Scarlet Lady questions Regarding alcohol and food

[enviroian]

Hello, new user here. I'm taking my first cruise in November on a 4 night MIA departure then Key West then Bimini. I have read that you are allowed two bottles to bring on board but I don't drink wine. I was wondering if they check your luggage every time you board? When we go to Key West for the day I was wondering if I brought a six pack on board from a  local 7/11 would my bag be checked and confiscated?

 

Also are the restaurants take away? One night I may not feel like eating in the restaurant and rather than wait for room service I'd just as much go to the restaurant myself and take the dinner back to my room. 

Thanks

[_tacocat_]

all of your bags get xrayed on the way back on the ship, so likely not able to sneak booze/beer onboard.  That said, they have a lot of beers at the draught house, and I thought they were pretty reasonably priced (obviously not retail 6-pack pricing, but better than a bar in NY or LA for example).

 

the sit-down restaurants aren't takeaway, and they don't have the capability to "box" anything up.  room service never took more than 30 mins for us.  the galley kind of has takeaway, in that you can take your plates/bowls/whatever and no one will stop you, but then you're stuck with dirty dishes in your room until your steward eventually comes to tidy up.  there are grab & go breakfast and lunch items from the fridges at dock house, pizza place and the galley during the morning/afternoon, but nothing at night.  pizza place can be boxed up to take away. 

[solotrip]

You can also do room service (cabin eats) for food there is a $5 charge, but some of the offerings from the restaurants are available. And you could also grab beer, but there's an extra charge.   

[cantgetin]

There are "Grab and Go" boxes available at several places in the ship, and you can take your food from THe Galley anywhere you wish.  Room service "Sailor eats" will bring food to you anywhere on the ship.  There is a $5 service charge which is waived if you order any item that has a charge (premium coffee/tea, cold pressed juice, alcohol).  SOME restaurant items are on the Sailor Eats menu.

You could order your beer with your Sailor Eats for the best of both worlds--Beer isn't expensive on the ship (about $7), and you'd save the $5 delivery charge.  The cost of alcohol on the ship includes the tip (NO additional tipping).  In a few European ports, there is tax added, but only if you purchase while the ship is in port.

[solotrip]

If it helps, here are screenshots from the ship eats menu with prices from the app as of Aug 27. I don't know if Virgin changes the menu. 

[CruisingWalter]

On 8/26/2022 at 2:43 PM, enviroian said:

Hello, new user here. I'm taking my first cruise in November on a 4 night MIA departure then Key West then Bimini. I have read that you are allowed two bottles to bring on board but I don't drink wine. I was wondering if they check your luggage every time you board? When we go to Key West for the day I was wondering if I brought a six pack on board from a  local 7/11 would my bag be checked and confiscated?

 

Also are the restaurants take away? One night I may not feel like eating in the restaurant and rather than wait for room service I'd just as much go to the restaurant myself and take the dinner back to my room. 

Thanks

 

You can bring booze onboard from any port, but it will be taken by the crew and returned to you the final night of the cruise. This is true for any cruise line. Your bags will be x-rayed when you come back on board the ship at each port. 

 

As for take-away, I'm honestly not sure. You can certainly take away from The Galley, and there is the Grab N Go both at The Galley and The Dock. Your best bet is to stop by the restaurants and ask the host if it's possible to get a meal to go. As others have noted, they do not advertise this, nor do they seem set up for it, but it's possible you can ask for an order 'to go.' Certainly much more selection in the restaurants than what you get from the room service which can be lacking. I will say that the room service quality was a step above what we've received on other cruise lines. 

 

And don't forget the Diner And Dash in The Galley is your 24 hour eats, and if you want coffee after the Grounds Club locations close (they do close early) you can go to Sip Champagne bar. They make an awesome cappuccino there.