Cruise as a business tax write off

[tvo7]

I see all these you tube videos of people who went cruising and posting their video online.

 

 If I say want to start recording all my cruises so that way, maybe a cruiseline will see me and sponsor me.  

Can I tax deduct the cruises as a business expense in my effort to get a cruise line to sponsor me?

 

[auntmeg]

Probably not. There are specific rules.

 

https://molentax.com/cruising-to-a-write-off/

 

It's also not likely the the cruise line will "sponsor you". But let us know if you succeed.

[Haqdeluxe]

I'm looking to claim my pleasure travel as a medical expense. 

Pretty sure it and drinking is all that is keeping me sane!  🙃 

[leaveitallbehind]

52 minutes ago, tvo7 said:

I see all these you tube videos of people who went cruising and posting their video online.

 

 If I say want to start recording all my cruises so that way, maybe a cruiseline will see me and sponsor me.  

Can I tax deduct the cruises as a business expense in my effort to get a cruise line to sponsor me?

 

You tube videos earn their income from the number of subscribers who follow their channel - not by the cruise lines "sponsoring" them. And why do you think a cruise line would sponsor you?  For what? 

 

As to deducting pleasure cruise expenses, I am not a tax accountant but I don't think it works that way.  But even so, I think you are putting the cart before the horse in that don't believe you can use your pleasure cruise expenses as a tax deduction towards your effort to become sponsored - only once you are sponsored (if even then).

 

But good luck.

Edited December 29, 2023 by leaveitallbehind

[GeezerCouple]

55 minutes ago, tvo7 said:

I see all these you tube videos of people who went cruising and posting their video online.

 

 If I say want to start recording all my cruises so that way, maybe a cruiseline will see me and sponsor me.  

Can I tax deduct the cruises as a business expense in my effort to get a cruise line to sponsor me?

 

 

What is the business activity that you are engaged in such that any part of cruising would be appropriate business deductions?

 

Keep in mind that the "less business-like", the more likely the IRS would be to double check, probably through an audit.

 

The rules for business deductions are relatively clear.  You could ask your business accountant or tax professional if you aren't familiar with those.

 

GC

[navybankerteacher]

To the extent you receive identified taxable income from specific cruise-related work you could claim and deduct your cruise-related expenses (fares) as business expenses —- of course you would have to convince someone to pay you for the activity you performed.  
 

Just who would be likely to do so, and why would they be willing to do it?

 

I am inclined to thank that most people who might be paid for work performed on a cruise ship are generally given free passage, so they would not incur the sort of deductible expense you like to dream about.

[Toofarfromthesea]

Some of the cruise-related content creators on YouTube make some decent money from views, likes, and subscriptions to their channel.  At that point I think the IRS rules on hobbies vs. businesses would come into play, on determining deductibility.

[sfaaa]

Become a full time TA and travel writer.

[sanger727]

Nice try. To have a "business" write off, you have to have a business first. Not a hobby that you hope will make money someday. Create content, build a following, get sponsorship, get profitable... Then you can go back and talk to an accountant about write offs. 

[Charles4515]

16 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

You tube videos earn their income from the number of subscribers who follow their channel - not by the cruise lines "sponsoring" them. And why do you think a cruise line would sponsor you?  For what? 

If a cruise line sponsors and gives  a cruise they shouuld report that to the IRS. Some Youtubers have sponsors and get  products to review. Most get income from subscribers and YouTube reports the income to the IRS. 

[ldubs]

17 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

To the extent you receive identified taxable income from specific cruise-related work you could claim and deduct your cruise-related expenses (fares) as business expenses —- of course you would have to convince someone to pay you for the activity you performed.  

 

This^.  Without earnings what would you write the expenses off against.  IRS has this irritating habit of wanting to see income.   It would be like my trying to deduct the cost of my MacBook for all of the extremely valuable advice I give on these forums!  😀

[Mary229]

I did claim a cruise or two as a business expense a few times - it was an economic transportation method to visit some of the mineral markets I wanted to access.  Yes I did come home with a suitcase of collectible mineral samples for resale 

 

if a YouTuber is reporting from a cruise and generates income from that video that YouTuber can most definitely write off the cruise as a business expense.   

Edited December 30, 2023 by Mary229

[ontheweb]

21 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

I did claim a cruise or two as a business expense a few times - it was an economic transportation method to visit some of the mineral markets I wanted to access.  Yes I did come home with a suitcase of collectible mineral samples for resale 

 

if a YouTuber is reporting from a cruise and generates income from that video that YouTuber can most definitely write off the cruise as a business expense.   

Even with income generated, you cannot write off the expense if the IRS considers it a hobby, To not be a hobby, a profit must at some point be generated. There are specific rules as to how often. And since you are showing a profit, even though you are writing off the expense, taxes will have to be paid.

