Splendor my awesome bar package

[CWcruisers]

I posted the 15 drink maximum question on John's FB page and this is the response I got:

 

John Heald wrote: "I will be writimng about this later today so i dont have to keep repeating the anaswer Wendy so please stand by . cheers"

[mel3073]

"Unlimited", "Limited", or whatever. All I know is that they were tellling me, and all people around me buying the My Awesome Bar Program, that there was a maximum of 15 alcohol drinks per day.

 

I do not know if the non-alcoholic frozen drinks are included in the 15 max per day.

 

You do not have to sign for your sodas when you buy the unlimited soda program. You also don't ever get the whole can with that program either. With My Awesome Bar Program, all bars but one would give me the whole can.

 

This was barely the 2nd week the program was on the Splendor. The employees were still learning about it too. One bartender didn't even know sodas were included. I asked her to ring it up anyways, and she saw there was no charge for it.

[SNJCruisers]

Taxed per drink throughout the cruise, or taxed on the initial purchase of the package?

The only tax involved is if you decide to purchase it when you first get on the ship and then any drinks you consume that day until the ship enters international waters will be charged per drink at the prevailing state tax rate for the state of the embarkation port. If you do not drink anything until you hit international waters or if you decide to not purchase the package until day two (which is an option), then you will pay zero tax.

[SNJCruisers]

so what do people 'do' or 'consider' for port days? I could totally get my money's worth on sea days, but not on port days....what do you think?

Here is my theory....on day one you can easily have three drinks between say 1-4 PM, have 2 drinks before late sitting dinner, another 1 with dinner, Baileys or Kahlua for your coffee with dessert and just 2 drinks post dinner at your location of choice. During the sea days, you could possibly consume 1 drink per hour from 10-4 lounging by the pool, so you have 6 drinks. If you have the same 6 drinks at night like described for day 1, then on the 2 sea days you have consumed 12 drinks each day. If you have 6 drinks in the evening of the 4 port days, the breakdown would be :

Day 1- embarkation 9 drinks

Day 2 sea day 12 drinks

Day 3 port 6 drinks

Day 4 port 6 drinks

Day 5 sea day 12 drinks

Day 6 port 6 drinks

Day 7 port 6 drinks

 

57 drinks @ 8.75 each = approximately 500.00....package costs 350.00, saving you 150.00. Remember, this is also saying that the drinks average only 8.75 per drink. If you have a Grey Goose martini @ 9.95 + 1.49 tip, that's 11.44 for that drink.

 

If you only had 3- 16 oz beers and 3 shots of Patron Silver per day, you're saving money.....and this is totally doable, even on port days.

[oncruisecontrol]

Perhaps this is being done to phase out Bon Voyage?!

Sadly, I was thinking the same thing, but was hesitant to post it (didn't want to give the bean counters any new ideas).

[jules815]

The only tax involved is if you decide to purchase it when you first get on the ship and then any drinks you consume that day until the ship enters international waters will be charged per drink at the prevailing state tax rate for the state of the embarkation port. If you do not drink anything until you hit international waters or if you decide to not purchase the package until day two (which is an option), then you will pay zero tax.

 

Thank you! That makes sense. :)

[9876]

The only tax involved is if you decide to purchase it when you first get on the ship and then any drinks you consume that day until the ship enters international waters will be charged per drink at the prevailing state tax rate for the state of the embarkation port. If you do not drink anything until you hit international waters or if you decide to not purchase the package until day two (which is an option), then you will pay zero tax.

 

 

Wait, are you saying that in addition to the tax at purchase of the package you have to pay additional taxes on beverages ordered while still in 'local' waters? You would be getting double taxed then....does not make sense to me.

[corkyanige]

My understanding is that you are NOT taxed on the purchase of the package... you are taxed on the drinks that are consumed under the program before you reach international waters (would only apply to day of embarkment).

 

The tips ARE charged on the price of the package... not on the individual drinks!

 

I think this is what is confusing people!

 

I can't want to see when it might be unveiled for the Liberty!!

[9876]

Oh, that sounds like a good deal to me. I like it!

[SNJCruisers]

Wait, are you saying that in addition to the tax at purchase of the package you have to pay additional taxes on beverages ordered while still in 'local' waters? You would be getting double taxed then....does not make sense to me.

There is no tax applied at the front end when you purchase whatsoever, only the individual drink taxes while still in the embarkation port area.

[Batman80]

There is no tax applied at the front end when you purchase whatsoever, only the individual drink taxes while still in the embarkation port area.

 

If you are in U.S. Waters there will definitely be tax... you are tax free once you reach international water. If at all possible, NEVER buy anything while in any Port, ALWAYS wait till you are in international waters... you will save a little here and there if you do. I learned this on the last cruise when I bought the endless bubbles package. If I would have waited 5 minutes I would have saved like $4.00, lol... on this Alcohol package you would probably save closer to $30.00. If you are in international water the casino will be open... if not it will be closed. That is a good way of figuring it out.

[cruisin' 4 fun]

Assuming this goes fleet wide, we are on the Liberty in Jan, and have a stop at Half Moon Cay. Do you think drinks would be covered on the island?

[Batman80]

Assuming this goes fleet wide' date=' we are on the Liberty in Jan, and have a stop at Half Moon Cay. Do you think drinks would be covered on the island?[/quote']

 

Now that is a great question!!!

