LSUcajunmom

Loved the Magic! She is a beautiful ship!! Enjoy!

It's precisely what I said yesterday. I've done it 3 times in the last 6 months. You do not pay tax on the package. On cruises out on the west coast, we pay tax on drinks until we leave Long Beach, and again while anchored off Catalina. I don't want to be rude and I'm sorry if it comes across that way, but I'm kind of...disappointed, I guess, that you doubted my answer so much you made an entirely new conversation.

Had nothing to do w doubting your answer. Just seeking clarification for what I had assumed about taxes/Cheers program. That's the beauty of a blog. This will be my 12th cruise and still learn something new every time.

This will be my 4th time sailing out of NO. Love sailing down the river!!

this is correct. i have had cheers many times. you don't pay taxes on the plan it self. so it does not matter if you buy it first day in port, or second day at sea it is the same price. you will pay tax per drink you buy while in U.S. waters. this is the same if you have cheers or not. depending on what port you leave from you might be taxed longer then other ports because it takes you longer to get to international water. i leave from baltimore a lot and you pay the tax a long time because you have to go all the way down the Chesapeake bay out through Norfolk then into the ocean. so the whole first night you pay tax on the drinks. unlike leaving Miami where you get into international waters rather quickly.

Leaving out of NO so it takes no longer to reach international waters from that port too.

So it increases the cost of the beverage within the Cheers package, not the price of purchasing the package when still in US waters?

Paying $50 pp for an interior on Triumph & then booking an OV on Elation for $75 pp foe another cruise 2 months later and this includes an OBC of $100 on both cruises. That's why I stay w Carnival!!

I'm aggravated by the conflicting posts about taxes paid while still in US waters as opposed to buying the package international waters. Is there a difference in cost? Please comment based on your experience not what you have heard, that's what I did on another thread and was told I was wrong. Help!!!

It's not just Sunday departures it's any departure day out of Texas. They like to collect their tax $ because there is no personal state taxes. Its all about the dollar. I commented about a higher tax amt based on the posts of others on this site. I have not tried the Cheers program yet but will on our upcoming cruise out NO in May. I have a thread on here asking about the cost and had several posters say that it was cheaper once in international waters because the state tax was no longer in play.

If purchasing the Cheers program on day 1 and except leaving out of Galveston which you can't purchase til day2, wait until you reach international waters. By doing this you avoid the US tax payment.

Loved the Dr Seuss breakfast! They have the dining room decorated in the Dr Seuss theme, a special menu and they have the characters come out for pics. It was really nice.

"No name changes are allowed. A $50 service fee will be assessed per person for ship and/or sail date changes made prior to the final payment due date." Just quoting the rules.

I hate to admit it, but it is true on who you speak to, and oddly enough what their actual function is. I had to change my Bunkie last year-DH had surgery and ran out of vacation time- I called asked someone if I could switch (to take my BF, they said yes, but you have to pay 100.00, one 50 to move him off, and 50 to add, her, told them I would call back. did call back got someone else who charged me nothing. BF went in for surgery so with three weeks before the cruise, I got another Bunkie, and was charged 50.00. Which I paid. Good luck!

Curious if you had booked ES? With ES there are restrictions that do not allow name change which means no canceling one guest and adding another guest. You would have to either keep both cabins and have 2 no shows or cancel the booking completely and rebook a completely new booking w SIL & mom in new cabin.

Drinks on us comes at 1000 pts on 5 day cruises.

ES can match price up to 2 days before saying. I seem to find most price drops closer to date of sailing.

Thanks for the great review!! We were right down the hall from y'all in cabin 7277 interior. This was my 2nd time on Triumph. I love her and her staff. I agree about the foid, it was really good! Leaving on the Elation May 30th w dh. It will be my 3rd time on her. Glad I had such a great time on Triumph to warm me up for the next one.

I didn't get off in Progresso last yr and used the empty ship to get a nice chair by the pool and read almost a whole book. I also watched the crew do a life boat drill which was pretty cool and fter 10 cruises I had never seen it before.

Nope. I carried them back on, no problem. I packed them in my suitcases, no problem.

Went to 3 pharmacies in the Cozumel shopping area across from Puerta Langosta. The first 2 had no Amoxil. The 3rd one did w very good prices. It is across from Diamonds International. It looked more like a tshirt/souvenir shop than a pharmacy.

Been to Grand Cayman twice in April and was able to tender both times.

One reason I quit using a TA and do all of my own bookings now. I had the same thing happen to me w pack n play rate that I matched to my ES. It was a $758 difference to my benefit. I filed the claim form, no go. Filed again, no go. Called and rep did not see it. She finally did mock booking w my VIFP # and it showed up. I had also let her know that I had a screen shot. I did end up w the difference and it is waiting for me in OBC for my cruise on Monday. Don't give up!!!

If it's assigned dining and you didn't set it up before sailing, once on the ship you can go to the main dining room and ask them to change it. They have all guests assigned to tables before hand. They will have to rearrange table seatings and this needs to be done prior to going to dinner the first night.

We sail on April 6th :)

So glad we got them too!! 12 days til we will be enjoying the tote & it's contents!!

I know when I have cruised out of Texas the first time, I have had to wait for my specialty drink "until later." My friend who lived in Texas explained about the law and taxes. Texas is proud of their no state income taxes for their residents, but they tax the heck out of other things to cover it. Alcohol is one of those things.

Those are the cabins at the very front of the ship. They are considered an inside cabin w picture windows. I'm thinking she have given you this room because of the ease of getting outside to smoke. Just remember that this is technically not a smoking area. I was on the Triumph last yr w a balcony and smoking was still allowed on the balcony at this time. I leave in 12 days on the Triumph again but got an inside cabin and will just have to enjoy my morning coffee and cigarette in the very minimal smoking areas. No need to pay for a balcony if I can't enjoy it w my smokes.