Alcohol policy on Carnival?

[Gregswife]

Deb, he can buy it in port and then, if they take it, they wll return it to your cabin at the end of the cruise. We did buy some rum in the gift shop onboard because it was a great price, and much to my surprise, after I paid for it, she bagged it up and handed it to me. I didn't argue - just took it back to the cabin and added a little flavoring to my coke...

[55ChevyLady]

We have never sailed on Carnival before. Hubby likes to purchase local beer and/or liquor while in port. Do they strictly enforce the rule? Are there different rules for beer and wine? We'll be sailing on the Valor. Thanks in advance for any advice you can give.

Ports-of-Call

Alcoholic beverages of any kind purchased in any Port-of-Call will be confiscated at the gangway, stored on board and retained by Carnival until the end of the voyage.

OK...Carnival is not trying to scare you in to thinking you CAN'T buy alcohol in ports (maybe/maybe not, they would probably rather you buy theirs) just if you do it will be kept until the last night of the cruise just like any alcohol purchase you make in the gift shop. Unless you are as lucky as Cheryl...

When you return from a port with an alcohol purchase there will be tables set up just past the X-ray machines where you turn over your purchases and the Carnival employees box up your alcohol, ID it as yours and you "sign it in"

on a funny side note...on my 2008 cruise I heard a lady complaining that as she was trying to get through X-ray with her Vanilla security wanted to take it. Ended up security took her Vanilla! I told her I probably had 2 gallons or more of vanilla and probably not far behind her and just had mine in with all my souveniors and didn't think anything about it (declaring it as alcohol). She said hers was just in with her sourveniors also and didn't think anything about it either.

I also brought a corkscrew on board but by accident. I was going to put our corkscrew in my purse but got to thinking I might not get it through security bec. it was the all metal kind with the knife and bottle opener on it and Jerry didn't want to lose it. Well I had already put it in my purse but had forgotten about it.

Since we were in such a rush to leave the morning we left I never cleaned out my purse...I had tons of lose change, tweezers, metal tubes of lipstick, compacts, pens, hair pins, etc...and the corkscrew all floating around in my purse. I noticed as my purse went through X-ray the guy took a long time looking at it and I thought some red lights went off but no alarms went off.

I didn't know to later I actually had the corkscrew. we had a beer gift package delivered that I had ordered from the Bon Voyage Dept. and we needed a bottle opener. Jerry asked me if I had remember the corkscrew. I told him I meant to put it in my purse but I don't know if I did or not, and remember, you said you didn't want me to in case it wouldn't get through security...well I dumped my purse on the bed and there it was. evidently I had and forgot about it. LOL

So anyway... when we took the wine that we also brought on board to the dining room our waiter opened it for us with no charge. and our room steward also kept it iced down in our cabin.

[elfed]

Debbie, I'll tell you a little secret if you visit St Maarten for instance. At the pier there are numerous duty free and trinket shops. One of these trinket places sell plastic minuture bottles of booze (name brands mostly) for 1 dollar 50 each. If your hubby or yourself wear shorts with deep pockets you can accumalate quite a few of these non-detectable, non jinggling goodies! Every time I have been to St. Maarten (over 5 times) on Carnival I have taken these bottles of booze on board with no trouble at all. Carnival do not do a physical body search just the normal walk through detection devices, These cannot detect plastic bottles. Obviously,the amount you stuff your pockets with do not add up to 40 oz but hey, each one of these little bottles add up to a shot of liquor as served on board.

Regards,

James.

[Longboysfan]

And then again there is the water bottle or Sprite bottle to carry on.

Plastic but the coloring does not show well enough on the Sprite to show you have maybe rum in it.

Something to think about.

Put it in your pocket on the way back on to the ship - like it was said above baggy jeans shorts. - big pockets.

[deb1220]

Great tips guys!!!.....and great stories Andrea....as usual On our last cruise I had pre-ordered 2 bottles of wine and they were there in our cabin with 2 glasses and a corkscrew. I only drank it in the cabin. On Princess they let DH bring a 6 pack of beer on board at one of the ports. He went to claim it and they just waved him on through. You never know

[Gregswife]

On our past few cruises on Carnival, I have seen security randomly shaking the water bottles to see if any bubbles form, so I would try the sprite bottles over the water bottles. Soda is supposed to bubble...

[JoeyandDavid]

I have never had a problem with bringing our own bottle of wine aboard at embarkation.. thought they were going to secure my wine when i came back from our tour in Tuscany but they let us take those bottles to our stateroom as well.. i think it may depend on itinerary.. the lines seem a bit more relaxed doing a European itinerary..

[DebbieandJerry]

Once we arrive at our pier city, we purchase our beverages pack them in our suitcases. Have always been able to get them to the room. At the various ports, however, we have had to declare the liquor at the security station. Interestingly, when we did the back-to-back last November (Carnival), all purchases made on the first leg were delivered to our room the night before so we had all of that liquor with us for the next 8 days (it was gifts, though).

Crew members get to bring liquor on board. When we stopped at St Thomas last time, a crew member took us to the K-Mart where we loaded up (the cheapest place on the island to get booze). For a small donation, he brought it on the ship. We didn't ask, he didn't tell.

I like the little bottle idea with big pockets.

Anyway, congrats on the booking.

[deb1220]

Debbie - how did you find this crew member....or did he find you? He could start himself a little business......actually it sounds like he already has

[55ChevyLady]

Debbie - how did you find this crew member....or did he find you? He could start himself a little business......actually it sounds like he already has

yep!