Rum Runners

[ORV]

Welcome to Cruise Critic --

 

This being your first post, you are probably not aware that you have touched on a "hot button" topic -- namely asking for advice on circumventing Celebrity's rules. While some support this effort, many others do not, as a search of this board will show you. That being said, there are some indications that the newest scanners used at some ports are capable of "seeing" rum runners' contents, and that you would not be allowed to bring this liquor on with you.

 

I'd love to know, besides here on Cruise Critic, where anyone has seen x-rays that can tell if something is alcohol, mouthwash or water? It would take a trained radiologist to read the difference in how the x-rays are "absorbed, transmitted and scattered."

I don't smuggle alcohol. In fact instead i'd highly recommend the wonderful premium drink packages, but honestly, is there anecdotal evidence that the onboard and shoreside scanners can pick up this very subtle radiological difference? Besides "I heard someone's smuggled booze got caught in x-ray?"

 

I believe it to be a CC Urban Legend. I'd love to see some actual proof to the contrary. Perhaps a link to the machine that can do this. While it's obvious the X ray machines will show bottle shapes it seems unlikely it would show alcohol content of a sealed bottle.

 

As I've stated before, I believe people report what their biases are. It's generally second hand, hearsay knowledge.

[A Sixth?]

An XRay machine can not tell the difference between water or booze.

 

X-Ray radiation penetrates different materials at various rates. The X-Ray machine sees the variations in that density. There is no discernible difference between most liquids

 

 

 

[PatC]

Okay, here's my story.

 

Called to the Naughty Room on Constellation. Silly reason but I understood. My DH has to carry saline solution as a flush due to a tumor he had removed. We put 2 bottles in the checked luggage, with the prescriptions on, unopened, plastic. Needless to say I was not surprised when I had to go and open the bags.

 

Short story. When I arrived in that room with the cabin steward I was shocked to see all the unopened actualy bottles of liquor lined up along with walls. Security had a watch over them. They put our bag thru the xray yet again and then the bottles thru another machine. Lots of security standing there watching. I was told that liquor will project a blue color and that's a newer way to detect if the bottles hold alcohol.

 

Don't know if it's true but the other machine was different from the xray.

 

Bags go thru security on the pier and then again right on the ship. I never knew this little bit of information.

 

Anyway, just thought I pass on our experience. We did us rum runners in the past but with the alcohol packages we don't have to carry the excess, just saline solution:p

[rwr235]

"The Kromek Bottle Scanner is a desktop inspection unit that can quickly verify or classify liquids, gels or aerosols based on multi-spectral analysis of x-rays using a combination of Kromek detectors and the proprietary ADMIT algorithm.

 

The system scans, analyses and classifies liquids in under 30 seconds, with a high degree of reliability and accuracy. The system can handle various shapes and sizes of sealed glass, plastic and metal containers. Additional materials can be added to the system database and the user can specify these as required.

 

The Kromek Bottle Scanner™ is provided in 2 modes:

 

Verifier - Click Here

 

 

The Verifier enables the user to verify the contents of a container between 80ml and 2000ml against its spectral fingerprint. This enables the user to rapidly determine whether the contents are either as claimed or the presence of substitute liquids and other compounds in the container.

 

Primarily designed for ports and border protection agencies as a checkpoint aid for the screening of narcotics in benign carrier liquids, the Verifier can also be configured to provide a range of security solutions such as screening for alcohol or the presence of potentially hazardous liquids."

 

As noted from the above article....such machines do apparently exist !!

[lambcom]

Shocking! The Kromek people have a youtube video of their bottle scanner in action. Go here to see it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpYH8iKDUhw

 

The question is -- are they in use in major US ports such as Fort Lauderdale or Miami? I've used rum runners in the past. Never had a problem -- but this has significantly raised my paranoia level!

 

George +

[Adammara]

In the UK, we have a channel on the TV showing an Australian program 'Nothing to Declare', the machines they use show up vegetable matter and food in colours, and they very strict about importation there, an automatic A$220 fine and goods destroyed.

 

At the risk of inflaming the debate, are the people who smuggle drink aboard are also the ones who feel the reserving of sunbeds and smoking rules do not apply to them?

 

Tin hat on!

