Smuggling Alcohol and avoiding the so-called "Naughty Room"

[zachnlucy]

Bottom line, try a little of this, a little of that, and hope for the best. Have a great cruise, Lester. I've successfully used some of Kevin's ideas in the past. In this case, smaller is actually better. :D

[shark_bait]

I guess I just want to say that we were successful in bringing 1 bottle and a few beers onboard and we are also sure that because we didn't go overboard and were discreet in our cabins with our contraband - it appeared the staff simply turned the other cheek.

 

This was our first 7 day cruise and as such are comparing with other vacation options. The significant price per drink is a real deterrent for us in choosing to cruise again - we don't need an all-inclusive but as beer and wine tends to be our beverage of choice - we usually can be quite happy shopping at a grocery store and not having to pay such large bar prices. (we're not ones for the fancy cocktails) It's not that we drink that much - but the price per drink is simply too high to make cruising an equitable choice.

 

We definitely enjoyed the cruise but I suspect this very fact will mean we'll choose a land vacation next time. ....and we were successful!

 

I also wanted to say that I think it's reasonable that this question keeps coming up because it is probably one of the most frustrating issues for a cruise vacation.

 

Yepper's Al'sGal, we came to this same conclusion a couple of years ago. We still go on a cruise now and again when friends or family ask us to join them but find it more cost effective to go on land base vactions now with all of the "added" costs of a cruise.

[sweetpolly]

Yepper's Al'sGal, we came to this same conclusion a couple of years ago. We still go on a cruise now and again when friends or family ask us to join them but find it more cost effective to go on land base vactions now with all of the "added" costs of a cruise.

 

Yep. Land-based vacations have a lot of "added" costs, as well...but I have yet to visit a land-based resort which forbids me to bring my own wine or hard liquor onto the premises with me. I realized the cruise lines need to make a profit...but (and I'll get flamed for this, I'm sure) plenty of cruisers don't drink or gamble at all, so they are not contributing to keeping cruise rates lower for the rest of us. Why should people who choose to drink alcohol subsidize those who don't? I'm talking about what I drink in my own cabin, of course...not referring to taking my own cocktails into the dining room or to the ship lounges.

 

Nonetheless, we paid for a bar setup and paid corkage on a case of wine when we cruised NCL in November...just because I didn't want to deal with any hassle. Good luck, Lester. Maybe you could sneak in some vodka in a rubbing alcohol bottle and some Jack in Pine Sol bottle...Norovirus is rampant, I hear. One can't be too careful. ;)

[labmom]

Lester, did you think that you would get this much responce in just 2/3 days?:eek: This is an explosive area! My husband "needs" his alcohol and I really hate the price of the doubles that he orders. Our drink bill on our first time back into cruising was about $200.00. Thank heavens he only drinks in the evening:eek: Our next cruise I ordered a bottle of his favorite and he bought 6:eek: bottles of wine for the total of $200 something!:mad: I get scared trying to figure out how I would smuggle or if the bottle breaks in my luggage. It really is a personnal decision on breaking these rules, but one question you really have to ask yourself...your "a dad of 3 boys" what are you teaching them:rolleyes: I have 2 dogs, they don't care or watch what my actions are. I know... bring the damn moral thing into it:rolleyes: What ever you do, I hope you have a great time and remember you are bring up the next generation, good luck.

Happy cruising, Pam

[bluesea777]

When we cruised last year after 9 years break (except for 2 Hurtigruten cruises where we were allowed to bring booze aboard for consumption in own cabin) we were unaware that bringing booze on board has been disallowed. Upon embarkation we had 2 litres of rum in our luggage. Never got caught. They were gifts to some friends in one of the ports we visited.

 

We continued to be blissfully unaware when we bought 3 litres of different rum in different port to take home. We just put the bottles in our kid's backpack and went thru security but they didn't spot them. People in front of us had to hand over theirs for storage until end of cruise.

 

We never opened any of those 5 bottles aboard - we drank the ship's booze. VERY nice onboard bill we got at the end of the cruise !! :eek: :eek: :( :(

 

Next cruise we're buying some nice wine and pay $15 corkage per bottle - for us to drink in cabin - we have a starboard balcony cabin with a PULLMAN bed for 3rd guest, so we'll be using the balcony more!

 

I thank most of you for the head-up - we are now better prepared for our next cruise.

[mbisson]

Next cruise we're buying some nice wine and pay $15 corkage per bottle - for us to drink in cabin - we have a starboard balcony cabin with a PULLMAN bed for 3rd guest, so we'll be using the balcony more!

 

I thank most of you for the head-up - we are now better prepared for our next cruise.

 

With corkage paid on the wine, don't be embarrassed if you decide to bring a bottle into the dining room to enjoy with your meal. That's perfectly allowable

[salty dingo]

The right that is guranteed is that the government, be it federal, state or local, will not subject you to unreasonable searches and seizures.

 

But these rights do not apply when you are out of the US (anyone care to correct me here?) By the time they get around to calling you down to the naughty room, you left the US and are in International Waters. The rights we have in the US are no longer the law of the land - you are subject to the law of the sea.

 

I don't know much about that, but I am pretty sure we don't enjoy our rights for long after we sail.

