All this talk of smuggling alcohol... do they search you?

[wooknook]

I'm travelling RCI in sept and wonder why don't you just wear a baggy jumper and have a non metalic bag with ya rum runners in under your jumper? Do they pat down each pax? just makesure u dont wear any metal through the detecting arch. Surely that saves the worry of them xraying your bags and finding it?

[cathyz]

No, I've never been 'patted down' getting on a cruise ship, but that sounds kind of strange to me. Just 'smuggle' it if you must, in your checked luggage.

[sail7seas]

I can't imagine going to that extreme to sneak liquor aboard. :confused: The ship actually has bars and sells liquor. You can buy a bottle at any bar (or from Room Service) and have it delivered to your cabin if you wish to drink there.

 

You are paying thousands of dollars for your cruise. Wouldn't it be worth it to save for just a little longer so you can go and enjoy and not have to go to those extremes in order to save a few dollars on your liquor?

 

Of course, I can only speak for DH and me but I just can't imagine how embarrassed I would be to be 'caught' smuggling a bottle of liquor. I'd feel like such a cheapskate.... humiliated. But that's just me

 

Interesting to see if lots of people think the way you do rather than the way I do. :D

 

[wooknook]

Me personally? Im not keen on the idea of smuggling anything it's jsut people seems people are constantly looking for ways to smuggle in their luggage.

[sail7seas]

No one is going to make you sneak it.

 

I'm a rule follower. I know the cruise lines rule when I book and if I don't approve of them, I don't give my business to that company. If I choose to book with that company, I am their guest at that point and I follow their rules. I recognize the rules are for all of us, not just some.

 

But, again.....that is just how DH and I look at it.

I've read all the arguments and defenses folks use to make their position seem okay and still, they haven't convinced me. I wonder how long until someone appears and asks if I've ever j-walked, or driven faster than the speed limit or whatever. They get it but always want to justify that it's okay to sneak.

 

We'll probably hear the cruise lines are greedy argument and ' if they charged a fair price' blah blah blah .......

 

And, they don't carry 'my preferred brand'. That is one of my favorite defenses. :)

 

 

 

[PennyAgain]

I am not ashamed to say that I travel with RumRunners.

 

I have never personally been searched when boarding a cruise ship and in fact had a small RumRunner in my purse and forgot all about it. Never found.

 

How I spend or don't spend my money is my business.

[tomko2]

I can't imagine going to that extreme to sneak liquor aboard. :confused: The ship actually has bars and sells liquor. You can buy a bottle at any bar (or from Room Service) and have it delivered to your cabin if you wish to drink there.

 

You are paying thousands of dollars for your cruise. Wouldn't it be worth it to save for just a little longer so you can go and enjoy and not have to go to those extremes in order to save a few dollars on your liquor?

 

Of course, I can only speak for DH and me but I just can't imagine how embarrassed I would be to be 'caught' smuggling a bottle of liquor. I'd feel like such a cheapskate.... humiliated. But that's just me

 

Interesting to see if lots of people think the way you do rather than the way I do. :D

 

 

I was unaware that RCL allowed you to buy a bottle in a bar and take it to your cabin. Can anyone confirm?

Thank you

[sail7seas]

I don't know the rules of every cruise line. We cruise HAL exclusively now though have sailed a number of others in the past.

 

On HAL, you can order a bottle from Ships Services before you ever board and it will be waiting in your cabin when you board.

 

You can buy a bottle at any bar and take it to your cabin or can order one from Room Service.

 

You cannot buy from the duty free store and bring it to your cabin. That will be delivered the last night of your cruise.

[silentbob007]

I was unaware that RCL allowed you to buy a bottle in a bar and take it to your cabin. Can anyone confirm?

Thank you

 

I don't think so. I've not tried it, however.

[weLuv2cruz2MUCH]

You can order a bottle from room service on Princess

[JanineM]

I'm travelling RCI in sept and wonder why don't you just wear a baggy jumper and have a non metalic bag with ya rum runners in under your jumper? Do they pat down each pax? just makesure u dont wear any metal through the detecting arch. Surely that saves the worry of them xraying your bags and finding it?

 

Wow - I think I asked the same question when trying to take a bottle of peppermint schnapps into a college football game.

 

Those who choose to smuggle tend to put it in their checked baggage. Anything liquid can cause a problem in the security lineup. On one of our trips some woman had carried a bottle of nail polish remover and it leaked. The shut the WHOLE PLACE down for about 30 minutes while they searched for the chemical smell. She finally fessed up, but most of us were pretty pissed at being held up because she didn't check it in her luggage.

