A little Friday vent

[lesters]

So while I am beyond excited for this cruise to hurry up and get here, and I am really looking forward to checking out Houston & Galveston for the couple days before and after we sail I am starting to be annoyed with the Texas regulations regarding alcohol....

 

 

Case in point:

 

I wanted to purchase the High Seas Deluxe Tote Bag!

 

 

 

 

It comes with:

Two Blue Carnival Embroidered Towels

Two Carnival White Tshirts (Available in sizes Small - XX-Large)

Two Carnival visors

One Bottle of Barefoot Bubbly Champagne

Set of Carnival Etched Champagne Flutes

Cruise Cash Bar Credit $25

Cruise Cash Photo Credit $10

Tote Bag

 

 

For $76 and it comes with $35 in credits that I will use (especially on day 1 I will use the bar credit) and the bubbly is fun to for a fancy drink on the balcony at some point.

 

 

However, since the package includes the Bubbly it cannot be delivered until DAY 2 of our cruise. I even called the Fun Shops to see if everything else except the bottle of bubbly can be delivered on Day 1 and was told no.

 

 

The issue for me is we are purchasing the Cheers Program and obtaining the bar credit of $25 really does me no good if it comes on Day 2. My thought was this would be great to use for a couple of drinks on Day 1 when I cannot have the Cheers Program -again due to Texas laws.

 

 

It seems so strange and I am not looking forward to paying state taxes on my Duty Free rum that I plan on bringing back to Canada.... I know its the law and all but it is so strange to punish tourists like this.

 

 

Between the lack of easy car rental options and strange liquor laws it sure makes me question using Texas as a cruise port again in the future.

 

Don't get me wrong I am still going forward with a super postive attitude, excited to see new places and meet new people... it is just a few minor annoyances that really make no sense to me!

 

 

Happy Friday everyone!

 

I did also post this in my roll call but we are pretty much a ghost town over there and I feel like I'm just talking to myself LOL

 

Thanks for "listening" to my vent :cool:

[AnnaNimitee]

I *think* you can use the bar credit toward your Cheers program. I know that doesn't help for day one (and I completely understand your rant and don't blame you), but maybe it helps a little?

 

Have fun on your cruise!

[lisajm]

Lesters,

I totally empathize with you! Hate it when you set your mind on something and people and states and politicians don't bend to your wishes.

 

It sounds like you are going to have a blast no matter what. Enjoy your cruise.

[pusywillow]

That's Texas for you!

 

Have a great cruise!

[travler27]

Yeah, a lot of places have some strange laws. Last time I went fishing in NW Ontario I found out you can only have one line in the water for each licensed fisherman in the boat. In the states there's no such limit I've ever run into.

Edited February 27, 2015 by travler27

[mississauga]

Same sentiments as you have as far as transport to and from Galveston. It is a very difficult port to sail from if you don't drive your own car there.

 

Can't help you with your predicament for the tote purchase with the bubbly. Is there another package you can purchase without the bubbly?

 

Are you allowed to bring your own bottle of wine or champagne to drink on day 1 when embarking in Texas? Our last 2 cruises, we only debarked in Texas.

 

FYI for buying and bringing rum home after the cruise.

 

If you fill the form out, the tax is about $3.95 for a litre. The line is not as long as we thought.

 

It is on the honour system. If you do not fill the form out, you do not go in the line to pay. After you pick up your luggage and go through Customs and Immigration, as you are walking out, someone is there to ask if you have alcohol or cigarettes to declare. If not, you walk right out. If yes, there are a couple of Windows where you go to pay.

 

The taxes for alcohol are not too bad but they are for cigarettes. $15 for a carton.

[LSUcajunmom]

If I'm not mistaken, you can't purchase the Cheers deal til day 2 when sailing out of Galveston, so that may take care of your predicament. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong.

[jp30338]

If I'm not mistaken, you can't purchase the Cheers deal til day 2 when sailing out of Galveston, so that may take care of your predicament. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong.

 

That is correct, so you can still use the bar credit from the package. The texas info is on the faq on carnival.com under cheers.

Edited February 27, 2015 by jp30338

[lisajm]

OP:

I actually want to thank you for your post! Just checked that package out and is an awesome deal, as you get a lot of bang for your buck. Example if items purchased separately:

1. 2 towels @ 22.00 a piece

2. 2 visors @ 10.00 a piece

3. 2 t-shirts @ 10.00 a piece

4. Barefoot Bubbly @ 25.00

5. 25.00 bar credit

6.10.00 Photo credit

7. Carnival tote, (couldn't find the price on that one)

 

So all adds up to 134 if bought separately compared to 76.00! Woot woot.

