Cigarettes?

[mcnabb3801]

I am leaving on a Carnival cruise on Saturday and was planning on buying cigarettes while on the ship do they give them to you when you buy them or at the end of the trip. I'd hate to go on the ship with no smokes and be beat for the whole week

Thanks for your replies as always!!

[yearnin4cruisin]

Yes, you get them right away. I believe they are $42 for two cartons or $25 for one.

[BrendaB1]

I am leaving on a Carnival cruise on Saturday and was planning on buying cigarettes while on the ship do they give them to you when you buy them or at the end of the trip. I'd hate to go on the ship with no smokes and be beat for the whole week

Thanks for your replies as always!!

 

Not all brands are available & some sellout quickly. Usually a good idea to buy the first night or two.

[G'ma]

I am leaving on a Carnival cruise on Saturday and was planning on buying cigarettes while on the ship do they give them to you when you buy them or at the end of the trip. I'd hate to go on the ship with no smokes and be beat for the whole week

Thanks for your replies as always!!

 

Yes, they give them to you -- and they are cheap.

[Cotton]

As mentioned, brands are limited. I've never seen my brand in the ship's shops nor at ports. If you smoke an unusual brand, better take 'em with you.

[LizaMM]

As mentioned, brands are limited. I've never seen my brand in the ship's shops nor at ports. If you smoke an unusual brand, better take 'em with you.

 

This is true. As a matter of fact I was a Newport Lights smoker. Only Marlboro Menthol Lights were available on one of my cruises and I wound up switching brands :rolleyes:

[tiggerman101]

I paid $42 for 2 cartons mo Marlboro Lights last week on the Fascination. They have a great deal of 5 cartons for around $95. i did that on the Valor in October. I will warn you that you are only allowed 1 carton per person and they mean it. i claimed all 5 going through customs in Miami when I got of the Valor. I figured I would just have to pay a small fee for going over the limit (like alcohol). However, this is not the case. They are pretty tight about the limit and there is no going over and paying a fee. I got pulled out of customs when I was being checked out. Since I had claimed all of it on my form the customs officer took me to the dreaded side room to have the extras all destroyed. The officer inside the room realized that I didn't understand the limit and explained there is no paying for extras. Then he let me go and also let me keep my cigarettes because I was honest about it and had claimed them all. Just a warning to let you know.

[Jackrjc]

I paid $42 for 2 cartons mo Marlboro Lights last week on the Fascination. They have a great deal of 5 cartons for around $95. i did that on the Valor in October.

 

Did they have Marlboro Ultra Lights? I am assuming that all the ships will carry the same brands.

[ShedQueen77]

I paid $42 for 2 cartons mo Marlboro Lights last week on the Fascination. They have a great deal of 5 cartons for around $95. i did that on the Valor in October. I will warn you that you are only allowed 1 carton per person and they mean it. i claimed all 5 going through customs in Miami when I got of the Valor. I figured I would just have to pay a small fee for going over the limit (like alcohol). However, this is not the case. They are pretty tight about the limit and there is no going over and paying a fee. I got pulled out of customs when I was being checked out. Since I had claimed all of it on my form the customs officer took me to the dreaded side room to have the extras all destroyed. The officer inside the room realized that I didn't understand the limit and explained there is no paying for extras. Then he let me go and also let me keep my cigarettes because I was honest about it and had claimed them all. Just a warning to let you know.

 

You can bring the 5 cartons back if you stop in St. Thomas though. I forgot the legalities behind it, but I guess you can.

[cruisinlarge]

The st thomas thing has to do with it being a US territory and promoting spending in the usvi. you are also able to bring back 1800.00 of duty free instead of the usual 800.00 ( per person ). I think numbers are right.

 

We always come back with extra liquor ,and just claim it and pay the duty, it is usually about 2.00 per bottle , but is different per bottle based on alcohol content. They also only take cash and sometimes they have change and sometimes they don't so get some small change before you go there. btw I have only had to claim the extra on board the ship at customs . I know that at some ports ( miami ) you get off the ship to go to customs.

 

Never have treid to bring back moresmokes than allowed as DW is only smoker and she says they go stale on her.

