Bought a watch on the ship?

And I am going on the Navigator in two weeks and I am thinking about buying a watch on board.

Has anyone ever bought a watch on a cruise ship? If so, was it easy to pay the duty entering the country? What was the percentage you paid at custom when declaring the watch?

Sadly, there are no authorized dealers at any of the ports on my itinerary.

If there are any watch geeks, I am looking at the Omega Aqua Terra 150m Co-Axial 41.5mm with white face.

I would really check prices in the states before buying a watch onboard. I was on a Carnival ship last Dec and bought a Invicta watch onboard. I thought I was getting a good price but when I got home I went on Amazon and found the exact watch for over $100.00 cheaper. We can get caught when on a ship thinking their prices are really good but in reality you can get ripped off. I have worked in Macys in jewelry for years and we don't carry Invicta so I wasn't sure of the pricing but I know that when the ships carry Citizen watches on board they are always more expensive than the sales in Macys. Just be careful and know your prices before buying. Buyer beware!!!

YES YES YES

well said!

There was a day when leaving the country to the islands meant good deals and cheap booze ..... those days ended in the 80's

I was also going to say the same thing and research at home and find out what is the best price you can get that same watch for at home. I know Costco sells some very expensive watches at great prices.

Keep in mind that the stores on board are not owned by Royal and are leased out so technically you are not buying that watch from Royal. If you do buy the watch on board they will inform customs of the purchase price so you will have to declare the exact amount on your declaration form.

If making the purchase on board, I don't know if they will be honest with you as to the exact amount of duty ($) you will have to pay for that watch at customs as they want to make that sale.

I went over my purchase limit on cigarettes and alcohol on board and knew I would have to pay duty. I asked the salesperson what the duty $ would be for the cigarettes, he said a couple dollars per carton. It turned out to be $10 extra per carton.

So even though you may be saving some money on board with your watch purchase, that savings can be eaten up by the duty tax you will have to pay at customs.

Now if there is a way you can talk to someone in customs before you board the ship that can give you the correct info on how much duty you would pay, that would be great for you.

Maybe others on cc have made big purchases that can assist you a little more with the duty you'll have to pay.

I just don't find bargains like they used to be whether on board or on the islands.

I know you can't compare Invicta to the Omega watch but those Invicta watches are not a bargain on board at all, so that should tell you something about the prices on board.

And I am going on the Navigator in two weeks and I am thinking about buying a watch on board.

 

Has anyone ever bought a watch on a cruise ship? If so, was it easy to pay the duty entering the country? What was the percentage you paid at custom when declaring the watch?

 

Sadly, there are no authorized dealers at any of the ports on my itinerary.

 

If there are any watch geeks, I am looking at the Omega Aqua Terra 150m Co-Axial 41.5mm with white face.

So answering the actual question- as I've read here, some pay, some do not. Being worried- we separated the receipt, and put it on its own line item on the back of the form. Ready to pay if needed. I have seen credit card signs as we come in, so they don't require cash or check.

For the watch I got, we didn't pay.

And to reply to the replies- I got a good deal- a Hamilton that has been mostly $50 more at Amazon than what I got on the ship. And since the OP knows the watch they want, it sure seems as if they know what price is a good one.

Thanks for the comments every one!

I know the "sticker" price and I've found an authorized seller and after working with them they are offering me a 20% discount.

Really wish I could find the ACTUAL percentage I would pay at customs. :confused:

I would really check prices in the states before buying a watch onboard. I was on a Carnival ship last Dec and bought a Invicta watch onboard. I thought I was getting a good price but when I got home I went on Amazon and found the exact watch for over $100.00 cheaper. We can get caught when on a ship thinking their prices are really good but in reality you can get ripped off. I have worked in Macys in jewelry for years and we don't carry Invicta so I wasn't sure of the pricing but I know that when the ships carry Citizen watches on board they are always more expensive than the sales in Macys. Just be careful and know your prices before buying. Buyer beware!!!

Citizen's watches are always cheaper than Macy's and even Amazon (with the ship standard 35% off). I have done extensive research on specific models and have never found a price anywhere in the US cheaper than the ship. Some models that Macy's sells are cheaper. But for the exact same model they are not cheaper.

I cannot speak for Invicta or CARNIVAL, but please don't use such a wide brush that says the merchant at Royal will rip you off.

I bought a gucci bangle watch on board once and was very very happy with the price. You really need to know the value first and Royal is willing to negotiate.

