Guess what RCI have said about alcohol now !

[AFT_LOVER]

as we watched a gal in the ladies room in St Thomas, fill a large water bottle with the booze she had just bought. She was squirting in her mouth as she walked in too.

 

So now we do it also!

[mbisson]

Yep, they sure do. But unless the booze is transferred to metal containers an x-ray ain't gonna catch it. :p ;)

 

You might want to check the NCL board prior to accepting that claim. Booze (not packaged in metal) gets caught by the xray machines all the time. Heck, my pepsi bottles had my bags held until I opened them for the xray attendant.

 

-Monte

[LuvBNatC]

You can buy plastic bottles of vodka (not sure of the size) called "travelers." On RCI, I once packed two in my checked luggage. Put them both in a ziplock back with a couple of little travel-size bottles of hand lotion, mouthwash, etc. For all the X-ray could tell, the vodkas were shampoo and conditioner. They came through just fine.

 

On NCL, my companion's checked bag got held. He had to go searching for it when it wasn't delivered. They asked if it contained liquor. He said it did, and pulled out a bottle of wine he'd been given on the cruise he'd taken the previous week. They confiscated that, but let him walk away with the fifth of Jack Daniels in his luggage he HADN'T mentioned.

 

Another time he poured his JD into a huge metal flask that looked just like a torpedo. I told him he was crazy, that he'd be arrested as a terrorist. RCI proved me wrong and let it sail right through X-ray.

 

I think whether your booze makes it on board or not is largely a matter of how bad a day the person inspecting the luggage is having.

[madisonms]

Regarding wine, if it was truly not allowed per their policy then they wouldn't have the $12 corkage fee for opening bottles of wine that you bring on the ship. The $12 corkage fee does exist and has been confirmed by people cruising within the last month. That alcohol statement in the docs has always been their official policy and for certain legal reasons, they must state that.

[critterchick]

On the RCI website, they say: "This policy may not apply to every ship or itinerary depending on local laws, customs, or license requirements."

 

So it's a crapshoot as to whether or not your alcohol will be confiscated. At embarkation, I've only seen it happen in the Port of Los Angeles. As for druing the trip, we've done a couple of winery tours in Europe, and they haven't confiscated any of our souvenirs. But that's only wine, not the hard stuff. We bring that on board in bottles that I buy at the beauty supply shop, and refer to it as shampoo.

[vlnovak]

We just got off the empress in san juan. we took our carry on bag to the duty free shop and loaded it up. the man in the shop who is selling the liquor told us to do this. besides, why is there a duty free shop there is you cannot buy liquor or pop. anyway, we loaded up and carried our bag to our room. no problem and the price is cheap $goose 20. the secruity told us to have a nice trip. you do not have your bag xrayed as you are already past that part. However I tried to bring liquor from curacao in my beach bag wrapped in towels and they took it. did get it the moring before we left

[natish3000]

We got off the plane and went to the pier in Miami.

Walked in with carryons and went straight through checkin.

Went from there onto ship with carryons.

if you have drinks in there, how would they ever know?

I ask because my wife and I both like Hypnotiq martinis (Hypnotiq/coconut rum/pineapple juice) and they don't have this on the ships as far as I know.

Of course, we wouldnt take them into public areas, etc.

Just on our balcony.

[shoolover]

don't you think the George Smith case trigged RCI to change the wording in the docs on alcohol. The Smith's admitted bringing a bottle on board so I would think RCI is just trying to get a handle on all this