Taking liquor abroad via checked baggage

[siesta]

Heading to Harborside this weekend from the States, and wanted to bring a bottle of 25 year old scotch, 750ml bottle. Any issues, advice?

 

[vacationhopeful]

Theft by TSA workers. I know for a FACT you can NOT carry it onto the plane. Leave it home is my recommendation.

 

[siesta]

Thank you for your reply. Potential criminality isnt one of the concerns i had in mind. if they want to risk their job and jail time for a $700 bottle of booze thats up to them, its not like a piece of jewlery that is easy to conceal with slight of hand from cameras. And i will bubble wrap it and pack it good so it breaking isnt a concern either.

My main concern was with TSA (other than theft), and primarily customs once im in the Bahamas.

The bottle is going, whether it comes with me or gets overnighted thru the mail. I just need to know which.

 

[C30NY]

I'd go overnight and insure it since its that expensive. Then either way you are covered

Looking around on the internet, it appears you can bring up to one Quart of liquor (~946ml)

Enjoy it one sip at a time! :whoopie:

 

[natasha5687]

Overnight it! Theft of liquor by TSA is very real especially if you have to stop in FL. They stole 5 bottles of liquor coming back from Barbados (paid for duty free and legit). Upon finding it was missing nobody knew anything. Send it overnight and insure it!

 

[tomandrobin]

We take bottles of booze/wine on international travels. We wrap it in bubble wrap, put in center of checked bag, use a TSA approved lock. We have not had a bottle missing or broken yet.

 

[siesta]

We take bottles of booze/wine on international travels. We wrap it in bubble wrap, put in center of checked bag, use a TSA approved lock. We have not had a bottle missing or broken yet.

One bottle, or multiple bottles?

 

[tomandrobin]

One bottle, or multiple bottles?

This is what is allowed by Bahamas Customs. I believe this is per adult.

• 200 cigarettes or
• 50 cigars or
• 454 grammes of tobacco products
• 1 quart of spirits and
• 1 quart of wine
• Personal items including clothes, shoes and watches etc not intended for sale
• Legal items up to $100.00 in value can also be imported.
• Local currency can is allowed entry with prior permission from the central bank of the Bahamas. There is currently no restriction on the amount of foreign currency that can be imported or exported out of the country. Residents and travellers can both export up to 70 Bahamian dollars with permission from the central bank.

When you are the airport.....It really pays to use a porter

 

[jarta]

Since in the Bahamas hard liquor is tax and duty-free, why would you bring liquor there rather than buy it there?

http://www.thebahamas.com/shopping/duty.htm

Leave the 25-year old stuff in the States. Buy the same thing in the Bahamas and enjoy it there. ... eom

 

[DavidnRobin]

Put the booze in a screw-top Nalgene container (they come in a variety of sizes) - they are lighter, do not break, will not spill (if screwed on properly), and will not impact taste - and TSA will not know it is valuable liquor. The only thing impacted is the visual appeal.

I have carryed scotch, vodka, gin, tequilla, triple sec, run, whiskey in nalgene over the years (both directions) with zero issues (other than added weight).

When going on a cruise ship where bringing alcohol can be prohibited (because they want $$$ for drinks) - I label them with a Sharpie with things like 'RINSE', 'MOUTHWASH', etc - never confiscated - saved $1000s.

 

[mecllap]

Since in the Bahamas hard liquor is tax and duty-free, why would you bring liquor there rather than buy it there?

http://www.thebahamas.com/shopping/duty.htm

Leave the 25-year old stuff in the States. Buy the same thing in the Bahamas and enjoy it there. ... eom

Maybe a silly question, but can you buy it duty and tax free and drink it there? Can't do that in the Cayman Islands (you can only buy it duty free to bring it home). Drinking it on island is a different store at really high prices.

 

[jarta]

"Maybe a silly question, but can you buy it duty and tax free and drink it there?"

Yes, you can drink what you buy right there. There is no sales tax and there is no duty assessed when the liquor is imported into the Bahamas. The Bahamian prices can vary somewhat (depending on the location of the retail store), but are much less than the US prices.

