Can You Take Alcohol Onto A Cruise?

According to AAA, as many as 19 million Americans are expected to take a cruise in 2025. Cruises are certainly a popular form of travel, but for those new to the experience, questions are likely to come up. One question you might have is whether you can take alcohol onto a cruise. It's a valid question, too, since not all cruise lines provide unlimited drinks with the ticket price like they do at all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean and Mexico. 

When it comes to cruise lines, the rules regarding alcohol are less straightforward, as the answer will depend on the company and the scenario. Carnival, Norwegian, and Royal Caribbean are three popular cruise lines, and their policies on alcohol are generally the same: guests are not allowed to bring alcohol on board, but there's an exception for wine and champagne. Guests who are 21 and older may bring one 750-milliliter bottle of sealed wine or champagne. Each of these cruise lines also charges a $15 corkage fee if you plan to drink your wine or champagne in one of the public dining areas.

One of the best parts of a cruise is stopping at different destinations, and for many vacationers, this is the chance to pick up some souvenirs, which might include some local booze. If you're wondering whether you can buy alcohol at a port of call and bring it on board, the answer is yes. 

However, you're not allowed to just take it with you in your luggage. Instead, cruise lines like Carnival, Norwegian, and Royal Caribbean say they will store your alcohol for you until the end of the trip. Don't try to sneak it on board either, since passengers must go through security to get back onto the ship. So while you can't consume that bottle from your stop in the gorgeous Caribbean "Rum Capital of the World," you can take it home with you to enjoy or give to someone else as a gift. 

Instead of complimentary drinks with the ticket price, certain cruise lines offer a drink package (which you may want to think twice about) for an additional cost. In the case of Carnival, they offer a Cheers package starting around $82 per day for up to 15 drinks. Norwegian offers the More at Sea package, which includes an open bar option for an additional $30 per day. On Royal Caribbean, you can get unlimited alcoholic beverages with their Deluxe Beverage Package, which costs $115 per day for each guest.

While these are some of the more well-known cruise lines among American travelers, other cruise lines do provide alcohol in the fare, including companies that operate river and ocean cruises. These include companies like Viking, Uniworld River Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line, and Silversea Cruises. With this in mind, it's a good idea to do some price comparisons to see what the better deal is for your desired destination.