Celebrity Select Tier Question

[Wendylet]

We have just become Select on Celebrity and will be enjoying our first cruise as such in June. I have a question about purchasing an internet package using the 25% discount that seems to be offered at this level. Do I have to purchase this ahead of time to use the discount or can it be purchased on-board? Also, can it be purchased through the cruise planner using the discount? We leave from Barcelona so I was wondering if the VAT would have any effect on purchasing this on-board? Your help is greatly appreciated!

[justcrusn]

It works either way, we usually purchase it before the cruise. It’s best to call rather than order online to get the discount. If you prefer, you can do it onboard by visiting the ilounge, but there is often a line.

[ipeeinthepool]

You should also know that you can't stack the Captain's Club discount with any advertised discounted rates.  I always call the Captain's Club to purchase the package ahead of time ahead of time.  Usually I have some OBC available  and I use that to purchase the package.

[Wendylet]

Thank you for the information. Do you know if purchasing onboard while in Barcelona (for example) would incur any VAT? Is that an issue to consider or not?

[Gordoncruickshank]

Vat can be charged on purchases on cruises that do not leave the EU which I suspect your does not do if it is the cruise leaving Barcelona on the 10th June that you are on.

 

This is from Celebrity's web site

"Please note: that some of our cruise itineraries call exclusively upon EU ports of call and for such cruises we are required to charge VAT (value added tax) on certain onboard goods and services depending on the VAT regulations of the home port country or the country of a port of call. Such VAT is charged on goods and services at the point of sale and is subsequently paid over to the country charging the VAT. Non-EU residents may be able to reclaim VAT paid on physical goods when they depart from the EU, normally at the departure airport. Restrictions apply and this policy is subject to change without notice. This policy also applies on some short sailing's departing from the UK."

 

If you make purchases before you board like beverage packages and internet you should be able to avoid this.

 

If the crusie visits a non EU port like Gibraltar, Tunis or Croatia then there is no vat on onboard purchases. 

Edited April 10, 2019 by Gordoncruickshank

[gerelmx]

You can purchase online or onboard, there is not necessary to do a line onboard, just create your Celebrity WiFi account and at the same time purchase the desired package and you are ready to go. You can create your WiFi account in your smartphone or in the iLounge just go to logon.com, if you have more than 2 devices, you can use them with only one account, logoff from 1st to login in the 2nd.

Edited April 10, 2019 by gerelmx

[harrywpb]

• I’ve found the the pre cruise prices on internet and excursions are usually less than on board .
• You can always cancel the internet up to  three days prior to the cruise and excursions 24 hours prior to the excursion. 

[Luvcrusn]

The price of unlimited WIFI for one device before sailing, even without a sale is usually about 10% less than it is onboard. To purchase using your Captains Club discount, the most reliable way is to call Captains Club and ask them to apply the discount, and if you have OBC showing in your cruise planner available to use, you can ask them to apply that to the purchase if you wish.

[Wendylet]

Thanks to everyone for their responses. I believe I will call as suggested to ensure I get the cc credit I am looking for and to avoid any possibility of the VAT. Thanks again!

[ipeeinthepool]

18 hours ago, gerelmx said:

You can purchase online or onboard, there is not necessary to do a line onboard, just create your Celebrity WiFi account and at the same time purchase the desired package and you are ready to go. You can create your WiFi account in your smartphone or in the iLounge just go to logon.com, if you have more than 2 devices, you can use them with only one account, logoff from 1st to login in the 2nd.

 

It has also been my experience that you cannot use the same name for a WIFI account if you have previously sailed on the same ship and used that name for a WIFI account.  The WIFI account names seem to be locked into the history of the ship.  

[Jim_Iain]

re VAT -   As someone else mentioned there is no VAT charge if the ship has at least one Non-EC stop.  On a recent med cruise on Constellation every other week had no EC stops and were charged 21% vat on ANY purchase on the ship.  

 

You may have to do some research as sometimes it is not intuitive if a country is EC or not.   On our cruise Montenegro was the Non-EC port.   Was really confusing to me as Montenegro use the Euro but is non-members of EC,   While Croatia which is a EC Country uses the Croatian Kuna as a currency.   

[myjillian]

12 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

It has also been my experience that you cannot use the same name for a WIFI account if you have previously sailed on the same ship and used that name for a WIFI account.  The WIFI account names seem to be locked into the history of the ship.  

really...good to know😉