Cheers and tax on drinks out of Port Canaveral

[E&B]

Another thread just got me wondering about our first drinks out of Port Canaveral. We pre-purchased Cheers (yay!) for ourselves and as a gift to our 21+ kids. The trip itself is also a gift, but they're in charge of covering any extras themselves, including the tax on drinks. Just want to let the, know how much that might be. I know we may be charged the tax on drinks until we reach international waters, but from what I've researched here it varies by port. Is it charged while docked in PC and if so, about how much is it on a $10 drink? Also, we have stops in San Juan and St. Thomas as well. Are taxes charged on drinks there while in port or are they considered international v. US ports for drink tax purposes?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[figdu]

The Port Canaveral sales tax rate is 6.5%.

Edited April 22, 2016 by figdu

[Jdfireman]

Taxes are only charged when docked at a US port.

[Sitzmark]

Taxes are only charged when docked at a US port.

 

According to the other thread this is not the case, it is at some point like the 12 mile limit where it goes tax free. In that other thread they are talking about New Orleans which has a long stretch in the Mississippi river after leaving port so it's pretty much the entire first evening and part of the final evening for the return trip. It may be a matter of local or state law as well.

 

My confusion was based on my experience on the Oasis where we were charged no tax even while sitting at the pier in Fort Lauderdale. I don't understand why passengers on one cruise line would be charged while another group is not. It is possible though that the cruise line has some leeway on how to collect or pay the tax I suppose.

[sharse]

I can't comment on the why's, but my experience last month was that we were charged tax when docked at Canaveral and while docked in San Juan. It was less than a dollar on each drink... not a big deal. cruise also went to St. Kitts, St. Maarten, Grand Turk, and we were not charged tax on drinks in those ports.

 

Technically we are in US waters until we are 12 miles off shore, and then we are in international waters. But I'm quite sure we didn't pay taxes on drinks once we were sailing. Only while docked.

Edited April 22, 2016 by sharse

[JAGR]

I can't comment on the why's, but my experience last month was that we were charged tax when docked at Canaveral and while docked in San Juan. It was less than a dollar on each drink... not a big deal. cruise also went to St. Kitts, St. Maarten, Grand Turk, and we were not charged tax on drinks in those ports.

 

Technically we are in US waters until we are 12 miles off shore, and then we are in international waters. But I'm quite sure we didn't pay taxes on drinks once we were sailing. Only while docked.

 

I'm curious about your experience regarding San Juan. We are on the same itinerary as your trip, and I wondered about alcohol sales in San Juan. Last year, we originated in San Juan, and they did bag inspection in the terminal and not the ship. People would get a tag on their bag from the screener, and would then take the tag off as they walked up onto the ship. I assume they don't do it that way at a Port of Call, correct?

[mrsfuzzmo]

For the OP, we just sailed on NCL out of Tampa (I realize Carnival may do it differently, but would think it was the law) and while we had the drink package, they were very clear that we would be charged taxes on our beverages until we reached international waters, which took over 2 hrs.

 

We had to sail out of Tampa Bay so that takes much longer than the sail out of Canaveral, but it's the same idea.

 

I think we were each charged a total of about $10 (It was probably less) for all of our drinks while onboard (we boarded at 11:30 am) and until we reached international waters at about 7:00 pm that night. It was not a big deal, so not really anything to worry about.

 

We pretty much had a cocktail in our hands from embarkation until dinner, so we had a few!

[okgirl]

I'm curious about your experience regarding San Juan. We are on the same itinerary as your trip, and I wondered about alcohol sales in San Juan. Last year, we originated in San Juan, and they did bag inspection in the terminal and not the ship. People would get a tag on their bag from the screener, and would then take the tag off as they walked up onto the ship. I assume they don't do it that way at a Port of Call, correct?

 

When SJ is a port of call you are screen for onshore liquor purchases as you re-board the ship, just like in other ports of call.

 

It will be confiscated and you go pick it up on debarkation morning.