Take my own bottled water/pop/wine??

[Canuk Lindylou]

Thought I'd seen a thread about this but now can't find it. We're on the Independence from Southampton in September, with driving there we don't have a weight restriction. Can we take a case of bottled water or pop? Have taken boxes of wine before now but always in the checked luggage. The case of water would be obvious as to what it is. Any experiences??

[taysidetwo]

Await answers with interest as we are on the Indy beginning October.

[wrp96]

You are fine taking bottled water and soda in reasonable amounts.

 

You are not allowed to bring on any liquor or wine. Sorry.

[Leejnd4]

The reason you can't find a thread about this is because, unfortunately, the topic of carrying one's own wine or other alcoholic beverages onboard is very controversial, and some members tend to get nasty in their posts on the threads that discuss this. This often results in these threads getting deleted due to the rude, insulting posts that turn up in them. Sadly, this means that members such as yourself who just want answers to your questions often are unable to find them.

 

I'll be happy to take a stab at answering your questions...and ask the "usual subjects" to refrain from their usual nastiness. Please note that the OP is not asking about the morality/ethics behind carrying on beverages - and I am answering her questions factually, and am not asking for moral lectures on my choices.

 

So, with that preamble.....Yes, you can bring your own bottled water onboard. Slap a luggage tag on it, and it should make it right to your cabin, along with the rest of your bags. Same thing with sodas.

 

As for the wine, RCI has a stated policy that it does not allow any alcoholic beverages to be carried onboard at all. If they catch you attempting to bring wine onboard, they will confiscate it. Many of us do not agree with this policy, as we feel that it is not RCI's place to dictate to us what we can and cannot consume in the privacy of our own staterooms. So we go the "booze smuggling" route.

 

If you want to bring bottled wine onboard, you can try smuggling it either in your checked luggage or your carry-on - but both are subject to scan/search, and could result in confiscation. If you want to bring boxed wine onboard, some people have had success taking the bag out of the box, wrapping it up well in towels, and putting it in their checked luggage. It doesn't look like a bottle, so is more likely to make it past the scan.

 

Another option is to use rum runner flasks. These are sturdy plastic containers into which you pour your beverage. They don't look like bottles, so they generally make it past the scanners. This works well for wine only if you plan on drinking it pretty soon after you decant it into the flasks, but not so well if you don't, as wine tends to deteriorate with too much aeration.

 

You can buy rum rummer flasks at www dot rumrunnerflasks dot com.

[champygirl]

We will be shopping in DF Sydney before we go on board. Will they take all of our goods off us until we leave the cruise? Or can we open them?

[NorbertsNiece]

Thought I'd seen a thread about this but now can't find it. We're on the Independence from Southampton in September, with driving there we don't have a weight restriction. Can we take a case of bottled water or pop? Have taken boxes of wine before now but always in the checked luggage. The case of water would be obvious as to what it is. Any experiences??

 

Hi there.... you sailing on the 20th?

I'll be bringing caffeine free diet coke in cans and bottles of mineral water. Alcohol in any shape or form is not permitted.

Happy sailing!

[Leejnd4]

We will be shopping in DF Sydney before we go on board. Will they take all of our goods off us until we leave the cruise? Or can we open them?

 

Are you talking about alcoholic beverages? If so, RCI's policy is to confiscate them and hold them for you until the last night of the cruise. (Unfortunately, there are a few too many reports of pax never getting their "held" bottles returned for my comfort level.)

 

If you manage to get them to your cabin without losing them to this confiscation, at that point you can safely open them and enjoy them. I've never heard of a cabin attendant "turning in" pax for drinking their personal alcohol in their cabin.

[AllyGirl13]

T

 

So, with that preamble.....Yes, you can bring your own bottled water onboard. Slap a luggage tag on it, and it should make it right to your cabin, along with the rest of your bags. Same thing with sodas.

