Bringing Alcohol

[bulgargirl]

I seriously don't think it is possible to beat the "sneaking liqour aboard" topic to death. I mean, how can anyone ever tire of the ingenious ideas people come up with to do it? We are a clever bunch on here. Also, with the cruise lines trying to counteract such sneakyness, it requires a vigilant group such as those on this board to stay one step ahead of the cruise lines to make sure we can all smuggle away. Plus, in addition to the clever and useful ideas people come up with, these threads are usually good for a few laughs too.

 

I agree. It amuses me too. It's no skin off my nose if people decide to smuggle. I go back and forth. Because, like I said earlier, sometimes I just like doing things I'm told I can't. But even if I didn't --- the topic is funny.

[camera_guy]

We always bring on a couple of bottles of wine and very often pick up a bottle in different ports. Even more important is the the Steward will keep it iced down for us.

 

I have never been stopped bringing on a few beers tucked into a bag or a few cans of coke, Ginger Beer (ginger ale). My favorite is to buy a couple of the local rums. Every EVERY island has a local brew, half pints are designed to be boot legged. they fit nicely in shorts pockets.

 

Honestly I can not see getting totally wasted on the cruise. So the need to bring in a small bar or run up a $100 bar tab would ruin the cruise.

 

Other one of my favorites is the local Malt beverage. These are non alcholic and again every island has it local brew. They can be very sweet.

 

I enjoy local beverages, when there is domestic stuff that I have never tried or can only get every few years, on Dutch islands you have to try Amstel Bright, only available on the Dutch islands. I'm on the cruise to relax and have fun not sleep off hangovers, or worse yet take a vacation from the vacation to detox!

[TxJole]

Has anybody reading this thread just returned from a cruise? Did the British Terror scare change anything?

 

I'm sorry -- But I think I'm going to be a smuggler too. Someone said don't trying it on NCL. I'm going on NCL. Why not? Do they search more than most?

 

I think I'll order a bottle too --- I just like options. And doing something I'm told not to! :D

 

I would like to know this too. I plan on a plastic bottle of rum in my checked bag. (big bottle)

[From a land down under]

Yeah can someone answer Bulgargirl's question about NCL? We are travelling too in January. Very interesting question about liquids carried onboard in light of recent terror plots and prohibition of liquids on planes.

 

P.S. The bickering on this page is like my Aunties at Christmas time. So freakin' funny! PTL for free entertainment...

[Jhawktx]

I used to put my alcohol in body cavities until that fateful day when the Homeland Security man "accidently" broke the bottle in my rectum. Sure, my table mates wondered why I stood during during dinner and the blood trail during the snorkeling excursion attracted bull sharks from the nearby bay, but I'll be damned if I'm going to pay $5 a drink.

 

The stitches came out last summer, but I still can't eat spicy foods. Really get me on the way out.

 

Thanks for the laughs Wildcatter. But, seriously, for those that will be damned to pay $5 a drink there is no need to resort to extreme tactics. Just bring in a few bottles the old fashioned way, smuggled in your luggage/carry ons. Drink cheaply AND avoid the stitches, it's a win-win.

[bulgargirl]

Thanks for the laughs Wildcatter. But, seriously, for those that will be damned to pay $5 a drink there is no need to resort to extreme tactics. Just bring in a few bottles the old fashioned way, smuggled in your luggage/carry ons. Drink cheaply AND avoid the stitches, it's a win-win.

 

Obviously, wildcatter didn't pay attention to the tips to use tape and bubble wrap! :p

 

Just trying again to see if anybody has had new or unanticipated problems since the British Terror Scare and what the comments about don't try this on NCL meant? I'm going to be on NCL on Sept. 27th.

 

Thanks!

[KY Deb]

We were on NCL Star to Alaska in May. They x-ray the checked baggage and any bags thought to hold liquor were moved to the library/game room area. They then left a notice in your cabin to come to this area to claim your bag. They then in your presence, open the suitcase and search it for the suspected liquor. This happened to my husband, and what was so funny was that we did not smuggle any liquor. We just happened to be walking by that library area and he saw his suitcase sitting there with a big piece of tape on it marked "liquor". They were pretty serious about this and gave us no reason as to why his was singled out when nothing was being smuggled. Other people had to turn their liquor and wine over to the cruise line, and I think it was being returned at the end of the cruise.

Another couple traveling with us brought liquor in their carry-on bag with no problem. She did board the ship in a wheelchair, though, as she was having a probem with her knee, and was using a cane.

NCL was very serious about enforcing their no liquor policy.

[AAAAmerican]

Write,call and eMail the NCL line as to why your not allowed to bring your beverage of choice on board as it is legal...well if your of legal age that is...:D

 

Why do they ....Nickel and Dime ya to death and you pay higher fees/taxes than any other line too?

 

America is the Land of Choice so sometimes taking another line is a better way.

