WARNING beware europe 20% sales tax onboard.

[GEORGET]

Please check with RCCL, or any line and your TA if this added tax affects you.

 

To avoid it. the cruise in Europe has to visit at least on non EU port

 

As Spain has added 20% to on board sales and 10% to bar sales on the WHOLE cruise leaving and returning to it shores.

 

Italy has added 21% to its cruises but not on bar sales.

The duty free shops will be also closed.

 

As i quoted this does not apply to cruises that visit at least one non EU port.

 

Just booked a back to back on P&O and informed first leg vat added to onboard sales, second leg it is not as visiting Kotor.

[toptoff]

Is this something new? As far as I know and from our experience last year on splendour of the seas we had to pay 15% tax on all drinks on board. Are you saying it is on top of that. We called at Dubrovnik last year but not sure if that is classed as non EU.

 

We are due on Liberty of the seas on june 8th sailing and returning to Barcelona

with all the ports of call in France and Italy. Does this mean we pay the 15% as of last year plus this 20% you mention.

 

Surely if Spain has levied a 20% charge for port facilities then that would be reflected in the holiday price?

 

Brian

[Mark_K]

Is this something new? As far as I know and from our experience last year on splendour of the seas we had to pay 15% tax on all drinks on board. Are you saying it is on top of that. We called at Dubrovnik last year but not sure if that is classed as non EU.

It depends on when you sailed. Croatia joined the EU last year on July 1st.

 

 

 

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[TravelerThom]

It depends on when you sailed. Croatia joined the EU last year on July 1st.

And it seems to me (I don't have hard numbers to back this up, but they should be obtainable) that there are a lot more cruise ship stops since then in Kotor, Montenegro which is NOT EU. Seems like this could be avoid the additional tax.

 

Thom

 

PS Sailing through the bays into Kotor is perhaps my favorite port approach and it is a very nice town, so don't think of Kotor as merely tax avoidance.

Edited April 6, 2014 by TravelerThom

[Paulxyz2004]

Please check with RCCL, or any line and your TA if this added tax affects you.

 

To avoid it. the cruise in Europe has to visit at least on non EU port

 

As Spain has added 20% to on board sales and 10% to bar sales on the WHOLE cruise leaving and returning to it shores.

 

Italy has added 21% to its cruises but not on bar sales.

The duty free shops will be also closed.

 

As i quoted this does not apply to cruises that visit at least one non EU port.

 

Just booked a back to back on P&O and informed first leg vat added to onboard sales, second leg it is not as visiting Kotor.

 

Nothing new here, it´s been like this for a few years now.

[C U Onboard]

As far as I know and from our experience last year on splendour of the seas we had to pay 15% tax on all drinks on board. Are you saying it is on top of that.

We are due on Liberty of the seas on june 8th sailing and returning to Barcelona

with all the ports of call in France and Italy. Does this mean we pay the 15% as of last year plus this 20% you mention.

 

Surely if Spain has levied a 20% charge for port facilities then that would be reflected in the holiday price?

 

 

The 15% you paid on Splendour was the standard gratuity added to all drink purchases on all RCI ships.

On your forthcoming Liberty sailing 20% Spanish VAT will be charged separately on most onboard purchases. From experience I have found that it was not applied to speciality restaurant cover charges. Not sure about Spa services.

Port charges are completely separate and are reflected in the holiday price.

[Missus Makkem]

As already said ..old news, welcome to the EU

[nelblu]

Not new. Croatia is part of the Euro Zone. To avoid the VAT we booked as much as we could from the US using RCL online reservations. To this day, I still don't know if excursions booked on board are subject to the tax.

[squadron]

Please check with RCCL, or any line and your TA if this added tax affects you.

 

To avoid it. the cruise in Europe has to visit at least on non EU port

 

As Spain has added 20% to on board sales and 10% to bar sales on the WHOLE cruise leaving and returning to it shores.

 

Italy has added 21% to its cruises but not on bar sales.

