New To HAL - liquor question

[CRUZBUDS]

We're going on the Zaandam in October and are getting excited already. We'll be asking lots of questions. We have no recent Holland America experience.

 

My DW called attention the the Cruise Critic professional review of the Zaandam. We doubt this is still true, otherwise why would there be smuggling debates? The professional reviews are not dated.

 

Here goes from the review:

 

The greatest bargain on the ship is liquor. You can buy liquor by the bottle and take it to your cabin to consume onboard, unlike on most ships where liquor purchased onboard is held until the last day. Liquor prices really are duty free. A liter of Absolut is $9.95; a liter of Johnny Walker Red is $15.95.

Is this true? We know they have a very liberal wine policy, but I didn't think any midmarket lines allowed purchases from the on board store. I thought RCCL was the last to do that and they cut it out a couple of years ago.

 

Thanks in advance for the info!

[FoxyTerrier]

Here goes from the review:

 

The greatest bargain on the ship is liquor. You can buy liquor by the bottle and take it to your cabin to consume onboard, unlike on most ships where liquor purchased onboard is held until the last day. Liquor prices really are duty free. A liter of Absolut is $9.95; a liter of Johnny Walker Red is $15.95.

 

Is this true? We know they have a very liberal wine policy, but I didn't think any midmarket lines allowed purchases from the on board store. I thought RCCL was the last to do that and they cut it out a couple of years ago.

 

Thanks in advance for the info!

 

Yes that used to be true back in the early 2000s. Now the only liquor you can buy on board is duty free and will be delivered to your room the night before you depart.

 

Ever since this change the smuggling debates have been on going.

[CRUZBUDS]

That's what I thought. The review was written after the "excellence" upgrades, so it sounds like the reviewer was mistaken.

 

They really should try to keep the reviews current, I prefer the member reviews.

 

Thanks for the reply.

[JimVrhovac]

If you purchase liquor on board you can have it delivered to your room but there is a surcharge placed on it. It is still cheaper than per drink price.

 

We have been doing this for a while.

 

Ruth & Jim

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Here is the price list that Krazy Kruizers frequently posts here. (She's on a cruise right now). Liquor bottle sizes are 1 liter:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=17894361&postcount=3

[Two@Sea]

Yes that used to be true back in the early 2000s. Now the only liquor you can buy on board is duty free and will be delivered to your room the night before you depart.

 

Ever since this change the smuggling debates have been on going.

 

I am pleased to let you know that the above statement is inaccurate. On our recent Westerdam 4/5/09 cruise we brought our own wine aboard and DH ordered a bottle of liquor for his enjoyment in our cabin. The cost was very reasonable, all things considered.

 

The "smuggling debates" result from those cruisers who want to bring their own liquor from home, rather than purchase a bottle the from the ship.

[Sleepladypalmdesert]

If you purchase liquor on board you can have it delivered to your room but there is a surcharge placed on it. It is still cheaper than per drink price.

 

We have been doing this for a while.

 

Ruth & Jim

 

The great Jim and Ruth (who I don't know, but wish I did) are correct. We too ordered a litre of Gin, room service. It was delivered to our room. We had a little sumthin, sumthin, while getting dressed for dinner and still had a drink in the bars here and there. I love Hendricks Gin...they did not have that...but, they did have Saphire and Mr. Green.

 

Just go my friend. Bring some wonderful bottles of wine you can't easily get on board, a couple bottles of champagne for your room. Get the ordinary stuff in the bars. If you do not have a wonderful time...I will eat my hat! Waiting for Pipedreams to come up with a suitable picture.

[heynow]

It's great that we can purchase achohol from room service. The prices seem quite reasonable. There will be a group of us traveling to Ft. Lauderdale and spend one or two nights before we board the ship. Any achohol be buy for our stay in Ft. Lauderdale we would want to take on board with us. So is there any issues with bringing our own on board with us. I know you're not allowed but do they xray or anything like that.

 

Thanks

[RuthC]

So is there any issues with bringing our own on board with us. I know you're not allowed but do they xray or anything like that.

All luggage brought aboard is subject to x-ray.

 

The official HAL policy is that you are not allowed to bring aboard hard liquor. It is supposed to be taken, and returned on the last night of the cruise. There are reports that confiscation does not always happen, but that is the chance you take.

[YXU AC*SE]

See all those HAL cruises in my footer? I have never had any problems in visiting a local purveyor, stocking up and bringing aboard either wine or liquor with my carryon. My preferred libation is Crown Royal, which unmistakably shows up with any x-ray imaging, and can't be confused for a bottle of pinot noir. :D

 

Of course, YMMV. :-)

 

Scott.

[SonomaDriver]

We've brought wine and champagne onboard. With the new screw top wine bottles, you can put booze into an empty wine bottle if you want to get creative. The bummer of it is that many airlines charge $25 for the second bag so someone is going to stick you along the way :)

[ellbelle]

On our B2B last summer, the last night of the first leg, you were able to take your liquor purchases back to your room. I'm a very honest person and told the clerk that we were on the second leg of the cruise as well, so would I be allowed to take back to the room? He said yes, so I took a nice bottle of scotch back to the room with me.

 

Through room service, the prices are very reasonable though. Really not worth the hassle of trying to smuggle in luggage (especially in glass bottles!) if you fly.

 

Cheryl

[jtl513]

I am pleased to let you know that the above statement is inaccurate.

You CAN buy a bottle at any bar and take it to your room ... or order it to be delivered ... but you can not buy it from the duty-free shop and take it to your room.

[m steve]

I gues it depends on where you live. On board prices seem very high to me as I live in Florida. Same when I was in DC. Probably cheap if you come from Europe. On the last day you can usually bring a bottle back to the cabin from on board DF shop unless you're at HMC.