Just read some posts regarding this under Joeasu's post. I see that it is recommended to pack liquor in checked luggage. Not sure even plastic bottles in a soft sided suitcase could take all that throwing around. My plan was to pack bottles in carry on luggage and then switch to checked luggage upon arrival in Ft. Lauderdale. However, I don't know if I'll have the time to make the switch before finding the HAL representative. Could someone please advise? Thanks.
My advise is to order your in-cabin liquor from Ships Services before you leave home or from Room Service after you are on board and forget the whole worry of how to pack, where to smuggle, etc. No, you will not get the duty-free prices you used to get in the ship;s store, but you are not going to pay much more if any than what it would cost you to bring it from home and you will eliminate the chance of breakage, getting caught, etc. You can get a list of what's available by calling Ships Services and it's a lengthy list.
Certainly the above suggestions work fine. I also plan on putting it in my carryon bag for the airplane and then switching to my checked bag for the same reason you mention. I think with a little planning, it would be easy enough to swap a couple of pairs of shoes with the liquor right there in baggage claim at the airport. I don't really look on it as "smuggling." I'd never carry liquor from my room out into the public areas of the ship just as I would never do that in a restaurant or hotel. But, liquor prices on board are quite expensive and I'll continue to have my cocktail in my cabin (when at sea) as I do in my room while in a hotel. Every one has a different opinion.
You all forget that once you get to the pier the luggage is taken from you by the dock workers. Have you ever see how they throw this luggage around????
I remember on the old Volendam at the end of the cruise they would cover the back stairs with big cloth sheets and then slide/throw the bags down the stairs. Many abroken bottle there!
Handling the luggage by the crew is no different than the way the airline employees handle it. Luggage is piled in big metal containers and moved to the ship, where the crew then takes it to deliver it to the cabins. They are not going to handle your luggage with kid gloves in case you have packed a couple of bottles.
I've seen suitcases piled one on top of the other. You are taking a chance, but it's up to you what you want to do.
Have taken some 30 cruises and packed liquor on every one of them .Never a broken bottle T o be extra careful pack plastic bottles wrapped in bubblewrap. am not going to pay the extra high prices of bar liquor and 1 oz. measures.The money saved can be put toward another cruise.Many cruisers end up having a final bill more than cost of the cruise.To each his own.
Peaches .... Can you STILL order FULL bottles of liquor from room service? This is what we have done for years and years; but, on our January '04 on Celebrity they did would not do this. Hope HAL still will! Note: Paying the higher cost is not important. We just want a bottle in our cabin and REFUSE to go to the bother of carrying one.
Hi Big Apple - I agree - have done the same countless times & never a broken one but I like u, always bubblewrap, then ziplock bag it with a lot of paper towls (they act as a buffer as well) too just in case. I have even occas. for long trips - several diff. flts., put it all in a large cardboard shoe box or use whatever works . Have had it 'mushed' but they never broke my bottles. At the cost for booze on the ship it is well worth it. WSEA - don't think u can anymore! Happy 'sloshin' & cruisin'!!
Thanks for the info! Do you pack your liquor in checked baggage or carry-on? I had originally planned to pack mine in carry-on and switch it to checked luggage upon arrival at the airport. I'm beginning to think it would be simpler to just leave it in my carry-on. Is there an advantage to having it in checked luggage when boarding the ship? Do carry-on bags go through the exact same screening as checked luggage. What is your advice on this? Thanks so much!
the main reason for putting liquor into your checked baggage instead of your carry-on is the fact that your liquor could be taken from you when you board if its in your carry-on
Sherri..the reason for putting it in checked luggage is that technically you are smuggling a "disallowed" item aboard when bringing your own liquor.
HAL's new alcohol policy is that pax are no longer permitted to bring their own aboard either at original embarkation or in the various ports along the way.
If you leave it in your carryon, it will be confiscated at the gangway and returned to you the last night of the cruise.
Folks are putting it in checked luggage as a means of getting it aboard.
Thanks "peaches" and "crazycruiser" for answering.
Too bad ALL ships don't have mini-bars in ALL cabins! That would be great for folks who are not as worried about the cost as the convenience. Don't mean for this to sound bad because cost is always a factor and even ordering a larger bottle from room service is less expensive than "by-the-drink" and it's MUCH easier to make a Bloody Mary in our own cabin in the AM . (It's not like we don't order drinks at the bars other times.)
