A Question About Buying Duty Free Cigarettes on the ship

[Murphy&Bailey]

We will be sailing on the Emerald Princess and would like to buy duty free cigarettes on board to give to a friend in one of the Islands we are visiting. If we buy them on board will the store hold them and release them the night before we depart or will they let us take them when we purchase them?

 

Thanks

[Toto2Kansas]

We will be sailing on the Emerald Princess and would like to buy duty free cigarettes on board to give to a friend in one of the Islands we are visiting. If we buy them on board will the store hold them and release them the night before we depart or will they let us take them when we purchase them?

 

Thanks

You will have to come up with a plan 'B', as if bought in the duty free store, you will not have access to them until the final night onboard.

[Murphy&Bailey]

Thank you Toto. That is what I thought. We are non smokers and the person we are visiting just asked us for the cigarettes. We are leaving 5 am on

Friday so it does not give us much time.

 

Thanks again

[Loralye]

My first princess trip will be this April. I've been on Carnival, RCCL & Celebrity and all have put them in a bag and send you on your way (with them)...

[smoothdancer]

Well... kind of an option, as a smoker...

 

It is true that you cannot go into a store and take the cigs back to your cabin. You can only buy the cartons at end of cruise to take home at the customs limit....

 

However when we cruise I always buy cigs from any of the bars as I need them.... They are certainly much cheaper than in the states... Sure, I have never bought more than one or 2 pack at a time because I did not need to but I suppose you could....

 

So if you are meeting you friend at a port stop you can buy as many packs as you want at any bar and bring them to your friend....

 

LOL. you are a good friend!!

[happytalk44]

The Carnival cruises I have taken keep them until the last night.

[happytalk44]

I posted re: cartons. You can buy them for use at the bars, for sure. Price is not as good, however, as they are not duty free to my knowledge.

[Griller]

In the shop on board they are about $25 for 200, but you cannot have them until the last day of the cruise.

In the bars onboard they are about $4 for 20 and you get them straightaway.

Last week in Panama I bought Marlboro in the big dutyfree store near where the ship docked for $17 per 200.

Here in Fl they are now nearly $60 for 200.

 

Glad I'm not a cigarette smoker. Its expensive now apart from anything else.

[Loralye]

I learned something new - again from CC...

 

I guess I will pick them up in San Juan before boarding. Glad to know this "ahead of time", this way I won't bad surprised. It's been a while since our 4 Carnival trips (Carnival was our stepping stone to our cruise addiction) but RCCL was recent and I bought cigs in the store for the trip (no point bringing them if they are cheaper on ship). Go figure, RCCL will take a bottle of water out of your hand as you board & let you buy cigs but Princess will let you carry on a case of water and soda but no cigs from the store. RCCL - no smoking in rooms & princess let's you.

 

Thank goodness for CC - a happier customer is an informed customer.

 

Ps... I would NEVER smoke in the room - I have respect for those around me and those who have the room after me.

[Eileen&Bill]

On Princess cruises, I have always gone to the onboard store when it opens & purchased the multi-carton box (4 or 5 cartons). I pay, they put it in a bag, & I take it with me.

[echotumi]

On Princess cruises, I have always gone to the onboard store when it opens & purchased the multi-carton box (4 or 5 cartons). I pay, they put it in a bag, & I take it with me.

u get ur smokes as you pay for them they dont keep them , we buy them every cruise for our dog sitter , he likes the big box lol..

[rkmw]

On Princess cruises, I have always gone to the onboard store when it opens & purchased the multi-carton box (4 or 5 cartons). I pay, they put it in a bag, & I take it with me.

 

on princess ships any duty free smokes bought from the shop is held until the last night, you can buy plenty over the bar

[Eileen&Bill]

On the Coral & then on the Golden to Hawaii in December 2009, we bought cigarettes on day one & took them with us back to the cabin.

[rkmw]

On the Coral & then on the Golden to Hawaii in December 2009, we bought cigarettes on day one & took them with us back to the cabin.

 

you must have been very lucky to do that as normally as has been said you will receive your duty free items on the last night

[Murphy&Bailey]

Thank you all for your responses. It has been a great help to us non smokers. Now I have one more question. Does anyone know if the sell Capri 120 menthol cigarettes at the bar. My husband & I never heard of the brand?

 

Thanks again.

[teripp]

Bars sell only a few popular brands. You may want to buy in port cheaper. Much cheaper depending on where you are going (did not have a chance to check Emeralds route I assume south)

[Richie2pies]

St. Thomas has cigarettes 5/$99. They are made in the USA, which in some ports they are not. You are legally allowed 5 cartons p/p by US customs.

[User Error]

Blimey- you folks dont know how lucky you are.

We in the Uk pay £6.00 + for 20.

I dont smoke, but I'm definately buying some duty free ones and gonna set up a stall when I get back..........

[FidGirl]

I was on Holland (owned by Carnival) in Nov 2010 and as soon as the ship was out to sea, we bought cigarettes and we brought them back to our cabin.

[chrispb]

On previous cruises I've always had the cigarettes handed to me when purchased, but not cruised with Princess before so I'll be very disappointed if they keep them till the end of the cruise. I can't see any good reason for them to do this - any thoughts?

[sarge98]

It's been 11 months now but on The Caribbean Princess , Southern caribbean, out of San Juan, The cigarettes were held by the store and deliverd to your cabin on the last night.

[Salty Dawg]

Chrispb---

 

I had a discussion with the manager of the shops about this topic. I reminded that cigarettes in San Juan and St. Thomas are duty free and made in the USA (unlike some other ports) and are cheaper than the cigs on board. I could not understand why they would hold them until the last night, because, unkike alcohol, you can buy cartons of cigs in port and bring them on the ship in plain view and security does not give them as second look.

 

He said he has been in contact with Princess HQ on this very subject as allowing passengers to take them with them to their cabin would probably help sales on board, but HQ has told him that do not want to change the policy.

 

BTW, I was just in St. Thomas last month and cigs were $22 per carton, or 5/$99 at A.H. Reise or Supreme Liquors at Crown Bay.

 

Go figure !

[charlesjoy]

Just returned from the Coral and we purchased a carton in the ship's store about midway through the cruise. No problem, took them with us. I've never heard of any cruiseline not allowing you to take them as you purchased them, only alcohol do they keep until end of cruise.

[dutchess43]

Sailed on the Caribbean in Aug they were held until the last night & then delivered to our cabin.

[rkmw]

Just returned from the Coral and we purchased a carton in the ship's store about midway through the cruise. No problem, took them with us. I've never heard of any cruiseline not allowing you to take them as you purchased them, only alcohol do they keep until end of cruise.

 

maybe its who you strike in the shop, 99.9% they keep them until the last night