Bottomless Bubbles questions

[firemanbobswife]

How they “justify” the tax?! Do you think they want to collect and remit tax? Do you have any idea what a pain it the butt it is to do so? If they charge tax it’s because they have to. They don’t get to keep it, or even a portion of it. And it actually costs them money to manage the tax filings related to remitting the tax. If they could avoid it altogether, from a business standpoint, they definitely would.

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OK so they have to. And I'm guessing that's why they put a value on a drink that's included in a package. Never said they get to keep any of it or that they want to collect it. All I know is it never used to be that way and now it is.

[les37b]

OK so they have to. And I'm guessing that's why they put a value on a drink that's included in a package. Never said they get to keep any of it or that they want to collect it. All I know is it never used to be that way and now it is.

 

But it’s certainly not ok to collect 21% Tax for goods that attract a 10% tariff which they later acknowledge by changing and charging the correct amount on subsequent cruises from Spain on Vista. I await with interest if they get it right on Horizon and wonder if that “what it would have cost you” tax will resurface. That may or may not be law in the US, I’m not in a position to know, but can categorically state it’s not in the EU. I still think that practise is a scam. If you buy goods in a sale, do you pay tax on what you paid or the full unreduced price it once sold for?

 

Collecting tax that is required by law is one thing and has to be done. But taking it when it’s not chargeable or amount that’s double what should be, is theft or fraud. Now it may have been an oversight and mistake, but the fact they know they got it wrong and refuse to refund, means those terms are valid and accurate.

[cshellz]

But it’s certainly not ok to collect 21% Tax for goods that attract a 10% tariff which they later acknowledge by changing and charging the correct amount on subsequent cruises from Spain on Vista. I await with interest if they get it right on Horizon and wonder if that “what it would have cost you” tax will resurface. That may or may not be law in the US, I’m not in a position to know, but can categorically state it’s not in the EU. I still think that practise is a scam. If you buy goods in a sale, do you pay tax on what you paid or the full unreduced price it once sold for?

 

 

 

Collecting tax that is required by law is one thing and has to be done. But taking it when it’s not chargeable or amount that’s double what should be, is theft or fraud. Now it may have been an oversight and mistake, but the fact they know they got it wrong and refuse to refund, means those terms are valid and accurate.

 

 

 

It gets better, they are refunding everyone’s money for Cheers & Bubbles on Horizon. You can then buy it onboard with the 10% VAT added & at the preboarding price.

 

The problem with that for me is, Cheers cost me $1350 converted at the rate when I bought it £1109 + £30.52 foreign transaction.

 

At today’s rate I’m going to be refunded £962 + I’ll be charged another transaction fee. I’m furious

 

 

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[les37b]

It gets better, they are refunding everyone’s money for Cheers & Bubbles on Horizon. You can then buy it onboard with the 10% VAT added & at the preboarding price.

 

The problem with that for me is, Cheers cost me $1350 converted at the rate when I bought it £1109 + £30.52 foreign transaction.

 

At today’s rate I’m going to be refunded £962 + I’ll be charged another transaction fee. I’m furious

 

That’s terrible and there is no excuse for it whatsoever. Have you spoken to them?

 

When all this was blowing up on our trip, we were actually already in Barcelona and within a day of boarding. The previous cruise got charged the imaginary tax so I was on the phone hoping to speak to someone who had a clue. I spent ages on the phone speaking to several People being passed from pillar to post.

 

Being persistent did pay off. Not only did they send something in writing to me confirming there would be no VAT on my pre bought package, but drinks “bought” on the ship would have no tax applied.

 

Not only that, but they added $80 OBC to each of us (so $320) for the inconvenience of speaking to people over the months and the headache on this final day. I wonder what idea they got to recover that money!!

 

It’s certainly worth telling them your pain at their errors. You certainly should not be out of pocket. Argue your case. It’s not unreasonable to expect those costs to be reimbursed.

 

You would have thought 2 years on they would have worked out how it all works without messing up yet again.

[firemanbobswife]

But it’s certainly not ok to collect 21% Tax for goods that attract a 10% tariff which they later acknowledge by changing and charging the correct amount on subsequent cruises from Spain on Vista. I await with interest if they get it right on Horizon and wonder if that “what it would have cost you” tax will resurface. That may or may not be law in the US, I’m not in a position to know, but can categorically state it’s not in the EU. I still think that practise is a scam. If you buy goods in a sale, do you pay tax on what you paid or the full unreduced price it once sold for?

 

 

 

Collecting tax that is required by law is one thing and has to be done. But taking it when it’s not chargeable or amount that’s double what should be, is theft or fraud. Now it may have been an oversight and mistake, but the fact they know they got it wrong and refuse to refund, means those terms are valid and accurate.

 

No I agree it’s not. I have no idea what the laws are here in the US either but apparently something changed from when they went to taxing the whole package if purchased prior to sailing to taxes on individual drinks while in a US Port of call which also includes San Juan. Prior to that, no tax even in San Juan port stop and it didn’t matter if you had paid tax on the package or not. Meaning you could have bought it in International waters and never paid a time in tax. So ya got me on how all that works!

[cshellz]

That’s terrible and there is no excuse for it whatsoever. Have you spoken to them?

 

 

 

When all this was blowing up on our trip, we were actually already in Barcelona and within a day of boarding. The previous cruise got charged the imaginary tax so I was on the phone hoping to speak to someone who had a clue. I spent ages on the phone speaking to several People being passed from pillar to post.

 

 

 

Being persistent did pay off. Not only did they send something in writing to me confirming there would be no VAT on my pre bought package, but drinks “bought” on the ship would have no tax applied.

 

 

 

Not only that, but they added $80 OBC to each of us (so $320) for the inconvenience of speaking to people over the months and the headache on this final day. I wonder what idea they got to recover that money!!

 

 

 

It’s certainly worth telling them your pain at their errors. You certainly should not be out of pocket. Argue your case. It’s not unreasonable to expect those costs to be reimbursed.

 

 

 

You would have thought 2 years on they would have worked out how it all works without messing up yet again.

 

 

 

Stranger still, hours later. All cancelled & refunds on the way but we can ring up & add Cheers & Bubbles back to the accounts which I have done. No VAT is going to be added. At least they’ve done the right thing.

 

 

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[les37b]

Stranger still, hours later. All cancelled & refunds on the way but we can ring up & add Cheers & Bubbles back to the accounts which I have done. No VAT is going to be added. At least they’ve done the right thing.

 

Not sure it’s the right thing if you are out of pocket... and fingers crossed you don’t get that “what it would have cost you” tax.