megann831 Posted November 1, 2015 #1 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I got the beverage package in the spring when I thought it really was free. Now that I'm on board they're charging for tax. Does that sound right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qwerty731 Posted November 1, 2015 #2 Share Posted November 1, 2015 They charge tax while you're docked in a port & there's always a service charge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian99 Posted November 1, 2015 #3 Share Posted November 1, 2015 You'll be charged tax while in port in the US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraJon9 Posted November 1, 2015 #4 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Are you sure it is not because you are drinking while in port? There is tax if you are drinking before the sail away. We paid the gratuities when we took the UBP, you had to beforehand after the free ended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yankees111 Posted November 1, 2015 #5 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I got the beverage package in the spring when I thought it really was free. Now that I'm on board they're charging for tax. Does that sound right? Wouldn't it be more prudent to actually ask the bartender who served you your drink this question! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcell Posted November 1, 2015 #6 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I'm confused...if you have the UBP and get a drink while the cruise is in port, there's a tax (not the service charge you prepay when you get the UBP as a promo )??? Only in port in nyc or also when in Port Canaveral and nassau?? Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emcelh Posted November 1, 2015 #7 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I'm confused...if you have the UBP and get a drink while the cruise is in port, there's a tax (not the service charge you prepay when you get the UBP as a promo )??? Only in port in nyc or also when in Port Canaveral and nassau?? Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk If there's a local tax on drinks, yes, you are charged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkneern Posted November 1, 2015 #8 Share Posted November 1, 2015 We never were charged tax with the UBP in March on the breakaway. Others without the package paid tax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisecrazy82 Posted November 2, 2015 #9 Share Posted November 2, 2015 (edited) We didn't pay any taxes on drinks while on the Getaway in Miami last year prior to sail away and had pre purchased the UBP. Not did we pay taxes on drinks while docked in any port during the cruise. Something is missing here because we have never paid taxes on drinks with a beverage package. Edited November 2, 2015 by cruisecrazy82 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antmaril Posted November 2, 2015 #10 Share Posted November 2, 2015 I ordered a drink before sail way in NYC on the Gem last month. I had UBP and was charged 71 cents tax on that drink. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix1181 Posted November 2, 2015 #11 Share Posted November 2, 2015 We paid taxes before leaving Boston on the Dawn. I don't remember the amount but it wasn't much & we never gave it a second thought. The amount is so insignificant, it always surprises me when I see people questioning it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusin33 Posted November 2, 2015 #12 Share Posted November 2, 2015 We had UBP in April and paid the tax on drinks while docked in Houston. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moby0215 Posted November 2, 2015 #13 Share Posted November 2, 2015 We never were charged tax with the UBP in March on the breakaway. Others without the package paid tax. There is a difference between tax and service charge. Service charges (18%) are included in the beverage package price. However if you get drinks while in certain Ports, there will be a small tax that will be added to your bill. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinIllinois Posted November 2, 2015 #14 Share Posted November 2, 2015 Wouldn't it be more prudent to actually ask the bartender who served you your drink this question! I seriously laughed at this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisecrazy82 Posted November 2, 2015 #15 Share Posted November 2, 2015 (edited) I'd be interested to hear if this tax is charged on the ships out of Miami at this time as it was not the case last December. Was a new law imposed in regards to charging the sales tax? Or is this just hit or miss? We had pre purchased the UBP last year and had several drinks while still docked in Miami and were never billed for any sales taxes. Curious about it for our upcoming Escape cruise as we once again will have the UBP. Edited November 2, 2015 by cruisecrazy82 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsu_2003 Posted November 2, 2015 #16 Share Posted November 2, 2015 I'm not an accountant, but if your drink is free and the beverage package was free. 0 x?% should = $0.00. How are the drinks showing up on your bill? Does the receipt show $0 or the price of each drink and then they take it off the bill? I know it is insignificant, just wondering. Also wondering if the tax is really being remitted to the government. If it is being zeroed out, would they pay tax on $0.00? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moby0215 Posted November 2, 2015 #17 Share Posted November 2, 2015 I'd be interested to hear if this tax is charged on the ships out of Miami at this time as it was not the case last December. Was a new law imposed in regards to charging the sales tax? Or is this just hit or miss? We had pre purchased the UBP last year and had several drinks while still docked in Miami and were never billed for any sales taxes. Curious about it for our upcoming Escape cruise as we once again will have the UBP. I can't speak for Miami but while docked in NY there is a state tax but it is really small. You shouldn't even worry about it. Something like 50-80 cents per drink. