First Alaska cruise...getting purchased alcohol back to your home

[MB2014]

We depart on August 26th, 2016 for Vancouver; boarding Radiance of the Seas bound for Alaska.

 

We always purchase alcohol from duty free shops on ship, however, this is first time purchasing it on the ship and we are flying back to MD from Anchorage.

 

Will RC ship the alcohol for you? When you depart the ship at home port, you have your purchase in sturdy boxes, this is entirely different process with flying back to your home.

 

Any information would be greatly appreciated!

 

Thank You

[awestover89]

I'm not sure if they will ship it, but you can fly with liquor in your checked luggage if you have enough room. Just wrap it really well, and try not to let the bags get overweight to avoid the extra fee. Most of the liquor in our cabinets we flew with from the lower 48 because it can be so much more expensive up here.

[Merion_Mom]

We depart on August 26th, 2016 for Vancouver; boarding Radiance of the Seas bound for Alaska.

 

We always purchase alcohol from duty free shops on ship, however, this is first time purchasing it on the ship and we are flying back to MD from Anchorage.

 

Will RC ship the alcohol for you? When you depart the ship at home port, you have your purchase in sturdy boxes, this is entirely different process with flying back to your home.

 

Any information would be greatly appreciated!

 

Thank You

 

No, they will not.

 

I cannot imagine that buying on board on this trip is a profitable or good idea for you. :eek:

[MB2014]

Thank you for your quick replies. I have been told that you can now pack your liquor in your carry on's which is what we plan to do.

 

I also read that using the kid swimmies is a great way to store the liquor using those and large zip lock bags....

 

First cruise involving air lines, so this is new to us~:)

[Merion_Mom]

Thank you for your quick replies. I have been told that you can now pack your liquor in your carry on's which is what we plan to do.

 

I also read that using the kid swimmies is a great way to store the liquor using those and large zip lock bags....

 

First cruise involving air lines, so this is new to us~:)

 

You can only pack that liquor in your carry on if it's less than 3 ounces! :eek:

[awestover89]

Thank you for your quick replies. I have been told that you can now pack your liquor in your carry on's which is what we plan to do.

 

I also read that using the kid swimmies is a great way to store the liquor using those and large zip lock bags....

 

First cruise involving air lines, so this is new to us~:)

 

Checked bags, not carry on's. No liquid more than 3 oz on carry on

[TravelerThom]

...We always purchase alcohol from duty free shops on ship, however, this is first time purchasing it on the ship and we are flying back to MD from Anchorage...

This is a terrible idea. WAY more trouble than it is worth. I live in MD and prices here on most things are not that much more than on the ship.

 

Thom

[ducklite]

There are limits to the amount of liquor that can be put into checked baggage. You can't take more than five liters of alcohol 24-70% proof and it must be packed in a suitable manner as to protect from both breakage and leakage. Alcohol over 70 proof, including 150 proof rum may not be checked or carried into an airplane. There is no limit on wine or beer in checked baggage, provided it is packed in a suitable shipping container as approved by the FAA.

 

You can not pack liquor in carry on's except under very specific conditions, none of which will apply to you.

[cb at sea]

Booze prices in SC are cheaper than here, in Va....skip this idea!

[Lordnlkon]

This is a terrible idea. WAY more trouble than it is worth. I live in MD and prices here on most things are not that much more than on the ship.

 

Thom

 

 

Agree. I only buy liquor I can't get in the states while on a cruise and there's not going to be anything like that on a cruise to Alaska. The small amount you are going to save isn't worth the huge amount of extra hassle to bring it back.

[Langley Cruisers]

Thank you for your quick replies. I have been told that you can now pack your liquor in your carry on's which is what we plan to do. ...

 

No. Incorrect. Wrong. Nada. ;) Not sure where you heard this but the TSA agents will gladly take those bottles off your hands if you do this, trust me. :(

[steveru621]

You can pack liquor in your carry-on.

 

Only if you purchase the liquor in the airport and after it is delivered to your departure gate.

 

I understand you are flying into Vancouver airport, but they actually have a huge duty free liquor store.

[ducklite]

You can pack liquor in your carry-on.

 

Only if you purchase the liquor in the airport and after it is delivered to your departure gate.

 

I understand you are flying into Vancouver airport, but they actually have a huge duty free liquor store.

 

 

 

And if at any point after that in your trip you need to clear CBP and/or TSA again, you can no longer carry that alcohol on board.

[steveru621]

And if at any point after that in your trip you need to clear CBP and/or TSA again, you can no longer carry that alcohol on board.

 

Very true!

