US ports: Tax on free alcohol but not on specialty dining?

[fstuff1]

Ship to Bermuda was redirected to Miami because storms.

We stayed till 10pm.

 

There was tax on drinks even if you had the beverage package.

But as the pic shows, my specialty meal had no tax.

 

So what's the reason behind the different taxing?

 

[Liljo22]

I have been charged taxes on dining while on the Mississippi River when we have cruised out of NO.   Maybe Florida doesn't require taxes on food while in their waters?

[mjkacmom]

When leaving from NY, drinks are taxed. In some ports alcohol is taxed until the ship gets a certain distance from the port.

[graphicguy]

One is food and one is an alcoholic drink?

 

You complaining that you weren't charged a tax on your food? 

 

I know I've had to pay taxes on drinks per locale when sailing out of Miami and NOLA (Mississippi River), too.  Can't remember how far we had to sail to get our of their jurisdiction, though.

 

 

[All-ready2cruise]

Doesn't the tax on  certain things, alcohol, food, items, whatever, depend on what part of government set the tax in the first place. I mean there's municipal, county, state, federal... can't they all decide what and how much to tax? Makes sense to me anyway. 

[fstuff1]

33 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

One is food and one is an alcoholic drink?

 

You complaining that you weren't charged a tax on your food? 

 

 

How do you read that  I am complaining??

Just wondering why the different tax structure?

 

You sound hostile towards me.

[graphicguy]

Just now, fstuff1 said:

 

How do you read that  I am complaining??

Just wondering why the different tax structure?

 

You sound hostile towards me.

???????????????

[Two Wheels Only]

Miami does have a food and beverage tax so technically, you should have been charged. NCL pays a certain amount in tax based on occupancy. The guests pay that tax in one way or another. While in port, you might see a charge to your account for drinks and might even see a charge for other things such as food. Either way, NCL uses money from guests to pay whatever NCL needs to pay....and keeps whatever is left over. 😉

Edited August 29, 2023 by Two Wheels Only

[ColeThornton]

Ask someone at Customer Service, let us know what they say.

[gmbhardy]

This topic (in port liquor taxes) doesn’t seem to generate much discussion as most people are not concerned about the small amount of taxes due, but when you have the premium plus package the taxes could be significant as the menu prices for some of the top shelf liquors are outrageous,

[zqvol]

3 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

Ship to Bermuda was redirected to Miami because storms.

We stayed till 10pm.

 

There was tax on drinks even if you had the beverage package.

But as the pic shows, my specialty meal had no tax.

 

So what's the reason behind the different taxing?

 

You didn't have to pay it so why complain,  but I'm sure that if you go to guest services they will add it to your bill for you convenience.

[fstuff1]

2 hours ago, ColeThornton said:

Ask someone at Customer Service, let us know what they say.

More down side than upside in asking why wasn't I charged tax.

Thus I'm asking here.

 

Thx for the reply

Edited August 29, 2023 by fstuff1

[fstuff1]

1 hour ago, zqvol said:

You didn't have to pay it so why complain,  but I'm sure that if you go to guest services they will add it to your bill for you convenience.

Again, why do you think I'm complaining?

 

I don't get it.

 

Just want to know if anyone knew why the difference between tax for free alcohol and speciality dining in US ports

Edited August 29, 2023 by fstuff1

[Cruising Lynne]

4 minutes ago, fstuff1 said:

Again, why do you think I'm complaining?

 

I don't get it.

 

Just want to know if anyone knew why the difference between tax for free alcohol and speciality dining in US ports

I didn't think you were complaining. I think it is because one is for liquor, which has more tax in a lot of places. NCL probably just absorbs the tax that may be on food. Liquor, they pass it on to the cruiser to pay.

[Two Wheels Only]

7 minutes ago, Cruising Lynne said:

I think it is because one is for liquor, which has more tax in a lot of places

 

It's 8% for either while on the ship and in Port Miami.