[yearnin4cruisin]

I paid $42 for 2 cartons mo Marlboro Lights last week on the Fascination. They have a great deal of 5 cartons for around $95. i did that on the Valor in October. I will warn you that you are only allowed 1 carton per person and they mean it. i claimed all 5 going through customs in Miami when I got of the Valor. I figured I would just have to pay a small fee for going over the limit (like alcohol). However, this is not the case. They are pretty tight about the limit and there is no going over and paying a fee. I got pulled out of customs when I was being checked out. Since I had claimed all of it on my form the customs officer took me to the dreaded side room to have the extras all destroyed. The officer inside the room realized that I didn't understand the limit and explained there is no paying for extras. Then he let me go and also let me keep my cigarettes because I was honest about it and had claimed them all. Just a warning to let you know.

 

That's interesting. I only wanted one carton but the salesperson convinced me to get two. He said customs would never stop you for cigarettes because the duty was only a few dollars. We did self-debark and my customs form was just collected in a pile. They never even turned it over to see what I had written; just wanted to make sure I wasn't bringing back any shells. I'll know better next time. Thanks for you post.

 

As for brands, I know there were Marlboro, Newport, Bensen & Hedges, and Virginia Slims. I can't remember any others.

[AuntieBon]

That's interesting. I only wanted one carton but the salesperson convinced me to get two. He said customs would never stop you for cigarettes because the duty was only a few dollars. We did self-debark and my customs form was just collected in a pile. They never even turned it over to see what I had written; just wanted to make sure I wasn't bringing back any shells. I'll know better next time. Thanks for you post.

 

.

 

I was in one of the Carnival stores when the sales rep told a customer this same bad information. I made sure to tell the people the truth. The store people are there to sell and nothing more. They either don't know the rules or figure the buyer won't be able to come back to them to complain. Not all are this way but it did upset me that they were handing out such bogus reassurances.

[yst347]

The CBP booklet "Know Before You Go" outlines the rules for bringing items back into the United States from overseas.

 

Here are the rules governing tobacco:

 

Tobacco Products

 

Travelers may import previously exported tobacco

products only in quantities not exceeding the amounts

specified in exemptions for which the traveler qualifies.

Any quantities of previously exported tobacco

products not permitted by an exemption will be

seized and destroyed. These items are typically purchased

in duty-free stores, on carriers operating

internationally, or in foreign stores. These items are

usually marked “Tax Exempt. For Use Outside the

United States,” or “U.S. Tax Exempt For Use Outside

the United States.”

 

For example, a returning resident is eligible for the

$800 exemption, which includes not more than 200

cigarettes and 100 cigars:

 

• If the resident declares 400 previously exported

cigarettes, the resident would be permitted 200

cigarettes tax-free under the exemption and the

remaining 200 previously exported cigarettes

would be confiscated.

 

• If the resident declares 400 cigarettes, of which

200 are previously exported and 200 not previously

exported, the resident would be permitted

to import the 200 previously exported cigarettes

tax free under the exemption and the resident

would be charged duty and tax on the remaining

200 foreign-made cigarettes.

And

 

$1,600 Exemption

 

If you return directly or indirectly from a U.S. insular

possession (U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, or

Guam), you are allowed a $1,600 duty-free exemption.

If you travel to a U.S. insular possession and to one

or more of the Caribbean Basin or Andean countries

listed above, let’s say on a Caribbean cruise, you may

bring back $1,600 worth of items without paying

duty, but only $800 worth of these items may come

from the Caribbean Basin or Andean country(ies).

 

Any amount beyond $800 will be dutiable unless

you acquired it in one of the insular possessions. For

example, if you were to travel to the U.S. Virgin

Islands and Jamaica, you would be allowed to bring

back $1,600 worth of merchandise duty free, as long

as only $800 worth was acquired in Jamaica.

 

Also, you may include 1,000 cigarettes as part of the

$1600 exemption, but at least 800 of them must have

been acquired in an insular possession. Only 200 cigarettes

may have been acquired elsewhere. For example,

if you were touring the South Pacific and you stopped

in Tahiti, American Samoa, and other ports of call,

you could bring back five cartons of cigarettes, but

four of them would have to have been bought in

American Samoa.

 

Similarly, you may include five liters of alcoholic

beverages in your duty-free exemption, but one of

them must be a product of an insular possession. Four

may be products of other countries (see section on

Sending Purchases from Insular Possessions and

Caribbean Basin Countries).

