CRUISE TIPS: Alcoholic drinks can be expensive on a cruise ship however some cruise lines do allow you to bring alcohol on a cruise such as wine and champagne.
Here are the policies on how to bring alcohol on a cruise for five major cruise lines. Please note that these policies can change at any time so links are included so you can check the cruise line alcohol policy closer to your cruise date.
Royal Caribbean alcohol policy
Royal Caribbean’s alcohol policy regarding how to bring alcohol on a cruise states, “Guests are not allowed to bring beer or hard liquor onboard for consumption or any other use. Alcoholic beverages seized on embarkation day will not be returned. Security may inspect containers (water bottles, soda bottles, mouthwash, luggage etc.) and will dispose of containers holding alcohol. Guests who violate any alcohol policies, (over consume, provide alcohol to people under the legal drinking age, demonstrate irresponsible behavior, or attempt to conceal alcoholic items at security and or luggage check points or any other time), may be disembarked or not allowed to board, at their own expense, in accordance with the Guest Conduct Policy. Guests who are under the permitted drinking age will not have alcohol returned to them. Please Note: All guests must comply with TSA guidelines for transporting liquids.
“On boarding day, guests may bring on board two 750 ml bottles of personal wine or champagne per stateroom in their carry-on luggage. If more than two bottles of wine or champagne are brought on board, including any alcoholic beverages purchased in ports-of-call or in onboard shops, they will be stored by the ship and delivered to your stateroom on your last day on board.
“Guests on consecutive cruises may bring two 750 ml bottles of personal wine or champagne per voyage, per stateroom. Additional bottles will be stored by the ship and two bottles at a time will be delivered to the stateroom on the first day of each new voyage. Guests bringing more than two bottles at the start of the first sailing should have documentation for any consecutive sailings available to share with security on boarding day.”
Learn more about whether you can bring alcohol on a Royal Caribbean cruise here.
Carnival Cruise Line alcohol policy
Here’s Carnival Cruise Line’s alcohol policy, “Guests are prohibited from bringing alcoholic beverages on board with the following exception – at the beginning of the cruise during embarkation day only, guests (21 years of age and older) may bring one 750 ml bottle of sealed/unopened wine or champagne, per person, in their carry-on luggage. Outside this exception, all liquor, beer, other forms of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited in both carry-on and checked luggage and such items will be confiscated and discarded and no compensation will be provided. Guests sailing with us on back-to-back cruises are entitled to bring the same quantity as stated, per cruise. The additional quantities will be stored for safekeeping at the start of the first cruise and will be given to the guest as each following cruise begins.
“Should guests wish to consume their wine or champagne in the main dining room, specialty restaurant or bar, a $15 US corkage fee, per 750 ml bottle, will be charged. A corkage fee is a charge that is assessed, at time of service, for every bottle that is served and not bought on the premises.”
Here’s more information about whether you can bring alcohol on a Carnival cruise is here.
Celebrity Cruises alcohol policy
Celebrity Cruises alcohol policy is, “Guests are not permitted to bring alcoholic beverages onboard; with the exception of embarkation day when guests are permitted to bring onboard with them up to two bottles of wine (which are subject to a corkage fee) per stateroom. Security may inspect containers (including water bottles, soda bottles, mouthwash, canteens, etc.) at any time and will dispose of alcohol concealed in such containers. Alcoholic beverages that are purchased from onboard shops or in ports of call (which must be presented to security upon re-boarding), will be secured by ship’s personnel. Alcohol secured by ship’s personnel will be returned to guests just prior to the conclusion of their cruise vacation. Guests who are under the permitted drinking age will not have alcohol returned to them.”
Learn more here about Celebrity Cruises alcohol policy.
Princess Cruises alcohol policy
Princess Cruises alcohol policy states, “As provided in the Passage Contract, guests agree not to bring alcoholic beverages of any kind on board for consumption, except one bottle of wine or champagne per adult of drinking age (no larger than 750 ml) per voyage, which will not be subject to a corkage fee if consumed in the stateroom. Additional wine or champagne bottles are welcome, but will incur a $15 corkage fee each, irrespective of where they are intended to be consumed. Liquor, spirits or beers are not permitted.
“Please remember that luggage will be scanned and alcohol outside of our policy will be removed and discarded.* Alcoholic beverages that are purchased duty free on board in the Shops of Princess, or at ports of call, will be collected for safekeeping and delivered to the guest’s stateroom on the last day of the cruise. A member of the ship’s staff will be at the gangway to assist guests with the storage of their shoreside alcoholic purchases while the Shops of Princess staff will assist guests with shipboard alcoholic purchases.
*Princess Cruises is not responsible for any alcoholic beverages removed and discarded by shoreside security staff. Such items are not eligible for monetary refund or replacement. Guests found with prohibited items, including alcohol outside of the policy, may need to collect their luggage at a security checkpoint on board.”
Click here for more info on Princess Cruises alcohol policy.
Norwegian Cruise Line alcohol policy
Norwegian’s alcohol policy is outlined as, “With the exception of Wine and Champagne, all guests are prohibited from bringing alcohol on board our ships. If you purchase any alcohol at one of our ports-of-call or in our onboard shops, we will safely store your purchase(s) and either on the final night of the cruise or the morning of debarkation it will be available for pick up in a designated area.
“Guests may bring bottles of wine and champagne on board. When bottles are brought on board and served or consumed in any restaurant, public room area or in their stateroom, a corkage fee will be charged according to bottle sizes noted below.
750 ml Bottle: $15.00 USD
1,500 ml Magnum: $30.00 USD
“Wine or champagne sent directly to the ship by travel agents, friends, family, etc. or from another retail source, are subject to the same fees. Box wines are not allowed on board.”
Click here for more info on Norwegian Cruise Line’s alcohol policy
Source: Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises
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