Cigarettes

It's one thing to brag about smuggling booze onto the ship. It's extraordinarily stupid to brag about smuggling contraband through Customs and Border Protection.

But the guys in the shops continually say dont worry, no one they know ever had them confiscated. Knowledge is power to me, though i personally dont smoke cigarettes.

I was on to find what the limit is on cigars, i have male friends who wanted me to bring back cubans. they arent even on the customs sheet.

i travel solo and have often bought the 4 pack of marboros for friends, if they dont want you to carry them off, dont sell them in such big packs and then say one carton pp.

Before i get the lecture, the guy i was bringing cigarettes to had MS, smoking is the least of his worries. no lectures from the morality police please.

It is mentioned at the briefings. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that CBP receives a report of who bought what onboard, especially purchases of over certain amounts. I know several CBP officers and from what I've gathered in my conversations with them they don't collect duty on everything they can because it would make lines untenable for them and for us, so they focus on the larger things when they can. So if someone is bringing back 4 bottles of Bacardi that they bought for $30 it is not worth the effort to collect the duty on those extra two bottles.

I dont usually go to the briefing, but had questions, like on cigars and booze. the CD just read the usual forms and couldnt personally answer any questions, he said go read the form, lol.

How a CD couldnt know ...

every bottle now is taxable ... if they want to tax it. and you declare it. gotta get a form from your cabin steward if you want to declare.

i think its like $4.25 per bottle, any size. so that $10 bottle can have a added $4 plus if they want to collect. Kinda takes the wind out of my sails. i wanted to buy more but the tax kinda made them more than buying at home.

and tbh, when i got home and told them what i paid for scotch, coulda bought it cheaper here in dallas.

I dont usually go to the briefing, but had questions, like on cigars and booze. the CD just read the usual forms and couldnt personally answer any questions, he said go read the form, lol.

 

How a CD couldnt know ...

 

every bottle now is taxable ... if they want to tax it. and you declare it. gotta get a form from your cabin steward if you want to declare.

 

i think its like $4.25 per bottle, any size. so that $10 bottle can have a added $4 plus if they want to collect. Kinda takes the wind out of my sails. i wanted to buy more but the tax kinda made them more than buying at home.

 

and tbh, when i got home and told them what i paid for scotch, coulda bought it cheaper here in dallas.

Every bottle might be taxable in Texas but as far as I know each of age traveler has a duty free allowance of 1 liter of liquor in other ports (with more possible depending upon the ports of call during the cruise). And yes, it pays to know how much stuff is at home to determine if the deal you are getting is a good one or not.

Every bottle might be taxable in Texas but as far as I know each of age traveler has a duty free allowance of 1 liter of liquor in other ports (with more possible depending upon the ports of call during the cruise). And yes, it pays to know how much stuff is at home to determine if the deal you are getting is a good one or not.

Tax varies from state to state. Duty does not. Tax and duty are two different things. Tax is levied by state or locality and can be levied on every bottle. Duty is levied by the feds and your first bottle is exempt (2 in certain cases if one comes from certain Caribbean basin countries).

.

Also, most customs agents still ask if you bought cigarettes or liquor and how much, and/or how much did you spend on your trip... so instead of lying on paper you have to lie to their face. ;)

Which, apparently, some people are just fine with.

Lying comes natural we learn it at an early age, "What I did not get into the peanut butter?"....LoL

On our last cruise I found out because I went to guest services and for a form the morning before we disembarked. I was gonna go ahead and get a jump on it (this was on our December cruise). They told me then that they had done away with the forms for all passengers and only those that had something to declare (above standard allowances) would need to fill one out.

 

I would be willing to bet that somewhere on the TV, or a live talk.

The allowance out of galveston on booze is 0, yep, 0 bottles allowed for free. surprised me. but there is only a place to fill in how many bottles you bought and pay for each one.

The fun shops told me 1 gallon free, the CD who gave the customs talk didnt know, said read the form. The talk is worthless, its the same years and years old slide show, and not up to date.

In all seriousness, if you do the Caribbean cruises when in some ports I believe the cigs are way cheaper. However, I believe they are not the same as American cigs. Well, that is what I have heard, we do not smoke.

