Can I sneak alcohol on a cruise?

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I'm going on Voyager Jan 11th. I've given it a great deal of thought while talking to people on cruise critic.com. In light of RCCL's policy that is plastered on your documents, it isn't worth it. They say they can refuse to let you board the ship if they catch you sneaking alcohol on-board. You've paid hundreds of dollars for your trip, it just isn't worth the risk. Wouldn't you just die if you were the one they caught and made an example of?
On a recent cruise a friends luggage was delayed. When they asked where it was the cabin steward asked if they had alcohol. They denied it, and eventually their luggage arrived. Another friend was called down to the bowels of the ship while security opened his suitcase to examine something they had seen on x-ray. Thankfully the big blue bottle of mouthwash actually had mouthwash in it. So that tells me they are carefully screening and opening luggage. They must be giving the security staff a bonus for catching smugglers.

Shelley L

Some people put alcohol in water bottles and pack it in their suitcases. Some get caught.. some don't.

You can order a bottle from the onboard shop for your room if you want a casual drink on your deck.
Since selling drinks are a big part of their income, they don't allow you to bring your own.

david

DON'T DO IT YOU WILL GET CAUGHT. I HAVE SEEN PEOPLE GET CAUGHT. THE CRUISE LINE WILL TAKE YOUR BOTTLES AND THEY WONT RETURN THEM UNTIL THE END OF THE CRUISE. AGAIN I HAVE SEEN THIS HAPPEN TO PEOPLE.

Kristina L

Yes you can. Yes I do. Be sneaky about it. Don't be obvious.

If caught they take and and give it back at the end of the cruise.

Highly Favoured

If you want it so badly then you can put it in a water bottle but alcohol is so cheap in the different ports that you might not want to do this. You can get liquor for even less than US10 and all types but that is in the Caribbean. If they see it they might only confiscate it and give it back the night before.

If you buy liquor in the port or on the ship they usually hold it until the last night. Liquor on the ship is also cheap.

Steve

The only fool-proof way is to use Rum Runner Flasks. http://www.rumrunnerflasks.com/

I heard about these last year on CruiseCritic.com http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&as_qdr=all&q=%22rum+runner+flasks%22%2C+-coupon+site%3Acruisecritic.com and people swear by them. I bought a set and its been used 3X (once by a friend). Twice on Royal Carribean and once on Celebrity. I am using them on Princess next month.

The cruise lines xray bags and if they see a lot of water or scope bottles, they will pull your bag to the "naughty room". YOU WILL NOT BE THROWN OFF THE SHIP. (It does not happen regardless of what your cruise contract states.) Think about it...You are already sailing after muster drill when you go retrieve your bag (its around dinner time). If they throw you off the ship, they would have to do it at the first port since you are sailing. The cruise line employee will ask you to open your bag and they will confiscate the liquor. If it is in the original container, they will give it back to you after the cruise. If its in another container (water bottle), they keep it.

The other reason they will not throw you off is on-board revenue. Alcohol and casinos are where the cruise lines make the most on-board revenue. They don't make a lot of profit selling a 7 day cruise for $700. The cruise lines know you drink and since your alcohol was confiscated, you will buy drinks (a lot) at the bars. Since you bothered to smuggle, you obviously like to drink a fair amount (if so, why bother smuggling if you drink 1-2 drinks a day). Also, they sail with one less passenger who is not going to the bars, casinos, or booking excursions through them. That is why they discount cabins drastically before sailings....they need them full to increase on-board revenue. I have never had to go to the "naughty room" but from what people say, there is usually 20-30 passengers there at a time so they would have to throw a lot of people off the ship.

So, why use Rum Runners? The cruise lines know the shapes of liquor bottles so you can't just leave them in the original container. These show up as solid on the xrays. They work...every time. Just pack them in your checked bag (NOT your carry-on). If you want a drink when you first board, buy them!

Also when you cruise matters on how much the cruise lines are searching for alcohol. Spring Break (March and April) they step up the effort.

Google it and check out cruise critic. There are thousands of smugglers on Cruise Critic and they swear by these. I saved a fortune...and they only cost $3-$4 each. Each drink on board is like $5-6 (and not as strong as I prefer).

Yes you can buy inexpensive alcohol in the duty free shops on-board. But they hold the alcohol until the night before you disembark. Some higher end lines will allow you to purchase a bar setup but it's not cheap.

Princess will allow you to carry a reasonable amount of wine on-board.

If you don't smuggle and you drink liquor, my suggestion would be to add an extra tip to your bill (they automatically put 15% on) and be friendly with the bartenders. Throw an extra buck in and they will make your drinks much stronger the next round.

Victor M

I don't think they would permit alcohol from another business on a cruise.
But I am not for sure though,
I would go to the website and look at the rules.

Sniper4321

I've been on 13 cruises. This is what I do for a living. I've snuck on alcohol on every cruise I've been on. Never been caught. I do know for a fact that if they were to check your bag randomly and find the alcohol, they will take it and give it back to you at the end of the cruise.

Do not pack in your carry on. Pack it in your check in bag and wrap it up real nice with a beach towel.

John

The trick is to get really really wasted on the islands. If you're really drunk the buzz will last till 2 -3 am easily. I did it with my friends on every island. we just went to a bar and drank the whole day. The ships leave at 5, so we would each have a few shots on top of what we already drank right before boarding the boat. I recommend mixing alcohol too. You'll get drunk faster.

tropics man

Yes you can, BUT why would you want to? You can buy that same Vodka or whatever for half the price after the ship gets 12 miles out to sea for half the money that you'd bought it for, and not have to pay any tax on it right there on the ship..

John B

they give away booze on cruises like it is water,,,unless your a minor why bother

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