 

8 minutes ago, Cruising Lynne said:

NCL probably just absorbs the tax that may be on food. Liquor, they pass it on to the cruiser to pay.

 

The customer pays both. It just a matter of how NCL passes that cost onto the customer.

 

For example, MSC doesn't add a tax to drinks ordered while in Port Miami. NCL does add a tax while in Port Miami. In both cases, the cruise line is using money from the customers to pay the tax. NCL is taking a few nickels and dimes (couldn't resist) from people who order drinks while in Port to cover the tax. MSC isn't being nice and paying the tax for the customers. It may not seem like it but MSC customers paid that tax (whether the customer drinks or doesn't) months before boarding the ship. NCL handles the tax (even if nobody orders a drink) by using money collected months earlier, too. From the guests' perspective, one way might feel better than the other but it's still being paid by the guests.

 

 

[Buford T Justiice]

Or NCL just plain forgot to program it for this deviated itinerary.

[Cruising Lynne]

13 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

It's 8% for either while on the ship and in Port Miami.

 

 

The customer pays both. It just a matter of how NCL passes that cost onto the customer.

 

For example, MSC doesn't add a tax to drinks ordered while in Port Miami. NCL does add a tax while in Port Miami. In both cases, the cruise line is using money from the customers to pay the tax. NCL is taking a few nickels and dimes (couldn't resist) from people who order drinks while in Port to cover the tax. MSC isn't being nice and paying the tax for the customers. It may not seem like it but MSC customers paid that tax (whether the customer drinks or doesn't) months before boarding the ship. NCL handles the tax (even if nobody orders a drink) by using money collected months earlier, too. From the guests' perspective, one way might feel better than the other but it's still being paid by the guests.

 

 

I am surprised that the tax rate is the same. It is interesting that some cruise lines do not tax the drinks in port. I guess NCL figured few would complain over these nickel and dimes since the amount is small for most people. All the lines get the money one way or another.

 

Just have to say that I do not think NCL nickel and dimes more than any of the other major lines. Some vloggers love to say this. They all have charges for different things. For example, the charge for room service. I would rather pay the fee for room service that NCL charges than the per item charge that Carnival now has. 

 

[Two Wheels Only]

14 minutes ago, Cruising Lynne said:

Just have to say that I do not think NCL nickel and dimes more than any of the other major lines.

 

I agree. So many people use "nickel and dime" when it doesn't really apply and I couldn't resist using the term. It's the same when someone uses "price gouging" when a cruise goes up $200 from when the person was first window shopping but didn't book. 

 

 

[Capitan Obvious]

5 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

 

How do you read that  I am complaining??

Just wondering why the different tax structure?

 

You sound hostile towards me.

 

I don't think being hostile was the intent. They likely thought you were complaining because you are asking a question that none of us could possibly answer. Only the governmental taxing authority could tell you "why" there is a difference.

 

I believe that you are just curious, but given that you notice this on board a ship you should ask the people there...the people who are actually collecting the tax...your questions. They are far more likely to know "why".

[fstuff1]

4 hours ago, Buford T Justiice said:

Or NCL just plain forgot to program it for this deviated itinerary.

I know people who got taxed for their free alcoholic drink.

And there are signs on the bars warning of a drink tax while in Miami.

 

[njhorseman]

16 minutes ago, fstuff1 said:

I know people who got taxed for their free alcoholic drink.

And there are signs on the bars warning of a drink tax while in Miami.

 

The point is that they always charge tax on drinks when in port in Miami so the system is programmed to impose the tax.  They are almost never in Miami at dinner time when you would have specialty restaurant meals for which tax would be due so the system isn't set to tax food .

[fstuff1]

13 hours ago, njhorseman said:

The point is that they always charge tax on drinks when in port in Miami so the system is programmed to impose the tax. 

They are almost never in Miami at dinner time when you would have specialty restaurant meals for which tax would be due, so the system isn't set to tax food .

Ahh.. that's a great explanation!

Thx

Edited August 30, 2023 by fstuff1