 

We buy liquor when we drive to the port. We might save $20 or so, not much. You can save a lot more in St. Thomas when you can purchase more than 2 bottles with a product of the USVI.

[Langley Cruisers]

...I understand you are flying into Vancouver airport, but they actually have a huge duty free liquor store.

 

Yes but liquor in Canada is, for the most part, much more expensive than anywhere in the U.S. I have noticed cheaper liquor prices on beer, wine, and spirits in every American city/port we have ever been to.

[steveru621]

Yes but liquor in Canada is, for the most part, much more expensive than anywhere in the U.S. I have noticed cheaper liquor prices on beer, wine, and spirits in every American city/port we have ever been to.

 

Never did the currency conversion! It's a very good point.

 

I personally have never found liquor at any airport to be cheap enough to purchase duty free. The lease has to be enormous.

[blackshirt]

I understand you are flying into Vancouver airport, but they actually have a huge duty free liquor store.

 

Doesn't help since the OP ends the cruise in Alaska.

[teacher1977]

Last summer we did a two week cruise in northern Europe and purchased three bottles of liquor on-board. It was delivered to our room the last day. It had to be packed in our check through luggage. We were flying from Southampton to Philadelphia. The shop on the ship that sold us the liquor had bubble wrap available. They were suppose to deliver it with the bottles but did not so I simply went down and got three long sheets of it. Placed each bottle in one of this giant ziplock bags used for freezing casseroles and then taped the bags tight with a roll of clear packaging/mailing tape. Then I wrapped each bottle in the bubble wrap and used more tape to hold the bubble wrap in place. One bottle went in the center of of each check in suitcase swaddled in T-shirts, nightgowns, etc. Managed to get all three bottles home with no breakage. It was a lot of work but they were unusually shaped cylinders of Russian vodka that we were bringing home for gifts. I had the roll of packaging/mailing tape in my carry on when we arrived in London three days prior to boarding in Southampton so I could use it to attach our ship's luggage tags when we left London. Was very happy I had the tape!

[Ocean Dancer]

Wasn't there talk of allowing a small amount of alcohol, like a 4 pack, packed by the duty free shop in San Juan to be allowed for carry on from that port only? Flying to the Mainland? (USA)

 

We are sailing from Vancouver next Sept, and arriving two days early. Would the duty free shop in the airport be the best place to buy our wine for the cruise, and a small amount of rum for our hotel room? :)

Edited August 8, 2016 by Ocean Dancer

[Clarea]

Wasn't there talk of allowing a small amount of alcohol, like a 4 pack, packed by the duty free shop in San Juan to be allowed for carry on from that port only?...

I've never seen that in any of our trips from San Juan. In fact, I've seen crewmembers stationed at a table right before the escalator to the ship checking for alcohol.

[easyboy]

Booze prices in SC are cheaper than here, in Va....skip this idea!

Agree.

[sergeant655]

Wasn't there talk of allowing a small amount of alcohol, like a 4 pack, packed by the duty free shop in San Juan to be allowed for carry on from that port only? Flying to the Mainland? (USA)

 

We are sailing from Vancouver next Sept, and arriving two days early. Would the duty free shop in the airport be the best place to buy our wine for the cruise, and a small amount of rum for our hotel room? :)

 

The duty free shops in the airport in Vancouver are past security and are accessible to departing passengers only arriving passengers do not have access to duty free as there is no shops in the arrivals corridors or past the cbsa areas like some European airports and the one in Sydney has. There is a liquor store on level 1 of the domestic terminal that sells at the same price as in downtown Vancouver

[JohnBoy in NC]

Wasn't there talk of allowing a small amount of alcohol, like a 4 pack, packed by the duty free shop in San Juan to be allowed for carry on from that port only? Flying to the Mainland? (USA)

 

We are sailing from Vancouver next Sept, and arriving two days early. Would the duty free shop in the airport be the best place to buy our wine for the cruise, and a small amount of rum for our hotel room? :)

 

Flying home to USA from SJU yes, you can carry on liquor (i brought 4 litres on board)

[TravelerThom]

Flying home to USA from SJU yes, you can carry on liquor (i brought 4 litres on board)

What year was this?

Where did you buy this liquor?

 

It has been years since TSA rules have allowed containers of liquids larger than 100 milliliters (~3 oz) though Security.

 

Thom

 

ADD: TSA 3-1-1 rule dates from Aug 2006.

Edited August 8, 2016 by TravelerThom

[cruzn13]

I was in San Juan in April. Once you clear security you can buy booze in one of the duty free shops, as long as you are leaving PR. It's been that way for ever, I've carried on up to six liters at a time.