Duty Free Shopping question

[JDinWA]

Duty Free in the shops onboard, and in airport/cruise terminal shops means that technically the merchandise has not been imported into the US, so the merchant did not have to pay duty on it, thus you get a lower (theoretically) price. But be aware that there are two types of Duty Free. One is what I already (hopefully) explained. The other is the amounts of merchandise you purchase onboard or in the ports that is not subject to duty when returning to the States. If you buy a piece of jewelry in the shop onboard, they will tell you it is Duty Free, because they did not have to pay duty on it. But if your purchase exceeded the limit for duty free purchases,, you will have to pay duty on it.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/kbyg/

 

Great explanation, thank you! I've often wondered...but since I've never bought any "duty free" items, I was never motivated enough to look it up. :)

[sparks1093]

Great explanation, thank you! I've often wondered...but since I've never bought any "duty free" items, I was never motivated enough to look it up. :)

 

A good way to remember it is that "duty free" means that it was free of export duty in the country of manufacture, you may still need to pay import duty when you arrive back in the states.