 

You can find the rules concerning a hobby versus a business here:

 

When the IRS Classifies Your Business as a Hobby - TurboTax Tax Tips & Videos (intuit.com)

Edited December 30, 2023 by ontheweb
added the rules

[Mary229]

5 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

Even with income generated, you cannot write off the expense if the IRS considers it a hobby, To not be a hobby, a profit must at some point be generated. There are specific rules as to how often. And since you are showing a profit, even though you are writing off the expense, taxes will have to be paid.

 

You can find the rules concerning a hobby versus a business here:

 

When the IRS Classifies Your Business as a Hobby - TurboTax Tax Tips & Videos (intuit.com)

I was going to mention that aspect but that is complicated.  I was in business (30 years) and some of those YouTubers are in business just as many reporters are in business.  It can be done as long as you mind the tax code. 
 

businesses can write off travel expenses and there is no rule saying you must drive or fly

Edited December 30, 2023 by Mary229

[ontheweb]

2 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

I was going to mention that aspect but that is complicated.  I was in business (30 years) and some of those YouTubers are in business just as many reporters are in business.  It can be done as long as you mind the tax code. 

Yes, I agree with you. But unless I am misinterpreting the first post by the OP, he or she is looking to write off expenses without showing enough income against them to pay taxes.

[Mary229]

Just now, ontheweb said:

Yes, I agree with you. But unless I am misinterpreting the first post by the OP, he or she is looking to write off expenses without showing enough income against them to pay taxes.

Perhaps.  My point is if you do own a business there may be legitimate ways to write it off or secondly create a profitable business to write off travel.  Some YouTubers are doing that and some are taking free cruises.  
 

As to those who are simply taking the free cruises there are tax issues also but I am not versed on those issues 

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, Mary229 said:

Perhaps.  My point is if you do own a business there may be legitimate ways to write it off or secondly create a profitable business to write off travel.  Some YouTubers are doing that and some are taking free cruises.  
 

As to those who are simply taking the free cruises there are tax issues also but I am not versed on those issues 

I don't think we are really disagreeing about anything, just coming at it from different directions.

[Mary229]

19 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

I don't think we are really disagreeing about anything, just coming at it from different directions.

I am a bit belligerent about encouraging people to start a business 😉

[Charles4515]

3 hours ago, Mary229 said:

Perhaps.  My point is if you do own a business there may be legitimate ways to write it off or secondly create a profitable business to write off travel.  Some YouTubers are doing that and some are taking free cruises.  

There may be legitimate ways but if someone has a busness it might be best to check with an accountant. I had several coworkers who played fast and loose claiming deductions. My accountant said they were living dangerously, they were not good in her opinion, so I never did it. The IRS being a bureaucracy may miss that the deductions are not copacetic but then again they might catch it. As far as I know the coworkers never got audited but they might  not have told me.  They also may have been exaggerating to me what they did. 

[Mary229]

1 minute ago, Charles4515 said:

There may be legitimate ways but if someone has a busness it might be best to check with an accountant. I had several coworkers who played fast and loose claiming deductions. My accountant said they were living dangerously, they were not good in her opinion, so I never did it. The IRS being a bureaucracy may miss that the deductions are not copacetic but then again they might catch it. As far as I know the coworkers never got audited but they might  not have told me.  They also may have been exaggerating to me what they did. 

Yes, @ontheweb and I discussed above there are issues and they are fine to note here but too complex to discuss here.  I was a self-employed person operating a profitable business which paid taxes of every ilk. 

[SPacificbound]

OP- Good luck with that!

[clo]

On 12/28/2023 at 3:33 PM, tvo7 said:

I see all these you tube videos of people who went cruising and posting their video online.

 

 If I say want to start recording all my cruises so that way, maybe a cruiseline will see me and sponsor me.  

Can I tax deduct the cruises as a business expense in my effort to get a cruise line to sponsor me?

 

Ask a tax professional.

[thinfool]

Years ago, on a Princess ship, I met a man who claimed to be the second largest seller of orchids on Ebay.  He used the ship as a way to meet and stay in contact with his suppliers on islands in the Caribbean.  I have no doubt that he took the cruise as a business expense.  Seems legit to me.

[clo]

2 hours ago, thinfool said:

Years ago, on a Princess ship, I met a man who claimed to be the second largest seller of orchids on Ebay.  He used the ship as a way to meet and stay in contact with his suppliers on islands in the Caribbean.  I have no doubt that he took the cruise as a business expense.  Seems legit to me.

 

2 hours ago, thinfool said:

Years ago, on a Princess ship, I met a man who claimed to be the second largest seller of orchids on Ebay.  He used the ship as a way to meet and stay in contact with his suppliers on islands in the Caribbean.  I have no doubt that he took the cruise as a business expense.  Seems legit to me.

And I'm sure he had all the paperwork to back it up.

[BruceMuzz]

The very best way I can think of to trigger an IRS Audit is to claim a cruise vacation as a business expense.

But is is always fun to dream of getting something for nothing.