[lesters]

So nice to have vented and been supported and not flamed ;)

 

All great ideas!! From what I read and these idea I think I am going to buy it and use the bar credit against the cheers package so everyone still wins :D

[satxdiver]

If you carry your purchased alcohol where it cannot be seen telling the US customs if they ask you have it and then just walk out, they will not be any the wiser. Many Texans do this. There is not a lot they can do and US customs does not talk to the state. The state did not in the past collect this tax but the republicans in Austin decided that they could sock it to the tourists. Welcome to Taxes.

[girlscruise2011]

Wow, thanks for the vent. I bought that package a few years ago and loved it but it went up to $96 at one point. For $76, I might have to buy it again when I'm on the Valor in May. Definately a great savings when you add everything up

[cadamson]

Can you still not take on your own bottle of bubbly that Carnival allows? Then you could buy the cheers program in day 2 when allowed.

[mistyinca]

I would have never known that package comes with $35 of credits. That's actually a decent deal.

[dmdiver]

In response to the question about bringing your own bubbly, yes. We just cruised on Magic in January & we carried on a bottle of wine. If I remember correctly, it's one liter of wine or champagne per person over 21 years of age. You must carry it on yourself, though.

[ray98]

You can still use the credit as the S&S bill does not total to the end. If you spend $25 at the bar on day 1 and the credit is added on day 2 it still comes out to $0.

[AngAndBoys]

I'm from Texas and I don't blame you for being mad. It is a ridiculous policy for a port town with an ugly beach. The water is not so nice. I blame Louisiana for this. The Mississippi River pretty much churns up the entire gulf, so it's not really clear. More like a muddy river. They ought to do something to make it nicer for the tourists, for God's sake, and gouging them where no other port does is not good relations. Go to the boardwalk. They'll gouge you too, but at least it's nice. :D

 

The thing is, we have no state income tax, so they gotta scrounge around for money, I guess. Anyway, as others have said, tell US customs what you have. As long as it's inside your bag, the state will never know what you got unless you march up to the window and declare it. Hint: Most people don't. There are people standing there as you walk by to direct you to the window to pay the state. Look innocent and walk by them.

[travler27]

If the politicians tax the tourists they don't have to worry about how they will vote in the next election. That's why hotel/motel, rental cars and other such tourist only services are taxed so heavily. It's true everywhere, not just Texas. However, Texas does have some really strange alcohol laws.

[Podna's]

I'm from Texas and I don't blame you for being mad. It is a ridiculous policy for a port town with an ugly beach. The water is not so nice. I blame Louisiana for this. The Mississippi River pretty much churns up the entire gulf, so it's not really clear. More like a muddy river.

 

Yea because it's amazing how beautiful and blue the Mississippi River is till it hits Louisiana where it magically turns brown. Just when you thought you heard it all.

Edited February 28, 2015 by Podna's

[DobberDog]

I have read on another thread regarding this Luxury package that the credits are applied to your S&S card and are not paper tickets or anything in the package. If that is true, you would be able to use your credits on day one I would think. I have also heard of people who order liquor from Bon Voyage have received their order the evening of debarkation once the ship gets out of texas waters. So you MIGHT just be able to use your credit & receive your order on the first day.

 

i have no personal experience with this though, just what i have deducted from reading other people's comments on other threads.

[AngAndBoys]

Yea because it's amazing how beautiful and blue the Mississippi River is till it hits Louisiana where it magically turns brown. Just when you thought you heard it all.

 

Haha! I was totally joking! The Mississippi River really IS the reason that the water in Galveston is kind of sandy/muddy looking, but not because it's dirty, because it dumps into the gulf and churns up the sand on the bottom.

[Podna's]

Haha! I was totally joking! The Mississippi River really IS the reason that the water in Galveston is kind of sandy/muddy looking, but not because it's dirty, because it dumps into the gulf and churns up the sand on the bottom.

 

 

Whew. You scared me for a minute. :)

[dmdiver]

Our friends ordered bon voyage alcohol & it wasn't delivered until the next day.

[TEXASMUNK]

The Gulf waters are as clean as anywhere else. When you are deep in the Caribbean, and love the clear waters, that is the sun reflecting off the sandy bottom. The gulf has a brown bottom due to the silt that flows from the Mississippi, but the water is clean.

Secondly, if you buy booze and put it in your luggage, do not carry it in one of those conveneint cardboard boxes, you can walk right on by the "tax" table.

Thirdly, we enjoy Galveston and have never felt "gouged" by pricing.