[sail7seas]

If it was three ounces or less, she was permitted to bring it on the plane...... I'm sure you aren't referring to the ship as there is no limit on liquids/gels permitted to be carried aboard.

 

Of course, the woman with the polish remover should have spoken up as soon as she realized it was hers. Many brands are a powerful aroma and hard to miss.

 

[cruisegal58]

sometimes i buy 1/2 pints and put them in my shorts pockets in front and have a shirt on the outside, just walked right on. rum runners would work fine, but if u have pockets on a jumper i am thinking a dress...they can see right in. or if u bend over they will fall out. just put it in your checked bags, rum runners work fine. we just sailed mariner of the seas in may and had rum runners in 3 bags. dh had 10 cans of soda in his carry on, they didnt even look in his bag! it coulda been beer!!! take what u want...cindy ps..if u r sailing on rccl..u may want to take something else to drink besides booze! they do offer sodas in the cabins, but we hate coke so took pepsi. u may get lemonade, ice tea when the buffet is open. and it is watered down due to the fact they add the ice and the glasses r sitting ona tray for u all melted and spilling over the sides. the cafe promanade has water...coffee tea bags and cocoa packets..the end. no ice here either! nothing to drink around the pools..u can squish into the small bars and try to get something after 6pm u r sol...i mean not even a water fountain!! i took plastic cups fromt he buffet to our cabin so i could fill them and leave the cabin without running all over trying to find something to drink..on carnival the lido is open 24/7 for lemonade, punch, tea, coffee and cocoa already made for ya..just so u know...

[satxdiver]

They do not pat you down when going through the security check before embarking on your cruise. You could bring liquid aboard hidden in your clothing as long as there is no metal to set off the detector. It is easier and most common to just put it in your checked luggage. From what I have read on CC, your chances of being called down to the "naughty room" is remote at best. I have brought fermented beverages aboard in my checked luggage in their original container without any problem. I know that the rum runners are used extensively at least by posters on CC and they swear by them. Personally I am too old to be embarrassed by most anything.

[rman738]

The only time I have ever heard of that enforces liquor in checked baggage is NCL. Our friends, who have cruised about 30 times previously, had their names, as well as hundreds of others, called over the PA and were confronted by onboard NCL personnel whether they "anything" they should not have. They and the others forfeited their liquor until the end of the cruise. Result, those friends who cruise about 3 X per year have never and will never cruise NCL again.

 

I don't drink so these "rules" don't affect me. However, despite our 20 past cruises, I have never seen anyone bothered with liquor in their checked luggage. On the flip side, many of friends that we cruise with have brought liquor onboard their checked luggage without any problem.

[happy cruzer]

The only time I have ever heard of that enforces liquor in checked baggage is NCL. Our friends, who have cruised about 30 times previously, had their names, as well as hundreds of others, called over the PA and were confronted by onboard NCL personnel whether they "anything" they should not have. They and the others forfeited their liquor until the end of the cruise. Result, those friends who cruise about 3 X per year have never and will never cruise NCL again.

 

I don't drink so these "rules" don't affect me. However, despite our 20 past cruises, I have never seen anyone bothered with liquor in their checked luggage. On the flip side, many of friends that we cruise with have brought liquor onboard their checked luggage without any problem.

 

Have read reports of RCI having a naughty room too for folks caught with alcholol in luggage.

[Treeguy]

We went friends who filled up scope bottles with liquer and then put in green food coloring to smuggle it on board. Then when they drank it, it had a mint flavor to it, LOL.:D Even washing it out did not get all the scope flavor out.

[cb at sea]

If you want to bring it, just pack it in your checked bags--Unless you are really obvious about it, they don't check that hard!

[gin_runner]

Noticed that this post was up then disappeared.

 

"What is wrong with you people? How much cheaper is the liquor you buy at home than what it would cost on board? The out-of-pocket difference has to be well less than $100 per person (unless you plan to spend the entire cruise in a stupor). Compare that with the $ thousands you are spending on the cruise itself.

 

Is "beating the system" so important to you? It reminds me of the poster who boasted of avoiding a lifeboat drill by hiding in the bathroom so he/she wouldn't be caught in the event of cabin checks being made.

 

Some of these posts make it clearer as to why some people believe it is OK to "save" a lounge chaise all day by running up early in the morning and placing a towel on it.

