Norwegian getaway paying taxes for drinks with ubp at port.

I have the Unlimited Beverage Package(UBP) on Getaway. Reading CC reviews they state while the ship is docked at port if you order drinks of any kind, even with the UBP you are charged a few dollars for "PORT" taxes for each drink. Is This True? If so, which ports on Western Caribbean cruise and how much do they charge? I called Norwegian call center direct , they had to ask asked a supervisor and they said "there is no such thing as taxes for drinks while at port". Just with my limited experience with the Norwegian call center, I believe the CC travelers... just want to know what to expect while onboard. Thanks Much

To my knowledge it is just US ports. And it amounts to very little $.

This is only in the US home port, and until you're far enough out to sea on embarkation day... And the tax is usually less than $1 or maybe a bit more, depending on the menu price of the drink.

Miami (not NCL) charges sales tax on your drinks at your embarkation port. Take Miami sales tax times the retail cost of your drink. It’s in the noise and nothing to worry about. Same on all cruise lines. Nothing to do with port taxes.

I've been to Jamaica, grand Cayman, cozumel, and Nassau on NCL ships. The only one I was ever charged tax for on the UBP was Miami. It lasts until 5 or 6 if you aren't delayed on leaving.

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Sailing out of Tampa, it took hours! before we stopped paying taxes. Boarded at noon and after 8pm

There will be taxes at any port covered by US tax laws.

I have the Unlimited Beverage Package(UBP) on Getaway. Reading CC reviews they state while the ship is docked at port if you order drinks of any kind, even with the UBP you are charged a few dollars for "PORT" taxes for each drink. Is This True? If so, which ports on Western Caribbean cruise and how much do they charge? I called Norwegian call center direct , they had to ask asked a supervisor and they said "there is no such thing as taxes for drinks while at port". Just with my limited experience with the Norwegian call center, I believe the CC travelers... just want to know what to expect while onboard. Thanks Much

You are charged the local sales tax while the ship is docked in Miami. It is usually around $1 per drink, that is added to your on board account. Not really a big deal.

There will be taxes at any port covered by US tax laws.

It's actually state or local sales tax, not a US tax.

Right. Local tax in US ports only. Our last NCL cruise started in Tampa but the first port was key west. We paid taxes on drinks until after dinner the second day.

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Right. Local tax in US ports only. Our last NCL cruise started in Tampa but the first port was key west. We paid taxes on drinks until after dinner the second day.

 

 

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But surely you didn't pay taxes for drinks while en route to Key West?

No. Tax only within the US ports and ceases soon as you are out to sea. On Breakaway we had that in NYC and again in Port Canaveral.

But surely you didn't pay taxes for drinks while en route to Key West?

I’m not sure that we ever entered international waters enrt. We paid taxes on all drinks until after dinner the second day.

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Greetings All!!

Thanks for your clarification on the Taxes all guest have to pay at Port for the UBP "FREE" drinks. It does not really matter on semantics what thief (federal, state, county, local yocal sherif, city, port) collects the "DOCKED AT PORT" drink taxes. The point is that NCL charges you "taxes" for these "FREE" drinks (yes, I believe NCL should absorb these nickel and dime charges). I found NCL call center absolutely clueless for any questions except for taking my credit card payment. Does anyone have recommendation for a travel agent that will truly look out for cruise traveler and know about the cruise they book ? Or is that why this CC forum exist? From my first experience booking with NCL seems that everyone is on their own.

Greetings All!!

 

Does anyone have recommendation for a travel agent that will truly look out for cruise traveler and know about the cruise they book ? Or is that why this CC forum exist? From my first experience booking with NCL seems that everyone is on their own.

TA info can not be shared on CC according to CC guide lines.

Greetings All!!

 

 

 

Thanks for your clarification on the Taxes all guest have to pay at Port for the UBP "FREE" drinks. It does not really matter on semantics what thief (federal, state, county, local yocal sherif, city, port) collects the "DOCKED AT PORT" drink taxes. The point is that NCL charges you "taxes" for these "FREE" drinks (yes, I believe NCL should absorb these nickel and dime charges). I found NCL call center absolutely clueless for any questions except for taking my credit card payment. Does anyone have recommendation for a travel agent that will truly look out for cruise traveler and know about the cruise they book ? Or is that why this CC forum exist? From my first experience booking with NCL seems that everyone is on their own.

I think you are over reacting a bit. But we recently cruise on celebrity. We received the drink package free with our booking. We did not pay any service or gratuity charges on it. And our cruise was in Hawaii and we never paid taxes on drinks while in port. Suggest you look at them for your next cruise. I think HAL and princess both sometimes offer drink packages with booking but norwegian and celebrity are the only two I know of that consistently offer them.

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Greetings All!!

 

Thanks for your clarification on the Taxes all guest have to pay at Port for the UBP "FREE" drinks. It does not really matter on semantics what thief (federal, state, county, local yocal sherif, city, port) collects the "DOCKED AT PORT" drink taxes. The point is that NCL charges you "taxes" for these "FREE" drinks (yes, I believe NCL should absorb these nickel and dime charges). I found NCL call center absolutely clueless for any questions except for taking my credit card payment. Does anyone have recommendation for a travel agent that will truly look out for cruise traveler and know about the cruise they book ? Or is that why this CC forum exist? From my first experience booking with NCL seems that everyone is on their own.

Overreact much? This is far from a big deal. I'll add that why should someone not drinking have taxes rolled into their cruise fare?

Greetings All!!

 

Thanks for your clarification on the Taxes all guest have to pay at Port for the UBP "FREE" drinks. It does not really matter on semantics what thief (federal, state, county, local yocal sherif, city, port) collects the "DOCKED AT PORT" drink taxes. The point is that NCL charges you "taxes" for these "FREE" drinks (yes, I believe NCL should absorb these nickel and dime charges). I found NCL call center absolutely clueless for any questions except for taking my credit card payment. Does anyone have recommendation for a travel agent that will truly look out for cruise traveler and know about the cruise they book ? Or is that why this CC forum exist? From my first experience booking with NCL seems that everyone is on their own.

Actually yes it does matter. It also matter's how you ask the question in the first place. Asking if there are "PORT" taxes on drinks will get you the type of response you got. However if you were to have asked if there is "SALES" tax charged on drinks while in port, may have gotten you a more accurate answer. Words and how we use them matter. Call center employee's at most any companies are not usually the best resource for accurate or helpful answer's to problems or questions, Microsoft, and Verizon comes to mind right off the bat for giving out really unhelpful answer's. Basing your opinion on call center employee's isn't really a good way of making a decision. Personally I've never worried about the usually less than $1 per drink tax in port, then again I'll never do a "booze cruise" again, way too much drama going on on those sailings.

It has been my experience that Royal Caribbean and Celebrity absorb this sales tax but not NCL or Carnival.

It has been my experience that Royal Caribbean and Celebrity absorb this sales tax but not NCL or Carnival.

The money to pay the tax comes from the passenger in one form or another.

Not charged sales tax when we went on the Sky in March ‘18.

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Not charged sales tax when we went on the Sky in March ‘18.

 

 

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The Sky is a little bit different since drinks are included in the cruise fare. Since it's part of the fare, NCL likely has to pay sales tax on the purchase of the alcohol for that ship.

Not charged sales tax when we went on the Sky in March ‘18.

 

 

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