Anyone recently try to bring their own liquor on board?
 

Sailing the Carnival Triumph in a few weeks and was wondering if anyone has recently tried to pack liquor in their luggage. Also, any last minute advice?

It's been a few years since I cruised w/Carnival, but never had a problem purchasing liquor (duty free) on the ship while at sea and taking to room and mixing a cocktail or two. Have packed bottles of wine in luggage w/bubble wrap also. I'm also booked for Carnival Triumph, if anyone knows anything different let us know. <BR>

You can't buy packed liquor on board and take it back to your room. Crew can, if you bribe them to. But it's best to just pack it in your checked (not carry-on) luggage. We did so last week with no problem at all.<BR><BR>The only time I've ever heard of people getting caught was when there was something weapon-like (in this case a very large pair of scissors) in the suitcase with the alcohol.<BR><BR>Enjoy your cruise!

We (last week) took liquor on board at embarkation in Ft Lauderdale in our carry-on with no problem. However, liquor purchased on the Islands, (carried in our backpacks) was confiscated and brought to our room the night before we left the cruise.

So I should be fine packing it in my checked luggage? Should I hide it in water bottles or do they just not check your checked luggage?

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I always pack a couple liters of vodka in my checked baggage. Never got caught yet.

Melissa<BR>I was afraid to put liquor in my checked luggage because what if it broke all over my clothes? That's why when we boarded in Ft Lauderdale, I put it in my back pack and no one said a thing. It was even scanned. However, as I said, I tried it again when we toured the islands and then it was confiscated.

We were on a Princess cruise for Christmas with the family, and we bubble wrapped 12-15 bottles of wine.We also had small bottles of rum and whiskey. The wine we could bring to dinner and the liquor was for the rooms.

I never realized that bringing your own liquor to have in your cabin, other than that available on the ship, was such an important issue to so many people. I hope this is the only ships policy rule that people feel is worth breaking.

Some people just can't do without alcohol. The others are just cheapskates.

Think about this... You pay $300-$600 per person for a 7 night cruise. The cruise company has to make a profit so they want you to purchase drinks, buy shore tours, gamble, shop on board, and even pay for &quot;Gormet Dining&quot;. They want you to run up a large bill. That is where you pay and they profit.

Linda, Why does this sound strange to you? Whenever we vacation, even in fine resorts, we like to bring our own wines to have in the room before dinner without ordering overpriced swill from room service. If the best hotels don't mind, and treat their guests like guests instead of inmates, then why should the cruiselines?

I totally agree. If my husband and I want to enjoy a cocktail or a glass of wine on our veranda before dinner, what is wrong with that? I did pay extra money to enjoy that feature so who should tell me HOW to enjoy it? The point of not taking a child on this trip is so that we can enjoy some time alone, so who would want to go to the bar whenever we want a drink? You enjoy your vacation how you want to, and I'll enjoy mine like I want to.

All cruise lines will allow you to bring a bottle of your favorite wine on board in your carryon to celebrate a &quot;special occasion.&quot;<BR><BR>You may also order as much fine wine as you like and send it as a gift to youself. The order form is in your final document package.<BR><BR>Paul

Is there any savings in preordering the wine from Carnival versus the price they will charge you in the dining room?<BR><BR>I have in the past purchased the drink coupons (4 for $19.50), I found it is a bit of a savings.<BR>Thanks

Melissa, I don't know if you would consider this recent but we were on RCL last Christmas and we brought a magnum of champagne in our carry on. They x-rayed our bag upon entering the ship and nothing was said. Also, we bought rum on Barbados and brought it onboard and again nothing was said. Maybe we were just lucky.

Each cruise line has different policies about bring liquor on board. Some, like Carnival, confiscate it. Others, like Princess, say no. Still others, like HAL just don't care.<BR><BR><BR><BR>

Hmmmmm....my only experience was with HAL and there was no problem whatsoever. We brought wine to dinner and they never even charged us a corkage fee!! We'll be on NCL Sun this summer, not sure what their policy is but most likely we'll wrap a few bottles of wine in our checked luggage to enjoy in our room. Strange isn't it how different cruiselines have different policys. The one thing I know is that if they've made changes, it is all about making more $$$, don't buy into any thing said about changes since 9/11....wouldn't make any sense!!

The lines that we have sailed with over the past 12 years (Princess, HAL, RCCL,<BR>Premier, Regency, Dolphin) all made liquor available for cabin use. I believe the present no beverage policy was begun by Carnival as a result of the excesses of their &quot;Fun Ship&quot; marketing which attracted the rude, crude, no rules, 20-something males who brought cases of beer and liquor aboard.<BR>They proceeded to violate the &quot;cabin use only&quot; rule by drinking it anywhere on the ship. This is akin to bringing your own bottle to a bar or restaurant. I think the reason the other cruise lines have joined in is economic. They cannot fill the ships without deep discounting. A 7 night cruise today is 50% less than it was in 1984. Thus, more expensive drinks, pictures, shore excursions, etc. Once again, the many have to pay for the excesses of the few. Now, I understand, Carnival will not allow soft drinks, juices or bottled water to be brought aboard. This is self defeating as more and more passengers will find ways to smuggle beverages aboard. It's a shame.