Can you bring liquor on a cruise?
No. All 9 cruise lines we cover ban it. Leave it at home.
Pick your cruise line
Hard liquor is banned in carry-on and checked bags. Carnival throws it away with no refund.
All 9 lines side by side
- Not allowed Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Princess, Celebrity, Disney, MSC, Holland America, Virgin Voyages
| Cruise line | Status | What the rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carnival | Not allowed | Hard liquor is banned in carry-on and checked bags. Carnival throws it away with no refund. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Royal Caribbean | 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 |
| Norwegian | Not allowed | Liquor is banned. Wine and champagne are the only alcohol you can bring. Liquor bought in port or onboard is held until the last night. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Princess | Not allowed | Liquor and spirits are not allowed. Alcohol outside the wine allowance is taken and thrown away, with no refund. Liquor you buy in port or onboard is held and delivered before the cruise ends. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Celebrity | Not allowed | Not named, but Celebrity bans all alcohol except one bottle of wine or champagne. Liquor you buy in port or onboard is stored and given back on the last day. Alcohol taken at boarding is not returned. Not named on the page; this comes from a general rule. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Disney | Not allowed | You can't bring liquor or spirits, including powdered alcohol, at the start of the cruise. Liquor bought in port is held until the cruise ends. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| MSC | Not allowed | You can't bring liquor aboard. Security may check water bottles, soda bottles, mouthwash and canteens, and will throw out any alcohol found in them. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Holland America | Not allowed | Not named, but Holland America doesn't allow drinks for personal use beyond its wine and water allowances. Liquor you buy in port or onboard is held and brought to your cabin shortly before the cruise ends. Not named on the page; this comes from a general rule. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Virgin Voyages | Not allowed | Hard liquor and spirits can't be brought aboard. Specialty liquor bought in port is handed to security when you board and held until your final night. Pages disagree: The prohibited items list says alcohol found in checked bags is collected and returned when the voyage ends. The ticket contract says alcohol that isn't allowed is taken and thrown away with no refund. It may not come back. We show the stricter rule. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
Rules checked on Nov 6, 2026. 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.
Banned on all 9 lines
No line we cover lets you bring hard liquor or spirits on board, in a carry-on or a checked bag. Seven lines name liquor directly. Celebrity and Holland America ban it under a general rule: you can bring wine within their limits and nothing else.
Disney adds powdered alcohol to the ban.
What happens to liquor found at boarding
This is where lines differ. Royal Caribbean gives sealed bottles back at the end of the cruise. Carnival and Princess throw liquor away with no refund. Celebrity says alcohol taken at boarding isn't returned.
Virgin's own pages disagree. Its prohibited items list says alcohol found in checked bags is returned at the end of the voyage, while its ticket contract says it's thrown away with no refund. Plan on not getting it back.
Alcohol hidden in other containers is a separate matter. Royal Caribbean and MSC say they throw it away, and MSC says security may check water bottles, soda bottles, mouthwash and canteens.
Liquor you buy in port or on board
You can shop, but you won't drink it in your cabin. Lines hold bottles you buy and hand them back near the end. Norwegian holds them until the last night. Carnival hands them out in a set lounge on your last morning. Princess, Celebrity, Disney, MSC and Holland America return them near the end of the cruise.
Virgin lets you bring specialty liquor bought in port back aboard, but you hand it to security and it's held until your final night. Royal Caribbean holds liquor bought in its onboard shops and gives it out on the last night.
Questions people ask
What happens to liquor I buy in port?
It's held and returned near the end of the cruise. Norwegian and Virgin return it on the last night, Carnival on the last morning, and Holland America delivers it to your cabin shortly before the cruise ends.
What happens to liquor found in my bag?
It depends on the line. Royal Caribbean returns sealed bottles at the end of the cruise. Carnival and Princess throw it away with no refund. Check your line's rule above.
Can I bring liqueur or fortified wine instead?
Carnival bans fortified wines over 15% alcohol. Treat liqueurs as liquor on every line.