Hypothetically

[CRUZBUDS]

The OP is doing a B2B so this would not be a reposition or Transatlantic cruise.

 

A whole lot of people from the UK and other European countries do the last Caribbean cruise of the season and take the ship back to Europe. That's what I'd do!

[Jazzbo]

We purchased the premium beverage packages the last two cruises (last one was a TA -- no free beverage package available, the one before was not long after beverage packages became available), but we did still bring a little something in our suitcases for times that we wanted a drink on the balcony or while getting ready for dinner and didn't feel like running out to a bar.

[HokiePoq]

We are doing a B2B on Celebrity. If we took some liquor in our suitcase and it was discovered.

We understand it is taken from us and returned at the end of the cruise. So we would get it back at the end of the first cruise and would have it for our second cruise.

Anyone had that experience?

 

We purchased liquor on RCCL on the first part of a back to back.....and hoped. They held it until the end of the second cruise. Hypothetically if you had a friend who was not staying for the back to back......

[CRUZBUDS]

We purchased liquor on RCCL on the first part of a back to back.....and hoped. They held it until the end of the second cruise. Hypothetically if you had a friend who was not staying for the back to back......

 

Did you buy it on the last evening when they let people take it with them?

 

On our last Carnival it was after 8:00. previously it was earlier, like around 5:00. I don't know how Celebrity does it.

 

It's easy to make new friends on on a cruise ;) We had someone lined up from our roll call, just in case

[Iamcruzin]

A whole lot of people from the UK and other European countries do the last Caribbean cruise of the season and take the ship back to Europe. That's what I'd do!

 

But then the drink package could have been offered on the first leg

[GottaKnowWhen]

We are doing a B2B on Celebrity. If we took some liquor in our suitcase and it was discovered.

 

We understand it is taken from us and returned at the end of the cruise. So we would get it back at the end of the first cruise and would have it for our second cruise.

 

Anyone had that experience?

 

 

Hypothetically, let's assume you can break the rules and get away with it. So now you have two bottles of booze and a guilty conscience warring with a feeling of triumph. Sounds like a good time to have a drink. Hmmm. Two bottles, a total of about 50 oz. Seven days to drink it up. Maybe two oz per drink? Twenty five drinks? Let's make it twenty eight drinks total, so four drinks per day. Two apiece (assuming you share the bounty with your travel companion.)

 

My question, is it really worth it? Really? Why not just buy yourself two drinks a day?

 

By the way, have you factored in the cost of laundry and dry cleaning for your suitcase full of clothes that will get soaked if one or both bottles break? Or the pain of traveling with an additional suitcase when packing the contraband booze with ample padding so it doesn't get spilled? And of course if traveling by air the booze will need to go into a checked bag that you may need to pay for...

 

Even if the threat was impoundment rather than confiscation, I wouldn't think it is worth it.

[julia]

So now you have two bottles of booze and a guilty conscience warring with a feeling of triumph. Sounds like a good time to have a drink. .

 

Seriously... are you kidding me? Guilty conscience?!

We have taken our preferred liquor onboard every single cruise, without fail, and I promise there was (is) NO "guilty conscience". We've paid hefty balcony fares, tipped the crew above normal, shopped onboard, and purchased many drinks and bottles of wine. Therefore, each cruise line has made LOTS of revenue from us, and I do not feel guilt (or triumph) in the least. :eek:

[neverbeenhere]

priggishness available here on a daily basis.:rolleyes:

[lardan]

delete

Edited May 25, 2015 by lardan

[Lisah101]

Some people like a particular alcohol and Celebrity doesn't carry everything. My husband rarely drinks but he does like Wild Turkey American Honey with coke. If they don't have it on board, then he wouldn't drink anything in replacement. I will admit I put some in a rum rummer and took it on a Carnival cruise years ago. We enjoyed it on our balcony. I just wondered if it wasn't about the quantity of alcohol, but rather a particular hard to find one. I like Cruzan cherry rum, but Barcardi cherry is awful - won't drink it as that is not my taste.

Edited May 25, 2015 by Lisah101

[SantaFeFan]

Some people like a particular alcohol and Celebrity doesn't carry everything.

 

Exactly! That is why I bring two additional suitcases full of food and cooking utensils. I have certain things I like to eat that Celebrity doesn't provide. By smuggling in my own food I can eat what I like, not the food Celebrity forces me to eat.

 

And I do it without any guilt feelings. ;)

Edited May 25, 2015 by SantaFeFan

[HokiePoq]

Did you buy it on the last evening when they let people take it with them?

