Jewel out of Houston - Texas Liquor Laws?

[tanyaheart]

Anytime friends have tried to take beer onboard it gets taken away then given back on the last night.

 

 

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[T_Bone2012]

Sailed the Jewel a couple of weeks ago. Here's what I know/experienced:

 

 

when we disembarked and passed through customs last month, an elderly lady was barely visible and "loosely" directing people towards the Texas duty table around the corner . . so enforcement seemed to be very lax - didn't see anyone declaring anything ;-)

 

Yes - TX has some strange laws. If you keep the bottles in the cardboard carry boxes, you will be directed to the duty table and will need to go pay tax. If you pack your bottles in your luggage and do not declare, no problem.

[PlanoDebbie]

I've sailed out of Galveston several times. The biggest reason why most things are unavailable (or in short supply) is to avoid paying local sales taxes while in port. The ships have to keep very good records on all sales made while in port. That's why none of the shops are open either. Casinos don't open until out at sea because they must follow local gambling rules as well.

 

That said, I've never had a problem getting a frosty adult beverage on the ship prior to sailaway. The ships generally limit the alcohol sales to only a few bars to lessen the accounting headaches later.

 

About 80% of the people who sail out of Galveston or Houston are Texans!

[ranran87]

Here is the liquor menu in all bars and restaurants the first night before you leave Texas waters. Be aware, you will be charged tax on these drinks, but it is a small percentage.

 

 

 

[zdcatc12]

Seems kind of ironic that you can't get a margarita since they were invented there.

[albertamom]

Here is the liquor menu in all bars and restaurants the first night before you leave Texas waters. Be aware, you will be charged tax on these drinks, but it is a small percentage.

 

Thank you so much for this excellent update! I think we'll survive! :D

[realcindylouwho]

Here is the liquor menu in all bars and restaurants the first night before you leave Texas waters. Be aware, you will be charged tax on these drinks, but it is a small percentage.

 

 

 

 

Thank you for posting that drink menu, as it brings back happy memories!!!!

 

On the first evening during our Thanksgiving week onboard the Jewel, I don't remember what I tried ordering from the listed Martinis you show pictured, but Kumar at Maltings stated he wasn't able to make the drink I wanted until the next day, so he recommended another martini for me. (Wow, that was a really long sentence!). I also remember that he wasn't able to make any of the fancy/more expensive NCL cocktails they had listed on a seperate menu. These were in a bartendar competition possibly last year? Anyway, they were priced more than $10 and had unique ingredients.

 

We did the He Said She Said review from that week and I was glad that we had brought 5 bottles of wine onboard, as our alcohol that came with the Garden Villa was not delivered until mid to late afternoon on the first sea day:( a full 24 hours after we had expected it and a vast difference from our experience 4 years ago in the Pearl in a Garden Villa.