Pre-Order Liquor/Wine Card -- Delivery "At Sea" v. "In Port"

[ebseckar]

We are thinking of pre-ordering liquor and a wine card to be delivered to our cabin. The on-line order form gives the option of having these delivered to our cabin "at sea" or "in port". The "in port" delivery includes taxes, but the "at sea" doesn't. We are going to be cruising out of Ft. Lauderdale. My question is: if we request delivery "at sea" to avoid paying the tax, how do they work the delivery? Do you have to wait until later that night to get your delivery? Thanks.

[CocoKai]

I don't know the at sea or port thing but I do know.....BRING ALL YOUR PAPERWORK. We pre-ordered a Pinnacle Grill reservation and received no documentation about it in our cabin but they did have our reservation (wrong day but a reservation). After showing them a print out of my gift purchase, they still didn't believe I had purchased one. On the night we ate at the PG, they called our cabin, said they doubted we had pre-purchased and were going to send an "inquirey" to corporate. I was like..."whatever"..I'll just put your charge in dispute with my CC. They called again and hassled us..."awaiting results from their inquirey." Finally, on the last day, Corporate told them that we did pre-pay, so call off the man hunt. We got a weak apology and were told that they had problems when people bought gifts or pre-paid things for themselves. If you pre-pay, bring all your paperwork, credit card receipt, etc but still be prepared to be treated like a criminal.

[Herrbeir]

I am also thinking about pre ordering a setup to avoid the tip. I've read many similar posts where the pax had to work pretty hard to get delivery. Can any of you report that your gifts/setups were in the room on or about your arrival?

[Mary Ellen]

If your delivery takes place within the 6(?) mile limit, the State of Florida wants (and gets) their tax on your liquor and a wine card. As I understand, your delivery will occur after the ship is 'out of range'. We had delivery delays on our cruise from San Diego, so we didn't get some things until the next day anyway. Me, I'd choose the 'at sea' delivery.

 

I strongly agree with "bring all your paperwork" AND check into things early in the cruise. We only received half of our promissed on-board credit - I didn't notice until the last night. Even with the paperwork, the snippy (to be polite) woman at the front desk, did nothing - but aggravate me.

[WNYCRUISER]

I have seen different things reported on these boards, but will share what my experiences have been.

 

We sailed Noordam in March 2006. At the time there was no mention of any "taxes" on items we purchased. When we sailed again in December 2006, they had written on the daily activity sheet that State law imposes a sales tax on all purchases made within 3 miles of New York Harbor. We ordered cocktails at sailaway, and they indeed add the sales tax.

 

I do believe from what I have read here, that going out of Fort Lauderdale, the distance may be more like 10 miles.

 

In December, on the first sea day, I ordered a bottle of liquor for the room. Naturally, there was no tax, but the charge for the bottle was $26.00 plus 15% service charge ($3.90) for a total of $29.90

 

I have another cruise coming up in ooooh ooooh less than a week, and I recently ordered from ship services the same bottle as the last time, and when we were done, ship services told me that the total was $29.90 (same as when I ordered it on board) and they said it would be in my cabin on embarkation day. They did not ask if I wanted it "in port" or "at sea".

 

To the OP---if in fact it is 10 miles out of Fort Lauderdale, and you chose to wait, likely you should receive it within the first hour after sailaway.

 

Herrbeir---from my scenario, it does not appear that you avoid the tip by pre-ordering. When I ordered on board, the bottle was at my room within about 20 minutes.

 

Now, I have never pre-ordered prior to this. I will have to come back and let you know how I make out. Unfortunately for me, I ordered the bottle for this cruise only a week or two prior to departure. I will not receive a credit card statement prior to leaving, and I phoned ship services as opposed to ordering on-line, so I don't have anything to print out. I have nothing but my word and my good looks to say that I ordered and payed for this bottle. (And neither of them is going to get me very far) Worst case scenario is I order another bottle on board, and fight about all of it while I enjoy one bottle.

[In Toronto]

I am also a little confused. A couple of weeks ago I ordered the 20 glasses Wine Card for our upcoming Ryndam cruise sailing out of San Diego. I ordered on line and checked the box for delivery in port. Later I learned, through this board, that sales tax was probably going to be added. However, today I received my credit card bill and the price is exactly $77.63. Perhaps California does not add the tax. Anyway, I am happy.:D

[gratefulguy]

Just for Fun:

I hope Arnold (or his minions) won't get wind of this thread--we'll be paying the taxes soon, if so!

[GrammaZ]

On the Noordam in January we did not receive our pre-purchased wine cards until the afternoon of the second day out. And definitely bring your paperwork. We had ordered two wine cards and only one was delivered. I was able to catch the fellow delivering the cards down the hall and when I showed him my paperwork he checked his and noticed the mistake and gave me another one. When you order them through ship services be sure to ask for an email confirmation to be sent to you. It is not done automatically.

[lka1012]

I have pre-ordered several things in addition to putting money in my on-board account. Not only was I going to be charged tax on the drink cards, but on the money I added to my on-board account IF I selected (in port) - Which I did not. It will be interesting to see exactly how things are delivered.

[gophercruiser]

On a recent Ryndam cruise we ordered a bottle of scotch as we were leaving the harbour in San Diego and it was delivered in 20 minutes ,so why bother to preorder and prepay, save the hassle and just order on board, IMHO.

[ebseckar]

When you pre-order, do they include the 15% gratuity in the price? If so, then based upon the experience of other posters, I'm not sure there is any advantae to pre-ordering. Do they include the 15% gratuity in pre-orders?

[parrottheadrn]

I pre-ordered gifts and coffee cards for our Noordam sailing. I got charged tax for the coffee cards that I wanted delived in port (I was aware of the charge prior to purchasing).These cards were sitting in our room when we arrived in the cabin. I pre-ordered ship-board credit and casino chips as a gift to be delivered on my fathers birthday which was on 2/18, when I pre-ordered on line, I checked 2/18 and the gifts were sitting in our cabin when we arrived in our cabin on 2/17. I wasn't all that happy as it was a suprise gift but I was able to grab them before my father noticed what it was and I gave it to him with his birthday card the next day. I had also ordered the birthday flowers and balloon package that HAL offers to be delivered on 2/18 and the balloons were hanging on the mailbox outside the room in the hall when we arrived on 2/17 and the flowers arrived on 2/18. The balloons said "Happy Birthday", but I was not sure if they were the balloons that I had purchased or if HAL was just being nice. The balloons hung in the hall until they were removed by our cabin steward on the last day at sea. Everyone commented that they were happy that the ballons hung on the door for so long as it was a marker to let them know they were in the correct hallway.