Is VAT charged on ALL european cruises?

[Wilde_37]

I know that when a cruise is in the EU but visits 1 port outside the EU then there is no VAT (sales tax) added to onboard purchases. However, does it apply to ALL cruises if they never leave the EU.

 

I did a cruise a few years ago which started and ended in Barcelona and which visited only ports in the EU and there was VAT charged on everything for the entire cruise.

 

I have read that this only applies on cruises which depart from Spain. I have also read that it only applies while in Spanish waters (which wasn't the case on the cruise I took).

 

Royal Caribbean have very few European cruises which do not go to a port outside the EU. Does that mean that VAT will be charged on all these?

 

Thinking of taking a cruise from Venice which visits Croatia - but Croatia is joining the EU on July 1.

[2BACRUISER]

Basically yes, we're all one big happy euro family now :rolleyes: lol NOT!

 

You only get duty free as you say if your cruise stops at an non EU destination eg Tunisia or Egypt or Israel etc. I believe that the Canary islands & Gibraltar are also duty free havens. Remember though that the amounts of goods you can bring into the EU from these places is limited whereas from fellow EU countries it is unlimited to amounts for personal use. So no 10,000's of fags to sell on but you'd be ok with 1000 for personal use. Its why we all go on booze cruises to France;)

 

The Spanish being hard up have exacted a vicious extra tax as way of making more spondoolies out of us, watch out for Portugal Italy and Greece following suit:confused:

 

 

M:)

[Clarea]

Basically yes, we're all one big happy euro family now :rolleyes: lol NOT!

 

You only get duty free as you say if your cruise stops at an non EU destination eg Tunisia or Egypt or Israel etc. I believe that the Canary islands & Gibraltar are also duty free havens. Remember though that the amounts of goods you can bring into the EU from these places is limited whereas from fellow EU countries it is unlimited to amounts for personal use. So no 10,000's of fags to sell on but you'd be ok with 1000 for personal use. Its why we all go on booze cruises to France;)

 

The Spanish being hard up have exacted a vicious extra tax as way of making more spondoolies out of us, watch out for Portugal Italy and Greece following suit:confused:

 

 

M:)

OK, you're gonna have to explain "spondoolies"???:confused:

[Mark_K]

OK, you're gonna have to explain "spondoolies"???:confused:

Smackeroos, simoleans, scratch, sawbucks.

[Clarea]

Smackeroos, simoleans, scratch, sawbucks.

Still scratching my head?:confused:

[TheKid.]

Still scratching my head?:confused:

 

Money

[Mines]

VAT is added to prices on-board when the ship does not visit a non-EEC country. The rate is that of the country of departure.

 

This is the reason why most Eastern-Mediterranean cruises visit Turkey or Croatia. Now that Croatia is joining the EEC from 1st July, more cruises are being planned to visit Kotor in Montenegro.

 

For Western Mediterranean routes, it is more difficult now to find a country outside of the EEC. Gibraltar could work or Tunisia, but neither are exactly attractive ports of call compared to those in Italy, France and Spain.

 

This is why cruises on Liberty will have Spanish VAT added to prices for sales on-board.

[Clarea]

Money

Thank-you!:)