New York Departure Buying Beverage Package - tax?

[Cyber Kat]

We are sailing next month from NY on Azamara Journey.  My husband wants to upgrade the beverage package.  I thought I read at one time, that you have to pay NYC tax on the package if you buy it while still at the dock.  We usually don't bother, but this time we thought we would do the upgrade, so I'm not sure about the tax.  I did a search, but it's not finding anything.

Have any of you bought a package on any of the cruise lines that leave from NYC and had to pay the tax?  I do seem to recall paying it on individual drinks.  If so, how long after you leave do you not pay the tax.

[PelicanBill]

Yes your account will be charged tax for drinks while in ports where tax is required - which is all US ports by the way.

it's less than a dollar per drink - don't worry about it.  The tax stops when you reach international waters, which is about 2 hours after leaving the dock from Manhattan or one hour after leaving from Brooklyn or Bayonne.

[njhorseman]

5 minutes ago, PelicanBill said:

Yes your account will be charged tax for drinks while in ports where tax is required - which is all US ports by the way.

it's less than a dollar per drink - don't worry about it.  The tax stops when you reach international waters, which is about 2 hours after leaving the dock from Manhattan or one hour after leaving from Brooklyn or Bayonne.

They're not talking about buying a drink or two while in port, they're talking about upgrading their beverage package, which will be a substantial expenditure that will generate a meaningful amount sales tax.

[njhorseman]

47 minutes ago, Cyber Kat said:

We are sailing next month from NY on Azamara Journey.  My husband wants to upgrade the beverage package.  I thought I read at one time, that you have to pay NYC tax on the package if you buy it while still at the dock.  We usually don't bother, but this time we thought we would do the upgrade, so I'm not sure about the tax.  I did a search, but it's not finding anything.

Have any of you bought a package on any of the cruise lines that leave from NYC and had to pay the tax?  I do seem to recall paying it on individual drinks.  If so, how long after you leave do you not pay the tax.

Yes, you should have to pay sales tax if Azamara is observing the rules. Why not just wait an hour or two and buy the upgrade when the ship is out in international waters.

[PelicanBill]

Sorry for misreading that.  I bought my package from home in New York and was not charged any higher tax.  The extra tax was charged per drink only in port.  

[njhorseman]

4 minutes ago, PelicanBill said:

Sorry for misreading that.  I bought my package from home in New York and was not charged any higher tax.  The extra tax was charged per drink only in port.  

When you're buying it from home via phone or internet it's actually being purchased at the cruise line's headquarters , not in NY...even though that's where you reside, so there's no sales tax.

[princeton123211]

We purchased a beverage package while tied up in Brooklyn on Queen Mary 2 and we were not charged NY tax. (I think Cunard has one of the worst beverage packages in the industry-- more expensive with less options than other lines but that is a different topic). 

 

Was Cunard flying in the face of international tax law? I cant say as its not my area of expertise, but we were not charged a local tax. 

[Charles4515]

We wait to upgrade until in international waters. Once on Celebrity the server offered to wait until in International waters before putting in our charge. YMMV on Azamara. 

Edited March 28, 2019 by Charles4515

[Charles4515]

36 minutes ago, princeton123211 said:

We purchased a beverage package while tied up in Brooklyn on Queen Mary 2 and we were not charged NY tax. (I think Cunard has one of the worst beverage packages in the industry-- more expensive with less options than other lines but that is a different topic). 

 

Was Cunard flying in the face of international tax law? I cant say as its not my area of expertise, but we were not charged a local tax. 

 

They may have waited until in international waters to enter the charge. That is a workaround. They take down your folio info but wait to put thru the charge.

[princeton123211]

2 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

They may have waited until in international waters to enter the charge. That is a workaround. They take down your folio info but wait to put thru the charge.

Come to think of it we signed a manual chit, they didnt swipe our card-- they wrote down our card information and we signed the piece of paper it was on. Agree thats exactly what they did Charles. 

[Cyber Kat]

On 3/28/2019 at 3:40 PM, princeton123211 said:

Come to think of it we signed a manual chit, they didnt swipe our card-- they wrote down our card information and we signed the piece of paper it was on. Agree thats exactly what they did Charles. 

 

Thanks to both you and Charles. I’ll ask about that on our cruise. We don’t mind paying the tax on a few drinks, but the whole package is a different story - especially since most of the drinks will not be consumed in NY waters. 

[LHT28]

can you not just upgrade the package  before you go ?

Or  drink the cheap stuff they offer until you are out to sea 😉

 

 

[cft8]

Does this apply to non-alcoholic packages as well? Such as Royal Caribbean’s soda and refreshment packages?


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[njhorseman]

13 hours ago, LHT28 said:

can you not just upgrade the package  before you go ?

Or  drink the cheap stuff they offer until you are out to sea 😉

 

 

I'm going to guess that they want to pay for it with on board credit so they can't do it in advance.

[njhorseman]

2 hours ago, cft8 said:

Does this apply to non-alcoholic packages as well? Such as Royal Caribbean’s soda and refreshment packages?


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It would apply to anything you bought, but...Royal Caribbean doesn't sail from New York, they sail from New Jersey so the New York tax doesn't apply.

[Cyber Kat]

14 hours ago, LHT28 said:

can you not just upgrade the package  before you go ?

Or  drink the cheap stuff they offer until you are out to sea 😉

 

 

 

We have OBC we want to use and you can’t use it until you are on board 😆

 

Yes we can manage with the included drinks, but what I’m trying to find out is when does NY release their grip. After the Bridge. Five miles out?

[cft8]

It would apply to anything you bought, but...Royal Caribbean doesn't sail from New York, they sail from New Jersey so the New York tax doesn't apply.

Of course! Momentary brain lapse!


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