No more ordering indulgences for embarkation with "at sea" - Changes on HAL website.

[Fouremco]

I hate the new website also. All of the reviews for the excursions are gone! Now it says 0 reviews! Grrr.

Yes, most annoying, but you can still find them if you google the excursion name. Only with HAL would you have to go outside their website to find a link back in! :rolleyes:

[Krazy Kruizers]

I'm not sure how HAL is calculating prices/taxes. When I placed my order earlier today, it was for delivery in Boston. I've just gone back and placed a dummy purchase of the same item for delivery in Halifax and again for Quebec City and got exactly the same price as for Boston.

 

 

 

Not all states that HAL sails from charge taxes.

I know we paid taxes (at one time) for Florida and Washington. And for Florida we paid different taxes -- Key West was more than Ft Lauderdale.

[Fouremco]

Not all states that HAL sails from charge taxes.

I know we paid taxes (at one time) for Florida and Washington. And for Florida we paid different taxes -- Key West was more than Ft Lauderdale.

Mysteriouser and mysteriouser!

[sapper1]

I guess we will just have to wait until some reports from future cruisers of how the new method is being implemented start drifting back here to Cruise Critic to get some of our answers.

[Typhoon1]

Whether we chose at sea or port. Anything we ordered has always been in our cabin on Embarkation Day.

[POA1]

Not all states that HAL sails from charge taxes.

I know we paid taxes (at one time) for Florida and Washington. And for Florida we paid different taxes -- Key West was more than Ft Lauderdale.

Counties and cities in Florida can impose a sales tax that is above and beyond Florida's 6%. If I recall correctly, Key West adds an extra 1.5%. So, basically you're paying 25% more sales tax in Key West. (1.5% is 25% of 6%.)

[sail7seas]

Same in Canada, I believe.

Some Provinces/cities charge higher taxes than others.

 

[HokiePoq]

I just tried to look at Indulgences and Shore Excursions for an upcoming cruise. Yuk1! HAL is definitely making it difficult and I don't like the "Chosen Just for You" lead in for the various items. Will try again closer to the cruise because it is way too unfriendly at the moment. I never understand why tried and true webpages are changed. And it is not just HAL. I guess I am too old.

 

No, you are not too old. HAL has taken the best website for ordering (of those we cruise) and made it not so good. We had a great itinerary page printed but now it doesn't look printable any more. The reviews used to be easy to access but I couldn't find them until someone called attention to the new tab here on CC. Other lines (particularly X and RCCL) have had awful websites compared to HAL....Why "fix" it when it wasn't broken?

[cavecreekguy]

I guess we will just have to wait until some reports from future cruisers of how the new method is being implemented start drifting back here to Cruise Critic to get some of our answers.

 

I'll let you know what happens tomorrow.

[LVSue]

I may be missing something, but I order booze on board after we are in international waters to avoid the add'l taxes.

[erewhon]

I discovered a something today and thought I would share in case it helps others.

 

Normally we order our "indulgences" (beverages) to be delivered to our stateroom on embarkation day with delivery "at sea" so we don't pay the taxes.

 

When I was on the HAL website today to order, I discovered that the only option on embarkation day is the port itself. To have it delivered "at sea" you now have to wait for the sea day (normally the second day of your cruise).

 

Interesting indeed. Another change.

 

BTW - I didn't see Grey Goose in the pre-ordering list :eek: DH can try something new ;):p

 

Thanks for this information.

[labatsman]

Thanks for the info.this was the first cruise we were actually going to order an indulgence to our room.

[Lizzie68]

HAL sure seems to be making a lot of changes lately.

[kazu]

Same in Canada, I believe.

Some Provinces/cities charge higher taxes than others.

 

 

just a small clarification for Canada - sales taxes between the different provincs can vary, but all the cities within each province all charge the same tax. No difference.

 

Seeing some of the posts I am wondering if HAL is going to treat all deliveries "at sea" whether you order them for a port or not?

 

 

Very mysterious indeed.

Edited June 29, 2015 by kazu

[POA1]

just a small clarification for Canada - sales taxes between the different provincs can vary, but all the cities within each province all charge the same tax. No difference.

 

Seeing some of the posts I am wondering if HAL is going to treat all deliveries "at sea" whether you order them for a port or not?

 

 

Very mysterious indeed.

Do you know if this is the case for all ports, or is just the US? I can see it being in reaction to the taxing authorities being stricter. It could also just be something that's messed up on Holland America's website.

