Be Careful What You Buy on Board

[Airbear232]

47 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

And those sales people on board are probably also aware that if they disclose the information plenty of people will come to the same conclusion as you and decide not to purchase. Sales persons job is to make a sale. They are not necessarily going to provide non-required information. 

 

I have never made a large purchase on the ships but I've read these boards long enough to know what happens when someone does. I also got stopped once when leaving Oasis. I was told to go to guest services. The security person didn't tell me why and I doubt that he knew. Neither was he all warm and fuzzy about the situation, just a rather matter of fact attitude.

As others have pointed out, what is the big deal.  No one has wronged you, you were not deceived by a sales person.  You buy something above your limit, you pay the tax, that’s it.  

[Ocean Boy]

8 minutes ago, Airbear232 said:

As others have pointed out, what is the big deal.  No one has wronged you, you were not deceived by a sales person.  You buy something above your limit, you pay the tax, that’s it.  

Exactly.

[papaflamingo]

21 hours ago, nelblu said:

I guess it is based on how a situation is perceived.  Yours was positive, ours was not.

 

Were you aware or had a clue that it was due to a purchase made on board. 

 

Also, as my son was escorted there were no lines to avoid (other than getting to the front via the Key program) as he was at the seapass scanning stage when he was bonged.  Both my son and the Royal member had to wade with/thru other passengers disembarking, with us trying to keep up.  In addition, no special assistance in claiming our luggage. 

 

Other than this incident, we had a spectacular cruise with beautiful weather (other than half a day of rain), entertainment, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

We figured what it was.  But the Royal Caribbean member had no real idea.  But being aware that we had purchased, on board, an item that exceeded our allowance, it was pretty obvious to us.  The cruise lines are required by law to report items purchased to Customs.  We're "rule followers" anyway, so we declare what we purchase as I don't want to face the legal issues of trying to smuggle goods into the country.  I flew for the airlines for 29 years so I'm fully aware of both the limits we can bring duty free, and the penalties we could face for failing to declare them.  

[DirtyDawg]

2 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

And those sales people on board are probably also aware that if they disclose the information plenty of people will come to the same conclusion as you and decide not to purchase. Sales persons job is to make a sale. They are not necessarily going to provide non-required information. 

 

As a former sales person who sold some luxury items and worked on commission, I would say there would be NO WAY I would provide non-required information. Hey, if a customer is successful enough to afford an expensive purchase they must be smart enough to know any repercussions of their purchase. 

 

Edited October 25, 2022 by DirtyDawg

[PhillyFan33579]

Amazing this thread is now 10 pages long because the OP and family for some reason didn’t know tax laws for the country they live in. 

[Engineroom Snipe]

2 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Amazing this thread is now 10 pages long because the OP and family for some reason didn’t know tax laws for the country they live in. 

Biker19 had advised me when I became a bit frustrated with some of the posts that it takes a thick skin to try and contribute to these threads. Especially when so many of them are repeats.

 

I am thoroughly convinced we could create a sit-com with multiple cruisers in the restaurants discussing mundane cruise idiosyncrasies like a "Seinfeld TV episode".  Dining room attire would be one of my first suggestions. This could be discussed as they were waiting in-line for buffet service. They could opine about the attire or lack of attire as someone jumps in-line ahead of them, "Did they just do that?"😄

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

I am thoroughly convinced we could create a sit-com

Some “episodes” here are not as good as others - it all depends on the posters. 

[nelblu]

One final word on my part.  I did not realize all of the lawyers and tax experts on this blog.🤣

 

Can some of the expert(s) tell me if this is the new norm that anyone that makes purchase(s) above the US Customs allowance gets bonged, pulled out and escorted to Customs in order to pay the tax.

 

Or is there a process in place that some expert can identify and educate me to avoid this action in the future.

 

Thanking you in advance and looking forward to your responses even if they are sarcastic.😆

[reallyitsmema]

14 minutes ago, nelblu said:

One final word on my part.  I did not realize all of the lawyers and tax experts on this blog.🤣

 

Can some of the expert(s) tell me if this is the new norm that anyone that makes purchase(s) above the US Customs allowance gets bonged, pulled out and escorted to Customs in order to pay the tax.

 

Or is there a process in place that some expert can identify and educate me to avoid this action in the future.

 

Thanking you in advance and looking forward to your responses even if they are sarcastic.😆

 

You have asked that before and I still feel the answer is no, none of us can tell you what the new norm is for the cruise line or any departure port.  The ports all seem to handle things a little differently.  Just be prepared with receipts and duty due if you or a family member spend more than their allowance.

[DirtyDawg]

1 hour ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

Biker19 had advised me when I became a bit frustrated with some of the posts that it takes a thick skin to try and contribute to these threads. Especially when so many of them are repeats.

