VAT refund

[Jaxom37]

How do you handle a VAT refund on a transatlantic cruise?

Thanks for the input.

[mickey89]

Every port must be in the EU for VAT to be applicable. Since the embarcation port is a US port no VAT on any transatlantic cruise will apply, so the problem of reclaiming will not arise.

[cruisingsince94]

Every port must be in the EU for VAT to be applicable. Since the embarcation port is a US port no VAT on any transatlantic cruise will apply, so the problem of reclaiming will not arise.

 

Is that true if the cruise starts in Europe and all the stops are in Europe except for disembarkation being in the U.S.?

[mickey89]

Correct, the final port being a non-EU port negates all VAT liabilties. If you have any doubts call Celebrity for confirmation.

[ClaudiaB]

Well......not exactly.

We were on the transatlantic from Barcelona to Ft. Lauderdale in November. After our last stop in the Canary Islands, there was a customs and VAT agent and some other officials at a table right inside the ship. They took our receipts and forms and gave us the official stamps and whatnot and we were to mail it all back to them from the U.S. Supposed to get our refund in 6 weeks or so.

So we did all that.

 

It's July. We haven't gotten our refund. We only spent $140 in one shop and maybe $75 in another, so not a whole lot of money.

 

But I wouldn't count on it.

[cruisestitch]

I believe that you handle the VAT refund in the last port which is in the EU.

 

Example: a cruise starts in Rome. It visits Naples, then Barcelona, then heads across the Atlantic to New York. The VAT is claimed (or the proper forms filled out) in Barcelona.

 

I have dropped off the forms in Southampton on a cruise which began there, went to the Canary Islands ( which are not EU VAT areas) and the on to the US.

[mickey89]

Correct, the final port being a non-EU port negates all VAT liabilties. If you have any doubts call Celebrity for confirmation.

I was talking about your liability for VAT on your expenditure on board, not what you incurred at shops ashore.

Reclaiming the VAT on those purchases should be processed at your last port of call leaving the EU, normally it is at the departure airport.

[dabear]

What if you start in a non EU country (Turkey), stop in a non EU country, then the balance of ports including the last one is in a EU country. Can you get a VAT refund for EU spending?

[jody75]

What if you start in a non EU country (Turkey), stop in a non EU country, then the balance of ports including the last one is in a EU country. Can you get a VAT refund for EU spending?

Your onboard spend will be VAT free, if the cruise has at least one non EU port in its itinerary.

Purchases made ashore will include VAT and non-EU residents will be able to claim their VAT back at their last port of call or airport, whichever. Vat is only reclaimable above certain limits i.e. on purchases above $100

[4774Papa]

We were planning to go through the VAT refund when departing from Barcelona a few years ago.

We were given the wrong information and discovered that the Spanish office for processing the refund in the airport is BEFORE you go through security. We were told that the office was after security. Therefore, we missing out on our refund, not wanting to go through security all over again.

[ozark74]

Well......not exactly.

We were on the transatlantic from Barcelona to Ft. Lauderdale in November. After our last stop in the Canary Islands, there was a customs and VAT agent and some other officials at a table right inside the ship. They took our receipts and forms and gave us the official stamps and whatnot and we were to mail it all back to them from the U.S. Supposed to get our refund in 6 weeks or so.

So we did all that.

 

It's July. We haven't gotten our refund. We only spent $140 in one shop and maybe $75 in another, so not a whole lot of money.

 

But I wouldn't count on it.

 

We did the Equinox transatlantic in 2013 and the vat was handled the same way you described. Got our refund to the credit card in 5 weeks.

[cle-guy]

Is there a minimum amount of VAT you have to have before you reclaim it? DO they charge and service fee to process it?

[dabear]

We were planning to go through the VAT refund when departing from Barcelona a few years ago.

We were given the wrong information and discovered that the Spanish office for processing the refund in the airport is BEFORE you go through security. We were told that the office was after security. Therefore, we missing out on our refund, not wanting to go through security all over again.

 

WE had the same experience three years ago. Since we had enough time I went back to the VAT office and again through security. six months later we got our refund.

 

There is a minimum purchase amount & I believe it has to be at least for one large purchase (NOT A lot of small ones). You must have receipts.

Edited July 22, 2015 by dabear