Liquor Allowance

Frequent Flyer Joined: 10 Jan 2008 Posts: 21

I understand that each person is allowed to bring 1 liter (1,000ml) of liquor into GC. A fifth is 750ml. So if each of us brings one fifth we have a total of 1,500ml which means we still should be allowed another 500ml. So if one of us also brings a pint (473ml) will that be pushing it since one of us will have a fifth and a pint and the other just a fifth? Not sure how strick they are about the allowance.

Thanks,

Bill D.

Status Member Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Posts: 649

You will get the best price buying at the duty-free shop in your departure airport. They sell by the liter there.

Frequent Flyer Joined: 10 Jan 2008 Posts: 21

Thanks NorthSideSue. If I buy it in the airport will I be able to take it on the plane?

Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 11:00 am Post subject:

Yes, you can bring it on the plane, because you will have passed through security by that time.

But, to answer your first question, I think you'll be fine. I can't remember your exact situation, but assuming it's two couples traveling together.....let's say that you and your spouse bring in two fifths plus one pint....that adds up to 1973 ml, which is just under two liters, which is your allotment as a family traveling together....so that will be fine.

I think that they are strict, but it's not like they dig through your luggage and check......of course, if you've brought it on as carry-on, they might look it over. Anyway, in either case, you write down on your Customs card how much you are bringing in and they might ask you about it or whatever, but unless they see something suspicious about you, they're not going to search your bags.

I'm not saying to sneak in more than your allotment or anything....not that at all. I just didn't want people to think they are so strict that they are going to check it out for themselves. They will just take your word for it, I'm sure.

Char

Frequent Flyer Joined: 10 Jan 2008 Posts: 21

Thanks Scubachar! I only asked the question because I want to follow the rules which are in place. But I don't want to purchase something just to have it thrown away because I didn't do my homework. We are flying Delta from Cincy to Atlanta and then into GC. Looks like the only Duty Free Store in the Atlanta Airport which sell's liquor is in terminal E so now I have to check and see what terminal we arrive at in Atlanta. I hope my wife appreciates the efforts. I'm a beer drinker and she likes Margarita's so I figured we'd bring the Tequila and buy the mix when we get there. Should save us enough during the week to pay for a dinner or two Smile

Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 6:55 pm Post subject:

Oh, I know! Your questions were both good ones!

I definitely believe in doing my homework before going on a trip (almost to a fault Wink

).

Char

Status Member Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Posts: 649

Your arrival terminal in ATL doesn't matter. You will be departing in the terminal with the duty-free shop.

Status Member Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 854

We went connected in Atlanta last year......we were told then if we bought liquor, it would be delivered to us on the plane.....we were not allowed to carry it on, even though we had passed through security and customs.

You may want to call the airport and check.....another thought.......if you can find a good sale at home, buy it there.........bubble wrap the heck out of it and put it in your suitcase.....it will save a lot of hassle....you may spend a little more.........the key to taking alcohol is protecting it from breakage....do anything you can to protect it. Just adding my 2 cents.......I am reading on here looking for excursion operators.....and had a nap......gaaaaaa......now I'm wide awake. Confused

I couldn't even buy perfume.........it would have had to be delivered.......things may have changed since last year.

Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 8:10 am Post subject:

There's two things involved here. One is bringing any liquids onto a flight in this day and age, which you now can only do if you have passed through security. That goes for bottled water, soda pop, milk or alcohol - anything to drink.

The second issue is buying your alchohol duty-free. You are only able to do that if you are leaving the country with it, so in order to make sure that you are really getting on the airplane and leaving with it, they deliver it to the flight. From then on, I think it is considered to be carry-on. Not sure how each airline does it, but at some time, they have to hand it over to you. Whether that is when you step onto the plane or land in your destination, I'm not sure.

I know people do it all the time, but as knees says that she does, I just pack our allowance of liquor very carefully in our packed bags, and not worry about whether or not I'm buying it duty-free or not. We have enough carry-ons to deal with and would rather not bother with boxes of alcohol too.

Char

Status Member Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 854

So true Char........the booze is enough hassle on the way out of the country of departure, along with all your carry ons and you have to really pack it carefully before going through customs in the U.S......hubby always tells me I don't need any more rum.......we always buy our limit though... Mr. Green

I could have a HUGE party with all the rum I've brought back over the years. band1

(or maybe I should just start drinking it) BouncingLaugh

Frequent Flyer Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 35 Location: no

Technical question, I am traveling with a few other people under 21 but are they allowed to buy in the duty free shop if they are traveling into the caymans ?

