Just back from Med cruise - was great, but be aware of VAT!

[annichan]

Hi everybody,

DH and I have just returned from a wonderful 11-night Mediterranean cruise and had so much fun.
I just wanted to issue a bit of a warning for all you future Med cruisers on this board, especially EU residents, about something that came as a bit of a surprise to us (since it was never mentioned by DCL before we boarded the ship - or at least it skipped my attention):

An 18% VAT will be added to the price of everything bought or consumed on board, i.e. items from the shop, spa services, and such. For drinks, it will be only 8%. Prices on menus, price tags etc. all do not reflect that yet, so the extra is added on top of the printed price.
This is apparently due to the fact that the whole cruise is taking place in EU waters, s it probably would not have been this way had Tunis not been taken out of the itineraries.

All non-EU residents will be able to reclaim this VAT once they are at the airport, however this is only true for purchases exceeding an amount of about 90 dollars, and not for things consumed on board like drinks. All EU residents (like ourselves) will not be able to reclaim it in any case. (This is why I threw out the sheet giving all the details and the exact amounts, sorry about that, but maybe somebody else kept it and can elaborate here?)

For us, this meant about 200 dollars in expenses that we had not counted on. Nothing to break our necks financially, sure, and it did not make us enjoy the cruise any less. But it did mean that I refrained from my original idea of booking some more spa services while onboard. (I guess I will just have to do all those on our next cruise outside the EU )

I definitely think it would have been DCL's responsibility to make this information available somewhere on their website or in peoples' online booking accounts.
(Don't get me wrong, I fully understand that DCL does not make EU tax legislation so it was not their choice to add this on, I am just saying they should have informed people better.)

I can only imagine DCL might have been afraid that this information would cause some people to cancel their Mediterranean cruises due to those unforeseen added expenses. The ship was pretty empty anyway - some CMs spoke of 1400 passangers, others of a little over 2000, but I think the smaller number might have been correct, as the ship felt pretty (and very nicely!!!) empty.

- restaurants (at late seating) were really empty, lots of tables seating only 2 people (including ours, we were really surprised to be seated on our own), tables positioned further apart than on our last cruise, and several empty tables - empty meaning fully decked out, but without a table number and nobody ever sat there,

- adult pool area and Cove Cafe - never ever any problem to find a seat or a lounger on port days,

- the Till We Meet Again on the final night was almost empty - last time there was a huge crowd.


So anyway, to all of you who still have their Med cruise ahead of them, have a great time - I wish I could go back there with you!

 

[Joan1]

Thank you - that is very helpful

Would you happen to have kept navigators that you can post?
Did you take photos of the menus that you can post?

Internet package - did you happen to see what that was pricing at?

I think I will order the photo package in advance that way I am not hit with the 18% VAT? I don't know if this would be covered under the VAT rebate. Anyone know for sure?

 

[pamela k]

we have also just returned from this cruise and where surprised by the 18% vat in the shops and spa treatments but it was only 8% vat on drinks.
We where also surprised by the low number of children on board.


Its time to start planning our next cruise now

 

[Joan1]

We where also surprised by the low number of children on board.

A lot of the children in the U.S. do not finish school until June. Some early, some mid and some late June

 

[annichan]

we have also just returned from this cruise and where surprised by the 18% vat in the shops and spa treatments but it was only 8% vat on drinks.
We where also surprised by the low number of children on board.


Its time to start planning our next cruise now

You are right, I forgot, it was only 8% on drinks - will go ahead and change my prior post accordingly!

 

[Joan1]

I saw on another post that the Wonder rooms have been changed to the new linens like on the Dream. Did you have the new linens or still the old tired bedspreads on the Magic?

 

[annichan]

Thank you - that is very helpful

Would you happen to have kept navigators that you can post?
Did you take photos of the menus that you can post?

Internet package - did you happen to see what that was pricing at?

I think I will order the photo package in advance that way I am not hit with the 18% VAT? I don't know if this would be covered under the VAT rebate. Anyone know for sure?

I have kept all the navigators but won't be able to scan them until tomorrow or Saturday. If you have any specific questions though, ask away as I have them all here and can look at them.

I did not photograph all the menus and have the scanning problem again, but I saw someone with pictures of all the EBTA menus here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2729438&page=4

About the photo package, I am not sure. I bought it on board and had the VAT added, so it came to 175 dollars instead of 149 for 20 credits (sniff). If you book it in advance, though, I would guess that there would be no VAT added ... Does anybody else know more about this?

EDIT: I just saw your question about the beadspreads, but I can't really tell you. Do the new ones have different patterns?

 

[sunkisser]

Thanks for the heads up annichan x

 

[Joan1]

Thanks - I will order the photo package now to avoid the VAT

The bedspreads on the Dream are like this

The ones on the Magic have always been like this but are supposed to be or already updated. The Wonder has been updated

 

[Joan1]

I have kept all the navigators but won't be able to scan them until tomorrow or Saturday. If you have any specific questions though, ask away as I have them all here and can look at them.

I did not photograph all the menus and have the scanning problem again, but I saw someone with pictures of all the EBTA menus here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2729438&page=4

Thank you - No specific questions would just love to look at them before we sail next week
do you know which menus from the EBTA were not offered on the 11nt? Were the others all the same?