[kazu]

Do you know if this is the case for all ports, or is just the US? I can see it being in reaction to the taxing authorities being stricter. It could also just be something that's messed up on Holland America's website.

 

I only saw it on my upcoming cruise which leaves out of San Diego, U.S. I did notice that all the deliveries on port days were designated by the port did not see any "at sea" options for the various ports on our itinerary. don't have any other cruises booked with HAL so unable to check outside of the U.S. itineraries ;)

 

That's a good point on the taxing authorities getting stricter. I think many of us have reported ordering for embarkation day with delivery "at sea" and having it in our cabins long before sailing.

[trident one]

I'm not sure how HAL is calculating prices/taxes. When I placed my order earlier today, it was for delivery in Boston. I've just gone back and placed a dummy purchase of the same item for delivery in Halifax and again for Quebec City and got exactly the same price as for Boston.

 

I placed an order for delivery in Boston also and was only charged the price on the web site. I assume if there are taxes they are built in along with the 15% service charge as there is no breakdown on the confirmation slip.

 

Will order another bottle onboard after Bar Harbor and before Halifax and see if there is a price difference.

 

This is a two week cruise so will need another bottle.

[cavecreekguy]

Well, even though my purchase confirmation email said at sea, my bottle was waiting for me in my stateroom when I boarded.

[kazu]

Well, even though my purchase confirmation email said at sea, my bottle was waiting for me in my stateroom when I boarded.

 

that's how it has always worked in the past.

[wander]

As others have said or alluded to, I do believe I read where some states require payment of sales tax for anything delivered in port and I do remember that for at least one port - even individual drinks purchased while the ship was still docked on embarkation day required tax to be paid.

 

Europe - rules depend on the country. I think it was Spain (not sure) that had very strict rules about this - not passenger friendly. Can anyone tell if I have the right country?

[kazu]

As others have said or alluded to, I do believe I read where some states require payment of sales tax for anything delivered in port and I do remember that for at least one port - even individual drinks purchased while the ship was still docked on embarkation day required tax to be paid.

 

Europe - rules depend on the country. I think it was Spain (not sure) that had very strict rules about this - not passenger friendly. Can anyone tell if I have the right country?

 

you sure do. Spain is very strict and the ship has to charge taxes in a lot of the waters there as some of it is not "International". depends upon the sailing of course, but that's how I remember it.

[Krazy Kruizers]

As others have said or alluded to, I do believe I read where some states require payment of sales tax for anything delivered in port and I do remember that for at least one port - even individual drinks purchased while the ship was still docked on embarkation day required tax to be paid.

 

Europe - rules depend on the country. I think it was Spain (not sure) that had very strict rules about this - not passenger friendly. Can anyone tell if I have the right country?

 

We have ordered drinks before the ship sails in Ft Lauderdale, Key West and Seattle and yes, we were charged the extra taxes.

San Diego -- no extra tax charge.

Don't remember some of the other ports we have sailed from.

[Cruisin Kay D]

We were recently on Statendam June 1-15. About mid-May, I called "Indulgences" & ordered a bottle of VO and their "sailaway" white wine (chardonnay) and both bottles were in our cabin with a gift card (as if someone had given it to us). I was told the 15% was included in the listed price. We used the VO in the room and took the chardonnay to MDR one evening.

 

Has the website/list/process changed since mid-May???

 

We brought a bottle of a pinot noir we like onto ship & one night we took it to the Lido when ate dinner up there....didn't like the offerings on the MDR menu. Wine glasses were brought to us by Lido waiter.

[wander]

Thank you Kazu for confirming my memory!

[kazu]

We were recently on Statendam June 1-15. About mid-May, I called "Indulgences" & ordered a bottle of VO and their "sailaway" white wine (chardonnay) and both bottles were in our cabin with a gift card (as if someone had given it to us). I was told the 15% was included in the listed price. We used the VO in the room and took the chardonnay to MDR one evening.

 

Has the website/list/process changed since mid-May???

 

We brought a bottle of a pinot noir we like onto ship & one night we took it to the Lido when ate dinner up there....didn't like the offerings on the MDR menu. Wine glasses were brought to us by Lido waiter.

 

the 15% gratuity is always included and still is. It is ordering "at sea" on embarkation day that seems to have changed. At least it did when I ordered a couple days ago. The taxes being discussed are the taxes that the ship charges when it is in port which it is obligated to.

Edited June 30, 2015 by kazu