Thread: Bringing your Meds on a Cruise

I've always heard that you must bring your meds in the original bottles when you cruise. This can be a pain if you take a LOT of pills. I do. My dad called the Transportation Authority and asked what the requirements were. They told him it was OK to bring them in the 'daily dose' containers. Have any of you ever heard of this? Have you traveled and brought your meds this way before? I don't want to get into a situation at the airport or ship where they won't allow us to bring our meds. I need mine. It would be nice not to have to lug all those big bottles though.

I take oodles of meds too and despite being told that its 'probably OK' to take them out of their normal packaging, I always choose not to do that...just incase there is a problem. I have inhalers and bottles of pills and blisterpacked too...I just put everything in a toiletries bag inside my carry-on. That way if anyone does want to see, they can do.

But personally, I would leave them in the packaging they are provided in by the chemist.

Here is the page on the TSA website that applies to Meds on an aircraft (no similar page for ships is available):

http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/e...orial_1059.xml

It clearly says you can take drugs in a daily dosage container. It also says that while they would prefer for you to put them through the X-ray machine, you can request a visual inspection.
If you have copies of the prescriptions, take them with you. In addition to being able to refill them quicker if you lose your meds, it will also be extra verification if you get a real horse's butt at check-in. The people in the ship's clinic can verify that the pills you have match the prescriptions.

But this is for US departures. If I was using a port outside the US, and couldn't find the rules for that country, I would bring everything in the original bottles AND prescriptions.

I agree with MC, I would think that its better to be safe than sorry. I would bring meds in original containers as well as a copy of the prescription.

It'll probably save you hassle along the way....

DH has alot of meds too, he always lugs the bottles in a backpack, his are life threatening. Mine are not so I take them in a monthly pill despenser. Neither of us have ever been inspected, questioned or otherwise about our meds.

And if you take them with you in the daily dose containers, and they refuse to let you take them, you are in big trouble. Don't chance it.

Hanna, I always bring a copy of the TSA webpage of concern if I think there will be a problem. For a while they didn't allow knitting needles in carry-ons, and then they changed. I took the list with me in case I was challenged. But the case of medication is different. They can take away a toy or knitting needles to be jerks, but if they take away medication, the person involved could become ill. They are NOT going to risk that.

Also, keep in mind that ship security is not the same as TSA. Unless it comes to liquor, they are much more lenient in my observation.

We always take our meds in our carryons in the original containers just in case there is a problem somewhere. You never know when a security guard might get too overzealous or Murphy might strike.

We also take along copies of our prescriptions just in case there is a problem. We had no trouble filling a prescription for my wife's pain killers while we were in Puerto Rico (at a Walgreens!) although the pharmacist did ask for cash.

And it probably does not need saying, never pack your prescriptions in your suitcase!

I as well take mine in the original container from the pharmacy......but have never had them checked yet at any airport.

I hope you find out what the best way to go about it is, Mikey...we want you to be healthy and have a good time on your cruise...