Customs (and immigration) when leaving Europe on a TATL?

[cruising cockroach]

At which port is customs and immigration done when leaving Europe on a TATL bound for North America? Say if the cruise ship leaves from Italy and stops in Spain, France and/or Portugal along the way (all countries in the Schengen zone), is customs (for duty/tax refunds) at the last port in the E.U. or port of embarkation? Similarly, what about passport control? My wife will be entering the E.U. with a passport where she wont be stamped going in (or out) but will present a different passport to the cruise line to make it easier for the drones uuuhh staff on board.

 

Not as easy/clear as air travel where customs stamping for duty/tax refunds is at the last E.U. airport.

[sail7seas]

:confused: What is a TATL?

 

I think it starts with TransAtlantic but what does the TL stand for?

 

[Galveston Cruiser]

Not sure what TATL is nor the reason for more than one passport, but you will clear immigration and customs at your U.S. port of entry. The passport presented to ICE must be the same as on the ship's manifest,

[cruising cockroach]

I should have specified, passport control and customs when LEAVING Europe.

[Mary Ellen]

We haven't encountered customs, passport control, nor opportunity for duty/tax refunds when leaving Europe on a Trans ATLantic cruise. I've never seen your abbreviation before but it wasn't hard to figure out. Some use TA as an abbreviation, but I think that is too easily confused with the common one used for a travel agent. I just bite the bullet and use trans-atlantic myself.

[kitty9]

There's no passport control when boarding a ship for a trans Atlantic crossing. Yes, you'll go through local immigration and customs when you arrive at the airport, that is if you're American and fly to your port of embarkation. But like there's no passport control when you embark for a Caribbean cruise, there's also none when you embark in Barcelona.

 

Why does your wife have/need two passports. FYI, she can't check in for your cruise with one passport and then disembark in the US using the other passport. When they scan her passport upon arrival back to the US, it will show she never checked in with that passport.

[sail7seas]

We haven't encountered customs, passport control, nor opportunity for duty/tax refunds when leaving Europe on a Trans ATLantic cruise. I've never seen your abbreviation before but it wasn't hard to figure out. Some use TA as an abbreviation, but I think that is too easily confused with the common one used for a travel agent. I just bite the bullet and use trans-atlantic myself.

 

 

Thanks for your help.

I don't recall ever seeing that abbreviation. I've always seen TA for TransAtlantic.

 

Learn something new everyday. :)

 

[sail7seas]

There's no passport control when boarding a ship for a trans Atlantic crossing. Yes, you'll go through local immigration and customs when you arrive at the airport, that is if you're American and fly to your port of embarkation. But like there's no passport control when you embark for a Caribbean cruise, there's also none when you embark in Barcelona.

 

Why does your wife have/need two passports. FYI, she can't check in for your cruise with one passport and then disembark in the US using the other passport. When they scan her passport upon arrival back to the US, it will show she never checked in with that passport.

 

 

Yes.

CBP will require wife checks onto the ship and off the ship (enters U.S.) with the same passport.

 

There are people who legally have passports from more than one country. Ireland, Greece, Mexico, Israel, Portugal come to mind as countries which allow dual citizenship with U.S. and I am very sure there are countries.

 

[cruising cockroach]

We haven't encountered customs, passport control, nor opportunity for duty/tax refunds when leaving Europe on a Trans ATLantic cruise.

 

Thank you. The exact answer I was looking for. I'll make sure not to buy too much or count on any VAT refunds

[LHT28]

When we were leaving Norway on a cruise the last port we had someone come on the ship to give refunds for the VAT

 

Not sure if they do the same for the TA cruises

 

You could ask the cruise line you may find someone with the answer ;)

[Mary Ellen]

When we were leaving Norway on a cruise the last port we had someone come on the ship to give refunds for the VAT

We've also had that happen in Norway, but they weren't part of the EU. However, as I mentioned earlier, we haven't had that happen for EU nations when departing Europe on a trans-Atlantic cruise.

[sail7seas]

Can you get VAT refunds by mail?

 

I seem to recall years ago, we forgot at the airport and we were able to mail the form and got a refund...... that happened before the EU.

[Galveston Cruiser]

We have been on 5 TA's, never saw a desk for VAT refunds nor was there any notification of such.

[LHT28]

Can you get VAT refunds by mail?

 

 

Yes I think most countries you can mail it in

I gave up on collecting it

Lined up at Heathrow to get VAT back they stamped forms said drop in mail box

That was in 2004...still waiting:D

 

In Norway there are 2 companies that give VAT back of course I had the one that the person on the ship did not do

 

Unless you are spending big bucks it is not worth the hassle

 

YMMV

[cruising cockroach]

To get VAT refunds, you need to have the forms stamped by customs/douane in the last E.U. port before you leave the E.U., which is why I asked the question. Since evidently no customs officers visit the ship, you'll either have to seek them out in a port or just forego the refund.