 

 

 

They WILL NOT deliver water or soda to your cabin. You must carry it on with you yourself. I checked a 6 pack of liter bottles (Apr. '08) but when it was delivered there were only 4. I'm sure I am not the only one this has happened to & I'm pretty sure this is why they do not deliver any more.

[Leejnd4]

They WILL NOT deliver water or soda to your cabin. You must carry it on with you yourself. I checked a 6 pack of liter bottles (Apr. '08) but when it was delivered there were only 4. I'm sure I am not the only one this has happened to & I'm pretty sure this is why they do not deliver any more.

 

Wow...really? That's never happened to us. I'd be pretty peeved...that's theft!

 

This is the first that I've heard that they won't deliver (non-alcoholic) personal belongings to a cabin. Has anyone else experienced this?

[reallyitsmema]

They WILL NOT deliver water or soda to your cabin. You must carry it on with you yourself. I checked a 6 pack of liter bottles (Apr. '08) but when it was delivered there were only 4. I'm sure I am not the only one this has happened to & I'm pretty sure this is why they do not deliver any more.

We had a case of water delivered with our luggage on the Mariner in June with no problems. We did the exact same thing, same ship and same cabin last year too. What ship were you on?

[Rey323]

Hello Fellow Cruiser,

 

I just got off the Explorer on the 28th. DH and I brought a case of water and 2 12 packs. I checked them in and they arrived with no problems. We also checked in 4 2 liters of soda and a case of water on on Enchantment cruise and we had no problems. They arrived safe and sound. You should have no problems at all.

 

You cannot take any liquor of any kind including wine onto the ship. It will be confiscated. So don't bother trying to.

 

Have a great trip. Happy Sailing!

[cb at sea]

Why in the world will you need all that water??? The ship's water is perfectly fine! Bring a bottle or two, and re-fill as needed.

[AllyGirl13]

Wow...really? That's never happened to us. I'd be pretty peeved...that's theft!

 

This is the first that I've heard that they won't deliver (non-alcoholic) personal belongings to a cabin. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

 

Believe me I was pretty "peeved" but even more so to find out that the first time I reported it to the pursers desk, the purser person never even noted it. When I had not received my "replacement" bottles by mid week, I returned to the pursers desk to inquire & that is when I discovered the "non-note". All that said, the replacement bottles were delivered within an hour of the second trip to the pursers desk by the head supervisor purser (not sure of the rank)and a major apology. It was even the same brand. Even though this happened, it hasn't changed my opinion of RCCL. They are still #1 in my book!!

[AllyGirl13]

We had a case of water delivered with our luggage on the Mariner in June with no problems. We did the exact same thing, same ship and same cabin last year too. What ship were you on?

 

 

It was on Voyager out of Galveston. (The departure port could have had something to do with it also.)

[reallyitsmema]

Why in the world will you need all that water??? The ship's water is perfectly fine! Bring a bottle or two, and re-fill as needed.

The ship's water might be fine for you, it is not for me. Some of us drink water, even on vacation, plain and simple.

[Leejnd4]

I just got off the Explorer on the 28th. DH and I brought a case of water and 2 12 packs. I checked them in and they arrived with no problems. We also checked in 4 2 liters of soda and a case of water on on Enchantment cruise and we had no problems. They arrived safe and sound. You should have no problems at all.

 

Good to know that what happened to AllyGirl13 sounds like an anomoly.

 

You cannot take any liquor of any kind including wine onto the ship. It will be confiscated. So don't bother trying to.

 

Weeellll....I don't personally agree with this part. Meaning, I don't agree that we shouldn't bother trying. I ALWAYS bring my own wine onboard, and so far have never had any confiscated. It IS possible, provided you do it right. :) To me, one of the best parts of traveling in some regions (e.g. the Med) is getting to enjoy the local wines, and I simply refuse to allow a cruise line's (IMO) unreasonable policies to deny me that pleasure on my vacation.

 

Why in the world will you need all that water??? The ship's water is perfectly fine! Bring a bottle or two, and re-fill as needed.

