Princess beverage packages --when does the drink package start?

[world_traveler_et]

When do the packages start?  Do they start the moment we officially board the ship or do we have to wait until after the sail away to begin using the beverage packages?  Also do they end at midnight before we arrive in port?  Thanks in advance.

Edited April 9, 2023 by world_traveler_et
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[EDDY0827]

The plans start when you first board until the morning of the last day when you disembark.

[roadster08]

7 minutes ago, EDDY0827 said:

The plans start when you first board until the morning of the last day when you disembark.

Maybe. If you sail out of Galveston, TX it doesn't begin until you leave the Texas territorial waters. Why? Because in Texas its illegal to offer services that are determined to encourage overconsumption of alcohol. 

[Steelers36]

49 minutes ago, world_traveler_et said:

When do the packages start? 

How fast can you get to a bar?  Just avoid the other guests rushing off to the Sanctuary.  (There may be some exceptions like Galveston, TX, as noted above).

[cruisepest]

Just of the Ruby Princess, 

 

They have a limited selection of drinks you can charge to your account before you set sail.Sales tax was added and 18 % gratuity. One we were an hour out to sea the package started. So we had to pay for our drinks from 11 to 5 PM on the first day when sailing out of Galveston. We went out of Long beach in November and the package starts as soon as you board. The timer is from 6AM to 6PM.

[world_traveler_et]

looks like it varies from where you are sailing.  I want to avoid extra ship board charges so if anyone has Sailed in Alaska from Whittier to Vancouver, Canada did the beverage packages start once you boarded the ship or did you have to wait until after sail away or reaching international waters.  Same thing if sailing from Vancouver, Canada to Whittier, Alaska. 

[trbarton]

When boarding in San Francisco, until we depart,  their is a small tax on any drinks but it’s so small I don’t worry about it. 
 

Tom😀

[trbarton]

25 minutes ago, world_traveler_et said:

looks like it varies from where you are sailing.  I want to avoid extra ship board charges so if anyone has Sailed in Alaska from Whittier to Vancouver, Canada did the beverage packages start once you boarded the ship or did you have to wait until after sail away or reaching international waters.  Same thing if sailing from Vancouver, Canada to Whittier, Alaska. 

I always have the drink package & it has always started when I first boarded the ship. I don’t think that it matters where you are cruising from. 
 

Tom😀

[nunyabidness]

1 minute ago, trbarton said:

I always have the drink package & it has always started when I first boarded the ship. I don’t think that it matters where you are cruising from. 
 

Tom😀

As others have noted, it does matter on cruises out of Galveston due to state liquor laws.

 

3 minutes ago, trbarton said:

When boarding in San Francisco, until we depart,  their is a small tax on any drinks but it’s so small I don’t worry about it. 
 

Tom😀

This is this case in almost every US port (and out of New Orleans, where you're in state waters until midnight-ish when the ship reaches the Gulf of Mexico, but no impact to Princess since they have no ships based in New Orleans).

[Mary Ann 2]

2 hours ago, cruisepest said:

Just of the Ruby Princess, 

 

They have a limited selection of drinks you can charge to your account before you set sail.Sales tax was added and 18 % gratuity. One we were an hour out to sea the package started. So we had to pay for our drinks from 11 to 5 PM on the first day when sailing out of Galveston. We went out of Long beach in November and the package starts as soon as you board. The timer is from 6AM to 6PM.

When we sailed the Ruby out of Galveston in late February, they gave us an onboard credit that would cover several drinks before we reached international waters.  Are they not doing that now? Did you check your account the first or second day? It was on ours when we boarded.

[cruisepest]

Mary Ann 2,

 

Yes, we got a $ 25.00 dollar credit each. Two glasses of Berringer Chardonnay cost us over 30$ after tax and tip.

[capriccio]

On 4/10/2023 at 10:24 AM, cruisepest said:The timer is from 6AM to 6PM.

The timer resets every morning at 6 am.  So the limit is 15 alcoholic drinks between 6 am and 6 am.