 

Some countries will accept the stamp of customs in your home country.

[BruceMuzz]

To get VAT refunds, you need to have the forms stamped by customs/douane in the last E.U. port before you leave the E.U., which is why I asked the question. Since evidently no customs officers visit the ship, you'll either have to seek them out in a port or just forego the refund.

 

Some countries will accept the stamp of customs in your home country.

 

Immigration and Customs Officials visit nearly every cruise ship in nearly every port. The ship - in most cases - cannot be cleared for pax to go ashore until Customs and Immigration officials have completed their paperwork. The fact that they do not force you to go through an inspection does not mean they are not there.

 

Every time my ship makes a Westbound transatlantic crossing, a VAT refund desk is arranged either onboard or in the terminal, at the final European port stop.

[DanJ]

Thanks for your help.

I don't recall ever seeing that abbreviation. I've always seen TA for TransAtlantic.

 

Learn something new everyday. :)

 

 

The OP is a long time member of the Flyertalk boards and TATL is the common acronym for transatlantic over there.

[sail7seas]

Thanks, Dan. :)

 

[barante]

google European Union VAT refunds and seen what comes up.

I have never done it in ports. But at airports it's usually done by a private company that has a booth somewhere and takes a staggering cut.

[BruceMuzz]

google European Union VAT refunds and seen what comes up.

I have never done it in ports. But at airports it's usually done by a private company that has a booth somewhere and takes a staggering cut.

 

In cruise ports the VAT is refunded by Customs Officials.

You recieve 100% of what is owed you.

[cruising cockroach]

In cruise ports the VAT is refunded by Customs Officials.

You recieve 100% of what is owed you.

 

You're sure of this, since the VAT can have been paid to one of 27 countries, and the tax-rebate scheme is privately-sponsored by a handful of companies that take cut?

 

 

google European Union VAT refunds and seen what comes up.

I have never done it in ports. But at airports it's usually done by a private company that has a booth somewhere and takes a staggering cut.

 

I've looked at a couple of the prevalent schemes and they don't seem to have an online guide to what they offer you at participating retailers. I seem to remember it was limited to major intercontinental gateway airports (AMS, CDG, FRA, LHR, etc.) The E.U. customs guidance on this seems to indicate it is limited to airports.

 

The cut isn't too bad the more you spend, the more you get back. I remember lining up at AMS 2 years ago to get my measly €5 refund (more on principle) while mainland Chinese tourists were lining up to get refunds in the 100's of € each (or maybe that was 100's of € per store they visited.

 

 

Immigration and Customs Officials visit nearly every cruise ship in nearly every port. The ship - in most cases - cannot be cleared for pax to go ashore until Customs and Immigration officials have completed their paperwork. The fact that they do not force you to go through an inspection does not mean they are not there.

 

Every time my ship makes a Westbound transatlantic crossing, a VAT refund desk is arranged either onboard or in the terminal, at the final European port stop.

 

Perhaps not when the ship has sailed from another Schengen port. It's a more of a formality and not a shake-up-the-ship inspection of all as if the ship arrived into the U.S.

 

Can you please cite itinerary and cruise line of previous sailings where the last country's customs set up a desk?

[BruceMuzz]

Customs and Immigration officials appear in EVERY Shengen port. They were doing it even before there was a Shengen Treaty.

Why?

Officially to clear the ship.

Unofficially to collect the bribes to clear the ship faster.

I am the officer who has to sign off on the cigarettes, alcohol, and sometimes cash for the bribes, so I am very familiar with the drill and the schedule.

These people NEVER miss a chance for a free carton of cigarettes or a few bottles of whiskey.

 

In my last 14 Western Transatlantics, we have had VAT desks in several Spanish Ports and several Portuguese ports. It varies by ship and itinerary, but it is always the final European port call.

[sail7seas]

Is it always published in the Daily Program there will be a VAT Refund Desk available in the terminal or on the ship? Is there an announcement over PA system?

 

Thanks.

[jamessemaj]

NIKWTATLM

 

Now I know what TATL means.

 

Never assume we all know, lol (laugh out loud).

[cruising cockroach]

Customs and Immigration officials appear in EVERY Shengen port. They were doing it even before there was a Shengen Treaty.'

.

 

I can see the necessity before Schengen but now that Schengen has been in effect (for 13+ years now), I don't see the need (other than for in-bond goods) if the ship is coming from another Schengen port given that one can drive the same goods across land borders without any customs inspection,

 

Of course the unofficial reason you cited isn't unexpected.

 

As aside, I was on a Sweden-Denmark (Helsingor-Helsingborg) ferry after Schengen came into effect and one of the things to do then was get on the ferry, go to the dining room, and see how many turns the ferry could do over your meal (over 3). Certainly no customs and immigration to be seen.