Liquor in Checked Luggage

[Joedog]

"The way to carry liquor on board is in the Rum Runner Flasks which come in various sizes. They are unbreakable, X-ray proof, and don't leak."

 

Sorry Al, but nothing that you are going to fit in a piece of luggage is "X-ray proof".

 

A bottle of liquid would show up as a big light bottle shaped spot on an X-ray no matter what the bottle shape or material was.

 

The flasks still may be a good idea because they are unbreakable and dont leak though.

[glentally]

How much money do you actually save yourself?

 

Cost of beer - 1 case - $18.00

 

Cost if bought on ship$ - 120

 

Savings - Priceless !!

 

Cost of one bottle of Vodka - $15

 

Cost if bought on the ship - ??

 

Savings by being able to mix a drink or two when getting ready for dinner or sitting on your balcony late at night listening to the waves lap against the ship as you see other cruise ships in the distance or the endless stars - priceless !!

[Kurbanfan]

Would I get in more trouble with the cruise line if I was found with liquor that I was trying to pull off as something else (like vodka in a water bottle) than I would if I was actually in it's original container?

 

Not sure what you mean by "more trouble." You won't get in trouble if you are caught with alcohol in your luggage.

[bchbum641]

You won't get in any trouble. The worst that could happen is they confinscate it. We have never had any problem getting on the shio with liquor in our checked luggage. Never done anything to it- just packed it really good in it's original bottles. malibu and smirnoff both come in plastic containers too. We just got back from the Victory and bought liquor in San Juan. We checked it in when we boarded- we had a box with a 3 litre bottle of Jack. Didn't think we should try to bring that on. Some others from our group brought all their liquor back on the ship and to their rooms. They were even in the actual bag from the liquor store. No one said a thing. There is a table after you go through the xray where you can take it up to or you can just walk by. They have way more things to worry about than checking and storing your liquor. The liquor we let them hold was delivered to us on the morning of the last day at sea. We had an entire day and night to drink up. If Carnival was worried about us consuming liquor on the ship from ports than they would't give it to you so early. Even though we brought our liquor on we still spent $$ on drinks and in the casino. Carnival always makes $$ when we sail;) And we will continue to sail fror as long as we can. Can't wait till we get to platinum:D

[jojo434]

Ok, I'm new to this site and saw this post and wanted to share some info about getting liqour onboard. I was told the best way to get it onboard is to buy a bottle of listerine, put it in another bottle so that the bottle is completely empty. Put the empty bottle in the fridge with no cap upside down for 3-4 days, simply pour your liqour in the listerine bottle, tighten it up and there you go. I've been told that even on carryon baggage it makes it through 100%. That is of course you want a bourbon/whiskey.

[extcat]

double post man this is happening a lot to everyone lately

 

NO- NO

[Knights on the Beach]

Try a 32 oz mug. You can drink a while on that. Carnival sells them in the gift shops if you want to soothe any guilt over smuggling. Not that you should have any guilt.

We have several of these that we use at home -- all bought on cruises, but they were not available in the shops on our last three cruises (Legend, Triumph, Sensation). They had the huge water bottle type containers, but not the large insulated cups with lids that we like.

[Deefar]

I put beer in an empty suitcase and check it in as regular luggage. On the way home another suitcase easily fits inside the beer case and both go home.

 

I have run into a snag that I am working on as I type. Carnival has 16 oz. alumnum bottles of bud lite not the cans I used to bring ( smuggle) on board. My ex neighbors in Florida are looking into where I can buy the 16 oz bottles before I get on the ship.

 

I will keep you posted. What type of beer does hubby drink?

Glen

 

Hubby likes his Labatts blue. We are thinking about heading down a day early for your cruise and will buy the beer than. I'm not sure how much we should get though, I was thinking a case of cans. We have a couple of soft sided coolers that we can fill with ice to keep the beer cold.

[mjbearit]

This is just a question of curiosity since I am on Carnival and they don't X-Ray the checked luggage for booze, but on those "other" cruise lines that go out of their way to enforce compliance, do those Rum Runner flasks full of "smuggled" booze show up on the security screenings? I've never read anywhere where they say it does or doesn't and was just curious. The web site kind of alludes to that, but they never just come right out and say it.

Of course on the other hand it makes me wonder how safe that is because if you can buy one to smuggle booze and it doesn't show up seems like you could smuggle the makings of something dangerous too. And if we all know about it, I'm sure more unsavory charecters do too!

