Cheers pkg out of Galveston????

[pokerguy90]

Does anyone know why the Cheese pkg out of Galveston is not available until day 2 of the cruise?
 

[vwrestler171]

Its due to the laws in Texas pertaining to alcohol.  Carnival doesn't play the game, so they are unable to provide Cheers that first day.

[BlerkOne]

Yes, Texas liquor tax laws. Carnival only serves a subset of liquor while in Texas waters, which limits what you could get under Cheers and complicates things. So, they start Cheers on Day 2.

[taznremmy]

Not just Carnival.  I was just on a RCCL cruise, and the selection was limited until in International waters.

[1025cruise]

As people said, its Texas laws that they can't offer the package until out of Texas waters. Rather than figuring out when they can start offering it on embarkation day, they just start it the next day.

[Colorado Beach Bum]

If you happen to have a drink package through the casino promotions those start as soon as the casino opens unlike the cheers package that starts the next day. 

[crazy4themouse]

1 hour ago, Colorado Beach Bum said:

If you happen to have a drink package through the casino promotions those start as soon as the casino opens unlike the cheers package that starts the next day. 

 

I'm not sure if they changed that or it's just not known very well, but in the T&C's for my offers with DOU this is what it says:  "Due to Texas state law, our Drinks On Us! benefit is not available on embarkation day for sailings departing from Galveston, TX, but will be available at the start of day two."

 

[em5861]

Yes, Texas has a "Happy Hour Law".  Can't offer unlimited drinks for a specific price, can't serve a patron a second drink until they have finished the first, can't offer drinks at a reduced price for a specific amount of time and several other restrictions.

[dallasdan]

I was just off the Dream on Sunday.  I had Drinks on Us in the casino and my wife had Drinks on us everywhere.  We were both able to get drinks starting after the casino opened on day 1.

[Brkintx]

2 hours ago, crazy4themouse said:

 

I'm not sure if they changed that or it's just not known very well, but in the T&C's for my offers with DOU this is what it says:  "Due to Texas state law, our Drinks On Us! benefit is not available on embarkation day for sailings departing from Galveston, TX, but will be available at the start of day two."

 

 

I was on the Breeze Dec 2-6, same comment as DallasDan.  It worked on day 1 (with DoE while playing in the casino).  It also worked on day on in July 2021 on the Breeze, where I had DoUE.  In both cases, the T&C actually reads that it does not, from Galveston, until day 2.

[nlktx49]

6 hours ago, dallasdan said:

I was just off the Dream on Sunday.  I had Drinks on Us in the casino and my wife had Drinks on us everywhere.  We were both able to get drinks starting after the casino opened on day 1.

That's been the case with us. We usually sail on a Players Club deal and have free drinks in the casino. Sometimes we get them day 1, sometimes we don't. Is it the waiter or the ship or what. Casino can't open until the ship is a certain distance from shore, so I would think Texas liquor laws wouldn't apply then, so free drinks would be available. I've lived in Texas all my life, but I get really tired of some of the ridiculous laws and regulations here.

[SNJCruisers]

15 hours ago, em5861 said:

Yes, Texas has a "Happy Hour Law".  Can't offer unlimited drinks for a specific price, can't serve a patron a second drink until they have finished the first, can't offer drinks at a reduced price for a specific amount of time and several other restrictions.

It's been reported that they do on RCI and more than likely will do so on NCL when they return to Galveston with the Prima. NCL offers it out of NYC as well, unlike Carnival.

[Colorado Cruzer]

Texas law and the only reason we won't consider cruising out of Galveston.  New Orleans is close and you get all the benefits of Cheers on day 1.  Day 1 is the biggest cocktail day for us and when we get the most bang for our Cheers buck!

[highcorral]

Does this 1st day restriction apply to non-alcoholic drinks as well using the Cheers! program?

[SNJCruisers]

2 hours ago, highcorral said:

Does this 1st day restriction apply to non-alcoholic drinks as well using the Cheers! program?

Yes, Cheers starts on day 2, so any purchases on day 1 are charged to your card

[thatoneguyyouknow]

4 hours ago, Colorado Cruzer said:

Texas law and the only reason we won't consider cruising out of Galveston.  New Orleans is close and you get all the benefits of Cheers on day 1.  Day 1 is the biggest cocktail day for us and when we get the most bang for our Cheers buck!

If youre driving I actually kinda like galveston for this reason.  Still get the pre cruise cheers pricing, but bring your bottle of wine each for day 1.  Save a few bucks, still have plenty to drink.  

[Colorado Cruzer]

19 hours ago, thatoneguyyouknow said:

If youre driving I actually kinda like galveston for this reason.  Still get the pre cruise cheers pricing, but bring your bottle of wine each for day 1.  Save a few bucks, still have plenty to drink.  

We fly to every port and we drink spirits so never bring wine with us since we don't really like it. Galveston just isn't for us!

[SNJCruisers]

3 minutes ago, Colorado Cruzer said:

We fly to every port and we drink spirits so never bring wine with us since we don't really like it. Galveston just isn't for us!

Feel exactly the same way, especially since Hobby and Bush are so far from Galveston.  We will be embarking from there on a one time basis next October on the 11 day repositioning cruise on the NCL Prima from Galveston to Miami.  Luckily NCL doesn't follow the stupid first day rules out of NYC, hopefully it will be the same out of Galveston so the drink package will be allowed.  I can live with reduced choices if need be, I just want what I paid for in it's entirety.

[highcorral]

21 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

Yes, Cheers starts on day 2, so any purchases on day 1 are charged to your card

 Yeah, that's what I thought.  

[jcc1025]

On 12/16/2021 at 12:46 AM, SNJCruisers said:

It's been reported that they do on RCI and more than likely will do so on NCL when they return to Galveston with the Prima. NCL offers it out of NYC as well, unlike Carnival.

We have sailed out of Galveston several times on RCCL, most reciently in August. Their drink package has always been  availibe  as soon we got on board with with the limited selection determined by the Texas laws. Once you clear Texas space on sail out they open up the full bar. I have heard its a question as to if the cruise line is willing to pay the Texas tax.