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisecrazy82 Posted November 2, 2015 #18 Share Posted November 2, 2015 I can't speak for Miami but while docked in NY there is a state tax but it is really small. You shouldn't even worry about it. Something like 50-80 cents per drink. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I'm not worried about it but did not experience being charged sales tax while sailing from Miami in the past. We had absolutely no bill for sales taxes on drinks while consuming drinks when docked in Miami. If they were added to the drinks we ordered with the UBP they must have zeroed out the whole amount because we weren't billed any charges on that cruise outside of the pictures we purchased on board. I still have the final bill and no charges for sales tax at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisecrazy82 Posted November 2, 2015 #19 Share Posted November 2, 2015 I'm not an accountant, but if your drink is free and the beverage package was free. 0 x?% should = $0.00. How are the drinks showing up on your bill? Does the receipt show $0 or the price of each drink and then they take it off the bill? I know it is insignificant, just wondering. Also wondering if the tax is really being remitted to the government. If it is being zeroed out, would they pay tax on $0.00? I honestly don't recall seeing any tax charges on the drink receipts. The gratuity was there as well as a line to add additional gratuity but I just can't recollect seeing a sales tax charge on them. The drink amounts are indeed on the receipt along with the gratuity that is automatically added but the actual drink charge simply never showed up as a actual charge to our ship board account. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moby0215 Posted November 2, 2015 #20 Share Posted November 2, 2015 I'm not an accountant, but if your drink is free and the beverage package was free. 0 x?% should = $0.00. How are the drinks showing up on your bill? Does the receipt show $0 or the price of each drink and then they take it off the bill? I know it is insignificant, just wondering. Also wondering if the tax is really being remitted to the government. If it is being zeroed out, would they pay tax on $0.00? Even when you get something for free you still pay tax on the regular price of the item. Yes they will give you a receipt that shows the price of the drink, the price of the 18% gratuity and tax if I certain ports. Then when it hits your account it will zero out the price of the drink and 18% gratuity but your account will be charged for anything else remaining. Like if you tipped extra or if there was tax or if your drink was more than the $15 limit of the package. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisecrazy82 Posted November 2, 2015 #21 Share Posted November 2, 2015 (edited) Even when you get something for free you still pay tax on the regular price of the item. Yes they will give you a receipt that shows the price of the drink, the price of the 18% gratuity and tax if I certain ports. Then when it hits your account it will zero out the price of the drink and 18% gratuity but your account will be charged for anything else remaining. Like if you tipped extra or if there was tax or if your drink was more than the $15 limit of the package. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk If this is indeed accurate then they apparently don't charge any sales tax in Miami. I know that for the first maybe hour or so that we were on the Getaway (we were on board by 12) they were hand writing receipts at the bars but they said it was bc the system was down which was back up and running before we sailed. It would make sense if they were hand writing the receipts to enter once in international waters but that was very short lived and we were being given the regular printed receipts before sail away. So strange that it's not more consistent [emoji57]lol Edited November 2, 2015 by cruisecrazy82 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LMaxwell Posted November 2, 2015 #22 Share Posted November 2, 2015 I'd be interested to hear if this tax is charged on the ships out of Miami at this time as it was not the case last December. Was a new law imposed in regards to charging the sales tax? Or is this just hit or miss? We had pre purchased the UBP last year and had several drinks while still docked in Miami and were never billed for any sales taxes. Curious about it for our upcoming Escape cruise as we once again will have the UBP. Taxes are charged in Miami. If you have any OBC it will offset the tax charge. That is how it worked for me a few weeks ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisecrazy82 Posted November 2, 2015 #23 Share Posted November 2, 2015 Taxes are charged in Miami. If you have any OBC it will offset the tax charge. That is how it worked for me a few weeks ago. So this is a new change that took place since last December? We had 6 people with the UBP then and none of us were charged taxes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetpee_1993 Posted November 2, 2015 #24 Share Posted November 2, 2015 In September on Getaway out of Miami we had UBP and did pay tax on the drinks we had prior to sailaway. We each had a few drinks and it amounted to a total of like $2 maybe. Once we set sail the tax wasn't assessed anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LMaxwell Posted November 2, 2015 #25 Share Posted November 2, 2015 So this is a new change that took place since last December? We had 6 people with the UBP then and none of us were charged taxes. No. It is Florida Sales Tax. Not new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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