14 cents tax on soda with Bottomless bubbles

This is from 2nd hand, but I don't know if its true or not I have heard that when you buy BOTTOMLESS BUBBLES they charge you 14 cents every soda you get because it was from a can. They said it was in US waters. that doesn't make sense..

The 2nd hand report was mostly negative.. They were comparing Carnival to Princess.

I'm considering to purchase Bottomless Bubbles again for my upcoming cruise this Sunday on Imagination. :0)

It's because they need to pay the local sales tax in US waters. Other drinks pay the tax as well while in US waters.

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It's because they need to pay the local sales tax in US waters. Other drinks pay the tax as well while in US waters.

 

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The guest already paid taxes with Bottomless...........

The guest already paid taxes with Bottomless...........

They do not charge tax on the sale of the bubbles program, only a per drink tax while in US waters. Same thing goes for Cheers while in US waters.

The guest already paid taxes with Bottomless...........

They only added on the gratuities, not tax, when I purchased the package in March. Twelve cents state "sales" tax (some states may call it excise tax) was added to each soda receipt until we were out of Texas waters. Cocktails from a package too were taxed at point of sale until exiting Texas waters.

Several states do this besides Texas, including Florida and New York according to reports here on the boards. They even charged the tax on my grandson's "no charges authorized" account. The charges were actually applied to my account since I was paying his gratuities too.

The guest already paid taxes with Bottomless...........

No they didn't.

They do not charge tax on the sale of the bubbles program, only a per drink tax while in US waters. Same thing goes for Cheers while in US waters.

This.

Used to pay tax on the whole amount. Now it's just per drink. Many would wait til after sail away to purchase it.

Might depend on the state and city. I know the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have the tax. Runs almost 10% here.

I meant..

After the guest purchases the Bottomless they get taxed on free soda while still in "State"

I meant..

 

After the guest purchases the Bottomless they get taxed on free soda while still in "State"

The soda is not free. The state is going to get their tax while still in their waters.

But easy way to avoid it. Don't get a soda until you are out of their waters. Problem solved.

Bring a couple on with you and use those instead. I mean 14 cents? Jesus, do the states think people are made of money?

I meant..

 

After the guest purchases the Bottomless they get taxed on free soda while still in "State"

What the cruiseline is doing is actually saving you money (charging you tax per can while in state water). They could just charge tax on the entire purchase price of bottomless bubbles instead. That's gonna be a heck of a lot more than 14 (or 70...let's say you drank 5 cans before you were into the open waters) cents.

The soda isn't free. You are making a purchase- purchases get taxed.

Sales tax in San Juan too.

It has nothing to do with it being from a can. If you get fountain soda, you also get charged tax when in a U.S. Port.

This is from 2nd hand, but I don't know if its true or not I have heard that when you buy BOTTOMLESS BUBBLES they charge you 14 cents every soda you get because it was from a can. They said it was in US waters. that doesn't make sense..

The 2nd hand report was mostly negative.. They were comparing Carnival to Princess.

 

I'm considering to purchase Bottomless Bubbles again for my upcoming cruise this Sunday on Imagination. :0)

The tax per drink is charged to everyone before reaching international waters and the amount depends on the local tax rate of the port. This tax is on each drink, whether you have the bottomless bubbles package or cheers package or if you buy the drinks individually. It has nothing to do with the soda or alcohol package...

The guest already paid taxes with Bottomless...........

You don't pay tax on the package, it's the gratuities that are paid when the package is purchased.

On all drinks, alcoholic or non, when purchased in US waters, which is not only in FL, TX, but also when in St Thomas, San Juan or any other port that is a US territory tax applies to the drinks.

Many people have posted wrong info about paying the tax on the package and that just perpetuates wrong info. It's only a few cents per drink, so if you want to drink in the US, you pay the tax. Otherwise, you can wait until you are in International waters and avoid the tax.

This is from 2nd hand, but I don't know if its true or not I have heard that when you buy BOTTOMLESS BUBBLES they charge you 14 cents every soda you get because it was from a can. They said it was in US waters. that doesn't make sense..

The 2nd hand report was mostly negative.. They were comparing Carnival to Princess.

 

I'm considering to purchase Bottomless Bubbles again for my upcoming cruise this Sunday on Imagination. :0)

You can let them know that Princess absolutely charges tax on drinks while in a US port. Having sailed from Long Beach with a stop in Catalina, ALL drinks are taxed whether you have a drink program or not. This is not a cruiseline issue. They are following the law.

