sitting on CB

[IDKaren]

Well here we sit at 5:30 in the port in a shroud of fogwe got to terminal at 12..very quixk check in and in our room by 1245! Ship is actually quite nice and VERY clean! So far i have not seen the signs of wear people have talked about. Sailing was delayed due to waiting for people who thought ship was leaving at six as sent out in email. Had muster at 420ish and jt was still fairly clear..finished muster and we are SOCKED IN with fog. Still have not heard if we will get out tonight oh well guess i can eat all night! Fingers crossed! !

Edited February 1, 2014 by IDKaren
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[Colo Cruiser]

Bon Voyage!!

 

[wineforhealth]

Thanks for the update, hope you can get going tonight.

[IDKaren]

Wow...4 people just arrived! STILL sitting here swathed in fog! Made a trip to the International Cafe while waiting...oh my word yummy FOOD in there! Buffet was a bit unorganized. .they need to make ropes or something which way you are supposed to go! Until later!

[Cruise Raider]

Good luck getting out -- you just made the national news.

[Pam in CA]

Have a great cruise! As for the buffet, there is no one way you're supposed to go. You can take what you want from whichever station you want. :)

[azbirdmom]

Hope the fog lifts soon and you'll be able to enjoy all of the ports - and that everyone stays healthy. We were on the ship over New Years and had a wonderful time.

[Pam in CA]

Just checked the webcam. Still in port with heavy fog.

[EKELLEY]

Is there a port webcam?

[txgood]

Is there a port webcam?

 

Yes there is. It frequently gets overloaded, so if it does not come up just keep refreshing the page. It will come up eventually.

 

http://www.portofhouston.com/cruise-information/live-cruise-terminal-cam/

[obnurse]

I hope these folks get out safe and sound and on their way to paradise. What a long ordeal. Well, the bright side is I'm sure the ship's never been more sanitary :-)

[satxdiver]

The ship is still in port and will be there until later Sunday. Galveston is reporting very heavy fog with zero visibility. The Carnival Magic and Explorer OTS is due into port around 7 AM this morning so we will see if they make it. I agree that the ship should be extra clean after the CDC was aboard supervising the noro cleanup. Hope you get out soon.

[alisrockin]

What drink options do you have while sitting in Houston? Could you have wine with dinner? Hope you get out soon

[DebJ14]

What drink options do you have while sitting in Houston? Could you have wine with dinner? Hope you get out soon

 

There are plenty of wine and booze choices on the ships while docked in the Texas ports. They have to serve alcohol on which the Texas tax has been paid. They don't have the full bar menu and wine list out, but there are still plenty of good options. The impact of our liquor laws has been grossly overstated.

Edited February 2, 2014 by DebJ14

[wdrl]

There are plenty of wine and booze choices on the ships while docked in the Texas ports. They have to serve alcohol on which the Texas tax has been paid. They don't have the full bar menu and wine list out, but there are still plenty of good options. The impact of our liquor laws has been grossly overstated.

 

That is the same as in Hawaii, while cruising in Hawaii any items you buy in the shops or drinks have to be taxed.

 

It would be the same in Florida if a ship got stuck while in port. Well maybe not since they don't open the bars until sail away in Florida. You probably couldn't buy anything in Florida including wine.

 

In Texas as long as it has been purchased through a Texas distributor and the tax paid you can drink while in Texas waters. Most cruise lines prefer the pure profit of not paying taxes though and still charge you the same cost for a drink.

[wdrl]

There are plenty of wine and booze choices on the ships while docked in the Texas ports. They have to serve alcohol on which the Texas tax has been paid. They don't have the full bar menu and wine list out, but there are still plenty of good options. The impact of our liquor laws has been grossly overstated.

 

That is the same as in Hawaii, while cruising in Hawaii any items you buy in the shops or drinks have to be taxed.

 

It would be the same in Florida if a ship got stuck while in port. Well maybe not since they don't open the bars until sail away in Florida. You probably couldn't buy anything in Florida including wine.

