Florida Sales Tax

On our cruise January 2017 we had a couple of drinks with lunch when we boarded and were charged the 7% sales tax on top of the ship gratuities. Not a big deal. only a few drinks. We were considering the AIBP but decided not to.

Is my assumption correct - if we had bought the AIBP while still in port we would have paid 7% more (sales tax) than if we had waited until we were well out to sea?

Likewise, is there a sales tax imposed (Florida or otherwise) if you PRE-purchase the AIBP through the website ?

On our cruise January 2017 we had a couple of drinks with lunch when we boarded and were charged the 7% sales tax on top of the ship gratuities. Not a big deal. only a few drinks. We were considering the AIBP but decided not to.

Is my assumption correct - if we had bought the AIBP while still in port we would have paid 7% more (sales tax) than if we had waited until we were well out to sea?

Likewise, is there a sales tax imposed (Florida or otherwise) if you PRE-purchase the AIBP through the website ?

No sales tax on a pre-purchase.

From experience:

When you purchase a drink at a bar while still in port your cruise card is run and the charge + the sales tax is added at the time of purchase.

The AIBP and the Soda & More packages are sold at tables around the ship. Your purchase is written up manually. The manual slips are then posted to your account later in the evening when the ship is in international waters and no sales tax is added.

If you wait until the ship sails, again no sales tax.

The answer is no and no. The AIBP is the same price without sales tax whether it is purchased on the first day while in port or pre-ordered. They only charge sales tax while in a FL port on drinks. Galveston has the same problem with the money hungry state as FL.

The answer is no and no. The AIBP is the same price without sales tax whether it is purchased on the first day while in port or pre-ordered. They only charge sales tax while in a FL port on drinks. Galveston has the same problem with the money hungry state as FL.

We have no income tax in Florida. We exist by ripping tourists off with high tourist taxes on lodgings, pay by plate toll roads, and certain entertainment venues.

Thank you for supporting our life style. ;)

Added taxes can happen in ANY port.

We "forgot" and had dinner in Crown Grill while in port in Honolulu. Taxes added, lesson learned.

The answer is no and no. The AIBP is the same price without sales tax whether it is purchased on the first day while in port or pre-ordered. They only charge sales tax while in a FL port on drinks. Galveston has the same problem with the money hungry state as FL.

FYI----Texas, like Florida, has no state income tax. That is why Texas has a 6.25% state sales tax. Texas cities can add up to 2% sales tax if they choose for a maximum total sales tax of 8.25%. I have lived in many states in my time and they all are hungry for money. Some states' politicians choose to have an state income tax so they can buy the votes of the poor by redistributing the earnings of those who earn more.(pretty much the opposite of the equal pay for equal work philosophy). It also insures that the citizens of those states pay more in taxes while out-of-state visitors pay less. Every state I lived in that had a state income tax also had a sales tax. Other states' politicians choose to have a sales tax instead of an income tax. That spares the citizens of those states the time and expense of filing a state income tax return and taxes them on what they spend rather than on what they work for and earn. It also lets out-of-state visitors pay more of the cost of state government.

Is there any U.S. cruise ship port that doesn't have a sales tax?

Same in San Francisco. If you order a drink before ship sails tax is added to the bill.. :mad:

FYI----Texas, like Florida, has no state income tax. That is why Texas has a 6.25% state sales tax. Texas cities can add up to 2% sales tax if they choose for a maximum total sales tax of 8.25%. I have lived in many states in my time and they all are hungry for money. Some states' politicians choose to have an state income tax so they can buy the votes of the poor by redistributing the earnings of those who earn more.(pretty much the opposite of the equal pay for equal work philosophy). It also insures that the citizens of those states pay more in taxes while out-of-state visitors pay less. Every state I lived in that had a state income tax also had a sales tax. Other states' politicians choose to have a sales tax instead of an income tax. That spares the citizens of those states the time and expense of filing a state income tax return and taxes them on what they spend rather than on what they work for and earn. It also lets out-of-state visitors pay more of the cost of state government.

Is there any U.S. cruise ship port that doesn't have a sales tax?

Astoria Oregon.

You will encounter Sales Tax in virtually all states, while in port .

Time to celebrate Bon Voyage with that wine or Champagne that your TA

sent to your cabin before buying drinks .

No sales tax on a pre-purchase.

From experience:

 

When you purchase a drink at a bar while still in port your cruise card is run and the charge + the sales tax is added at the time of purchase.

The AIBP and the Soda & More packages are sold at tables around the ship. Your purchase is written up manually. The manual slips are then posted to your account later in the evening when the ship is in international waters and no sales tax is added.

If you wait until the ship sails, again no sales tax.

Yes, that's the way it works for us when we buy our AIBP when we board the ship in Ft. Lauderdale . :)

Thanks for the info on the shipboard sales tax, now it makes more sense.

Seems every state is looking for ways to generate additional revenue. Here in Wisconsin 5.5% sales tax, lodging, state income tax, no toll roads YET but a 32 cents per gallon gas tax. Florida in addition to the toll roads is at 28 cents / gallon. No free lunch anywhere I guess.

I don't know about the rest of the country but California certainly does love to charge taxes. The get us coming, going, and while at rest. :(

Is there any U.S. cruise ship port that doesn't have a sales tax?

Oregon has an income tax and no sales tax so rdcruisin2 is correct, Astoria, OR

And it was not that long ago that the port cities started taking advantage of the extra $$$.

Adding a twist to the thread - I had pre-purchased AIBP and ordered a drink on embarkation day at Ft. Lauderdale. I wasn't charged a sales tax for that drink.

Did the server forgot to add the sales tax, or AIBP covered the sales tax while in port?

I don't know about the rest of the country but California certainly does love to charge taxes. The get us coming, going, and while at rest. :(

Exactly! I'd love to pay these "high" taxes some people are talking about! We'd consider ourselves lucky! Try living in California and being taxed to death. :mad:

Adding a twist to the thread - I had pre-purchased AIBP and ordered a drink on embarkation day at Ft. Lauderdale. I wasn't charged a sales tax for that drink.

 

Did the server forgot to add the sales tax, or AIBP covered the sales tax while in port?

It was a pre-purchase so no sales tax. ;)

I don't know about the rest of the country but California certainly does love to charge taxes. The get us coming, going, and while at rest. :(

Someone has to pay for all the free stuff your politicians give away. Plus the big bucks they make.

Tony

We have purchased drink packages in FL ports (we will not disclose the cruise line :)) and not paid sales tax. If anyone tries to sell you a package while in port, simply tell them you will wait to later that evening when you are in International waters. The response will usually be something like, "not a problem since we will not process your purchase until we are outside FL waters." If they cannot sell it to you tax-free.....simply wait until later that night.

Hank

I don't know about the rest of the country but California certainly does love to charge taxes. The get us coming, going, and while at rest. :(

They are so bad that I feel that they will come after me after I die hoping to tax me more!!!!!!!! :loudcry:

Someone has to pay for all the free stuff your politicians give away. Plus the big bucks they make.

Tony

But Tony why is it always me? I get so tired of having the money I earn taken away to give to those who don't work and don't want to work. GAH! California. If only it wasn't so freaking cold in the places I would be inclined to move to in order to escape...