VAT refund in Lisbon

[crslover]

Lisbon will be our last EU port on our transatlantic.  Does anyone know where we will be able to get our VAT refund before the crossing? Will Celebrity have something set up at the port? I like to shop with the discount since it makes a big difference on some items.

[Wineaux007]

We were on a Norway Fjords cruise this past May out of Southampton, and in our last Norway port before heading back to Southampton, they had a VAT refund rep set up in the Casino.  It took about 4 weeks before we got the VAT credited back to our credit card.  I would check with guest services to see if they offer it on your sailing.  Time & place was posted in the daily.

[canderson]

The only luck we've had with this pre-cruise in Lisbon was a kiosk or the service desk in the basement of El Corte Ingles.  Be sure to bring your passport!

 

You'll also need to be sure the shops you visit can prep the appropriate paperwork.

[crslover]

Thanks! Do you know if I can bring paperwork from other stores for them to process also?

[canderson]

45 minutes ago, crslover said:

Thanks! Do you know if I can bring paperwork from other stores for them to process also?

Yes, that's also possible.

 

I just did a web scan of where the kiosks are available, and don't see the one I mentioned in the list, but it may not be comprehensive.  You can check on google maps or wherever to see if any of these addresses will be near where you'll be shopping/staying:

 

Lisbon Airport Unicâmbio – Figueira Square Praça da Figueira nº 4 1100-240 Lisboa Unicâmbio – Portas De Sto. Antão R. Portas Sto Antão, 54/56 1050-268 Lisboa Novacâmbios – Amoreiras Shopping Center Store 1, 030 Novacâmbios – Colombo Shopping Center Stores 0, 510

Unicâmbio – Balcão Praça Central Alamedas das Comunidades Portuguesas 1700-111 Lisboa Unicâmbio – Colombo Shopping Center Stores 003 / 004 1500-392 Lisboa Unicâmbio – Vasco Da Gama Shopping Center Space Q6, Floor 0 1990-094 Lisboa Unicâmbio – Odivelas Strada Outlet Strada Shopping & Fashion Outlet, Loja 2134 Estrada da Paiã, Casal do Troca 2675-626 Odivelas Unichange – Races Of The East Gare do Oriente Gare Comercial, Store G-219 1998-011 Lisboa

[canderson]

There's also this outfit which seems to do it on a fee basis (3~6% of the refund amount), but we have not used their services:

 

https://www.planetpayment.com/refund-locations?country=pt

[crslover]

Thank you. It looks like I will be able to check out a few options. Most of our shopping will take place in Barcelona.

[canderson]

2 minutes ago, crslover said:

Thank you. It looks like I will be able to check out a few options. Most of our shopping will take place in Barcelona.

How are you getting from Barcelona to Lisbon?

[Thejuggler]

On 7/20/2024 at 4:35 PM, Wineaux007 said:

We were on a Norway Fjords cruise this past May out of Southampton, and in our last Norway port before heading back to Southampton, they had a VAT refund rep set up in the Casino.  It took about 4 weeks before we got the VAT credited back to our credit card.  I would check with guest services to see if they offer it on your sailing.  Time & place was posted in the daily.

Indeed, ask on board.  Some of the tax back systems now have an app, such as Global Blue.

 

To show how things change our first fjords cruise was in about 2010.  We were told about the VAT refund system and I made some purchases so took advantage of it.  Before we left port there was a desk in reception with a Norwegian Tax officer who checked the paperwork and paid you back in cash!

[crslover]

We are the November Constellation crossing. Our last port is Lisbon. On other crossings there was an office near the port.

[Mr. Click]

One word of advice in addition, some place requre you to actually bring the goods with you so they can see you really have them.  I made that mistake in Barcelona once.  at the airport. Goods were in a checked bag and the bag was already checked when I found out.  

[canderson]

Just now, crslover said:

We are the November Constellation crossing. Our last port is Lisbon. On other crossings there was an office near the port.

Oh -- OK, I see now.  We're on the same cruise!  I see what you mean about your 'last port' being Lisbon now. 

 

I believe the rule is that goods must leave Spain within 90 days of VAT refund claims, which leaves you a way to deal with your Barcelona purchases before boarding the ship.  The office that handles this is the Barcelona tourist information office located in the central square, Plaça de Catalunya (very near one of our favorite pre-cruise hotels there). They handle VAT refunds for tourists.  Show them your passport, Express Pass for the cruise, and be sure to get as many of your receipts stamped for VAT refunds as possible.  All the big stores do this, as do many of the smaller stores along La Rambla and the touristy neighborhoods.

 

The good news is that Spain quit requiring a minimum purchase to claim VAT back in 2018, making it easier to qualify. 

[crslover]

Thanks! That would make it easier. I went to the Global Blue website and it listed the Lisbon Cruise Port as one of their offices. I will check into this further.

[canderson]

5 hours ago, crslover said:

Thanks! That would make it easier. I went to the Global Blue website and it listed the Lisbon Cruise Port as one of their offices. I will check into this further.

Will you have a small piece of rolling luggage with you that you could roll down from the ship to the cruise terminal in Lisbon in the event that they want so see the goods?  That might be easier than schlepping things around in Barcelona.

 

 

[canderson]

Finally found your customs office at the Lisbon port!  Hitting the 'List' button was easiest:

 

https://www.globalblue.com/en/refund-points-map?country=Portugal&category=Validation point only

 

But then it's a matter of finding the nearest Global Blue office or kiosk to present the validated Tax Free form received from the customs office. 

 

https://www.globalblue.com/en/refund-points-map?country=Portugal&category=Refunding point only

 

Most are at airports.  Nothing at the cruise terminal.  I see El Corte Ingles still has their Kiosk, though.  But that means getting there from the cruise port same day.  We have a full day excursion in Lisbon.

 

I think there's also a way to mail it all to Global Blue, but I think it must arrive within some number of days from the date the customs office stamps the thus.  Did you see anything about that?  We've never tried mailing the docs before.

 

I think we will first try the Catalunya tourism office in Barcelona, even though it's our embarkation port and not final port since we will be there for several days and will have time to deal with this.

[crslover]

I may try Catalanya first on the main day of shopping. It looked like there were two spots at the cruise port in Lisbon. One an office and a mailbox after security. I don’t want to trust that as absolute when it is a lot of money at stake. 

[canderson]

For what it's worth - I have only been able to get the links I provided above to work on my phone.  I've tried turning on 3rd party cookies on 3 different browsers on my PC and can't get through their system to find any of their locations that way.