The duty free shops will be also closed.

 

As i quoted this does not apply to cruises that visit at least one non EU port.

 

Just booked a back to back on P&O and informed first leg vat added to onboard sales, second leg it is not as visiting Kotor.

 

This will make me rethink or plan more carefully a future Europeon cruise. To refresh my memory stopping at what countries would solve the problem of VAT?

[little britain]

Is this something new? As far as I know and from our experience last year on splendour of the seas we had to pay 15% tax on all drinks on board. Are you saying it is on top of that. We called at Dubrovnik last year but not sure if that is classed as non EU.

 

We are due on Liberty of the seas on june 8th sailing and returning to Barcelona

with all the ports of call in France and Italy. Does this mean we pay the 15% as of last year plus this 20% you mention.

 

Surely if Spain has levied a 20% charge for port facilities then that would be reflected in the holiday price?

 

Brian

The 15% you refer to is the service charge (tip) whenever you buy a drink on board.

The Spanish VAT is in addition to the base price of the drink.

It will be broken down on your drinks bill - so a $10 drink will have 20% VAT ($2) and 15% service ($1.50) making the total charge $13.50.

 

It is added whenever a ship sails from Spain and does not visit a non-EU country. Therefore your cruise to Spain and Italy will incur the Spanish VAT for the entire cruise. There is no concept of being in International waters.

To get round this your cruise has to stop at one non-EU port - why do you think so many ships stop in Gibraltar :rolleyes:

Edited April 6, 2014 by little britain

[kevinyork]

Thats why any cruise to the Med from the UK will include a stop at Gibraltar. A British Territory but not part of the EU. This stop makes the sales onboard for the whole cruise tax free.

 

In the Med, I believe its now only a few stops in Montenegro (Kotor) or in the Eastern Med (Istanbul) that would ensure no additional sales tax. Of course Egypt and Isreal stops also are non EU.

 

 

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[TravelerThom]

This will make me rethink or plan more carefully a future Europeon cruise. To refresh my memory stopping at what countries would solve the problem of VAT?

Montenegro and Turkey are non EU. I have ported in Albania and Bosnia on small boats, and they are non-EU but highly unlikely that any cruise ship would go to either of those. I THINK that the Canaries, although part of Spain, are not considered to be within the EU for VAT purposes. Basically any African or Asian Mediterranean port will work, but not a lot of cruises going there since the Arab Spring. Gibraltar MIGHT work, but I don't think so (and obviously don't know).

 

Thom

 

I see that kevinyork has posted that Gibraltar works.

Edited April 6, 2014 by TravelerThom

[kevinyork]

Montenegro and Turkey are non EU. I have ported in Albania and Bosnia on small boats, and they are non-EU but highly unlikely that any cruise ship would go to either of those. I THINK that the Canaries, although part of Spain, are not considered to be within the EU for VAT purposes. Basically any African or Asian Mediterranean port will work, but not a lot of cruises going there since the Arab Spring. Gibraltar MIGHT work, but I don't think so (and obviously don't know).

 

Thom

 

I see that kevinyork has posted that Gibraltar works.

 

 

Gibraltar and the Canaries are definately not taxed as part of the EU. All part of the EU but as special territories they are not for tax purposes........confusing or what.

 

 

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[Bobal]

I am very grateful to the OP for posting this - not because I didn't know about it but had forgotten about it. The last time we sailed from Spain (without leaving the EU) we vowed never to do it again, it just added so much unnecessary expense with all the extra VAT.

 

However, next month we will sail from Spain on an 11 night cruise without leaving the EU as the itinerary was the perfect one for us. This thread has been a timely reminder to book our wine package/excursions/dining beforehand so that we don't get hit with VAT by booking onboard.

 

Thank you GEORGET :)

[steamboats]

Actually the Spanish VAT is 21% for non food items (mainly shops onboard) and 10% for food items (mainly drinks onboard). This amount is valid since September 2012. It was less before. This will be charged for any cruise leaving from a Spanish port (mainly Barcelona) visiting EU-ports only.

