Celebrity Cruise's Beverage Policy: What the Rules Actually Say
Celebrity Cruises allows you to bring your own beverages onboard, but only non-alcoholic drinks in sealed, unopened containers. You can pack soda, water, juice, and other soft drinks in your carry-on luggage when you board. The key restriction: bottles and cans must arrive sealed and unopened. Once you open them, you cannot bring them into your cabin or consume them in public areas.
The reason for the sealed-container rule is straightforward—Celebrity wants to prevent people from bringing alcohol disguised as soda or other soft drinks. An open bottle or can could contain anything, so the cruise line treats all opened beverages as prohibited. This applies whether you opened it five minutes before boarding or five days ago.
You can also purchase beverages onboard at the buffet, dining venues, and bars. Soft drinks are included with your cruise fare in the main dining room and buffet, so you do not need to bring soda if you plan to eat there regularly. Specialty coffees, bottled sodas from the bar, and drinks from the poolside venues cost extra.
Key Takeaways
- Sealed, unopened soda and other non-alcoholic drinks are allowed in your carry-on bag when you board Celebrity Cruises.
- Once a bottle or can is opened, you cannot bring it onboard or consume it anywhere on the ship.
- Soft drinks are included at meals in the main dining room and buffet, so bringing your own is optional unless you want specific brands or want drinks in your cabin.
- Alcohol of any kind—including beer, wine, and spirits—is prohibited in carry-on luggage; you can purchase drinks onboard instead.
- Pack beverages in your carry-on, not checked luggage, because checked bags are loaded after you board and may not reach your cabin in time for the first day.
Where You Can Drink What You Brought
Beverages you bring onboard can be consumed in your cabin and in your cabin's balcony area. You can open and drink them there without restriction. However, you cannot take your own soda into the dining rooms, buffet, pool deck, or other public spaces on the ship—those areas are for beverages purchased onboard or included with your meal plan.
This rule exists partly because Celebrity makes revenue from beverage sales in public areas, but also because the ship needs to track what is being consumed where for safety and sanitation reasons. A soda you brought from home is fine in your private space; it is not fine to carry it to the pool or to a show.
How to Pack Beverages for Your Cruise
Pack sealed soda bottles and cans in your carry-on bag, not in checked luggage. Your checked bags go into storage and may not reach your cabin until evening or even the next day. If you want a drink when you arrive, carry-on is the only way to have it available when ready.
Plastic bottles take up less space than cans and are lighter, so they pack more efficiently. Glass bottles are allowed but heavier and take up more room. A standard carry-on bag can hold roughly 12 to 18 bottles or cans depending on their size and what else you are packing.
Keep receipts or photos of your sealed beverages if you want proof they were unopened when you boarded, though Celebrity staff rarely challenge this. The seal itself is usually enough evidence.
What Happens If You Try to Bring Alcohol Instead
If security finds alcohol in your carry-on or checked luggage, Celebrity Cruises will confiscate it. You will not get it back, and you will not receive a refund. The cruise line does not charge you a fine for attempting to bring alcohol, but the beverage is gone.
Some passengers try to pack alcohol in soda bottles or other disguised containers. This is against policy and will result in confiscation if discovered during the security screening when you board. The screening process includes visual inspection of bags and sometimes opening containers to verify contents.
Beverage Packages and Onboard Purchases
Celebrity offers beverage packages you can purchase before or during your cruise. These packages include unlimited soft drinks, specialty coffees, bottled water, and alcoholic drinks depending on which tier you choose. A soda package covers unlimited fountain and bottled soft drinks throughout your cruise. Prices vary by cruise length and when you purchase, but buying before you board is usually cheaper than buying onboard.
If you do not purchase a package, soft drinks are included at meals in the main dining room and buffet. You pay per drink if you order soda at the bar, from room service, or from poolside vendors. Water is always free from any tap on the ship.
Special Situations: Dietary Needs and Medical Reasons
If you have a medical condition or dietary restriction that requires a specific beverage, contact Celebrity Cruises before your cruise. You may be able to bring medically necessary drinks even if they do not fit the standard policy. Bring documentation of the medical need if you have it.
For example, someone with diabetes who needs a specific sugar-free drink, or someone with a severe allergy who requires a particular brand, should call Celebrity's guest services line ahead of time. They can note your account and inform the security team so your beverages are not confiscated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bring energy drinks or sports drinks?
Yes, as long as they are sealed and unopened. Energy drinks, Gatorade, coconut water, and similar beverages follow the same rule as soda—sealed containers only. Once opened, they cannot be brought onboard or consumed in public areas.
What if I open a soda by accident before boarding?
You will need to finish it before you go through security or discard it. You cannot bring an opened beverage onto the ship. If you are worried about this, wait to open drinks until after you have cleared security and reached your cabin.
Can I bring soda in my checked luggage instead of carry-on?
Technically yes, but it is not practical. Checked bags are loaded after you board and may not reach your cabin until evening. If you want a drink when you arrive, carry-on is the only option. Checked luggage also risks damage from pressure changes during loading.
Do I have to declare my beverages at security?
You do not need to announce them, but security will see them during the bag screening process. Be honest if asked. Attempting to hide beverages or lying about what is in your bag can result in more serious consequences than straightforward confiscation.
Are there any drinks I absolutely cannot bring?
Alcohol of any kind is prohibited—no beer, wine, spirits, or drinks containing alcohol. Anything that could be mistaken for alcohol or disguised as something else will be confiscated. Stick to clearly non-alcoholic beverages and you will have no problems.