 

You should consider simply trying to enjoy life without having to pull something over on someone"

 

Bad analogies and silly inferences. in particular:

 

1. People that avoid the boat drill are breaking a US and international law -- drills designed specifically for their own safety.

 

2. Saving chairs deprives someone else of a good chair. Me smuggling liquor deprives no other passenger of anything. In fact, if I'm not at the bar, I'm doing the other passengers a favor - they will get their drinks faster.

 

3. Maybe I'm saving $100 (it's more like $200-$300), but $100 is $100. Because I am spending thousands already on the vacation, where does it mean that I should thoughtlessly throw away money? Sort of silly logic unless you're rich. Maybe a couple hundred doesn't mean anything to you, but it does to me!

 

4. I don't smuggle liquor because I like to cheat - I just refuse to pay the ridiculously high prices for booze. This is not a rule put in place by the cruise lines for your benefit or safety - it's there to line their pockets, nothing more. Yes it's their "rule", but it's not a rule with a sound basis.

 

And it's no problem smuggling it. I don't go to great lengths. I have a rum runner set. I put them into the checked bags, wrapped in plastic and t-shirts with rubber bands in case they would get jostled or leak. I've never had a problem.

 

5. I'm definitely enjoying life and my cruises, thanks.

 

6. I don't begrudge you NOT smuggling, so why the judgment on those of us that are? You don't have the guts or imagination to do it yourself? that's hardly a reason to come here all high and mighty.

 

7. Smuggling makes economic sense. People will react to the market. Look at what high gas prices have done so quickly? People are driving less, flying less, buying smaller cars.

 

The cruise lines want to end smuggling? Reduce your booze prices and I assure you smuggling would fall off the table.

 

 

And to the OP, no you won't be searched. And yes, if you put the liquor in nonmetallic holders in your coat or pockets, they will not set off the metal detector. They aren't really there looking for booze anyway.

[gin_runner]

Cruise Critic even did it's own survey on the topic not that long ago:

 

We asked, "In general, cruise lines do not allow you to bring liquor onboard. What do you think of this rule?" A quite strong 60 percent of respondents decided that this is something that simply needs to change. The remainder was divided between feeling that the rules were slightly annoying (18.6 percent) or understandable (20.2 percent). Hardliners were a small contingent (3.4 percent) who felt that policy forbidding guests from bringing alcohol on cruises was "necessary to reduce binge drinking."

 

A whopping 75 percent of the voters felt that drink prices were generally too expensive and only 22 percent felt that they were about where they should be; 189 voters (2.4 percent) decided that cruise line alcohol prices are very reasonable. Perhaps their mouse slipped on this one.

 

 

What's the Best Method?

 

Here comes the good stuff: First the numbers. The majority of members (nearly 60 percent) said that wrapping carefully and packing in checked luggage was their method of choice; 15.5 percent said the innocuous water bottle approach was the best method, while 19.3 percent said that they simply put it through the security scanners when they board and see what happens. But it was in the "other" category that some more interesting methods surfaced.

 

"Bought seven bottles on St. Thomas ... had six packed in a box and one in a regular bag. When reboarding, 'gladly' handed over the box (for safekeeping!) and just walked by carrying the bag ... smooth!"

 

"I have been told that some people have visited wineries on their trip and the wineries have special labels (like 'Apple Juice') for their cruising visitors -- innovative."

 

"We have bought the mini (airline) bottles and then put them in our socks, travel kit, etc. It is a little more expensive to buy this way but we can get quite a variety of different liquor onboard with this method."

 

"Look mature, responsible and old (easy for some of us)."

 

"Fake colostomy bag?"

 

"Have a travel canteen (soft bladder type 64-oz., non-metal) that I pack in my luggage."

 

"My wife hides a one liter bottle in her pants -- wears an outside shirt to cover it up. She has even smuggled in a 750-ml bottle between her breasts -- she has managed to get bottles of vodka onboard from every port in the world and on every cruise line. She has never been caught. She is the best there is."

 

"Boxed wine seems to work in checked luggage."

 

"Bring it in a flask (plastic is the key though, to avoid the metal detectors)."

 

"Send bon voyage gifts to yourself."

[rman738]

 

"My wife hides a one liter bottle in her pants -- wears an outside shirt to cover it up. She has even smuggled in a 750-ml bottle between her breasts -- QUOTE]

 

Not to completely change the subject but what about beer?

[navybankerteacher]

Noticed that this post was up then disappeared.