"How does duty-free shopping work?
It's simple. Merchandise that is sold duty free has had no import tax added to the price. Dealers pass the savings on to customers. Depending on your home country, you can take back goods worth up to a certain amount without paying any further tax or duty on them when you return.
For citizens of the U.S., the limit is $600 worth of goods, plus two litres of liquor per person. You'll need to be in the islands for at least 48 hours and you can only do this once in 30 days. A 10% tax is charged on any amount over $600 but less than $1,000. Any items made in The Bahamas are not counted toward the duty-free limit.
For families living in the same household and traveling together, the individual amounts can be pooled. A husband, wife, and two children, for example, may carry home $2,400 worth of goods. (The kids don't count toward the liquor total, though. )
Americans can send gifts home, as long as the value doesn't exceed $30 per day to the same person. The words "Unsolicited gift" must be on the customs form when the package is shipped.
Canadian citizens are allowed to take back up to $500 worth of merchandise and 40 ounces of liquor per person, after they've been traveling outside Canada for at least seven days. Their unsolicited gift limit is $40."

http://www.thebahamas.com/shopping/duty.htm

The liquor traffic flow is generally out, not in. I wrap the bottles and place them in the middle of our checked luggage. I haven't had anything "wander off" or break apart yet. Maybe I am just lucky. ... eom

 

[Twinkstarr]

This is what is allowed by Bahamas Customs. I believe this is per adult.

• 200 cigarettes or
• 50 cigars or
• 454 grammes of tobacco products
• 1 quart of spirits and
• 1 quart of wine
• Personal items including clothes, shoes and watches etc not intended for sale
• Legal items up to $100.00 in value can also be imported.
• Local currency can is allowed entry with prior permission from the central bank of the Bahamas. There is currently no restriction on the amount of foreign currency that can be imported or exported out of the country. Residents and travellers can both export up to 70 Bahamian dollars with permission from the central bank.

When you are the airport.....It really pays to use a porter

Also pays when getting off a cruise ship!

 

[siesta]

Thank you all for the advice, i dont want to take the chance of my specific bottle not being there, so i will bring mine with. But its good to know i can potentially buy the same bottle there for less, and if that really is the case i wont have to wait until i come home to purchase a replacement. :whoopie:

 

[YYJMSP]

Canadian citizens are allowed to take back up to $500 worth of merchandise and 40 ounces of liquor per person, after they've been traveling outside Canada for at least seven days. Their unsolicited gift limit is $40."

I think that's out of date.

Our limit is:

$50CAD if gone at least 24hrs, and can't include alcohol/tobacco. All goods must be with you when you cross the border.

$400CAD if gone at least 48hrs, and can include alcohol/tobacco. All goods must be with you when you cross the border.

$750CAD if gone at least 7 days, and can include alcohol/tobacco. Only alcohol/tobacco must be with you when you cross the border. Others can have been shipped.

You can only claim one of these exemptions. You can claim each exemption as often as you want.

Alcohol limit is 1.5L of wine OR 1.14L (40oz) of liquor OR 24 cans/bottles of beer not exceeding 8.5L total. You have to be of legal drinking age in your province.

Tobacco limit is 200 cigarettes AND 50 cigars AND 200g of tobacco. You have to pay an import duty if the items are not marked as having already paid the Canadian duty.

All of these limits are personal -- there is no pooling allowed between people.

Unsolicited gifts are allowed if they are shipped (can not be in your possession as you cross the border, or they will count in your personal exemption) and under $60CAD each. No alcohol/tobacco.

 

[pedro47]

OK! I would purchase my spirt after landing at the international airplane terminal and take it directly to the resort.

 

[rrazzorr]

Overnight it! Theft of liquor by TSA is very real especially if you have to stop in FL. They stole 5 bottles of liquor coming back from Barbados (paid for duty free and legit). Upon finding it was missing nobody knew anything. Send it overnight and insure it!

Pretty strange, did you have enough adults to cover the 'additional' 5 bottles of liquor? If I'm not mistaken US allows 1 liter per person. In many cases they do not care if you slightly go above the limit but if one would abuse the regulation I don't see why they would not confiscate.

 

[Cheryl20772]

Pretty strange, did you have enough adults to cover the 'additional' 5 bottles of liquor? If I'm not mistaken US allows 1 liter per person. In many cases they do not care if you slightly go above the limit but if one would abuse the regulation I don't see why they would not confiscate.

You are allowed one liter per person Duty Free. It's perfectly fine to buy more and pay the duty on it at customs. We have done it a couple of times on cruise ships. The prices are great and we don't mind paying the tax. I would be very disappointed to find that someone stole from my luggage. The receipts would be in my purse and I would certainly make a claim of some kind for the loss. Not sure how it would be covered... credit card insurance...travel insurance?