Malta Tax adding 18%?

[Ess001]

The Azura captain has apparently just announced that due to Maltese tax laws 18% will be added to the cost of all alcohol and tobacco sold on board. So the drink/tobacco onboard shop will be closing for the duration of the summer. And everyone's bar bill will be higher! Anyone know if this is correct? 

 

thanks

 

Ess

[Ess001]

Interesting, thanks Jools. 

[RaspberryCremeBrulee]

We have a future Azura - Malta cruise booked.

 

Just logged in and looked under 'Before You Sail' - 'Useful Information'

It notes as below:

European VAT in Shops, Photo Gallery & Spa

Due to European VAT Regulations, VAT is payable during certain cruises, where the ship does not call at a port outside of the EU.

This VAT will be payable on the following on-board items – goods purchased in the on-board shops, Photo Gallery and products purchased in the Spa. It does not apply, however, to treatments and services in the Spa.  During the period where VAT will be charged you will be unable to purchase liquor and tobacco products for taking home.

Prices displayed on board are exclusive of VAT and therefore the VAT element will be added to the advertised price, where applicable, upon purchase. The VAT element will be itemised separately on your receipt.

The periods when German, Spanish or UK VAT are due will be confirmed on board via the ship’s newspaper. 

[tring]

We were on Azura in the autumn for three weeks and there were no duty frees available for one of those weeks as it only called at EU ports.  That is the normal thing and has happened for a long time now.  One of our other two weeks, we stopped on a Turkish port and the other we stopped in Gibraltar, both being outside the EU, so duty frees were available.  

 

If there are few, if any, non EU ports on the itineraries this summer, it is possible they have decided not to bother having a duty free shop at all.  Although it is also possible the possible.yhe poster did not realise that only applied to his/ her cruise.

 

 

[Technoman2]

I assume this is only while the ship is docked in Malta? I think they also do this in spain when the ship is docked. My tip here is to buy your booze(not Spirits) at the duty free leading into the port. I took 4 cans of beer and 6 bottles of Diet Coke on board to go in the fridge and a couple of bottles of water as they only have 500ml Tins of spring water ( no longer plastic bottles) and i think they were around £2 a tin. 

[tring]

44 minutes ago, Technoman2 said:

I assume this is only while the ship is docked in Malta? I think they also do this in spain when the ship is docked. My tip here is to buy your booze(not Spirits) at the duty free leading into the port. I took 4 cans of beer and 6 bottles of Diet Coke on board to go in the fridge and a couple of bottles of water as they only have 500ml Tins of spring water ( no longer plastic bottles) and i think they were around £2 a tin. 

 

No, the duty free was closed for a whole week's cruise when it did not leave the EU and would have done so for other non EU cruises (individual cruises being taken on a week by week basis from Malta, even though some people remain on the ship. 

 

That is standard practice to not get duty free's if you do not travel beyond the border.  It was just like it was for us when we were in the EU and duty free was only available if going to non EU countries.

 

Spain is because of their laws regarding taxation if a ship is withing their waters, but I do not know of any other country where this happens in Europe.

 

 

Edited March 29, 2023 by tring

[Lindypops]

We were on celebrity last year from Rome , calling at Greece, Malta,Sicily and Italy 

we could buy duty free alcohol on the ship and even buy from the port duty free shop when we docked in Malta .

 

[Ess001]

Thanks for all your replies. So it doesn't seem to be added to bar drinks and select dining? Was wondering if the drinks package may be better value, it isn't usually.

 

Ess