The allowance out of galveston on booze is 0, yep, 0 bottles allowed for free. surprised me. but there is only a place to fill in how many bottles you bought and pay for each one.

 

The fun shops told me 1 gallon free, the CD who gave the customs talk didnt know, said read the form. The talk is worthless, its the same years and years old slide show, and not up to date.

The duty-free allowance is still one liter. You have to pay TAX on the first bottle, but not duty. There is no exemption on the state tax, just the federal duty.

Tax varies from state to state. Duty does not. Tax and duty are two different things. Tax is levied by state or locality and can be levied on every bottle. Duty is levied by the feds and your first bottle is exempt (2 in certain cases if one comes from certain Caribbean basin countries).

In essence they are the same thing (from CBP- Customs Duty is a tariff or tax imposed on goods when transported across international borders.) Texas is the only state that I am aware of that taxes hootch that passengers buy on cruise ships which is over an above any duty collected (or not collected) by the Feds (and as firefly mentioned it applies to bottle one).

Texas has tax on both liquor and cigarettes. This is off the Carnival website:

TEXAS TAX DECLARATION: THE TEXAS ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE COMMISSION (TABC)

Effective April 1, 2014, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) will begin collecting tax from all cruise passengers.

The tax is applicable to all liquor and tobacco that enters the state of Texas via the cruise terminal. Therefore, all purchases made on the islands, as well as onboard, will be taxed upon debarkation in the cruise terminal. These duties will be in addition to whatever taxes may be imposed by US Customs.

The following letter will inform guests of the importation tax that is being imposed by the State of Texas TABC. The TABC Declaration form is on the back of the letter. The letter and form will be distributed to all staterooms before embarkation commences. Guests will need to complete the form and carry it with them when they disembark.

Yes, that said $15 a carton for cigarettes if you leave thru Galveston....................

$4 per pack at bars.

You can get a carton for $20-30 in the gift shops.

After sail away, the duty free shops open. Just go get a carton there. Even if you do not smoke them all, you can take one carton per adult in your party off with you duty free and not have to pay taxes on it .

 

**Ducks from the attack of the non-smokers** ;p

You can take more than one carton back if you want. Just declare them and then let customs decide if they want to charge you tax or not.

You can take more than one carton back if you want. Just declare them and then let customs decide if they want to charge you tax or not.

Unless it's Galveston, where apparently the Texas tax man has a longer arm than uncle Sam.

In all seriousness, if you do the Caribbean cruises when in some ports I believe the cigs are way cheaper. However, I believe they are not the same as American cigs. Well, that is what I have heard, we do not smoke.

It depends. On Carnival I got american made Pall Malls. On RCCL, I got Pall Malls from another country (brown filter wrapped instead of white filter wrapped).

Unless it's Galveston, where apparently the Texas tax man has a longer arm than uncle Sam.

I live in Florida so have never sailed out of Texas. I though their big thing was alcohol though, not smokes?

I live in Florida so have never sailed out of Texas. I though their big thing was alcohol though, not smokes?

$15 a carton tax on imported smokes

$15 a carton tax on imported smokes

Finally got to that post. WOW! :eek: Remind me to never sail out of Texas! :o

OMG, we went a whole page without someone bitching about how people shouldn't be allowed to smoke on board. Woohoo!!! ;p:'):cool:

OMG, we went a whole page without someone bitching about how people shouldn't be allowed to smoke on board. Woohoo!!! ;p:'):cool:

Now you really did it....lol Here they come!!! :cool:

You can’t afford NOT to smoke on cruise vacations, unfortunately there’s so few places to smoke in compliant with CCL and RCL rules!

Sadly, even with the tax in Texas, it is still cheaper to buy on board than buying a carton locally. My husband smokes Marlboro and pays $50 - $60 + sales tax per carton.

why do cigarettes cost so much at the bar or single pack but not so much in the carton?

why do cigarettes cost so much at the bar or single pack but not so much in the carton?

Buying in volume usually results in a better price.

The convenience of grabbing a single pack at the bar when you are out will cost you a tad more. Better option for most than stumbling up to the Funshops or your cabin when you've had a few too many beverages :');p

Total longshot, but, anyone seen American Spirits onboard or any of the islands?