 

If you must carry in your luggage I have seen now Plastic Bottles which are probably the best in checked bags to help stop breakage as well leakage..

 

We have been on many lines and never have the hassles that NCL passengers now have/had...

 

If you discuss your desires and you hold the key (Dollars $US/$CDN/$AUS/Bermudian?etc..) with them and make them known... it shall help too.:D

 

What is wrong with personal consumption...of alcohol/soda etc.... especially since you have to pay for your meals? Will we all have to bring our own food now too and then they confiscate that as well?:eek:

[From a land down under]

So a certain person was wondering... not wanting to relive the days visiting the Principal's office, the following:

Does the $15 corkage fee apply to those mega bottles of wine? Does your steward keep it for you chilled and you could have some each day and store it? I thought maybe this may be a way for us to have our cake and eat it too... But surely this is too easy? Travelling NCL Spirit Jan '07.

[Iuomo]

My brother was married Thanksgiving 05 on a Carnival that left from Miami. There was alcohol smuggled onboard for the occasion, and everyone had theres in there Checked luggage, which passed onboard perfectly...except for my dad, who happened to put his in his carry-on. He was stopped at the x-ray, the bottle taken out, and they kept it :(. It was in the original bottle. Can you believe they didn't even offer to let us drink it before they confiscated it!?!?

[cuatsea]

Hi!

We bubble wrap our bottles and then put them in a plastic Space-Saver bag made for travel. That way, when the trip is over, we just put all our laundry in the empty bag, seal it and force out the air from the bag, thus giving us lots more room for all the junk we buy...

 

We met some folks on our last cruise who brought CASES of wine - they figured out they could bring the wines they really enjoyed, pay a corkage fee at dinner, and still pay less than the ship wines cost. They did nothing to hide what they were doing, and they were allowed to have cases in their room. We will be trying that, next time.

 

I must say, I really appriciate the all-inclusive cruise lines that provide alcohol as part of the cost of the cruise. Last time we were on Regent we bought some rum while in port, and had it delivered to our room. Nice.

[TGSplano]

We cruised on Carnival Conquest the week of 9/3 to 9/10 and we were able to bring alcohol onboard with no issues...well, almost no issues. We flew into Houston with 1 liter of alcohol in our checked luggage and planned on getting more liquor on the trip from airport to the docks. However we forgot that you cannot buy liquor on Sunday so we stopped by Kroger and picked up 4 bottles of wine-we weren't sure if we could get alcohol onboard from Jamaica so we would at least have plenty of wine. We had packed 2 gallon freezer bags (wine will not fit in a 1 gallon bag) and bubblewrap for the bottles. We also took 2 six-packs of 20 oz sodas. Carnival allows you to take wine and soda onboard, but the liquor arrived without any problem also.

 

In Jamaica, we picked up 3 bottles of rum for $30. We put the rum into our day bag and put it on the scanner machine with everyone else's luggage. The guy who scanned the luggage told us to go to the custom's table with the liquor, but he was not watching what anyone did after he advised what to do and the custom's table had no way of knowing who had liquor and who did not. We walked toward the customs table but kept walking and took the next elevator without anyone questioning us. If they did, I planned to apologize for my bad hearing and not knowing the protocol, but honestly I didn't get the feeling that anyone really cared.

[RumpunchGirl]

Well, I really appreciate this topic being brought up over and over again! I don't get much of a chance to read these forums. But when I do, I learn something new. We are going to try the rolling luggage and collaspable cooler. I like having my beer handy when I'm relaxing in my room or getting ready. I'm also bringing my Big Bubba insulated mug to bring to the pool!

[cruzluvers]

Why do they ....Nickel and Dime ya to death and you pay higher fees/taxes than any other line too?

 

Will we all have to bring our own food now too and then they confiscate that as well?:eek:

 

This is a most entertaining thread. The whole issue of "smuggling" spirits on board, IMHO is in very large measure a by-product of the cruise line's policies of milking every dime that they can through the imposition of outrageous overcharges on virtually everything but the basic price of the cruise itself. When DW and I took our first cruise in 1983, a martini made with premium-grade gin cost about $ 2.50. The no-tax advantage the cruise line had for alcohol served on the high-seas was passed on to the guest. Today, that same cocktail will typically cost $ 10+ (including service charges). As a financial professional who has spent his career observing our nation's economic history, I can assure every reader of this posting that this 400% increase is NOT, in any significant degree, a result of inflation. In the "good old days" we would not have dreamed of bringing our own liquor on-board - it simply was not worth the trouble given that the prices charged in the ship's lounges were reasonable and fair. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case. The prices, again IMHO, are decidedly unreasonable and unfair especially given the fact that there is zero tax on alcohol served in international waters.

