Tax on food and beverage while in USA port with bev package?

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, worktocruise610 said:

Does anyone know if there is a tax while docked in Bermuda? I thought I read they don't have a VAT but hoping someone who's done this cruise can confirm. Thanks!

 

51 minutes ago, Peachypooh said:

We were not charged when we were docked in Bermuda. This was on RCCL Liberty of the Seas and NCL Gem.

Might have changed.

There's no sales tax charged while docked in Bermuda. Nothing has changed.

[Native Floridian 26]

Old thread, but new question.  Does the sales tax only apply at the homeport, or any US port.  For example if a Port of Call is San Juan, would they charge the taxes while in port?

[ggTexasGal]

51 minutes ago, Native Floridian 26 said:

Old thread, but new question.  Does the sales tax only apply at the homeport, or any US port.  For example if a Port of Call is San Juan, would they charge the taxes while in port?

I looked at my accounting for January 2020 (out of San Juan, PR).

We paid taxes on drinks while in port.  I don't recall what we drank but, each round was just under $3.00 taxes for the 2 of us!   To further answer your question, even if it had not been the "Home Port"  (and was instead  a port of call) we would have had to pay those taxes.  US Virgin Island will have similar tax.

Edited September 6, 2021 by ggTexasGal
added

[Native Floridian 26]

1 minute ago, ggTexasGal said:

I looked at my accounting for January 2020 (out of San Juan, PR).

We paid taxes on drinks while in port.  I don't recall what we drank but, each round was just under $3.00 taxes for the 2 of us!

Thanks. So you embarked from San Juan?  I was wondering if the same applied if SJ was just a port of call on cruise out of Mia.

[ggTexasGal]

2 minutes ago, Native Floridian 26 said:

Thanks. So you embarked from San Juan?  I was wondering if the same applied if SJ was just a port of call on cruise out of Mia.

Yes!  And USVIs!!!

We just budget extra $$ for taxes, and other miscellaneous costs for each port.

 

Edited September 6, 2021 by ggTexasGal

[Native Floridian 26]

Thanks!

[chengkp75]

Okay, to address the OP's various questions.  The tax is charged until the ship is outside state waters, not US waters, or into international waters.  The sales tax is a state tax, not a federal one, so it ends at 3 miles, not 12 miles.  It has been charged for quite some time.  

 

Some lines don't "absorb" the tax, they flaunt the law by not "posting" your beverage purchases until outside the state limits.  They could be charged by the state for fraudulent practices, but they risk it anyway.  They don't pay any tax to the state, so they are not "absorbing" any expense.

 

As for Alaska, the state does not have a sales tax, but several municipalities do, so it would be charged in those places.

 

The statement about food applies to upcharge restaurants.  If you have a meal in one of these, in a port with sales tax, you will be charged tax on the upcharge.

[chefchick]

On 4/16/2019 at 7:34 AM, ZsaZsa2019 said:

So if we are docked in Alaska and have the free UBP and have already paid about $250 or so in taxes for hubby and I on the drinks we get free, we still have to pay additionally for drinks while in port?  

Thank you to Chengkp75 for getting us back on track and answering actual  questions.  To piggy back on this, I was just on the carnival Miracle and was charged local tax on drinks while in the embarkation port of Seattle and for an hour or so while heading towards Alaska (didn’t time it) but not in the Alaska ports themselves.  I have also sailed Alaska itineraries on NCL and Celebrity and have had the exact same charges.   

[chengkp75]

The ports NCL calls at in Alaska that charge sales tax are:

 

Sitka:  5%

Juneau:  5%

Ketchikan:  6.5%

[AmazedByCruising]

55 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

Some lines don't "absorb" the tax, they flaunt the law by not "posting" your beverage purchases until outside the state limits.  They could be charged by the state for fraudulent practices, but they risk it anyway. 

 

I'm not in the advertising business, but saying out loud that drinks are cheaper now and gambling is allowed would remind the guests of yet another reason that the seas are better than a resort.

 

I wonder how you'd technically be able to post purchases later than they happened. IIRC, people get a receipt for each beer they order, with a time, and taxes applied. The exact location at that time is not a secret either. It needs just one guest (or IRS employee) who feels that the state is entitled to that money and one receipt is suddenly enough proof for a huge fine. Why would a ship take such risk? 

 

 

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

The ports NCL calls at in Alaska that charge sales tax are:

 

Sitka:  5%

Juneau:  5%

Ketchikan:  6.5%

The worst is the Washington State tax of 10.5% which you pay for several hours after departure and most of your final day.