How hard is it to smuggle alcohol on a cruise ship?

Question

My hubby and i are going on a cruise in February, and we would like to be able to party a bit without spending a fortune. I was thinking of smuggling vodka in a mouthwash bottle, but someone told me they are really nutty about any fluids you bring on board, and will open and sniff if and dump it if it's liquor. Why are they like this? Geez, it's expensive to go on a cruise, they could at least let you bring a bottle of wine or spirits along!

Answer 1

Not very hard but I hear of a lot of people getting caught. We used a spray on sun screen bottle after washing it a lot and put it in our checked luggage and it made it on. We didn't really use it though, we barely had time to get crazy and the drinks were cheaper than we thought. They only give you so many mixing options on the ship (we only had Lemonade, Iced Tea, Applie juice, and Orange Juice unless you wanted to buy soda).

We could've easily walked through security with an open water bottle though, we stressed over just bring water on because we didn't want to get searched and they just waved us through....I even said but this water bottle is an open bottle of water and the security guy just said he didn't care. My experience is probably different than a lot of people's though.

I highly suggest our sunscreen method or the rumrunner flask things that I hear works for a lot of people. I just wouldn't throw a whole bottle of liquor in it's original bottle in your suitcase (though I acknowledge some people do that and get away with it).

Answer 2

Been done many times. The worst that happens is that they hold the alcohol until the end of your cruise, then you get it on your last night before you disembark, but you dont need to smuggle it in, its not illegal, like a Cuban cigar. Hope this helps!

Answer 3

I went on a cruise with my family and husband. I took a backpack full of sweatshirts. We brought wine and whiskey on after we made our first stop. Wrap your purchase very tightly in the sweatshirts and they never will see it. Or my husband had a pint of whiskey in his back pocket of his jeans and a long jacket over. The only way you can buy alcohol on the cruise, is if they give the purchase at the end of your cruise.... Good Luck. happy cruising. Another thing before you get on the ship stop at a liquor store and get some alcohol and slip in your suitcase wrapped around clothing

Answer 4

stick it in a sprite bottle in your checked bags.. I bring J.D. and coke in a diet coke bottles all the time(them I don't have to buy a mixer at $3.00 each)

Answer 5

Our last cruise we emptied out a huge gatorade bottle and poured Malibu in it then put it in a plastic bag. It got on fine. My mom put mini bottles in her shoes and got on fine. Just be creative!

Answer 6

We just got back from a Carnival Cruise and we took "one" bottle of wine on board.  If you purchase liquor in port, they will hold it until the last night of the cruise.  I would be cautious about smuggling things onto the ship, it could cause you to forfeit your trip and get you kicked off the boat.  Check with the cruise line that you will be traveling on and see what their regulations for bringing alcohol on board.

Answer 7

i know that carnival cruise allows one bottle per person of alchahol. i dont remember if its per person or cabin but it has to bechecked in your luggage.  i would arap it or more in clothes.  i now they dont check as hard as airplane luggage so your odds are good to get it through.  i hada friend who went with 5 other people and they each brought on a couple of bottles and nothing happened to them

Answer 8

Check with the cruise line for their policies.  I know some don't mind if you bring a bottle of wine and may even allow a bottle of spirits.

We were just on a cruise and I know they allow you to bring a bottle of wine.  They will even serve it to you at dinner with a small re-corking fee.

I know of at least one other cruise line that does this.

Have fun.

Answer 9

well....

there's always a chance that your bag will be opened.

i know this.

i travel a LOT.

duffle bags seem to be opened more often than any other type of bag (because that's what people often smuggle drugs in) anyway. i was talking to this lady at our dinner table on my last cruise and she took her vodka and poured it into a empty shampoo bottle. it's perfect because the only way they would find it is if they opened your bag and opened the shampoo bottle. but they usually don't do that. i wouldn't recommend hiding a liquor bottle. i hope this helped.

Answer 10

coming from home warp it up in your suit case. bringing back from port of call keep in the bag that it came they will scan it as is thing will be OK. been on 8 princess cruises soon to be 9.

Answer 11

they will check anything. If you try to hide it from them and/or not let them see it, they MIGHT kick you off the ship, not let you board AT YOUR OWN EXPENSE. They probably wont even give you some money back. Its in the policy that you agreed to. I guess part of the reason is that they dont want to people to over consume and cause problems for other people (after all, its not like you can just go some where else...)

Its not worth trying. Why ruin your vacation over something that you can just leave at home and enjoy it when you get back? if you reason is to save some money...then maybe drink less??