Spanish VAT

Just a heads up for anyone cruising from Spain. We are currently on Carnival Sunshine and a 10% Spanish VAT tax is being added to all drinks on board.

Of course Carnival don't tell you about this, its probably in some small print somewhere. How you have to pay tax when your in International waters is beyond me.

So far its been a mixed experience, service has been poor in parts and excellent in other (room steward is great :).

After 4 days my thought is I would never cruise Carnival again simply down to the fact they try and rip you off on everything. I will post a review with examples on my return.

Doing a very quick Google search this does not appear to be a Carnival thing it is a cruise industry wide thing and has been occurring for years. If you are to become angry become angry at Spain and not the cruising industry. It appears this charge is added to any cruise (regardless of company) that departs from Spain.

Not quite sure what the poster is getting at. What's VAT tax?

Value added Tax that Spain uses to raise revenue.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Value_added_tax

VAT =value added tax...tax added to the sale of goods and supply of services set by the individual country. Spain set 10% to ALL ships leaving from their ports...its a way for government to gain more revenue and out of the control of cruiselines. Just another thing to get used to.

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This applies to all cruise lines who departure port is from Spain...not if the ship stops at a Spanish port during the course of the voyage.

Same issue over at the RCCL boards.

For anyone who has traveled in Europe by land, some countries used to refund the VAT at the end of your journey. You had to do it in your last port before you left the country. But it had become such a complicated process due to having to spend over a certain amount and what and what did not qualify towards the total amount that I believe you can no longer get a refund of the VAT anymore.

Yes, the cruise lines should alert their passengers to the fact that any voyage departing from a Spanish port in Europe will have the VAT added to purchases during the entire trip.

MARAPRINCE

The only way I ever heard of a VAT was thru CC.

When we booked our TA there was nothing stating anything about it:confused:

This applies to all cruise lines who departure port is from Spain...not if the ship stops at a Spanish port during the course of the voyage.

 

 

Same issue over at the RCCL boards.

 

 

 

For anyone who has traveled in Europe by land, some countries used to refund the VAT at the end of your journey. You had to do it in your last port before you left the country. But it had become such a complicated process due to having to spend over a certain amount and what and what did not qualify towards the total amount that I believe you can no longer get a refund of the VAT anymore.

 

 

 

Yes, the cruise lines should alert their passengers to the fact that any voyage departing from a Spanish port in Europe will have the VAT added to purchases during the entire trip.

 

 

 

MARAPRINCE

What about a cruise that starts in Rome or Venice and ends in BCN is there still a VAT?

Wow, I had no idea.

I am well aware of VATs, and knew that we paid them when traveling in Europe. But had no idea that they could tack it on to beverages sold aboard a cruise ship just because it departs from a particular country.

Previous poster is right -- cruise lines should absolutely inform their passangers -- 10% could really add up!

It's added because the ship doesn't leave the EU. It's a Europe thing.

They add 20 or 21% to other purchase (gift shop, pictures, etc..).

If you're a non-EU citizen you can get this money returned. I'm not sure how as our costs for the VAT didn't warrant effort to get it returned. There is an individual on the ship that can help you with getting money back (don't recall who it was).

I did see a VAT return tax place in the Barcelona airport, BUT, I have no idea really what it was for.

In layman's terms, Spain demands a "tip" for giving you the privilege of boarding a ship there?

It's just like sales and state purchase tax, apart from you get it back if you are none EU. Not like tipping at all.

It's added because the ship doesn't leave the EU. It's a Europe thing.

 

They add 20 or 21% to other purchase (gift shop, pictures, etc..).

 

If you're a non-EU citizen you can get this money returned. I'm not sure how as our costs for the VAT didn't warrant effort to get it returned. There is an individual on the ship that can help you with getting money back (don't recall who it was).

 

I did see a VAT return tax place in the Barcelona airport, BUT, I have no idea really what it was for.

