Premium Plus Beverage Package and Port Taxes

[gmbhardy]

Just wondering how much people have been dinged with port taxes using the plus package. I think it would add up pretty quickly if you stared drinking high end stuff prior to sail away or when visiting Puerto Rico. 

[palpieha]

Yes, from under $1 for cheap stuff up to $6.50 in tax for a glass of Veuve while at port.

[UKstages]

"port taxes?"

 

what you're really referring to is sales tax for drinks consumed while in a specific port, pursuant to local tax laws. port taxes are a completely different animal.

 

as for a $6.50 tax on a glass of veuve... say what?

 

assuming tax of 10% (and most jurisdictions charge far less), the glass of veuve would have to be sold at retail for $65 in order to incur a $6.50 tax.

 

where were you charged $6.50 tax for a glass of veuve clicquot? (not saying it didn't happen... just trying to understand the math behind it.) most times, on NCL, i've seen veuve offered for $32 or $34 or so.

 

was this possibly the tax for two glasses of veuve?

[gmbhardy]

Yes, I meant sales taxes collected while in port.

[palpieha]

2 hours ago, UKstages said:

where were you charged $6.50 tax for a glass of veuve clicquot? (not saying it didn't happen... just trying to understand the math behind it.) most times, on NCL, i've seen veuve offered for $32 or $34 or so.

 

was this possibly the tax for two glasses of veuve?

 

You're right, sorry! I was looking at my last invoice and saw the two $6.50 charges at the bar after embarkation. Yes, the first $6.50 was for 2 glasses of Veuve, and the second $6.50 was for another 2 glasses of Veuve.... 

 

I guess after enough Veuve, you forget how many you had.

[laudergayle]

Wondering when I can order that glass of Veuve tax free when sailing out of NYC towards Newport?  Actually I would pay tax for a glass or two…but for dinner I want a bottle of something and don’t want to pay taxes on the bottle.  1 hour? 1.5 hours? Never??

[palpieha]

13 minutes ago, laudergayle said:

Wondering when I can order that glass of Veuve tax free when sailing out of NYC towards Newport?  Actually I would pay tax for a glass or two…but for dinner I want a bottle of something and don’t want to pay taxes on the bottle.  1 hour? 1.5 hours? Never??

Definitely they stop charging it when the ship reaches international waters, which they are incentivized to do as quickly as possible so they can open the casino.

 

I don't know if they can stop earlier in some jurisdictions (like if the sales tax is city instead of state).

[UKstages]

it depends on when your dinner reservation is and if the ship's departure is delayed.

 

many times, out of new york, you could be eating dinner and the ship might only just have left port.

 

you could sit down, i suppose, and tell the server that you only want your bottle served once you're in "tax free" waters. but, yeah, an hour and a half is a pretty safe bet that there is no longer tax being charged.

 

 

[CPRayVA]

Are taxes on drinks charged in ALL ports or only while in the US?

 

[laudergayle]

On 9/27/2022 at 5:52 PM, laudergayle said:

Wondering when I can order that glass of Veuve tax free when sailing out of NYC towards Newport?  Actually I would pay tax for a glass or two…but for dinner I want a bottle of something and don’t want to pay taxes on the bottle.  1 hour? 1.5 hours? Never??

Haha..I’m answering my own question.  So the BA set sail from NYC at 5:30 pm.  Our dinner was in MDR at 7:30 pm where I drank Veuve…and there was no sales tax added.  Just an FYI for anyone who may be interested.

[Mrswood83]

22 hours ago, CPRayVA said:

Are taxes on drinks charged in ALL ports or only while in the US?

 

Only in US ports (San Juan included) but not USVI

[CTCruisers]

Just returned from a Pearl cruise from Boston with stops in Canada and 2 ports in Maine.

 

The only port where were hit with sales tax was Boston, noting for Portland or Bar Harbor. 

[PATRLR]

On 10/25/2022 at 7:29 PM, CPRayVA said:

Are taxes on drinks charged in ALL ports or only while in the US?

 

 

On 10/26/2022 at 6:02 PM, Mrswood83 said:

Only in US ports (San Juan included) but not USVI

I think the correct answer is any port who's local jurisdiction requires collecting tax.  I suspect that is most US ports but I don't know if it's all US ports.  I also suspect its not only US ports but quite possibly some other foreign ports as well.

[gmbhardy]

I’m cruising in the MSC Yacht Club right now and they don’t collect sales taxes at any port (I believe it’s 7% elsewhere on the ship). You also never have to show your card in the YC when ordering drinks.

[detroitlions]

I can only remember being charged on the first day no matter where I went.