Soda package tumbler/sales tax

Do you still get the free tumbler with the soda package?

Sailing out of Baltimore on the Pride next month.

It's been a while since I've cruised with Carnival and I've never cruised from Baltimore. Being as I'm from Maryland, the state already gets enough of my money, how long do I have to wait to purchase and avoid state sales tax?

Thank you!

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When the shops and casino opens you'll know when the tax ends.

Bring a few sodas (Sprite? lol) onboard with you to tide you over.

Carnival has never given the tumbler away, it's been a $5 surcharge. They are experimenting with a nice logo aluminum mug (who isn't?) for a $20 fee. The benefit is the bar staff will fill the entire mug.

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I purchased the soda package and I'm taking my own Yeti tumbler. Will the bartenders put my mixed drink in my Yeti if I ask them to?

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Any pictures of these new mugs?

Do you still get the free tumbler with the soda package?

 

Sailing out of Baltimore on the Pride next month.

 

It's been a while since I've cruised with Carnival and I've never cruised from Baltimore. Being as I'm from Maryland, the state already gets enough of my money, how long do I have to wait to purchase and avoid state sales tax?

 

Thank you!

Seriously? you will not buy a $6 beer because of .50 sales tax. The tax goes away when they leave the dock, not getting into international waters as someone suggested

$6 for a beer, yikees, no wonder its been so long since I've cruised! Not looking forward to hubby's daily martini charge either!

Anyway, getting soda package for the two kiddies and me. The Yeti is a great idea! I will bring mine and get the tumbler for the kids. If the bartender won't fill it up, I'll be done with the glass real quick as I dump it into the Yeti myself.

Will have to see how embarkation day goes and if I care about saving $8 in tax or not, but if I wait, it almost pays for the tumblers! I balance the checkbook so I save wherever I can.

Thank you all for your responses!

Nothing is for free.

Sorry, beating the dead horse. I was just looking into buying some water bottles ahead of time to have delivered to the cabin. $4.50 for 12 bottles, no sales tax. So I added the soda package to my cart, also no sales tax. Anyone have experience pre-ordering the soda package without sales tax?

Ok, found my answer.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2249704

Tax is charged on each "purchase" of soda while in US waters. Not taxed on whole package.

That 'splains it!

The tax goes away when they leave the dock, not getting into international waters as someone suggested

Your statement is incorrect. For cruises that originate on a river port instead of one immediately open to the sea or on a bay, the departure state has the right to charge the cruise line sales tax on purchases made until past their marine jurisdiction. So in Baltimore the MD sales tax lasts until about midnight/1 am on departure evening, and resumes around 2 am on return day. In NYC, sales tax is collected till about 90 minutes after departure and resumes 3 miles from the mouth of the Hudson upon return (hard to put a time on it as some itineraries need to wait for lower tide to pass the VZN bridge but still close enough for the PA tugs).

TO the OP: Don't worry MD will not get more than their fair share of sales tax. You will only pay this on drinks ordered while still on the Chesapeake. For a glass of soda on Bottomless Bubbles or Cheers that equals about $0.09, or if you purchase a can of soda a la cart at $1.95 sales tax will be $0.12. Adult beverages purchased while in MD waters will also have sales tax & might get the 3% additional tax for alcohol (I honestly don't remember), regardless if ordered under the package or by the glass/bottle.

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When the shops and casino opens you'll know when the tax ends.

 

Bring a few sodas (Sprite? lol) onboard with you to tide you over.

This is not correct for cruises from Baltimore... Carnival has an arrangement to be able to open the casinos while still not in international waters. Usually the casino opens around 8pm, but the tax remains until somewhere around midnight.

TO the OP: Don't worry MD will not get more than their fair share of sales tax. You will only pay this on drinks ordered while still on the Chesapeake. For a glass of soda on Bottomless Bubbles or Cheers that equals about $0.09, or if you purchase a can of soda a la cart at $1.95 sales tax will be $0.12. Adult beverages purchased while in MD waters will also have sales tax & might get the 3% additional tax for alcohol (I honestly don't remember), regardless if ordered under the package or by the glass/bottle.

Just returned last week on the Fascination and I bought the soda package. Each drink I got at port was $0.26. Not much but definitely more than $0.09.

 

Will have to see how embarkation day goes and if I care about saving $8 in tax or not, but if I wait, it almost pays for the tumblers! I balance the checkbook so I save wherever I can.

 

Thank you all for your responses!

Lol, I'm 100% with you! I live on the MD/DE border. There are many times where I could go to store closer to me in MD but instead, I'll go to another location of the store in DE that's a bit further away. Why? Because we don't have sales tax in DE. My friends and family make fun of me for being cheap by doing this but when I'm buying expensive items like electronics, furniture, etc that's a significant savings. But honestly, even if I save a just a few bucks it makes me happy :)

You mentioned you already have a Yeti tumbler, but knowing how pricey they can be, if you'd like to purchase ones for your kids, I've heard very good things about the Ozark Trail brand tumblers (I know Walmart carries them). They're almost identical, but cheaper. My dad got one as a gift and he said it works great...keeps his coffee so hot that it's still hard to drink after a while.

Seriously? you will not buy a $6 beer because of .50 sales tax. The tax goes away when they leave the dock, not getting into international waters as someone suggested

How much the OP chooses to save, regardless of how little you claim it to be, shouldn't be of any concern of yours. And just in case you didn't notice, her question pertained to soda, not beer. To be so condescending towards someone just for being frugal is completely unnecessary.

Actually, I don't have a Yeti and have the Walmart one it was just easier to say Yeti without an explanation. They are great and we have about 8 of them but DH hoards them and won't share with the kids! We'll get the Carnival ones for them and it will be a souvenir too.

And thank you OC!

Just returned last week on the Fascination and I bought the soda package. Each drink I got at port was $0.26. Not much but definitely more than $0.09.

The Fascination does not sail out of Maryland, it sails out of San Juan, Puerto Rico which has a much higher sales tax than MD. I gave the state sales tax (6%) on the bar menu price of a cup of soda at $1.50 which is how in Baltimore sodas and juices are calculated under BB or Cheers.