Harmony Of The Seas - Maiden Voyage - Live Blog

[NECruiser83]

Britain isn't the only EU country to levy VAT, or the same tax by its local name in other countries.

 

Correct, many countries have VAT, not specific to the UK or EU. Some do call it by a local name, but in my line of work I see VAT for lots of countries, including outside of Europe. I do know there is a process to recoup the monies back, but I am not sure the process for the time frame.

[Biker19]

I have done several Med cruises out of Southampton and the ships never had added VAT. I just don't get it.

 

For the same reason you sometimes get charged a US state sales tax while still in port - the locality has its rules.

[abo]

Correct, many countries have VAT, not specific to the UK or EU. Some do call it by a local name, but in my line of work I see VAT for lots of countries, including outside of Europe. I do know there is a process to recoup the monies back, but I am not sure the process for the time frame.

 

You can only reclaim for goods taken out of the EU and only over a certain amount. This means that you cannot reclaim for any food, beverages, etc. consumed onboard. Basically it's an ability to reclaim for goods exported from the EU. Only really useful if you buy something of value to take home (decent camera, expensive rug, etc). There are also quite strict rules around where and when the claim can be made also.

 

You should expect all the Harmony cruises to charge VAT/IVA on everything as they are intra-EU cruises only.

[abo]

VAT is a British tax so why would we pay it at all? Spain obviously don't pay our tax and we were in Spain. ..... I have done several Med cruises out of Southampton and the ships never had added VAT. I just don't get it.

 

No, VAT is applied across the EU - it is called IVA in Spain and is charged at different rates, but it's the same thing.

 

The reason you don't get charged it on cruises to the Med from Southampton is because they always stop in Gibraltar which is recognised as having special tax status in the EU, effectively treating the stop as outside the EU for the purposes of taxation. This results in the whole cruise being free of VAT in practice.

 

Also if you're resident in the EU you have to pay it and cannot reclaim, regardless of the passport you hold, as you are not exporting the purchase.

Edited June 8, 2016 by abo

[ade1982]

From what I remember, VAT isn't added when the ship goes to Gibraltar (on Med cruises)

[wendychloecruiser]

Thank you everyone. The critical fact is that it was an intraEU itinerary.

[dutchclogs]

We were also on the Southampton-Barcelona cruise.

As others have posted, VAT applicability and rates may vary not only from country to country but from year to year too. For the record, we were not charged VAT on the non alcoholic drinks purchased on board -- these were same prices as online-- and also not for a martini brought at 150 Central Park (this was charged as dining) or for a shampoo and blow dry in the spa.

Fridge magnet was charged at 20% VAT, this being the rate embarking from Southampton. Not sure if this rate will vary depending if embarking in Barcelona or Rome.

[abo]

We were also on the Southampton-Barcelona cruise.

As others have posted, VAT applicability and rates may vary not only from country to country but from year to year too. For the record, we were not charged VAT on the non alcoholic drinks purchased on board -- these were same prices as online-- and also not for a martini brought at 150 Central Park (this was charged as dining) or for a shampoo and blow dry in the spa.

Fridge magnet was charged at 20% VAT, this being the rate embarking from Southampton. Not sure if this rate will vary depending if embarking in Barcelona or Rome.

 

For the Southampton - Barcelona cruise food and beverage would likely have been treated as 'incidentals' to passenger transportation, which is zero rated for transportation staring in the UK. If it is treated the same way for the Harmony cruises leaving Barcelona then a 10% rate is likely, as this is the Spanish rate for the same category of goods under IVA. But please don't treat this as definitive - RCI accountants may well look at things differently!

Edited June 8, 2016 by abo

[steamboats]

For the Southampton - Barcelona cruise food and beverage would likely have been treated as 'incidentals' to passenger transportation, which is zero rated for transportation staring in the UK. If it is treated the same way for the Harmony cruises leaving Barcelona then a 10% rate is likely, as this is the Spanish rate for the same category of goods under IVA. But please don't treat this as definitive - RCI accountants may well look at things differently!

 

That´s correct. The VAT rate depends on the port of departure. Therefore Southampton - Barcelona is 20% with a reduced rate of 0% on food/drinks (British VAT). All Barcelona roundtrips are Spanish VAT with 21% and reduced rate of 10% for restaurants and food. I paid 21% VAT on a magnet on Monday (2 nighter out of Barcelona). As drinks were free I didn´t pay the 10% :D (but we had that on the Allure Med cruises last year).

 

steamboats

[cruiseaway7522]

I'm posting this in case nobody else has answered your question about twin beds. Although RCI (and many other cruise lines) list a room as having twin beds that can be combined to make a king, (or words to that effect), I have encountered the "twins" already pushed together, and made up as one large bed for two people. If you want two twins (as my daughter and I prefer), you ask your steward to separate the beds.

 

They remove the bedding from the "large bed", separate the frames into two twins, move them apart, and make them up with separate sheets and covers. Whatever small tables were on each side of the larger bed, get moved between the two beds, and each twin bed winds up against the wall of the closet, or whatever was beside the small table in the first place.

 

In the pictures of the Harmony, I don't know if the headboard lamps can be moved to the center of the headboard, or if we have to sleep with a lamp right above our heads on the "wall" side of the bed. I hope this answers your questions. I have taken four Oasis cruises with the beds separated when I shared with my daughter or my grandson. It really worked quite well.

 

 

 

What’s the difference between both together and one set together when you select your preference on bed arrangement

 

 

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[Biker19]

 

No diff.