Cheers program on Freedom out of galveston..

[Bookbug53]

Texas liquor laws apply on cruises leaving on Sundays. thats why you cant buy CHEERs on the 1st day (if you leave on sunday) but can on the 2nd day.

 

Sundays have absolutely nothing to do with this. Carnival does not offer Cheers from Texas on the first day regardless of what day of the week you sail.

[Bookbug53]

Cheers is not "all you can drink". The Carnival site states there is a 15 drink max per 24 hour period.

 

But it is a beverage package for a fixed price.

[john1701d]

Did you purchase the UBP on the day you boarded the ship while it was docked in Texas waters? Or was the purchase made and paid for pre-cruise on your Norwegian reservation?

 

It was added to the cruise at booking, weeks before sailing.

[john1701d]

It's this simple, it has to do with discounting liquors and also buying / consuming liquors bought in Texas. And Houston port has to abide by ALL TABC laws just as galveston port does. Let's not be silly.

 

Where's the silliness? Through both NCL and Royal you can take advantage of their liquor packages on day 1. They do limit you to a smaller menu of drink choices, but it is unlimited number.

[ROPD184]

Where's the silliness? Through both NCL and Royal you can take advantage of their liquor packages on day 1. They do limit you to a smaller menu of drink choices, but it is unlimited number.

 

 

The silliness JOHN comes when we say that Galveston TX cruise port abides by different TEXAS liquor laws than HOUSTON TX cruise port. Please, no way that could happen and it's silly to say so.

 

Anything else?

[john1701d]

I didn't state that, my point was that other lines do something Carnival does not. So if it is in fact a state law, there's something unusual going on. Why the snarkiness?

[KLD1019]

Sundays have absolutely nothing to do with this. Carnival does not offer Cheers from Texas on the first day regardless of what day of the week you sail.

 

ive never sailed on any other day but sunday, so i stand corrected.

 

BUT, texas does have a sunday liquor law, so it would make sense anyway on sunday cruises ;)

[skittl1321]

It was added to the cruise at booking, weeks before sailing.

 

I do wonder if this makes a difference. They didn't sell you a package in Texas. They sold it in Florida, or wherever their home office is.

 

Were they selling them on day 1 on the ship?

 

 

 

/Still think they either haven't been "caught" yet or are just eating the fine.

[winddawn]

Hello,

I read that because of Texas laws or taxes that you can't get the the 15 drinks a day/cheers program til the second day of the cruise. So does that mean that it will be $300.00 per person for the 7 day cruise as you have to buy per drink as we leave Galveston? Just trying to plan ahead. Thanks

Carnival says:

 

"•Due to Texas state laws, we cannot sell CHEERS! until the second day of the cruise for voyages departing from our Texas home ports. Drinks purchased on the first day of the cruise will be charged to the guest’s Sail & Sign card in the usual manner. When purchased on the second day of the cruise, guests are charged for the remaining days only (cruise duration less one day)."

 

https://help.goccl.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1106/~/cheers!-beverage-program

[train460]

I believe it has to do with liquor that the ship buys from Texas. In buying in bulk from wherever they buy at whatever price but texas and tabc wants their taxes ie paying taxes on your bottle purchase after getting off. I believe carnival buys a certain amount from texas, pays said tax and buys the rest from their own distributor. That also explains the limited selections on depart day. You can only get what the ship pays texas tax on.

my 02

[BallFour4]

I believe it has to do with liquor that the ship buys from Texas. In buying in bulk from wherever they buy at whatever price but texas and tabc wants their taxes ie paying taxes on your bottle purchase after getting off. I believe carnival buys a certain amount from texas, pays said tax and buys the rest from their own distributor. That also explains the limited selections on depart day. You can only get what the ship pays texas tax on.

my 02

 

Galveston ships have two stocks of alcohol for the first day. They bars are open with a full range of service, but they pour from liquor that has the TABC tax paid per bottle. A few minutes before the ship enters international water the bars close. This takes approximately ten minutes for them to store away the tax paid alcohol, run a report on the register and stock the bar with duty free booze.

 

One boring note; this isn't a new law in Texas, it's been in place and not enforced in Galveston for several years. Now they have TABC employees stationed at the last door to exit the terminal wanting to take you over to their table and collect tax on booze you bought on the trip.

 

I don't purchase alcohol in port or from the ship but that didn't stop them from questioning me three times as I exited the terminal in June. They are more aggressive than when the enforcement first went into place.

 

Combine this with the lack of ability to carry alcohol purchases aboard a plane and the days of a huge liquor store aboard the ship are gone. The stores now are relegated into a corner of the gift shop and smaller than ever. Those Cruzan rum bottles used to be stacked to the ceiling!

 

.

Edited August 25, 2015 by BallFour4

[train460]

We didn't have any issues going past the Tax collectors on any "TAX & DUTY" free booze. But then again we were not carrying anything in the open.

Not saying that we had any, but not sure how they can even tell if it was in your luggage.

michael

[DreadPirateRobert]

I don't see why they couldn't sell it as soon as they hit international waters.

 

Texas certainly has some ridiculous liquor laws. I can't say I've paid attention to drink prices on a cruise in some time but on a cruise back a few years ago out of Galveston the bartender mentioned that the drink prices would change once we reached international waters. The bartenders physically switched out the bottles at that bar and drink prices were less from then on. He said it had something to do with tax free liquor on board that could not be served in "Texas waters".

[tejanokid]

Is it worth's the money.

Thanks

[Wanna_Cruize]

One other 'Crazy Texas Rule' to be aware of when sailing from Galveston. If you get one of those Free Drink coupons (DH & I both get one for being Platinum) don't save it until the debarkation morning & try and use it. Our usual habit is to save the coupons for the last morning, and go to the dining room for breakfast and have one last mimosa for the road. Well, on our first cruise from Galveston, the MaitreD' came over to our table to give his apologies, but because of Texas laws we couldn't redeem it for alcohol that day, only soda.

[DarthGrady]

If you know the right knock and password at the lobby bar, tip your bowler hat to the left and ask for "Melvin". He'll sell you a drink package. Just make sure you do the old 23 skidoo if Jimmy the door man stomps his foot twice! That's the G-men coming to give ya what for!

 

[Cruisefriends]

Thanks for all the tips. So how much it the tax that Texas charges us on booze bottles we buy on the ship?

[javafish]

http://www.tabc.state.tx.us/poe/tax_rates.asp