 

"What is wrong with you people? How much cheaper is the liquor you buy at home than what it would cost on board? The out-of-pocket difference has to be well less than $100 per person (unless you plan to spend the entire cruise in a stupor). Compare that with the $ thousands you are spending on the cruise itself.

 

Is "beating the system" so important to you? It reminds me of the poster who boasted of avoiding a lifeboat drill by hiding in the bathroom so he/she wouldn't be caught in the event of cabin checks being made.

 

Some of these posts make it clearer as to why some people believe it is OK to "save" a lounge chaise all day by running up early in the morning and placing a towel on it.

 

You should consider simply trying to enjoy life without having to pull something over on someone"

 

 

Bad analogies and silly inferences. in particular:

 

1. People that avoid the boat drill are breaking a US and international law -- drills designed specifically for their own safety.

 

2. Saving chairs deprives someone else of a good chair. Me smuggling liquor deprives no other passenger of anything. In fact, if I'm not at the bar, I'm doing the other passengers a favor - they will get their drinks faster.

 

3. Maybe I'm saving $100 (it's more like $200-$300), but $100 is $100. Because I am spending thousands already on the vacation, where does it mean that I should thoughtlessly throw away money? Sort of silly logic unless you're rich. Maybe a couple hundred doesn't mean anything to you, but it does to me!

 

4. I don't smuggle liquor because I like to cheat - I just refuse to pay the ridiculously high prices for booze. This is not a rule put in place by the cruise lines for your benefit or safety - it's there to line their pockets, nothing more. Yes it's their "rule", but it's not a rule with a sound basis.

 

And it's no problem smuggling it. I don't go to great lengths. I have a rum runner set. I put them into the checked bags, wrapped in plastic and t-shirts with rubber bands in case they would get jostled or leak. I've never had a problem.

 

5. I'm definitely enjoying life and my cruises, thanks.

 

6. I don't begrudge you NOT smuggling, so why the judgment on those of us that are? You don't have the guts or imagination to do it yourself? that's hardly a reason to come here all high and mighty.

 

7. Smuggling makes economic sense. People will react to the market. Look at what high gas prices have done so quickly? People are driving less, flying less, buying smaller cars.

 

The cruise lines want to end smuggling? Reduce your booze prices and I assure you smuggling would fall off the table.

 

 

And to the OP, no you won't be searched. And yes, if you put the liquor in nonmetallic holders in your coat or pockets, they will not set off the metal detector. They aren't really there looking for booze anyway.

 

A bottle of liquor purchsed on board might cost as much as $10 more than one bought on shore. Ten bottles would make the $100 I cited. That would permit a pretty good stupor. Of course, mixed drinks purchased by the drink at bars are very expensive -- but whether you smuggle your liquor on board or buy it by the bottle, you will be drinking -or at least mixing in your room, so it .

 

And, yes, enough people have been caught smuggling bottles to justify the cruise lines' efforts in that direction.

 

Finally, I find your "economic sense" point interesting: will higher gas prices lead people to justify siphoning from their neighbors' tanks? A passenger enters into an implied contract with the cruise line - if the passenger violates the line's rules, is the line then entitled to provide less, or inferior, service than advertised?

[ChevyCruiser]

I just can't imagine how embarrassed I would be to be 'caught' smuggling a bottle of liquor. I'd feel like such a cheapskate.... humiliated. :D

 

 

 

It's the cruise lines that ought to be embarrassed by their high-priced/watered-down drinks at the bars and outrageous prices for a bottle of wine at dinner.

 

After the recent "revelations" about the art auctions onboard, I'm going to start smuggling on my own posters so I don't have to buy them from Park West!;)

 

BTW, Celebrity lets you bring on two bottles of wine per stateroom on embarkation day. That's a more adult and civilized approach.:)

[navybankerteacher]

It's the cruise lines that ought to be embarrassed by their high-priced/watered-down drinks at the bars and outrageous prices for a bottle of wine at dinner.

 

After the recent "revelations" about the art auctions onboard, I'm going to start smuggling on my own posters so I don't have to buy them from Park West!;)

 

BTW, Celebrity lets you bring on two bottles of wine per stateroom on embarkation day. That's a more adult and civilized approach.:)

 

Holland America has no limit on wine or beer carried on board -- many people have a full case delivered to them on ship.

[legalwife]

A bottle of liquor purchsed on board might cost as much as $10 more than one bought on shore.

 

NCL - Recently checked on price for bar set up for husband as "they don't have MY brand of choice" - a lower alcohol coconut rum. Bar set up for vodka was $60.00. We usually pay around $20.00 at home...