duty free booze and transport home

[weary traveler]

Been so long since i've flown home from a cruise out of Florida, I've forgotten the requirements or allowances. When we disembark the cruise ship in Tampa flying home the same day (afternoon) those cute little booze boxes that you get the last night of the cruise.. how are they treated? are they allowed thru CSA checkpoints as carry-ons? or do they have to be (ouch) packed with checked luggage??????:eek:

i seem to remember if i bought within the confines of the airport at duty free store, they were counted as carry-ons but could still carry one luggage overhead one carry-on under seat and THEN the booze box. Can anyone help explain the current procedure having to go thru CSA security upon check in at the airport and how it counts towards my non chargeable luggage? Thanks as usual.. I know i will have my answers shortly...

 

Paul

[cb at sea]

If it's a liquid, you CANNOT carry it on the plane. You'll have to "check it". If you don't have enough weight limit left in your luggage, you will pay extra for your "cheap" liquor--hardly worth it!

As far as weight limits allowed on the plane, each airline has their own rules--check with the airline you'll be using.

[paul929207]

You CANNOT carry any liquid in a container bigger than 3 ounces thru securiy at the airport. Anything larger must be in your checked luggage.

[chrisbd1]

I bring one suitcase for my booze and fly Southwest Airlines because the 2nd checked bag is free. I have had 10 liters get home safely using those airline boxes inside one of our checked bags, twice.

[RoofingPrincess]

My mom actually got 5 or 6 bottles home (Wisconsin) from Connecticut after our cruise out of NYC in May.

The folks at the liquor store in St Thomas said they had a 100% success ratio with their boxes (although, thinking about it, how the heck would they know what happens after the box leaves their store??)

The woman at the airline checkin counter said the airline had about a 50% success ratio.

I told Mom she could take her chances with the airline, or I could take her stash home with me (and drink it, and share it with my friends)

She went with the airline :( and phoned me from baggage claim in Milwaukee to let me know that not only she had arrived safely, so had her booze box! :)

[weary traveler]

i think i will wisely invest in some bubble wrap.... unless the bottle theives will be out and about... Thanks I can always count on good information here..

[silentbob007]

Everyone has talked about flying with the booze, but you also asked about your allowance. It is 1L per individual over the age of 21. If you bring back more than one 1L, you are expected to declare it to the customs agent and pay any applicable duty. Most of the time though, unless you are seriously over your allowance, the customs people don't want to mess with collecting a few dollars.

[trekincouple]

All our liquids in carry-on were taken away 2 days ago, purchased in the duty free when coming into the US, even small bottles of holy water. :mad: Lucky, some of it was in checked luggage.

[uppitycats]

We brought home 2 bottles each, in our checked luggage, well wrapped with clothing (two of the bottles weren't in boxes! :eek: ) And all made it just fine. Yes, there is a limit of 1L per bottle, according to the "regulations"...so we declared what we had, the customs agent took the form, stamped it, sent us on our way, without charging anything.

[michmike]

You have to wonder what impact this has had on business at AH Riis in St Thomas.. That place was always hopping with booze buyers. We miss bringing it back. Seems like we always have problems making the 50 # per bag limit w/o trying to pack booze in there as well.

 

Good thing I still have quite a stock from previous trips.

[cruiserbryce]

sadly...this is the reason we have stopped bringing liquor back if we are flying...because it has to be checked and I have checked baggage trust issues...

[cruisinpatley]

There is an exception to the rule. Generally, yes it is 1 L per adult, but if you buy at least one local 1 L bottle, you can bring back 2 L. Attached is the regulation (see page 17 of the list of the countries). For US Virgin Islands, America Samoa and Jamaica, you can bring back 5 L per adult as long as 1 L was from the country (See page 18).

http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/newsroom/publications/travel/knowbeforeyougo.ctt/knowbeforeyougo.pdf

Good luck!!