 

Same for all cruises leaving from Italian ports visiting EU-ports only.

 

But for all cruises leaving a port in Florida you have to pay a State Tax too (as long as you´re in port or within the 3 miles zone).

 

It´s nothing new but going on for years.

 

steamboats

[Sunkissed Mommy]

Correct me if I am wrong, last time I was in Europe was in 2005...

 

If you save your receipts, can't you apply to get all the VAT back because you are not an EU citizen??

 

I vaguely remember this from when I was last in Europe, again, 9 years ago.

Edited April 6, 2014 by smileyperry

[CRUISEBOY305]

Correct me if I am wrong, last time I was in Europe was in 2005...

 

If you save your receipts, can't you apply to get all the VAT back because you are not an EU citizen??

 

I vaguely remember this from when I was last in Europe, again, 9 years ago.

 

I did on a land based tour in 2011 through Italy and France. Also in 2010 from South Africa. You can collect the VAT at the airport before you check in. Not sure if this is the case now. Haven't heard anything otherwise. I don't think they would refund VAT from Bar drinks though.

Edited April 6, 2014 by CRUISEBOY305

[goose30]

Correct me if I am wrong, last time I was in Europe was in 2005...

 

If you save your receipts, can't you apply to get all the VAT back because you are not an EU citizen??

 

I vaguely remember this from when I was last in Europe, again, 9 years ago.

 

Not on anything you consume. It would be difficult,but not impossible, to show it at the airport if you consumed it.

[CRUISEBOY305]

Not on anything you consume. It would be difficult,but not impossible, to show it at the airport if you consumed it.

 

Yeah, it would be on anything you purchase.

[tcieyes]

HI would this apply to a transatlantic that only disembarks in southhampton UK, but no other European ports are involved? The British are not in the EU and don't use the euro ?

[Thoie]

HI would this apply to a transatlantic that only disembarks in southhampton UK, but no other European ports are involved? The British are not in the EU and don't use the euro ?

 

The British are in the EU, but don't use the Euro. As it's a transatlantic, the ship has been "outside" the EU (presumably the US?) so it won't apply.

[Callisto026]

I am very grateful to the OP for posting this - not because I didn't know about it but had forgotten about it. The last time we sailed from Spain (without leaving the EU) we vowed never to do it again, it just added so much unnecessary expense with all the extra VAT.

 

However, next month we will sail from Spain on an 11 night cruise without leaving the EU as the itinerary was the perfect one for us. This thread has been a timely reminder to book our wine package/excursions/dining beforehand so that we don't get hit with VAT by booking onboard.

 

Thank you GEORGET :)

 

This summer is my first med cruise. I just want to confirm what you are saying. If we pay for everything before boarding we won't be charged the tax? Thanks

 

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[LuvCats!]

So this tax is on anything you buy and/or eat but NOT the cruise itself, correct? (I.e. RCCL cruise booked through the US.) $XXXX +20% would be a huge added amount but I'm not worried about a $20 bar bill +20%. Granted the one I'm doing also stops in Kotor. What happens if they can't get in to Kotor (weather, etc) ?

 

Re: getting the VAT tax refunded, I read something that said to do it you had to have a purchase equaling a set amount (€100 or 150 I think it was) but it couldn't be combined smaller amounts. I think that was mentioned in the Frommer's guide but I'm not certain because I've been reading on so many web sites trying to figure out my likely costs.

[Bobal]

HI would this apply to a transatlantic that only disembarks in southhampton UK, but no other European ports are involved? The British are not in the EU and don't use the euro ?

 

This is for cruises leaving Spain - a transatlantic which disembarks in the UK would not be leaving Spain. Also Britain is in the EU - you don't have to use the Euro to be in the EU

[TravelerThom]

...you don't have to use the Euro to be in the EU

Just as a country having the Euro as its only currency does not necessarily mean it is in the EU.