Buying rum on islands

[TeamA]

I am thinking of buying some bottles of rum to give as gifts.  

I am assuming the cruise line will take them when we get back on the ship and keep them for me until the cruise is over.

is that correct?

Do any of you know if there is a limit as to how many bottles I bring back into the US? 

Is 5 ok?

[Luvcrusn]

The limit is higher in the USVI than on other islands, but I don't recall. You can go to US Customs for the definite answer.

[mom says]

Ths spells it out quite succinctly: https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/544/kw/alcohol allowance/session/L3RpbWUvMTU0MTM1NDUwNi9zaWQvR3dFM1JaLW4%3D

 

Just because it's duty free doesn't necessarily mean you're getting a bargain. Know what the usual prces are at your local stores. But sometimes it's worthwhile. We happen to like Mount Gay rum. And since it's twice the cost at home, we always pick up a bottle or 2 whenever we visit Barbados.

[miched]

Unless it is something really unique to that Island most times it isnt worth the hassle to save a few dollars if any.  Those bottle look small until you have to pack them and make sure that their are secure and safe.  

 

We drive to Fl and found Costco to have great prices but limited on brands.   You dont need to be a member to buy liquor.

 

We have found that Total Wine has great prices and a large selection.    You can view their prices on their website.  

 

Drink up 🍾🍷🥂🍺🍸🥃

[gerelmx]

From the Disembarkation Information provided onboard:

Customs Allowances: Please note the following USA customs allowances:

USA residents:

Purchase up to $800 per person including purchases made on the ship and in foreign port of call (for a combined total of $800 per person can be taken back duty free into the USA.

A limit of 1 carton of 200 cigarettes you must be 18 years or older. Excess US Cigarettes marked with US Tax exempt for use outside US or made for export only will be seized. Foreign manufactured tobacco products will be subject to duty and internal revenue taxes.

A limit of 100 cigars (NO CUBAN CIGARS ALLOWED) must be 18 years or older.

1 Liter of alcohol is duty free, including purchases made on the ship. You must be 21 years or older to take alcohol back to USA, Applicable internal revenue taxes and duties will be assessed on alcohol overages.

 

[ChuckL]

For the US, is there a standard amount of duty applied when you bring back more than the 1 liter allowance of alcohol? For example, 3 750ml bottles for 2 people, putting the total for two people to 2.25 liters. 

Edited November 6, 2018 by ChuckL
Correction

[ORV]

On 11/4/2018 at 1:28 PM, gerelmx said:

From the Disembarkation Information provided onboard:

Customs Allowances: Please note the following USA customs allowances:

USA residents:

Purchase up to $800 per person including purchases made on the ship and in foreign port of call (for a combined total of $800 per person can be taken back duty free into the USA.

A limit of 1 carton of 200 cigarettes you must be 18 years or older. Excess US Cigarettes marked with US Tax exempt for use outside US or made for export only will be seized. Foreign manufactured tobacco products will be subject to duty and internal revenue taxes.

A limit of 100 cigars (NO CUBAN CIGARS ALLOWED) must be 18 years or older.

1 Liter of alcohol is duty free, including purchases made on the ship. You must be 21 years or older to take alcohol back to USA, Applicable internal revenue taxes and duties will be assessed on alcohol overages.

 

 

I think that's old information. I wouldn't trust the Celebrity info, instead maybe check the State Dept. I'm pretty sure you can now bring in Cuban cigars, unless Trump changed that back. 

 

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/82/kw/customs per person limit exemption/session/L3RpbWUvMTU0MTUxNjgxNi9zaWQvVGsyNUw3X24%3D

 

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/246/kw/customs per person limit exemption/session/L3RpbWUvMTU0MTUxNjgxNi9zaWQvVGsyNUw3X24%3D

[gerelmx]

Just now, ORV said:

 

I think that's old information. I wouldn't trust the Celebrity info, instead maybe check the State Dept. I'm pretty sure you can now bring in Cuban cigars, unless Trump changed that back. 

 

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/82/kw/customs per person limit exemption/session/L3RpbWUvMTU0MTUxNjgxNi9zaWQvVGsyNUw3X24%3D

 

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/246/kw/customs per person limit exemption/session/L3RpbWUvMTU0MTUxNjgxNi9zaWQvVGsyNUw3X24%3D

 

It's not old information, is the info of the Celebrity today from our past Eclipse cruise March/18/18

[ORV]

1 minute ago, gerelmx said:

 

It's not old information, is the info of the Celebrity today from our past Eclipse cruise March/18/18

Doesn't matter, old or new it's still wrong. 

[ghstudio]

On 11/4/2018 at 2:04 PM, miched said:

Unless it is something really unique to that Island most times it isnt worth the hassle to save a few dollars if any.  Those bottle look small until you have to pack them and make sure that their are secure and safe.  

 

We drive to Fl and found Costco to have great prices but limited on brands.   You dont need to be a member to buy liquor.

 

We have found that Total Wine has great prices and a large selection.    You can view their prices on their website.  

 

Drink up 🍾🍷🥂🍺🍸🥃

 

+1

 

It really has to be a good deal to be worth carrying and packing liquor you can buy at home.  Maybe if your Lagavulin is $105 at home and it's 45 Euros ($57) in Rome...or Stoli Elit is $59 at home and $35 in St Maartin...then maybe.  The best reason to buy liquor, IMHO, is to bring home bottles you just can't get at home.  There are some excellent Blanton's bourbons that are only sold internationally...not sold in the US....and of course every country/region has unique wines/liquors...Buy some white Port in Puerto, good grappa in Rome, etc.

 

The worst buys are the multi bottle sets sold to tourists.  Just find a large store, compare prices or look for liquor you can't buy at home. 

 

Will the cruise line keep them for you?  Well that depends on your cruise.  The policy is that if you bring wine/liquor on board at any port, they will check it for you and return it the last night for packing.  We have been on some cruises where they just let you take it to your cabin with you.  We have been on one cruise where they asked me to check the bottles at the table...but when I picked up the bag, there was no table :). On our last cruise (last week), no one checked for wine/liquor at embarkation or at any port....whatever you brought on board went to your cabin.  And yes, we were on one cruise where they had the table and I checked the bottles...they were returned the last night..of the first cruise which was great because we finished them on the second leg of our B2B 🙂  Your experience could be any of the above.

 

 

Edited November 6, 2018 by ghstudio

[miched]

One of the funniest and dumbest was a woman in the Ship’s Liquor Shop looking at a $5 bottle of Schnapps.   She was arguing with the salesperson that she wanted to taste it first before buying because she didn’t want to waste her money on something she didn’t like.   He told her it wasn’t possible.   She then said that if she couldn’t taste it she would give him $3 for the bottle.  She kept arguing with him and he finally told her that he had other customers to take care of.  She stormed out yelling that she was going to Guest Relations and report him because he was rude and insulted her.  

 

I told him him that I would be a witness that he wasn’t and tell the truth of what really happened.    

 

Drink up 🍷🍺🍸🥂🍾🍻