 

I am thoroughly convinced we could create a sit-com with multiple cruisers in the restaurants discussing mundane cruise idiosyncrasies like a "Seinfeld TV episode".  Dining room attire would be one of my first suggestions. This could be discussed as they were waiting in-line for buffet service. They could opine about the attire or lack of attire as someone jumps in-line ahead of them, "Did they just do that?"😄

You mean this isn't a sit-com? 😥

 

 

[nelblu]

28 minutes ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

You have asked that before and I still feel the answer is no, none of us can tell you what the new norm is for the cruise line or any departure port.  The ports all seem to handle things a little differently.  Just be prepared with receipts and duty due if you or a family member spend more than their allowance.

So, no standard operating procedures.  Surprising?

 

Don't worry, we won't be faced with this problem in future, as we don't intend on purchasing anything of value on board.

[Charles4515]

41 minutes ago, nelblu said:

Or is there a process in place that some expert can identify and educate me to avoid this action in the future.

 

My advice  is not to buy anything onboard without clarity as to how the duty will be collected. All Royal cares about is getting you to buy not about what happens afterward. And as one "expert" explained the sales people see the buyers as marks. They are not going to tell you anything. That is how a commission system works. Probably guest services can tell you the procedure on the ship. If you see something in the shop you like that item is not going to be sold before you find out. Resist the salespersons hard sell and find out. 

[Ocean Boy]

38 minutes ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

You have asked that before and I still feel the answer is no, none of us can tell you what the new norm is for the cruise line or any departure port.  The ports all seem to handle things a little differently.  Just be prepared with receipts and duty due if you or a family member spend more than their allowance.

 

4 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

 

My advice  is not to buy anything onboard without clarity as to how the duty will be collected. All Royal cares about is getting you to buy not about what happens afterward. And as one "expert" explained the sales people see the buyers as marks. They are not going to tell you anything. That is how a commission system works. Probably guest services can tell you the procedure on the ship. If you see something in the shop you like that item is not going to be sold before you find out. Resist the salespersons hard sell and find out. 

Good posts by both of you but they would have been better with at least a little sarcasm.😇

[nelblu]

22 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

 

My advice  is not to buy anything onboard without clarity as to how the duty will be collected. All Royal cares about is getting you to buy not about what happens afterward. And as one "expert" explained the sales people see the buyers as marks. They are not going to tell you anything. That is how a commission system works. Probably guest services can tell you the procedure on the ship. If you see something in the shop you like that item is not going to be sold before you find out. Resist the salespersons hard sell and find out. 

Believe me, I'll, be sailing on Oasis on December 4 and will be peppering questions to whomever.

 

[nelblu]

54 minutes ago, DirtyDawg said:

You mean this isn't a sit-com? 😥

 

 

And wannabe comedians.😜

[Engineroom Snipe]

10 minutes ago, nelblu said:

So, no standard operating procedures.  Surprising?

 

Don't worry, we won't be faced with this problem in future, as we don't intend on purchasing anything of value on board.

Nelblu,

 

Up until my RCI 2014 cruise, there was a standard operating procedure. Everyone was issued and filled out a declaration even though a majority did not exceed the limits and did not need them. They walked through customs and sometimes they were asked to show it and sometimes they were just allowed to walk through. A bit of hit or miss to say. They have not done this for many years. The legal standards are the same today as they were since I started cruising in 1988.

 

The following addresses bringing in alcohol. I did a quick web search.

 

Bringing alcohol (including homemade wine) into the United States for personal use (cbp.gov)

 

Unless purchased in the Virgin Islands or specific Caribbean Countries, only ONE liter can be bought without being subject to duty and federal excise tax. Never will you hear a ship salesman tell you that if you buy more than one bottle, you will have additional duty to pay.

 

I believe that just about everyone who has bought alcohol onboard ship has violated the law because I rarely see anyone just buy one liter at point of sale. These purchases are stored until your last evening onboard before you leave. I do not think they can be drinking THAT much alcohol in a twelve- hour period and walk-out on two feet.

 

Are these people stopped before disembarking the ship? I do not know. They are liable and cannot contest the duty regardless of anyone on the ship informing them they are required to do so.

 

Again, there are no standard ship procedures on the RCI cruises I have been on recently. I need to research and educate myself since I am going into international waters and visiting foreign ports.

[reallyitsmema]

1 hour ago, nelblu said:

So, no standard operating procedures.  Surprising?

 

Don't worry, we won't be faced with this problem in future, as we don't intend on purchasing anything of value on board.

 

55 minutes ago, nelblu said:

Believe me, I'll, be sailing on Oasis on December 4 and will be peppering questions to whomever.

