Ok I'm going to chime in here even though I'm not 100% positive, but I'm pretty darn sure.

You are allowed to bring back more bottles of liquor with you but you will have to declare them and pay the duties. The doodies, I mean duties, (I never claimed to be mature) are minimal so you will still save money and you won't have to pay the expensive shipping costs and worry about breakage. HOWEVER, I am not sure if there is a limit of the number of those boxes from the airline. The govt will let you bring as many as you want but the airline restricts the number of carry ons checked bags etc. So pack light coming here and fill up your bags with booze.

You don't say how much extra liquor you are planning to bring back. I have occasionally brought back as many as nine bottles (three over the six bottle limit) with no problem. IF I was asked (and most often I am not asked) about the number of bottles I have always answered honestly. I have never been asked to pay duty on any of these bottles - I'm guessing that it is too much paperwork for the amount of bottles. I believe (but am really not sure) that the duty is 10%, so it is still a bargain. However, you should probably check on that.

Remember you can't carry them onto the plane anymore (all liquids over 3oz are banned) so you have to check the packed liquor boxes as an item of luggage (2 checked bags total allowed per person) and if you are over the limit I believe it is $25 (or $50.00 I can't remember so check with your airline) per bag for the first extra bag - may end up being a really expensive bottle of Cruzan 🙂

Pia

The U.S. Postal Service does not permit the shipping of products containing alcohol - http://www.usps.com/aviationsecurity/. While alcoholic beverages are not on the "hazardous" list, shipping them is prohibited...

Have had good luck traveling with a large rolling duffel holding our food coolers so we are lighter on the way back and then pack two cases of liquor inside - that makes only one checked bag. Friends duct-taped two boxes together to make one larger case - the counter folks shook their heads but didn't make an issue. I think it's $25 - $50 for an extra checked bag depending on the airline. Don't forget to wrap the bottles inside the case - we layer our clothes with bubble wrap and/or tissue on the way in and use that to wrap bottles on the way back.

What scares me is that I am traveling back thru San Juan and I have had bad luck with things being taken from my suitcases. So that's why I'm am so concerned.
Thanks for your advice.
Ms
CoCo

Ok, So if I travel with a extra suitcase and bubble wrap and be prepared to pay a little exta in duties. I should possible be ok.
Thanks.
Ms CoCo

Just a note-you can't get ANY liquid through airline security-you will have to check it-and possibly pay and extra charge-plus-take a breakage risk giving it to the airlines-if you pack it in your luggage and it goes over 50 pounds with all you clothes, etc-be ready to pay a $25-$50 surcharge for overweight bags!!!

Enjoy!

We just came back from STT and brought back 8 bottles. We put the 2 more expensive bottles in our luggage, wrapped them in bubble wrap and surrounded them with our clothes for more cushioning. The other 6 were in the box KMart provided. We taped the boxes and they came thru the San Juan airport with no problems. Nothing got broken or stolen.
We weren't sure exactly how heavy our checked luggage was so we tried to lighten it as much as possible by putting as much in our carry-on's, such as our fins and snorkels. It all worked out just fine, we've already gone thru a bottle of dark rum and sounds to me like a good excuse to go back for more!!!!!!
There were 2 other couples in our group and we all did the same thing, and everyone's "spirits" arrived in Philly safely intact. I would not hesitate to do it again.

Remi, that's "we" and 8 bottles.... well within what's allowed for more than one person. MsCoCo is asking about "I" and "more than six".

Personally I would go with what MARGY Z said. The tariff is still way more cheaper than the cost of the liquor on the mainland.

Jus curious did you bring back 10 bottles or 8. How many liters? Do you remember what prices ?
Thanks A-Mil
Ms CoCo

Since my DH and I were skeptical on how many bottles would arrive home with us, unbroken and accounted for, we opted to just bring 1 box ( 6 bottles) and the 2 others stashed in our suitcase. A few prices I remember were 1 liter of Bombay Sapphire Gin for $13.95, 1 liter of absolute vodka was $10-11. The dark Cruzan Run was $3.95 and 1 liter of Cruzan (coconut) rum was $7.99. HOpe this helps you. If you have other questions feel free to PM me. There are also duty free shops in San Juan, with comparable prices so you can even get more there. They put them in really nice locked carry-on bags which you then take on the plane with you as carry-on luggage. It was very convenient. I don't remember what the limit was there, at least 4 possibly more. You just need many hands when you get to your final destinations to carry everything home.

Remi,
In SJ, did you take those locked carry-on bags of liquor AFTER the new liquid restrictions? I don't think that would be possible now, would it?

Once you are in the airport you are free to buy any of the duty free things that they sell and take them on the plane with you. They are much more lax about the liquid restrictions in St thomas and in San Juan than in the states. Their only concern seemed to be were we bringing any fruit home with us, never once were we asked if we had any liquids in our carry-on's. I guess they figure you've gone thru security , after that you are free to purchase and carry-on anything you want from the airport terminal.

remi - that sounds like a plan! Is this possible at the STT airport also? and is liquor as cheap there as, say, the K-mart?

The duty free store is outside of the check in at STT so you can't carry on what you buy there

Ok, so that info is very , very helpful. Thanks................
Ms CoCo

Remi, how long ago did you fly? Because last time I flew from there, not long ago, they were more strict than I had ever seen and they did not allow any liquids.

OK. Call me crazy, but I decided yesterday to compare the liquor prices at a few locations in STT to determine once and for all " THE CHEAPEST PLACE TO BUY LIQUOR"

I usually buy my liquor at either Cost U Less, K-Mart, or one of the supermarkets as I have found they tend to be the cheapest.

Well the results are in, and they are.............. CRAP. Different stores have specials that throw everything out of whack lit re of Coconut Cruzan Rum was $12.99 at Cost U Less and K- Mart $6.99 at Plaza Extra on sale.
I priced various vodkas and bot a liter of Skolzy at Plaza Extra for $7.99 , I think it was miss marked. Bombay Sapphire Gin was cheapest at K-Mart by a dollar, but generally Cost-U Less was the cheapest

So, you can bargain hunt for specials and get great buys but you will spend all day shopping instead of at the beach Unless it rains again I am not shopping!.