The bottom line is that extra cigarettes unless foreign made, are subject to confiscation. You cannot simply pay duty on the overage like you do with liquor. Still, for many smokers the cost of cigarettes back home make confiscation worth risking.

[Relayer]

Carnival will tell you that it's no problem to take back multiple cartons. It is a problem unless you lie on your customs form and are not really good about hiding contraband! They really like selling those nice five carton boxes in the gift shop! They are great! Just illegal to bring back!

 

I am not sure of your itinerary but most major brands were available in St. Maarten for $12/carton. Nice!

[MizzCard]

Did they have Marlboro Ultra Lights? I am assuming that all the ships will carry the same brands.

Yes...they did on the Freedom

[kyrisong1]

Yeah tobacco is a whole different subject in this country. People get not only shamed for using them but taxed so hard it feels like rape, then they use the money to pay for building things that are nonsmoking. :rolleyes:

I'm not a smoker, in fact a dreaded ex smoker, but even I can see the witch hunting and unfairness related to smokers. Hopefully we'll never get as far as they did with the witches:eek:

You could simply pack the cigerettes in your suitcase and not say anything. I'm sure they don't have tobacco sniffing dogs in the point of reentry

[LemurCat]

And if you happen to buy a couple of extra cartons and want to keep them fresh, but them in a plastic freezer bag and stick them in the freezer. You can usually buy yourself about two months that way.

[JerseyJaguar]

This is true. As a matter of fact I was a Newport Lights smoker. Only Marlboro Menthol Lights were available on one of my cruises and I wound up switching brands :rolleyes:

That's funny, I'm a regular Newport smoker and when I was checking out the cartons they had tons of Newport Light up front and no Newports. But then I started looking behind all the rows of lights and found the real Newports, however only about five or six cartons total.

 

I recommend that people buy cigarettes as soon as the Duty Free shops open if they smoke a brand that isn't Marlboro, this was my second cruise and the second time there were very few cartons of my brand.

[Crrrruz]

The Marlboro Lights that you buy on the ship are very strong. I have been on 13 cruises and everytime I buy their cigarettes because I end up running out I regret it. They taste bad and will give you a headache.

[serene56]

You want to be careful with the Class of cigerettes-- especially in the ports. You are used to smoking a "Class A cigeretter. Many cartons in St MArten were only 9 bucks-- but they are "Class B" smokes

 

SO wanted to wait til he got onboard for smokes-- I took his with me anyways-- guess what--- the store didnt have his brand in stock--(Salem) the clerk said they will restock at the next port- That was 2 days away--- glad I took them with me cause he woulda been nasty--lol

[crsnfun]

$23 for a carton of Camel filters on the Freedom.

Plus, a free deck of cards! ;)

[Hurricane Girl]

I buy the 5 carton box on each cruise. I do not claim them but to me for the price it is worth the risk. I consider myself lucky to not get caught but I have only had one customs officer ask me if I bought cigarettes, that was in PC. I was scared to death when I told him no. :eek: Each time I have bought them the salesperson tells me the limit to take back is one carton, without me asking. I bought a carton of Marlboro Lights in Nassau, one time, they tasted nasty. They were stale and they looked like they had been wet. I couldn't stop thinking about how they could have gotten wet. :eek: I couldn't get past the first one...that broke me from buying in the ports.

In Miami four of us bought back 11 or 12 liters of alcohol, when we asked the customs agent about paying the overage fee he told us not to worry about it, I was really shocked at that one.

[NevadaHiRoller]

Yes you can buy and consume them immediately. This always wasn't the case, but it is now. They do not have my kind I smoke, so I don't bother buying them anymore.

[COJOMAY]

Are these inexpensive prices also available on the Spirit going to Alaska?

[peanutJMV]

I am leaving on a Carnival cruise on Saturday and was planning on buying cigarettes while on the ship do they give them to you when you buy them or at the end of the trip. I'd hate to go on the ship with no smokes and be beat for the whole week

Thanks for your replies as always!!

 

Yes, you could buy them on the ship as others quoted---limited brands

25.00 sure beats the prices in NJ----

I never listed them on the customs form, just put them in different suit cases. Actually

dont list any at all to avoid drawing any attention.

 

St Thomas allows to bring 5 cartons back.

Others are correct, make sure they are Class A cigs or they are horrible.

 

Customs are concerned more of the big $ items and of course drugs.