 

 

Sounds like a good choice so you don't get stressed after a relaxing vacation.  Let us know what they say on Oasis in December.

[nelblu]

2 hours ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

 

Sounds like a good choice so you don't get stressed after a relaxing vacation.  Let us know what they say on Oasis in December.

Will do.  As I said in one of my posts, we had a fantastic time other than the hiccup at the end.  Also, the Key program was worth every penny that we paid @$16.99 pp/pd.  Not worth it at the present sale price in the cruise planner of $34.99 pp/pd.

[meadowlander]

5 hours ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

You have asked that before and I still feel the answer is no, none of us can tell you what the new norm is for the cruise line or any departure port.  The ports all seem to handle things a little differently.  Just be prepared with receipts and duty due if you or a family member spend more than their allowance.

Exactly, nor is it the responsibility of posters to provide such expertise. The limit of $800 is printed on the departure sheet that every cabin gets. A simple inquiry of guest services would have been the course of action I would have taken, then again I consider myself responsible.

 

On the 16th consecutive cruisers were held in the terminal for maybe 10-15 minutes as opposed to immediately reboarding. Eventually a group of about 6 came out from the same corridor exiting guests had used. Someone at the front of the consecutive cruiser line yelled out, 'get a watch', which was well received by the line. After another couple came through that corridor, only then were consecutive cruisers allowed back on board. I know. I was there!

[Tiggerontheseas]

17 hours ago, 3kidsncats said:

Same — last few cruises zero opportunity to declare anything — and I didn’t see anything in the ship departure notice, but admittedly didn’t  read every word.  When we flew in from Paris, the customs officer asked verbally, but they don’t ask in the cruise customs process.  Hopefully they come up with a better system for this, as no one should be put thru the kind of stress OP described for a simple tax collection on a purchase.

It was on the departure notice for our Vancouver to LA cruise last week, but it was on the back side and near the bottom.  Unless you were reading every word, it would be super easy to miss.  We had bought some items in San Diego and wanted to refresh my memory on the duty free limits, so I was specifically looking.  

 

 

[Spurschick]

18 hours ago, 3kidsncats said:

Same — last few cruises zero opportunity to declare anything — and I didn’t see anything in the ship departure notice, but admittedly didn’t  read every word.  When we flew in from Paris, the customs officer asked verbally, but they don’t ask in the cruise customs process.  Hopefully they come up with a better system for this, as no one should be put thru the kind of stress OP described for a simple tax collection on a purchase.

All customs information with limits is on this information sheet. 
 

 

Edited October 25, 2022 by Spurschick

[foxgoodrich]

Well...exactly.  The Departure Notice has information about departure, and we read the whole departure notice.  Both sides.  All of it.   We like to be prepared in case something has changed since our last cruise. 

 

It does take about 5 minutes (and about a 4th grade reading level) to read it.  

 

If you read the Departure Notice, you can clearly see the $800 limit on purchases and the liquor customs allowance.  

 

Information is available.  Information is given to passengers in writing.  If someone chooses not to read the departure information, who is at fault if the passenger gets a rude awakening at departure?

 

Maybe there needs to be a mandatory departure drill to (like the Muster Drill.)  

[deliver42]

This is no different than not reading the cruise contract and then complaining that the cruise line changed something that's spelled out in the contract.

[meadowlander]

1 hour ago, foxgoodrich said:

 If someone chooses not to read the departure information, who is at fault if the passenger gets a rude awakening at departure?

 

Maybe there needs to be a mandatory departure drill to (like the Muster Drill.)  

In this case it is obvious who is to blame...the cruise line!😆

[topnole]

On 10/21/2022 at 4:33 PM, nelblu said:

You weren’t there, so you don’t know how it  all went down.  All the security or the d lounge concierge had to say was Customs issue regarding a purchase made in ship. 
Do you want me to say that my granddaughter cried. 

Respectfully it isn’t the concierge or securities place to say anything and they probably had no idea what the issue was.  I assume your son is an adult, and if so this was between him and customs and no one else.  
 

Now as to the other issues, there are forms on the ship as to what is owed if you spend X amount or higher.  When traveling abroad, people should know this.  Always.  
 

To me it sounds like your son was treated more than fairly and quite professionally.  I’m really not sure what the gripe is here?   Are you thinking staff should explain to everyone the declaration process and limits?   I can tell you many stores on the islands don’t do that.  Or are you saying never will you buy onboard because that way you won’t have to pay the taxes actually owed.  If your son bought in the island and got caught he might of been in quite a bit more of a sticky spot.   
 

Bottom line is that when traveling abroad you need to learn the rules first.  Otherwise you may be a serious penalty for something you didn’t even realize was wrong to do.   

Edited October 26, 2022 by topnole