Royal Caribbean's Alcohol Policy: What the Rules Actually Say
Royal Caribbean does not allow you to bring your own wine, beer, spirits, or any other alcohol aboard their ships. This applies to all passengers, regardless of age or cabin type. The policy covers sealed bottles, open bottles, and any container with alcohol in it.
The only exception is a limited amount of wine or champagne you can bring in your cabin on embarkation day — one bottle per stateroom, and it must be still wine or champagne (not sparkling wine in a pressurized bottle). Even that bottle cannot leave your cabin; you cannot drink it in public areas of the ship. Royal Caribbean staff will confiscate any other alcohol found during security screening or cabin inspections.
This rule exists across all Royal Caribbean ships, whether you are sailing from Florida, New York, or anywhere else. It applies to all itineraries — Caribbean, Alaska, Europe, or otherwise.
Key Takeaways
- You can bring one bottle of still wine or champagne per cabin on embarkation day only, and it must stay in your stateroom.
- All other alcohol — beer, spirits, boxed wine, and any bottle brought after embarkation day — will be confiscated at security.
- Royal Caribbean sells alcohol onboard at bars, restaurants, and your cabin, and offers drink packages that cover unlimited beverages for a flat daily rate.
- Alcohol purchased onboard can be consumed anywhere on the ship except during safety drills and in certain restricted areas.
- If alcohol is found in your cabin after embarkation day, Royal Caribbean may charge you a fee or ask you to leave the ship.
Why Royal Caribbean Enforces This Rule
Cruise lines restrict outside alcohol for three reasons: revenue, safety, and liability. Alcohol sales are a major source of onboard income, and allowing passengers to bring their own cuts directly into that. More importantly, the ship's bars and restaurants track what you drink, which helps staff monitor intoxication levels and prevent overservice. When passengers bring their own alcohol, crew members cannot see how much someone has consumed, which creates safety and liability problems in a confined environment at sea.
Royal Caribbean also uses the policy to prevent passengers from bringing high-proof spirits or large quantities that could lead to serious intoxication or medical emergencies. On a ship, the nearest hospital may be hours away.
What Happens If You Try to Bring Alcohol Onboard
Security screening at the port happens before you board. If staff find alcohol in your luggage or bags, they will confiscate it on the spot. You will not get it back, and you will not receive a refund. The bottle is straightforward removed and discarded.
If alcohol is discovered in your cabin after you have boarded — during a routine cabin inspection or if staff respond to a noise complaint — Royal Caribbean may charge you a fee (typically $50 to $100 per bottle, though amounts vary). In serious cases, such as if a passenger is found with a large quantity or is intoxicated and disruptive, the ship's security team can remove you from the ship at the next port and you will be responsible for your own transportation home. You will also forfeit the cost of your cruise.
Crew members are trained to spot alcohol being brought into cabins, and they do check. Hiding bottles in luggage, under mattresses, or in other creative spots does not work reliably, and the risk is not worth it.
Drink Packages and Onboard Alcohol Costs
Royal Caribbean offers several ways to purchase alcohol onboard. You can buy drinks individually at any bar or restaurant — prices typically range from $6 to $15 per drink, depending on the type. You can also charge drinks to your cabin account and pay at the end of your cruise.
The ship also sells beverage packages, which give you unlimited drinks for a flat daily rate. The Deluxe Beverage Package usually costs $60 to $75 per person per day (prices vary by sailing date and ship) and includes beer, wine, spirits, coffee, and soft drinks. The Classic Beverage Package is cheaper and covers beer and wine only. Some passengers find a package worthwhile if they plan to drink regularly; others prefer to pay as they go.
If you want to bring wine specifically because you enjoy a particular bottle, you can purchase wine at the onboard wine shop and have it delivered to your cabin. You will pay retail prices plus a markup, but it is a legal way to have wine in your room.
The One-Bottle Exception: How It Works
The one bottle of still wine or champagne per stateroom is allowed only on the day you board the ship. You must pack it in your carry-on luggage, not checked baggage, and it must pass through security screening. Staff will see it and allow it through because it falls within the policy.
Once you are in your cabin, that bottle can stay there for the duration of your cruise. You can drink it in your room at any time. However, you cannot take it to the dining room, the pool deck, the casino, or any public area. If you are caught with it outside your cabin, it will be confiscated.
If you want to bring a second bottle or bring a bottle on a subsequent day of a multi-week cruise, it will be confiscated. The policy is strict: one bottle, embarkation day only.
Alternatives If You Want Wine During Your Cruise
If you are a wine enthusiast, you have several options that work within Royal Caribbean's rules. The onboard wine shop stocks hundreds of bottles at various price points. You can browse, taste, and order bottles to be delivered to your cabin. Staff will open the bottle for you if you ask, and you can enjoy it in your room.
You can also attend wine tastings hosted by the ship's sommelier or wine staff. These are usually offered multiple times during a cruise and cost $15 to $30 per person. You will learn about different wines and regions while sampling several bottles. Some passengers find this a better value than buying individual bottles.
If you are sailing with a group and want to share wine, buying a bottle onboard and drinking it in your cabin with your travel companions is perfectly legal. You just cannot take it into public spaces.
What About Ports of Call?
You can purchase alcohol at ports and bring it back to the ship — but only if you drink it in your cabin. You cannot bring it through the security screening when you reboard the ship after a port day. Any alcohol you purchase in port must be consumed before you leave the port, or you must leave it behind.
Some passengers buy wine or local spirits at ports, drink them that evening in their cabin, and then go ashore the next day. This is allowed. What is not allowed is trying to sneak port purchases back onto the ship after a port day — security screens you again when you reboard, just as you were screened before you left the port.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bring wine in my checked luggage instead of carry-on?
No. Royal Caribbean screens all luggage — carry-on and checked — before boarding. Wine in checked luggage will be confiscated just like wine in a carry-on bag. The one-bottle exception applies only if it passes through security screening on embarkation day, which means it must be visible and declared.
What if I have a medical reason to drink alcohol?
Royal Caribbean does not make exceptions to the alcohol policy for medical reasons. If you have a medical condition that requires alcohol, speak with the ship's medical staff once onboard. They may be able to advise you, but they cannot override the no-outside-alcohol rule. You would need to purchase alcohol from the ship's bars or wine shop.
Do I get my wine back if security finds it?
No. Confiscated alcohol is not returned, and you will not receive a refund or credit toward your cruise. It is discarded. There is no appeal process or exception.
Can I bring alcohol if I am in a suite or higher cabin category?
No. The alcohol policy applies to all passengers and all cabin types equally. Suite guests do not have different rules. The one-bottle exception is the same for everyone.
What if I buy alcohol at the duty-free shop in the airport?
Duty-free alcohol is treated the same as any other outside alcohol. If you buy a bottle at the airport and try to bring it onto the ship, it will be confiscated during security screening. The one-bottle exception does not explore to duty-free purchases — it applies only to wine or champagne you pack specifically for your cruise.