Bought a Tissot men's watch on Freedom (? maybe it was Oasis) some years ago and found it was a good deal, as later compared to port prices in St. Thomas. Biggest thing for us was simply we can't find Tissot where we live, so we were happy to purchase on board. They are not so expensive as to put one over the limit for customs, so that was not an issue.

Will RCCL even carry Omega on board? I don't remember Celebrity even carrying anything that high end.

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Will RCCL even carry Omega on board? I don't remember Celebrity even carrying anything that high end.

 

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On the Allure I saw Omegas, but their selection was limited. Wish I could call the ship and ask if they have it! :rolleyes:

We have bought 4 citizen watches on different sailings and we know for a fact we got them cheaper on the ship as opposed to amazon and stores. So we were very happy with the prices we received. Good luck finding your watch!

Since I don't know the price you're expecting to pay for the watch, it's hard to address your duty question accurately! But I'll try to show you how to figure it out with this example:

The watch costs $5000.

You declare it and have the receipt with you. (You should declare it. RC is required by law to report any item purchased aboard over $800 to Customs, so they will already know you bought it.)

If you are a single traveler, your duty free exemption is $800.

Duty of 3% is charged for the first $1000 above the exemption.

Amount in excess is charged a different rate (I think it's about 5% for watches - sorry I don't know the exact percentage. I'll use 5% in the example.)

$5000

- 800 duty free exemption

$4200

-1000 charged at 3% = $30.00

$3200 balance charged at 5% = $160.00

So, if you are single, your duty would be about $190 on a $5k watch, which computes to 3.8%. (Compare to your local sales tax which would be about $400 at 8% sales tax.)

If you are traveling as a married couple, you get double the amounts subtracted.

$5000

-1600 duty free exemption x2

$3400

-2000 charged at 3% = $60

$1400 balance charged at 5% = $70

Thus, if you're married and get double exemptions, you would pay duty of about $130 on a $5k watch, which computes to 2.6%.

Also, please remember anything else you buy on your trip and declare will increase the numbers here. I only figured out the potential duty on a $5k watch.

It's very easy to pay the duty as you go through customs. You'll show your customs declaration and passports to the customs officer and he will figure any duty you owe. I've never had to pay duty in Galveston, but in other ports there's a cashier's window right there by the customs officers where you step up to pay the duty with cash or credit card. Don't worry, they will direct you to the payment window.

You may end up paying a little more for your watch on the ship, but you should evaluate the whole amount (purchase plus duty) against what you'd pay at home (purchase plus sales tax, or purchase plus insured shipping.) Should you do it? Figure out what works for you. If you have any OBC on your shipboard account, that will be applied to your charge, so a large purchase on the ship might be a good way to take advantage of a big OBC if you happen to have one. There's also the hassle factor of shopping at home or online versus dropping by the shop on the ship - what's that worth? And, of course, there's the emotional connection - maybe you're celebrating something special on this cruise and getting your watch on the ship will make it more meaningful.

You're the only one who can decided if it's a good idea! The customs part is really pretty easy though. Have a great cruise!:)

Judy

Citizen's watches are always cheaper than Macy's and even Amazon (with the ship standard 35% off). I have done extensive research on specific models and have never found a price anywhere in the US cheaper than the ship. Some models that Macy's sells are cheaper. But for the exact same model they are not cheaper.

 

I cannot speak for Invicta or CARNIVAL, but please don't use such a wide brush that says the merchant at Royal will rip you off.

I am sorry if I offended you, however, I said you can get ripped off if you do not know pricing-I DID NOT say the merchant at Royal WILL rip you off. I do not understand what you mean by Citizen's watches are always cheaper than Macys. You do realize that Citizen is a watch brand and that Macys is a department store, right. As for the exact same model to say they are not cheaper is not true. Working in Macys in the watch dept I do know pricing and have compared certain models and they are more expensive on the ship. I have nothing against shopping on Royal-I have done plenty of it I was merely pointing out that pricing is not always better on the ship.

Since I don't know the price you're expecting to pay for the watch, it's hard to address your duty question accurately! But I'll try to show you how to figure it out with this example:

 

The watch costs $5000.

You declare it and have the receipt with you. (You should declare it. RC is required by law to report any item purchased aboard over $800 to Customs, so they will already know you bought it.)

 

If you are a single traveler, your duty free exemption is $800.

