Bringing Beer, soda and water on board

[Muffinhead]

Is it better to put these items in your checked luggage, or carry them on and risk confiscation??? I am not flying, so that is not an issue. I will be sailing Sunday on the Caribbean Princess out of the Brooklyn pier in New York. Wondering how strict their security is if I carry on.

 

Thanks for your help!

[LuvTheGoodLife]

Your soda and water are fine in your carryon - no risk of security confiscating. The beer is hit or miss for confiscation upon initial embarkation as technically, only wine and champagne are allowed to be brought on board.

 

If you decide to check your luggage with the beer, please wrap carefully in case it leaks over your luggage or other luggage it is stacked on top of. The porters do not handle the luggage gently...

[G'ma]

Is it better to put these items in your checked luggage, or carry them on and risk confiscation??? I am not flying, so that is not an issue. I will be sailing Sunday on the Caribbean Princess out of the Brooklyn pier in New York. Wondering how strict their security is if I carry on.

 

Thanks for your help!

 

Other than a bottle of wine or champagne, per person, alcoholic beverages are not permitted to be brought onboard. Here is the policy:

 

Question: What is the alcohol policy onboard Princess Cruises?

Answer: We kindly request that you do not bring alcoholic beverages (other than wine and/or champagne) onboard for consumption. Alcoholic beverages that are purchased duty free from the ship's gift shop or at ports of call will be collected for safekeeping and delivered to your stateroom on the last day of the voyage. A member of our Security Staff will be at the gangway to assist with the storage of your alcoholic beverage purchases.

 

That being said, if they see it, they will confiscate it....so don't carry in on. Some people pack it in their checked bags. This doesn't mean Princess won't find it anyway....it's just not as obvious.

 

If, when the bags are xrayed, they suspect alcohol in your luggage, they'll call you down to open your bags and they will take it away.

 

Like other lines, a "reasonable" amount of soda and water usually makes it through OK.

[TwinCruiserMom]

They will not look twice at your soda and water bottles - no problem. We usually just pack a whole case of water (there are 5 of us) and wrap it with clear duct tape well so no bottles fall out, slap on a luggage tag and hand it to the porters. Always has made it to our room.

 

We have a heavy duty material, medium sized gym bag that we pack with canned beer and soda (surrounded by a trash bag inside the gym bag) and we check that bag with the porters. Always has made it to our room.

 

No worries about carrying soda or water through the check in line, but I would not try to get beer by them. It is just easier to check it.

 

Make sure the bags you check are not too heavy as the material may rip or it will be too hard to deliver to your room. Better to check a couple lighter weight bags than to give the workers a hernia ;)

 

I really do not think Princess does too careful of a check on the bags left with the porter. Everyone seems to get their liquor bottles and extra wine through with no problems. I have never heard of anyone called down to the naughty room where they confiscate liquor on Princess. Royal on the other hand is very diligent with alcohol smugglers.

 

As long as you are bringing on a reasonable amount of beverages, you will have no problems.

 

Enjoy the Caribbean Princess! She is a beautiful ship :)

[brightfeather]

Is it better to put these items in your checked luggage, or carry them on and risk confiscation??? I am not flying, so that is not an issue. I will be sailing Sunday on the Caribbean Princess out of the Brooklyn pier in New York. Wondering how strict their security is if I carry on.

 

Thanks for your help!

Hi Muffinhead,

If you want some great ideas on how to save money, etc. on your cruise there is a thread "How to save money" that may give you some ideas about all that -- check it out. I'll leave it at that. :-)

[Muffinhead]

Thank you for the responses! I smuggle every time I cruise, and have yet to get caught, but always wonder if I will. I realize every port and every cruise line and even every security guard is different, but am curious as to what to expect when I go through security.

[RvrCrzr]

On RCI, I was called down to security the evening we boarded Navigator. When I got to the Pursers Desk...they asked me to step behind the counter and into the back room. Security asked me if this suitcase was mine, and if I had any weapons in my suitcase. I said 'yes it's mine, no weapons.'

 

He then proceded to tell me 3 knives showed up on xray. I zipped open the outer compartments and pulled out 3 tiny knives. (swiss army style) The blades were an inch or less long. I intended to only bring one to cut the zip ties off the case when the luggage was delivered. I packed the suitcases over the course of many days...and had forgotten whether I packed a knife...so I just added one. The tally was 3 before the trip~! :cool:

 

Security laughed when I told them the story and when they saw the knives. They let me have them, the case, and I was on my way.

 

Since my suitcase hadn't arrived by our 8:30pm dinner time...all others in our party went to dinner without me. (my proper attire was in the case) Needless to say...I was very late for dinner on account of this. I had no one to blame but myself.

 

So, my advice is this:

Be aware of what the cruise line rules are. If you decide to do something differently...you may be just fine. Then again...you may not. They do xray checked bags. I know, weapons and beverages are too separate things...but it can really be embarassing in the end. (imagine me explaining myself to my dinnermates!) :o

 

PS...I've also never seen/heard anyone's checked bags stopped for beverages of any kind over the years.

[ptcruzers]

Throw your 12-pack of beer and soda in your carry-on bag and get aboard!! Just beware- my experience with the fridge in our rooms is that they do not get my beer really ICE-COLD. I usually have a glass with ice, pour in my favorite brand, and enjoy!!:p

[sultan_sfo]

And if your balcony is facing the gangway, you may be able to sling it to the balcony before boarding!

[cruise14]

Muffinhead

My DH and I have taken 16 cruises, and have carried beer on board every cruise with no problems! We usually buy it before we board the ship and just carry it right on in a sack. Last year we actually had a backpack with wheels and just put it in there so my DH didn't have to carry it. We send it right through the x-ray machine, and nothing has ever been said! We restock at every port of call as well. A bit of advice...pack a soft pack cooler in your suitcase (you can buy them at Sam's for like $8) and your cabin steward will ice it down for you everyday if you ask him. We usually just leave the cooler behind so we don't have to re-pack it when we go home. My motto.."have cooler, will travel!" :o Hope this eases your mind! It sure helps our bar bill!