BOOZE ON THE CRUISE - BYOB rules vary among the lines

You're ready to cruise the Caribbean, soak up the rays and views . . . and partake of that choice rum you'll buy at deliriously duty-free prices. But hold that thought. Many cruise lines won't let you touch any alcohol you've brought onboard.

''We sell a ticket at a certain price, and we expect people will be spending some money onboard, and one of the things they'll spend on is alcohol,'' says Rick Sasso, president and chief executive of MSC Cruises USA.

He also cites safety concerns: ``There are bars on board, and we can control how much drinking people do. We don't want people drinking a couple of bottles in the cabin.''

That said, there is no norm. Policies on what you can bring onboard -- initially and at ports of call -- and what you can do with it are all over the map....