Frequent Flyer Joined: 10 Jan 2008 Posts: 21

We'll I went out and purchased a 1.75 Liter (Plastic Bottle) of Tequila. I plan on putting it in a couple of zip lock bags and put it in our checked luggage.....along with a couple of beach towels to cushion the ride Smile

Hopefully since my wife and I are traveling together we won't have a problem with customs since it's less than the limit of 1 Liter per person.

Newbie Joined: 31 Jan 2008 Posts: 7

Hello all, and thanks for the great info! My husband and I are about to embark on our first Carribean vacation ever, going to the Caymans. I have lots of questions, but trying to read all the forums first! So here's my first one-is alcohol really that more expensive there that I should think about bringing it with me?

Status Member Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 854

I found this on a website.......not sure where you are from, but the U.S. dollar is only worth .80 on GC......that could make a difference too....on the other hand, do you really want to take a chance and travel with it? You'll have to pack it well.....to me, IMHO, it's not worth it to take a chance of broken booze bottles all over my clean clothes.....different story on the way home.....doesn't matter......they will all get washed anyway.........Hope this helps. I am not sure if the information about buying liquor at the duty free on arrival is correct though.

Buying Liquor

If you are on a cruise ship you can purchase liquor (especially rum) at very attractive prices. You must make your purchases two hours before time for your ship to depart as purchases must be delivered to the ship.

If you're staying on Grand Cayman any liquor you purchase for consumption on the island comes at a hefty price tag (about $10 difference on a bottle of rum). You can bring back up to 2 liters per adult duty free. If you have flown in Grand Cayman, you can buy your liquor duty free at the airport.

The number of duty-free liters allowed per person varies, depending on the airport where you go through customs. We were told at the airport (in the liquor store) that we could each purchase 2 liters duty-free. On the plane we were told 1 liter per person. (We were flying back to the U.S. via Atlanta.) I believe 2 liters is allowed through Miami.

Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 6:51 pm Post subject:

Oh my gosh, knees Shock

,

I have no idea what website you got that from, but my guess is that it's just some traveler's trip report or something. It certainly isn't anything official, and, not only is it very confusing, but it's almost all wrong.

I'm very tempted to just delete it, so that others won't read it and be misinformed.

We really pride ourselves here on the board in providing accurate and dependable information......another reason that I might delete that.

For now, I will leave it in and try to explain each point:

Buying liquor at a duty-free shop in a foreign country is not the same thing as bringing liquor back in to the United States. The same could be said for buying liquor at a duty-free shop in the U.S. vs. how much alcohol you can bring into the Cayman Islands duty-free. Those are two totally different things.

Sometimes, but not all the time.....you can find a good deal at a duty-free shop in your departure airport. If you don't mind having to bring it on the plane and dealing with that, and you think you have a good deal....fine, buy it there. If you don't want to bother carrying it on, just buy it at home and pack it well in your checked bags. No matter which way you bought it....duty free or at your neighborhood liquor store, you are still only allowed to bring in one liter of alcohol (OR one case of beer OR 4 liters of wine) per person 18 years and older into the Cayman Islands duty free. You can bring more.....but you'll pay duty.

Is it worth bringing some in with you? I definitely think so, because, due to a very high liquor import tax that the Caymanians have to pay to bring liquor onto the island, it is very expensive. Sometimes, maybe triple what you would pay at home. So, we bring our duty-free allowance in with us, and then just use our CAG coupons for a 10% discount on wine and spirits at Blackbeards and/or Big Daddy's, when we need to restock Wink

.

rahkonenj............You asked a good question about your under 21 friends being able to buy liquor in the duty free shop because they're headed to Cayman. The answer would be "No"....at least, I'm assuming that the legal drinking age in the city of the airport that you are talking about is 21. They don't care what the laws are where you are going.......whatever the legal age is in the state that you are flying out of determines whether you can buy it or not.

Now, this quote that knees just posted also said that the amount of duty-free alcohol that someone can bring back into the United States will depend on the airport that they are flying into..... Shock

. All airports in the United States will have the same rules....I think you are only allowed to bring back 1 liter per adult (I think 21 years old) from anywhere duty free.

I know it gets really confusing.....especially when talking about buying liquor at a duty free shop in a departing airport and then bringing in stuff "duty free" into another country. Just remember, those are two completely different things.

Hope this helps...

Char

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