MSC Virtuosa - own alcohol

[Majkl]

Hello, I would like to ask you, I know that I can not bring any drink and food on board, but if I have small bottle of water 0,5l in day of embarkation, itˇs problem? I will not lie, I need bring my alcohol drink which is not included in the menu on board and this alcohol drink is colorless like water 🙂 Or do you have some tip how bring own alcohol on board?Thank you. 

[insidecabin]

Which embarkation port?

 

Some the port security don't care what you have in your bags in the drink department.

[Majkl]

Embarkation port is Dubai

[joeyancho]

Good luck.  If it was Miami or Los Angeles I could tell you how to do it.   Dubai who knows?   

[Mark_T]

12 hours ago, Majkl said:

Embarkation port is Dubai

If I was inclined to break the rules regarding bringing alcohol onboard, which I am not, I'm not sure I'd choose to do it in a country where discovery at the port could have consequences with local law enforcement as well...

[Maria63]

If your embarkation is at the Marina cruise terminal, there are duty free shops that sell both wine and spirits, so taking alcohol onboard is not an issue for the local authorities. Dubai is nowadays not very restrictive regarding alcohol, you are for instance allowed to bring some 4 liters into the country for personal use and the law that allowed drinking only at licenced venues (not for instance in private apartments) has also been dropped for now. 

 

On embarkation day, cruise ships do not usually scan your bags when you enter the ship itself, but the scanning is handled by port security. I would recommend you carry the alcohol in its original bottle in your hand luggage. If the cruise ship does not allow it, they will confiscate it and give it back to you at the end of the cruise. 

[perakcruiser]

1 hour ago, Mark_T said:

If I was inclined to break the rules regarding bringing alcohol onboard, which I am not, I'm not sure I'd choose to do it in a country where discovery at the port could have consequences with local law enforcement as well...

It is very important to know that the rules in Dubai and Sharjah are very different. Sharjah is just north of Dubai, the other airport is there. You will not realize when crossing, but Sharjah is dry.