I doubt it as that is from the British Virgin Islands not the United States Virgin Islands - different Countries 🙂

Pia

When I traveled to Europe a few years ago, you were allowed to bring one bottle back. I haven't checked the guidelines lately, but I'd guess they'd be the same. That would cover your rum from Foxy's.

Listen to Pia, You can bring back only the limits allowed from the USVI's. There is not a second section for booze bought in a 'foreign' BVI country, unless declared and the tax paid.

This is from the U.S. Customs web site. http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/kbyg/types_of_exemptions.xml

At the bottom of the page (under the category $1,600 exemption), you'll see the rules for bringing goods back from U.S. territories and their neighbors.

I'll copy that info here in case the link does not work.

The last paragraph deals with bringing liquor back. According to this verbiage, as long as some of your rum is from USVI, then you can bring some back from Foxy's too.

$1,600 Exemption

If you return directly or indirectly from a U.S. insular possession (U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, or Guam), you are allowed a $1,600 duty-free exemption.

If you travel to a U.S. insular possession and to one or more of the Caribbean Basin or Andean countries listed above, let’s say on a Caribbean cruise, you may bring back $1,600 worth of items without paying duty, but only $800 worth of these items may come from the Caribbean Basin or Andean country(ies). Any amount beyond $800 will be dutiable unless you acquired it in one of the insular possessions. For example, if you were to travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands and Jamaica, you would be allowed to bring back $1,600 worth of merchandise duty free, as long as only $800 worth was acquired in Jamaica.

Also, you may include 1,000 cigarettes as part of the $1600 exemption, but at least 800 of them must have been acquired in an insular possession. Only 200 cigarettes may have been acquired elsewhere. For example, if you were touring the South Pacific and you stopped in Tahiti, American Samoa, and other ports of call, you could bring back five cartons of cigarettes, but four of them would have to have been bought in American Samoa.

Similarly, you may include five liters of alcoholic beverages in your duty-free exemption, but one of them must be a product of an insular possession. Four may be products of other countries (see section on Unaccompanied Purchases from Insular Possessions and Caribbean Basin countries).

I have seen American Airlines claim that their limit is 5 liters thus stripping you of one at STX airport.

From American Airlines website baggage info.

Alcoholic Beverages (24-70 percent by volume) Alcoholic beverages in retail packaging Checked baggage - yes, see notes.

Limited to 5 liters per passenger

Hi Sandcrab!!!

I actually think that's the "norm" for all flights leaving the USVI - 5 one-liter bottles. The statute assumes that you will bring back six of the smaller, 3/4-liter bottles. I have never had anybody even ask about the volume of the bottles, heck, they rarely even ask how many bottles I'm bringing back. Usually just ask us, "Did you have a good time?".

Okay - just realized that the math doesn't work there - can someone verify?

Hi Joanne,
Yes we had a wonderful time. Received your gift and I also thanked and tipped Tommy. Unfortunately this 5 liter booze limit is not recognized/acknowledged by the retailers and the STX airport security seem to keep themselves well supplied in that extra 6th bottle...not to mention the 151 etc. Traded my one week suite at HotC for two weeks of standard hotel room. That yields us three weeks next year and till 2034. I may be a bit decrepid (sp?) by that time. The Cruzan though does have a way of making one feel younger.

Wow, I've never had anything confiscated at the airport and I often bring back as many as 8 liter bottles. My sister even counts 1.5 liter bottles as a single bottle and has never had a problem. Again, I say, WOW! You've really lost liquor there? Must be your shifty appearance 😉 You should have consumed it on the spot!!

That's great that you will have such a long vacation from here forward. Now if we can only get Paula to plan around us!!

I have a USVI guide book, Frommer's maybe? can't find it right now, but it stated in there that if at least one bottle was locally made, you could bring back 6. Maybe that book is not correct, but I trusted they were.

M.G.:

The book is correct....six bottles (1 liter bottles) if one is a Virgin Island rum.

F.I.

American Airlines does not have to play by Artie Frommer's rules. Nothing can stop them from being more restrictive than U.S. Customs. Go to American Airlines website and check it out.

"Wow, I've never had anything confiscated at the airport and I often bring back as many as 8 liter bottles. My sister even counts 1.5 liter bottles as a single bottle and has never had a problem. Again, I say, WOW! You've really lost liquor there? Must be your shifty appearance 😉 You should have consumed it on the spot!!

Yes Joanne,
I realize that you and your innocent looking sister can "smuggle" all you want. In my past life I worked a bit trying to put a stop to you and your Columbian bretheren. Were you one of those folks in the "go fast cigar boats" that would travel the Carib by night and then put a blue tarp over your boat during the day? We couldn't see you by air. Did you also have fake fuel tanks full of Coke...and not Cola? How do you get those stick matches on the airplane?
I don't want to hear anymore about your contraband, coniving ways. Paula sounds a little lonesome...waiting for our response. Can you blame her?

Ouch! I'm deeply wounded. Believe it or not, if we are asked we always answer honestly as to the quantity of our ill-gotten booty (and by "booty" I mean booze - just to be clear). My sister will be surprised that she's the innocent looking one - I don't believe she's ever heard that before.

Fastest boat I've ever been in was with a local who works in the marine department for Hovensa by day and races boats (by night?) as a hobby. Come to think of it though, I never asked to see what he had below deck.

I think Paula has been into the rum if she's lonesome for the likes of us!

Sandcrab:

You are correct....the American Airlines Baggage Statement limits liquor to 5 liters.......however the "fine print" on their website might infer that a sixth bottle is allowed.

The fine print: "Customs regulations by country may limit the amount of alcohol you may be transport. Please check ahead of time to ensure that you are in compliance with these limits. " Does this mean that a sixth bottle of USVI rum is allowed?

Or......just don't use American Airlines.

F.I.

Can anyone tell me if the rum bottles on St. Thomas are plastic? I want to save the weight for the luggage going back on the plane.

Linda

The Cruzan Rum bottles are glass...I don't know if any other brand is plastic.....

F.I.

Just to note. My husband had a cardboard carrier of a couple liters of alcohol from STT that he checked. Delta kept the package for pickup in the 'special handling' section of the baggage claim. At first he thought it was stolen when he couldn't find it, but they had it all in one piece. They do special handling for fragile, odd size, carseats, etc. Some friends of ours flew back from STT on Spirit and checked their liters of rum and never saw them again. Did not show and no compensation. Frustrating. I have not had perfect service with any airline, but some seem to do better than others.

Teresa

this thread is a life-saver...does anyone who'd been on American Airlines website know what the restriction is from USA to europe...don't want to stock up on rum then get as far as my connection and find out the limit is lower!!

actually my second connecting flight would count i suppose as 'domestic' maybe so that might reduce my options further...****!!

last time i was in STJ a bottle of cruzan rum was something ridiculous like $4.95 or something...anyone know what it is now? still good price?

cheers 🙂

ccd: Customs regulations vary from country to country within Europe. To the best of my limited knowledge, most countries in Europe allow very minimal carriage of alcohol from the USA. The airline should be able to answer your question.

Dark and light Cruzan rums are currently running around $6 for 750ml and $8 for 1 liter with the flavored Cruzan rums (750ml) running around $1 more. Hope this helps. Cheers!