Port Charge Added to Drinks??

My sister just returned from the Koningsdam and noticed a port charge added to their drinks they ordered while docked in Ft Lauderdale while waiting to sail. She said there was a charge for her drink, a gratuity and port charge.

Is this something new as I don't recall ever seeing a port charge added to any of my drinks?

I have noticed in the Cruise Documents that while in some ports (even as far back as my first cruise in 1998), applicable taxes may be charged on purchases made in on-board facilities (bars/shops/spa, etc.). I have never experienced it, but it is noted as a possibility in the Cruise Documents, so I would not be surprised.

While the ship is in some ports they are required to collect sales taxes on drinks. Spanish ports are a prime example of having to charge tax (VAT).

Sounds like the tax had to be collected on your sister's cruise until they got to International waters.

This is not new.

Whenever we ordered a drink before we got to international waters in Florida and Washington state, we were charged a port (sales) tax. Tampa charged a higher sales tax than Ft Lauderdale.

Several years ago when drinks cards still had a discount I ordered a card with delivery to stateroom on embarkation day. There was a port tax included which made the cost higher than the card. I changed it to at sea second day and the tax was gone and I got my savings. The card was in our room on embarkation day.

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Thanks, everyone, I knew you would have the answer. I guess I never noticed the charge.....or I never purchased a drink while in port, who knows, but thanks so much for the clarification.

If you pre-order Liquor for your cruise to be consumed in your cabin, be sure to select "Delivery at Sea" to avoid taxes on the purchase. It will generally be in your room when you board.

If you have pre-purchased the Signature Beverage Package when can you start using it? Do you have to wait until you are at sea? Will you be charged for drink and fees while in FLL? Thanks for any info...

I noticed that when we were docked in Brooklyn, we ordered a drink and added to the total was the 15% gratuity and sales tax. So we don't order anything until we are at sea.

I don't believe the word is "port tax" but just a local sales tax, just like in a restaurant.

If you have pre-purchased the Signature Beverage Package when can you start using it? Do you have to wait until you are at sea? Will you be charged for drink and fees while in FLL? Thanks for any info...

No. And I never noticed being charged for a "port tax", which is not the same thing as a sales tax. But, then, there are many things that I don't notice . . .

I never noticed it either, but my sister said it said port charge, not sales tax............oh well I learned something new today, LOL....................

I never noticed it either, but my sister said it said port charge, not sales tax............oh well I learned something new today, LOL....................

Definition of port charge

: : a fixed charge (as wharfage, towage, pilotage) against a ship or its cargo in port

Nothing to do with beverages, that would be a "tax"

If you buy a drink at one of the bars while the ship is in Port Everglades , you will be charged a tax from either state of Florida or city of FLL. It ha s nothing to do with H AL except they must follow the law.

I never noticed it either, but my sister said it said port charge, not sales tax............oh well I learned something new today, LOL....................

It's probably just a matter of HAL not having the category of "tax" in their system. It's probably just labeled as a port charge for lack of a better term in their computers.

It's probably just a matter of HAL not having the category of "tax" in their system. It's probably just labeled as a port charge for lack of a better term in their computers.

As long as the accounts are settled at the end of the day, the port gets paid and the city gets paid.

It could be argued, a tax charged because a taxable item was purchased while the ship was in a port and thu s is a port charge. :) You could be right the computer(operator) didn't know how to designate it.

If you have a beverage package do they add a sales tax to drinks while in port?

So, buying a wine package the first night in the MDR at 8 pm (with a departure of 5 pm): tax or no?

Have no idea about where international waters might start.

If you have a beverage package do they add a sales tax to drinks while in port?

They probably will. We had Carnival's beverage package on our recent cruise from Mobile and paid tax on our drinks until we hit international waters. I probably would not notice if I was paying by the drink.

They probably will. We had Carnival's beverage package on our recent cruise from Mobile and paid tax on our drinks until we hit international waters. I probably would not notice if I was paying by the drink.

Just for my information going forward...in case I get the package, If you prepay the package beforehand, I have never done the package, as I don't have the need so far, do you sign a slip for the drink? So if I am understanding correctly, IF you sign a slip for the drink (for their inventory purposes) the total should be "0". IF you get a drink in port (U.S. for example) when you sign your slip, IF you are taxed on the drink, aren't you signing to authorize the tax to your on board account?

So, buying a wine package the first night in the MDR at 8 pm (with a departure of 5 pm): tax or no?

 

Have no idea about where international waters might start.

You will be fine. We dine at the same time and have never been charged. ;).

If you have pre-purchased the Signature Beverage Package when can you start using it? Do you have to wait until you are at sea? Will you be charged for drink and fees while in FLL? Thanks for any info...

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The situation can be even worse on some European cruises. Depending on the itinerary you might get charged a tax (often VAT tax) for everything you purchase during an entire cruise.

Hank

You will be fine. We dine at the same time and have never been charged. ;).

Thanks, Kazu. We had done this several times without problem, so good to know you have, too.

It is local sales tAx, not a port charge per se