Royal Caribbean alcohol policy
Each guest of drinking age can bring one sealed 750 ml bottle of wine or champagne on boarding day. Boxed wine is banned. Extra bottles are held and given back on the last day. Drinking your own wine in public areas costs $15 per bottle. Back-to-back cruisers get one bottle per sailing.
Royal Caribbean alcohol rules at a glance
- Wine or champagne: one sealed 750 ml bottle per guest of drinking age, on boarding day. Boxed wine is banned.
- Liquor, beer and hard seltzer: not allowed. Sealed bottles taken at boarding are given back at the end.
- Corkage: $15 per bottle if you drink your own wine in public areas.
- Soda and water: up to 12 cans, bottles or cartons (17 oz or smaller) per cabin, not per guest.
- Bottles bought in port or on board: held and returned near the end of the cruise.
What Royal Caribbean lets you bring
| Drink | Status | The rule | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wine and champagne | Allowed with limits | Each guest of drinking age can bring one sealed 750 ml bottle of wine or champagne on boarding day. Boxed wine is banned. Extra bottles are held and given back on the last day. Drinking your own wine in public areas costs $15 per bottle. Back-to-back cruisers get one bottle per sailing. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Liquor | Not allowed | Hard liquor is banned. Sealed bottles taken at boarding are given back at the end of the cruise. Alcohol hidden in other bottles is thrown away. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Beer | Not allowed | Beer is banned. Sealed beer taken at boarding is given back at the end of the cruise. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Soda | Allowed with limits | You can carry on up to 12 cans, bottles or cartons (17 oz or smaller) on boarding day. The limit is per cabin, not per guest. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Bottled water | Allowed with limits | Bottled water counts toward the same limit as soda: 12 containers (17 oz or smaller) per cabin, carried on at boarding. Distilled water for a baby, medical or diet need is allowed on top of that. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
Who can bring wine, and how much
Each guest of drinking age can bring one sealed 750 ml bottle of wine or champagne on boarding day. Two adults in a cabin can bring two bottles.
Boxed wine and other containers are banned. If you bring extra bottles, the ship holds them and gives them back on your last day.
Source: Royal Caribbean official page
What happens to alcohol security finds
Beer, hard seltzer and liquor taken on boarding day are given back at the end of the cruise, but only if they're still in the original sealed package. Guests under the drinking age don't get them back.
Alcohol found in water bottles, soda bottles or mouthwash bottles is thrown away. Royal Caribbean says hiding alcohol can get you denied boarding or sent home at your own cost.
Source: Royal Caribbean official page
Alcohol you buy in port or on the ship
Bottles you buy in port, and extra wine you bring on boarding day, are stored by the ship and returned on your last day.
Source: Royal Caribbean official page
Liquor from the ship's shops
Liquor you buy in the ship's own shops is held too. It's handed out on the last night, so you can pack it before you leave the ship.
Source: Royal Caribbean official page
Back-to-back cruises
You get one 750 ml bottle per guest for each sailing. If you bring more at the start of your first sailing, the ship stores the extras and delivers them to your cabin one at a time on the first day of each new sailing. Keep proof of your later sailings handy for security.
Source: Royal Caribbean official page
Corkage fee
Royal Caribbean charges $15 for each bottle of your own wine you drink in public areas like dining rooms and bars. Drinking it in your cabin isn't a public area.
Source: Royal Caribbean official page
Soda and water: the limit is per cabin
This is the rule people miss. You can carry on up to 12 cans, bottles or cartons on boarding day, each 17 oz or smaller, and that's 12 for the whole cabin. A family of four still gets 12.
Bottled water counts toward the same 12. Distilled water for a baby, medical or diet need is allowed on top of the limit.
Source: Royal Caribbean official page
Food from home
Non-perishable, prepackaged food is allowed in limited amounts. Royal Caribbean's page doesn't give a number.
Source: Royal Caribbean official page
Questions people ask
Can I bring a bottle of wine on Royal Caribbean?
Yes. Each guest of drinking age can bring one sealed 750 ml bottle of wine or champagne on boarding day.
Can I bring beer or hard seltzer?
No. Both are banned. If security takes sealed cans or bottles at boarding, you get them back at the end of the cruise.
Is the 12-can soda limit per person?
No. It's 12 cans, bottles or cartons per cabin, and bottled water counts toward it.
Can I bring boxed wine?
No. Royal Caribbean bans boxed wine and other containers. Only a 750 ml bottle counts.
What happens to liquor I buy in port?
The ship stores it and returns it on your last day.
How much is corkage on Royal Caribbean?
$15 per bottle when you drink your own wine in public areas like dining rooms and bars.
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.