 

To the OP, I hope you sail soon. It doesn't look like the Carnival Magic has made it back into Galveston this morning. And MarineTraffic.com doesn't show any ships moving up or down the ship channel. Hope it changes soon. Good luck.

[Tucker in Texas]

 

In Texas as long as it has been purchased through a Texas distributor and the tax paid you can drink while in Texas waters. Most cruise lines prefer the pure profit of not paying taxes though and still charge you the same cost for a drink.

 

When a ship was stuck in Galveston for two nights due to fog, they ran out of some Texas purchased liquor and had to make a whiskey run (lol). They only buy enough to hold them until they get out into international waters.

 

I remember reading a while back about a person who asked while they were at sea/Gulf why one bar charged more for the same drink than another bar. She was told because they had to pay sales tax. She asked to just what entity were they paying it to? They were far from any port. No answer but she got the "tax" taken off her bill.

 

 

Tucker in Texas

[IDKaren]

Still here....captain says1230 we are cleared to go..it will be intersting to see which port we miss! Food so far is,yummy and wow desserts. .yumy. going to be pretty cold on deck for super bowl party! It is cold and rainy

[Dudleydog73]

There are plenty of wine and booze choices on the ships while docked in the Texas ports. They have to serve alcohol on which the Texas tax has been paid. They don't have the full bar menu and wine list out, but there are still plenty of good options. The impact of our liquor laws has been grossly overstated.

 

 

It's not really understated at all. Only bottom shelf well drinks were available and ONLY wine by the glass, even at dinner when we were held up tied to the dock the first night. The Texas laws are amazingly old school and should be updated IMHO.

 

 

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[Rancher Dave]

Looks like they are underway now.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Still here....captain says1230 we are cleared to go..it will be intersting to see which port we miss! Food so far is,yummy and wow desserts. .yumy. going to be pretty cold on deck for super bowl party! It is cold and rainy

 

Looks like y'all left at 12:30pm from Houston. Bon voyage!

[caribill]

It's not really understated at all. Only bottom shelf well drinks were available and ONLY wine by the glass, even at dinner when we were held up tied to the dock the first night. The Texas laws are amazingly old school and should be updated IMHO.

 

 

 

Texas law only says that alochol served in Texas must be purchased from a Texas dsitributer.

 

Texas law is not limiting what Princess can serve in Texas waters.

 

Princess is limiting what can be served by choosing not to purchase other than a few brands from Texas distributers.

[sminfiddle]

The Texas laws are amazingly old school and should be updated IMHO.

 

Until that happens, Princess should take on some supplementary liquor and wine from Texas and keep the customers happier.

There are Houston breweries, in fact, that craft some really good beers. If those were offered, I would order beer on board. The Bud and XX they offer do not interest me. I pointed this out to the F&B Manager on our ship's tour (and the fact they offer local brews on Alaska cruises); he was sympathetic but passed it off as a home-office decision.

 

 

~sent using Cruise Critic app~

[kdkmilwaukee]

Glad to hear that the ship looks great, and more importantly, is very clean! My co-worker will be on this ship in two weeks and he was a nervous wreck when he heard about the noro outbreak. I told him that he shouldn't worry, and that the ship is likely the cleanest it's been in a long time :D I really hope you have a wonderful cruise once you get going!

[Dudleydog73]

Texas law only says that alochol served in Texas must be purchased from a Texas dsitributer.

 

Texas law is not limiting what Princess can serve in Texas waters.

 

Princess is limiting what can be served by choosing not to purchase other than a few brands from Texas distributers.

 

 

So why limit the amount of bars opened up while in Texas waters? They made it sound like it was mandated by law how many they could have open.

 

Why only wine by the glass at dinner?

 

I lived in Texas at one point and know about the screwy laws first hand. When I moved in from out of state I had no concept of a "dry" county. I walked around the supermarket for an hour thinking I was just walking by the beer and when I asked someone who worked there they looked at me like I was an alien from outer space asking for alcohol.

 

So yes, I stand by my Texas laws are often times crazy point of view.

 

 

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