The Spanish VAT Imbroglio

[MikeyB]

How about that title for getting your attention.  But that is not my question.

I'm reading on the NCL cruise line board about how Spain recently imposed a VAT while in Spanish waters.  (Like the sales tax imposed in US ports).

I'm  sailing from Barcelona next month and have not seen anything from this board or Viking.

Does anyone have any recent experience during their cruise while in Spanish waters when ordering a drink?

NCL is passing the tax on to the consumer.  Could Viking really be absorbing it?  

Thanks

[TayanaLorna]

12 minutes ago, MikeyB said:

How about that title for getting your attention.  But that is not my question.

I'm reading on the NCL cruise line board about how Spain recently imposed a VAT while in Spanish waters.  (Like the sales tax imposed in US ports).

I'm  sailing from Barcelona next month and have not seen anything from this board or Viking.

Does anyone have any recent experience during their cruise while in Spanish waters when ordering a drink?

NCL is passing the tax on to the consumer.  Could Viking really be absorbing it?  

Thanks

I read about it with regards to Norwegian on Cruise Hive or something like that recently but that's it.  

[Azulann]

I have head that stuff for years on CC boards.It comes and goes about Spain, Italy  too ,in years pass.

I have sailed out of and into Barcelona and other Spanish ports. Never seen it on a cruise ship. SPAIN IS PART OF THE EU AND THEY DO HAVE A VAT TAX ON GOODS. 

Viking never breaks out taxes  like some other cruise lines, and even when buying a drink, the tip is included not added.

I would not worry about what is discussed  on NCL threads.  

 

[vslparis]

I can’t speak to what Viking does in these ports as we have always done the SS package but I do know  that the extra tax is not just Europe as  we had it in Spain on Oceania this spring on drinks,  but in the US too.  We sailed out of Miami in January ,also on Oceania, and they added a sales tax to a glass of wine that I ordered. The bartender said that once we were out of port, they didn’t add the extra tax. I noticed it because Oceania has you sign for a drink if you don’t have a package. I don’t believe that Viking does that so it may be hard to tell ;although something might be posted about it in the Viking Daily. 
 

[KBs mum]

17 hours ago, Azulann said:

I have head that stuff for years on CC boards.It comes and goes about Spain, Italy  too ,in years pass.

I have sailed out of and into Barcelona and other Spanish ports. Never seen it on a cruise ship. SPAIN IS PART OF THE EU AND THEY DO HAVE A VAT TAX ON GOODS. 

 

 

Goods are taxed in the EU, but the tax may not be necessarily be called VAT. That's why duty free sales cost less and some taxes can be recovered by overseas visitors. It's also why the shops on the ship are often closed when in port. 

The UK has been adding VAT since the Napoleonic wars, regardless of being in or out of the EU

[MikeyB]

Viking replied to my inquiry at "Tellus" as to whether I might be subject to a VAT if I purchase the Silver Spirits package in Barcelona where my cruise embarks from.

The answer is "yes".  Therefore, it makes "cents" to purchase the package on "MVJ" at least one week before your cruise.