taxes on beverage program

[Laurab23]

On the included beverage program with the best sale ever do you pay tax on every drink when you are docking in a US port? We have a New England/Canada cruise booked.

 

Laura

[Coveguy4]

No

[EDDY0827]

2 hours ago, Laurab23 said:

On the included beverage program with the best sale ever do you pay tax on every drink when you are docking in a US port? We have a New England/Canada cruise booked.

 

Laura

Tax and tip are included regardless of port.

[satxdiver]

It depends on the location of the ship.  Some states do tax cruise ships the sell alcohol when in their waters.  Texas is one of those states although Princess no longer has a ship ported in Galveston.  I have heard of other states also charging sales tax on ships in their territorial waters or port.  Maybe someone from NY, MA and ME or other maritime ports can comment. 

[neverbeenhere]

From what I've heard (worthless info?) The package is considered sold at a time other than while in port. Yup, Texas is another story

[nini]

The beverage package includes beverages up to $12.00 and gratuity is included

In the package. Taxes are a moot point. Without the package, taxes may be an issue.

[caribill]

5 hours ago, neverbeenhere said:

From what I've heard (worthless info?) The package is considered sold at a time other than while in port. Yup, Texas is another story

 

The Texas story has nothing to do with taxes changed when you have a drink.

 

It has to do with a Texas law that says any alcohol sold in Texas (and Texas waters) must have come from a Texas distributor. Thus Princess can not serve from their normal stock of beverages which does not come from a Texas distributor.

 

Instead, they have a limited inventory of offerings that were obtained from a Texas distributor and many people cannot obtain their favorite alcohol beverage until the ship is out of Texas waters.

 

Not that inconvenient when the ship had departed on time, but if held in port for any reason into the late evening (or even overnight), brand selection is very limited at dinner and throughout the evening.

[skynight]

11 hours ago, satxdiver said:

It depends on the location of the ship.  Some states do tax cruise ships the sell alcohol when in their waters.  Texas is one of those states although Princess no longer has a ship ported in Galveston.  I have heard of other states also charging sales tax on ships in their territorial waters or port.  Maybe someone from NY, MA and ME or other maritime ports can comment. 

There are no extra State sales taxes for drinks at US ports where Princess currently docks. State and local sales taxes are based on actual sales. Since there is no actual sale there is no sales tax. 

[Daniel A]

I did get charged taxes for drinks I bought in FLL prior to sailing, but these were not drinks which were from the beverage package.  I don't recall if I paid taxes when in Port Everglades using a beverage package.

[skynight]

2 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

I did get charged taxes for drinks I bought in FLL prior to sailing, but these were not drinks which were from the beverage package.  I don't recall if I paid taxes when in Port Everglades using a beverage package.

This is correct. If you actually purchase a beverage while the ship is docked in Ft. Lauderdale you will be charged the local 6% sales tax. If you have a pre-purchased package you are not charged the sales tax since the sale was not actually made while in Fort Lauderdale.

[Laurab23]

13 hours ago, skynight said:

There are no extra State sales taxes for drinks at US ports where Princess currently docks. State and local sales taxes are based on actual sales. Since there is no actual sale there is no sales tax. 

Thank you. We are docking in Boston. Newport and Bar Harbor. Taxes on board ship in those ports could add up especially Boston where we don't plan to get off the ship. My travel buddy lives near Boston and I have visited there before.

 

Laura

[suzyed]

19 hours ago, caribill said:

 

The Texas story has nothing to do with taxes changed when you have a drink.

 

It has to do with a Texas law that says any alcohol sold in Texas (and Texas waters) must have come from a Texas distributor. Thus Princess can not serve from their normal stock of beverages which does not come from a Texas distributor.

 

Instead, they have a limited inventory of offerings that were obtained from a Texas distributor and many people cannot obtain their favorite alcohol beverage until the ship is out of Texas waters.

 

Not that inconvenient when the ship had departed on time, but if held in port for any reason into the late evening (or even overnight), brand selection is very limited at dinner and throughout the evening.

We were held overnight when we sailed from there....fog!

 

[caribill]

4 hours ago, suzyed said:

We were held overnight when we sailed from there....fog!

 

 

We were stuck there overnight also:

a) Ship was held until 10 PM because a number of passengers had late arriving flights due to severe weather.

b) The severe weather reached the port by 10 PM and the ship channel was closed until 4 AM because of it.

c) Then at 4 the fog was there and did not lift until 10 AM when the ship finally sailed.

 

With a combination of "full speed ahead" and strong ocean currents, the ship did 28 knots in the Gulf of Mexico.

