Bringing Water/Soda Cases on the ship

[oceanxbreeze89]

Hi! My family will be on the Carnival Victory on July 11th and I have a question about brining water/soda cases on board the ship. Should we used one suitcase and put all of our water/soda bottles in it or just wait until we get to Puerto Rico and buy a case of water and 1-2 cases of soda for our trip and store it in our room. Can you just walk on the ship with these cases? Are they treated like your luggage? Is it worth doing this vs buying an unlimited soda card? Btw how much is an unlimited soda card? Can you purchase it before the cruise or only when we get on board? Sorry for so many questions...my family are newbies to cruising (except for my mom who went cruising before but like 30+ years ago). Thanks for all of the help! :)

[uppitycats]

Unlimited soda cards are bought for each person. If each of you drink more than 3-4 sodas a day, then they're worth it. Otherwise the cost is about the same if you just buy the sodas as you want them. While you could buy just one card and "share" it..that really is not what they're intended for.

 

While indeed you can cart on cases of soda and water -- the ship's water is very well filtered, very clean, and better than a lot of bottled water you could buy. Maybe you could just make sure everyone has a bottle or two, then refill them on the ship?

 

As for getting the soda/water on the ship, many folks who still choose to do this just buy a case, slap on a luggage tag and "check" it with the rest of their luggage, and ends up at your cabin door. Or you carry it on. Just know that usually you'll end up carrying it around (if you check in early) until around 2 p.m. when the cabins are opened for occupancy.

[oceanxbreeze89]

thank you!!!

[dudesoup]

uppity,

If I bring a case of water are they going to make me go to the naughty room to search them for liqour or anything. I am sort of germ freak and like bottled water. Also will be working out in the morning and having a bottle of water is nice. I just really dont want to have to worry about the naughty room for a case of water. Thanks in advance.

[madams77]

We brought a 6-pack of water with us on our cruise last month. We never even opened a single bottle! Ended up leaving it behind when we disembarked. Won't be bringing any water with us on our next cruise!!

[uppitycats]

uppity,

If I bring a case of water are they going to make me go to the naughty room to search them for liqour or anything. I am sort of germ freak and like bottled water. Also will be working out in the morning and having a bottle of water is nice. I just really dont want to have to worry about the naughty room for a case of water. Thanks in advance.

 

If it's a new case of closed bottled WATER, it will clearly say WATER somewhere on it, and you won't be called to the naughty room. A liquor bottle, or "rum runner" or other non-labeled container will send you to the naughty room.

[serene56]

I would wait til you arrive in the port to buy water/soda.

Luggage restrictions today are so severe-- where you will have to pay like 25.00 to check that suitcase in-

 

Water on the ship is good to drink=

[Tinlgey Cruiser]

Like the OP we will also be sailing Carnival Victory. I've read on several of these boards that Carnival in particular are cracking down on alcohol smuggling. I've thought about the Rum Runner option (can you get them in the UK ?), but I've also considered, simply filling a litre water bottle with vodka and passing it off as water. Would this attract undue suspicion ?

 

Thanks

John

[uppitycats]

Like the OP we will also be sailing Carnival Victory. I've read on several of these boards that Carnival in particular are cracking down on alcohol smuggling. I've thought about the Rum Runner option (can you get them in the UK ?), but I've also considered, simply filling a litre water bottle with vodka and passing it off as water. Would this attract undue suspicion ?

 

Thanks

John

 

Yes. If it's an open bottle, they'll ask you to open it and drink quite a lot from it. Or I've seen them sniff it, and "bust" people who have tried.

 

But then, I'm from the school of..."...if you can't afford a few drinks on the ship, maybe you can't afford the cruise."..or, "one doesn't HAVE to drink alcohol to have a good time on the cruise!". Pick one.

[serene56]

Yes. If it's an open bottle, they'll ask you to open it and drink quite a lot from it. Or I've seen them sniff it, and "bust" people who have tried.

