Houston onboard alcohol restrictions?

[Cali_Mum]

Hi everyone

 

We are sailing on the Caribbean Princess out of Houston next month and plan on getting the UBP as we usually do. But, I have read that there might be restrictions on alcohol being consumed while going through the Houston canal. Are there restrictions? And if so, what are they please?

 

Thank you!

[sptrout]

Hi everyone

 

We are sailing on the Caribbean Princess out of Houston next month and plan on getting the UBP as we usually do. But, I have read that there might be restrictions on alcohol being consumed while going through the Houston canal. Are there restrictions? And if so, what are they please?

 

Thank you!

 

Yes, there are some restrictions until you reach the sea, but there are some types of drinks available. Check the North American Homeports Section, Gulf Coast Departures, where you will find all the details. It is not near as bad as people keep suggesting.

[luvseaside]

Until you are out of "Texas" waters, only alcohol bought in Texas (a tax issue) can be consumed. Thus, there will only be one brand of wine available. Robert Mondavi is what they had when we sailed 2 yrs ago - only a chardonnay & cabernet I believe. You can also get one brand of basic liquor (sorry don't know which ones, but it's likely a mid-level brand like Absolut). I think beer is limited too. It's frustrating.

 

But if you leave port on time, it really should not be an issue by dinner time and afterwards the first night. However, if you get stuck in port the first night, like we did, I recommend utilizing your one bottle of wine allotment to supplement. But we survived.

[WISH84]

We have sailed out of Galveston many times and this has never been an issue for us. You still have access to Beer, Wine, Scotch, Vodka, Drinks of the Day and so on. Unless you are a very picky drinker and will only drink a certain high end brand of liquor, you really shouldn't have any issues.

[PenguinLife]

You should also be aware that as of last year Texas now has a tax collection station set up just after clearing customs to collect taxes as people disembark the ship with their "duty free" alcohol bought in Mexico.

[Cali_Mum]

Thank you all very much! I am glad to hear that it isn't quite as bad as we were imagining!

 

Thanks again!

[Sam.Seattle]

You should also be aware that as of last year Texas now has a tax collection station set up just after clearing customs to collect taxes as people disembark the ship with their "duty free" alcohol bought in Mexico.

The tax only applies to Texans, right?

[caribill]

The tax only applies to Texans, right?

 

Nope. Everybody, even if you are heading straight to the airport.

 

However, it is sort of voluntary. If it is packed in your suitcase, you can walk right by the desk. If it is being carried in an obvious alcohol carrying box, they will guide you to the desk.

 

Either way, be sure to declare any alcohol for USA customs. Don't mess with the feds.

[Sam.Seattle]

Nope. Everybody, even if you are heading straight to the airport.

 

However, it is sort of voluntary. If it is packed in your suitcase, you can walk right by the desk. If it is being carried in an obvious alcohol carrying box, they will guide you to the desk.

 

Either way, be sure to declare any alcohol for USA customs. Don't mess with the feds.

I was convinced you were wrong. But, I quickly consulted my Google U resources... Dang, you are correct! I just walked off last year and never even realized a tax was due.

[caribill]

I was convinced you were wrong. But, I quickly consulted my Google U resources... Dang, you are correct! I just walked off last year and never even realized a tax was due.

 

To see the notice that Carnival gives its cruisers, go to https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1382

[caribill]

Until you are out of "Texas" waters, only alcohol bought in Texas (a tax issue) can be consumed.

 

No, it is not a tax issue.

 

It is due to Texas laws that say the only alcohol that can be sold to the public in Texas must have been purchased by the vendor directly from a Texas wholesale distributor. (Laws that were pushed through for the benefit of the Texas alcohol distributors.)

 

As one example of the way this has been applied are various festivals held in Galveston during the year. Beer is often sold by a number of vendors.

 

One year the festival sponsor set up to purchase all the needed beer from the distributor and then resell it to the individual vendors.

 

This was not allowed, because the law says the beer must be purchased by each vendor directly from the distributor, not from an intermediary.

 

The law was not aimed at cruise ships in Texas waters, but it does apply to them.

[luvseaside]

No, it is not a tax issue.

