Duty Free Limits

[wenmar]

I know this may be a dumb question but are the duty free limits to bring alcohol back into Australia from a cruise the same as if flying to Australia.

The P & O website is talking about 1 bottle of alcohol being taken and given back at the end of the cruise. If you fly into Australia each adult can now bring in two bottles. Is the P & O webiste out of date or do they let you keep one to drink on board?

[karmac]

I know this may be a dumb question but are the duty free limits to bring alcohol back into Australia from a cruise the same as if flying to Australia.

The P & O website is talking about 1 bottle of alcohol being taken and given back at the end of the cruise. If you fly into Australia each adult can now bring in two bottles. Is the P & O webiste out of date or do they let you keep one to drink on board?

 

You can bring back 2 bottles of alcohol per adult.

 

Karen

[Skyrules]

I know this may be a dumb question but are the duty free limits to bring alcohol back into Australia from a cruise the same as if flying to Australia.

The P & O website is talking about 1 bottle of alcohol being taken and given back at the end of the cruise. If you fly into Australia each adult can now bring in two bottles. Is the P & O webiste out of date or do they let you keep one to drink on board?

 

 

Yes, the duty free limits are the same as if you were flying back in.

 

Yes, the P&O website is wrong - ADULT passengers can bring in;

 

A$900 worth of general goods purchased overseas

 

PLUS

 

2.25L of alcohol

 

PLUS

 

250 cigarettes or 250grams of tobacco

 

See the Australian Customs Service Website for more information:

 

http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=4352

 

Passengers doing cruises that terminate in New Zealand should remember that NZ has different Customs laws (slightly better than ours). These can be found here;'

 

http://www.regency.co.nz/site/duty_free_allowances.htm

[qld cruiser]

I know this may be a dumb question but are the duty free limits to bring alcohol back into Australia from a cruise the same as if flying to Australia.

The P & O website is talking about 1 bottle of alcohol being taken and given back at the end of the cruise. If you fly into Australia each adult can now bring in two bottles. Is the P & O webiste out of date or do they let you keep one to drink on board?

 

Hi Wenmar

..the website you looked at is old.. you are now allowed to bring into Australia 2.25 litres of alcohol. . . 250 cigarettes .. and goods worth $900.00. I don't know what is the allowance of goods for anyone under 18..

if you buy duty free Alcohol before leaving Australia, it is taken from you on embarking and returned the day before disembarking.if buying in Vila etc, they keep it also until the day before you get off.

kindest regards, Lorraine:) :)

[acdc]

In Vila we found Fung Kuei's Dpwntown to have the best prices, also they had bottles of rum, brandy etc in 1.125 lt sizes, which made it easy to buy the exact limit allowed!

[karmac]

In Vila we found Fung Kuei's Dpwntown to have the best prices, also they had bottles of rum, brandy etc in 1.125 lt sizes, which made it easy to buy the exact limit allowed!

 

Or even go over. My bottles were 1.750ml bottles & I didn't have a problem getting them back in Aust.

 

Karen

[cheznandy]

We bought nine bottles back between three adults!!! Declared it and the guy said is that all and walked straight through. We always bring back over the limit as you only pay duty if the amount exceeds $50AUD and thats a couple of bottles from Vila!!

 

We do this when we fly also, but don't purchase in the airport on your return journey as they will only sell you the limited amount. On our way back from South America we purchased extra bottles in New Zealand, declared the extras through customs and walked through with about six bottles.

 

It's all about declaring what you have, and not trying to smuggle them in your suitcase, these guys do this everyday and know when you exceed the duty and are over the $50.

 

Cheryl

[aussiedisneyfan]

I wouldn't rely on the letting you get away with it. Kezza had a very expensive lesson. I have heard different stories about that $50 waiver. I thought iIt was originally introduced as an unofficial raise from the $400 to $900 - $500 difference so $50 duty (10%).

 

I had also been told that they no longer waive the first $50.

[cheznandy]

Yes, definately would not suggest recommending people to try to get away with it!! This is just our experience on our cruise in March and four days later to South America. We carry all our purchased goods in our cabin bag and declare all alcohol and stuff we aren't sure about.

 

Guess we have just been lucky........

[qld cruiser]

Hi cruisers....

beware of the alcohol allowance...sometimes you may strike a customs officer who will let you get away with going over your limit if you have declared it. but... if you go over that $50.00, customs will charge you not just the amount you are over........you will have to pay duty on your total amount of alcohol....and that can make a few very expensive bottles.

.......check it out with customs if you don't believe me.......

as for the cigarette allowance, don't try opening up a carton and spreading it through your luggage. they can detect that also.

kindest regards, Lorraine:) :)

[kezza]

Going over your duty free allowance. Boy that sure cost us. We bought back 6 bottles, 5 of them 1 ltr bottles and 1 at 1125mls. We paid $92 duty free. We declared our extra alcohol and the Customs lady made us pay $93 or loose the whole lot. Apparantly now the laws have changed and if you go over you loose any allowance and pay some ridiculous excess duty amount.

 

Would I go over again. Yes possibly but one of us would have our allowed amount and the other would have an extra bottle or two and on our last day at sea open the spare one, have a few drinks and then pack it into the suitcases!!!

 

The $93 extra added to the $92 still made our purchases over in Vila cheaper than what it would have been at home so that's something at least!

 

Kerri

[CruzieChick]

The taxes on bringing extra in can be high, one of the girs I met on the cruise brought back 2 cartons of cigarettes and 3L of alcohol she declared it all and had to pay duties of $ 110 on the cigarettes and $30 for the extra bottle of alcohol - just so you are aware the 3 bottles of alcohol only cost her $48 and yet customers still charged her for being more back than she was allowed too.

[wenmar]

Thanks everyone for the advice.

[sarze]

the extra $50 allowance isn't based on what it cost you but what the duty works out as, which for alcohol is quite high. It is worked out based on the % alcohol volume (eg, 38% x 1L etc) and I worked it out to be about $30 on a bottle of vodka, but keep in mind that if over the allowance it is the duty on teh whole lot cause you lose the duty free allowance. So if you bring 3L in it could be up to $90 if they are feeling mean.