 

But then, I'm from the school of..."...if you can't afford a few drinks on the ship, maybe you can't afford the cruise."..or, "one doesn't HAVE to drink alcohol to have a good time on the cruise!". Pick one.

 

 

I have seen recent postings that opened bottles of water are being confiscated--but mostly this is from Miami.

[Ambrosia64]

Have seen posts that rum runners does ship international - give them a yell - their customer service is fantastic.

 

Just get some rum runners - toss it inside a boot or a shoe or a toiletry kit. Likely to get through - and if it doesn't there isnt' that much $$ lost.

 

I have gotten rum runners aboard Royal Caribbean (much tougher than Carnival) several times and last one I just tossed a pint of rum into my toiletry kit and it got through.

 

Don't let the morality police get to you. I can afford a cruise and I can afford a bar bill, but there is nothing morally superior about not wasting money.

 

Like the OP we will also be sailing Carnival Victory. I've read on several of these boards that Carnival in particular are cracking down on alcohol smuggling. I've thought about the Rum Runner option (can you get them in the UK ?), but I've also considered, simply filling a litre water bottle with vodka and passing it off as water. Would this attract undue suspicion ?

 

Thanks

John

[uppitycats]

Don't let the morality police get to you. I can afford a cruise and I can afford a bar bill, but there is nothing morally superior about not wasting money.

 

Y'know, I think I'll try that excuse the next time I head to my local bar. "Hey, I'm here to enjoy the ambience, and the other social activities, but you charge way too much for alcohol so I brought my own, and a case of juice and soda. I'll just sit here and mix my own..." and see how far that gets me. :D :D

 

Besides, I've been pricing booze in England and Norway, where I'm next headed on a cruise. Local pubs there charge WAY more than in my neighborhood, and at LEAST as much as is charged on any of the cruise ships. Rather than trying to smuggle in booze there (or for that matter, on the ship we'll be on, we can bring it in, so long as we only drink in our cabin), we've planned to just drink LESS...that doesn't "waste money", either..

[bwilli40]

Y'know, I think I'll try that excuse the next time I head to my local bar. "Hey, I'm here to enjoy the ambience, and the other social activities, but you charge way too much for alcohol so I brought my own, and a case of juice and soda. I'll just sit here and mix my own..." and see how far that gets me. :D :D

 

Besides, I've been pricing booze in England and Norway, where I'm next headed on a cruise. Local pubs there charge WAY more than in my neighborhood, and at LEAST as much as is charged on any of the cruise ships. Rather than trying to smuggle in booze there (or for that matter, on the ship we'll be on, we can bring it in, so long as we only drink in our cabin), we've planned to just drink LESS...that doesn't "waste money", either..

 

 

Uppity,

No one is saying to take the drinks to the bars on board. For 99.9% of people it is just to be able to enjoy something in their own room without having to run to a bar a few decks up and then walk it back down to their room's balcony.

Also people consider the cruiss to be hotels on water. At a hotel you are able to bring your own drinks and food and what not inside.

Also I am going on a NCL vessel. They only offer Pepsi products. I despise pepsi. Yet I get terrible headaches if I do not have caffeine. So I would like some Diet cokes. And the water cases is just for the sake of having a cold water in the morning or when I go to the gym or just not having to hassle with getting a waiter to get me some or something. If water is free then I do not see why they worry about me bringing some on. saves them money on filters and paying to refill their fresh water tanks.

[uppitycats]

Uppity,

No one is saying to take the drinks to the bars on board. Actually, people DO bring alcohol to bars on board. Watch for all those folks walking around with "coffee mugs". Do you really think there is COFFEE in there?? :D

 

And the water cases is just for the sake of having a cold water in the morning or when I go to the gym or just not having to hassle with getting a waiter to get me some or something. If water is free then I do not see why they worry about me bringing some on. saves them money on filters and paying to refill their fresh water tanks.