This is simply an idle mind waiting for my ship to leave! :D

[Joedog]

Mjbearit,

 

Everything shows up in an xray screen. How things look to the screener depend upon contrasts between the items on the screen. Things that are dense absorb more of the xrays and show up lighter on the screen. Things that are less dense show up darker on the screen. Metal things (like guns) are dense and show up lighter when compared to plastic things like ipods. Metal wiring in the Ipod show up lighter than plastic circuit boards...etc, etc.

 

Bottles full of liquids are denser than clothes so would show up lighter (absorbed more xrays) if your luggage were xrayed. Depending upon the sensitivity of the machine and the skill of the screener, if you xrayed a ball point pin you would see the outline of the pen, the ink cartridge, the spring and if it was sensitive enough, the level of ink in the ink cartridge.

 

Nothing that you can buy will make the liquid in your luggage less dense and it will still show up in the xray screen.

 

If you had a lead suitcase that absorbed all the xrays, the screen would be all white and then you could hide a bottle inside BUT good luck lifting it up and I kind of think a 500 pound suitcase would rouse even the sleepest screeners attention.

[matj2000]

Ok, I'm new to this site and saw this post and wanted to share some info about getting liqour onboard. I was told the best way to get it onboard is to buy a bottle of listerine, put it in another bottle so that the bottle is completely empty. Put the empty bottle in the fridge with no cap upside down for 3-4 days, simply pour your liqour in the listerine bottle, tighten it up and there you go. I've been told that even on carryon baggage it makes it through 100%. That is of course you want a bourbon/whiskey.

 

 

Are you kidding????????

I am waiting for someone to empty their toothpaste tube and load it with liquor.......

Why is everyone so paranoid??? Putting a bottle of liquor in your luggage is not a Federal Offense....

When did everyone get so PC????????

[mjbearit]

Thanks Joedog, that makes sense (and makes me feel a bit safer!). Just one of my many musings in the early morning! :rolleyes:

[glentally]

Hubby likes his Labatts blue. We are thinking about heading down a day early for your cruise and will buy the beer than. I'm not sure how much we should get though, I was thinking a case of cans. We have a couple of soft sided coolers that we can fill with ice to keep the beer cold.

 

I'm going to get a case of cans. Bring some can coolers and you will be fine.

 

Yes, get it after you arrive in Florida, lots easier.

 

Glen

[mjbearit]

Are you kidding????????

I am waiting for someone to empty their toothpaste tube and load it with liquor.......

Why is everyone so paranoid??? Putting a bottle of liquor in your luggage is not a Federal Offense....

When did everyone get so PC????????

Well I was thinking that since the cruise leaves on Wednesday, if I start drinkiing on Saturday and drink non-stop until the cruise I can just carry it on in my liver! :D

[gonetomaui99]

Are you kidding????????

I am waiting for someone to empty their toothpaste tube and load it with liquor....

 

Been there, done that. Doesn't hold much, but it whitens your teeth while you drink.

[dttampa]

Hubby likes his Labatts blue. We are thinking about heading down a day early for your cruise and will buy the beer than. I'm not sure how much we should get though, I was thinking a case of cans. We have a couple of soft sided coolers that we can fill with ice to keep the beer cold.

 

 

Just a heads up. I live in Tampa. grew up in Buffalo and love Labatts Blue. But I don't drink Labatts here. #1. They put it in GREEN bottles, it just doesn't taste the same in GREEN bottles. #2. Its rare to find Labatts in cans here in Tampa. Total Wine and More on Dale Mabry might have some or there's a beer of the world store on Swann in Hyde Park that might have some. But you won't likely find it in the grocery or convenience store.

[Scylersmom]

But I thought you were allowed to bring up to two bottles of wine. And if you wanted to drink them in the dining room, they would charge you the corking fee.

[Knights on the Beach]

But I thought you were allowed to bring up to two bottles of wine. And if you wanted to drink them in the dining room, they would charge you the corking fee.

The official rule is now one bottle of wine per person, and yes, if you take it to the dining room, you may be charged a corkage fee -- it's hit or miss.

[Dee777]

Right or wrong, I DID smuggle a bottle of Bailey's in my luggage for my morning room service coffee on the Valor on my balcony. I put the bottle in a large ziploc bag, then padded it with clothes. I snugged it in the center of my suitcase and hoped for the best. I did this AFTER our flight, by the way! No way it would have survived the handling at the airport!! When the bag got to my room, lo and behold there is was!

 

Our DD and her SO were in the room next to us, and their whiskey and vodka were in their bags too. Practically everyone in our party (we had 8 staterooms booked) brought a little something. Carnival made a killing on the drinks we purchased from them as well. I don't want you all to think we're a bunch of chronics, but we WERE on vacation!

[Joedog]

I wouldnt worry too much about being charged a corkage fee in the dining room. The people who would be the ones to enforce the fee are the ones who are hoping to get a tip from you at the end of the cruise.

