I just spent 15 days crossing the Atlantic Ocean, and one thing I wasn’t leaving behind was my cigars.

The cruise was what is called a ‘repositioning’ cruise. It is a great way to go from one part of the world to another, albeit at a slightly slower pace. I was on the Virgin Cruise line from Miami, FL to Barcelona, Spain. There are very few stops on repositioning cruises (in this case, the Canary Islands, Tenerife, Casablanca, and Valencia). So, that meant a lot of ‘sea’ days.

That said, if you are going to embark on a cruise and are wanting to bring your cigars on the cruise, you will want to keep a few things in mind that you will no doubt run into.

Bringing Cigars on a Cruise? Here is Your Guide

How many cigars should you bring on a cruise?

This is a personal question that only you and your cigar god can answer, but two things will help you nail the number.

First, the actual amount needed will change based on the weather, but remember, you will have a lot of free time on this recreational endeavor (I mean, floating prison), so add some extras.

Secondly, how many cigars do you want at the END of the cruise?

Why the end? For me, my vacation was not going to be over when I hit land…so if I just figured smoking ONLY on the ship, I would come up short. [Pro Tip: Be sure you know the laws in the final country you are ending up in…how many cigars can you bring into that country].

Prepare your cigar for the elements.

There is no doubt that there will be some wind, so a torch lighter is going to be your friend. The wind can shred your lighting experience and turn your cigar into a confetti cannon…so move quickly here.

It could be windy due to the weather, or it could be windy because the ‘smoking section’ is situated in a wind tunnel between the engine and the basketball court. In either case, the traditional Bic lighter will be at a disadvantage.

Smoking Indoor options?

Chances are the ship will have some ‘indoor’ smoking options.

If it does, it will most likely be smaller than your winter garage and 100x more smoky. Seriously, you are going to have to make a choice…deal with the wind, or smoke inside a Philip Morris test lab, which brings us to the next point.

What CIGARS to bring?

This is not the trip to bring your most prized unicorn cigars. You will probably not find your ideal smoking location, environment, or mix of newfound friends.

I brought a mix of cigars that I would enjoy after dinner, but also got plenty of cigars that I might smoke on a golf course or while mowing the lawn. I would not feel bad in a high-wind environment if I was smoking the latter.

Always take your selfie photo in black and white…everyone looks better in black and white.

Are those Cuban Cigars?

I don’t care what cruise you are on, two things will happen.

One, you will have the opportunity to purchase Cuban cigars in a port somewhere. They are not real. Ok, not 100% they are not real…more like 97% they are not real. Cohiba does not make a 5-pack with a plexiglass lid…so that should rule out a bunch for you. That guy also does not have a ‘friend’ in Cuba who sends him cigars.

You will be asked over and over again if you are smoking a Cuban. You will also run into ‘that guy’ that ONLY smokes Cubans because ‘they are the best.’ – Think in advance how you want to handle BOTH of these situations.

Just a few extra side-tips for bring your cigars on a cruise…

• Download anything you want to watch on your cell phone. The wifi is from 1998.
• You can’t smoke on your balcony. I still want a balcony because I saw Titanic, and I’m not waiting in the cafeteria for my lifeboat to be ready. I want to get off when I want to – I just am not allowed to have a cigar there.
• Don’t smoke in non-designated smoking areas. Don’t think Cruise ships have a brig? Think again. Don’t think they will find out…lol…that is cute.
• Even surrounded by a billion gallons of water your cigars will dry out. Pack them in Boveda bags and keep them at the ready.

CONTEST ALERT: So…how many cigars did I bring?

Well, let’s have some fun with this one.

The cruise was 15 days. I plan on spending another 21 days in Spain. So, leave in the comments how many cigars you thing I brought with me (knowing I would still buy some in Spain).

Whoever nails the number first will win a prize. Good luck and happy sailing!