Can I bring alcohol on my cruise?

You’re cruising through the Mediterranean, and you stop in Nice. In a wine shop, you see a gorgeous bottle of French rosé, and immediately picture yourself sipping some on your veranda while the ship pulls out of port later that evening. As you reach for your credit card, you wonder — are you even allowed to bring alcohol on cruise ships? The answer: it depends. Alcohol policies vary widely from line to line. In addition, many lines charge so-called corkage fees if you want to drink your purchase in a public space, including dining rooms, specialty restaurants, or lounges. There is always the option of sneaking alcohol onboard to get around these policies, but if you want to play by the rules, here’s our handy line-by-line cheat sheet:

Azamara Cruises

Policy: Liquor, beer, and wine are allowed for private consumption in suites or cabins as well as in any shipboard restaurant, bar, or dining venue.

Extra Fees: Consuming personal alcohol in any shipboard restaurant, bar, or dining venue is subject to a corkage fee of $10 per bottle.

Carnival Cruise Line

Policy: One bottle of sealed wine or champagne per person is allowed at embarkation. No beer or spirits may be taken onboard for consumption. Alcoholic beverages that are purchased in ports of call will be held by the ship and delivered to the guest’s cabin on the last day of the sailing.

Extra Fees: A $15 corkage fee per bottle applies for consumption in the main dining room, steakhouse, and bars.

Celebrity Cruises

Policy: Two bottles of wine per cabin are allowed on embarkation. No beer or spirits may be taken onboard for consumption. Alcoholic beverages purchased in ports of call or onboard shops will be held by the ship and delivered to the guest’s cabin on the last day of the sailing.

Extra Fees: Wine is subject to a $25 corkage fee per bottle when consumed in public areas.

Costa Cruises

Policy: No alcohol may be taken aboard at embarkation, and alcohol purchased in port or at the ship’s duty-free shop will be held and returned at the end of the cruise. If guests try to bring alcohol aboard at embarkation, it will be confiscated and returned once the voyage is over.

Extra Fees: N/A

Cunard Line

Policy: One bottle of wine or champagne per person is allowed during embarkation. No beer or spirits may be taken onboard for consumption. When purchased at ports of call, however, there is no restriction on wine, spirits, or beer being carried onboard.

Extra Fees: A corkage fee of $25 per bottle applies when consumed in restaurants onboard. 

Latest Update: November 10, 2022

Disney Cruise Line

Policy: Guests may bring two bottles of sealed wine or champagne, or 6 beers no more than 12 oz. packed in a carry-on at embarkation, and at each port of call.  Personal alcohol cannot be consumed in any lounge or public area except for wine or champagne at Palo and Remy. Any liquor or spirits brought onboard will be stored until the end of the cruise.

Extra Fees: A corkage fee of $25 applies in the dining rooms and restaurants. 

Holland America Line

Policy: Guests may bring one bottle of wine or champagne onboard in carry-on luggage at embarkation. Wine and champagne bought in port can be either brought onboard and stay with the guest for an $18 fee no matter where consumed, or incur no fee and be stored until the end of the voyage.

Extra Fees: The first bottle doesn’t have a corkage fee if consumed in the stateroom. Additional bottles are allowed, but will incur an $18 corkage fee even if consumed in the stateroom, onboard restaurants and bars. 

MSC Cruises

Policy: No alcohol may be taken aboard at embarkation, and alcohol purchased in port or at the ship’s duty-free shop will be held and returned at the end of the cruise.

Extra Fees: N/A

Norwegian Cruise Line

Policy: Sealed bottles of wine and champagne can be brought onboard.  No other alcohol is allowed at embarkation.  If alcohol is bought in port or an onboard shop, it will be stored until the end of the cruise.

Extra Fees: A corkage fee of $15 applies to 750 ml bottles, and $30 for 1,500 ml bottles.

Oceania Cruises

Policy: Guests are allowed six sealed bottles of wine or champagne per stateroom, including any bought in port. The exception being the world cruises for which they will allow up to 60 bottles per stateroom however this only applies to guests who are booked on the full world cruise or any of the variations of the full world cruise.  No other alcohol is allowed to be brought.

Extra Fees: A corkage fee of $25 per bottle applies for consuming wine and champagne in public areas.

Princess Cruises

Policy: Passengers are permitted one bottle of wine or champagne per person at embarkation, no larger than 750 ml. Alcoholic beverages purchased onboard or at ports of call will be held during the cruise and delivered to the cabin on the last day. No beer or spirits may be taken onboard for consumption.

Extra Fees: A U.S. $20.00 corkage fee will be charged should Guests wish to consume their wine or champagne in the ship’s public areas.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Policy: Guests are allowed to take spirits, wine, and champagne onboard, though most alcohol is included in the price of the cruise.

Extra Fees: None

Royal Caribbean International

Policy: Two bottles of wine or champagne per stateroom are allowed. No beer or spirits may be taken onboard for consumption.  Alcohol bought onboard or in port will be stored until the end of the cruise.

Extra Fees: A $15 corkage fee per bottle is applied when consumed in public areas.

Seabourn

Policy: Guests may bring wine and champagne onboard, though most alcohol is included in the price of the cruise. Seabourn does not limit the amount of bottles allowed, but the port the cruise departs from may have their own rules to be aware of.

Extra Fees: None

Silversea

Policy: Guests are allowed to take spirits, wine, and champagne onboard, though most alcohol is included in the price of the cruise.

Extra Fees: None

Viking Ocean

Policy: Guests are allowed to take spirits, wine, beer, and champagne onboard with no limitations, both at embarkation and in port. Note that beer and wine is included on Viking with lunch and dinner.

Extra Fees: None

Latest Update: November 10, 2021