It's a Spain only in Europe thing. None of the other cruises that depart from another European port apply a Spain VAT or even a Dutch VAT, UK VAT, Italian VAT, Greek VAT etc etc. The Spanish VAT is applied regardless if you are in "international" waters.

You can only get the Spanish VAT back on purchases over xxx dollars (something like $200), so no recouping your 10% VAT on drinks. Even on purchases like restaurant fees, photos etc the $200 amount has to be from a single "shop" on board and on a single receipt.

If you are departing from Spain make sure you are visiting a non-EU country then they can only charge the Spanish VAT when in Spanish waters.

Avoid roundtrip cruises from Spain that do not visit a non-EU country. All the rage over on the HAL boards as their Barcelona-Barcelona cruise was supposed to stop in Tunisia (non-EU country) and HAL swapped it out with Sicily Italy (EU country) and now they have to pay Spanish VAT on all purchases during the cruise.

With 30 to 40% unemployment in Spain they have to pay for those social programs somehow.

They have to have a way to pay for those empty airports, cities and motorways they have built also.

I knew this months ago. I called carnival out on it when I knew Croatia was joining the EU. Carnival told me I was wrong. I told them- no you are. So carnival is crappy there. I leave next weds for the cruise out of Barcelona and it is what is.

Whew! Glad I picked the itinerary that starts in Venice and ends in Barcelona so I won't have to deal with the extra tax. That's definitely a bummer though, because I assume most people don't know about this tax when booking their cruises so it will probably come as a surprise once onboard :-/

It was the same when we sailed RCCL out of Barcelona last year. Royal didn't say anything about it either and I only found out about it on the RCCL forum here. It was actually more of a shame because our itinerary had originally included a stop in Tunisia, which would have taken us out of the EU and meant we didn't have to pay the VAT. Unfortunately they changed that port to Palma in Majorca so it was EU all the way.

Just a heads up for anyone cruising from Spain. We are currently on Carnival Sunshine and a 10% Spanish VAT tax is being added to all drinks on board.

 

Of course Carnival don't tell you about this, its probably in some small print somewhere. How you have to pay tax when your in International waters is beyond me.

 

So far its been a mixed experience, service has been poor in parts and excellent in other (room steward is great :).

 

After 4 days my thought is I would never cruise Carnival again simply down to the fact they try and rip you off on everything. I will post a review with examples on my return.

If you are on a cruise that does not leave the EU for a foreign port, you have to pay a VAT tax. If one of your ports is outside the EU, you are no charged the tax on board.

Dubrovnik, Croatia is used to be the foreign port, but now as a member, it will change things if your cruise does not stop in Turkey, you will be charged the tax because you never leave the EU

It's added because the ship doesn't leave the EU. It's a Europe thing.

 

They add 20 or 21% to other purchase (gift shop, pictures, etc..).

 

If you're a non-EU citizen you can get this money returned. I'm not sure how as our costs for the VAT didn't warrant effort to get it returned. There is an individual on the ship that can help you with getting money back (don't recall who it was).

 

I did see a VAT return tax place in the Barcelona airport, BUT, I have no idea really what it was for.

You can get VAT back for items you have purchased that you are taking out of the EU providing you have the right documentation. You can not get it back on food and drinks.

Can't you get a refund on certain VAT items?

Vat tax vehicle it's a euro thing

Social style gov taxing all products thru supply chain

So the farmer grow the wheat gets taxed , the baker making the bread gets taxed and the consumer buying the bread gets taxed

Again it's euro thing

What is truly a bit frightening its been proposed several times in this country

And many peeps don't know what it is

My biggest gripe with all of this is that Carnival don't tell you about it. Then again Carnival don't tell you about anything unless its to sell you something. I will post a full report on our cruise once were back. Very disappointed with Carnival, 3rd cruise with them and they have got worse and worse, our first cruise with them was quite good, we thought maybe the last one was a blip, obviously not.