 

It is due to Texas laws that say the only alcohol that can be sold to the public in Texas must have been purchased by the vendor directly from a Texas wholesale distributor. (Laws that were pushed through for the benefit of the Texas alcohol distributors.)

 

As one example of the way this has been applied are various festivals held in Galveston during the year. Beer is often sold by a number of vendors.

 

One year the festival sponsor set up to purchase all the needed beer from the distributor and then resell it to the individual vendors.

 

This was not allowed, because the law says the beer must be purchased by each vendor directly from the distributor, not from an intermediary.

 

The law was not aimed at cruise ships in Texas waters, but it does apply to them.

 

(Sigh) thanks for correcting my post. I'm glad the OP got some helpful information.

[Mekamax]

Forgive me if I'm wrong but friends get the drink package all the time (I do not) and out of Texas it is sold as 6 nights instead of 7 as it does not take effect till the first sea day..... ??? :confused:

[bigchid]

It was just an irritation for us. We were delay'd leaving port and there were only a few bars open, we found one where we got our drinks (took what they had to offer) and carried them up to Skywalkers for the trip out the channel. People kept asking us where we got our drinks.

[gotta cruise again]

In 2014, we took one of our carry-on bottles of wine to the MDR for late seating on embarkation day. Knew we'd have the corkage fee but that was fine.

 

They said they could not open it until 9:00 pm due to the Texas rules. Of course by then, we were almost done with the meal but had them open it anyway for the 4 of us traveling together. Because of their having to wait, they graciously did not charge the corkage fee...but we made up for that through other purchases and increased the tip to the wait staff too!

Edited October 13, 2015 by gotta cruise again

[BarbaraP]

Maybe that's one of the reasons Princess is leaving the Port of Houston;)

http://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Port-of-Houston-losing-Norwegian-and-Princess-ships

[sptrout]

Maybe that's one of the reasons Princess is leaving the Port of Houston;)

http://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Port-of-Houston-losing-Norwegian-and-Princess-ships

 

It's not the reason, Galveston is just a better location and actually near something other than being in stuck in the middle of an industrial area.

 

One point made in the article at the link provided is very wrong: "The port of Galveston, 90 miles closer to the Gulf of Mexico......" The Bayport Cruise Terminal (aka, Port of Houston, actually the cruise port is not even in the Port of Houston) is about 20 farther than a ship that docks in Galveston. No idea how they dreamed-up 90 miles. If a ship was to sail all the way to the end of the Port of Houston (just a few miles from downtown Houston), and turn around and sail back out, then that would be close to 90 miles.

[fishywood]

Forgive me if I'm wrong but friends get the drink package all the time (I do not) and out of Texas it is sold as 6 nights instead of 7 as it does not take effect till the first sea day..... ??? :confused:

 

Carnival does that, but not Princess. Unlike RCI or Carnival, Princess never pro-rates their drink packages under any circumstance. They actually make the effort to have sufficient locally sourced adult beverages for sailaway day.

Edited October 13, 2015 by fishywood

[caribill]

Maybe that's one of the reasons Princess is leaving the Port of Houston;)

http://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Port-of-Houston-losing-Norwegian-and-Princess-ships

 

It's not the reason, Galveston is just a better location and actually near something other than being in stuck in the middle of an industrial area.

 

 

Has nothing to do with Galveston being (or not being) a better location since Princess will have no ships sailing from Galveston either after the CB leaves Bayport for the last time in April.

 

I am sure it has more to do with less Princess ships being kept around to sail from North American ports in winter since a number of the ships are being relocated permanently to Asia and Australia.

[sptrout]

Has nothing to do with Galveston being (or not being) a better location since Princess will have no ships sailing from Galveston either after the CB leaves Bayport for the last time in April.

 

I am sure it has more to do with less Princess ships being kept around to sail from North American ports in winter since a number of the ships are being relocated permanently to Asia and Australia.

 

I agree, in fact that is what they have said (as quoted in the Houston Chronicle). However, no one else has jumped to fill in for the loss of two cruise lines. As a Harris County taxpayer, I wish things were different, but I do not think it will ever be used again. With the Port of Galveston being so close, there is no need for another cruise port 20 miles away. (I thought it was hilarious that the writer of the article linked to earlier that Bayport was 90 miles from Galveston, which would put it in the middle of my backyard up here in Spring.)