Taking booze on a cruise?

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Paul in San Diego

They will x-ray your carry-on bags when you enter the terminal. And, if they see anything questionable, they will ask to inspect the bags. If you have anything in there - even a water bottle - they may tell you to leave it there. They will certainly confiscate any alcohol.

They may spot check your check-on bags. But, they usually just run them through an x-ray machine looking for strange items. I once brought about $140 in quarters stuffed into a bag in a boot to spend at the casino. They apparently saw them in the x-ray image, opened the luggage, and stole them. But, they didn't take my smuggled on booze. And, I have no qualms smuggling booze on every cruise I've ever been on because of the theft.

Here's what you do:

Get a 1.25 liter bottle of Arizona Iced Tea and empty it. It's dark brown plastic, so they can't tell what the color of the liquid is. There's also no metal for the x-ray to detect. Rinse out the bottle and fill it with your favorite alc bev (I like whiskey). Fill it to the brim to prevent sloshing and replace the cap tightly. Place this into a cardboard box with some foam packing sheets or newspaper. Seal the box with packing tape. If you want to go all out, wrap it like a birthday present.

Bury this in the middle of your check-on bag. When you get on board, get a soda card for mixers (you can ask for it with no ice). Don't be shy about bugging the room stewards for ice all the time. It's their job and they're happy to get it for you. Or, you can get cups of ice from the dispensers on the Lido deck (or whatever they call the food deck). When the bags arrive at your stateroom, the bar is open. You may want to buy one of the ship's specialty drinks in the give-away plastic cup for carrying your home-made drink around the ship. That way, people will just think you bought your drink on board the ship.

goodluck

For safety reason, don't bring any. They may confiscate your booze if they find it by searching or by x-ray. They encourage you to buy on board (that is business).

Jay S

ok heres what you need if you want to bring booze.
this only works with any clear water looking booze, pretty much vodka. so you have to do this carefully.

ingredients:
unopened storebought waterbottles
vodka of choice
funnel (optional, makes it easier)
hot glue gun

step 1:
on the bottom of the water bottle where its sealed off, you want to poke a hole big enough to get the water out and vodka in, not to big though because then itll look funny.

step 2: empty water

step 3: put the vodka in the bottle through the created hole (easier with a little funnel)

step 4: do not fill all the way, no waterbottle is filled to the brim, estimate where you think is good. not too shallow not too much. use the smallest amount (and i mean small, like head of a pin) to cover the hole, make sure none leaks in, then ur out one bottle of vodka

step 5: let dry

and repeat as needed.

obviously you have to smart about this. but what can they say really about unopened water bottle?

Bandett

If they dont x ray your luggage how would they know ? Do they scan luggage ??

Due 11/09 baby #1

Why would you want to take booze on the cruise if they are going to provide plenty of that. Dont do it!

Amory

Wait until you get to an island. I've brought liquor on board from the "duty-free" islands. Not sure how this works or why - but, I was also told under no circumstances could I bring alcohol on board from America, but can do it from the small islands I went to.

NiTSiRK_81

I went on Carnival. We gave our bags to them to be put on the ship right after getting out of the cab. They only scanned what we carried on. As for what happens with the other bags I don't know but I would assume they scan it. I took on a bottle of champagne and a bottle of Jack both made it on without any trouble. However the bag it was in belonged to a member of the coast guard and he told me that because of that it would be fine. I think you are allowed to bring wine or champagne and they uncork it for you. They also scanned our stuff each time we reentered the ship from port and were always taking stuff away from people. If you want to put some in other types of bottles tat could work but seems like a lot of trouble. Try the listerine bottles. They already have that alcohol smell and are secure. Our ship had a duty free store on board full of liquor.

Novarobin

We just got back from a Carnival cruise (sorry haven't done Royal). We put some alcohol in a pop bottle and bought some caps from the wine bottling store. They are self sealing so it looks like a sealed bottle of pop. If you are taking something with color (even rum has a color) then get colored pop bottles. We use green 7-up bottles. Then we put them in our suitcase.
On our flight to the boat, we decided to just buy another bottle and put it in our suitcase.
We had no issues with either. They do x-ray your suitcase going on Carnival. And they could random search, they have the right. I have been told by tons of people they just put the liquor in their suitcase.
When we were at port, they x-rayed the carry on bags come on board and I know they did take bottles from people who bought at duty free but they get them at the end of the cruise. Again, you could just pour it into another bottle.
I suspect that you would just lose the liquor and not your trip if you get caught...but i dont' know that for sure.

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