10% VAT tax added to all "free at sea drinks" on NCL while in Med?

[graphicguy]

2 hours ago, DCGuy64 said:

I have a notion to post something elsewhere on CC about this. I'd really love to know how other lines deal with this issue. If it's truly a VAT thing, I don't believe for a second that the major players like Carnival, RCCL, Princess, MSC, Celebrity, etc or the smaller, boutique lines like Viking, Oceania, etc. would simply refuse to pay it.

Yeah…this feels like a fight with all the cruise lines and a money grab by the countries involved!

 

Call it whatever you want.  It’s a tax the countries’ are squeezing out of cruise guests!

[Odin's Raven]

Just returned from our cruise on the Norwegian Getaway, Bilbao start point .Tax was added at Spanish ports then stopped once we passed Spanish waters . A lot of disgruntled passengers. It’s not about the increase it’s about the way it’s kept quiet up till about two weeks till the cruise begins then you get the email explaining the tax.  I still think NCL are playing this wrong. It does not add up to a lot of money but it feels badly managed and adds to the many complaints they have to handle every .Whilst  we were on the ship a lot of the staff were complaining themselves about the tax and saying it creates a bad atmosphere. MSC do not charge their customers this as I cruised out of Barcelona last year and no tax was added to anything .

[Girr]

44 minutes ago, Odin's Raven said:

Just returned from our cruise on the Norwegian Getaway, Bilbao start point .Tax was added at Spanish ports then stopped once we passed Spanish waters . A lot of disgruntled passengers. It’s not about the increase it’s about the way it’s kept quiet up till about two weeks till the cruise begins then you get the email explaining the tax.  I still think NCL are playing this wrong. It does not add up to a lot of money but it feels badly managed and adds to the many complaints they have to handle every .Whilst  we were on the ship a lot of the staff were complaining themselves about the tax and saying it creates a bad atmosphere. MSC do not charge their customers this as I cruised out of Barcelona last year and no tax was added to anything .

I believe MSC charges $61 a day for their beverage easy package; whereas NCL FAS gratuity charge is $21. I’d say MSC can easily absorb the VAT. I’d much prefer paying $21 and a few dollars in VAT. 

Edited September 21, 2023 by Girr

[ColdCruise]

5 hours ago, Girr said:

I believe MSC charges $61 a day for their beverage easy package; whereas NCL FAS gratuity charge is $21. I’d say MSC can easily absorb the VAT. I’d much prefer paying $21 and a few dollars in VAT. 

You’re paying much more than the $21 daily service charge for the FAS drinks package. How much you’re actually paying for the drinks package in FAS is baked into your cabin price. Sorry, people don’t calculate that as part of the cost difference between “select a cabin” rates and Sail Away.

[Asawi]

5 hours ago, Odin's Raven said:

MSC do not charge their customers this as I cruised out of Barcelona last year and no tax was added to anything .

Oh trust me, they charge their customers one way or the other! Cruise price, package price... They charge!
 

4 minutes ago, ColdCruise said:

You’re paying much more than the $21 daily service charge for the FAS drinks package. How much you’re actually paying for the drinks package in FAS is baked into your cabin price. Sorry, people don’t calculate that as part of the cost difference between “select a cabin” rates and Sail Away.

Us Europeans actually do pay the package separately. It's around €20/day. 

[Girr]

As I don't stay in a cabin that offers Sail Away this is moot, plus off topic.  

[ColdCruise]

1 hour ago, Asawi said:

Oh trust me, they charge their customers one way or the other! Cruise price, package price... They charge!
 

Us Europeans actually do pay the package separately. It's around €20/day. 

That seems a bargain on its own at least @Asawi, we’d have to compare a like kind total package. In the states, the current charge is $109 per day + $21 service fee (tip) if you wanted to as the drinks package to a Sail Away rate (which is just cabin & $50 excursion credits). Is your €20 inclusive of tax and tips, or are they added on?

[Asawi]

1 hour ago, ColdCruise said:

That seems a bargain on its own at least @Asawi, we’d have to compare a like kind total package. In the states, the current charge is $109 per day + $21 service fee (tip) if you wanted to as the drinks package to a Sail Away rate (which is just cabin & $50 excursion credits). Is your €20 inclusive of tax and tips, or are they added on?