Duty of 3% is charged for the first $1000 above the exemption.

Amount in excess is charged a different rate (I think it's about 5% for watches - sorry I don't know the exact percentage. I'll use 5% in the example.)

$5000

- 800 duty free exemption

$4200

-1000 charged at 3% = $30.00

$3200 balance charged at 5% = $160.00

So, if you are single, your duty would be about $190 on a $5k watch, which computes to 3.8%. (Compare to your local sales tax which would be about $400 at 8% sales tax.)

 

If you are traveling as a married couple, you get double the amounts subtracted.

$5000

-1600 duty free exemption x2

$3400

-2000 charged at 3% = $60

$1400 balance charged at 5% = $70

Thus, if you're married and get double exemptions, you would pay duty of about $130 on a $5k watch, which computes to 2.6%.

 

Also, please remember anything else you buy on your trip and declare will increase the numbers here. I only figured out the potential duty on a $5k watch.

 

It's very easy to pay the duty as you go through customs. You'll show your customs declaration and passports to the customs officer and he will figure any duty you owe. I've never had to pay duty in Galveston, but in other ports there's a cashier's window right there by the customs officers where you step up to pay the duty with cash or credit card. Don't worry, they will direct you to the payment window.

 

You may end up paying a little more for your watch on the ship, but you should evaluate the whole amount (purchase plus duty) against what you'd pay at home (purchase plus sales tax, or purchase plus insured shipping.) Should you do it? Figure out what works for you. If you have any OBC on your shipboard account, that will be applied to your charge, so a large purchase on the ship might be a good way to take advantage of a big OBC if you happen to have one. There's also the hassle factor of shopping at home or online versus dropping by the shop on the ship - what's that worth? And, of course, there's the emotional connection - maybe you're celebrating something special on this cruise and getting your watch on the ship will make it more meaningful.

 

You're the only one who can decided if it's a good idea! The customs part is really pretty easy though. Have a great cruise!:)

Judy

Thank you!! That is the best information I've found online. Love Cruise Critic!

I think Judi's explanation of how duty works is excellent! You only pay duty on the parts that go over your limit...so unless your purchase is more than 800 or 1600 for a couple, you'll pay none. We found that the high end watches (not citizens and the like ) are price protected by the manufacturers, they will not allow an authorized representative to sell them below the price THEY (the manufacturers) set (I'm talking Tags, Rolex etc) If they find vendors selling their product below agreed upon prices, they will stop distributing to that vendor. So higher volume dealers will get offered the best (lowest ) prices to offer customers, but there is a floor for everyone. If you are hard bargainer and can pay cash, (remember you can't exactly carry around more than 10k in cash without declaring THAT) you can get a dealer to look the other way and hope the manufacturer won't find out. (Especially in port where record keeping is less "official"

Finding lower prices "online" often means you are not buying from an authorized dealer, you may get a new watch with out a warranty or a reconditioned watch or even a Knock off- no way to know unless you know and trust the dealer. RCI and it's in shore stores are a pretty big customer for most of the watch companies and they are offered better prices than most of the dealers we shopped at home. We added our state income tax at 6.25 % for the whole nut and that was far more than the duty on the cost above our couple exemption of 1600. Royals price out of the gate (before negotiating) was lower than our local dealer, and then what little duty we paid was far less than our state sales tax, it was fully warranted and we know it's not a knock off. But you have to know what you want, what it costs at your local dealers and if you are willing to accept a lesser price on the Internet with no assurances about exactly what you get. (Some people are fine with that)

Also, be prepared to declare your purchase, Royal Caribbean reports it, you will be prevented from leaving the ship till you've been escorted through customs or show your properly filled out declaration form to a staffer before leaving. We were leaving with an excursion and our sea passes "rejected" and we could not leave the shop with the group, had to be escorted through customs, pay our duty before we could re join the tour (which of course held them up:rolleyes:) Had I known they would reject our seapass cards leaving, I would have arranged to leave earlier than the excursion and met them curbside.

I also bought a Citizen watch (this model) onboard a cruise (Majesty of the Seas about three years ago). It was only about $500, so it was less than my exemption, so I simply declared it on the customs form and that was that.

I did compare the price of the watch with some of the shops in Nassau and the ship was cheaper. I also checked Amazon.com and found that the ship was cheaper than there as well. That surprised me.