[DaytonCruiser]

Assuming this goes fleet wide' date=' we are on the Liberty in Jan, and have a stop at Half Moon Cay. Do you think drinks would be covered on the island?[/quote']

 

You can use the bottomless bubbles on HMC, so it should be the same with the awesome bar program. Only time will tell if that holds true :)

[DEBnGAB]

Now that is a great question!!!

 

You can use the bottomless bubbles on HMC, so it should be the same with the awesome bar program. Only time will tell if that holds true :)

 

That would nice if HMC was included. Someone asked John Heald that on his FB page (combined with another question) and he skirted the HMC part. My guess is the ships that do HMC will some of the last to get it. :(

[FEATHERBONNET]

That would nice if HMC was included. Someone asked John Heald that on his FB page (combined with another question) and he skirted the HMC part. My guess is the ships that do HMC will some of the last to get it. :(

 

I bet you're right!

[pboedeker]

If you are in U.S. Waters there will definitely be tax... you are tax free once you reach international water. If at all possible, NEVER buy anything while in any Port, ALWAYS wait till you are in international waters... you will save a little here and there if you do. I learned this on the last cruise when I bought the endless bubbles package. If I would have waited 5 minutes I would have saved like $4.00, lol... on this Alcohol package you would probably save closer to $30.00. If you are in international water the casino will be open... if not it will be closed. That is a good way of figuring it out.

 

Not sure I'm clear on this post. If I purchase this package just like the OP did, I would pay taxes if purchased onboard the first day while still in port. If I wait until I'm in international water, then I wouldn't have to pay the taxes, but I would have had to pay for any drinks I had prior to sailing into international waters. I don' t see where you save $30?

[hbsocalriver]

I'll drink to that formula.

[pboedeker]

If you are in U.S. Waters there will definitely be tax... you are tax free once you reach international water. If at all possible, NEVER buy anything while in any Port, ALWAYS wait till you are in international waters... you will save a little here and there if you do. I learned this on the last cruise when I bought the endless bubbles package. If I would have waited 5 minutes I would have saved like $4.00, lol... on this Alcohol package you would probably save closer to $30.00. If you are in international water the casino will be open... if not it will be closed. That is a good way of figuring it out.

 

Not sure I'm clear on this post. If I purchase this package just like the OP did, he/she didn't pay taxes on the package while in port. If I'm reading his/her first few posts, he paid $691.xx for two people ($42.95 x 7 days = $300.65 + 15% ($45.10) or $345.75 x 2 ppl = $691.xx) Didn't look like he paid taxes at purchase in port. If you are required to pay sales tax on any purchases made with the program while in port on embarkation day, I don' t see where you save $30?

[Scott34787]

If I wait until I'm in international water, then I wouldn't have to pay the taxes, but I would have had to pay for any drinks I had prior to sailing into international waters. I don' t see where you save $30?

 

Don't buy any drinks until you reach international waters -

Just carry on a bottle of vino and drink that to hold

you over. :)

[pboedeker]

Don't buy any drinks until you reach international waters -

Just carry on a bottle of vino and drink that to hold

you over. :)

 

Excellent idea! Now to remember to pack the corkscrew!

[Batman80]

Not sure I'm clear on this post. If I purchase this package just like the OP did, I would pay taxes if purchased onboard the first day while still in port. If I wait until I'm in international water, then I wouldn't have to pay the taxes, but I would have had to pay for any drinks I had prior to sailing into international waters. I don' t see where you save $30?

 

I don't recall what the tax rate or but here is an example:

 

Soda Pass (Not sure the actual Price) = $6.50 per night x 7 Nights = $45.50. 7% Tax = 3.19 - $48.69 Total... Plus you need to add gratuity on top of this.

 

Alcohol Pass = $42.95 x 7 Nights = $300.65. 7% Tax = $21.05 - $321.70 Total... Add Gratuity on Top of that.

 

I suppose I was off 9 or so bucks but you see where I'm getting... You could save $21.00 if you wait till you are in international water... but than again you wouldn't be able to have a drink until after departure... just depends on how thirsty you are I suppose. ;-)

[Batman80]

Not sure I'm clear on this post. If I purchase this package just like the OP did, he/she didn't pay taxes on the package while in port. If I'm reading his/her first few posts, he paid $691.xx for two people ($42.95 x 7 days = $300.65 + 15% ($45.10) or $345.75 x 2 ppl = $691.xx) Didn't look like he paid taxes at purchase in port. If you are required to pay sales tax on any purchases made with the program while in port on embarkation day, I don' t see where you save $30?

 

I could be wrong but when in port you are required to pay taxes according to the local tax rate... maybe Florida doesn't have a tax on Beverage? I know this is the case for the Soda Card so I can't imagine it would be different for Alcohol.

 

See my previous post for the breakdown... $30.00 is just a number I threw out there...

[pboedeker]

I could be wrong but when in port you are required to pay taxes according to the local tax rate... maybe Florida doesn't have a tax on Beverage? I know this is the case for the Soda Card so I can't imagine it would be different for Alcohol.

 

See my previous post for the breakdown... $30.00 is just a number I threw out there...

 

Asked John Heald on FB about this: waiting on his response!

[Topo Gigio]

Will this package be available on the Freedom in December?

 

Is Dewar's white included?