[salty dingo]

If you read the contract, you will learn that you are governed under Florida Law on the ship.

 

I think the Florida Law would apply for the financial transaction related to the purchase of the ticket. If you sue to get your money back, yes it applies.

 

But I don't think that contract automatically puts a Florida flag over the ship wherever it sails in the world, and makes anything that happens on that ship subject to Florida law. That's absurd.

 

The ship actually flys the Bahamas flag, so Bahamian law would apply instead of Florida law, while at sea. So if the Captain threw you in the brig in international waters and you wanted to sue, I think you would have to pursue that in the Bahamas.

 

Anyone care to chime in on my viewpoint?

[TXRed]

Lady, don't you think he knows he's bringing up the next generation? He has custody of them, for gosh sakes. He had to work to get it, I promise you that. I'm a paralegal in a family law firm so I do know what I'm talking about. The kids aren't even going with him on the cruise! Your little moral platitudes about "the next generation" do not belong in this forum.

 

amen zachnlucy........AMEN...I am continually amazed at the things people say on this board.....to perfect strangers.....things they would more than likely NEVER have the nerve to say to a stranger face to face.....:eek:

[salty dingo]

amen zachnlucy........AMEN...I am continually amazed at the things people say on this board.....to perfect strangers.....things they would more than likely NEVER have the nerve to say to a stranger face to face.....:eek:

 

It's true. I have done it myself before. I hate it when I do that. :(

[Toyz711]

remember, theaters...the big sign that says "no food or drink".

[USC93]

But these rights do not apply when you are out of the US (anyone care to correct me here?) By the time they get around to calling you down to the naughty room, you left the US and are in International Waters. The rights we have in the US are no longer the law of the land - you are subject to the law of the sea.

 

I don't know much about that, but I am pretty sure we don't enjoy our rights for long after we sail.

 

My point was that these constitutional rights, be it at the port in the U.S. or out at sea, don't come into play either way because NCL is not the government.

[Ms belp]

remember, theaters...the big sign that says "no food or drink".

 

I remember that! I lived in a time when my best friend and I rode our bikes to the library and came back with our bikes full of books; we went downtown on the bus together to look in Neiman Marcus; we ate lunch at the best barbeque "joint". We were 12 and on our own!

NCL makes me feel like that, happy!!

[salty dingo]

My point was that these constitutional rights, be it at the port in the U.S. or out at sea, don't come into play either way because NCL is not the government.

 

NCL is not the government, but they can make and enforce rules. Sort of like if you threw a party at your house, you are not the government but you can make a rule that everyone takes their shoes off, and if they don't you can ask them to leave. No one has to right to keep their shoes on in your house if you make the rules there.

 

But if you want to stand up for our rights to have a drink in our own cabin without interference, I'm with you.

 

My view is simple: your cabin is like your home, and what you do in the privacy of your home has a special kind of protection. Now, I don't mean to say you can do ANYTHING, certainly nothing criminal, but if you want to break someone else's rules in your home, you are free to do so.

 

Just as I have not found a hotel yet that prohibits consuming alcohol in the room, I would expect the cruise line to allow me to do this. And if they don't, I will still find a way.

 

The only way to stop this is to enforce it and make the punishment severe: if caught you are immediately put off at the next port.) They don't do that, and if they did I would probably not cruise with such a line. No, I CERTAINLY would not cruise with such a line.

[DAGVBSB]

It is applicable to the States as in the States acting through the government. That has absolutely nothing to do with a cruise line subjecting you to a search. The right that is guranteed is that the government, be it federal, state or local, will not subject you to unreasonable searches and seizures. As I said, if the cruise line or any other private party subjects you to an unreasonable search or seizure, you may have a private cause of action against that private party but that has nothing to do with your consitutional right against unreasonable search and seizure.

 

But these rights do not apply when you are out of the US (anyone care to correct me here?) By the time they get around to calling you down to the naughty room, you left the US and are in International Waters. The rights we have in the US are no longer the law of the land - you are subject to the law of the sea.

 

I don't know much about that, but I am pretty sure we don't enjoy our rights for long after we sail.

 

In response to you both. I work at a Stadium in the United States. (in fact I am one of the ones in charge of gate operations.) We have signs posted at the gates: "No Outside Food or Drink Allowed," "No Backbacks or Bookbags Allowed," "All Articles Brought into Stadium Subject to Search."

 

All three items are perfectly legal. Anytime that you have a choice, there is a right to search you. If you try to enter our Stadium with a purse, we can ask that you open your purse and we can inspect its contents. If you refuse, we do not have to let you in. The whole reason is that if you don't want to abide by our requests to search, you don't have to attend the event and enter the venue.

 

The same is true for NCL, you do not have to subject your luggage to being searched....you can simply choose not to go on the cruise. So no rights have been violated.

[mbisson]

The same is true for NCL, you do not have to subject your luggage to being searched....you can simply choose not to go on the cruise. So no rights have been violated.

 

That's much what I suspected all along. Thank you. I was the one who first mentioned stadiums (just as an example & I hope you weren't offended-I have no problems having my stuff inspected)

 

In regards to some other comments on this thread, all I can say is

:eek:YIKES:eek:

[Host Mama]

The end. This thread is now closed!

Ann

aka Host Mama