It's inclusive of tax and tips. But we don't get the super low sail away prices so that comparison can't be made. But let's not discuss that in this topic.

[insidecabin]

45 minutes ago, Asawi said:

It's inclusive of tax and tips. But we don't get the super low sail away prices so that comparison can't be made. But let's not discuss that in this topic.

Wait till the upgrade bids get processed and inside sailaway often  go dirt cheap some with zero solo sup.

 

canstill add the FAS which has been getting offered at 50% off.

 

When drinkgate happened in the UK people just stocked up.

 

on partial taxed med  cruises just stock up before the tax kicks in.

[Pghcrews]

Check this article:

 

Free at sea: Cruise line’s ‘all-inclusive’ drinks package doesn’t apply in Spanish waters | The Independent
https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/ncl-free-at-sea-package-spain-vat-b2415631.html

 

[Liljo22]

9 hours ago, ColdCruise said:

You’re paying much more than the $21 daily service charge for the FAS drinks package. How much you’re actually paying for the drinks package in FAS is baked into your cabin price. Sorry, people don’t calculate that as part of the cost difference between “select a cabin” rates and Sail Away.

Every cruise line offers a "select a cabin" rate and a rate where they get to choose the cabin.  Most of those lines charge for their drink package.  

 

You are getting a discount for giving the cruise line the freedom to sell more cabins and stick you where they have room not because you aren't taking the perks.  

Edited September 22, 2023 by Liljo22

[njhorseman]

3 hours ago, Pghcrews said:

Check this article:

 

Free at sea: Cruise line’s ‘all-inclusive’ drinks package doesn’t apply in Spanish waters | The Independent
https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/ncl-free-at-sea-package-spain-vat-b2415631.html

 

That's a grossly misleading...I'll even say flat out incorrect title. The package still applies in Spanish waters, it's just that there's VAT imposed by Spain. It's no different than tax being imposed on drinks ordered while in port in New York City and a number of other places.

 

It's nothing but bogus click bait yellow journalism.

[Odin's Raven]

The drink packages are getting  a bit of a con. It’s starting to get to the stage where it’s not worth it. One particular item that I like was not included on the basic package (Baileys Irish Cream ) but was available on the Premium Package .It’s a liqueur and not expensive so why is it on the Premium Package but to purchase one shot of this cost $18 !!!So if I strayed from my basic package and bought a baileys in Spanish waters I paid $3 ($3 over my limit for my package $15 )plus the Spanish tax on $18 ($1.80) resulting in me paying $4.80 per shot for something that you can buy a bottle for $30. So because Baileys is popular it’s pushed into the Premium Package to make you pay more to enjoy that drink. Becoming a total con .

[Pghcrews]

3 hours ago, njhorseman said:

That's a grossly misleading...I'll even say flat out incorrect title. The package still applies in Spanish waters, it's just that there's VAT imposed by Spain. It's no different than tax being imposed on drinks ordered while in port in New York City and a number of other places.

 

It's nothing but bogus click bait yellow journalism.

Note that this is an article from England, where the laws are somewhat different than here in the States.  Any prices are supposed to be shown as all in with no additional charges, I believe.

 

In any event, it does explain the workings of the Spanish VAT even if you don't particularly care for the headline.

[Capitan Obvious]

9 minutes ago, Pghcrews said:

Note that this is an article from England, where the laws are somewhat different than here in the States.  Any prices are supposed to be shown as all in with no additional charges, I believe.

 

In any event, it does explain the workings of the Spanish VAT even if you don't particularly care for the headline.

 

I don't see how the location for the source of the article matters at all. Laws are applied based on the location of the journalist.

 

What we are talking about here is a US based company, sailing under a Bahamian flag, in Spanish/EU waters (which, the UK is not a part of). If the ship is operating under the jurisdiction of the Spanish government, then their laws apply.

 

No different than if I buy an item in Washington County I only pay 6% sales tax, but if I buy it in Allegheny County I have to pay 7%.  Don't be a jagoff about this..yinz should know better.

[skittl1321]

19 hours ago, Girr said:

I believe MSC charges $61 a day for their beverage easy package; whereas NCL FAS gratuity charge is $21. I’d say MSC can easily absorb the VAT. I’d much prefer paying $21 and a few dollars in VAT. 

