Royal Caribbean Changes Alcohol Policy Effective Immediately

Prior to this past Tuesday, Royal Caribbean International's stance on the allowance of alcoholic beverages carried onboard was a zero tolerance policy; nothing was allowed to be carried onboard on embarkation day, including wine and champagne.

However, they have just announced that, effective immediately, guests are now permitted to bring onboard a maximum of two bottles of wine or champagne per stateroom, up to 750-ml each. Each bottle must be sealed, with no signs of tampering.

Passengers that wish to enjoy their wine or champagne in public spaces such as the bars or restaurants will be subject to a corkage fee of $25 per bottle.

This popular policy change stems from Royal Caribbean's acknowledgement that many passengers may have a bottle of wine or champagne that they would like to bring onboard with them to celebrate a personal milestone or special occasion.

A few things to keep in mind:

In accordance with Royal Caribbean International's Guest Conduct Policy, guests who choose to consume alcohol must do so responsibly. Ship security reserves the right to inspect containers (including water bottles, soda bottles, mouthwash, canteens, etc.) at any time and will dispose of alcohol concealed in such containers. Additional bottles of wine beyond two bottles that are brought onboard on embarkation day, or any alcoholic beverages that are purchased from onboard shops and in ports-of-call (which must be presented to security upon re-boarding), will be secured by ships personnel and returned to guests just prior to the conclusion of their cruise vacation. Guests who are under the permitted drinking age will not have alcohol return to them.