FB question

A question was asked on FB C&A page was " If I buy a drink package online for a Galveston cruise prior to boarding, can I get drinks on the package immediately upon boarding and if so, do they charge a Texas tax on alcohol ? "Seems there was some confusion about state taxes and 12 mile limit putting you in international waters. I was planning on buying my drink package on day 2 of the cruise since you get on the ship with half of the first day gone. I know all the rules about the drink package, but this topic is not noted on RCCL website. Please stay on point with answers.

Please stay on point with answers.

So the bummer of such an order in a question thread is that it makes it hard for people to give related, and possibly useful, but not perfectly exact, answers.

I'm going to brave it though, and tell you my experience.

My son ordered an ice cream from Ben&Jerry's before we left PC (or maybe AS we were leaving...the timestamp on the receipt is 4:31pm (or rather 16:31 but whatever)). We were charged tax on it, when we were NOT charged tax later in the cruise. Therefore, I think there IS a difference in taxation based on where the ship is physically.

Either that or the employee made a mistake. Given that he was the same guy we ordered from every time we visited B&J's, I'm not sure I put much credence in the error theory, though.

FWIW, if you get onboard in the earliest groups, you're just about at many people's "start drinking" time anyway, so are you *really* losing that relatively much of the day?

This is at the bottom of the page for the drink packages "Your check may reflect an additional tax for certain ports or itineraries."

I'm sure that I will be corrected if I am wrong. But I do not believe there is a difference in the price of the alcohol package if you buy it while still docked or out to sea later that night. Texas law requires that only alcohol that the cruise line purchased and has paid taxes in Texas can be served while in port. Of course this is a higher price than what they purchase in assorted Caribbean ports. The drinks that can be served while docked in Galveston is limited. You will find the basics available, but not a wide variety of brands. Also, drinks are only available in SOME of the bars. This changes quickly once they hit the 3 mile limit.

I think what that person was mostly looking for was if they pre-payed for a drink package, can they use it as soon as they got on the ship or does it not go into effect until they leave port. Free drinks on your package or do you have to pay for drinks at first until you get into international waters?

Yes, they can use it immediately upon boarding. Not all bars will be open and not all drinks will be available. But there will be plenty.

Yes, they can use it immediately upon boarding. Not all bars will be open and not all drinks will be available. But there will be plenty.

Thank you Beth. Lovely photo of you also.