Magic Duty Free Alcohol

[kid-at-heart]

If anyone is going on a cruise via the Magic in the next few months, would you mind snapping a photo or two of what is available regarding duty free alcohol? Prices also.

We recently returned from our fourth (lucky us) cruise on the Wonder and were quite surprised to find their duty free selection of alcohol was extremely limited. Apparently this is the result of the renovations that occurred during the dry dock. The area that was once reserved for the duty free shop is now another shop, local goods or something similar and the "duty free shop" is now a few shelves located behind a cash register.

Thanks much!
Kate

 

[Msmit002]

Honestly, I have always found cruise ship duty free shops to be quite limited. At least limited in the sense that they don't carry new and interesting things I cannot find in the US, like the duty free shops in airports overseas or even in Canada. The prices on board are comparable to my local Total Wine so I don't feel like it's a *WOW* value. Not enough for me to stress over transporting it back home in my luggage.

I usually breeze through and take a quick look, but as of yet I have never bough anything while on board.

ETA: specifically referring to Duty Free alcohol. My DH scoffed at the 'never bought anything while on board' and feel compelled to clarify. To keep him from throwing shade at me all day.

 

[kid-at-heart]

When we cruise, I hit up our local store and snap a photo of the prices they charge on the brands/sizes we generally buy, or want to buy. For a few items, I save almost 40-50% of the local store cost by buying duty free. I am looking for the more expensive alcohol when shopping duty free. This last trip "my" souvenir was a liter of Grey Goose, something I am too cheap to buy at home.

I have to agree with you, the duty free shops are becoming rather limited, at least on the Wonder. It seems like there used to be more choices.

 

[Mark D.]

When we cruise, I hit up our local store and snap a photo of the prices they charge on the brands/sizes we generally buy, or want to buy.

I do the same thing, and if I have time I will comparison shop in ports. As an example, on our last cruise I was looking for a bottle of Patron Anejo. In one port, three different duty free shops had the same bottle with prices ranging from $42 to $54. The onboard price was $60, and I can buy it at home for $56 + tax. The $42 bottle came home with me. Generally, I have a savings goal to make it worth my while to get it home. It's not worth it to me if I'm only saving a few dollars, but if I'm saving $10-$15 a bottle, now it's worth it.

We've been on the Wonder, Magic, and Fantasy within the past year, and the selection is definitely worse than in the past - although it's never been great. On the Fantasy post dry dock, they didn't even have the prices posted -- you had to ask.