British tax on drink packages purchased when in Southampton

[oldmovieguy]

I read on another thread that a happy cruiser said that you may be liable for local tax if purchasing a drink package while in port. I contacted Celebrity UK via the new 'instant' help line and asked about tax when buying the package while in port at Southampton. The reply was unequivocal, the only 'extra' charge on the advertised package prices would be the 15% that Celebrity apply on any purchase, there would be no British tax added.

I mention this here in case anyone read the same thread and is concerned the price may jack up by 20%.

[frogsgirl]

.....For the information, it can be quite confusing with different countries of departure. Curious to know about this instant helpline you comment on, where on the website is this?

[oldmovieguy]

.....For the information, it can be quite confusing with different countries of departure. Curious to know about this instant helpline you comment on, where on the website is this?

 

I ant into the contact section and a 'do you want help' box popped up.

[isdoo]

Have never had VAT added on a cruise from Southampton.

[cruisingdelt]

I read on another thread that a happy cruiser said that you may be liable for local tax if purchasing a drink package while in port. I contacted Celebrity UK via the new 'instant' help line and asked about tax when buying the package while in port at Southampton. The reply was unequivocal, the only 'extra' charge on the advertised package prices would be the 15% that Celebrity apply on any purchase, there would be no British tax added.

I mention this here in case anyone read the same thread and is concerned the price may jack up by 20%.

 

Avpid any worry or confusion...buy it on line prior to the cruise.

[dkjretired]

I read on another thread that a happy cruiser said that you may be liable for local tax if purchasing a drink package while in port. I contacted Celebrity UK via the new 'instant' help line and asked about tax when buying the package while in port at Southampton. The reply was unequivocal, the only 'extra' charge on the advertised package prices would be the 15% that Celebrity apply on any purchase, there would be no British tax added.

I mention this here in case anyone read the same thread and is concerned the price may jack up by 20%.

 

I hate to throw confusion into this but last year on Eclipse they didn't even add the gratuity onto the price of the drinks and the packages, they were built into the price. This was done because the year before they had many complaints about the tip being added onto the price. Also, I realize that you received the info that the 15% is added into the price from Celebrity but their phone service is not known for their accuracy.

[sandancer]

Avpid any worry or confusion...buy it on line prior to the cruise.

And as you are in the UK you may benefit from currency exchange rates. We usually buy OBC because we get a better rate than changing £'s to $'s.

[gosport11]

If you buy the package in a Spanish port there will be an extra tax,as there is if you buy any drinks etc when in a Spanish port,excluding canaries,you dont pay the extra if you all ready have a package

The price you see is the price you will pay ex Southampton, even the bar prices dont show the 15%:)

[Tiggertastic]

We have just got off a 4 day cruise out of Southampton - they charged 20% on top of all the prices, adding UK VAT.

 

Not to onboard refreshments - so you could buy soda packages, drinks etc with no charge but anything you purchased in the shops or stalls, they added 20% VAT

 

They didn't open the drinks and cigarette shop at all as they didn't allow purchases as the cruise never left the EU

 

When we board in Spain - we were charged an extra 7% on all drinks and when we boarded in New Orleans, we had to pay tax until we were out of a set distance from the port - this included soda packages (not Celebrity it was RCL)

 

we've learnt to ask for the mileage marker before indulging into packages