Drink Plan out of Brooklyn...?

[chisox021]

I've cruised out of Manhattan a few times on NCL and RC and because of the dumb NYC rules, the drink plan doesn't kick in until the next day....  Can anyone tell me if MSC cruises out of Brooklyn follow this same rule or can you enjoy your drink plan immediately after boarding... Ty all!!

 

Scott

[rikitikitavii]

51 minutes ago, chisox021 said:

I've cruised out of Manhattan a few times on NCL and RC and because of the dumb NYC rules, the drink plan doesn't kick in until the next day....  Can anyone tell me if MSC cruises out of Brooklyn follow this same rule or can you enjoy your drink plan immediately after boarding... Ty all!!

 

Scott

We were on Meraviglia in October, we enjoyed drinks in YC , as well as other bars before sail away.

[chisox021]

YC?  And you really didn't answer my question.. Did the drink plan kick in on the first day? 

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, chisox021 said:

I've cruised out of Manhattan a few times on NCL and RC and because of the dumb NYC rules, the drink plan doesn't kick in until the next day....  Can anyone tell me if MSC cruises out of Brooklyn follow this same rule or can you enjoy your drink plan immediately after boarding... Ty all!!

 

Scott

I'm not sure where you got your information, but NCL's drink plan most certainly is available from the moment you step aboard. While you're within New York's territorial waters you're charged NY City sales tax, but that's a small amount per drink. You're not charged for the drink itself.

 

Royal Caribbean almost never sails from Manhattan. For many years its homeport has been Cape Liberty in New Jersey, and my recollection is (although its been a few years since I cruise on Royal Caribbean) that they don't even charge sales tax...perhaps because NJ's laws don't require it.

Edited December 27, 2023 by njhorseman

[Ed342]

Here's Carnival's policy on their drink package:

 

[njhorseman]

20 minutes ago, chisox021 said:

YC?  And you really didn't answer my question.. Did the drink plan kick in on the first day? 

YC means Yacht Club and it appears to me that the poster did answer your question when they said:

" we enjoyed drinks in YC , as well as other bars before sail away".

 

[RandomUser123]

I was on Meraviglia last month and it kicked in right when you boarded. They also had a sign that said we would be charged NYC taxes while ship was still in port but i was never charged any, might be for those who did not have a drink plan.

[Brighton Line]

3 hours ago, chisox021 said:

I've cruised out of Manhattan a few times on NCL and RC and because of the dumb NYC rules, the drink plan doesn't kick in until the next day.... 

As an NYC resident, I appreciate the dumb NYC rules as I love tourists funding my city services with their tax dollars, thank you.

It is tax, not drink plan and since MSC sells the drink package as part of their transportation ticket there is no tax added to drinks sold while in port unlike other cruise lines that sell their drink packages as a separate service. 

Take a cruise out of Baltimore and their dumb rules (state tax in this case) have you paying state tax the entire time you are in the Chesapeake Bay transiting to the Atlantic Ocean on any and all purchases including drinks. 

[rikitikitavii]

19 hours ago, chisox021 said:

YC?  And you really didn't answer my question.. Did the drink plan kick in on the first day? 

We did not pay extra for drinks prior to  sailing! So yes, the drink plan kicked in!

[AstoriaPreppy]

21 hours ago, chisox021 said:

I've cruised out of Manhattan a few times on NCL and RC and because of the dumb NYC rules, the drink plan doesn't kick in until the next day....  Can anyone tell me if MSC cruises out of Brooklyn follow this same rule or can you enjoy your drink plan immediately after boarding... Ty all!!

 

Scott

 

As far as I know, the only common cruise ports/lines where beverage packages are not immediately available for use after boarding are Carnival departures from Manhattan, and all sailings from Galveston, TX. Our NCL sailings from NY and Royal/Celebrity sailings from NJ always have the full beverage package usable immediately on boarding.

 

The Texas departures are particularly weird, as they have to use state-approved liquor bottles with Texas ABC stickers on them and a very very limited menu of specific mixed drinks, beers and wines. As soon as the ship reaches international waters, they lock the Texas liquor bottles in a special cabinet behind each bar, and then the pull out the full spread of alcohol for the rest of the cruise.

[nferr]

On 12/27/2023 at 11:50 AM, chisox021 said:

I've cruised out of Manhattan a few times on NCL and RC and because of the dumb NYC rules, the drink plan doesn't kick in until the next day....  Can anyone tell me if MSC cruises out of Brooklyn follow this same rule or can you enjoy your drink plan immediately after boarding... Ty all!!

 

Scott

 

I've cruised numerous times on NCL and RCL out of NY.  The drink plan was always available right on boarding. And I just cruised early December.