 

I have read many times that the ship's water is fine - but I've had a few too many bad experiences with "traveler's stomach" to chance it. Nor do I want to pay the inflated prices on ships for a necessity such as water. I bring my own bottled water.

[ERTHDOG]

our experience was...in may on the mariner,we put room tags on a 12 pack of water and a 12 pack of mountain dew,in their original unopened cases and they made it to our cabin no problem:D

 

then in august on the monarch,they wouldnt let us put a tag on a 12 pack of water,they told us to put inside our checked bags or carry it on:( so we did a quick rearrange of our checked bag,made it fit, and it made it to our cabin fine.

 

it sorta seems like it depends on ship,porter mood,luck , whatever

 

next time i will bring an extra duffle,and fill it with drinks before we arrive at port:)

 

dave

[Leejnd4]

 

next time i will bring an extra duffle,and fill it with drinks before we arrive at port:)

 

dave

 

We've done that too - and it works great for us, because I always bring an extra soft-sided duffel in my luggage in case I go a little nuts shopping, and can't fit it all in my luggage for the trip home. :) We fill it with drinks at the port, check it, then empty it in our cabin so it's available for the results of my shopping.

[Rey323]

Hello Fellow Cruisers,

 

DH and I always put it in a duffle. We actually use the RC rolling duffle/tote that we bought on the ship. lol Works like a charm. A case of water and 2 12 packs. We give the porter a little extra just because the bag is heavy. The porter for the Explorer wanted to know what we had packed into it. He asked me the house? I said no my shoes :D !

 

Happy Sailing!

[Sugar*Magnolia]

LAst cruise on Explorer 6/28/08 we put a luggage tag across a case of bottled water and it arrived to our cabin with ur luggage. In the center of the plastic seal you could see they popped a hole and opened one bottled and resealed it- (ditched it)- Most likely they were smelling it to see if it was alchohol.

 

So, yes, on Explorer you can take, even check your bottled water if you like.

[Leejnd4]

LAst cruise on Explorer 6/28/08 we put a luggage tag across a case of bottled water and it arrived to our cabin with ur luggage. In the center of the plastic seal you could see they popped a hole and opened one bottled and resealed it- (ditched it)- Most likely they were smelling it to see if it was alchohol.

 

WOW! That would would be some elaborate booze-smuggling operation, if some passenger were to fill a bunch of water bottles with...what, vodka?...and then get them professionally re-sealed and encased in a plastic-sealed case. Those would be some SERIOUS booze smugglers! ;) Rum runners work fine for me... :)

[AllieInMD]

Not true - had a friend on a sailing last week with his family - they took soda and water and put it in with the luggage and it was delivered to his cabin.

 

They WILL NOT deliver water or soda to your cabin. You must carry it on with you yourself. I checked a 6 pack of liter bottles (Apr. '08) but when it was delivered there were only 4. I'm sure I am not the only one this has happened to & I'm pretty sure this is why they do not deliver any more.

[AllieInMD]

I have heard of one - only one - in a thread that went POOF - steward turned them in. Tons of stories of stewards either turning a blind eye and/or them icing down the 'contraband'. My opinion is the one that got turned in, the pax must have REALLY ticked them off badly.

 

Are you talking about alcoholic beverages? If so, RCI's policy is to confiscate them and hold them for you until the last night of the cruise. (Unfortunately, there are a few too many reports of pax never getting their "held" bottles returned for my comfort level.)

 

If you manage to get them to your cabin without losing them to this confiscation, at that point you can safely open them and enjoy them. I've never heard of a cabin attendant "turning in" pax for drinking their personal alcohol in their cabin.

[AllieInMD]

double post

[AllieInMD]

Many people suffer from the effects of trace amounts of salt in the water - some people - like me - can only tolerate one brand of water (for me it's Fiji)

 

Why in the world will you need all that water??? The ship's water is perfectly fine! Bring a bottle or two, and re-fill as needed.