Duty Free Shopping Hall ships in Mediterranean

[bjdcrd]

This past spring half way through our cruise (Venice to Barcelona) we discovered no duty free liquor, tobacco available for purchase. All other items included the VAT. Is this the new norm...I understand this was requested by Italy. Any further info appreciated.

[Rosiecheeks500]

We were also on a Mediterranean cruise in May (Zuiderdam) and had the same issue. We tried to pay for a HAL towel as a gift from the HAL signature shops, and was told that it was subject to 25% (if memory serves) VAT because the ship had set sail from Barcelona, Spain. The shop staff claimed that it was at the insistence of the Spanish authorities. We have cruised the Med many times on HAL and had never heard this story before. The towel, needless to say, is still in stock in the shop... (to us, it smacked of pure profiteering in a captive market). We live in Scotland, and the law is that there is NO VAT chargeable between European countries.

 

Hope this helps!

[grayjay]

Yes, it seems to be the Spanish law. I only thought it was charged for liquor when ordered inside Spanish waters.

It really is strange because European Community laws sometimes order the smallest things to be followed throughout the EU but seem to have missed that item...

I somewhere read on the Celebrity board that you should better buy a beverage package after you have left Spanish waters to save that extra money. ( Sorry, don't know if it's true)

[Mary Ellen]

We were also on a Mediterranean cruise in May (Zuiderdam) and had the same issue. We tried to pay for a HAL towel as a gift from the HAL signature shops, and was told that it was subject to 25% (if memory serves) VAT because the ship had set sail from Barcelona, Spain. The shop staff claimed that it was at the insistence of the Spanish authorities. We have cruised the Med many times on HAL and had never heard this story before. The towel, needless to say, is still in stock in the shop... (to us, it smacked of pure profiteering in a captive market). We live in Scotland, and the law is that there is NO VAT chargeable between European countries.

 

Before making unjust accusations of "pure profiteering" you might want to read up on the fact that Spain does require cruise lines to collect the VAT for them on cruises sailing from Barcelona. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1883948 There are exclusions when the itinerary includes ports outside of the EU, so that could be why your earlier cruises didn't charge the tax.

[Mary Ellen]

For those wanting more edification on Spain collecting VAT on purchases made on board cruise ships.

 

http://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Insights/On-Europe-cruises-getting-acquainted-with-VAT

[Ricktan]

So if I'm reading this correctly.....when we leave Spain, we are subject to a VAT but since we are not cruising round trip to Spain (we embark in Venice) then once we are out of Spanish waters, the tax on ship purchases will no longer apply?

[kazu]

wouldn't it be nice if HAL had spot like this for the all confusing VAT question?

 

https://ask.pocruises.com/help/PO/on-shore/iva_tax

 

they even identify the cruises that are affected.

[Wendy-Europe]

If your ship just have "european ports" there is no duty free onboard. Because you never leave the EU. You also have to pay VAT on everything onboard.

 

For this reason most mediterrean cruises include a non EU-port like Dubrovnik, Kotor or Istanbul (depending from their routing).

[Rosiecheeks500]

Before making unjust accusations of "pure profiteering" you might want to read up on the fact that Spain does require cruise lines to collect the VAT for them on cruises sailing from Barcelona. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1883948 There are exclusions when the itinerary includes ports outside of the EU, so that could be why your earlier cruises didn't charge the tax.

 

I'm really sorry as I didn't mean to sound accusatory or inflammatory in any way. I'm fine if this is a rule, and thank you indeed for clarifying, but it did seem very 'arbitrary' when we were on board. The crew and front office staff seemed very vague in their responses also, which raised my concerns. It would have been better had HAL given us this information in advance or at least explained the situation clearly.

 

Again, thanks for your help - it is appreciated!

[Mary Ellen]

I'm fine if this is a rule, and thank you indeed for clarifying, but it did seem very 'arbitrary' when we were on board. The crew and front office staff seemed very vague in their responses also, which raised my concerns.

 

The shop staff was 100% correct in saying that it was at the insistence of the Spanish authorities. I don't know what more they could have said, as you were confident that wasn't the case. The front office staff have nothing to do with if the VAT is charged or not. Actually, I believe they have had training in 'vague' as that seems to be a specialty there. ;) They are very capable of handling mundane matters, but anything out of the ordinary - well.... (I'm not a big fan of the HAL front desk and avoid it if at all possible.)

 

At least now you know to avoid EU cruises sailing from Spain if you don't want to pay their VAT.

[VMax1700]

We live in Scotland, and the law is that there is NO VAT chargeable between European countries.

 

I don't think so. An intra eu purchase is still liable for vat unless supplied to a vat registered person.

 

When you are at the airport note that prices in the 'duty free shop' are different for those who are leaving the EU (flying to USA/Africa/Montegro etc) to those who are flying to places within the EU.

 

A Med cruise stays within the EU and purchases are liable to vat (based on port of embarkation), unless the ship calls to ports like Tunisia, Kotor, Montenego or Istanbul.

[CaveDiving]

...The front office staff have nothing to do with if the VAT is charged or not. Actually, I believe they have had training in 'vague' as that seems to be a specialty there. ;) They are very capable of handling mundane matters, but anything out of the ordinary - well.... (I'm not a big fan of the HAL front desk and avoid it if at all possible.)...

 

I have to say that I strongly disagree with the sentiment expressed.

 

I have found the front office staff on numerous HAL cruises to be professional and (Karen and I have kidded about there being a huge stash of tranquilizers that they use) capable of keeping cool even under rather stressful situations.

 

Scott & Karen

[Mary Ellen]

I have to say that I strongly disagree with the sentiment expressed.

 

I have found the front office staff on numerous HAL cruises to be professional and (Karen and I have kidded about there being a huge stash of tranquilizers that they use) capable of keeping cool even under rather stressful situations.

 

Scott & Karen

 

Did I say they didn't keep their cool? :confused: They keep their cool, they just can't handle anything out of the ordinary. ;)

[Wendy-Europe]

I'm really sorry as I didn't mean to sound accusatory or inflammatory in any way. I'm fine if this is a rule, and thank you indeed for clarifying, but it did seem very 'arbitrary' when we were on board. The crew and front office staff seemed very vague in their responses also, which raised my concerns. It would have been better had HAL given us this information in advance or at least explained the situation clearly.

 

Again, thanks for your help - it is appreciated!

 

Most of the staff on a cruiseship is not very firm in tax law, they got the information what to do and that´s it.

 

And it is not so easy as someone thinks...

 

We were on a transatlantic cruise starting at Barcelona. Next port should be Funchal and the we leave "europe".

 

We were near Gibraltar (at sea) and I noticed, that on my receipt of a drink 15 % Vat was added.

 

I was more than surprised (we were far away from Barcelona, we had a sea day!) and asked the steward. He offered me "money goes to Miami to the company". Not a good idea for an answer. I went to the reception and the purser informed me, that they had to collect spanish VAT until 11:32 pm, depending on speed - that is the minute we left the EU.

 

I checked the next receipt - and it really changed at half past 11....

 

Tax law is really complicated all over the world... and everything which involves tax law of different countries is a p.i.t.a......