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Vat added to dining on italian cruise?


S&DMOM
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This letter was issued to guests on the Reflection Greek Islands cruise starting and finishing in Italy.

 

VAT in Italy is 22%, so I've taken the precaution of pre booking my Premium drinks package upgrade and Murano restaurant before boarding later this month.

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Thank you for the responses. I have seen this letter too and there is no mention about restaurants or food purchases. Was hoping someone that has cruises recently would be able to clarify.

 

 

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Thank you for the responses. I have seen this letter too and there is no mention about restaurants or food purchases. Was hoping someone that has cruises recently would be able to clarify.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

I'm not sure how the VAT works in Italy, but certainly here in the UK food in restaurants has VAT added, and on drinks!

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If you keep track of what you paid you can get refunded at the airport

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

 

 

That applies to onboard purchases that have attracted EU VAT. Not to drinks packages or speciality restaurants.

 

Here’s the letter we were given on Symphony in May on a cruise that didnt leave the EU.

 

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Don’t know but it’s 22% in all shops,higher when you hit Greece waters

 

 

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The EU VAT rate is the same as that in the departure port if the ship doesn’t leave the EU.

 

 

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The EU VAT rate is the same as that in the departure port if the ship doesn’t leave the EU.

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Yes, if the ship leaves the EU, there is no VAT at all, even while the ship is in the EU. About the only cruise ports NOT in the EU are Istanbul and Kusadasi (Turkey) and Kotor (Montenegro.) Ships calling at these ports do not levy any VAT.

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The EU VAT rate is the same as that in the departure port if the ship doesn’t leave the EU.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

 

 

When we were on this cruise in June the ship finance officer told us that on purchases !

 

 

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The VAT rate in Italy is 22%. There´s a reduced rate of 10% which is valid for restaurants, hotels and other services. Plus there´s a reduced rate of 4% for basic food items, books, newspapers.

 

 

So spa, purchases in the shops onboard, internet do have the 22%. Dining / all drinks should have 10% VAT added.

 

 

It´s basically Spain and Italy which enforce this but it´s an EU law and I paid the British VAT on a short cruise out of Southampton too.

 

 

BTW, all African ports (Casablanca, Agadir, Tunis, Alexandria...) or ports in Israel as well as Gibraltar, Guernsey and Canary Islands are non EU regarding this law.

 

As for RCI I had the 10% Spanish VAT added on my online purchases of a dining package too.

 

steamboats

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T....

 

 

BTW, all African ports (Casablanca, Agadir, Tunis, Alexandria...) or ports in Israel as well as Gibraltar, Guernsey and Canary Islands are non EU regarding this law.

 

....

 

steamboats

 

Norway and Russia on the Baltic Cruises as well - and from next year it looks like the UK will be on that list

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Yes, if the ship leaves the EU, there is no VAT at all, even while the ship is in the EU. About the only cruise ports NOT in the EU are Istanbul and Kusadasi (Turkey) and Kotor (Montenegro.) Ships calling at these ports do not levy any VAT.

 

Gibraltar also qualifies as a non EU port.

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For those considering claiming VAT refunds remember that this only works for goods you have purchased and will take with you, not for foods consumed, rental cars, hotel bills, etc. Buy designer shoes, claim the VAT, eat in a Michelin starred restaurant, you can’t claim the VAT refund

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Norway and Russia on the Baltic Cruises as well - and from next year it looks like the UK will be on that list

 

I was trying to stick to the ports which can be found on a Med cruise ;-) (which includes Guernsey for cruises out of Southampton).

 

steamboats

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The thing to remember is that all EU countries set their own VAT rates and what it applies to, it is not universal. So a cruises that do not visit non EU ports, the tax applied may be different.

 

I have an upcoming cruise out of Civitavecchia, and am awaiting confirmation from the cruise line ( in this case Oceania) if there is a tax on the beverage packages. From the info on this thread and ones on the O board, it appears it only applies to the shop sales.

 

But it is my understanding that a similar cruise from Spain would incur some tax on beverages as well.

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Michael,

 

 

It´s an EU law that they have to charge VAT for cruises starting in an EU port and not hitting a non EU port. The exact rate is a matter of the country. So Spain has 20% VAT (and 10% reduced rate). Germany has 19% (7% reduced rate). It´s also up to the country what items do get a reduced rate. So here in Germany take away food items do have the reduced rate. If you eat it in the restaurant it´s the full rate.

 

 

Spain also charges the VAT regarding cruises when you reach the 3 mile zone of a port.

 

 

Actually in Europe we do not "see" the VAT as all prices already include the VAT. So for us it´s even more confusing to add the VAT on the price of a drink as an example. With Royal or Celebrity you have to add 10% VAT on a drink and another 18% for the service charge. So the drink in total is 28% more than the price on the bar menu. A 13 Dollar cocktail adds up to 16.64 Dollar.

 

 

steamboats

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A reminder to those of you who are planning to claim the VAT refund, make sure you have your goods available to show at the airport when you apply for your refund. We did not know that and our goods were already packed and checked with the airline so despite having a proper receipt we could not get the refund in Barcelona.

 

As others have stated, you can get the VAT refund on non-consumable items and you have to meet a minimum amount to get the refund. You cannot get the refund on that 10 Euro doll you bought for your granddaughter unless you have some big purchases as well.

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Onboard Reflection right now, purchased dinner package onboard, will report back after disembarkation on monday.

 

Had the VAT letter too, shop shelves have VAT reminders, no mention about VAT with the dinner or beverage package sales IIRC.

 

 

That would be great if you could report back! Also any discount on dinner packages onboard? Thanks!!

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