Drinks more expensive in port

[DAN 60]

Has anyone noticed the drink,s are more expensive when the ship is docked in some Spanish ports, apparently it,s a local tax.

[BrianI]

There is a 7% Spanish VAT added to all on board prices when docked at Spanish ports.

Brian

[Merlin7]

No.

 

But then we are never on board on a port day. If you mean P&O, then definitely not, their prices do not vary, in our experience, wherever in the world you are.

[Elaine0138]

No.

 

But then we are never on board on a port day. If you mean P&O, then definitely not, their prices do not vary, in our experience, wherever in the world you are.

 

They do now in Spanish ports

[jeanlyon]

We're usually ashore, so wouldn't notice.

[tom_uk]

I wonder how far off-shore you have to be at sailaway time to avoid the VAT?

[terrierjohn]

I had a similar issue on Celebrity in the Caribbean where they applied the US sales tax to my first night wine bill. However when I complained they agreed to refund the tax, but reluctantly and without agreeing it had been wrong in the first place.

[jodanuke]

We pid a similar tax when on celebrity last year. Which was on top of the 15% service charge:mad:

[KarenR_UK]

Cunard introduced it this year - it now appears in the prevoyage docs from them - currently only for mainland Spain & the Balearics.

 

It seemed to apply for a short time after sailaway (Barcelona) - the first drinks bought shortly after sailaway included it, the 2nd (1/2an hour (?) later) didn't.

 

I can't remember if it was on top of, or before the 15% service charge - not that it makes a lot of difference to the passenger as the final value is the same:D.

[Brayman]

I wonder how far off-shore you have to be at sailaway time to avoid the VAT?

 

On board earlier this month I got the impression it was as soon as we let go the lines!