 

[annichan]

Thank you - No specific questions would just love to look at them before we sail next week
do you know which menus from the EBTA were not offered on the 11nt? Were the others all the same?

The ones that were not offered on the 11-night were the Taste of the Caribbean, Transatlantic and Savour the World. I did not compare the menu photos from the other thread to what I remember, but I cannot think they would have changed them greatly (or even at all) between the two cruises. Anyway, the food was great!

The bedspreads were still the old ones, though.

 

[Joan1]

Did you happen to see what the exchange rate on the ship was?

I also just thought of something else - shore excursions if you reserve them in advance there isn't any VAT tax. Wonder if they will charge VAT tax if you book the excursion onboard?

 

[woody73]

All non-EU residents will be able to reclaim this VAT once they are back home, however this is only true for purchases exceeding an amount of about 90 dollars, and not for things consumed on board like drinks.

I wonder if being able to reclaim the VAT once back home is new.

We are used to claiming the VAT at the airport, and having the merchandise with us in case we had to show that it was being taken out of the EU.

Woody

 

[Anal Annie]

OK, all this VAT stuff is new to me. What is it? A tax? What does this mean for those of us from the US? It's only on stuff purchased on the ship?

 

[sunkisser]

OK, all this VAT stuff is new to me. What is it? A tax? What does this mean for those of us from the US? It's only on stuff purchased on the ship?

Value Added Tax
VAT is a tax that's charged on most goods and services that VAT-registered businesses provide

 

[Happy99]

If you have any guide books to Europe they will all list and explain the VAT

the most important thing to remember is that you need to request the VAT refund BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE SHIP. For items puchased at ports you have to read the information for each country. I don't remember if you have to do it all at once at the airport before you leave Euope or in each country.

I remember reading something on the trip reports from 2007 and 2010 that on the ship they have a representative to answer and file the refund for purchases on the ship that qualify for the VAT refund. They handed out a form on the ship that explained the VAT rules

It really only applies if you are going to spend more than say (for example) $150 or over $200 in ONE store at the ports. Each country has a different amount needed. If you purchase $50 worth of souvenirs at store A and $100 at store B you won't be eligible for the VAT refund

http://goeurope.about.com/gi/o.htm?...http://www.reidsguides.com/t_mo/t_mo_vat.html

 

[Cousin Orville]

Its for purchases over $100 at any one time. I don't think they had anyone on board issuing refunds for ship purchases.

You have to request a "refund check" for purchases over $100. Keep your refund checks together (you'll have to write your name and passport # on them). Then at the airport, BEFORE going through security get the refund checks stamped. You'll need your refund check, passport, and officially the purchased item itself (but we were never asked to show them). You get the refund check stamped. Then you go to one of the refund offices that you can "cash the stamped check". Ask at the many information stands for guidance. You can also mail them it, but it was recommended on the ship to get it cashed immediately.

Learn from my mistake. Don't go through security first. I had to go right back through, went down to the baggage claim (which I still don't know why it's located there) of Barcelona airport. Factor in about 30 minutes to be safe to get all this done. Our flight was at 11:55 am and we had plenty of time.

 

[woody73]

If you have any guide books to Europe they will all list and explain the VAT

Good advice to consult a guidebook.

Some, if not all, stores in Europe require you to present your passport to complete the VAT refund form. I typically leave our passports in the room safe unless we are planning to shop.

YMMV

Woody

 

[Cousin Orville]

Good advice to consult a guidebook.

Some, if not all, stores in Europe require you to present your passport to complete the VAT refund form. I typically leave our passports in the room safe unless we are planning to shop.

Woody

We made several purchases and was never required to present passports. I even had passports on me in Rome as they are required. Both stores in Rome just showed me where to enter the number and told me I could fill them out later rather than pulling out my pp. Same thing for purchases on the ship. Filled in the PP# the night before disembarking, got my refund. No problem. I'm sure you can bring it or a copy along if you're concerned, but it's not necessary in my experience.

 

[ga9497]

If you have any guide books to Europe they will all list and explain the VAT

the most important thing to remember is that you need to request the VAT refund BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE SHIP. For items puchased at ports you have to read the information for each country. I don't remember if you have to do it all at once at the airport before you leave Euope or in each country.

I remember reading something on the trip reports from 2007 and 2010 that on the ship they have a representative to answer and file the refund for purchases on the ship that qualify for the VAT refund. They handed out a form on the ship that explained the VAT rules

It really only applies if you are going to spend more than say (for example) $150 or over $200 in ONE store at the ports. Each country has a different amount needed. If you purchase $50 worth of souvenirs at store A and $100 at store B you won't be eligible for the VAT refund

http://goeurope.about.com/gi/o.htm?...http://www.reidsguides.com/t_mo/t_mo_vat.html

Maybe for 2011 they didn't have anyone onboard?
Here is the information from the 2007 Med about VAT tax and refunds for onboard purchases. Keep in mind this was for 2007

http://www.wdwinfo.com/Photos/DCL-Navigators/5-26-07-Med-Misc/index.htm

Was the $100 the amount on the ship?
Each country, if shopping in port, has a different minimum you have to purchase at ONE store in order to qualify