Carnival Cruise Line shares news on key beverage policy

Cruise line passengers tend to want to get their drink on. For many people sailing on cruise ships, it’s not about getting drunk, it’s having the opportunity to try all sorts of drinks.

If you get a drink package on a Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, or Norwegian Cruise Line cruise you get access to a variety of bars many of which have their own specialty cocktails, unique beers on tap, or distinctive wine lists. In addition, anyone with an unlimited beverage package can try new liquor brands, beers, and wines to see what they like.

In a broad sense, the cruise lines want passengers happy and drinking, but they also take steps to keep that in check. Any cruise line reserves the right to shut a passenger off, sometimes until they sober up, and sometimes for a full day.

In addition, all the cruise lines have strict rules as to the liquor you can have in your room largely because they don’t want passengers consuming a lot of alcohol where it can’t be tracked. The rules do vary. Royal Caribbean’s (RCL) – Get Free Report Celebrity has stocked minibars in its rooms selling expensive tiny bottles of liquor, half bottles of wine, and cans or bottles of beer.

Some cruise lines let you order small bottles of liquor before your cruise for your room while others only allow that for wine and beer. Carnival Cruise Line (CCL) – Get Free Report, however, has a strict policy for its shorter cruises that the company’s brand ambassador John Heald recently clarified on his Facebook page.

Carnival has a mixology bar, Alchemy Bar, on many of its ships. Image source: Shutterstock

Carnival has a strict liquor policy

Carnival, which attracts a younger clientele than many cruise lines actually caps its “unlimited” beverage package holders to 15 alcoholic drinks per day. It also has a liquor policy that’s similar to Royal Caribbean’s when it comes to buying bottles of liquor onboard or from shops in ports.

Cruise lines generally do not allow passengers to buy full bottles, either on the ship or in port, and bring them back to their room. Royal Caribbean delivers those purchased bottles (or allows people to pick them up) on the final evening of the cruise.

Carnival has a slightly different rule on its shorter sailings and Heald shared a complaint from a passenger about that policy on his Facebook page.

“On 5-day cruises purchased liquor from stores on the islands and purchased liquor from the store on the boat have to be collected on disembarkation morning. I am one who disagrees with this nickel-and-dime rule. Luggage still has to be put out the night before and without having your liquor until the morning of, anyone who travels via airplane will have to repack either on the ship or once arriving at the airport before checking luggage,” the poster shared.

Carnival clarifies its policy

Heald made Carnival’s policy very clear.

“Yes, that is correct on 3, 4, and 5-day cruises guests who purchase liquor from the shop on board or ashore will need to collect the bottles on the morning of debarkation,” he wrote.

Heald also downplayed the packing part of the query.

“I know that the vast majority of guests use the self-assist debarkation system on shorter cruises so hopefully this will not be a concern for too many,” he added.

The policy is different on longer cruises (likely because people bring more luggage and are less likely to carry their bags off the ship themselves.

“Bottles purchased on cruises of six days or more will have their liquor delivered to the cabin on the last evening of the cruise,” Heald wrote.