Double Bagging
Bring the allotted amount of alcohol (plus a little more) in your bags. Most cruise lines, aside from MSC and Costa Cruises, allow each passenger (21+, of course) to bring one wine bottle along for the ride. Since carry-ons and regular luggage are checked separately, just pop one bottle in each. If you’re going with other people, have them try this trick too. Many cruises can deny boarding to anyone caught breaking their alcohol policies, but you’re more likely to get fined or have your drinks confiscated. Weigh the risks and rewards before trying anything一 finessing a drink package may be a better option.
Wine Swapping
Give your allowed alcohol a little extra kick. Wine’s great, but spirits are where the money’s really at. You can fill a wine bottle with something a bit stronger, but you need to reseal it afterward, or it’ll get caught in security. Use a resealing kit to make everything look properly closed.
Rum Runners
Bottles are easy to spot on scanners, but these plastic pouches can slip by. Rum runners are soft plastic flasks that come in a variety of sizes. Cruise attendants are on the lookout for alcohol, and a hard bottle in your luggage can incite a search. Rum runners, however, are thin enough to not be caught. Store your rum runner on its side, with the capped end next to your toiletries. This will make it more difficult to distinguish during the bag x-ray. If your bag gets manually searched, however, they’re likely to be found. The smaller sizes can be tucked away on your body, like in the pockets of cargo shorts.
Mouthwash with a Kick
Take advantage of a large, legal liquid container. Using mouthwash bottles to sneak alcohol on a cruise is as classic as you can get. Tint clear alcohol light blue or green and pour it into a clean mouthwash bottle to slip that guy past security. A big bottle gets you more booze, of course, but it can be suspicious to bring a liter of mouthwash on a week-long cruise. A smaller size will be more likely to go undetected. This trick is a classic, but cruise ship security has gotten wise enough to this method that they’ll often open mouthwash bottles to smell the contents.
Tampon Shots
Store alcohol in unassuming menstrual products. Many people have a great excuse to bring tampons on a cruise, and they’re an unlikely product to be searched. Tampon flasks only carry about one shot’s worth of alcohol, but if you’re trying to make your drink a double at the bar, these test tube-like babies can save you some money.
Spirits in Shampoo
Hiding alcohol in toiletries is a great way to fly under the radar. X-ray scanners detect liquids, but some fluid in your luggage is expected in personal hygiene products. A clean shampoo bottle is all you need for a makeshift flask. For more security, replace the bottle’s “do not use if broken” seal with a shampoo flask kit. It’s near impossible to totally clean a shampoo bottle, so consider shelling out for a specialty flask.
Sunscreen Shooters
Swap scented sunscreen for shots. A sunscreen bottle is a perfect hiding spot for vacation drinks. These novelty flasks look just like the real thing and sometimes carry up to 10 fluid ounces (300 mL). Just don’t confuse it for the actual stuff!
Umbrella Flask
This flask looks exactly like a regular umbrella and is easy to carry on. This one might take the cake for most camouflaged. It doesn’t make a ton of sense to bring one on a Caribbean getaway, but a colder trip (maybe to Scandinavia?) practically invites you to bring an umbrella flask.
Beer Goggles
Set your sights on a free drink with the binocular flask. Sightseeing, what? Birding, who? Each lens of the binocular flask is its own container, so while other passengers take in the views, you can mix yourself a dirty martini by the shuffleboard court.
Hair of the Dog
Switch an inconspicuous hygiene staple with a hairbrush flask. This fake paddle brush is inconspicuous and handy一you can even use it on your hair. Detangle after a beach visit and sip in style.
Snap Shots
Replace your digital camera with an undercover flask. Another vacation item dupe is the camera flask. Get a little tipsy while you’re making memories (and taking pics on your phone).
Body Bags
Avoid the luggage x-rays by wearing a body flask. If you’re worried about smuggling alcohol in your bag, just wear it on your body! Skip the scanners entirely with a fake beer belly, or go up a cup size with a wine bra. You can even pack a little more heat downstairs with a beer bladder. Be extra careful when going through the metal detector. If you accidentally leave your phone in your pocket or a watch on your wrist, you may get a pat down.
Boozy Tote
Pour yourself a drink poolside from a false-bottomed beach bag. What’s the point of sneaking contraband on board if you only can drink it in your room? This wine tote comes with an insulated internal pocket that can fit a bottle of wine.
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