Is there a limit on purchased alcohol to take home?

[bitsey66]

I believe I read that there is a limit for how much alcohol we are allowed to bring back home?? I know that they keep your purchases until the last morning, but is there really a limit of what I can bring home? I was hoping to bring back a gift box with 4 bottles in it from the distillery on Curacao and about 3 bottles of rum for gifts.

 

I don't remember where I read this (either Princess site or CC site or...) or if I was reading something wrong? I keep looking but I can't find the information again.

We will be on the Crown Princess 11/16/13

Can anyone clarify?

Thanks in advance!

[marco]

You can pretty much bring back as much as you want, not like trailer truck loads, but if you want to buy a couple of cases, you could. Of course you'd have to pay the duty. Out side of that, I think it's litre or a quart from "anywhere" duty free and 5 bottles if purchased in St Thomas duty free. Depending how difficult it will be for you to ultimately get it home and how difficult it is for you to find something at home, and the price, the duty is not that much. A few years ago I bought 3 bottles over the limit and the total duty was less than $5. 2 yrs ago we came TA from Italy and brought back a case of wine. The duty was less then $10. I don't know if different kinds of spirits have different rates for duty.

[luddite]

Customs forms ask what you are bringing back. They do not ask if you are a liar.

Weird but true.

[UtterCaro]

Customs forms ask what you are bringing back. They do not ask if you are a liar.

Weird but true.

 

They don't ask; you attest. By signing, you state that you have made a truthful declaration. Here's a link to the sample form: http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/sample_declaration_form.xml

 

Caro

[reedl]

They don't ask; you attest. By signing, you state that you have made a truthful declaration. Here's a link to the sample form: http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/sample_declaration_form.xml

 

Caro

 

And if you make a false statement, they have the right to deliver appropriate consequences.

[Scrapnana]

More information from CBP.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/190

[theminnow]

Bring back as much as you want (short of a truck load):). Just make sure you declare everything. You may have to pay duty and tax if you are over the limit. 1 Liter per person is the duty free limit, unless your cruise has a stop in the US Virgin Islands then the limit goes to 4 liters and if one is bottled in the US Virgin Islands the limit increases to 5 liters I believe.

The wife and I brought back 3.75 liters from Bermuda. Handed the customs guy my declaration card, he asked if I had any alcohol to declare, I said yes it was all listed, he looked at it and said have a nice day and waved us on.

Enjoy your cruise.

 

Craig

[Talisker92]

The duty on liquor is about $2 per bottle. Customs can waive anything under $10. I bought back 5 bottles and declared them. The duty would have been about $6+, so it was waived. Two bottles were my duty free allowance-one for me,one for my wife.

The duty on wine is 10-20 cents per bottle,I think.

[spookwife]

I believe I read that there is a limit for how much alcohol we are allowed to bring back home?? I know that they keep your purchases until the last morning, but is there really a limit of what I can bring home? I was hoping to bring back a gift box with 4 bottles in it from the distillery on Curacao and about 3 bottles of rum for gifts.

 

I don't remember where I read this (either Princess site or CC site or...) or if I was reading something wrong? I keep looking but I can't find the information again.

We will be on the Crown Princess 11/16/13

Can anyone clarify?

Thanks in advance!

 

 

you can bring back as many as you want.. as long as you are willing to pay the duty on the excess.

 

Not saying that this is what will happen, but once I tried to bring a bottle extra over the allowed amount( it was sake coming from Japan) and I declared every bottle. the Customs guy did not charge me the duty although he was well within his rights to do so.

[smeyer418]

the rule is simply that you can bring back as much as you want for your own personal use as long as you pay the duty(and excise tax) on it. How much that is is left up to the customs officer on duty. Normally a case or two is not questioned. A truck load would be....so its something in between. The duty for the amount over the limit is based on the alcohol content and size of the bottle. It runs $2-3 a bottle. If its less than $10 duty most customs officials just waive you through as its not worth the paperwork to collect.

[Hawaiidan]

Some states have limits...I think NY if your a resident, and other countries where your a resident.

 

I used to fly to ST Thomas rt from San Francisco, pick up 4 cases of liquor

and the duty was about $7.50 a gallon.... 4 cases ran me about $35.00

Since I was buying stuff for $10 a bottle that sold in SF for $50. I was happy.

The stores had special shipping cases and I checked them as baggage all no charge in those days. If your flying first today or are on the airlines favorite list... its no cost today

[OVgirl]

And if you are flying it goes with your checked luggage. You can't carry it on.

[kitty9]

It's not really how much you're allowed, which isn't a lot, but the duty is small so that shouldn't be a worry, it's how you're going to get it back home. You can't carry it onto the plane so it has to be in your checked bags, and unless you bring a lot of bubble wrap, you could have lots of broken bottles, or even stolen bottles, when you get home.

[smeyer418]

Some states have limits...I think NY if your a resident, and other countries where your a resident.

 

I used to fly to ST Thomas rt from San Francisco, pick up 4 cases of liquor

and the duty was about $7.50 a gallon.... 4 cases ran me about $35.00

Since I was buying stuff for $10 a bottle that sold in SF for $50. I was happy.

The stores had special shipping cases and I checked them as baggage all no charge in those days. If your flying first today or are on the airlines favorite list... its no cost today

no it was Texas that had a limit, which it removed. the limit is what is for your own use.

[bitsey66]

We are driving back, so none of that airport crap to deal with.

I have no problem declaring whatever we buy or paying duty/tax. It will probably be 7 bottles, if that.

 

Thank you all for the info! Happy cruisin' :cool:

[kruisecat]

The duty on liquor is about $2 per bottle. Customs can waive anything under $10. I bought back 5 bottles and declared them. The duty would have been about $6+, so it was waived. Two bottles were my duty free allowance-one for me,one for my wife.

The duty on wine is 10-20 cents per bottle,I think.

 

 

I didn't realize that this was all it really was ($2). I might have to make a few more purchases on our upcoming Legend cruise :p

[rvsullivan]

Crossed over from Mexico yesterday. Feds charged $5.80 per liter and Texas state charged $2.85. About $8.50 per liter total. Your experience might vary.

My $80 tequila here cost about $55 there so with duty I still was ahead.

[Gloria Mundi]

Nearly every time DH and I have traveled (or I've traveled on my own) out of the country we've brought back more alcohol than the duty-free limit. Sometimes it was expensive scotch whisky, sometimes just bargains we got in Duty-Free. Every time we've filled out an honest declaration. Every time they've waved us on without charging us anything.

 

(Just remember that even duty-free needs to go into checked bags if you connect to a flight to go home after your first entry into the US.)