 

Actually they do charge for BOTTLED water. $2.95 and up, depending on the brand, or whether it's sparkling or not. And they DON'T "worry about (you) bringing some on. You're free to do so. Just seems pretty inconvenient, when you have a cooler refrigerator in your room which will hold several bottles -- which you could simply fill the night before, put in the fridge, and have cold the next morning.

 

But hey, you wanna tote water and smuggle booze, go for it!

[bwilli40]

Well I was not saying I plan on smuggling. Those that are drinking at the bars like that are trash and will always be that way. I only wanted to know if because others have tried the water bottle sneak on if when i bring my water case(booze free) if they will stop me and make me take all the bottles out and shake them or show they are unopened. Thats why. Also if I bring on a case of water for $12 thats 18 more bottles then buying them at 2.99 a bottle. I was only asking because I dont want to have to fool with a case that has ben torn open to check for booze and lug it around all day.

[uppitycats]

Well I was not saying I plan on smuggling. Those that are drinking at the bars like that are trash and will always be that way. I only wanted to know if because others have tried the water bottle sneak on if when i bring my water case(booze free) if they will stop me and make me take all the bottles out and shake them or show they are unopened. Thats why. Also if I bring on a case of water for $12 thats 18 more bottles then buying them at 2.99 a bottle. I was only asking because I dont want to have to fool with a case that has ben torn open to check for booze and lug it around all day.

 

Sorry..I know you weren't planning to smuggle booze on. That was a response to an earlier comment by someone else, and I should not have included it with your quote.

 

The basic point of water is -- sure, you can bring a case, and if it is clearly marked as water, you can just slap a luggage tag on it, hand it off to the porters with any other luggage, and it should show up at your cabin later in the day. But the ship water -- from the tap (not their bottles) -- is highly filtered, very clear, very good. You might want to save yourself dealing with the case of water at all..bring a couple of unopened bottles, drink those when you're on the ship, refill them each night, put them in the fridge that's in your cabin (or in your ice bucket that the steward will keep filled with ice), and it'll be cold the next morning. Then switch off as needed. Save money, save lugging around water.

[klfrodo]

Hey, I don't have a dog in this fight but I will say that the cruiselines policy is that you may bring on a reasonable amount of soda/water.

 

My definition, your definition, and the soda/water police definition of "reasonable" may be different. Can you bring on 1 case? 2 cases, 3 cases? I don't know

 

Just sayin

[Tinlgey Cruiser]

Besides, I've been pricing booze in England and Norway, where I'm next headed on a cruise. Local pubs there charge WAY more than in my neighborhood, and at LEAST as much as is charged on any of the cruise ships. Rather than trying to smuggle in booze there (or for that matter, on the ship we'll be on, we can bring it in, so long as we only drink in our cabin), we've planned to just drink LESS...that doesn't "waste money", either..

 

I don't know whereabouts in England you've been pricing up drinking. But if you're paying as much as cruise ships, you're in the wrong pub !

 

John

[rogerwaters]

would i be allowed to bring a couple of bottles of juice? like the plastic bottles of grape juice, etc? i am a big juice drinker in the mornings and it would be nice to have a glass as soon as i wake up and not have to order room service or go to a buffet to get it. do they allow this or am i causing more trouble than it is worth?

[1500cc]

Hey, I don't have a dog in this fight but I will say that the cruiselines policy is that you may bring on a reasonable amount of soda/water.

 

My definition, your definition, and the soda/water police definition of "reasonable" may be different. Can you bring on 1 case? 2 cases, 3 cases? I don't know

 

I was wondering that too. Would a six-pack of 750mL plastic bottles be considered "reasonable"? 12 bottles between me and GF would likely be plenty for our 4 night cruise.

[Mypapaya]

This may be a really dumb question, but what the heck is a "rum runner?"

:confused:

[uppitycats]

This may be a really dumb question, but what the heck is a "rum runner?"

:confused:

 

 

It is a plastic container that you can buy, fill with booze, and hide in your luggage. It's not seen by x-ray. If you put rum runner into a search engine, you'll find places where you can buy one (or more), if smuggling booze is important to you.