 

Richard

[lambcom]

In the interests of transparency, let me say that I'm a lie-in-the-shade person and haven't smoked in nine years. While we have used rum-runners in the past, on my Alaska cruise last September my wife and I bought the non-premium drink package.

 

George +

[A Sixth?]

"The Kromek Bottle Scanner is a desktop inspection unit that can quickly verify or classify liquids, gels or aerosols based on multi-spectral analysis of x-rays using a combination of Kromek detectors and the proprietary ADMIT algorithm.

 

The system scans, analyses and classifies liquids in under 30 seconds, with a high degree of reliability and accuracy. The system can handle various shapes and sizes of sealed glass, plastic and metal containers. Additional materials can be added to the system database and the user can specify these as required.

 

The Kromek Bottle Scanner™ is provided in 2 modes:

 

Verifier - Click Here

 

 

The Verifier enables the user to verify the contents of a container between 80ml and 2000ml against its spectral fingerprint. This enables the user to rapidly determine whether the contents are either as claimed or the presence of substitute liquids and other compounds in the container.

 

Primarily designed for ports and border protection agencies as a checkpoint aid for the screening of narcotics in benign carrier liquids, the Verifier can also be configured to provide a range of security solutions such as screening for alcohol or the presence of potentially hazardous liquids."

 

As noted from the above article....such machines do apparently exist !!

 

 

Not the ones they use at the cruise ports... some of those xRays are older than half of the passengers. :p

[teajak]

No! Just answering the OP's question without pontificating with rules, hearsay, and innuendo. :eek:

Isn't the operative word her RULES?

[cruisegirl1]

I'd love to know, besides here on Cruise Critic, where anyone has seen x-rays that can tell if something is alcohol, mouthwash or water? It would take a trained radiologist to read the difference in how the x-rays are "absorbed, transmitted and scattered." I don't smuggle alcohol. In fact instead i'd highly recommend the wonderful premium drink packages, but honestly, is there anecdotal evidence that the onboard and shoreside scanners can pick up this very subtle radiological difference? Besides "I heard someone's smuggled booze got caught in x-ray?"

 

 

I recently spent some time ( maybe 30 minutes ) in the security areas of RCCL Jewel, retrieving my luggage. Any bottle that is suspect, they hold the luggage, notify you to come to security where they again put it through X-ray and tell you that they saw a “whatever” . In my case it was a bottle of wine. They examined it to be sure it was sealed and took it with the promise of return on the last evening. They did not go through any suitcase; they had the passenger do that. I personally saw security open sealed water bottles (plastic) and smell the contents. There were opening anything larger than a 4-6 oz. mouthwash bottle and also smelling the contents. Anything in a flask, they went to a rest room, emptied the contents and returned the empty flask to passengers. All of the staff were very nice and professional. My bottle of wine was returned to me early the last evening.

 

Cheers

M

[ORV]

I recently spent some time ( maybe 30 minutes ) in the security areas of RCCL Jewel, retrieving my luggage. Any bottle that is suspect, they hold the luggage, notify you to come to security where they again put it through X-ray and tell you that they saw a “whatever” . In my case it was a bottle of wine. They examined it to be sure it was sealed and took it with the promise of return on the last evening. They did not go through any suitcase; they had the passenger do that. I personally saw security open sealed water bottles (plastic) and smell the contents. There were opening anything larger than a 4-6 oz. mouthwash bottle and also smelling the contents. Anything in a flask, they went to a rest room, emptied the contents and returned the empty flask to passengers. All of the staff were very nice and professional. My bottle of wine was returned to me early the last evening.

 

Cheers

M

 

Are you not allowed to take wine onboard RCCL?

[cruisestitch]

At the risk of getting flamed for quoting from the RCCL website, here's what their FAQ says:

 

 

 

< Back to Onboard Policies

 

Onboard Policies

 

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Q: Can I bring liquor or non-alcoholic beverages (from home or from a port) onboard?

 

A: Guests are not allowed to bring alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages onboard for consumption or any other use. Alcoholic beverages that are purchased in ports-of-call or from Shops On Board will be stored by the ship and delivered to your stateroom on the last day of the sailing. Alcoholic beverages seized on embarkation day will not be returned.

