Cheers ??? Again!!

[LSUcajunmom]

I'm aggravated by the conflicting posts about taxes paid while still in US waters as opposed to buying the package international waters. Is there a difference in cost? Please comment based on your experience not what you have heard, that's what I did on another thread and was told I was wrong. Help!!!

[TennesseeTater]

You are only charged taxes on the drinks you buy in U.S. waters . You don't pay taxes on the cheers program when you buy it.

[splintz]

You are only charged taxes on the drinks you buy in U.S. waters . You don't pay taxes on the cheers program when you buy it.

 

this is correct. i have had cheers many times. you don't pay taxes on the plan it self. so it does not matter if you buy it first day in port, or second day at sea it is the same price. you will pay tax per drink you buy while in U.S. waters. this is the same if you have cheers or not. depending on what port you leave from you might be taxed longer then other ports because it takes you longer to get to international water. i leave from baltimore a lot and you pay the tax a long time because you have to go all the way down the Chesapeake bay out through Norfolk then into the ocean. so the whole first night you pay tax on the drinks. unlike leaving Miami where you get into international waters rather quickly.

[ancfun]

You are only charged taxes on the drinks you buy in U.S. waters . You don't pay taxes on the cheers program when you buy it.

 

This has been exactly my experience x3. ;)

[winddawn]

I'm aggravated by the conflicting posts about taxes paid while still in US waters as opposed to buying the package international waters. Is there a difference in cost? Please comment based on your experience not what you have heard, that's what I did on another thread and was told I was wrong. Help!!!

Related to paying sales tax, it doesn't matter when you buy Cheers. If you get an alcoholic beverage before you get into international waters, whether you have Cheers or not, you will be charged the tax on each beverage you get before you are in international waters. You will not be charged tax on the Cheers package itself period.

[LSUcajunmom]

So it increases the cost of the beverage within the Cheers package, not the price of purchasing the package when still in US waters?

Edited April 18, 2015 by LSUcajunmom

[LSUcajunmom]

this is correct. i have had cheers many times. you don't pay taxes on the plan it self. so it does not matter if you buy it first day in port, or second day at sea it is the same price. you will pay tax per drink you buy while in U.S. waters. this is the same if you have cheers or not. depending on what port you leave from you might be taxed longer then other ports because it takes you longer to get to international water. i leave from baltimore a lot and you pay the tax a long time because you have to go all the way down the Chesapeake bay out through Norfolk then into the ocean. so the whole first night you pay tax on the drinks. unlike leaving Miami where you get into international waters rather quickly.

 

Leaving out of NO so it takes no longer to reach international waters from that port too.

[RHilla619]

So it increases the cost of the beverage within the Cheers package, not the price of purchasing the package when still in US waters?

 

From what I've read/gathered you DO NOT pay sales tax on the actually Cheers Package, all you pay is the package price plus gratuity so grand total of about $57 per night. What you do pay tax on is every drink you get while still in US waters, regardless of having the package or not. So if you ordered a Bud light you'd pay the sales tax on the $6 it costs, even though you have the cheers package. It literally comes out to .35 to .75 cents per drink, just water under the bridge.

[n6uqqq]

Don't sweat the small stuff ;)!

[jkneern]

Any drink you order before reaching international waters will be charged sales tax for the state the ship departs. If it's 7% sales tax for that state, you will be charged on your sign and sale card. If the drink was $10 then your card is charged .70cents

[TeresaJ]

There is no tax on the total package but you pay a small tax for every drink you order before you sail out of the US. Seriously might be like 40 cents or something like that per drink when you are in your departure port. After you sail away no taxes added on the drinks.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Forums mobile app

[LizaMM]

So it increases the cost of the beverage within the Cheers package, not the price of purchasing the package when still in US waters?

 

Yes.

 

No sales tax on the actual package whether you buy it while in port/US water or not.

 

When you purchase a beverage with Cheers while in US water you will receive a sales slip charging $0 for the beverage itself and $tax amount will appear.

 

When purchasing once you are out of US water you will only be billed $0

[bdziewit]

So you can buy it your on embarkation day? I wasn't sure whether you had to wait until day #2 to purchase it. We are going out of Galveston if that makes a difference.

[SadieN]

Several years ago (preCheers) you were charged tax on the total price of the soda card before you hit the line. Now it's on the drinks you actually order.

[JillySue]

It's precisely what I said yesterday. I've done it 3 times in the last 6 months. You do not pay tax on the package. On cruises out on the west coast, we pay tax on drinks until we leave Long Beach, and again while anchored off Catalina. I don't want to be rude and I'm sorry if it comes across that way, but I'm kind of...disappointed, I guess, that you doubted my answer so much you made an entirely new conversation.

[Raxter54]

Leaving out of NO so it takes no longer to reach international waters from that port too.

 

Yeah, takes about 7-8 hours to reach the Gulf from New Orleans.

[LSUcajunmom]

This will be my 4th time sailing out of NO. Love sailing down the river!!

[LSUcajunmom]

It's precisely what I said yesterday. I've done it 3 times in the last 6 months. You do not pay tax on the package. On cruises out on the west coast, we pay tax on drinks until we leave Long Beach, and again while anchored off Catalina. I don't want to be rude and I'm sorry if it comes across that way, but I'm kind of...disappointed, I guess, that you doubted my answer so much you made an entirely new conversation.

 

Had nothing to do w doubting your answer. Just seeking clarification for what I had assumed about taxes/Cheers program. That's the beauty of a blog. This will be my 12th cruise and still learn something new every time.

[comett]

So you can buy it your on embarkation day? I wasn't sure whether you had to wait until day #2 to purchase it. We are going out of Galveston if that makes a difference.

 

The cheers program can not be bought on Sunday in Galveston because of Texas laws. The program can be purchased on day two.

[firemanbobswife]

Several years ago (preCheers) you were charged tax on the total price of the soda card before you hit the line. Now it's on the drinks you actually order.

 

Actually, it had nothing to do with the Cheers package coming out. As recent as last May when I had BB, the tax was done at the port on the whole package if you bought it then. When I went back 5 months later, you were taxed on each drink while in port in Miami, San Juan, and St Thomas. I am talking about Bottomless Bubbles. Cheers has always been that way.

[LSUcajunmom]

Thanks for the great explanations!!