buying alcohol in the shops on the ship

[majosa]

I was curious about the prices of the alcohol you can buy in the shops. I remember the last time i cruised (2007) it was way cheaper that what you would pay at home in the stores. Like disaronno amaretto here is like 40 for the large bottle. Is it about the same on the ships? Thank you!

[emjay]

The alcohol is much cheaper on the ships. We always stock up. The rums and absolute vodka's are almost 2 for 1 compared to what we pay here at home.

[pjtulsa]

I was curious about the prices of the alcohol you can buy in the shops. I remember the last time i cruised (2007) it was way cheaper that what you would pay at home in the stores. Like disaronno amaretto here is like 40 for the large bottle. Is it about the same on the ships? Thank you!

 

My Son paid 2 for $40 in June.

 

Buy early as I just got off the Splendor and waited to buy my tequila and they ran out... I also heard others asking for different brands and they were out of those also.. It seemed like they didnt restock the shelves.

 

They will deliver the last evening.

[SNJCruisers]

LIke the previous poster said....Bacardi and Absolut are pretty cheap. In general, it all depends where you're stopping port wise...Kahlua is cheap in Mexico, rum in Puerto Rico, etc. Cognac is cheap in the French ports. St Thomas is probably the best port for overall liquor buying. Good luck. Price what you want at home and then see if it's worth your while to buy it.

There are also items like Sheridans that you can't get in the states. It's a black and white dual pour bottle of delicious liqueur.

[majosa]

thank yall for answering so quickly! I remember seeing the black and white bottle on the last cruise. I might have to check it out! I know when we were in mexico tequila was sold EVERYWHERE! what about the bahamas? Thanks again!

[kelkel2]

The ship prices are better than the US, but the islands are even better. My advice: go to the gift shops, pick up a pricing list and take it on the islands with you. That way you know if you are overpaying compared to what you can get it for in the gift shop.

We did this and it was fun to do the comparing in all the different shops and islands.

We also got a 1 liter bottle of Bacardi 151 in Grand Cayman for $9.99 US!!!!

[RjayB]

Don't forget to buy Sheridan's, it is still unavailable in the States :)

[Ccnutts]

I have cruised before and do not drink much. (not enough to buy it by the bottle. But my husband was asking me today about buying Jack Danials and cigarettes while on board. I know they are cheeper than buying in the states but he said someone told him that when you leave the ship with it they tack on the tax that they charge in the states. does anyone know if this is true or not?

[blondietink]

We got the large bottles of flavored Bacardi in February on the ship ... 2 for $19.

[discjoker]

I have cruised before and do not drink much. (not enough to buy it by the bottle. But my husband was asking me today about buying Jack Danials and cigarettes while on board. I know they are cheeper than buying in the states but he said someone told him that when you leave the ship with it they tack on the tax that they charge in the states. does anyone know if this is true or not?

 

You are allowed a certain quantity duty free. After that you are supposed to pay the duty. It all the times I have returned with an amount over my limit (and I have always claimed it on the forms), I have never been asked to pay the duty. YMMV.

[linbobky]

Don't forget to buy Sheridan's, it is still unavailable in the States :)

and it is so goooooooooood!!:)

[elcuchio24]

You are allowed a certain quantity duty free. After that you are supposed to pay the duty. It all the times I have returned with an amount over my limit (and I have always claimed it on the forms), I have never been asked to pay the duty. YMMV.

 

I have had the same experiences. Customs agents usually have more important things to do/look out for, than wacking you for $1.19 duty on a bottle of rum.

[DebBrown]

You are allowed a certain quantity duty free. After that you are supposed to pay the duty. It all the times I have returned with an amount over my limit (and I have always claimed it on the forms), I have never been asked to pay the duty. YMMV.

I have never had to pay duty either.

 

There are some GREAT deals on the ship and on the islands. I'm not a big drinker and I still stock up everytime I go. :D

[kujobie]

I don't know if they still do this, but Carnival used to match prices. If you saw a bottle for cheaper at a port store, Carnival would sell it for that price. We would take a pic of the price on shore for proof and show it to the clerk in the liquor store on the ship.

[kokopops]

how much is sheridens going for on the ship or in ports ? i found a website that you can buy it online and have it shipped to you. they want 45.00 a bottle. thats shipping included.

[kikismom88]

Was just on the Miracle in May, and I think I paid $40 for 2 bottles of Sheridans, it was less than we paid last year in Canada at their duty free shop.:)

[elcuchio24]

how much is sheridens going for on the ship or in ports ? i found a website that you can buy it online and have it shipped to you. they want 45.00 a bottle. thats shipping included.

 

That's steep, look for it on the islands in the high teens low 20's. Plus it gives you an excuse to cruise:)

[kelkel2]

I have never had to pay duty either.

 

There are some GREAT deals on the ship and on the islands. I'm not a big drinker and I still stock up everytime I go. :D

 

We never have either...Them making us pay gratuities on it = more work for them for little money...

[blondietink]

What kind of alcohol is Sheridan's? :confused: I have never heard of it, I am sort of liquor challenged .... if it isn't rum, vodka or tequila, I have probably never tasted it.

[Lineaway]

FYI I believe the allowed liquor allotment is 2 litres pp. I always declare everything I have so I was stopped at 13 litres and paid 28 bucks duty but was allowed through at 11 litres. Don't judge me, everyone needs a hobby. :)

[JD4Nati]

I don't know if they still do this, but Carnival used to match prices. If you saw a bottle for cheaper at a port store, Carnival would sell it for that price. We would take a pic of the price on shore for proof and show it to the clerk in the liquor store on the ship.

 

 

They still do this as we did it last week on the Freedom. We saw cheaper prices on Captain Morgan and Cruzan Rum in St. Thomas, took a pic of the price, and were provided a credit for the difference. The prices were $1.50 - $2.00 less per bottle in port and the ship prices were already cheap.

[leesy007]

Same here. We stock up! Usually we can get what we need (coconut rum, Kahlua, and Smirnoff) for about $10 a bottle. Everything seems to be 40% off or better!

[kelkel2]

We cruised Princess last April and they told us that we are only allowed to take 1 bottle of liquor per person back in the states duty free. Last time we cruised we never remembered them saying this? Do you guys know the rules? Needless to say we brought back 3 bottles and no one said a word to us even though I claimed them!

[kujobie]

We cruised Princess last April and they told us that we are only allowed to take 1 bottle of liquor per person back in the states duty free. Last time we cruised we never remembered them saying this? Do you guys know the rules? Needless to say we brought back 3 bottles and no one said a word to us even though I claimed them!

 

It's been that way as long as I can remember. The limit is different depending on which islands you go to. Here is the customs site with all the info you'll ever want to know about this and more. http://cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/kbyg/

[joeyancho]

Here is what Wikipedia says about Sheridan's:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheridan%27s

I don't drink but everyone I buy it for loves it.