 

Security may inspect containers (water bottles, soda bottles, mouthwash, luggage etc.) and will dispose of containers holding alcohol. Guests who violate any alcohol policies, (over consume, provide alcohol to people under age 21, demonstrate irresponsible behavior, or attempt to conceal alcoholic items at security and or luggage check points or any other time), may be disembarked or not allowed to board, at their own expense, in accordance with our Guest Conduct Policy. Guests who are under the permitted drinking age will not have alcohol returned to them.

[sarafinadh]

I'd love to know, besides here on Cruise Critic, where anyone has seen x-rays that can tell if something is alcohol, mouthwash or water? It would take a trained radiologist to read the difference in how the x-rays are "absorbed, transmitted and scattered."

I don't smuggle alcohol. In fact instead i'd highly recommend the wonderful premium drink packages, but honestly, is there anecdotal evidence that the onboard and shoreside scanners can pick up this very subtle radiological difference? Besides "I heard someone's smuggled booze got caught in x-ray?"

The technology exists in a pretty early basic way, but as yet there is no implementation of a magic scanner that tells tsa or anyone else for that matter, what a bottle in a suitcase contains.

 

They are working on it but thus far the best application requires each bottle be processed thru by itself for evaluation. Takes upwards of 30 seconds for each scan. And can only filter for "yes" or "no" of the set parameters. Which means additional manual scanning is required.

 

EU airport security organizations are trying to run a limited test to see how it goes.

[sarafinadh]

Are you not allowed to take wine onboard RCCL?

I think the short (polite) answer must be "no".

[dodger1964]

We don't "check" bags when cruising...we just each take a carryon roller bag and laptop bag for our cruises.

 

Those bags are only scanned ONCE just before getting to check in lines.

 

Those scanners look pretty basic to me (at least the ones in San Juan that i'm basing this comment on). I'm not sure they would catch a bottle being smuggled in.

 

After going through that scanner, there isn't another scanner at the ship like there is when coming back on board from port day.

 

We each took an aluminum bottle filled with water on our last trip and they never asked about them.

 

I only drink beer, so have no way to smuggle that on to the ship...I really enjoy the elite happy hour(s).

 

Also...I assume "rum runner" is same as "airline size bottle"??

[Sloop-JohnB]

Hi All,

 

Just a follow-up to the excellent posting by CRUISESTITCH above (Reply # 37).

 

Celebrity’s Alcohol Policy (Revised for 2012) is quite similar to the one for RCCL, with a few minor changes to allow for the fact that Celebrity allows Guests to bring aboard 2 Bottles of Wine (750 Mls each per Stateroom).

 

Here then a copy of the paragraphs pertinent to the Question about “Rum Rummers” or smuggling booze aboard… (Paragraphs 4, 5, and 6).

 

Notice that they are similar to the Alcohol Policy about RCCL… in that the stipulation in regards to confiscation, inspection, disposal, and possible actions against the Passenger (Disembarkation, or Refusal for Boarding) remains the same.

 

== snip ==

 

CELEBRITY CRUISE LINES - ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES POLICY 2012

 

Paragrahs 4, 5 and 6

 

* Guests are not allowed to bring beer or hard liquor onboard for consumption or any other use. Guests wishing to bring personal wine onboard with them at the beginning of the cruise may do so, limited to two (2) standard size (750 ml or smaller) bottles per stateroom, but when consumed in any shipboard restaurant, bar, or dining venue, each bottle shall be subject to a corkage fee of $25.00. If a guest receives a bottle of wine (in their stateroom) from a family member or friend, and that bottle(s) was purchased from our Bon Voyage Gift selection, then no corkage fee will apply if they wish to consume the bottle in the dining room or any public area. If the guest receives a bottle from an outside vendor and/or Travel Agent, and the bottle was not purchased through our Bon Voyage selection, then a $25.00 corkage fee per bottle will apply if they wish to consume the wine in the dining room or any other public area. The fee will be applied to the guest’s onboard account.

 

* Alcoholic beverages that are purchased in ports of calls or from onboard shops will be stored by the ship and returned to guests on the last day of the sailing. Security may inspect containers (water bottles, soda bottles, mouthwash, luggage etc.) and will dispose of containers holding alcohol. Celebrity Cruises’ Guest Conduct Policy may be enforced, up to and including disembarkation, if a guest violates any alcohol policy. Guests under the age of 21 will not have alcohol returned to them.

