Many Spring Breakers will hit the decks of cruise ships for vacations that leave little bits of dignity scattered about Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.
This alcohol-fueled debauchery puts serious damage on the bank account because cruise lines realize that with a captive (and thirsty) audience, they’ve got all the control.
Spring Break isn’t a time for fiscal responsibility or limits, but college students don’t really have the extra cash to spend on pricy cruise beverages no matter how much they love those little umbrellas.
But clever travelers of all ages have perfected the art of sneaking booze on cruises. From hiding it in shampoo bottles to the lucky few that get through security with a handle stashed in their luggage, balling on a budget comes in many forms.
The most successful sneaking attempts depend on chance, but there are a few tactics that take smuggling endeavors over the edge.
“One of my friends put vodka in a mouthwash bottle and dyed it blue,” said J.R. Hillman, an engineering student. “He also took the seal off really carefully so he could replace it.”
Some Spring Breakers manage to get alcohol on the boat by hiding it on themselves; the single serving bottles make this a lot easier.
More important than all of these, however, is attitude.
“When you go on a cruise line, the trick is not to look like the cat that swallowed the canary,” said Jim Desmond, creator of Rum Runners flasks, a product used to sneak alcohol on cruises.
Nowadays, every piece of luggage that goes on a cruise ship gets X-rayed. Security guards mostly look for dangerous objects like weapons but keep their eyes peeled for bottle shapes as well, Desmond said.
Desmond’s product cuts out some of the risks and drawbacks that come with water bottles and shampoo containers. Since they’re flexible, cruisers can squeeze them around suitcase corners and there’s no air space, meaning no pesky sloshing sounds.
The biggest downfall of putting liquor in previously used bottles? The original liquid taints the liquor’s taste forever, he said. Last time we checked, vodka and rum should be fruit-flavored, not shampoo and mouthwash.
Sneaky travelers need to remember that smuggling can carry consequences. Although some higher-end cruise lines allow their passengers to bring alcohol on the boat, the popular Spring Break companies like Royal Caribbean and Carnival don’t let any outside alcohol on board.
Cruisecritic.com listed confiscation as the most common punishment, but cruise lines maintain their right to refuse entry to anybody caught with alcohol in their luggage.
“People need to understand that the worst time to get stuff on cruises is Spring Break,” Desmond said. The increased traffic, especially by college students, makes companies extra strict.
So to those about to smuggle, we salute your bravado. Not wanting to pay inflated drink prices is totally understandable. It’s hard enough to plan a Spring Break extravaganza on a nearly broke college budget without averaging $8 per cocktail. Plan smart, act cool and don’t get caught. You wouldn’t want your vacation to end before you even get on the boat.
