bringing drinks on board at ports of call

[graemerigg]

I know the rule regarding being allowed to bring on board 2 bottles of wine per cabin at embarkation . However I shall be on Mercury through the Panama soon, and wondered if there are restrictions on what can be brought on board on shore visits or, for our convenience, is it held for us until the end of the cruise. There were no restrictions on Century in the Med 15 months ago.

[nps001]

You say there were no restrictions on Century---you were just lucky. All cruise lines take liquor at the security check point and return it to you on the last night.

[wraithe]

There are restrictions on Century as of this last week. The signs were posted saying that no alcoholic beverages were allowed to be brought onboard. You had to check anything you brought back to the ship to be held until the end of the cruise.

[hajekfam]

The Med seems to be looser in the rules. The Caribbean is where they enforce the holding of duty free alcohol. It might have something to do with the fact that the alcohol you buy there is duty free.

I remember back 40 years ago when on my honeymoon in Jamaica, you weren't allowed to carry any duty free items from the shops - I bought a beautiful cashmere sweater - they took my return flight info and it was sent to the airport and I picked it up there before boarding.

[dianeksfun]

Just returned yesterday from the Mercury Panama Canal and they did collect the alcohol and held it till the end of the cruise.

[graemerigg]

Thanks for info, looks like I'll just have to pay the inflated bar prices!!!! From memory the same restrictions have been in place for Princess, Costa, and P&O, but not enforced. Looks like Celebrity are taking a very strict attitude to this situation now. Do the crew actually request alcohol is handed over, and if necessary do they really carry out a search?

[CathyCruises]

You have to put your bags on the conveyor belt, and you have to go through the metal detector--I think they would find it! We too had no trouble in '07, but '08 was a different story--both in the Med.

 

Cathy

[hondorner]

You say there were no restrictions on Century---you were just lucky. All cruise lines take liquor at the security check point and return it to you on the last night.

Not all cruise lines -- Oceania does not. You may bring any amount of wine, beer or spirits aboard at any port for consumption in your cabin. They request you do not drink it in public areas. You may bring your own wine to dinner for a $20 corkage fee. It's one of the reasons we like Oceania -- we are chafing a bit at the restrictions for our first Celebrity cruise, but looking forward to the opportunity to see if there are compensating factors.

[vickykay]

we were able to bring a bottle of Reisling , which we bought from a local grocery store, onto the Constellation from Germany this past August - may have more with duty free liquoir in the Caribbean, which I know that they do take from you as you board the ship.

[Pat.bz]

Cruising the Med in Nov/Dec 08 on Galaxy I had no problem bringing one bottle of wine per person on at various ports. I asked the guy who was doing the checking (by conveyor belt) before I purchased my first one. We are getting ready to do a b2b2b starting in Sydney on Millie--I hope the answer is the same but I'll abide by what they say.

[ghstudio]

This is one of those "you never know until you try" things. If you ask, you will be shown the signs and told no way. If you just bring it back on ship in your hand luggage and put it thru the screening equipment, they may or may not ask you to leave the bottle(s) behind.

 

I've never been stopped....and I've never asked. I had no problem at all with two bottles of single malt scotch which I brought on board on the Connie last year when we stopped in Scotland. Just put them in my backpack and put it thru the xray machine. I routinely put a bottle of vodka in my suitcase and it always arrives in my cabin. Maybe I've just been lucky....