Shops on board

[david63]

Also if you buy an expensive watch or jewellery either on board or ashore and do not declare it on your return it will not be insured.

[Bin man]

When you say expensive watch how much are we talking about 

[david63]

34 minutes ago, Bin man said:

When you say expensive watch how much are we talking about 

Anything that is over the duty free allowance

[devonuk]

8 hours ago, Bin man said:

When you say expensive watch how much are we talking about 

You can bring in other goods worth up to £390 (or up to £270 if you arrive by private plane or boat). If you go over your allowance you pay tax and duty on the total value of the goods, not just the value above the allowance.

Thats a total amount so not a single item situation. IIRC duty can be paid online up to 5 days before landing back in the UK to save time at the port. 
An example for you…. £5000 UK priced watch bought in Gibraltar at say £3500. A £1500 saving, but add the tax at 20% = £3500 + £700, therefore now £4200 so a great saving still. 
The alternative is to get caught at the port/airport and pay the tax plus a penalty and worse case scenario have the watch ‘impounded’ which is unlikely of course. 
 

[Bin man]

Thankyou I will only be spending my £660 obc between us so no worries on that score .My limit on a watch would be £150 

[Happy afloat]

21 hours ago, devonuk said:

Recently bought a Radley handbag on board the Iona and it was cheaper in my local House of Fraser despite the on board discounts. Buyer beware! Also, don’t forget the import limits and tax that has to be paid. When I landed last in Southampton the customs guys were VERY busy checking luggage etc. If you buy an expensive watch on board for instance they will not inform you of the tax situation 😳

Customs checks? Not something we ever experienced when returning from a cruise. The only time we've ever even seen any border force/customs officers was on coming back from the Caribbean. Three young lads and a very disinterested looking dog! Dare say he might have perked up if he'd got a whiff of something! 

[Bazrat]

21 hours ago, devonuk said:

Recently bought a Radley handbag on board the Iona and it was cheaper in my local House of Fraser despite the on board discounts. Buyer beware! Also, don’t forget the import limits and tax that has to be paid. When I landed last in Southampton the customs guys were VERY busy checking luggage etc. If you buy an expensive watch on board for instance they will not inform you of the tax situation 😳

When you bought the bag did you like it than you purchased something you wanted, if you was after a bargain you would have been better waiting till you got home because rarely onboard shops beat the internet.

[galeforce9]

1 hour ago, Happy afloat said:

Customs checks? Not something we ever experienced when returning from a cruise. The only time we've ever even seen any border force/customs officers was on coming back from the Caribbean. Three young lads and a very disinterested looking dog! Dare say he might have perked up if he'd got a whiff of something! 

Definitely had a case completely emptied in Southampton on p&o.  I was younger than the average at that time but had done nothing untoward. Still had me shaking like a leaf though!  To be honest it was a real pain, and delayed our party of 8 on a long journey back 

[devonuk]

1 hour ago, galeforce9 said:

Definitely had a case completely emptied in Southampton on p&o.  I was younger than the average at that time but had done nothing untoward. Still had me shaking like a leaf though!  To be honest it was a real pain, and delayed our party of 8 on a long journey back 

Certainly on my last Iona cruise they were out in force and I know from a mate that the following one was too. Was it because we stopped in Gib?

[devonuk]

2 hours ago, Bazrat said:

When you bought the bag did you like it than you purchased something you wanted, if you was after a bargain you would have been better waiting till you got home because rarely onboard shops beat the internet.

I saw it for my daughter and did no research whatsoever 🤦‍♂️

[Bazrat]

14 hours ago, devonuk said:

I saw it for my daughter and did no research whatsoever 🤦‍♂️

Than it was a spur of the moment purchase, buy in haste repent at leisure 

[gsmt47471015]

6 minutes ago, Bazrat said:

Than it was a spur of the moment purchase, buy in haste repent at leisure 

As all our buying females are Yorkshire born and bred they had done their research before buying their bags  on board , no interest to me but I knew they would not overpay for something!!!!!!

[bbtablet]

Why do people spend huge sums of money on watches? - I simply don't get it.

[Pine Man]

36 minutes ago, bbtablet said:

36 minutes ago, bbtablet said:

Why do people spend huge sums of money on watches? - I simply don't get it.

 

I don't get it either.

 

22 years ago I retired after watching the time all my working life and haven't worn a watch since!

Edited August 5, 2022 by Pine Man

[devonuk]

8 hours ago, bbtablet said:

Why do people spend huge sums of money on watches? - I simply don't get it.

If you don’t get it you will never know 😉

[JDB78]

15 hours ago, bbtablet said:

Why do people spend huge sums of money on watches? - I simply don't get it.

Surely that goes for anything. 10 bedroom gated mansions, fancy cars, expensive clothes.

 

Not an expert but bought a few Pandora gifts on Ventura. Prices seemed very reasonable especially with the 20% off.

[funinhounslow]

17 hours ago, bbtablet said:

Why do people spend huge sums of money on watches? - I simply don't get it.

Because they like them? There’s simply nothing further “to get”.
 

People enjoy different things. I would never lease an expensive car and as a non drinker find the amount some people spend on booze on cruises startling. 

[Josy1953]

I have just had the call to tell me that I am a great-aunt again, this time it is little girl.

[majortom10]

On 8/5/2022 at 12:20 PM, bbtablet said:

Why do people spend huge sums of money on watches? - I simply don't get it.

I am sure you have your favourite things that other people might not get so it is a good job we are all different.

[gsmt47471015]

On 8/5/2022 at 8:26 PM, devonuk said:

If you don’t get it you will never know 😉

At least you get time to reflect on your purchase😂

[Megabear2]

9 hours ago, Josy1953 said:

I have just had the call to tell me that I am a great-aunt again, this time it is little girl.

Congratulations.

[J110]

Re Iona and customs - it may be Gib . Only time we had an issue was one time coming back off Brittania after stopping at Gib. May be random as it doesn’t happen after every cruise that stops there.

took ages to get through 

 

[Son of Anarchy]

Saw someone having their bags turned out by Border Force pre Brexit.  Load of cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco, way over the indicative limits for that time.  I don't think the ship had been to Gibraltar.  

 

One of the few times in over 20 cruises finishing in Southampton that I've seen Border Force on duty.  Make you wonder how much of everything is getting through,

[molecrochip]

A few points here:

 

Currys aka Dixons has pulled out if all travel retail sites during the pandemic including cruises. So did the retailer that had the older half of  the P&O fleet and one Cunard ship.
 

During the pandemic, the contract for the entire P&O and Cunard fleets inc new ships was awarded to Harding Bros.

Re tax, Harding Bros should deal with any tax/duty obligations by telling you. The exact detail is complex as generally you’re buying from Harding Bros, Bristol U.K.

 

[Eglesbrech]

8 hours ago, Son of Anarchy said:

Saw someone having their bags turned out by Border Force pre Brexit.  Load of cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco, way over the indicative limits for that time.  I don't think the ship had been to Gibraltar.  

 

One of the few times in over 20 cruises finishing in Southampton that I've seen Border Force on duty.  Make you wonder how much of everything is getting through,

We have only been stopped once by border force in all our years of cruising. They picked around the cases but there was nothing for them to find of course. We don’t smoke so no cigarettes, didn’t buy any duty free and had a couple of small gifts for family well below any threshold.

 

I have however seen them in action more frequently on ferry journeys. We did one trip and there were lots of officers at the port on the way back and they knew exactly who they wanted. Everyone was funnelled through for a passport check and they picked off the targets.
 

One guy had an entire wheely case just packed with cigarettes.