All Inclusive Beverage Package - Sailing from Houston

[aggie182]

On a recent Carnival cruise leaving from Galveston, the Cheers! Package was not available until the second day, due to Texas law.

 

I do not see anything on the All Inclusive Beverage Package on Princess mentioning the same. Is it available from the time you walk on the ship or is there the same wait?

[Pam in CA]

Texas charges a tax on any beverages sold on the ship until it's in international waters. You have a choice: buy a beverage package when you board and pay the TX tax or wait until the ship is in international waters. It doesn't matter which ship or cruise line you take. It's Texas law. There are other ports in other states that also charge the tax. On Princess, in my experience, they've hand written a receipt and entered it into the system once the ship is at sea.

[triple7tahoe]

Texas charges a tax on any beverages sold on the ship until it's in international waters. You have a choice: buy a beverage package when you board and pay the TX tax or wait until the ship is in international waters. It doesn't matter which ship or cruise line you take. It's Texas law. There are other ports in other states that also charge the tax. On Princess, in my experience, they've hand written a receipt and entered it into the system once the ship is at sea.

Thanks-WE will be leaving shortly on a cruise out of Houston. With some of the fog delays recently I was wondering about the tax; also they have a limited (different drink names) bar menu until they leave.

[fishywood]

It's not so much the sales tax on the cost of the package, but the Texas law that requires the ships only to serve alcohol that was sourced from Texas (and thus paid Texas excise taxes) while in Texas waters. Rather than fully stock their bars from a local supplier, Carnival offers a limited drink menu until reaching international waters and correspondingly sells their Unlimited Alcohol package for Day 2 thru Day Last. Princess has elected to not pro rate their package price.

[aggie182]

Thanks for the replies.