A really important wine question

[nurseblissful]

is there a customs limit to how much wine i can bring back from martinique? also, is bringing back food in sealed containers an issue? i am going to pick up our documents this afternoon at the travel agency....woo-hoo. any help is appreciated. lauri

[6rugrats]

is there a customs limit to how much wine i can bring back from martinique? also, is bringing back food in sealed containers an issue? i am going to pick up our documents this afternoon at the travel agency....woo-hoo. any help is appreciated. lauri

 

Federal regulation don't specify a limit on the amount of alcohol you can bring back, but if it's a very large amount, they are going to be suspicious it's for resale. That said, you can bring back as much wine as you like, if your state allows it. You will just have to pay duty and Internal Revenue service tax on it if it's over your one liter allotment.

 

By sealed containers, do you mean cans? And what type of food?

[nurseblissful]

this will be our last cruise for a while. so i want to stock a bunch of wine and bring some back for friends. also you can get these great cookies and crackers in sealed tins. what about cheese that is sealed in wax? thanks, lauri

[6rugrats]

Just wondering; is this some special wine that you can't obtain at home, or order off the internet. It's a huge hassle to bring back lots of wine, and you could end up paying some hefty duty and taxes on it.

 

I'm not an expert on cheese, but believe it must be made from pasturized milk and be a hard cheese. Cookies and crackers should be no problem.

[cccole]

My experience with U.S. customs is the same whether entering on a cruiseship or plane. We like to buy rums in ports and there is only so much allowed per passenger, we buy wines to bring home when in France and there is only so much allowed back per passenger. The crackers and cookies are fine but the cheese will be a problem if they find it. In France they have special air tight bags for cheese so that it is less likely to be detected but I don't chance it anymore. The $10,000 fine is too steep. If it is for consumption on the ship you are probably just fine!!! French wines, cookies, crackers, and cheese, plus beautiful Martinique....I am so jealous!!!!! Have a great time, Cherie

[sk8teacher]

We brought back six rounds of Gouda cheese from the Netherlands two years ago, declared it and had no problems at all bringing it in. All were sealed in wax plus a plastic like wrapping around that.

 

Cheers,

[alolewis]

I thought how much alcohol you can bring in was easy but then I looked at the US Customs Regulations and it gets very complicated based on your itineray, etc (one liter from Martinque unless the ship also stops in San Juan then it is 8 liters, makes your head hurt). Here is a link that explains what you can bring in duty free:

 

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

 

Hope this helps.

[m steve]

I assume you are driving and not flying. The duty on wine is less thana $ and they rarely collect it if it's less than $20. As for cheese, we always bring back several French cheeses and never had a problem nor needed to declare them. Even a real French bread. I returned once with 10 Camembert and several Blue de Bresse.I was speaking of wine. Liquor is taxed at a higher rate of $2-3.

[niborHS]

Yes, as mentioned, remember that if you are flying back you will have to pay per case of wine that you put on the plane, and may be restricted at that. The duty on wine is very low, so I wouldn't worry about that part. We bought wine on the french side of St. Martin a number of years ago and they were very inexpensive compared to what we pay here. Even liquor can be worth the duty. On the Celebrity ship I was just on, Stoli's vodka was $9.95 a litre, less than half of what it is here. The worst problem with it is that you used to be able to carry it on the plane; not any more. Also, we have had different experiences depending on our port of arrival. When we came into San Diego with tequilla, we had to pay the duty. We have not, however, in Ft. Lauderdale and Miami.

[nurseblissful]

thanks for all your replies. we are driving and i bring extra luggage for my purchases, whether they be are or nibblies....27 days and counting until we leave....warm sand, blue water, warm sand, blue water....:D

[mariner]

Been my experience, in the islands, they tend not to store wine well. The humidity just kills it. Given the rate of exchange, I'm not sure if you wouldn't be better off just buying at home.