RX Meds

[sam4691]

Just wondering if RX meds have to be in their original bottle. (I use a daily pill sorter.) We will be driving to the port so no airport to deal with.

[Idahobaker]

Just wondering if RX meds have to be in their original bottle. (I use a daily pill sorter.) We will be driving to the port so no airport to deal with.

 

Shouldn't be a problem. I would take the pill bottles or a copy of your script just in case.

 

Have fun!:D

[cb at sea]

Nope...no one gives a fig about your meds! Carry them however you like.

[klfrodo]

And if while returning back to the States, Customs and Border Patrol asks for proof you are not smuggling these narcotics and or controlled substances, please tell them CB at Sea said you could. CB will gladly pay any and all applicable fines. :D

[Leesie6351]

I have never been stopped or questionned about the contents of my pill containers either in the US or foreign countties. Yes, there is always the chance someone might question you in customs but all we have ever been asked about is purchases and fruits and vegetables. Our carry-ons have never been checked.

 

I usually am a cautious person but in this case, I opt for using the pill holders although someone on these boards will tell you dire stories of people they know whose meds were confiscated. Since you are not flying, the only time you might possibly be stopped is on your return to the US when you go through Customs after the cruise, and if the pills are confiscated then, at least you're on your way home. If stopped, they use dogs to confirm the presence of narcotics and unless you have an unusally high number of pills, they'll let you go.

 

Good luck, don't fret, enjoy your cruise.

[uppitycats]

I have been stopped about my medications, and made to sort through each one, explaining what they were -- even though I had a copy of my prescriptions with me.

 

But this was by agents at the airport, not by cruise personnel. Since you're driving to the port, it's probably not an issue.

 

It still is a good thing to carry a copy of your prescriptions with you. If for some reason your meds are lost, or you drop the container down the sink, you can get replacements more easily.

[sparks1093]

As long as Customs doesn't send you to secondary inspection you should be fine. The ship won't care. DW brought all of the prescription bottles just to be on the safe side.

[trish1c]

Dad kept his in a pill sorter. I had prescriptions for everyone in my wallet just in case there were Qs or the pills got lost. In an unfamilar bathroom with limited counterspace on a moving ship I was a bit worried dad might knock them over. :o

[Happy ks]

Even the TSA doesn't require it, but suggests that you do.

 

My personal belief is that you should (if you take numerous meds) take a list from your pharmacist with the dosage and times for each med. This way, if there is a medical emergency they will know what drugs you are taking. If someone needs to assist you, or you cannot identify one pill from the next, you should absolutely take them in their original bottles.

 

We don't really take much along. I take a daily multi vitamin, my husband does the same and takes 1 prescription and 1 OTC med. We put them all in an Advil bottle, they are easy for us to identify.

 

On the way home, we would only have a couple pills left, just in case our travel plans were delayed.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

Since you are driving -- you will not have a problem.

 

We have no choice but to fly. Thus we have to keep DH's many prescriptions in their original bottles. And yes we have had TSA inspect them a couple of times.

[maldenmusic]

I try to carry my 2 Rx's in their original bottles with just enough to get me through the cruise. Then I'm usually left with just empty bottles when I return. But I don't think they will really care about my BP meds

[Alaskanb]

I always take mine in the original bottles. Since being delayed for several days due to volcanic ash on an international journey I also make sure I have a week's extra supply.

[penguinscott]

Be sure to check with the countries you are visiting. Some require meds to be labeled. As a flight attendant, I would never leave the country with my meds in anything but their original bottles.

[ducklite]

If you are on a Caribbean cruise, the chances are very slim that it will matter. If you are headed anywhere else, the chances increase.

 

Either way, the solution is simple. Have the pharmacy split your prescription into two bottles, one for the amount you'll need for the cruise plus a couple of extra days, and one for the remainder. Once you are on board, portion them out into your daily dispenser.

 

Keep in mind that certain medications are absolutely banned in some countries, including a number of narcotics as well as many drugs contained hormones or certain steroids. When in doubt, do your research before booking. The penalties for attempting to import theses drugs are steep.