Carnival alcohol policy
Guests 21 and up can bring one sealed 750 ml bottle of wine or champagne each, in a carry-on, on boarding day only. Fortified wines over 15% alcohol are banned. Drinking it in a dining room, specialty restaurant or bar costs $15 per bottle. Back-to-back cruisers get the same amount for each cruise.
Carnival alcohol rules at a glance
- Wine or champagne: one sealed 750 ml bottle per guest 21 and up, in your carry-on, on boarding day only.
- Liquor and beer: not allowed in carry-on or checked bags. Carnival throws them away.
- Corkage: $15 per bottle if you open it in a dining room, specialty restaurant or bar.
- Soda: up to 12 sealed cans or cartons per person, 12 oz or smaller. No bottled drinks, including water.
- Bottles bought in port or on board: stored and handed back on the last morning.
What Carnival lets you bring
| Drink | Status | The rule | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wine and champagne | Allowed with limits | Guests 21 and up can bring one sealed 750 ml bottle of wine or champagne each, in a carry-on, on boarding day only. Fortified wines over 15% alcohol are banned. Drinking it in a dining room, specialty restaurant or bar costs $15 per bottle. Back-to-back cruisers get the same amount for each cruise. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Liquor | Not allowed | Hard liquor is banned in carry-on and checked bags. Carnival throws it away with no refund. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Beer | Not allowed | Beer is banned in carry-on and checked bags. Carnival throws it away with no refund. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Soda | Allowed with limits | Each guest can bring up to 12 sealed cans or cartons, 12 oz or smaller, in a carry-on on boarding day. The same limit applies when you come back from a port. Drinks in glass or plastic bottles are not allowed. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Bottled water | Not allowed | Bottled water is banned. Canned or boxed water, like sparkling water, counts toward the 12-can soda limit. You can pre-order bottled water to your cabin or buy it onboard. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
Who can bring wine, and how much
Every guest who is 21 or older can bring one sealed 750 ml bottle of wine or champagne. The allowance is per person, so two adults in a cabin can bring two bottles between them. Guests under 21 don't get an allowance.
The bottle has to be in your carry-on and come aboard on boarding day. Carnival's rule doesn't give an allowance for later days, so a bottle bought ashore mid-cruise is treated as a port purchase (see below).
Source: Carnival official page
What counts as wine
Regular still wine, sparkling wine and champagne all count. Fortified wines don't. Carnival names port, sherry and vermouth, and it bans any wine over 15% alcohol.
So a bottle of port or sherry won't make it past security, even as a gift. Check the label: if it says more than 15%, leave it at home.
Source: Carnival official page
What happens to alcohol security finds
Liquor, beer and any drinks outside Carnival's allowance are banned in carry-on and checked bags. Carnival says it takes them and throws them away, with no refund.
This is one of the stricter confiscation rules. Some lines hold extra bottles and give them back at the end. Carnival's page says it doesn't, so a bottle over the limit is simply lost.
Source: Carnival official page
Alcohol you buy in port or on the ship
Bottles you buy ashore or in the ship's Fun Shops are stored until the end of the cruise. You pick them up in a set lounge on the morning you leave the ship. Liquor over your customs allowance may owe duty.
So you can still buy a bottle in port. You just won't open it on the ship.
Source: Carnival official page
Corkage and where you can drink your wine
Carnival charges $15 for each 750 ml bottle you open in the main dining room, a specialty restaurant or a bar. The fee is for the bottle, not per glass.
Carnival's page lists the fee for those three places. It doesn't list a fee for your own cabin, which is where most guests drink the bottle they bring.
Source: Carnival official page
Back-to-back cruises
If you book two Carnival cruises in a row, you get the same allowance for each cruise. Extra bottles brought at the start of the first cruise are stored and given back as each new cruise begins.
Source: Carnival official page
Soda, water and coolers
Each guest can carry on up to 12 sealed cans or cartons, 12 oz or smaller, on boarding day. The same limit applies each time you come back from a port. Drinks in glass or plastic bottles aren't allowed, and that includes bottled water. Canned or boxed water counts toward the 12.
A personal cooler up to 12 by 12 by 12 inches can come aboard as a carry-on, but only for non-alcoholic drinks and medicine.
Source: Carnival official page
Food from home
Snacks are fine if they're prepackaged, factory sealed and unopened. Homemade and precooked food is banned.
Source: Carnival official page
Questions people ask
Can I bring a bottle of champagne on Carnival?
Yes. Champagne counts as your one bottle of wine. It has to be sealed, 750 ml or smaller, and in your carry-on on boarding day.
Can I bring a 1.5 liter bottle instead?
Carnival's allowance is one 750 ml bottle per guest 21 and up. A bigger bottle is outside the allowance.
Can I bring beer on a Carnival cruise?
No. Beer is banned in both carry-on and checked bags, and Carnival throws away any it finds.
What if I buy liquor in port?
You can buy it. Carnival stores it and you pick it up in a set lounge on the last morning.
Is there an age limit?
Yes. Only guests 21 and older can bring the bottle of wine.
Does the corkage fee apply in my cabin?
Carnival lists the $15 fee for the dining room, specialty restaurants and bars. It doesn't list a fee for your cabin.
Independent guide. Not affiliated with any cruise line. Rules change, so confirm with your cruise line before you sail. Security staff have the final say at the terminal.