Most cruise passengers want to have fun! However, how can one have fun without a bit of alcohol?
Alcoholic beverages on a cruise can be very expensive if you don’t buy a package, which is why some passengers prefer to bring their own bottles of alcohol from home.
However, not all companies accept this, and some limit the amount of alcohol you can bring from the outside.
Some cruise passengers therefore wonder if it is possible to sneak some alcohol through the security checks before boarding.
In this article, I will tell you about 7 methods that have been tested and worked to smuggle alcohol on a cruise!
Is alcohol allowed on cruise ships?
Most of the cruise lines allow you to bring alcohol on board from land. Only the two Italian cruise lines do not allow any type of alcohol: MSC Crociere and Costa Crociere.
All the others allow alcohol but in different amounts. You can look at the table below for a quick check, but if you want to know everything about the different policies and corkage fees please have a look at the alcohol policy of all cruise lines easily explained.
| Cruise Line | Is Alcohol Allowed? |
|---|---|
| Carnival | Yes – One liter of wine, Champagne, beer, or spirit |
| Celebrity | Yes – Only one bottle of wine |
| Costa | Not allowed |
| Cunard | Yes – Only one bottle of wine |
| Disney | Yes – Two bottles of wine or six beers |
| MSC Cruises | Not allowed |
| NCL | Yes – Only one bottle of wine |
| P&O Cruises | Yes – One liter of wine, champagne, beer, or spirit |
| Princess Cruises | Yes – One liter of wine, champagne, beer, or spirit |
| Royal Caribbean | Yes – Only one bottle of wine (max two for cabin) |
Can cruise ship scanners detect alcohol?
Yes, they can. Scanners can easily detect any type of liquid.
After detection, port staff will probably ask you to open the bag to check the type of liquid.
Liquids may rarely escape inspection, only if they are in a small quantity and are placed in an unusually shaped container and not in a bottle.
The 7 Proven Methods to Sneak Alcohol on a Cruise Ship
1. Shampoo Bottle
One of the most popular methods to sneak alcohol on a cruise ship is through shampoo bottles.
Many people normally carry shampoo on trips so they do not raise any suspicion.
The problem is that many shampoos have a strong scent that can be transferred to the alcohol you want to sneak in.
So my advice is to buy special bottles or rinse them many, many times.
2. Mouthwash bottles
The second method, one of my favorites, is to use a bottle of mouthwash.
It is a proven method that has worked several times. I also find it very convenient and easy to realize.
You just have to find flavorless mouthwashes at the supermarket, but always wash the bottle well before using it.
The cons of this method? You can only use spirits because the bottle is transparent.
You would easily notice if there is red wine or beer inside!
If you want to make it even more realistic, you can add a few drops of food coloring.
3. Ask your friends
As you can see in the table at the beginning of the article, some cruise lines allow only one bottle of wine per passenger.
What could you do? Ask your friends or the people traveling with you if they will bring a bottle of wine.
In case they don’t plan to, you can ask them to keep one of your bottles when you go through security.
Once on board the ship they can return them to you, and in this way you will have more bottles without having broken the rules.
4. Hide alcohol in different places
A very important rule applies to all methods: never put alcohol all together!
This is for two reasons:
- If there is a large amount of liquid all in one place in the luggage there is a greater chance that it will be checked.
- If the alcohol is discovered by security you will have it all confiscated. Whereas, if it is in different places and hidden by different methods, you have a better chance that not all of it will be found.
5. Put small bottles in the pouch of a sweatshirt or jacket
I know this sounds silly, but not everyone thinks about sweatshirts or jacket pockets.
Everyone looks for incredible ways to hide alcohol in luggage but sometimes the simple things are the best.
In most cases, luggage goes through the scanner while people only go through the metal detector.
So you can hide small bottles or miniatures on you. Be careful to choose bottles that do not have metal parts.
Act as normal as possible and simply go through security.
6. Use creative shapes to hide booze
The other method, if you prefer to be creative, is to use uncommon shapes to hide your booze.
On the Internet, you can find many containers designed specifically for hiding alcohol that look like everyday objects.
I have seen umbrellas, jewelry, and even tampons that have hidden flasks to hide alcohol inside. Isn’t it crazy?
7. Use water bottles
One thing that I don’t see often recommended but I think is one of the best methods, is to use a simple water bottle.
When you go on an excursion and then return to the ship, most companies allow you to bring a bottle of water on board.
I have rarely seen people make a fuss over a bottle of water. Generally, the security checks are relaxed from this point of view.
Well, you can use that water bottle. Just buy alcohol in the port and then fill the bottle before you go up.
The downside of this method is that you will only be able to use clear alcohol such as vodka, gin, rum, or tequila.
But the upside is that it is a relatively safe method and has a very low risk of getting caught.
Disclaimer: I have never smuggled alcohol on a cruise and neither should you. This article is for informational purposes only. The intent is to describe the methods used in the past by some passengers. Some of them have been caught and security checks are often very strict.
Always check and stick to the alcohol policy of your cruise line.
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