 

As far as bringing food on board, regretably I now have to do just that. I have a dietary preference for a breakfast that includes Total brand cereal (100% of a long list of nutrients) topped with a few tablespoons of Kretshmer Wheat Germ. Despite formal written requests, made well in advance of sailing date, to three cruise lines (Celebrity, HAL & Princess) only one (HAL) was willing to take the small steps to adapt to my regimen. On the other two lines I, quite literally, had to bring some of my own food, which I did.

 

John F.:)

[txmailmom]

So, to get it straight, smuggling is common and in most cases they either confiscate and take, or confiscate and return at the end? They don't kick you off the cruise or not let you board if caught? Right?

[novicecruiser1]

Anyone have any experience with carrying on alcohol (or putting it in your checked bags) in Baltimore recently? If so, thank you for sharing!

[GrannyMouse]

i carried a plastic bottle of vodka in my carry-on flying to vancouver. i was randomly choosen to be searched, wanded, shoes taken away, the whole bit. the liquor did not pose any problem. don't try to take liquor on ncl. the mouthwash bottle does not work.

 

 

Just wondering why you say not on NCL. I had decided not to try but after reading this thread, thought I might give it a try after all but I'm on NCL. Is it just the mouthwash or taking it on with any method? How about wine on NCL?

[rvrgirl]

Just wondering why you say not on NCL. I had decided not to try but after reading this thread, thought I might give it a try after all but I'm on NCL. Is it just the mouthwash or taking it on with any method? How about wine on NCL?

 

NCL enforces their liquor policy..........some other lines don't.

[seabrite]

I was having such a bad day until i jumped on this board and read the last 3 pages. You guys are SO funny!

 

txmailmom - I believe they take away the liquor and give it back to you at the end of the cruise, they only hold it (hide it from you so you can buy their stuff).

 

I've always smuggled liquor onboard with no issue, even on NCL. I empty a few water bottles and fill it with white tequilla, white rum and vodka. This goes in a small carry on bag with my snacks for the ports (granola bars, etc.) so it looks like it's all food stuff.

 

I totally agree w/camera_guy, most islands have wonderful native liquors so be sure to try one, a lot of places give you free samples!

[DocMike]

has anyone tried the hydration packs, filled with your beverage of choice and worn up to check in and passed in with your carry-on luggage, would it be suspect because they could tell it had a liquid in it?? :)

[MCManders99]

DH loves Capt Morgan and Dr Pepper. Since Princess does not offer the purchase of the bottle for the stateroom, DH is going to mix his DP and CM into a 2 liter bottle and bring onboard. Nobody would question but if they did DH decided to bring DP on board cuz the ship only offers Coke products. Problem solved. Pack in your checked luggage, should not be a problem

[Betty4]

I will be really annoyed if one of you more creative smugglers who chooses to attempt to pass off your liquor as something else (in non-original/non factory sealed containers) causes some kind of security scare and delays my cruise even one minute!!! Tequila in an unsealed water bottle could look like many things - not just the makings of an evening cocktail. Do YOU want to be the one who is detained because of your suspicious packaging and featured on a Fox News Alert? Great way to start a long anticipated vacation. Good luck to you all, but is it really a matter of saving money, or simply the thrill of getting away with it?

[moosetracks17]

So booze bottles are a little easier as they are sold in small flasks- sometimes even plastic....

 

What about beer... round... glass.... beer bottles?

 

Glass....- elec. tape around the mouth, zip lock bag... bubble wrap... fold into your clothes in the middle of your suit case.....

 

Plastic....- where in the world can I purchase plastic bottles of beer??????

[moosetracks17]

So booze bottles are a little easier as they are sold in small flasks- sometimes even plastic....

 

What about beer... round... glass.... beer bottles?

 

Glass....- elec. tape around the mouth, zip lock bag... bubble wrap... fold into your clothes in the middle of your suit case.....

 

Plastic....- where in the world can I purchase plastic bottles of beer??????

[seabrite]

I will be really annoyed if one of you more creative smugglers who chooses to attempt to pass off your liquor as something else (in non-original/non factory sealed containers) causes some kind of security scare and delays my cruise even one minute!!! Tequila in an unsealed water bottle could look like many things - not just the makings of an evening cocktail. Do YOU want to be the one who is detained because of your suspicious packaging and featured on a Fox News Alert? Great way to start a long anticipated vacation. Good luck to you all, but is it really a matter of saving money, or simply the thrill of getting away with it?

 

Tequilla also comes in white, so it looks exactly like water. Alcohol has a very distinct smell, especially tequilla. I doubt that anyone could mistake the smell of booze for anything but booze, especially cruise personnel that are so used to seeing it. I seriously doubt it would cause a moment's concern or delay.

 

I smuggle 1 or 2 small water bottles of liquor simply for convenience. I like to have a drink in my room while I'm getting dressed, the rest I purchase on board. I have absolutely no qualms about it. Why do some cruise lines allow you to bring wine or champagne and not alchohol? STUPID rules are meant to be questioned and broken. I can't even try to feel bad about it, because that rule just never made any sense to me.