VAT Refund at Southampton

I posted a similar thread on the Cunard board and received some information. I thought I would try here as well to see if I can find a solution.

I had to buy a new laptop computer while traveling in Malta. We are US citizens and still traveling in Europe and scheduled to depart on the Queen Mary 2 from Southampton on Dec. 15. I would like to try to get a refund of the VAT that I paid. I have my receipt, my forms and an envelope from the Maltese authorities, but I will need to get a customs stamp when I depart. Does anyone know if this is possible at Southampton? A couple of kind CC folks wrote that the customs desk at the Southampton terminal is not staffed; it merely has forms. Another provided a phone number for customs in Southampton. At this point I plan to use the phone number to find out where I can go for my customs stamp. Does anyone have more complete info based upon experience? Thanks in advance. Tom

When you say you 'had' to buy a new laptop, you don't mean that you needed one to use there and then, do you? Because VAT refunds are only eligible on goods that are brand new and unused.

Good point, and this may be an issue for me. I destroyed my other laptop, stupid me, and had to put the new one to use right away. So this may be a useless effort. Still I will phone the customs number that I have received to see what I can find out. Thanks.