I am sorry if I offended you, however, I said you can get ripped off if you do not know pricing-I DID NOT say the merchant at Royal WILL rip you off. I do not understand what you mean by Citizen's watches are always cheaper than Macys. You do realize that Citizen is a watch brand and that Macys is a department store, right. As for the exact same model to say they are not cheaper is not true. Working in Macys in the watch dept I do know pricing and have compared certain models and they are more expensive on the ship. I have nothing against shopping on Royal-I have done plenty of it I was merely pointing out that pricing is not always better on the ship.

No offense taken. However you implied it was a ripoff.

I not going to argue with you. I know for a fact that the of 5 high-end models I have compared prices, 4 are not even sold by Macys. for the 5th Macys would have to cut their price by 66%.

You do realize I do know my pricing. Citizen Men's Eco-Drive Skyhawk Atomic Stainless Steel Bracelet Watch 45mm JY0000-53E $695.00 at Macys. $325-$340 on the ship with no taxes. Even on sale at 50% the sales taxes get you.

You'll be fine if I'm skeptical.

Something worth noting if you're going to Cozumel. The Mexican government is offering an almost 9% rebate to tourists who buy significant product in their country. RCI didn't mention this and when we asked the shopping person about it she said they are not allowed to mention it because it's not fair to some of the lower end merchants. We saved $100 off a watch in Cozumel at Diamonds International which made the price almost $200 less than on the ship (a $1300 watch).

It's really easy to get, but you have to ask for it.

Tom

Citizen's watches are always cheaper than Macy's and even Amazon (with the ship standard 35% off). I have done extensive research on specific models and have never found a price anywhere in the US cheaper than the ship. Some models that Macy's sells are cheaper. But for the exact same model they are not cheaper.

 

I cannot speak for Invicta or CARNIVAL, but please don't use such a wide brush that says the merchant at Royal will rip you off.

My DH has had the same experience. He has bought around 6 Citizen watches on the ship and has never found a cheaper price. If you know exactly what you want you can do research in advance. The duty cost is another issue since none of his purchases have put us over the limit.

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I'm glad my duty explanation was helpful! BUT keep in mind those numbers may not be 100% accurate. I really don't know what the rate is on watches that would be applied to the balance after the exemption and the 3% amounts. I used 5% in my example, but it could be more. And I think there are different rates according to whether the watch and band are precious metal or non-precious metal.

And you might get lucky and get a customs person who doesn't want to bother looking it up in the tariff tables. That happened to me once, and she just charged me 3% for the excess.

And here's another little weirdity! They only charge 1.5% on the first $1000 beyond the $800 exemption if you're returning from a trip to a Caribbean Basin country. I know this would impact St Thomas, St Martin, and other Eastern Caribbean ports, but I'm not sure about your ports. If this were the case for you, it would save you a few bucks.

Judy

I sailed on the Navigator June 1- June 8 of this year (great cruise as usual). I forgot to bring a watch and my wife got VERY tired of me asking what time it was. She bought a Citizen Eco-drive dive watch for me. The price on ship was $55.00 less than I have been able to find on the internet or locally. Also, no tax and no shipping. I am already planning to forget to bring a watch on our next cruise😁.

Something worth noting if you're going to Cozumel. The Mexican government is offering an almost 9% rebate to tourists who buy significant product in their country. RCI didn't mention this and when we asked the shopping person about it she said they are not allowed to mention it because it's not fair to some of the lower end merchants. We saved $100 off a watch in Cozumel at Diamonds International which made the price almost $200 less than on the ship (a $1300 watch).

 

It's really easy to get, but you have to ask for it.

 

Tom

I have heard about it, and it is a good deal. Sadly, there are not any authorized Omega dealers in Cozumel. I'm sure there are people who sell them, but there would be no warranty nor would I know for 100% sure it was authentic.

Wife bought me an Invicta on Celebrity last Summer :"on sale-50% off" for $150.00-found on Amazon, post cruise for $76.00.

I sailed on the Navigator June 1- June 8 of this year (great cruise as usual). I forgot to bring a watch and my wife got VERY tired of me asking what time it was. She bought a Citizen Eco-drive dive watch for me. The price on ship was $55.00 less than I have been able to find on the internet or locally. Also, no tax and no shipping. I am already planning to forget to bring a watch on our next cruise😁.

I suppose you don't remember if they were selling Omegas on board? I know the Allure has them, but not sure about other ships.