Just to be safe .... Wonder about those mini-bottles like you get on airplanes? They are in cute little plastic bottles and could go in Zip-Lock bags with the sun tan lotion????? Would that work??????
Good Grief! We don't even want to "smuggle" ... but it might be the only way to be assured of having a bit of liquor in the cabin! eeeeeeeeeeeek!
Sad to say, that I wouldn't consider successfully getting liquor on board as doing anything sneaky or wrong.
The fact of the matter is that the new rules reflect GREED, GREED, GREED!!!! They want it ALL.
We go to the lounges and bars frequently for not just the drinks but the atmosphere of them and to meet people, including the nice people who work there (bartender, servers). However, we also like to get a balcony cabin so we can relax and have a cocktail, BUT the GREEDY have made that more difficult. I think business may be too good.
Any comments on this - am I correct or incorrect? jlk
Mini bottles will work fine however I need a large one to last the cruise or numerous minis.You save alot by buying the larger bottle!I would forget where I packed all the small ones.Have a happy cruise.
I asked HAL about the new policy - here's the reply I received -
"STATEROOM BEVERAGE PACKAGE
Passengers under 21 years of age may not be served with alcoholic beverages.
Identification may be required. Holland America is pleased to make the
following beverage packages available for stateroom consumption only.
These packages include appropriate condiments and are refreshed daily.
If you wish to order any of the packages listed below please call Room
Service Ext. 92
(1) LIQUOR AND MIXER PACKAGES
GIN AND TONIC PACKAGE - $27.50 - Item# LPGT
One bottle of Beefeaters Gin and three cans of Tonic
SCOTCH AND SODA PACKAGE - $27.50 - Item# LPSS
One bottle of Cutty Sark and three cans of Soda water
VODKA AND TONIC PACKAGE - $27.50 - Item# LPVT
One bottle of Smirnoff or Stolichnaya and three cans of Tonic
BOURBON AND COKE PACKAGE - $27.50 - Item# LPBC
One bottle of Jim Beam and three cans of Coke
RUM AND COKE PACKAGE - $27.50 - Item# LPRC
One bottle of Bacardi and three cans of Coke
(2) BEER PACKAGES
SELECT SIX DOMESTIC BEERS - $15.00 - Item# LPDB
Budweiser, Bud Light, Coors Lite, Miller Genuine Draft or Miller Lite.
SELECT SIX IMPORTED BEERS - $15.80 - Item# LPIB
Heineken, Amstel Light or Corona
(4) WINE PACKAGE - Item# LP4W
SELECT any combination of four items from the below listed **187-ml*** wines
to enjoy in your stateroom.
Normally $5.25 per bottle, with this package you will pay $15.75
Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, White Zinfandel
"Big Apple" .... Funny! We've probably lose our tiny little bottles as well. Since we were going to pack them (if we had to) with the sun tan lotion, we would surely get confused and take the liquor my mistake -- might get sun burned BUT if we drank enough we wouldn't care.
"Suki" , THANK YOU so much for posting this list. What a relief!!!
Can you take soft drinks on HAL? Would like to have in room at all times. Grandson can go thru a lot of drinks in one day and maybe not finish any of them but always wants a fresh one.
Soda is allowed for carry on. I just got off the Oosterdam and found a great Supermarket in St Martin near the dock. $2.50 for a six pack. Brought two back on the ship. As for liquor, I carried a plastic bottle full of rum and it made it on the ship with no problem. Good luck and happy cruising.
My two cents worth:
It won't work for beer. If Ya enjoy a cocktail it works.
Everybody carries distilled water with them. Just use an empty bottle for Rum, Gin or Vodka.. Use a Lipton Tea bottle for Bourbon or any Whisky.
Really, there is not a fight. As long as you are not brazen they really don't care.
Think...... we pay a premuim for svc and cabins...we all return yearly.
Like me and my family...18Dec-OOsterdam
Hi Redgate ,Remember you from old board.Disagree with you as I have taken tons of beer in my checked bags and replenished in each port .No problem.Only problem is with booze in each port and i have a secret system here that only one person has mentioned in the past.With current prices I will continue to look at ways to beat the system.
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