Beware Customs

[leodis]

There were 10 custom officials stopping and searching cruisers returning from Canaries cruise on IOTS on friday morning 11.11.11. I have cruised for 13 years and have never witnessed this before. All purchases were removed in excess of 1 litre or 200 cigarettes purchased onboard.

[hmallett]

Well those are the limits for import from areas outside the EU (and the Canaries are included in that). See http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/customs/arriving/arrivingnoneu.htm

 

Of course, on IoS's Canaries cruise, there are three types of place where you can purchase: EU; Non-EU; On the ship.

 

I assume that goods bought on the ship count as non-EU. I wonder if the burden of proof is on you to prove items you bought within the EU were bought there. E.g. if you want to buy a load of wine from Spain (not the Canaries), is that fine as long as you can prove it was bought in Spain?

[Bigtex1622]

Boy I hope that they do not do this here in Galveston TX.

My friend loves his Cuban Cigars, I love my flavored Tequila !

 

 

Oops, do not read TSA.:D

 

 

:rolleyes:

[FLHugh]

Most "Cuban" Cigars bought in the Caribbean are not "Real" Cuban Cigars!!!

[Cigar King]

FWIW, you can always just declare the excess and pay the duty. It's pretty reasonable. I've done it several times. Sometimes they don't even charge you.

[MrChuckFL]

We always bring back double or triple the allowance and never have any problems.

 

Years ago we would just toss it in the suitcase and never declare it. Then we found out that the duty on the excess is only $2-$3 per bottle so we started declaring it. Since then we have never been asked to pay the duty.

 

From what I understand, it is up the customs officer whether or not to assess the duty and for a couple of $ it is not worth the hassle. They just want to move people along as quick as possible.

[reallyitsmema]

There were 10 custom officials stopping and searching cruisers returning from Canaries cruise on IOTS on friday morning 11.11.11. I have cruised for 13 years and have never witnessed this before. All purchases were removed in excess of 1 litre or 200 cigarettes purchased onboard.

Just declare what you have purchased. You can pay duty on the excess, though usually they don't make you pay. Better to tell the truth and pay the couple of dollars duty than get stopped and questioned and miss a flight.

[Big_G]

Hey Cigar King,

I'm doing an eastern in January. Do you know any 'legit' cigar stores in St. Thomas or St. Maarten?

[Cigar King]

Hey Cigar King,

I'm doing an eastern in January. Do you know any 'legit' cigar stores in St. Thomas or St. Maarten?

 

I haven't been there in a while, so I am not sure. We're going there in February (EoS from BWI) so I'll be checking out their stock. My assumption is St. Thomas is out since it is a US territory, so St. Maarten is your only shot.

[Big_G]

I haven't been there in a while, so I am not sure. We're going there in February (EoS from BWI) so I'll be checking out their stock. My assumption is St. Thomas is out since it is a US territory, so St. Maarten is your only shot.

 

Thanks and have a great trip.

[retiredonthesea]

We just came back from FOS "Halloween" cruise and had double the amt. of liquor purchase--carried it right through customs without any questions, but hubby did get stopped and questioned as his passport has a pix of him clean shaven and now he has a full beard!!:rolleyes:

 

Rather pay a small duty fee than try to sneak it through customs--they don't want to do the paper work for a few dollars of duty fee!

[north29]

Please forgive my dumbness, but where do you pay duty on the booze or even other items?

[Cigar King]

The customs officials will send you to their collections window. It's pretty easy, although we were delayed once about an hour while they tried to figure out how much to charge us. Not a big deal as we had no need to rush to the airport.

[Marley-Bop]

Hi

 

When we got off the Indy in Southampton, England in October this year after our Canaries cruise - Loads of people were being stopped and searched going through customs. There were cartons of cigarettes filling tables and loads of bottles of spirits :eek:

 

They do warn you on the TV onboard but the prices on the ship are VERY tempting to exeed that limit!

 

Top tip Leodis :)

[greeneng]

The original poster was returning from a Canaries cruise on the Independence. That means that the customs he references in in Southampton, UK., and those rules are British, not American.

 

 

Jim

[Jenna109]

Well those are the limits for import from areas outside the EU (and the Canaries are included in that). See http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/customs/arriving/arrivingnoneu.htm

 

Of course, on IoS's Canaries cruise, there are three types of place where you can purchase: EU; Non-EU; On the ship.

 

I assume that goods bought on the ship count as non-EU. I wonder if the burden of proof is on you to prove items you bought within the EU were bought there. E.g. if you want to buy a load of wine from Spain (not the Canaries), is that fine as long as you can prove it was bought in Spain?

