Bringing Liquor Back From Ports

[JanShanNJessPartyOf3]

We are booked on the Epic for the Western Caribbean (3/31/18) & we are all first-timers. If I were to purchase a case of rum in Jamaica, or a half-dozen bottles at each port, will we be able to bring it on board with us? (I get that we will have to hand it over for NCL to store until disembarkation). I'm not worried about taxes/tariffs at customs. We are also driving home, so flying isn't a worry either. I just want to make sure that if we stroll up to board with a bunch of liquor bottles, that NCL isn't going to make us leave them behind.

Also, what about food? Apparently at one of the ports, you can buy freshly made rum cakes (can you tell I like rum?). If I buy a cake or two, is that allowed to be brought on board? Or other local food products (non-perishables)?

Thanks in advance for all your input!

[ClevelandCruisin]

We are booked on the Epic for the Western Caribbean (3/31/18) & we are all first-timers. If I were to purchase a case of rum in Jamaica, or a half-dozen bottles at each port, will we be able to bring it on board with us? (I get that we will have to hand it over for NCL to store until disembarkation). I'm not worried about taxes/tariffs at customs. We are also driving home, so flying isn't a worry either. I just want to make sure that if we stroll up to board with a bunch of liquor bottles, that NCL isn't going to make us leave them behind.

Also, what about food? Apparently at one of the ports, you can buy freshly made rum cakes (can you tell I like rum?). If I buy a cake or two, is that allowed to be brought on board? Or other local food products (non-perishables)?

Thanks in advance for all your input!

Any liquor brought back from ports will be taken till last day of cruise.

 

When you arrive back on ship, you are pulled aside and they give you a receipt of liquor taken. It will either arrive back in room on last day of cruise or you can pick it up on the time listed on your freestyle daily.

 

Food probably not, unless sealed in a package. Never brought any back myself.

 

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[moorene]

The cruise ship does not let any local food to be brought back onboard. As others have mentioned, the alcohol would br taken until the last day.

 

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[NMLady]

...

 

Food probably not, unless sealed in a package. Never brought any back myself.

 

Sent from my SM-G955U using Forums mobile app

 

The cruise ship does not let any local food to be brought back onboard. ...

 

Sent from my SM-T537V using Forums mobile app

 

Actually, since the rum cakes are sealed in plastic and then boxed, you CAN bring them aboard the ship with no problem. We have often brought back rum cakes from various Caribbean ports.

[JanShanNJessPartyOf3]

Actually, since the rum cakes are sealed in plastic and then boxed, you CAN bring them aboard the ship with no problem. We have often brought back rum cakes from various Caribbean ports.

 

Were they taken as well, or were you able to take them to your stateroom? Thanks!

[JanShanNJessPartyOf3]

Any liquor brought back from ports will be taken till last day of cruise.

When you arrive back on ship, you are pulled aside and they give you a receipt of liquor taken. It will either arrive back in room on last day of cruise or you can pick it up on the time listed on your freestyle daily.

 

Do you by chance know if there's a limit? Thanks!

[zqvol]

You can bring as much liquor on board at the ports as you desire. Since OP says they understand duties and tariffs I will not discuss that. On a western cruise you are limited to one liter per person. Make sure you know how much the duty will be, and add it to the cost. It may be less expensive at home.

 

You can bring as much local food on the ship as you want at any port. They do not care. The issues with food arise if you try to remove it from the ship. OP is asking about rum cakes which are sealed, and in fact sold on board. They can be brought on and off the ship in any quantity desired subject to duties when you arrive back home. They are not taken from you on boarding, they can go to your cabin.

[BirdTravels]

Do you by chance know if there's a limit? Thanks!

No limit (per customs below). But you can only bring 1 liter in duty free. Anything above 1 liter and you have to declare the alcohol and stop and pay duty as you go through customs.

 

 

There is no federal limit on the amount of alcohol a traveler may import into the U.S. for personal use, however, large quantities might raise the suspicion that the importation is for commercial purposes, and a CBP officer could require the importer to obtain an Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) import license (which is required for all commercial importations) before releasing it. A general rule of thumb is that 1 case of alcohol is a personal use quantity - although travelers are still subject to state restrictions which may allow less.

[garycarla]

As to getting a case... just have a plan in place to transport it off the ship. The walk/line can be long and that stuff gets heavy.

[NMLady]

Were they taken as well, or were you able to take them to your stateroom? Thanks!

 

We took them to our stateroom each time.