 

I would imagine that charging a corkage fee could have a negative effect on their receiving a good tip.

 

Last summer on the RCCL Explorer we brought a bottle of wine to dinner every night and a corkage fee was never mentioned by any wait staff or the Maitre D.

[French_Fry]

It is not the same thing. Ruth’s Chris and other top of the line steak houses have

available to them a quality of beef that is not available to the general public. Go

ahead and try to buy the quality of beef available to Ruth's Chris and such, you

won't find it. Forget a grocery store, and it is the rare butcher shop that can get it.

I have a couple of classic Jags, it is not uncommon at all for me to supply the part needed for the repair shop to install to repair the vehicle. In addition, on my new Jag I use Mobile1 and the Jag dealership has no issue with me supplying the oil for them to use for the oil change. Note: I said JAG DEALERSHIP has no problem with it. To take it a step further they do sell Mobile1, but at about 3X what I can buy it for and yet they still are ok with me supplying my own oil for the oil change. Most high end car dealerships provide GRATIS maintenance for thier autos.

 

Ever take food onto a plane, a sandwich. Chips, candy etc? How about if your next flight the airline said, no bringing food of any type or kind on board, you MUST buy the food we offer or go without. 1- I would eat before or 2- fly another airline that allowed carryon food.

 

Again, Back to Ruth’s Chris, when I go there I am buying FOOD. But not booze, will you "smuggle" a 6 pack of Sam Adams or whatever in and ask the waiter to keep it on ice? When I sail Carnival or Princess etc I am buying a CRUISE. I am not going on a cruise to buy alcohol. I may if I choose, but that is not the reason I am spending money with the cruise line. If you point is valid regarding “smuggling” booze would it not also be the same regarding photographs onboard the ship? What if the cruse line took and held your camera until you left the ship on port days. Thus not allowing you to take you own photos while onboard ship. If you wanted a photo while onboard the ship, you had to use a ship photographer, would you be ok with that? They would have to employ a heck of a lot of photogs for that, don't you think? Would you still say people who “smuggled” on a camera were thieves, cheap, classless, immoral etc?

 

Regarding smuggling booze, we search out Costco’s that are near the port we are sailing from whenever possible. We avoid if at all possible packing the booze in our checked luggage when we fly. The weight, hassles, it is not worth it.

 

By the way, the prices at Ruth's Chris, I don’t find that bad. Nor do I find the prices for the booze on CCL cruise ships (Carnival, Princess, HAL etc.) out of line. I take, I "Smuggle" my own booze on because there are times when I want a drink and don’t want to hassle with leaving my balcony/cabin or deal with room service or the limited selection of a mini bar. Even with my smuggled booze, my bar tab is still a good amount of money. The rationalization of a rule breaker.

 

One last thing, on my last big cruise I took chips and cards and got a pretty good sized Texas hold’em game going in my suite, and yes, it was for cash. Not outrageous amounts but it was not chump change either. The cruise line did not get a cut, as they would have if we had played in the casino? So was that stealing? But was it a fair game?

 

The words VACATION and HASSLE are not compatable and do not belong together!:rolleyes:

[bchbum641]

On our Nov 07 cruise on the Spirit we put two bottles of wine (1 in each suitcase) when we got to our room there was a note and we had to go and collect that suitcase. We were asked what was in our case and I said a bottle of wine and they immediately charged me the $15 corkage fee. They didnt find the other bottle of wine or the 2 bottles our friends brought. I think it was definitely a hit or miss. They wrapped their bottles in clothing and we didnt.

 

 

What the Heck?? You are only charged the corkage fee if you take the wine to the dining room. We sailed the Spirit last yr and checked about 4 bottles of liqour in our luggage. All making to our cabin and were given ice to make the drinks! You really need to be more worried about packing it so it doesn't break.;)

[BROOKSIDE]

Could You Not Just Carry On A Pint In Your Cargo Short? They Don't Search You Do They? Not A Heavy Drinker.

[jiggs]

Could You Not Just Carry On A Pint In Your Cargo Short? They Don't Search You Do They? Not A Heavy Drinker.

 

yes, assuming that it has a plastic cap, that would probably be no issue. Just make sure you get every other fleck of metal off of you so you don't set off the detector and get searched. Honestly if I was only bringing a pint, I'd slip it my checked bag right before I gave it to the porter...its not like they're jumping up and down on the bags. Its give to the porter who stacks it in a crate, unload the crate and xray the bag, on another crate onto the ship, then on a luggage rack up to the room...now worries

[olie20]

I am getting ready for a cruise on NCL Pearl in February. Anyone had any experience in getting booze onboard the Pearl???