 

* Guests who violate any alcohol policies, (over consume, provide alcohol to people under age 21, demonstrate irresponsible behavior, or attempt to conceal alcoholic items at security and/or luggage check points or any other time), may be disembarked or not allowed to board, at their own expense, in accordance with our Guest Conduct Policy.

 

== end ==

 

Cheers!

[Sloop-JohnB]

TO DODGER1964,

 

Rum Runners are quite different from Airline Liqour Bottles (which typically have 1 to 2 ounces in them), these are fairly large collapsible containers made of food-grade plastic specifically designed for carrying alcohol in one’s luggage (they come in 8, 16, and 32 ounce sizes).

 

For more info and pics etc., you can GOOGLE – Rum Runners.

 

Cheers!

[goldencruiser]

Hi All,

 

Just a follow-up to the excellent posting by CRUISESTITCH above (Reply # 37).

 

Celebrity’s Alcohol Policy (Revised for 2012) is quite similar to the one for RCCL, with a few minor changes to allow for the fact that Celebrity allows Guests to bring aboard 2 Bottles of Wine (750 Mls each per Stateroom).

 

Here then a copy of the paragraphs pertinent to the Question about “Rum Rummers” or smuggling booze aboard… (Paragraphs 4, 5, and 6).

 

Notice that they are similar to the Alcohol Policy about RCCL… in that the stipulation in regards to confiscation, inspection, disposal, and possible actions against the Passenger (Disembarkation, or Refusal for Boarding) remains the same.

 

== snip ==

 

CELEBRITY CRUISE LINES - ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES POLICY 2012

 

Paragrahs 4, 5 and 6

 

* Guests are not allowed to bring beer or hard liquor onboard for consumption or any other use. Guests wishing to bring personal wine onboard with them at the beginning of the cruise may do so, limited to two (2) standard size (750 ml or smaller) bottles per stateroom, but when consumed in any shipboard restaurant, bar, or dining venue, each bottle shall be subject to a corkage fee of $25.00. If a guest receives a bottle of wine (in their stateroom) from a family member or friend, and that bottle(s) was purchased from our Bon Voyage Gift selection, then no corkage fee will apply if they wish to consume the bottle in the dining room or any public area. If the guest receives a bottle from an outside vendor and/or Travel Agent, and the bottle was not purchased through our Bon Voyage selection, then a $25.00 corkage fee per bottle will apply if they wish to consume the wine in the dining room or any other public area. The fee will be applied to the guest’s onboard account.

 

* Alcoholic beverages that are purchased in ports of calls or from onboard shops will be stored by the ship and returned to guests on the last day of the sailing. Security may inspect containers (water bottles, soda bottles, mouthwash, luggage etc.) and will dispose of containers holding alcohol. Celebrity Cruises’ Guest Conduct Policy may be enforced, up to and including disembarkation, if a guest violates any alcohol policy. Guests under the age of 21 will not have alcohol returned to them.

 

* Guests who violate any alcohol policies, (over consume, provide alcohol to people under age 21, demonstrate irresponsible behavior, or attempt to conceal alcoholic items at security and/or luggage check points or any other time), may be disembarked or not allowed to board, at their own expense, in accordance with our Guest Conduct Policy.

 

== end ==

 

Cheers!

How many times must you post the "alcohol policies"?

[Wine-O]

Hi All,

 

Just a follow-up to the excellent posting by CRUISESTITCH above (Reply # 37).

 

Celebrity’s Alcohol Policy (Revised for 2012) is quite similar to the one for RCCL, with a few minor changes to allow for the fact that Celebrity allows Guests to bring aboard 2 Bottles of Wine (750 Mls each per Stateroom).

 

Here then a copy of the paragraphs pertinent to the Question about “Rum Rummers” or smuggling booze aboard… (Paragraphs 4, 5, and 6).

 

Notice that they are similar to the Alcohol Policy about RCCL… in that the stipulation in regards to confiscation, inspection, disposal, and possible actions against the Passenger (Disembarkation, or Refusal for Boarding) remains the same.

