Prestige Beverage Package

is it possible to buy this on board - say a day or two after embarkation? We are on a 8 day cruise with the first night and all next day in Venice. Doesn't make a lot of sense to have the package to cover us for the Embarkation day and the day following...

On our recent cruises the package can be purchased at just about any date. I think when the program was first announced it was stated that you had to buy it within the first day or two, but on all of our cruises since then it was available up until the end.

I agree that it really doesn't make sense to have it while you are in Venice.

Mura

Check and see if I am right, but in a lot of countries, if you buy on board you also have to pay the VAT for that country. I am thinking I read this. If this is so, Italy and Spain are high!

Check and see if I am right, but in a lot of countries, if you buy on board you also have to pay the VAT for that country. I am thinking I read this. If this is so, Italy and Spain are high!

So, do you wait till you are at sea?

No experience with Oceania yet but on Celebrity, the duty free shops are open at sea but not in ports, so, no VAT at sea.

The VAT situation is dictated by the countries involved, not the cruise line. If you buy the package while in Italian waters I think it would be subject to the VAT. You'd need to wait until you are in "neutral" waters ...

I think! I'm going by what I've read here, not personal experience.

The same situation exists when in Brazil.

Mura

Thanks for the information - Italian VAT is hugely higher than Swiss VAT (8%) and I had no idea it might apply to a package bought on board. I do know that in Spanish waters drinks by the glass or by the bottle get slapped with VAT but I wonder about something like a package... It would be analogous to buying a tour on board in Italian waters. Does that get the VAT added as well?

In any case I think meantime we have made a decision to "bite the bullet" and just pay for it on the final invoice. We will probably be drowning in booze because we are in an Oceania Suite with a bar set up but we want to be able to stop for a Martini in a bar (or Calvados after dinner in Horizons for example) without worrying about adding to the bill.

So, do you wait till you are at sea?

No experience with Oceania yet but on Celebrity, the duty free shops are open at sea but not in ports,

so, no VAT at sea.

It is not that simple any longer, if your cruise departs from Spain. They changed their tax laws so that the Vat applies until the ship docks at a Freeport or a port outside the EU.

For some cruises that means that Vat applies for the whole voyage, fortunately, Cruise Line itinerary planners are growing wise to this ploy and insert freeports accordingly.

On Riviera in October to Spain and Italy the Vat was for the whole cruise but we did NOT pay Vat on the pkg. I asked at Reception as I did not want to be surprised at cruise end. It was explained to me that it was classified as a package and just like a shore excursion was not subject to VAT.

Thanks for the information - Italian VAT is hugely higher than Swiss VAT (8%) and I had no idea it might apply to a package bought on board. I do know that in Spanish waters drinks by the glass or by the bottle get slapped with VAT but I wonder about something like a package... It would be analogous to buying a tour on board in Italian waters. Does that get the VAT added as well?

 

In any case I think meantime we have made a decision to "bite the bullet" and just pay for it on the final invoice. We will probably be drowning in booze because we are in an Oceania Suite with a bar set up but we want to be able to stop for a Martini in a bar (or Calvados after dinner in Horizons for example) without worrying about adding to the bill.

I would buy the basic package and have wine,beer or champagne with meals,paid for by obc.Then have the odd cocktail with the remainder credit..using liquor in room for other times!!