Is it true that you can't use plus for drinks while in port everglades?

[Bjbilly]

Someone wrote that they were charged for drinks until the ship left port everglades then they could use their plus package thanks for any info

[NRWPA]

This has never been true...you MAY be charged the state tax (I don't think Princess does this but NCL does), but you will not be charged for the drink on Princess. The only place I've read this IS true in the US is any cruise going out of Texas. Texas law is the cruise line is required to serve only Texas products and they don't have much of that at this time. This is only something I've read. 

 

SO, I just checked my invoices for three recent cruises. Most recent Princess cruise was 2/18/2023 and I was charged nothing for the drinks I had while still in Port Everglades. My most recent NCL cruise was 4/9/2023 and I WAS charged taxes while in Port of Miami. My most recent Royal Caribbean cruise was 4/29/2023 and I was not charged taxes on my free Diamond Plus drinks while in Port of Miami.  I will be leaving Saturday for Caribbean Princess - I'll let you know if anything changed since February. And Yes, I cruise a lot

[startedwithamouse]

19 minutes ago, Bjbilly said:

Someone wrote that they were charged for drinks until the ship left port everglades then they could use their plus package thanks for any info

False.

[avonlady6390]

I had the plus out of ft Lauderdale last year no extra charges for that port with plus without the package there is a Florida tax until out to sea.

[Redwing55]

Somewhat related.  Do they charge the sales tax in Port Everglades if one purchases Princess Plus upon boarding?  We have a fare that won't allow us to purchase it ahead of time.  If we did, the base cruise fare would be higher.  

Regardless, question still holds... if one is docked in PE and purchases the Package, is a sales tax added?  I suspect not.

TIA

[fpsphil]

4 minutes ago, Redwing55 said:

Somewhat related.  Do they charge the sales tax in Port Everglades if one purchases Princess Plus upon boarding?  We have a fare that won't allow us to purchase it ahead of time.  If we did, the base cruise fare would be higher.  

Regardless, question still holds... if one is docked in PE and purchases the Package, is a sales tax added?  I suspect not.

TIA

They didn't in CA when I got the plus package on the Discovery. Would be surprised if FL was more aggressive

[DallasGuy75219]

12 minutes ago, Redwing55 said:

Somewhat related.  Do they charge the sales tax in Port Everglades if one purchases Princess Plus upon boarding?  We have a fare that won't allow us to purchase it ahead of time.  If we did, the base cruise fare would be higher.  

Regardless, question still holds... if one is docked in PE and purchases the Package, is a sales tax added?  I suspect not.

TIA

Not on the cost of the package.  At most you might be charged the tax on the menu price of the drinks you order while in Florida waters.

[BamaVol]

9 hours ago, fpsphil said:

They didn't in CA when I got the plus package on the Discovery. Would be surprised if FL was more aggressive

I purchased plus from my home in Florida and paid no state sales tax. I don’t see why buying it in a Florida port would be any different. 

Edited May 12, 2023 by BamaVol

[memoak]

Many cities impose a sales tax on drinks while in their ports. If you have say a Prius package it would only be the sales tax fit the menu price of the drink not on the package.  In some cases cruise lines don’t put those drinks into the system until after leaving port

[Parrottdizes]

Usually you don't get charged for drinks ordered while still at Port Everglades. However I have been charged at least once (ordered a drink during embarkation lunch).........a quick stop at GS and the charge was removed.

[shorne]

On 5/9/2023 at 6:56 PM, NRWPA said:

Texas law is the cruise line is required to serve only Texas products

 

After all, Gewürztraminer grows splendidly in Brownsville.

 

[Buckeye10640]

I have never experienced that. 

[bjkTX]

It may be a local law like we have in Texas.  Drinks we purchased before and just after sail away were charged to us because they couldn't apply the package until we were in international waters - but they gave us a credit on our account at the same time to make up for it (even if you didn't buy a drink...)

 

[DallasGuy75219]

On 5/9/2023 at 7:56 PM, NRWPA said:

Texas law is the cruise line is required to serve only Texas products and they don't have much of that at this time. 

No, the law is that in Texas waters cruise lines can only sell alcohol on which they've paid Texas excise taxes.  In just about every other location the cruise lines are allowed to sell duty free alcohol in local waters.

 

In Texas it's not a supply issue; a cruise line could pay excise taxes on their full bar menu if they wished.  Rather most cruise lines decide to sell a limited drink menu in Texas waters to reduce the complexity of separately managing and inventoring the alcohol they paid excise taxes on, as well as to reduce the carrying costs of that inventory.

[DallasGuy75219]

On 5/12/2023 at 10:45 PM, shorne said:

 

After all, Gewürztraminer grows splendidly in Brownsville.

 

And tequila, scotch, and champagne sold in Texas waters were also produced in Texas.

[caribill]

29 minutes ago, DallasGuy75219 said:

No, the law is that in Texas waters cruise lines can only sell alcohol on which they've paid Texas excise taxes.  In just about every other location the cruise lines are allowed to sell duty free alcohol in local waters.

 

I do not know if that is true or not about the taxes, but the main restriction is that any alcohol served or sold in Texas must have been purchased by the seller through an authorized Texas wholesale distributor.

[SargassoPirate]

Economics 101 - If you want less of something, tax it.

 

Works for cruise "up charges" too.

[Jadn13]

-Drink pkg works in Port Everglades

-Tax is only applicable if you don’t have a pkg

-If you are charged anything in PE it’s in error and go to guest services 

[BamaVol]

3 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

Economics 101 - If you want less of something, tax it.

 

Works for cruise "up charges" too.

Marketing 101 - to misdirect customer anger, include the word “tax” on any invoice line that includes the words “fee” or “charge”.

[NRWPA]

Just got off 2 weeks of Caribbean Princess on Saturday. Had the Plus Package and I can say definitively, no tax charged while in Port Everglades. In case anyone still wondered...

[Jersey42]

Slightly different situation. We departed Port Everglades the other day on the Caribbean Princess without the Plus package. We were charged the same $10 for a Mojito in port as we were the next day at sea. But they reduced the drink price in port and added another line for tax, so the two together added up to $10. In both of our cases they did not add in the 18% tip while in port.

 

Once we were at sea everything was back to normal - list pice, no tax, 18% tip.

 

Here is an example while on port.

 

 

Same drink the next day:

Edited May 30, 2023 by Jersey42