How is VAT refund handled when cruising Europe?

[SleepyDeb]

We'll be on a DCL cruise this summer England>France>Norway>Iceland>Denmark. We're spending a few days in London before and a few days in Copenhagen after. Chances are high that we'll spend enough in at least one shop to make it worth applying to get a VAT refund.

We've never traveled to more than one country at a time before and the VAT refund is pretty straight forward then. Get your form stamped at the airport. But if I want to get a VAT refund from UK (or any of the other countries besides Denmark), how do I get a stamp? Are there Customs people in the terminal or ports?

 

[SIN Cruiser]

VAT refunds in the UK ended on December 31, 2020. So you can no longer obtain VAT refunds for purchases made in the UK.

 

[SleepyDeb]

VAT refunds in the UK ended on December 31, 2020. So you can no longer obtain VAT refunds for purchases made in the UK.

You are right. So now I’m asking about the other countries.

Too bad. I probably would have spent the most in UK. I will probably spend less now since I can’t get the VAT back.

 

[hrhdhd]

VAT refunds in the UK ended on December 31, 2020. So you can no longer obtain VAT refunds for purchases made in the UK.

You can if you have the items shipped to an overseas address. From a Reuters article from 3/15/23:

" . . . tourists can still enjoy UK tax-free shopping if they ship goods directly to an overseas address."

Of course, the shipping fee may outweigh the VAT savings.

 

[SIN Cruiser]

You can if you have the items shipped to an overseas address. From a Reuters article from 3/15/23:

" . . . tourists can still enjoy UK tax-free shopping if they ship goods directly to an overseas address."

Of course, the shipping fee may outweigh the VAT savings.

Technically that is not getting a VAT refund — you’re just not being charged VAT. And I agree about the shipping fee, so not very useful for many tourists.

 

[SIN Cruiser]

You are right. So now I’m asking about the other countries.

Too bad. I probably would have spent the most in UK. I will probably spend less now since I can’t get the VAT back.

Your itinerary is tricky from a VAT refund perspective. For multiple EU jurisdictions, you would claim your VAT refund at the last point of departure from the EU (in your case, Denmark). However, you are travelling to Norway and Iceland (non-EU) in between France and Denmark (EU).

So, technically, I think you claim VAT refund for French purchases upon leaving France instead of when leaving Denmark. And you can claim VAT refund for Norway purchases upon leaving Norway and VAT refund for Iceland purchases upon leaving Iceland. You would need to meet the minimum purchase amount in each country and also obtain a customs attestation at the airport / port.

Maybe someone who knows better or has experience in having a similar itinerary can chime in.

 

[Geomom]

If you have a non EU port on your cruise they shouldn't charge VAT on the ship. We had no added VAT on our Baltic cruise which had some non EU countries.

 

[pjacobi]

Minimum requirement for EU VAT refund is single item purchase of 175 Euros. This excludes hotels and restaurants.

Unless you are buying a very expensive souvenir, you can forget about a VAT refund.


-Paul

 

[Flip flops in winter]

Minimum requirement for EU VAT refund is single item purchase of 175 Euros. This excludes hotels and restaurants.

Unless you are buying a very expensive souvenir, you can forget about a VAT refund.


-Paul

Many Americans choose to shop for luxury goods in Europe because they are SO much cheaper there, where they are manufactured. What I received in a VAT refund alone on one single LV purse paid for 2 plane tickets and was still cheaper than buying it here in the states.

 

[SleepyDeb]

I know there's no VAT on the ship. I'm talking about in the country. Yes, I might (or might not) spend a lot on one item. I've done it many times before.

What's throwing me is, all of the websites say get the form stamped at the airport upon departure. There won't be a departure airport for me, except Denmark. Are there Customs officials at the ports?

 

[Disneypeach]

In 2019 when I was on back to back European cruises with the WBTA there was no VAT personnel available to stamp my receipt at the port. I wasn’t going to the airport so that was my only chance but no dice.

FYI, I was charged VAT for merch onboard the ship.

 

[hrhdhd]

I know there's no VAT on the ship. I'm talking about in the country. Yes, I might (or might not) spend a lot on one item. I've done it many times before.

What's throwing me is, all of the websites say get the form stamped at the airport upon departure. There won't be a departure airport for me, except Denmark. Are there Customs officials at the ports?

I was in Norway in 2013, according to my signature (otherwise I wouldn't know the year!), and in Oslo, some customs personnel were just off the ship in a little shop place and they were stamping paperwork. Don't know if that's still a thing.