 

On our last Carnival it was after 8:00. previously it was earlier, like around 5:00. I don't know how Celebrity does it.

 

It's easy to make new friends on on a cruise ;) We had someone lined up from our roll call, just in case

 

 

No, we bought it early on in the cruise during a promotion.

This was also on a repositioning cruise....a really interesting one in terms of the liquor store. Our ship (not X) was coming from the Caribbean to Europe. They cleared out all the stock and replaced it with less proof at higher price per new regulations for where they were sailing. A really good time to have a friend not on the back to back.

[cle-guy]

My theory on the actuality of how this works (the "practical" versus the "written")....

 

Many people, especial international travelers buy Duty Free at airports, or alcohol in their embarkation city to take home.

 

So you board, and though the rules say it will be confiscated and not returned, I think if you present it to security as you board and ask them to check it for you, they will check it as a courtesy, just like they would do with a hunting knife that's against the rules - don't hide it in luggage - be pro-active.

 

Then last night (or maybe morning of?? not sure...) you go claim your bad item.

 

As you are on a B2B, just go take it back to your cabin and stick it in any luggage and it will transfer to new cabin or will simply stay in your cabin - no one is any wiser and you have it for the 2nd part of your cruise.

 

I've bought liquor in ports, and carried it on, expecting it to be checked, run it thru the X ray and walked it to my cabin as no one was tending to the table for checking items, and I wasn't gonna wait. Enforcement is spotty at best.

 

If you were to buy at Duty Free on board, I would expect they would hold till the 2nd leg, as at that point they know you, but on arrival and checking things, they don't really have that information at hand.

Edited August 9, 2015 by cle-guy

[triplett]

Amazon sells shampbooze bottles with seals, as well as sunscreen and lotion bottles for poolside. They are food grade plastic and the labels are changed periodically. May be worth a try.

[grandgeezer]

If you purchase liquor in the Duty Free shops onboard, they will hold it until the last night. Not sure if they deliver to your room or you have to go pick it up. But if they don't know you are doing a B2B, you would then have it legally on the second leg. EM

 

We were on Celebrity, doing a B2B last fall, and bought a bottle of cognac to bring home as a gift. We bought it on the first leg, just to get it out of the way, not expecting it until we got off the ship. The bottle was delivered the last night of the first cruise. I don't know if that is the norm, or a mistake.

[Pipo]

Smuggling booze has been a looongtime discussion. But this is the first time I'll comment on the subject:

Alcoholic beverage packages are expensive, I agree, but on Celebrity I would expect certain level of purchase power among passengers, and smuggling is not consistent with the market that Celebrity aims at. So some people is willing to pays thousands of dollars for a premium cruise like Celebrity, but don't want to pay hundreds on drinks... It doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Why they don't look for a cheaper ship, and smuggle their bottles there, if saving money is such a concern?

[grandgeezer]

I didn't see anyone asking for financial advise. How people spend, or don't spend there money, is a personal decision and unsolicited advise should not be offered.

[Adidas4fun]

Smuggling booze has been a looongtime discussion. But this is the first time I'll comment on the subject:

Alcoholic beverage packages are expensive, I agree, but on Celebrity I would expect certain level of purchase power among passengers, and smuggling is not consistent with the market that Celebrity aims at. So some people is willing to pays thousands of dollars for a premium cruise like Celebrity, but don't want to pay hundreds on drinks... It doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Why they don't look for a cheaper ship, and smuggle their bottles there, if saving money is such a concern?

 

You arent alone in your wondering, and sometimes it takes a brave person like you to make some of us realise the silliness of our actions.

 

For my next cruise I've decided not to buy the drinks package. I intend to order my wines for my meals by the bottle rather than limit my thinking to that which is available by the glass.

 

So Pipo, do continue to offer your advice. Some people will thank you for your wisdom.

[Honeybearhollow]

Since you are on a B2B and allowed 2 bottles per cruise, I don't see why you cannot get off the ship on turn-around-day and buy 2 bottles of wine and re-board the ship.

[Blondie008]

But then the drink package could have been offered on the first leg

 

and on the second :)

UK cruisers DO get the free drinks package on TA cruises ...

Edited August 31, 2015 by Blondie008

[GUT2407]

Since we are only talking "hypothetically": Hypothetically, they could put you off the ship as a rule breaker.

 

Hypothetically I wish they would, ships really need to enforce their rules.