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Galveston Port & Bon Voyage

Soonerbaby

By Soonerbaby,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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PlanoTim

PlanoTim

Posted
Posted
If you sail out of Galeveston, do you have to wait until you are out of port to get alcohol you ordered from bon voyage?

 

As I understand it per Texas law, they have to wait till the ship is in international waters. I've read reports that BV alcohol isn't delivered until the next day sometimes. However, on the Conquest this past April (from Galveston), we had a bottle of sparkling wine (a gift from family) waiting for us in our room when we boarded. Perhaps the wine came from a Texas supplier and could therefore be delivered before departure.

 

I've also heard that they may have limited alcohol selections in bars until the ship is in international waters. But they've always had whatever I wanted. :D

Tim

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prattmom

prattmom

Posted
Posted
Texas Law is what is stated by another poster. That said, back on our Conquest cruise last October, I had pre-ordered beer for my hubby & it was in the room when we boarded.

 

Could be because there are different laws concerning beer/wine than hard liquor?... :confused::confused:

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Meyer2

Meyer2

Posted
Posted
Could be because there are different laws concerning beer/wine than hard liquor?... :confused::confused:

 

Yea, I'm not 100% sure or familiar with it & we didn't get anything other than beer, so who knows. LOL!

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*Mach*

*Mach*

Posted
Posted

Yep... it won't be delivered 'til your in international waters. From the Bon Voyage Dept:

Note! Please note, due to restrictions with "Alabama and Texas Liquor Laws"

We are unable to deliver select gift items at Embarkation. Some items are delivered the following day.

 

:)

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thefish

thefish

Posted
Posted
Could be because there are different laws concerning beer/wine than hard liquor?... :confused::confused:

 

 

I tried but couldn't find any state law that specifically prohibits liqueur delivery on a ship in Texas waters. If someone knows a specific law besides conjuncture I am sure that they will share where they found it. Law closes liqueur stores on Sunday in Texas. Beer and Wine sales are still allowed starting Sunday afternoon in the grocery and convenient stores while hard liqueur sales are limited to individual drinks sold in bars and lounges that have the license. I believe this is what applies to delivery of liqueur to cabins on ships leaving from Galveston. Since most ships leave on a Sunday I believe Carnival set up a policy based on standardization and convienience and not necessarily law. No liqueur will be delivered on the first day of the cruise on ships leaving Texas regardless if it sails on Sunday or not. I questioned a carnival rep at the bon voyage department and she had no clue as to why this is.

 

Perhaps someone knows of a specific law where a ship leaving from Texas outside of Sunday that prohibits delivery of a bottle of hard liqueur to the Cabin. On RCL it wasn not in our room but was delivered later that Sunday evening. Carnival said no even though we left on a Monday because it was "company policy".

 

Of course you still have dry counties in Texas that prohibit hard liqueur sales but Galveston County is not one of them.

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geckog

geckog

Posted
Posted
I tried but couldn't find any state law that specifically prohibits liqueur delivery on a ship in Texas waters. If someone knows a specific law besides conjuncture I am sure that they will share where they found it. Law closes liqueur stores on Sunday in Texas. Beer and Wine sales are still allowed starting Sunday afternoon in the grocery and convenient stores while hard liqueur sales are limited to individual drinks sold in bars and lounges that have the license. I believe this is what applies to delivery of liqueur to cabins on ships leaving from Galveston. Since most ships leave on a Sunday I believe Carnival set up a policy based on standardization and convienience and not necessarily law. No liqueur will be delivered on the first day of the cruise on ships leaving Texas regardless if it sails on Sunday or not. I questioned a carnival rep at the bon voyage department and she had no clue as to why this is.

 

Perhaps someone knows of a specific law where a ship leaving from Texas outside of Sunday that prohibits delivery of a bottle of hard liqueur to the Cabin. On RCL it wasn not in our room but was delivered later that Sunday evening. Carnival said no even though we left on a Monday because it was "company policy".

 

Of course you still have dry counties in Texas that prohibit hard liqueur sales but Galveston County is not one of them.

 

 

Texas requires that all liquor sold in Texas be purchased in Texas. It has nothing to do with the ship being the point of delivery. The bar is also limited until international water for the same reason. They purchase a limited amount in Texas to keep the bar open, but I imagine they purchase the vast majority of the liquor sold outside of the US. It has to do with taxes. I would agree that it is company policy, but only because they make a higher profit by waiting until they are out of Texas.

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jst

jst

Posted
Posted

Previous posters are correct when they state that hard liquor is not available in bottle form until in international waters (on Sundays in Texas). Beer and Wine can be purchased in grocery stores after 12 noon on a Sunday, but not Sunday morning. This just affects the cruises that leave on a Sunday, but not the ones that leave on a weekday:)

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Soonerbaby

Soonerbaby

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Previous posters are correct when they state that hard liquor is not available in bottle form until in international waters (on Sundays in Texas). Beer and Wine can be purchased in grocery stores after 12 noon on a Sunday, but not Sunday morning. This just affects the cruises that leave on a Sunday, but not the ones that leave on a weekday:)

 

That makes sense. It never occured to me that it was because it was Sunday. ;)

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okgirl

okgirl

Posted
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On embarkation day the bars will only have about 1/2 the normal selections of wine and liqour........I can't get a Woodbridge Chardonnay until we're out to sea......I think I usually get Beringer instead.......

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devinc

devinc

Posted
Posted
Texas requires that all liquor sold in Texas be purchased in Texas. It has nothing to do with the ship being the point of delivery. The bar is also limited until international water for the same reason. They purchase a limited amount in Texas to keep the bar open, but I imagine they purchase the vast majority of the liquor sold outside of the US. It has to do with taxes. I would agree that it is company policy, but only because they make a higher profit by waiting until they are out of Texas.

 

Sure wish they would buy and offer Shiner...

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DebJ14

DebJ14

Posted
Posted
Thank you all for your responses! I think I will use Bon Voyage to get my husband a "surprise", so I just wondered when he would get it. :)

 

I sent my DH the Champagne and chocolate covered strawberries on the Conquest. He got the strawberries and a note that the champagne would be delivered the next day. It arrived sometime when we were out on deck. By the time we came back to the cabin all the ice was melted and it was sitting in a bucket of water. Now I just send him a bottle of wine to be delivered in the dining room on the first night. We get them to open it and take it back to the room.

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