 

Some people were quite upset at dinner when their choices for wine were severely limited.

[suzyed]

8 hours ago, caribill said:

 

We were stuck there overnight also:

a) Ship was held until 10 PM because a number of passengers had late arriving flights due to severe weather.

b) The severe weather reached the port by 10 PM and the ship channel was closed until 4 AM because of it.

c) Then at 4 the fog was there and did not lift until 10 AM when the ship finally sailed.

 

With a combination of "full speed ahead" and strong ocean currents, the ship did 28 knots in the Gulf of Mexico.

 

Some people were quite upset at dinner when their choices for wine were severely limited.

Again, first world problems...whining about wine!  LOL!

[Cruise Raider]

On 1/6/2021 at 4:54 AM, Daniel A said:

I did get charged taxes for drinks I bought in FLL prior to sailing, but these were not drinks which were from the beverage package.  I don't recall if I paid taxes when in Port Everglades using a beverage package.

 

You don't pay taxes above and beyond what the normal beverage package costs, even if you order drinks in a port that charges you this tax without the package. 

[satxdiver]

13 hours ago, caribill said:

 

We were stuck there overnight also:

a) Ship was held until 10 PM because a number of passengers had late arriving flights due to severe weather.

b) The severe weather reached the port by 10 PM and the ship channel was closed until 4 AM because of it.

c) Then at 4 the fog was there and did not lift until 10 AM when the ship finally sailed.

 

With a combination of "full speed ahead" and strong ocean currents, the ship did 28 knots in the Gulf of Mexico.

 

Some people were quite upset at dinner when their choices for wine were severely limited.

 

I believe I was on that cruise.  It was something like the cruise out of hell.  In Texas they must serve only alcohol purchased in Texas (wonderful liquor laws here) and had to charge sales tax on all purchases including alcohol, soft drinks etc.  This included any in the beverage packages.  To add insult to injury any bottles of liquor brought back and taken off the ship are subject to a tax.  Princess has once again left this port (Galveston) but most likely will return in the future. 

[jennybenny]

Our first California Coastal cruise out of Los Angeles in 2016 charged us tax in port, but have since done another California coastal and was not charged tax in port. Whatever the situation was that we were being charged tax is no longer the case for California. 🙂 

[KreinKrunker]

In ports like Port Everglades, where you have to pay the tax, many times the bartenders do not ring your order through, they only write it down until leaving port.  Then it is entered into the system.  Thus, they really weren't sold in port.

[Pacificsunflower]

On 1/5/2021 at 4:50 PM, EDDY0827 said:

Tax and tip are included regardless of port.

Tip IS NOT included

 

On 5/26/2021 at 4:35 PM, Thaxted said:

We'll be sailing east on July 8 and then joining QM2 again in Southampton on August 21. We booked summer crossings in 2020 and in 2021, only to see them cancelled, but our third try is bound to be the charm! We've missed our transatlantic adventures and can't wait to be onboard again.

 

On 1/5/2021 at 4:50 PM, EDDY0827 said:

Tax and tip are included regardless of port.

 

[skynight]

"Tax and tip are included regardless of port."

"Tip IS NOT included"

Pacificsunflower

An 18% service charge, tip, is always included when you purchase a beverage either when the ship is in port or at sea. If you have the plus fare or have purchased a beverage package separately the 18% service charge is included in the plus fare or the individual package price. No further gratuity is charged.

 

[victory2020]

FYI Carnival does charge tax when in port with drink package. Princess & HAL do not. I believe NCL may charge tax from what I have heard

[skynight]

13 hours ago, victory2020 said:

FYI Carnival does charge tax when in port with drink package. Princess & HAL do not. I believe NCL may charge tax from what I have heard

Legal issues never end.

When a drink package is included in the fare there is actually no sale on board. No sale = no sales tax. Some lines charge the beverage gratuity to on board accounts for each beverage ordered. Does Carnival do that? Maybe that is why there is the local tax. Believe NCL does charge the gratuity per drink ordered.

[victory2020]

1 hour ago, skynight said:

Legal issues never end.

When a drink package is included in the fare there is actually no sale on board. No sale = no sales tax. Some lines charge the beverage gratuity to on board accounts for each beverage ordered. Does Carnival do that? Maybe that is why there is the local tax. Believe NCL does charge the gratuity per drink ordered.

No gratuity charged. Tax is also charged on coffee drinks when in port. I think it could be because Carnival charges you for the drink & then credits your account immediately instead of just showing no charge when you have the package.

[Thrak]

Many here on the Princess boards reported being charged the local tax if they got a drink when in port in Florida. Other than that everything is included in Princess Plus.