Ponta Delgada - Cigarettes

[ronay2006]

We are on Arcadia to the Caribbean in November & I was wondering if anyone has bought cigarettes there?

I know I am only allowed 1 carton duty free but thought I could get 4 from there as it's Portuguese.

[richleeds]

Good question!

 

Wouldnt it be the allowance arriving into the Caribbean that officially you would have to worry about? So whatever the first point of call is when you have crossed and their import allowance?

 

Rather than what you are allowed to buy in Ponta Delgada?

 

In the same way you could buy 5000 cigs in say New York airport and they would happily sell you them, it would only be when you touched back down in the UK that you might have an issue?

[ronay2006]

Thanks Richleeds but I will not be taking them off the ship until I disembark, 3 weeks later, in Southampton.

[richleeds]

Thanks Richleeds but I will not be taking them off the ship until I disembark, 3 weeks later, in Southampton.

 

ok - errm not too sure but if you buy them in an EU state but then travel to destinations outside the EU before returning to the UK, I think the cigs lose their EU allowance status and when you arrive back in Southampton you will be treated as an International arrival.

 

But hopefully someone will come along and confirm either way....

[ronay2006]

I'd like to know too .... but I can only say I have bought many when in Greece, Spain, Portugal etc when I have been travelling also in non-Eu counties BUT perhaps I have been breaking the law!

Never stopped then. But have been stopped by customs coming from Tenerife....& I only had my 1 carton allowance :) We have been going for the past 10 years & only stopped once.

[richleeds]

I'd like to know too .... but I can only say I have bought many when in Greece, Spain, Portugal etc when I have been travelling also in non-Eu counties BUT perhaps I have been breaking the law!

Never stopped then. But have been stopped by customs coming from Tenerife....& I only had my 1 carton allowance :) We have been going for the past 10 years & only stopped once.

 

The Canaries must be an easy catch for customs as it seems they like to target these flights in particular!

[richleeds]

Just remembered...

 

 

Im sure on our Ventura Venice to Venice back to back med cruise which was mostly EU ports earlier this year we were told our allowance when disembarking in Venice would be 200 cigs, due to a non EU port on the cruise.

[kersh]

Ronay, you can purchase cigs or tobacco from PontaDelgarda to take back to the UK. They will be marked with a seal that they are duty paid in the EU but keep your receipt just in case.

 

They do not form part of your duty free allowance and you can purchase a further 200 cigs from the Caribbean Islands. St Maarten is the cheapest we have found.

 

I can't help you with the prices in PontaDelgarda or where to buy them from but I am sure a local will tell you when you get there. There is a supermarket across the road from the port and a large shopping centre.

 

We are on Oriana at Xmas doing the same cruise so would be interested to know if you found anywhere in Ponta Delgarda and also the price.

 

Sue

[ronay2006]

Thanks Sue.

I'll let you know how I get on on our return, 27th November.

[hammers]

Ronay, you can purchase cigs or tobacco from PontaDelgarda to take back to the UK. They will be marked with a seal that they are duty paid in the EU but keep your receipt just in case.

 

They do not form part of your duty free allowance and you can purchase a further 200 cigs from the Caribbean Islands. St Maarten is the cheapest we have found.

 

I can't help you with the prices in PontaDelgarda or where to buy them from but I am sure a local will tell you when you get there. There is a supermarket across the road from the port and a large shopping centre.

 

We are on Oriana at Xmas doing the same cruise so would be interested to know if you found anywhere in Ponta Delgarda and also the price.

 

Sue

 

I agree with Sue, St Maarten has the cheapest cigs - £10 for 200 !!!

[ronay2006]

That IS cheap hammers!

I will wait & see when I get there but was wondering if they sold "our" British type cigs eg equivalent to Superkings Black etc Just need to guess, I suppose, what's their equivalent.

[richleeds]

That IS cheap hammers!

I will wait & see when I get there but was wondering if they sold "our" British type cigs eg equivalent to Superkings Black etc Just need to guess, I suppose, what's their equivalent.

 

 

They do sell all the English brands in the same style packaging however many smokers will tell you they don't taste the same.

[kersh]

The cheapest place we have found in St Maarten is Kennys.

 

Can't remember the name of the street but if you turn right along Front Street when you get off the water taxi and keep looking down every side street in the RHS you will see an old classic car. Walk down there towards the bottom and you will see Kennys. It is the one on the right which sells the booze and baccy the one on the left sells Tropical shirts etc.