Duty free shopping - Cigarettes

[UandMe4Ever]

$32.95 two weeks ago

 

coka

Thanks, Coka ~ I'll bring my Eve 120's Lights, just in case. I can always buy more. Good price!

P

[Richie2pies]

If you go to St. Thomas, name brands are 5/$99 at Al Cohens and some other places. Al Cohens is at the end of the shops at WICO pier.

[smeyer418]

If you go to St. Thomas, name brands are 5/$99 at Al Cohens and some other places. Al Cohens is at the end of the shops at WICO pier.

be careful not all of these are made in the USA. I paid as little as $15 at some places but the cigs were not US made and sometime not US quality. Yes they are name brands but look for place of manufacture and if its not US be careful.

[peg013]

So you all are saying that it is cheaper to buy smokes on the boat, than stocking up before you get on? We are first timers (Oct 23 Norwegian Sun....61 days YAHOO!!!!!) & were figuring that we would hit a convenient store in Fl, B4 we sailed. That would make thing SO much easier!

 

Yes, cheaper onboard and in a lot of ports too. Onboard you just have to realize they don't stock all brands or all versions of the brands they do stock. You may have to pick a similar brand to the ones you usually smoke. Don't wait until the end of your cruise or they may be sold out of what you want. In St Maarten I bought ciggies made in Great Britain (I think) so I bought a pack first to make sure their version was close enough to what I was used to. Then I bought 5 cartons. Worked out great.

[sadiecat]

They are only $40 where I live and the times I did buy them on board they seem to be really stale, so I just pass on buying them anymore.

[billmusco]

Thanks for the tips, everyone!

[CLMCLEOD]

Does anyone know if the information given applies to the Jade sailing the Mediterranean? Would prefer not to have to stock up on cigs beforehand if I can just buy them on the ship...

[Bazzgurl26]

Wow! this thread blew up over night :D

 

A carton for Marlboro's here in Oregon are right around 50 bucks... I pay about 5.25 a pack.

 

Has anyone else had a problem with their smokes being stale?

[flowerchild]

So you all are saying that it is cheaper to buy smokes on the boat, than stocking up before you get on? We are first timers (Oct 23 Norwegian Sun....61 days YAHOO!!!!!) & were figuring that we would hit a convenient store in Fl, B4 we sailed. That would make thing SO much easier!

 

Cigs went up last year in Miami. They are close to 7$ a pack now...not a bargain.

[flowerchild]

I've never had stale cigs from a ship, they move a lot of them. But then, I do smoke Marlboros. I had a hard time finding ultra lite 100's though, so definitely do buy them early.

 

BTW, if you travel to St Thomas, you can bring in 5 cartons duty free.

[Springwater21]

I got back today from a trip to Delaware. The cheapest carton was 40.00. Never heard of the USA Gold. Otherwise the brand name was 60.00. This past March in Mexico, a carton of Seneca(Indian cigs) were 12.48, duty free one carton to the USA. You were able to bring 9 more and pay the duty-$10.06 per carton. I paid it right at US customs.but they always ask,"when was the last time you bought cigarettes and took them into the US". Dona

[downsized]

Wow! this thread blew up over night :D

 

A carton for Marlboro's here in Oregon are right around 50 bucks... I pay about 5.25 a pack.

 

Has anyone else had a problem with their smokes being stale?

 

We bought ours in March on the Star, and not only are they not stale, they are not the stupid "fire-proof" cigarettes that our dear guvenator deems necessary!.

 

Take a pack (or two) on board, and buy your week's supply, as well as 5 cartons each to pack in your bags.

We've never been challenged when disembarking. Ever.

[flashdog_1]

Just like w/liquor, ships do not carry ALL brands, so be prepared to buy your second choice.

[Ms belp]

Yes, cheaper onboard and in a lot of ports too. Onboard you just have to realize they don't stock all brands or all versions of the brands they do stock. You may have to pick a similar brand to the ones you usually smoke. Don't wait until the end of your cruise or they may be sold out of what you want. In St Maarten I bought ciggies made in Great Britain (I think) so I bought a pack first to make sure their version was close enough to what I was used to. Then I bought 5 cartons. Worked out great.

 

Great point! They don't carry my Virginia Slims regular on the ship or any of the ports that I have found. The VS Lights yes, but I don't care for them. I end up buying Benson & Hedges regular as a close substitute.

