USVI-On-Line

We are checking out cruise pricing for our daughter and her husband who are limited on cash. What do drinks usually run on cruise ships? (beer particularly, but other alcahol as well)

I have a bit of experiance on the liquor thing. Bring your own on checked bags, Yes they put your luggage through xray, but if you put your booze in these nifty containers, no problem.
www.rumrunnerflasks.com
Most cruiselines allow to bring your own sodas, water, etc and CCL will allow to bring onboard your own wine/champagne, one bottle per night. What line are you looking for your daughter? I try and do 1-3 cruises a year(ports are very close) Laura

O.K., I'll bite. What about a liter water bottle filled with Vodka, don't break the seal??? Sounds like a very nice couple on a budget. Do I know you????

LauraD, do you put those things in a checked airline bag? I would be so nervous that they would split and wreck everything.

Also, this is probably a stupid question, but I have never been on a cruise, so...can't you just buy your drink fixings of choice in port? Rum is so cheap in the VIs for example. Do they bar you from bringing alcohol you purchase at a port stop back on board the ship?

liamsaunt wrote:LauraD, do you put those things in a checked airline bag? I would be so nervous that they would split and wreck everything.

Also, this is probably a stupid question, but I have never been on a cruise, so...can't you just buy your drink fixings of choice in port? Rum is so cheap in the VIs for example. Do they bar you from bringing alcohol you purchase at a port stop back on board the ship?

I can only vouch for NCL, but they do not allow you to have your own alcohol on the ship. In fact, they xray the bags and if they find it, they call you into a room to remove it from your bag

We always get bottle service, sure it is expensive but it is vaction. We pay $40 for a bottle of vodka in the room and then we buy a soda pass for the week and mix up our own pre-dinner drinks. Other than that, we just pay the prices.

I have cruised CCL, RCL, NCL, Disney, PCL, Celebirty and a host of others. Yes, you can buy your liquor in the ports you visit, but as Pia stated, ot will be taken when you board the ship and returned the last evening of the cruise. I live 1-4 hours from the ports, so I just buy my mixers at home. I have never been taken to the "naughty room" though my BIL has, he kept his liquor in the original bottles.
It might sound like alot of fuss to do the rumrunner thing, but saves us alot of money. If you bring them on a plane, do not fill all the way, leave an inch or so for expansion.
Capt Dan and Ruby, check out cruisecritic.com, alot of info on the forums. Laura

Another nail in the coffin of me not understanding how a cruise is really a cost effective way to vacation for the people who are not interested in eating 8 times a day, but who ARE interested in taking excursions and eating local food at the various destinations and the additional costs that incurs.

jmq, Don't get me wrong, cruising is not my only means of travel. I have lived in Thailand, Singapore and West Africa, vaca'd in all the Bahama islands as well as US and British VIs, Puerto Rico, Amsterdam, France, England, Barcelona, Central and South America and East Africa. One day I will make it to Alaska. And I do enjoy the local flavors and adventures. Laura

I brought a 32oz rum runner of gin , 32oz of vodka and 2 8 oz ones of wiskey on my panama canal cruise in Sept the big ones were in between my fins and the small ones were in my pockets for boarding the sat out for the 2 weeks on the counter the room steward never said a word.

LauraD - no slights or personal implications intended. I totally understand and appreciate that cruises are loved by many, even those who also travel other ways. It is just that when I get pitched the conventional wisdom of "its such a bargain" I think, well, maybe not so much for some folks when you consider the "extras", and I didnt even know about the big time restrictions on enjoying your own cocktails. I imagine its not that hard to run up a pretty sizable bar tab.

I think it is easy to make it economical.
Our last cruise we stayed in a suite with a butler. Had a bottle for the room but still drank plenty on the ship.
We booked all our own excursions at every port.

We had 5 stops and enjoyed the heck out of our ourselves.
All that added up to less than our typical STJ vacation, including airfare.

Lots of good advise. My daughter and son in law are more interested in the get away time (they have an 18month old son, and work all the time) than heavy excursions, but drinking is a definate consideration. Great advise. We are also going to haul them to St. John... probably next year...they have never been...

Disney Cruiseline does allow you to bring liquor on board in carry on only: I got this from their website:

Quote:
Alcohol is permitted on board. However, be aware that any fragile items (including bottled alcohol) must be hand-carried on board in a day bag and/or carry-on bag, the dimensions of which cannot exceed 22" wide, 14" high and 9" deep. Guests who request a Wine Steward to open and serve a bottle of champagne, wine or liquor that has been brought onboard will be charged a corking fee of $18.00 per bottle.
Please be advised: Disney Cruise Line reserves the right to remove fragile items (including beverages) from luggage. In such cases, items will be stored and returned at the end of the voyage. Beverage containers are considered fragile and have previously caused damage in checked luggage. All fragile items must be transported inside carry-on luggage. :End Quote:...lol

You also do not have to purchase a soda card from them those are included in your cruise price...

Out of all the cruiselines we have sailed...we really liked Disney and our kids had a wonderful time as well.