 

== snip ==

 

CELEBRITY CRUISE LINES - ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES POLICY 2012

 

Paragrahs 4, 5 and 6

 

* Guests are not allowed to bring beer or hard liquor onboard for consumption or any other use. Guests wishing to bring personal wine onboard with them at the beginning of the cruise may do so, limited to two (2) standard size (750 ml or smaller) bottles per stateroom, but when consumed in any shipboard restaurant, bar, or dining venue, each bottle shall be subject to a corkage fee of $25.00. If a guest receives a bottle of wine (in their stateroom) from a family member or friend, and that bottle(s) was purchased from our Bon Voyage Gift selection, then no corkage fee will apply if they wish to consume the bottle in the dining room or any public area. If the guest receives a bottle from an outside vendor and/or Travel Agent, and the bottle was not purchased through our Bon Voyage selection, then a $25.00 corkage fee per bottle will apply if they wish to consume the wine in the dining room or any other public area. The fee will be applied to the guest’s onboard account.

 

* Alcoholic beverages that are purchased in ports of calls or from onboard shops will be stored by the ship and returned to guests on the last day of the sailing. Security may inspect containers (water bottles, soda bottles, mouthwash, luggage etc.) and will dispose of containers holding alcohol. Celebrity Cruises’ Guest Conduct Policy may be enforced, up to and including disembarkation, if a guest violates any alcohol policy. Guests under the age of 21 will not have alcohol returned to them.

 

* Guests who violate any alcohol policies, (over consume, provide alcohol to people under age 21, demonstrate irresponsible behavior, or attempt to conceal alcoholic items at security and/or luggage check points or any other time), may be disembarked or not allowed to board, at their own expense, in accordance with our Guest Conduct Policy.

 

== end ==

 

Cheers!

 

The lady doth protest too much, methinks.

[bighairtexan]

LOL

 

A-Sixth I love the x-rays. Maybe there IS a machine. Right now I have an email into my daughter's ex fiancé who is a radiologist. I will post his response if he ever gets around to answering.

 

Rum Runners look a lot like a plastic IV bottle but where the spout for the tubing is, there's a screw top lid.

[jackdiamond]

The lady doth protest too much, methinks.

Yes.

[jackdiamond]

How many times must you post the "alcohol policies"?

"Forever and ever"

[bighairtexan]

I emailed both a radiologist and a radiology in her last few months of her radiology residence. She replied first and this is regarding ship and airline x-rays:

 

"Currently, while the machine may be able to pick up on liquid there is no way it could tell if it was booze or water, just some sort of fluid." When the other doctor gets back to me I'll post if the answer is different. That being said, i would assume it could pick up the SHAPE of a rum runner which would be suspicious. I didn't ask about that.

[phoenix_dream]

Shocking! The Kromek people have a youtube video of their bottle scanner in action. Go here to see it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpYH8iKDUhw

 

The question is -- are they in use in major US ports such as Fort Lauderdale or Miami? I've used rum runners in the past. Never had a problem -- but this has significantly raised my paranoia level!

 

George +

There has been some discussion elsewhere on these boards that infer that there may be one machine at MIA, and one at SJU. Have not heard tell of them elsewhere. Not sure if even that is true or not, and certainly have not heard anything about them being at any other US or Canadian port (not sure about others as I do not sail them).

 

The scans apparently cannot handle a full suitcase - any suspect containers are put through individually. They also are not onboard individual ships - just the port (if in fact, they are there).

 

So bottom line, unless one is sailing out of MIA or SJU (and perhaps not even there), one is no more likely to get 'caught' than they have been previously.

 

Not an opinion on whether one should try, just an evaluation of screening.

[A Sixth?]

I emailed both a radiologist and a radiology in her last few months of her radiology residence. She replied first and this is regarding ship and airline x-rays:

 

"Currently, while the machine may be able to pick up on liquid there is no way it could tell if it was booze or water, just some sort of fluid." When the other doctor gets back to me I'll post if the answer is different. That being said, i would assume it could pick up the SHAPE of a rum runner which would be suspicious. I didn't ask about that.

 

Thanks, I didn't want to pursue the difference between chemical sniffing equipment, as one poster linked to, and old airport Xray machines....