Can I bring water or soft drinks on board?

Effective for sailings 15 July 2016 and beyond, guests are prohibited from bringing any beverages -- including liquor, beer and non-alcoholic drinks such as water, soda and juices -- on board either as carry-on or checked luggage, with the exception of purified or distilled water in factory-sealed containers for use in conjunction with medical devices or for the reconstitution of infant formula; and fully sealed and/or corked wine bottles for personal consumption on board that is subject to screening and a corkage fee (for guests 21 years of age or older). Open beverages of any kind must be consumed or discarded at the security checkpoint, on embarkation day and at any port of call. This revised policy brings the company in line with other best practice travel security protocols and reduces the need for individual time consuming screening and package inspection of large volumes of beverages.

Why the change in policy?

The inspection of large volumes of beverages has an impact on the embarkation process and security resources. As one example, guests who attempt to smuggle alcoholic beverages on board often try to do so in beverage containers. This means all beverages must be personally screened, taking both time and dedicated personnel.

This modified policy will now bring us in line with other travel industry procedures for transporting beverages and allow security personnel to focus on other screening efforts and not individually inspecting all beverages being brought on board.

What if I purchase a beverage in a port of call?

Guests will not be permitted to bring any beverages on board the ship in ports of call and any locally-purchased beverages will be disposed of prior to embarkation. No open containers of beverages, including water, will be allowed on board during a port of call.

If you purchase any alcohol at one of our ports-of-call or in our on-board shops, we will safely store your purchase and either on the final night of the cruise or the morning of disembarkation it will be available for pick up in a designated area.

What happens if I bring a case of water to the ship?

Guests who bring beverages to embarkation will be directed to return the items to their vehicle. If the guest does not have a vehicle on site, the items will be disposed of.

If I need to bring water or milk on board for a medical reason or infant, what’s the process?

Guests who have special needs, medical requirements, or families with infants who require water for formula or milk, should contact the access desk at accessdesk@ncl.com to verify if an exception can be made for their beverage and to obtain pre-approval to provide to security at embarkation.

Is the water on board safe to drink?

All of our ships produce water in accordance with the guidelines and requirements as defined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Public Health Service, Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Center for Environmental Health.

Can I still bring wine on board?

Yes, guests may bring sealed bottles of wine on board for personal consumption. They will be checked prior to embarkation and a corkage fee applied at that time of $15.00 USD for a 750 ml Bottle or $30.00 USD for a 1,500 ml Magnum bottle. Box wines are not allowed on board.

Guests who purchase a beverage package, or who have a beverage package as part of the Free at Sea™ promotion, will not be charged a corkage fee.

Why can I bring wine but not other beverages?

As very few guests bring wine on board, the team is able to easily and quickly screen these items.