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REFRESHMENT PACKAGE-It's Time to Do Some Math--It's Like High School All Over Again!!


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Does everyone in the USA have to do a tax return?

 

everyone who would be in this forum, yes...possibly the poorest of the poor don't have to, but as a broad answer to your question, yes everyone has to file.

 

however, you said "IN THE USA" - well that's completely wrong..

what sets the US apart from every other country in the world - even ex-pats have to file taxes even if they're not required to pay taxes to the US.

 

I haven't lived in the USA for 35 years. And i never owe even one penny to the US in taxes, but i still have to file an effing tax return to the effing IRS every effing year....

and so do my kids, who weren't even born in the USA. But they're citizens by birth (by virtue of having two american parents).

So the poor shlamazels have to file taxes every year even though they never owe the US even one penny in taxes.

 

fortunately, the grandkids are not american citizens (our kids were more intelligent than we were and didn't apply for citizenship for their kids), so they'll be spared this requirement.

 

(and then there's the effing FBAR that i won't even go into, but it means we have to inform the IRS about our bank account and bank balance. Why is it the effing IRS' business how much money i have when i don't effing live in the USA and haven't for 35 years and never will)

 

but don't get Beth started.

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This thread gave me a good laugh today, thanks.

 

I had the refreshment (and my wife had the deluxe) on our last cruise. I drink allot of bottled water, and would grab some every time I was heading to the room to put in the fridge for during the night, or to take on excursions. I also enjoyed several creamice mocha's once I tried them. I really liked the feeling of all-inclusive (minus the alcohol which I only had one the entire cruise), which lets me relax more on vacation. I never worried about whether I was getting my money's worth (even though I easily did).

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I bought refreshment pkg for my recent cruise 2 weeks prior to sailing. Paid $18 per day.

My niece bought pkg a couple days before sailing at $12 a day.

For my upcoming Feb cruise...I think I'll wait close to sailing date to decide.

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I bought refreshment pkg for my recent cruise 2 weeks prior to sailing. Paid $18 per day.

My niece bought pkg a couple days before sailing at $12 a day.

For my upcoming Feb cruise...I think I'll wait close to sailing date to decide.

 

I am pretty sure what she bought was the soda package. I have never seen the refreshment that cheap. You can always cancel your current purchase and buy it if it goes lower, but typically $18 is the lowest for refreshment.

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Just a an aside, I live in the UK so for most people the government have got their greasy mitts on our cash and taxed us before the money hits our bank accounts. Does everyone in the USA have to do a tax return?

 

It isn't that different in the US. We also have tax withholding at the source. But our system is so complicated (keeping the Jeffs employed) that the tax withholding is just an estimate. So at the end of the year a tax return has to be done to compare the actual tax liability to the withheld amounts. This can result in owing more or receiving a refund.

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I always bounce back and forth before each cruise on getting the Refreshment Package (non drinker) as well.. trying to see if it's "worth" it.

 

As a few have already said, I always end up getting it because...

- Try anything at anytime.. does not matter if I finish it, or don't like it!

- I am cheap, and I know if I had to pay for each individual drink, then I would buy FAR less, and therefore not have the true "all inclusive vacation" feel

- Takes the stress out of the situation for me!

 

My only complaint is the lack of inventory of Red Bull last time I was on Liberty. My drink of choice, Red Bull, is a main reason for purchasing the package. So, if a bar does not have it, it is quite frustrating! Once, I walked to 4 different bars on the way back to my room trying to find one...

 

Enjoy!

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Popeye becomes confused when thread is told in 3rd person.

 

Popeye (like Jimmy on Seinfeld is getting angry).

 

In all seriousness I'm going on Symphony next May and I haven't been on a cruise since 2003. What other options are there to drink for "free" if you do not buy a drink package (alcohol or not)? I'm staying in a Grand Suite so I know I can get drinks for "free" in the Suite area during happy hour. But can I still get coffee and other non sugary drinks for "free" elsewhere? I know you have to pay for places like Starbucks (but I hate their coffee anyhow and only go into one to use the bathroom without buying anything).

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You will also have beer/wine in the suite lounge just about the whole day, not just happy hour. Coffee and water are available in a couple of places but all the other free options are of the sugary variety.

 

 

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You can get tea as well. Fruit juice in the morning at breakfast but you have to ask for tomato juice. Royal has a sugar free fruity drink in many dispensers (mango is the flavor I like)

 

At happy hour in the suite lounge, you can get most mixers if you like them.

 

There’s a cappuccino/expresso machine in suite lounges on most Royal ships that is available all day to suite guests.

 

 

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Jeff, meet my husband let’s call him Eliot. Eliot is an engineer who lives, and loves spreadsheets. Creates one every time to justify us not buying drink package, I smile, listen like I care, nod my head vigorously, agree wholeheartedly, purchase package for both of us and we enjoy our cruises without having him have to order another Long Island Ice Tea in order to maximize dollar value equaling alcohol content. Been going on for 2 decades....

