Purchase alcohol at BUF?

[petuniaflower]

Can you buy alcohol at BUF before a flight?

[JohninDC]

Not sure, but for sure you cannot carry it onto the plane.  Best bet is to buy in advance and put it into your checked bag (Amazon sells padded bags for wine and booze) or purchase in Florida before you board the ship.

 

What airport and what port?

Edited January 21, 2020 by JohninDC

[petuniaflower]

Buffalo and FLL

[JohninDC]

Where are you staying in the FLL area?  Or are you flying in the day of your cruise?

 

There's a Total Wine in the Harbor Shops just outside of PE with a great selection - you can pre-order on-line and it will be ready for pick up (quick stop for your Uber/Lyft/taxi).  Publix grocery in the same shopping center also has a good selection of wine.

[petuniaflower]

Thanks!  What is PE?

[JohninDC]

38 minutes ago, petuniaflower said:

Thanks!  What is PE?

PE = Port Everglades, where I assumed you will catch your ship

 

Many cruisers fly into FLL and then make their way to POM (Port Miami) - about a 30-45 minute taxi/Uber/shuttle ride.  If you are heading from FLL to POM the Total Wine near PE is in the wrong direction.  Either bring your wine in your checked luggage or find another store along the way - tell your cab/Uber driver what you want and they will know where to stop.  Even CVS and Walgreens drugstores have an okay wine selection.

[phabric]

On 1/20/2020 at 8:41 PM, petuniaflower said:

Can you buy alcohol at BUF before a flight?

You can purchase alcohol at the duty free at BUF airport and carry on the plane.

 

You will not be able to take any alcohol on the ship either in your checked or carry on luggage.  You are allowed to bring 2 bottles of wine on the ship put in your carry on.

[petuniaflower]

Oh so I can buy at BUF airport, perfect?!

 

Yes, it would just be a couple bottles of wine to carry on..sparkling is ok right?

 

Also, do we literally just "carry" it on the plane/cruise in whatever bag we purchase it in?

 

Thx

[JohninDC]

I'm not sure you can buy from the duty free store in the airport unless you are flying internationally? 🤔

 

You cannot carry the wine onto the plane - TSA will confiscate anything over 3 ounces.  You can put wine bottles in your checked bags - I purchased some padded plastic bags at Total Wine and from Amazon to prevent breakage/spills.

 

The two bottles of wine you bring onto the ship need to be in your carry on bags - not your checked bags.

 

Your easy solution - as outlined above - is to stop by Total Wine, Publix or a drug store before heading to the port and buy your wine in FLA -- avoid any airplane breakage/spillage/security issues.

[phabric]

1 hour ago, phabric said:

You can purchase alcohol at the duty free at BUF airport and carry on the plane.

 

You will not be able to take any alcohol on the ship either in your checked or carry on luggage.  You are allowed to bring 2 bottles of wine on the ship put in your carry on.

My mistake, it has to be international flights to purchase at duty free at any airport.

[Hoyaheel]

3 hours ago, JohninDC said:

I'm not sure you can buy from the duty free store in the airport unless you are flying internationally? 🤔

 

You cannot carry the wine onto the plane - TSA will confiscate anything over 3 ounces.

 

You're correct you can only buy duty free prior to international flights, BUT duty free is AFTER TSA, so that's not the problem.....

[JohninDC]

37 minutes ago, Hoyaheel said:

 

You're correct you can only buy duty free prior to international flights, BUT duty free is AFTER TSA, so that's not the problem.....

I think the duty free store will check your boarding pass to verify that you are flying internationally, and for anything restricted (like booze) they deliver it to the flight crew - you don't get to carry it onto the flight.  Again, the easy solution is to stop by Total Wine, Publix or a drug store in FLA before heading to the port.

[Hoyaheel]

I didn't say anything to contradict so I'm not sure why you're quoting me. It still stands that TSA isn't going to be the problem in getting duty free liquor on an airplane, as security checks happen before you can access a duty free store in the US.....The few times I've done it for international flights, the Duty Free cart is in the hall after the gate agent checks your boarding pass - you do pick up your items to carry on to the plane yourself (not the flight crew) but you are prohibited from opening until you reach your destination. And though I myself haven't bought duty free liquor in a long time, I always see the duty free cart when boarding international flights in the US, so....

 

Some Duty Free stores allow domestic travellers to make purchases - then you pay the duty (sales tax). But I don't think you can buy alcohol in those cases. I haven't tried. I either pack it in a checked bag or purchase on site, depending on my trip....

Edited January 23, 2020 by Hoyaheel

[NYCS-Mohawk]

Buffalo is my home airport and I can absolutely attest that wine & liquor are NOT available for purchase by the bottle post security. 

[BlueHerons]

46 minutes ago, NYCS-Mohawk said:

Buffalo is my home airport and I can absolutely attest that wine & liquor are NOT available for purchase by the bottle post security. 

Buffalo isn't an international hub and you can only buy duty free when you are flying into another country.