Planning a cruise vacation with Carnival? It’s always a good idea to understand the ins and outs of their alcohol policy to avoid any surprises during your trip. Carnival has specific guidelines about drinking onboard, what you can bring with you, and how to make the most of their beverage offerings.
Let’s break it down in a casual, easy-to-understand way.
Drinking Alcohol Onboard: Age Matters
First things first, if you’re planning to enjoy a cocktail or a glass of wine on your Carnival cruise, you need to be at least 21 years old. This rule applies to all bars, lounges, and even the gift shops onboard. Carnival takes this policy seriously and passenger age is verified at the time of boarding.
Some cruise lines, like Norwegian, allow parents of 18-21 year olds to sign a waiver allowing them to drink beer or wine onboard, but this is not something that Carnival allows. So on a Carnival cruise, 21 means 21.
Those caught slipping drinks to those under the age of 21 can face serious consequences, including disembarkation.
Bringing Your Own Beverages: What’s Allowed and What’s Not
When it comes to bringing your own drinks onboard, Carnival has some clear rules. If you’re thinking about packing a stash of water, sodas, or other non-alcoholic beverages in plastic or glass bottles—think again. These are a no-go. Pay no attention to the TikTok videos of people trying to gain the system, they all get caught eventually, and those videos are used as “training materials” for port security.
However, on embarkation day, you’re allowed to bring a small amount of non-alcoholic drinks with you, as long as they’re in cans or cartons. “Small amount” means up to 12 sealed cans or cartons (each 12 ounces or less) per person, and these need to be packed in your carry-on luggage.
Now, let’s talk about the fun stuff—alcohol! If you’re 21 or older, you can bring one 750-ml bottle of wine or champagne with you in your carry-on. Just make sure it’s sealed and unopened. But, there’s a catch—fortified wines like Port or Sherry that are over 15% alcohol by volume aren’t allowed.
Corkage Fee: Popping the Bottle Onboard
Want to enjoy that bottle of wine you brought with you at dinner? You can, but there’s a $15 corkage fee per bottle if you’re dining in the main dining room, a specialty restaurant, or a bar. It’s a small price to pay to sip your favorite vino with a meal!
Water and Other Beverages: Pre-Purchase and Onboard Options
Carnival makes it easy to stay hydrated. You can pre-purchase bottled water, and it’ll be waiting for you in your stateroom on embarkation day. Prices start at $17.64 for a 12-pack of 16.9-ounce bottles, including an 18% delivery fee. Prefer to wait until you’re onboard? No problem—just call room service, and they’ll bring it to your room.
If you need distilled water, say for a CPAP machine, Carnival’s got you covered. You can pre-order it or buy it once you’re onboard. Just remember, if you’re bringing your own distilled water, you’ll need to carry it on by hand.
Cooler Size Matters
Thinking about bringing a cooler? Make sure it’s no larger than 12” x 12” x 12”. Carnival doesn’t allow large coolers because they can slow down the boarding process. But small coolers for non-alcoholic drinks or medications are fine.
Pre-Cruise Alcohol Purchases: Know the Limits
If you want to stock up on alcohol before you sail, Carnival’s Fun Shops have some options, but there are limits. For cruises of seven days or longer, you can purchase one bottle of hard liquor per stateroom. On shorter trips, you can only pre-purchase wine, champagne, and beer—no hard stuff allowed. And remember, these beverages are for in-stateroom enjoyment only.
Buying Alcohol During Your Cruise
If you’re planning to buy alcohol at a port of call or from The Fun Shops onboard, keep in mind that Carnival will hold onto it until the end of your cruise. You can pick it up on debarkation day. If you go a bit overboard with your purchases (hey, it happens!), be aware that Customs might charge you a duty on the excess.
And just like on embarkation day, you can bring a small quantity of non-alcoholic drinks back on the ship when you’re in port—as long as it’s in cans or cartons and you stick to the 12-can limit.
Cheers to Carnival’s Beverage Program!
Lastly, if you’re looking to simplify your onboard drinking experience, Carnival offers the CHEERS! Beverage Program. It’s a great way to enjoy a variety of drinks without worrying about racking up a huge bar tab. Just remember, all adults in the same stateroom need to purchase it.
If you’re curious whether the drink package is the way to go, use our Carnival Cruise Line Drink Package Calculator to determine if buying your drinks à la carte is less expensive than purchasing the CHEERS! package.
Understanding Carnival’s alcohol policy is key to enjoying a smooth sailing experience. With these tips in mind, you’ll be ready to raise a glass and toast to a fantastic cruise!
Disclaimer:
Cruise line policies are ever-changing, for the latest on Carnival Cruise Line’s Alcohol Policy, click here.