 

Hi,

The same rule applies for Gibralter it is duty free BUT you can only take your usual allowances e.g. 200 cigs. l litre Alc. The shops will, of course, sell you as much as you wish to purchase - many passengers on our ship thought this meant they could take them legally into Britain. At Southampton the customs were waiting - and they certainly KNEW who to stop. Tables were covered in packs of cig's, etc. One member of staff said that there were normally no customs staff on duty when the ship docked - how wrong she was!

You can purchase in EEC shops more alch. and cig's. (but they cost more) as duty has been paid on them. However, you do have to prove that they are for yourself and produce the receipt from the shop. We bought 4 bottles of gin in a Spanish shop 10 euro each. The same gin in Gibralter was 6 euro! - could only buy one each!

A recent tv. prog. I watched said that customs are stepping up searches for cig's. as many are bringing them in to sell - evading £40 per pack tax! Also all luggage is being screened as it leaves the ship/plane - this would seem to be how they know.

[Cigar King]

Just to be clear, are you saying that in the UK, you can not declare goods above the duty free threshold, and pay the duty on them?

[Willo60]

There were 10 custom officials stopping and searching cruisers returning from Canaries cruise on IOTS on friday morning 11.11.11. I have cruised for 13 years and have never witnessed this before. All purchases were removed in excess of 1 litre or 200 cigarettes purchased onboard.

 

Wow , 10 customs officials . All leave must of been cancelled then . When they get really experienced they might consider realeasing a couple to monitor the illegal immigrants coming in . All those benefits being claimed . All the families living in homes they not are entitled to . etc etc .

 

Leodis you are right , it is unusual . People cheating the taxman is wrong , but there are some real big fish available to nab if they want to make a point . UK residents know who they are . :mad:

 

Lets get the fella with a few bottles of vodka and some cigs for his mate . Teach him a lesson eh ! :confused: ;)

[Retired LEO]

They do monitor your spending onboard and if they see something that might raise a flag you'll be detained by Customs.

[Bazzito]

Cigar King is right about St. Thomas. It's a U.S. territory, so no Cubans for you.

 

The good news is that, unlike the other places in the Caribbean that purport to have "Cuban" cigars and sell mostly fakes, (Mexico, Bahamas, Jamaica) the stores in St. Maarten are very legitimate with excellent selection and prices. I have yet to encounter a fake.

 

(Then again, I mostly buy the Fonsecas. Nobody counterfeits Fansecas. They don't want to spend the extra penny for the silk wrapper. Really!)

 

It's the only place that I would buy Cuban cigars in the Caribbean. I've always gotten first rate goods there.

 

There are plenty of shops there and the ones that are small are all owned by other retailers, so they can get anytyhing you ask for - you might be walked to another store down the block, so ask for what you want and they'll get it for you or take you to it.

 

And don't forget...If customs should find and sieze your Cubans when you re-enter the U.S., remember to break them apart in front of them. They haaaate it whan you do that!

[MrChuckFL]

I highly doubt it.

 

A. Wouldn't be good for sales.

 

B. Easy to bypass by buying at the port of call where it can't be tracked.

 

 

 

They do monitor your spending onboard and if they see something that might raise a flag you'll be detained by Customs.

[hmallett]

Just to be clear, are you saying that in the UK, you can not declare goods above the duty free threshold, and pay the duty on them?

No, you can. They are obviously catching the people who are exceeding what's allowed and not declaring them though.

When they get really experienced they might consider realeasing a couple to monitor the illegal immigrants coming in . All those benefits being claimed.

Illegal immigrants aren't entitled to benefits, by virtue of the fact that they're illegal. :rolleyes:

[Lvteks]

Ref: Undocumented workers. Most who file taxes cannot claim spouses or children whether in the U.S. or elsewhere even though most of their income is for family support. They have to say they are "single." That is a significant tax incease. Also they cannot get the Earned Income Credit. It is not an equal world. Recently a farmer plowed under his crop because no one would take the job the UD's did.

 

On our cruises we learned about the long term contracts and working conditions for the crew. Does it beat the potato farm? I don't know, I wish we could reasonably solve the problems of boarders and desperation. That's what brought my ancestors here.

 

Blessings,

Gail

[Willo60]

No, you can. They are obviously catching the people who are exceeding what's allowed and not declaring them though.

 

Illegal immigrants aren't entitled to benefits, by virtue of the fact that they're illegal. :rolleyes:

 

Just a little street info for you . False paperwork .

Anything else you need to know ? ;)

[cruiseguy1016]

Illegal immigrants aren't entitled to benefits, by virtue of the fact that they're illegal. :rolleyes:

 

I wish it was that way here in the States. We give our illegal immigrants free food, clothing, health care and social security.:eek: