalou]

St Maarten

[RDMOREU]

St Maarten

 

Thank you for the response!

[BroncosFan2010]

My favorite place to buy alcohol in the Caribbean is on St. Maarten. Make sure you visit the GuavaBerry Rum shop!

[cruiserbryce]

recently in St Thomas we picked up rum for 8.95 per bottle...really not any cheaper than the ship was though

[geoherb]

Some cruise lines have a price match guarantee. They will sell it to you at a better price if you find it. With digital cameras, it's easy to get a shot of a better price.

[RDMOREU]

Thanks for all the responses!

[romnan]

The only time I buy Liquor anymore is if :)I see something I cannot readily get back on the Mainland and it's at the right price

[RDMOREU]

The only time I buy Liquor anymore is if :)I see something I cannot readily get back on the Mainland and it's at the right price

 

Appreciate the response.

[orville99]

Prices on the ship vary wildly, depending on which ports are scheduled. The ship's store prices liquor at or just below the prices in the "duty free" shops at the port. I've seen the price on the same bottle of Grey Goose (1L) change $15 between B2B Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises.