Tax on drinks in port and a “more than one” question.

[Just wannacruise]

When in US ports, (Ports Liberty and Canaveral) is tax charged on beverages? I have the deluxe drink package, and on another line, taxes were charged while in US ports. Also, is there a time delay (15 minute wait) between ordering drinks? Thinking of getting more than one to take back to balcony to enjoy.

[njkruzer]

Don't know about the wait but yes local taxes are charged. Also must have the appropriate license to serve alcohol in the particular port.

[TEXASMUNK]

One drink per card. You cannot get two on 1 card.

[Ken at the beach]

No time delay between drinks. (If they see you finish one you can get another) I don’t recall being charged any taxes a few weeks ago in a Port Canaveral.

[njkruzer]

The tax depends on the port.

[Just wannacruise]

Thank you for the replies.

[kknorr0320]

No taxes in Port Canaveral. TX and NJ they charge a tax and only provide certain alcohol that has the state tax stamp.

 

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[Clarea]

When in US ports, (Ports Liberty and Canaveral) is tax charged on beverages? I have the deluxe drink package, and on another line, taxes were charged while in US ports. Also, is there a time delay (15 minute wait) between ordering drinks? Thinking of getting more than one to take back to balcony to enjoy.

You would get charged US sales tax onmn purchases of single drinks. You do not get charged US sales tax on purchases of drink packages or when being served drinks covered by a drink package. Not sure if they would charge US sales tax on the amount of a drink that exceeds the value of the drink package.

[legaljen1969]

You would get charged US sales tax onmn purchases of single drinks. You do not get charged US sales tax on purchases of drink packages or when being served drinks covered by a drink package. Not sure if they would charge US sales tax on the amount of a drink that exceeds the value of the drink package.

 

I feel certain that, as one of the hosts of this board, you probably know far more than I know about whether one should be charged taxes on purchase of a drink package.

 

That said, when my husband and were purchasing a drink package on the Allure in 2016 we were told that there was tax the purchase of the package as long as we were still in port at Port Everglades, but once we were underway and out into the international waters they could once again sell it to us without the taxes. We normally purchase before we leave, but for whatever reason we waited until we got on the ship that time.

 

I don't recall being charged taxes on drink packages if I have purchased prior to boarding.

 

I think there is just a catch on the "day of" until you get out into the waters.

[Clarea]

I feel certain that, as one of the hosts of this board, you probably know far more than I know about whether one should be charged taxes on purchase of a drink package.

 

That said, when my husband and were purchasing a drink package on the Allure in 2016 we were told that there was tax the purchase of the package as long as we were still in port at Port Everglades, but once we were underway and out into the international waters they could once again sell it to us without the taxes. We normally purchase before we leave, but for whatever reason we waited until we got on the ship that time.

 

I don't recall being charged taxes on drink packages if I have purchased prior to boarding.

 

I think there is just a catch on the "day of" until you get out into the waters.

Several months ago (might have been longer), someone reported being charged US sales tax on the purchase of a drink package while in port. They later went to Guest Services who said it had been a mistake and removed the charge.

[Bkchero]

There was a recent Liberty review thread by Familygoboston that had a discussion about drinks on cruises out of Texas and the weird rules in TX thanks to their beverage commission. I thought that was why you can’t use a drink package on cruises out of Galveston until day 2. But I do not remember the specifics.

[paper1122]

I have had to pay tax on drinks when I've had a drink package out of a Florida port. The trouble is I'm not sure if it was Royal or Carnival and if was PC or Tampa.

[Merion_Mom]

There was a recent Liberty review thread by Familygoboston that had a discussion about drinks on cruises out of Texas and the weird rules in TX thanks to their beverage commission. I thought that was why you can’t use a drink package on cruises out of Galveston until day 2. But I do not remember the specifics.

That's Carnival. Royal Caribbean doesn't do that.

[Ken at the beach]

Several months ago (might have been longer), someone reported being charged US sales tax on the purchase of a drink package while in port. They later went to Guest Services who said it had been a mistake and removed the charge.

 

That may have been me. We were charged the tax on a package in port on Allure. Had to get the F&B manager involved to get it reversed.

 

Somehow I doubt that “tax” that gets collected actually gets remitted to the state.

[Ken at the beach]

I have had to pay tax on drinks when I've had a drink package out of a Florida port. The trouble is I'm not sure if it was Royal or Carnival and if was PC or Tampa.

 

I paid the same price for a Corona a few weeks ago on Oasis in PC on boarding day as I did other days.

[Clarea]

... Somehow I doubt that “tax” that gets collected actually gets remitted to the state.

We think alike on this one.

[bouhunter]

We were charged tax on a 3 night specialty dining package purchased on celebrity while in port in san juan last December. They removed the charge after some debate....

 

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[MandyMooToo]

We cruised with Carnival out of Port Canaveral in October and were charged tax on each drink we ordered (until international waters) and we had the drink package. RCCL has never charged us tax going out of Florida ports.

[LadyBeBop]

I’ll find out tomorrow and post back. I’m pretty sure we’re changed tax on drinks in Florida ports

[Ken at the beach]

I’ll find out tomorrow and post back. I’m pretty sure we’re changed tax on drinks in Florida ports

 

Well that would be a change from 3 weeks ago when we weren’t.

[later]

I got charged sales tax in the Port of Tampa on the package in December. Got it reversed at guest services. Also happened in port Everglades once in 2017.

 

 

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[Belle5129]

Regarding the 15 minutes delay.... we did run into this once on our March 24 sailing on Anthem. We would go to the Schooner for pre-dinner drinks and would usually carry one with us to dinner. After the first night, our waiters in the MDR (Franklin and Wu at table 832 who were awesome) always made sure that we had another round or two of cosmos and beers. One night, my brother in law asked him to immediately bring him another one (thinking he would be finish the first one just in time for the second one to arrive). Wu was very apologetic but explained that he would have to wait the 15 minutes before getting it - which was really no issue for us. This was the only time we ran into this, but I don’t know if it is because we typically paced ourselves or the bartenders in other venues were more lenient!