Alcohol - Booze - Drinkables

Had a short discussion this weekend about bringing YOUR OWN on board the ship.  From that I decided you should know the official position of NCL (one that you have already agreed to follow when you filled out your passenger information).  Here it is:

Bringing Booze Onboard

Bringing wine or Champagne onboard:Allowed, but you have to pay a corkage fee for wine that is brought onboard and served or consumed in any restaurant, public room / area or cabin. Fees are $15 fro 750 ml bottles, $20 for 1000ml and $30 for 1500ml. Boxed wine is not allowed.

Bringing liquor onboard at embarkation:   Not allowed - items are secured until debarkation day.

Purchasing liquor in port:    Retained until the end of the cruise.:

Complimentary drinks typically are available at the Captain’s cocktail party, the Lattitudes (past passengers) cocktail party and the art auctions

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From the cruise critic board here are the experiences of some of the passengers that brought their own to the party.

1.  I had a suitcase "busted" on the Sun out of Miami.  It was held and I had to go pick it up after opening it for the crew. It had a 6 pack of bottled water. The suitcase with the two 12 packs of Yuengling sailed right into our cabin as did the suitcase with the wine. Go figure.

2.  It is a hit or miss thing with NCL. As for policy, you can not bring any liquor on board from ports or upon embarkation except wine. Yes they do check and yes, you will be called to the luggage area to identify your luggage and the alcohol if you are caught. There are many ways to smuggle it on board. I am really not sure it is worth it anymore.

3.  I was on the Dawn a few weeks ago and had a bottle of whiskey and a bottle of vodka in my suitcase. It was held, and when I went to claim it I was asked if I had anything. I said - "Yes, one bottle" and I reached in and grabbed one of them then zipped the suitcase shut and took it off the table. They said nothing nor asked to through the suitcase themselves.

4.  We chose to smuggle alcohol. This was in our checked luggage. We brought on the cruise ship package of filled rum runners and a box of wine. We had 5 checked bags between our two rooms so each suitcase had some contraband in it. Nothing was found. Thank goodness because the wine was so horrible that if I had to go to the naughty room of shame for that crap I would have had to throw myself overboard.

5.  No cruise line has the policy of bringing your own liquor on board and if you are caught they all will confiscate it.  As was suggested order a bar set-up and you will be happy.  The bar set-up # is 1-866-625-1159.  Or you can fax them your order with your reservation and confirmation #'s. The fax # is 305-436-4147. How cool is that!?!? The delivered bottles are of course more pricey than what you buy at home.

6.  We were on the Star. We had a medium bottle of Vodka and 2 big litres of TGIF Mudslides which are premixed drinks. The bag with the vodka made it to the room. But the two bags witht he mudslides were held up by the ship. We had a notice to go to library between 5 and 7 to open our bags. Each person was taken in and asked to pick out their bag or bags. My wife and I got the two bags and a young fellow with rubber gloves on asked us to open the first bag. I told him we had a bottle of mudslides and would pay the corking fee. I took the bottle out and gave it to him. He asked what it was and I told him it was a mixed drink with very little alcohol in it. He took the bottle over to an older fellow who studied the label and came back to us with it. He handed it to me and said it was ok. I said there was another bottle in the other bag and he waved at us and said it was ok to go.

You pay a corkage fee anytime the cruise line finds you carrying on (or in checked luggage) any bottle of wine.  Corkage is just a term for a tax on your beverage so that it is no longer cheaper to bring your own with you.

"Hard" liquor is simply confiscated.  If it is an unsealed bottle of hard liquor it is poured out.
Yes you can prepare a drink for yourself in the room or buy one at the bar and bring it with you to the dining room. They have no way of knowing nor do they care.  Rum runners worked well for many cruisers because they are essentially a clear plastic bladder.  Google Rum Runner container.  They X-ray ALL baggage and they look for bottle shapes.

Your cabin will have a bottle of white wine in it, compliments of  Donna @ ABC's of Travel PLUS each cabin will have a $50 On Board Credit (OBC) for you to spend as you wish.