Alcohol on Mariner

[Tim Johnson 33]

With the new rules, I'm wondering if anyone has tried to smuggle alcohol onto Mariner in there checked luggage recently. The new rule states that you may be denied boarding if any is found. I know that there are close to 10,000 bags checked for each cruise, and they can't possibly go through each one. But I have heard about alot of restrictions on Mariner with the recent tragety. I've been one Mariner before when you could purchase it and bring it to your room, I know that is long gone. But I'm like others who like to have a drink or two on the balcony before going to sleep, without having to run to the bar for it. They get enough from me during the day. Any info would be much appreciated.

[Domestic Dame]

I ask the same question Thursday and based on the replies, we are going for the unopened plastic bottles in the checked luggage. Like you, we spend plenty in the other areas of the ship for cocktails, so a few on the balcony, without leaving the cabin, does not seem out of line. Just hope, they don't decide to search us.........LOL

[fla-red]

we checked scotch, wine and baileys on Mariner two weeks ago. No problem. They were in the original containers.

[yogimax]

Why take the risk? You are spending big bucks for the cruise. Why risk it all to save a few dollars?

[737NG]

Go ahead and take it......no risk..if you are one of the unlucky ones who's bag they check they take it....no big deal....

[FFVictor]

We were able to sneak three bottles on into our checked luggage without a problem. We actually found it an inconveince to drink since we spent most of our time in all of the bars. Hope this helps.

[Domestic Dame]

Why take the risk? You are spending big bucks for the cruise. Why risk it all to save a few dollars?

Its not the money.......Would gladly buy from the ship, but understand that it is no longer allowed to buy liquor on board to take to your cabin. Running to a bar each time you might want a "nudge" as you relax or shower, etc., is not being on vacation.

[JanineM]

No matter what liquid you carry in your luggage, be sure to use plastic bottles and put them in the heavy-duty zip lock bags. I have had mouthwash leak in suitcases, ruining my clothes (the whitening stuff will bleach your clothes). A friend had her luggage soaked when an adjacent piece of luggage had a glass bottle of scotch in an outside pocket. The bottle broke and soaked her bag.

[TheEngineer]

Booze in checked luggage is very doable, as we discovered last week. RCI still has corkage fees for wine brought aboard and taken to dinner, so I don't think they are looking too close if you make any effort to conceal it.

[cb at sea]

The rules really haven't changed! Ever since we started cruising, they've stated not to bring your own booze onboard! Everyone (or almost) still does, to some extent! We are mainly beer drinkers, so lugging beer seems stupid, to us! Now, if I wanted to have a drink in my cabin, that should be my business! Just pack it well--you shouldn't have a problem!

[sas80]

Why take the risk? You are spending big bucks for the cruise. Why risk it all to save a few dollars?

 

LOL....

because, for some of us, it actually adds up to the bulk of our sea pass bill!

:rolleyes:

 

(that and I'm just cheap!)

[amyo28]

It is not a big deal. I brought two boxes of box wine in my luggsge and put them in my fridge. Cabin steward said nothing about it. A good trick is it get one of those drink of the day glasses and then bring it back to your cabin and wash it out. Then you can use it for wine or whatever cocktails you want in your cabin/on your balcony. Basically from my Mariner Experience, I say there are two rules of cruising (within reason of course):

 

1) Do whatever you want (BESIDES chair hogging or wearing shorts to the dining room)

2) If someone tells you to stop, apologize and never do it again.

[Merion_Mom]

It is not a big deal. I brought two boxes of box wine in my luggsge and put them in my fridge. Cabin steward said nothing about it. A good trick is it get one of those drink of the day glasses and then bring it back to your cabin and wash it out. Then you can use it for wine or whatever cocktails you want in your cabin/on your balcony. Basically from my Mariner Experience, I say there are two rules of cruising (within reason of course):

 

1) Do whatever you want (BESIDES chair hogging or wearing shorts to the dining room)

2) If someone tells you to stop, apologize and never do it again.

Amy, what kind of box wine do you like?

 

(I'm doing a research project on the topic. :D :D :D)

[brigittetom]

Finally people actually agree that taking a little liquor for cabin consumption is not a crime.

 

I've posted this before on the Celebrity site and have been called cheap. We simply like to have a drink while getting ready for dinner and it's simply not convienient to order cabin service. By the time they are deliverd to the cabin they are watered down. I'm guessing priority would be the drinks served in the actual lounge and the cabin service drinks sit on the bar waiting to be delivered. On top of that, if you order a drink while getting ready for dinner, one is in the shower and the other one is not dressed when there is a knock at the door to deliver the watered down drinks. I've cruised single for many years and never cared about the predinner drink but after my husband and I started cruising and enjoying the whole expirience, we did about 4 cruises with the cabin service and finally decided we would rather have the choice of having a drink in the cabin in the privacy of the cabin without the knock on the door.

 

We don't think of it as cheating the Cruiseline. We have our cocktails by the pool and plenty in the evenings around the ship. Afterall, we are on vacation. Between our spending in the Casino and the cocktails around the ship, I think we do our part.

 

There are alot of cruisers who don't drink and don't gamble and simply pay their cruisefare and don't contrubute another penny to the cruise. We do to the tune of another thousand dollars on every cruise and I don't think that having a drink in the privacy of our cabin is cheating the cruiseline.

 

I also don't think it's fair to call the people who would like to have a drink on their balcony at 3 am when the bars are closed or the people who would like to have a predinner drinks CHEAP. I'm guessing the ones who do the namecalling are the ones who don't have the predinner, or prebedtime drinks.

[Merion_Mom]

Brigitte: Personally, I have no problem with some faceless poster on Cruise Critic calling me cheap.

 

One man's cheap is another man's frugal.

 

Just ignore "advice" from people with whom you disagree. It's an easy way to stay sane on these boards.

 

Can I afford to cruise? Yes, I can.

 

Do I have money to throw away on a cruise? No, I don't.

 

If anyone thinks that that makes me cheap, so be it.

 

Remember what Mom always said, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me".

[bajathree]

I've been one Mariner before when you could purchase it and bring it to your room, I know that is long gone. But I'm like others who like to have a drink or two on the balcony before going to sleep, without having to run to the bar for it. They get enough from me during the day. Any info would be much appreciated.

 

As far as wine I just made reservation on Mariner and in reservations it gives you the option to order and have wine delivered to your cabin. I was also was told by RC that you could buy a bottle of wine on-board and bring it to your room to consume. I do think however that I read on RC site that they charge you like a $15 fee to buy a bottle of wine on the ship to bring back to your room instead of drinking it at the louge or bar.

[39august]

bajathree- There is no "fee" charged to take a bottle of wine to your cabin when purchasing on board. But the costs are outrageous for the quality of the wines. And if you purchase either the wine package or individual bottles, there is no corkage fee. That is the fee you are probably thinking of.

[PSCruiser]

Two weeks ago (Mariner) - gin in checked luggage, 6 pack of tonic in carry-on. No problems, I saw nothing different from previous cruises. I think the "new rules" are all hype.

[TheEngineer]

But the costs are outrageous for the quality of the wines.

 

No kidding. The bottles of wine we brough aboard on our last cruise cost us $3.50 each at the grocery store. On the ship, they were selling the exact same thing for about $30 each. If you can afford 1000% markup and not feel cheated, good for you. I can't do that.