Edited by Ukigirl
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Popeye becomes confused when thread is told in 3rd person.

 

Popeye (like Jimmy on Seinfeld is getting angry).

 

In all seriousness I'm going on Symphony next May and I haven't been on a cruise since 2003. What other options are there to drink for "free" if you do not buy a drink package (alcohol or not)? I'm staying in a Grand Suite so I know I can get drinks for "free" in the Suite area during happy hour. But can I still get coffee and other non sugary drinks for "free" elsewhere? I know you have to pay for places like Starbucks (but I hate their coffee anyhow and only go into one to use the bathroom without buying anything).

GEORGE IS GETTIN' UPSET!!

 

Sent from my SM-S727VL using Forums mobile app

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Jeff, meet my husband let’s call him Eliot. Eliot is an engineer who lives, and loves spreadsheets. Creates one every time to justify us not buying drink package, I smile, listen like I care, nod my head vigorously, agree wholeheartedly, purchase package for both of us and we enjoy our cruises without having him have to order another Long Island Ice Tea in order to maximize dollar value equaling alcohol content. Been going on for 2 decades....
Spreadsheets??? I like spreadsheets!!

 

I agree with your husband... And my wife can relate to the pretending to listen!! :-D

 

I'm glad I signed up for the package, and I'm going to make it my mission to get my money's worth!!

 

Sent from my SM-S727VL using Forums mobile app

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You can get tea as well. Fruit juice in the morning at breakfast but you have to ask for tomato juice. Royal has a sugar free fruity drink in many dispensers (mango is the flavor I like)

 

At happy hour in the suite lounge, you can get most mixers if you like them.

 

There’s a cappuccino/expresso machine in suite lounges on most Royal ships that is available all day to suite guests.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

So the next question and spreadsheet should be is the drink package worth it if you're in a suite?

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Alaska_planner,

 

Why don't you renounce your citizenship? There is nothing that requires you remain a US citizen.

 

The US charges an exit tax to renounce your citizenship.

First there's a $2,000 fee per person just to file the request.

Then you pay 25% of your total assets to renounce. I'll say that again, 25% of your assets. Not exactly spare change.

And then to add insult to injury, you have to keep filing tax returns for the next 10 years.

 

Even with that, there are many who do indeed renounce. I'm sure if you google the subject, you'll find many articles about it. An ever increasing number of Europeans with dual citizenship have renounced over the past few years.

 

 

It isn't that different in the US. We also have tax withholding at the source. But our system is so complicated (keeping the Jeffs employed) that the tax withholding is just an estimate. So at the end of the year a tax return has to be done to compare the actual tax liability to the withheld amounts. This can result in owing more or receiving a refund.

 

I'm not familiar with the requirements in the UK, but unlike the USA, many countries do not require salaried workers to file tax returns. While as i'm sure you know, in the US salaried workers along with everyone else are required to file tax returns.

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The US charges an exit tax to renounce your citizenship.

First there's a $2,000 fee per person just to file the request.

Then you pay 25% of your total assets to renounce. I'll say that again, 25% of your assets. Not exactly spare change.

And then to add insult to injury, you have to keep filing tax returns for the next 10 years.

 

Even with that, there are many who do indeed renounce. I'm sure if you google the subject, you'll find many articles about it. An ever increasing number of Europeans with dual citizenship have renounced over the past few years.

 

 

 

I'm not familiar with the requirements in the UK, but unlike the USA, many countries do not require salaried workers to file tax returns. While as i'm sure you know, in the US salaried workers along with everyone else are required to file tax returns.

 

I don't understand your hatred of the US? You should be thankful your kids still have the ability to be citizens. What country do you live in that's so much better?

 

Also why do you file your tax returns still? If you do not live here, then simply don't file them anymore, I doubt the IRS will come get you. Are you a citizen of your new country? To me it sounds like you still visit the US and that's why you still file. So you can't eat your cake and have it too...

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I don't understand your hatred of the US? You should be thankful your kids still have the ability to be citizens. What country do you live in that's so much better?

 

Also why do you file your tax returns still? If you do not live here, then simply don't file them anymore, I doubt the IRS will come get you. Are you a citizen of your new country? To me it sounds like you still visit the US and that's why you still file. So you can't eat your cake and have it too...

 

just google the subject....there are zillions of articles

 

https://moodysgartner.com/renouncing-your-u-s-citizenship-is-divorcing-uncle-sam-right-for-you/

 

https://globalnews.ca/news/3309306/u-s-sues-vancouver-dual-citizen-for-over-1m-for-not-reporting-accounts/

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/31/taxes-are-driving-these-americans-to-consider-giving-up-citizenship.html

 

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-banks-expats/u-s-expats-find-their-money-is-no-longer-welcome-at-the-bank-idUSKBN0EM16V20140611

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How much is Jeff willing to pay in order to not have to think about how much it costs?

 

Having the drink package does not do this for me, it just makes me think daily if I have gotten my money's worth from the package.

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