VAT tax on Med Sailings

[tajz90]

Anyone have insight on the ship charging VAT on alcohol, spa, self service laundry and ship excursions?


Not looking forward to the VAT tax on drinks and spa services while on board.

Was VAT applied to the self service laundry charges?

Did the Med cruise that included Turkey escape the VAT while onboard?

 

[redsonja76]

I don't know but if you're an American flying to America after the cruise you can get a VAT reimbursement form and file it at the airport to get a lot of your vat back.


I've never done it because I'm American but living in Germany so I'm not exempt, but it's something to look into!

 

[ThePicketts]

Honestly, you won't feel the VAT. Euros feel like monopoly money. VAT is added into the price so what you see is what you pay.
As an American living in the UK for 10 years, one last bit of advice. DO NOT CONVERT EVERYTHING IN YOUR HEAD BEFORE YOU BUY! It will make the buying experience miserable for you and everyone around you.

 

[tajz90]

I'm more interested in the services and drinks on the ship.

We never purchase enough goods to even apply for the VAT refund and probably wouldn't because of the lines we have seen in the past.

 

[ThePicketts]

Turkey has a VAT, it just isn't an EU VAT.

 

[tajz90]

Turkey has a VAT, it just isn't an EU VAT.

I'm really only concerned with the ship adding VAT on top of their beverages, spa services, self service laundry and shore excursions.

I've read several diff places that if the ship visits a port that is not included in the EU Union, the ship will not charge VAT.

 

[ThePicketts]

Gotcha

 

[tajz90]

Gotcha

Sometimes I find the most obsessive things to worry about. it's not like I'm canceling the trip over it. Haha but it's the only thing that's been in my mind the last 48 hours! Certainly not the packing I SHOULD be worried about!

 

[JoyB-UK]

Our 2011 disney med cruise had vat added but I'm sure it wasn't added to the self service laundry and I did use it quite a bit. But it was definitely added to all purchases in the shops and bars. I think it was 15% that year not sure about now, it was certainly noticeable. I didn't use the spa so not sure but I think the charge is applied to that as well.

 

[tajz90]

Our 2011 disney med cruise had vat added but I'm sure it wasn't added to the self service laundry and I did use it quite a bit. But it was definitely added to all purchases in the shops and bars. I think it was 15% that year not sure about now, it was certainly noticeable. I didn't use the spa so not sure but I think the charge is applied to that as well.

Do you remember if it was added to shore excursions?

 

[debsters41]

Honestly, you won't feel the VAT. Euros feel like monopoly money. VAT is added into the price so what you see is what you pay.
As an American living in the UK for 10 years, one last bit of advice. DO NOT CONVERT EVERYTHING IN YOUR HEAD BEFORE YOU BUY! It will make the buying experience miserable for you and everyone around you.

You will feel the VAT while on board because the ship will add it at the check out. Stores in Europe have it added in already so the price you see on the shelf or on the item itself is the price you pay at checkout. That is why, ironically, Europeans often grumble more about sales tax in the US even though it is usually less than half of VAT.

 

[Newfoundland Sailor]

In 2011 VAT was not added on top of excursion fees (DCL explained that it was already calculated into the cost and therefore built into the price). VAT was charged on gift shop items, bar drinks,, smoothies, snacks and photos.

 

[tajz90]

In 2011 VAT was not added on top of excursion fees (DCL explained that it was already calculated into the cost and therefore built into the price). VAT was charged on gift shop items, bar drinks,, smoothies, snacks and photos.

Thank you.

I forgot about pictures. Guess I won't be purchasing those either. Too bad Disney wouldn't absorb the cost for their passengers (haha.... I know I just typed something hilarious!)

 

[debsters41]

Thank you.

I forgot about pictures. Guess I won't be purchasing those either. Too bad Disney wouldn't absorb the cost for their passengers (haha.... I know I just typed something hilarious!)

It hurts with the pictures. I just ordered the cd and prints for 399 but with vat it comes to 483.94. I reside in Greece so I cannot get the VAT back but if you live in the USA you can get it all returned.

 

[tajz90]

It hurts with the pictures. I just ordered the cd and prints for 399 but with vat it comes to 483.94. I reside in Greece so I cannot get the VAT back but if you live in the USA you can get it all returned.

Which cruise were you on?

 

[jilljill]

I'm really only concerned with the ship adding VAT on top of their beverages, spa services, self service laundry and shore excursions.

I've read several diff places that if the ship visits a port that is not included in the EU Union, the ship will not charge VAT.

When we did the Baltics cruise which sailed from Dover UK, we left the EU so no VAT was added to goods and services on board.

 

[tajz90]

When we did the Baltics cruise which sailed from Dover UK, we left the EU so no VAT was added to goods and services on board.

I do not remember a VAT on our Baltics and for that matter, I don't remember the charges on the 07 Med. I'm wondering if the Greece cruises will incur the VAT because of the ports they visit?

 

[lilpooh108]

It hurts with the pictures. I just ordered the cd and prints for 399 but with vat it comes to 483.94. I reside in Greece so I cannot get the VAT back but if you live in the USA you can get it all returned.

Thanks for posting this. We didn't have time to buy our Shutters pics but DH emailed them after the cruise and we were going to buy the whole thing. Now we might stick to the $199 CD. Somehow I can deal with the overpricing on vacation, but at home the reality sets in.

 

[gotomu212]

We were on the first Med. The laundry didn't have a VAT and I don't "believe" our shore excursions had. I'm trying to double check but haven't had luck finding my bill.

Everything else did have the VAT and there was a note on our pre-purchase gift thing that said all cruises departing Barcelona would apply the VAT so I'm thinking that includes the cruises with Turkey.

The thing that stinks is you can only get a VAT refund on goods NOT services. So with the spa and drinks you can't get a refund no matter how much you spend.

 

[debsters41]

Which cruise were you on?

I am on a 7 night med in August. I pre-ordered the CD because I am trying to pre-pay as much as I can now, because as the summer wears on I have less and less work until October when things pick up again. I nearly never have any spending money left by September