[flowerchild]

We bought ours in March on the Star, and not only are they not stale, they are not the stupid "fire-proof" cigarettes that our dear guvenator deems necessary!

 

So true! NY has them and I used to get the "normal" ones in FL until they changed too.

[peg013]

We bought ours in March on the Star, and not only are they not stale, they are not the stupid "fire-proof" cigarettes that our dear guvenator deems necessary!

 

I HATE those "fire-proof" smokes! I'm sure it is so much better for our health to have to relight them 7 times before it is finished. The military commissary had the originals for a long time after all the local stores had the FP ones but now they have them too! If I'm not wide awake, I don't smoke!

[Bazzgurl26]

So do they carry all Marlboro brands? Lights, Menthols? Ive seen two different post about paying the "Duty" on the cigs if you get stopped at customs... one said $2 a carton and one said $10 a carton.. is it the cost different in different parts of the country? Is it US charging the Duty or the foreign country?

[smeyer418]

So do they carry all Marlboro brands? Lights, Menthols? Ive seen two different post about paying the "Duty" on the cigs if you get stopped at customs... one said $2 a carton and one said $10 a carton.. is it the cost different in different parts of the country? Is it US charging the Duty or the foreign country?

that's because it increased last year...

 

"The findings indicate that the federal excise tax increased from 24 cents per pack in 1995 to $1.01 per pack in 2009"

 

Its charged by the US government and should be uniform throughout the US. Note that the indicated amount is $12 per carton, not 10 or 2...

 

although it may be a slightly different issue. Duty is charged above the amount of the exemption at a flat rate of 10%. So if the customs officer says they are worth $20 it should be $2 and $100, 10...so it may differ sometimes on how the customs official makes the determination.

 

You are allowed 5 cartons from US insular possessions(the Virgin Islands being one)

[onebzyldy]

Does anyone know if we are allowed to bring 5 cartons back to Canada ? I thought that we could only bring 1 carton per person :confused:

Happy Cruising.......

DonnaF :D

[downsized]

Does anyone know if we are allowed to bring 5 cartons back to Canada ? I thought that we could only bring 1 carton per person :confused:

Happy Cruising.......

DonnaF :D

 

I can't answer that. We're only allowed to import 200 duty free cigarettes (one carton) per person here into the states, as well......but DW and I have never been challenged.

 

I suspect that it may have to do with the fact that there are over 2400 passengers trying to disembark all at once, and the fact that customs knows that the cruise lines do a pretty good job of inspecting each passenger at each port....but that is just my assumption.

 

As for any issues that may arise after you leave the US port and try to re-enter Canada.......I've absolutely NO idea.

 

My original post was for the Lady that specifically asked about Marlboro's.

Other posters have cautioned about not all brands being available, and I most certainly expect that to be the case.

Marlboros in either Red or Gold, in both lengths, have been plentiful when we shopped at the DuFree.

[DMH15]

Wow I have never smoked these prices are huge. OP, this is not a judgement, just an observation. On X I once had a $57 glass of wine and everyone is entitled to spend their money as they choose.

[newcatintown]

actually about 10.00 of the $12 are taxes/duty state federal local....

in some states cartons are available for less than $50.00.

 

can be found for under $35 in my neck of the woods....

[knotgillty]

A carton for Marlboro's here in Oregon are right around 50 bucks... I pay about 5.25 a pack.

 

Has anyone else had a problem with their smokes being stale?

 

The cartons I purchased in July on the Star were very fresh. But then again, I smoke Marlboro ultralights which probably turn over pretty frequently in the duty free shops.

 

Again, the 5 carton marlboro mega case/box (looks exactly like a GIANT pack of cigarettes with pull off plastic, flip open top, etc.) worked out to $2.40 per pack on the Star.

 

The pic below is the 2 carton case / box. I also purchased the 5 carton case as well which is twice the size of the one below (don't have pics of the 5 carton case/box).

[sinkers22]

I have a better idea. A fellow cruiser has a website that sells Electronic Cigarettes and Vermont Made liquid. Just go to vermont vapor dot com and check it out. It's a lot cheaper! We spend about $25 a month and haven't smoked a real cigarette in over a year!

[smeyer418]

can be found for under $35 in my neck of the woods....

you feel like mailing some cigs to me?