Beverage pkg Galveston departure

[MikeMA]

Hi All,

 

Sailing on the Liberty out of Galveston in October. This will be our 2nd time out of this port. Last year on Carnival our alcohol beverage package did not begin until day 2 of the cruise due to a Texas law.

Does anybody know if it's the same way with Royal? I would assume yes, but wanted to double check.

I don't see how one company could do it while the other couldn't. Anyone have experience?

 

Thank you

 

 

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[Clarea]

Hi All,

 

Sailing on the Liberty out of Galveston in October. This will be our 2nd time out of this port. Last year on Carnival our alcohol beverage package did not begin until day 2 of the cruise due to a Texas law.

Does anybody know if it's the same way with Royal? I would assume yes, but wanted to double check.

I don't see how one company could do it while the other couldn't. Anyone have experience?

 

Thank you

No, Royal is different than Carnival. Your beverage package works as soon as you board the ship. However, you are limited to certain types of alcohol (Texas stamped) until you are out of Texas waters.

[Ourusualbeach]

The beverage package begins the first day although I believe that you are limited in what you can order.

[bethco]

There will be one vodka, gin, bourbon etc. There will be about 2 brands of beer and 1 type of red and white wine until you are out of Texas waters. Don't expect any of these to be the best. At the 12 mile mark when the casino and stores open, all alcohol will be available.

 

Texas law requires that any alcohol served within the confines of the state have state taxes paid on them.

[gotta cruise again]

I don't know if this applies to Royal or Carnival but thought I'd toss in the info...just in case.

 

Sailing out of Bayport on Princess a couple of years ago (we are Texas residents) and the waiter was unable to open our wine in the MDR until we were at that 12 mile mark, due to the law. It didn't matter that we had purchased the wine in Texas (one of the bottles brought aboard)!!

 

He was unable to open it for us until we were almost done eating dinner. So it may be that you won't be able to take one of the bottles of wine you bring aboard to the MDR as they may not be allowed to open it. Again, I'm not certain if this still applies but when we sail LOS this September, we plan on opening our wine in our cabin and carrying just a glass to dinner that evening to avoid the (potential) problem.

 

Another thought: we don't buy the drink packages but when we have purchased a drink when in port in Texas or Florida, there is tax added to the individual drink...so I wonder if a person with a drink package may have to pay tax just on those beverages obtained within the 12 mile limit.

[cstimmons]

On rci ships leaving Galveston there is a limited selection of alcohol until the ship reaches that 12 mile point. If you have the drink package there isn't any extra taxes for drinks. However if you buy something duty free you'll pay a tac stamp on your return.

 

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[HicksRA]

Interestingly, on our last cruise out of Galveston, I ordered a vodka tonic while still in port. Got the drink, but they couldn't give me a lime with it???

[Doug S]

Yeah, odd rule about the limes. I guess if it goes in the drink as a garnish other ingredient it has to be TX purchased. My wife and I drink Gin and tonic / Vodka soda, and they are not the same without a good squeeze of lime. Knowing the rule (and half as a joke) we brought a small bag of sliced limes last cruise. Other cruisers were asking where we managed to get them.

[Wanna Be Retired]

I pre-ordered a bottle of champagne and they could not put it in our room until we got past the 12 mile mark.

[dwayneb236]

Born and raised in Texas and love my state, but man we got some crazy alcohol rules.

[cruzinlisa]

On rci ships leaving Galveston there is a limited selection of alcohol until the ship reaches that 12 mile point. If you have the drink package there isn't any extra taxes for drinks. However if you buy something duty free you'll pay a tac stamp on your return.

 

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Yes. The selection was not terrible. They had a couple of beers, once of which was Bud Light. There was restrictions on the brands of drinks. They had a list of what was available. For mixed drinks I know that you could get a Tom Collins (because that was what I was drinking), pina colada, and something called a bay breeze (or sea breeze), which was yummy. They were available on the drink package and did not cost extra, nor did we pay extra tax.

 

I was annoyed about having to pay tax on the tequila we bought in Mexico, considering we are not Texas residents, were not consuming the liquor in Texas and were only driving through TX on our way home to Missouri, where the bottle was opened. I think we paid something like $6 for two bottles.

 

Interestingly, on our last cruise out of Galveston, I ordered a vodka tonic while still in port. Got the drink, but they couldn't give me a lime with it???

 

Noticed this also. Thought it was odd, but assumed it was a Texas rule.

[Retired LEO]

 

Another thought: we don't buy the drink packages but when we have purchased a drink when in port in Texas or Florida, there is tax added to the individual drink...so I wonder if a person with a drink package may have to pay tax just on those beverages obtained within the 12 mile limit.

 

Florida there is no sales tax on the packages, only if individually purchased.

I have no idea about Texas since they do their own thing.

[LeeW]

Born and raised in Texas and love my state, but man we got some crazy alcohol rules.

 

Still better now than back in the 70s, with the BYOB club memberships and purchasing setups.

[Goodtime Cruizin]

Yes, Texas liquor laws are a bit crazy. For example, most folks had no clue that back in the day, before Jerry Jones bought the Dallas Cowboys, one could not buy a beer or liquor in Texas Stadium. I remember sneaking in flasks etc. The stadium was located in Irving, TX and Irving, TX was was a dry city/town as voted by it's citizens. Eventually, Jerry Jones managed to side step this situation.