Or you you can also book an MSC rate that includes the easy plus package, and then pay NO additional gratuities.  

No different than some NCL rates include FAS, and others people pay to add FAS. FAS is not free, it is included in the cost. Same as when MSC include easy plus in the cost.  (It raised our fare this summer about $5 a day vs. booking without it, but we also got to choose our cabin, and a few other things for the Fantastica experience vs Bella which did not include the drink package.)

[njhorseman]

12 minutes ago, Pghcrews said:

Note that this is an article from England, where the laws are somewhat different than here in the States.  Any prices are supposed to be shown as all in with no additional charges, I believe.

 

In any event, it does explain the workings of the Spanish VAT even if you don't particularly care for the headline.

Yes, I'm aware that it's a British publication and I know that the laws are different there.

 

I'm also aware of the reputation of the British tabloid press...and this publication was a tabloid when it ceased putting out a print edition and continues to be considered a tabloid today. 

 

I'm also aware of the Spanish VAT...there's a thread about it posted here seemingly every 15 minutes.

 

The headline is exactly what I am reacting to. It's classic British tabloid clickbait .

 

Oh, the nerve of another sovereign nation to apply a tax to English citizens!! I guess it's easier to blame it on the cruise line, which is not imposing the tax but merely collecting it on behalf of the Spanish government than to blame it on Spain.

[DCGuy64]

19 hours ago, Girr said:

I believe MSC charges $61 a day for their beverage easy package; whereas NCL FAS gratuity charge is $21. I’d say MSC can easily absorb the VAT. I’d much prefer paying $21 and a few dollars in VAT. 

Exactly. All of the major lines charge more for their beverage package than NCL. Even when you compare the cost of Sail Away cabins to ones with FAS, the difference is minimal. NCL's UBP is a bargain. (MSC offers a great product and their beverage package is good, too)

 

4 hours ago, njhorseman said:

That's a grossly misleading...I'll even say flat out incorrect title. The package still applies in Spanish waters, it's just that there's VAT imposed by Spain. It's no different than tax being imposed on drinks ordered while in port in New York City and a number of other places.

 

It's nothing but bogus click bait yellow journalism.

🏆 Excellent post. That article is disgraceful in how misleading it is.

[DCGuy64]

5 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

Oh, the nerve of another sovereign nation to apply a tax to English citizens!! I guess it's easier to blame it on the cruise line, which is not imposing the tax but merely collecting it on behalf of the Spanish government than to blame it on Spain.

I'd say 99% of the whingers on this topic are from the UK. @njhorseman is right.

[Girr]

This morning on a social media a recent Med cruiser on MSC reported he'd been charged VAT.  

 

I really believe this is a 'hit or miss" situation which there isn't one answer.  

[DCGuy64]

2 minutes ago, Girr said:

This morning on a social media a recent Med cruiser on MSC reported he'd been charged VAT.  

 

I really believe this is a 'hit or miss" situation which there isn't one answer.  

And yet every time this subject comes up, there's a cavalcade of "Only NCL does this." NOT TRUE.

[graphicguy]

Why does this feel like Spain is really jerking the cruise lines around, and in turn, the guests who are paying the tax?

[Girr]

6 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Why does this feel like Spain is really jerking the cruise lines around, and in turn, the guests who are paying the tax?

IMO governments are trying to recoup lost revenue from COVID, and expenses travelers incur to their cities/facilities.  Several other countries are testing the waters, i.e., Livorno in June only allowed wine and beer on NCL Epic for a week or two, and Greece has also had various limited alcohol sales.  Plus, as already mentioned there's ports that have been charging taxes for years.

 

I just hope they get this settled as I don't like the inconsistency.  

[DCGuy64]

38 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Why does this feel like Spain is really jerking the cruise lines around, and in turn, the guests who are paying the tax?

I agree with what @Girr says, it's a money grab by the Spanish government. Remember the old adage: "there are only two certainties in life: death and taxes." 😉

[fabnfortysomething]

there has been a lot of posts this year that NCl are passing back costs to customer re taxes that are being misleadingly reported as due to local regulations then thanks to cruisecritic as being false

In USA its pretty standard for in port taxes to be applied with no complaints

when they try it in europe there are plenty of complaints as other cruise companies dont chatg the same!