Scattered Rum Runners

[RumpunchGirl]

This will be my 1st RCL cruise. I was very surprised to learn that passengers are NOT able to purchase full bottles of liquor for use in their cabins. Our last cruise on Carnival we bought a bottle of Rum for the cabin and therefore 'bypassed' our usually Rum Runner smuggling. I like the convenience for having adult beverages right in my room. I enjoy having a cocktail while I'm getting ready for dinner or just sitting on my balcony.

 

But, the times I did smuggle, they weren't detected. We put the smaller ones in DH's shoes and the larger ones in with our snorkel gear.

 

I guess I'll be dusting off the the ole Rum Runners for the next cruise! ;)

[Robinola]

So, I guess the answer is that they don't go thru the entire bag meaning if a bag is flagged, there is no "item list" for the flag, and so the people in charge of the naughty room have no idea how many are in the bag, and then they make me go thru the bag, to hand "it" over......and then I am to pack up the bag with whatever remains, and go.

 

Am I understanding this correctly, or am I missing something here....

[crusinthrough]

On the Allure I was called to the naughty room. I thought because I had a few cans of soda in my bag. When I arrived, there was a piece a tape on my bag that said "iron". My bag was put through a scanner (presumably looking for the location of the iron) and when it came out I opened my bag (there was a lock on it) and handed security the iron. I was given a receipt and left. No one questioned the cans of soda. Of course, I forgot to pick up my iron when I disembarked.

 

There were others down there who had liquor in their bags, which they also took out and gave to the guy. At no time did security go through anyone's bag. You are in control of what you take out of your bag.

 

At no time was I embarrassed. I would venture to say the people who saw me bringing my bag to my room did not recognize thereafter during the week.

Edited September 26, 2013 by crusinthrough

[AdamsND04]

So maybe set up an obvious Decoy Bottle, like just buy a Handle of $10 Dubra vodka, throw it in there to throw them off and hide the good stuff, so when you open the suitcase you can just be like "oh no you caught me" here's the Dubra.

 

That could be a good way to get the good stuff in.

 

Does anyone wonder if the crew keeps the alcohol they confiscate? It has to go somewhere if they don't give it back.

[dfgf]

"Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet." - James Mattis, USMC

 

I once smuggled bottled alcohol, not rum runners, in 3 different suitcases. This was in 2010 when I boarded the Oasis. 2 suitcases made it to my room - 1 did not. When I told the stateroom attendant that he said "you probably want to go down to Deck 1 and talk to security."

 

I went down to Deck 1 and there were dozens - if not hundreds - of bags. They all had stickers on them indicating what the security officer running the X-ray thought they had seen. My suitcase indicated that there was potentially a bottle of alcohol in it (there was). I can't remember what the sticker said.

 

The security office talking to me asked me to open the suitcase and asked if there was alcohol in it. I said "yes". He asked me to find it. I found the bottle and handed it to him. He said that he would tag it and have it delivered to my room the last day. I told him "no, but thanks. It was my fault." I then told him that he could throw it away or donate it to the crew if that was allowed. He didn't ask if there were any other bottles in the luggage (there weren't, but I was surprised he didn't ask). I took my suitcase and walked up to my room with it. No problem.

 

I have never heard or read a story on CC about rum runners being caught by the X-ray. Not one that sounded legitimate anyway.

 

Lately my wife and I have been financially blessed and there's no reason for me to smuggle any drinks aboard so I haven't done it since then.

[rp23g7]

I spent two hrs in the naught room line on the Pearl. Luckily I had forgotten the $150 bottle of Tequila at home and the found the garbage rum I brought. Since then I have been buying these twist off bottle caps you can buy, so you can put what ever it is in plastic bottles and it doesn't look like it has been open

[Tucker in Texas]

I think "decoy" bottle of soda or water would work. The right hand doesn't know what the left hand saw. That was my plan but never had to put it in practice as they never flagged my suitcase.

 

A friend of mine on NCL, which is really tough, had a soda bottle of vodka in one suitcase and a soda bottle of bourbon and bloody mary mix in another suitcase. Both were flagged. They opened the vodka suitcase and asked him if it was alcohol. He said it was and they took it up. They opened the second suitcase and held up the bloody mary mix and asked if it was alcohol. He told them it wasn't. They gave it back to him and sent him on his way never delving any further. they said bloody mary mix and bourbon wasn't half bad!

 

Tucker in Texas

[mrsdoc3]

they said bloody mary mix and bourbon wasn't half bad!

 

Tucker in Texas

 

Bourbon goes surprisingly well with lots of stuff, including oatmeal cookies. But don't ever, under ANY circumstances, mix it with root beer! AWFUL!!!

[Rick02809]

Correct, you can take wine to your cabin. However, if you take wine that your brought on board to the dining room, they may charge you a fee.

 

No, in 2009 on the Liberty I cruised with someone who purchased the wine package. After dinner he would do one of 2 things:

 

1 leave the bottle for the next nights dinner

2 take it with him.

 

When he left the MDR, he was never charged, although I told him that he looked like a wino who should be in Times Square adjacent.

 

I do know people who have taken rumrunners filled to capacity and not been caught.

 

Others who bought the "soda" package and "lost their cups" on day 1 and paid a $ 7.00 USD fee to replace the "lost" cup. then they had 2 cups with unlimited mixers for their rumrunners.

 

Then I had a friend who got nailed to the wall in the naughty room for bringing champagne and wine on board when he got married in Hawaii.

 

basically they all walked away with no penalty or weren't caught.

 

If you're spending $1800 on a vacation, is a $30.00 bottle of booze going to break your bank?

[Clarea]

No, in 2009 on the Liberty I cruised with someone who purchased the wine package. After dinner he would do one of 2 things:

 

1 leave the bottle for the next nights dinner

2 take it with him.

 

When he left the MDR, he was never charged, although I told him that he looked like a wino who should be in Times Square adjacent....

Maybe I was not clear in my post, but I was not referring to wine from the wine package. I agree, you can bring wine purchased from Royal anyplace on the ship without a fee.

 

I was referring to the two bottles of wine that are now allowed to be brought on board during initial embarkation. Those bottles are subject to a fee if brought to the dining room or a bar.

Edited September 27, 2013 by clarea

[dfgf]

Maybe I was not clear in my post, but I was not referring to wine from the wine package. I agree, you can bring wine purchased from Royal anyplace on the ship without a fee.

 

I was referring to the two bottles of wine that are now allowed to be brought on board during initial embarkation. Those bottles are subject to a fee if brought to the dining room or a bar.

 

Agreed. I brought one bottle on the ship and later to the dining room and was charged the corkage fee. (I expected it, so no worries.) The next night I brought another bottle and our waiter said "I might forget to charge you the fee this time" and winked at us. Sure enough, no charge!

[Robinola]

My DW called a few days ago and asked if unfinished wine purchased in the MDR could be taken back to the stateroom. She was told no.

So who should I believe? RCCL or Bob?

 

...Most definitely Bob! :cool:

 

Always believe Bob! :)