I have done that Imagination cruise. It's a fun cruise. Lots of trivia, games etc. Good night club music usually. But you will pay tax as I said above.

It has nothing to do with it being from a can. If you get fountain soda, you also get charged tax when in a U.S. Port.

Makes me wonder how that is handled on Royal ships with the Freestyle machines. If you get it from a bar, there would be tax, but if you fill your own cup, nothing shows up anywhere.

I can confirm this. Sailed on Liberty last week and was charged $.17 for every soda in PR and St. Thomas, no charge after that.

I can confirm this. Sailed on Liberty last week and was charged $.17 for every soda in PR and St. Thomas, no charge after that.

Same on the Pride out of Baltimore and that is for HOURS as you cross the Chesapeake.

Really? This thread is blowing up ove 14 cents? It's sales tax, 7% on a dollar. Therefore a soda is $1.95 plus 14 cents. You pay it at 7-11 so why wouldn't you pay it on the ship? If 14 cents is gonna break you, come see me on my cruise and I'll give you your 14 cents back. You're on vacation, stop fretting the small stuff and enjoy your cruise.

The guest already paid taxes with Bottomless...........

No tax, only gratuities.

Really? This thread is blowing up ove 14 cents? It's sales tax, 7% on a dollar. Therefore a soda is $1.95 plus 14 cents. You pay it at 7-11 so why wouldn't you pay it on the ship? If 14 cents is gonna break you, come see me on my cruise and I'll give you your 14 cents back. You're on vacation, stop fretting the small stuff and enjoy your cruise.

You are right, but it just occurred to me they are taxing you on what a can would cost, and if you have the bubbles program you are only getting it by the cup which is probably half a can.

So they actually are cheating you by charging tax as if you got a can.

I don't get it, but I think if I am being charged tax on the whole can, I would have to insist they give me the whole can.

True it is only 14 cents extra but if you have say a family of five, the part they are cheating you out of starts to add up.

With cheers, a drink is a drink, but not for soda. If walk up and just buy a can, you would be charged the same tax as the person that only got a cup.

I don't have a problem paying the tax, but I do have a problem paying double tax.

How much does it cost to buy a glass of soda? Or is that not possible? If you don't have a card, do they give you the can? If you can't just order one on its own, then you actually don't know what the cost is.

It is possible the states make them charge it this way, if Carnival reports 1 drink = that amount of $. It is illegal to collect a line item of "tax" and keep it for the corporation.

How much does it cost to buy a glass of soda? Or is that not possible? If you don't have a card, do they give you the can? If you can't just order one on its own, then you actually don't know what the cost is.

 

It is possible the states make them charge it this way, if Carnival reports 1 drink = that amount of $. It is illegal to collect a line item of "tax" and keep it for the corporation.

You cannot just buy a glass. If you walk up to just buy a soda, you get the can. And if still in state waters you are charged tax on it.

So if you have bubbles program, you get a glass, and I figure that is 1/2 a can. So without bubbles you pay tax once on a can, but with bubbles you pay it twice on a can.

You cannot just buy a glass. If you walk up to just buy a soda, you get the can. And if still in state waters you are charged tax on it.

 

So if you have bubbles program, you get a glass, and I figure that is 1/2 a can. So without bubbles you pay tax once on a can, but with bubbles you pay it twice on a can.

You can in fact get a glass of fountain soda and pay for it. There are some bars that do not carry cans. So what are they supposed to do, run to another bar and grab you a can or tell you no you can't get a soda? I don't know the price of a glass vs the can but I'm sure it's less. Next time I'm on a ship I'll look into it.

You cannot just buy a glass. If you walk up to just buy a soda, you get the can. And if still in state waters you are charged tax on it.

 

So if you have bubbles program, you get a glass, and I figure that is 1/2 a can. So without bubbles you pay tax once on a can, but with bubbles you pay it twice on a can.

But if on bubbles you are not purchasing a can; so you aren't paying tax on a can at all. You are paying it on glass. Which Carnival has determined costs the same.

Unit pricing isn't always equal- there are lots of times when larger things cost less than smaller ones.

If the extra tax bothers you so much; don't buy the bubbles program until you are out of the state waters and pay per can. That's not going to save you any money, of course, but it's the principal of the matter!!!!