I have not been impressed. An example of their lack of communication with the passengers: Last nights comedy club. The 9.45 performance was cancelled because the comic missed the ship in Venice. Did they tell us?? nope, everyone sat in the comedy club waiting until 9.45. Then when it got to 9.50 I asked a waiter "Is the show going to start" The response I got was "I am not the comedy host, its been cancelled," no sign up to say it was not on, no one of responsibility there, no communication nothing. A shame as the comedy club has been the highlight of the cruise.

That's just a small one too, wait until I get to some of the others.

Can't you get a refund on certain VAT items?

Free healthcare is not really free - they have VAT tax and it is often as high as 21%-25%. This is not spanish VAT, it is the VAT for every country in the EU, except on cruises that have one foreign port outside the EU - on a trip from Venice to Barcelona, you get the Italian version.

Yes you can, usually on bigger (cost more) items. FYI - a copy has to go to customs in the country you are from. That means what you are declaring on the customs form you fill out on the plane to get back into the USA has to match, dollar for dollar the amount of the items you claimed for VAT refund.

They will have your passport flagged so when you arrive and they stamp you back into the USA, they will compare the customs form to you VAT refund

So if you buy a $2000 necklace, get the VAT back and then undervalue it, or omit it from your customs form, you are going to be hit with duty and a full customs check of your luggage, plus a fine. Sometimes the duty on an item is more than the VAT tax you get back

The cruise ship on cruises that are subject to VAT will often have a place set up to process VAT refunds before you leave the ship, otherwise it is set up at the place you make the purchase and processed at the airport.

Personally we avoid asking for a refund because it slows you down a lot in US customs in the airport when you return and we just don't want that much hassle.

So from what I have read this VAT tax is incurred for all charges while onboard the ship. However what about the auto gratuities billed on your sail & sign account? Can they tax that also? I do agree with previous posters that Carnival really drops the ball on this topic, of course its not in their best interest to advertise extra expenses. Actually it could hurt them in the long end for those that are money conscious!? Also is the tax also applied to cruises that originate from Venice? Thanks for any up to date info! :eek:

My biggest gripe with all of this is that Carnival don't tell you about it. Then again Carnival don't tell you about anything unless its to sell you something. I will post a full report on our cruise once were back. Very disappointed with Carnival, 3rd cruise with them and they have got worse and worse, our first cruise with them was quite good, we thought maybe the last one was a blip, obviously not.

 

I have not been impressed. An example of their lack of communication with the passengers: Last nights comedy club. The 9.45 performance was cancelled because the comic missed the ship in Venice. Did they tell us?? nope, everyone sat in the comedy club waiting until 9.45. Then when it got to 9.50 I asked a waiter "Is the show going to start" The response I got was "I am not the comedy host, its been cancelled," no sign up to say it was not on, no one of responsibility there, no communication nothing. A shame as the comedy club has been the highlight of the cruise.

 

That's just a small one too, wait until I get to some of the others.

Royal Caribbean was also not informing its passengers of the VAT for ships departing from ports in Spain and that throughout the voyage VAT would apply for purchases on the ship as well.

MARAPRINCE

Royal Caribbean was also not informing its passengers of the VAT for ships departing from ports in Spain and that throughout the voyage VAT would apply for purchases on the ship as well.

That would not surprise me, I am not a fan of RCI either, they have great ships but like Carnival their customer service department leaves quite a bit to be desired.

I guess its an american thing, in the UK the price you see is the price you pay and includes all taxes if they are applicable. That goes for anything from food to holidays to cars.

I will post a full review soon, I have just got home and have very mixed feelings about my Carnival experience. They have been hammering UK TV with adverts recently, I think if they want to attract more British customers they are going to have to change their policy on tax and tipping.

I saw many people (mainly Brits I am sad to say) removing all tips entirely and most were astounded by the auto 15% on every drink. I saw lots removing them.