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Can I bring my own alcohol on a cruise?

Please Note: All guests must comply with TSA guidelines for transporting liquids. On embarkation day, each guest of drinking age may bring one (1) sealed 750 ml bottle of wine or champagne. Boxed wine and other containers are prohibited.



Most major cruise lines have strict policies regarding bringing your own alcohol on board in 2026. Generally, you are prohibited from bringing spirits (liquor) or beer onto the ship; if found in your luggage during security screening, it will be confiscated and either discarded or returned to you at the end of the cruise. However, almost all lines (such as Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Celebrity) allow each adult of legal drinking age to bring one or two 750ml bottles of wine or champagne in their carry-on luggage on embarkation day. If you choose to drink this wine in a public dining room or specialty restaurant, you will typically be charged a "corkage fee" of $15 to $25 per bottle. Any alcohol purchased at duty-free shops in port or on the ship will be held by the crew and delivered to your stateroom on the final night of the sailing. These rules are designed to encourage passengers to purchase the ship's drink packages, which are a major source of revenue for the cruise industry.

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Can I pack wine in my suitcase for a cruise? You cannot pack wine in checked luggage for a cruise.

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Checked Bags: Yes
Alcoholic beverages with more than 24% but not more than 70% alcohol are limited in checked bags to 5 liters (1.3 gallons) per passenger and must be in unopened retail packaging. Alcoholic beverages with 24% alcohol or less are not subject to limitations in checked bags.

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Red Tape for Reds and Whites A standard wine bottle holds 750 milliliters (mL)—just under the allowance. “Beyond the duty-free limit,” says Bulmash, “you can bring in wine—you just have to pay taxes on it.” That means declaring the bottles on your entry form at the airport and standing in an extra line.

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You can't bring most alcohol onto the ship for drinking during your cruise. So if you wanted to bring a bottle of rum or a 12-pack of beer from home to enjoy while sailing, that's not allowed. Cruise lines expect you to purchase their bar offerings. They do, however allow you to bring on a bottle of wine or champagne.

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You are certainly welcome to bring your own instant or ground coffee, tea and teapot (or tea ball), French press or any other non-electric gadget that will make you your drink of choice using only hot water. However, you may not bring any small appliances, such as coffeemakers or electric kettles, as these are banned.

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What drinks are free of charge?
  1. Water. Water is always free of charge on most cruise ships. ...
  2. Flavored water. Some cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean drink package provides their passengers with several options of flavored waters to choose from. ...
  3. Lemonade. ...
  4. Tea and coffee. ...
  5. Hot chocolate. ...
  6. Milk. ...
  7. Fruit juices.


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Shelf-stable snacks like chips, pretzels, protein bars or any other items packaged in sealed wrappers are permitted on every major cruise line. Just stick with store-bought goodies including candy, savory snacks, cookies or granola bars instead of whipping up a batch of homemade muffins or sandwiches to bring with you.

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If cruise ship crew suspect you are sneaking alcohol on board they will inspect your luggage in detail. They may check your wine bottles to see if it really is sealed as new and contains wine. They will confiscate it if found to contain spirits, and may even refuse you boarding.

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While water, juice, and tea are usually free on a cruise, you often have to go to the ship's restaurants to get them. Meanwhile, non-alcoholic drinks like sodas cost extra (usually around $2-3 per serving), so bringing those on with you when allowed can save you a decent amount.

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What are the free drinks on Royal Caribbean? Your cruise fare always includes tap water, basic coffee/tea, milk and hot chocolate. Anything else usually costs extra. At breakfast, the Windjammer also serves fruit juice from concentrate that is included in your cruise fare, but freshly squeezed juices cost extra.

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Some cruise lines include in-cabin bar setups for all passengers (luxury) or in the top suites (mainstream). If you're not given a bar setup, you may be able to purchase bottles of wine or liquor through your ship's gift shop to be delivered to your cabin on your arrival.

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Wine and hard alcohol in your carry-on or cabin baggage is generally NOT allowed. This is because liquids in quantities larger than 100 ml (3.4 oz.) cannot be placed in your carry-on. An exception to the carry-on rule is made for wine and other spirits purchased in duty-free stores beyond security checkpoints.

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