Drink package prices higher for Europe/Allure??

[cindivan]

 

We have a good amount of onboard credit so we were waiting for our June 7 cruise on the Allure to buy our drink package. I'm not sure if I never looked at prices for our specific cruise or whether they have gone up. I took a screen print of the prices listed if you don't specify a cruise and the prices listed in our cruise planner.

 

Am I missing something? Even if you add 18% to the premium price listed of $55 on the general site it brings you to 64ish. Not the 71 listed in my cruise planner.

 

[cindivan]

The pics are hard to read on my iPad. Not sure if that is true for everyone. And when I said premium I meant ultimate, but this will program won't let me edit my previous post

 

Anyway, here are the prices listed in my cruise planner

 

Ultimate 70.40

Premium 63

Select 45

Royal replenish 24

 

If you add 18% to the general listing you get less for every package

[Clarea]

The pics are hard to read on my iPad. Not sure if that is true for everyone. And when I said premium I meant ultimate, but this will program won't let me edit my previous post

 

Anyway, here are the prices listed in my cruise planner

 

Ultimate 70.40

Premium 63

Select 45

Royal replenish 24

 

If you add 18% to the general listing you get less for every package

I'm wondering if you are being charged the VAT tax for cruises out of Barcelona? I don't know the details, but if a cruise starts in Barcelona and stays within a certain zone, you get charged an extra tax.

[strachan01]

I'm wondering if you are being charged the VAT tax for cruises out of Barcelona? I don't know the details, but if a cruise starts in Barcelona and stays within a certain zone, you get charged an extra tax.

 

Yup as Bob said. We were on liberty from Barca a few years ago and had to pay the extra Tax.

[cindivan]

I'm wondering if you are being charged the VAT tax for cruises out of Barcelona? I don't know the details, but if a cruise starts in Barcelona and stays within a certain zone, you get charged an extra tax.

 

 

I bet that is right. It looks like it's about the same percentage increase on all the packages.

 

Oh well, what's a few more dollars on top of everything this is costing us!? [emoji23][emoji23]

Edited May 11, 2015 by cindivan

[SAVVO]

we have a select drinks package included with our booking. can we pay the difference & upgrade to a premium one? & do we have to wait until we are on board to do it?

 

I printed our seapasses but no mention of the select package being included, how do they know?

[Clarea]

we have a select drinks package included with our booking. can we pay the difference & upgrade to a premium one? & do we have to wait until we are on board to do it?

 

I printed our seapasses but no mention of the select package being included, how do they know?

You have to wait until you are onboard to upgrade your drink package.

[Frankmac]

I'm guessing ( but pretty sure), based on my experience in the last two years that it is made up as follows:

 

Base price $55.00

Spanish VAT 10% 5.50

Gratuity 9.90

 

Total $70.40

 

The gratuity is not charged on the VAT

[steamboats]

Actually booking online they should only add the 18% service charge but not the 10% VAT for Spain. The online booking is nothing which is regarded as "consumption within the EU". They should only charge the VAT for purchases onboard.

 

And yes, the prices shown online for the Allure Med cruises differ. Some of the restaurants are much higher while others are more or less the same price. So it can´t just be the Spanish VAT.

 

I have listed

 

Chops 39.90 EUR = 44.70 USD

Chef´s Table 97.19 EUR = 108.85 EUR

150 Central Park 40.92 EUR = 45.83 USD

Giovanni´s Table 25.58 EUR = 28.65 USD

Samba Grill 30.69 EUR = 34.37 USD

 

Evian Package 46.43 EUR = 52 USD

R Refreshment 7.74 EUR = 8.67 USD

R Replenish 22.62 EUR = 25.33 USD

Select 41.66 EUR = 46.66 USD

Premium 58.33 EUR = 65.33 USD

Ultimate 65.47 EUR = 73.55 USD

 

I used 1.12 as conversion rate. According to the fine print the beverage package prices do include the 18% service charge (nothing about any Spanish VAT).

 

steamboats

Edited May 13, 2015 by steamboats

[ocav]

Actually booking online they should only add the 18% service charge but not the 10% VAT for Spain. The online booking is nothing which is regarded as "consumption within the EU". They should only charge the VAT for purchases onboard.

 

Interesting, I will contact RCI about this, seems to be putting the 10% into the bottom line as they wont be required to pay VAT on it to any Government.

[Mr&Mrs L.]

Interesting, I will contact RCI about this, seems to be putting the 10% into the bottom line as they wont be required to pay VAT on it to any Government.

 

If they are charging 10% Spanish VAT I guess this also applies to online booking. You are only paying in advance. Since this is consumed onboard the ship within the EU they will have to pay the VAT to the Spanish government.

 

Mr. L

[ocav]

If they are charging 10% Spanish VAT I guess this also applies to online booking. You are only paying in advance. Since this is consumed onboard the ship within the EU they will have to pay the VAT to the Spanish government.

 

Mr. L

 

 

I'm actually paying a UK based company in £ which is then added to my booking invoice which is with a UK company

[Mr&Mrs L.]

Yes, and I’m paying a Norwegian travel agent. Anyway RCI have to pay the costs of using the port in Barcelona and they also have to pay the Spanish VAT according to Spanish law. Then again they will have to get their expenses covered and my travel agent will have to invoice me for the total amount.

You pay VAT to the country that you are “eating and drinking” in not to the country that you live in.

Or actually your UK company may add UK VAT to your invoice too. I think they do so here.

[ocav]

Yes, and I’m paying a Norwegian travel agent. Anyway RCI have to pay the costs of using the port in Barcelona and they also have to pay the Spanish VAT according to Spanish law. Then again they will have to get their expenses covered and my travel agent will have to invoice me for the total amount.

You pay VAT to the country that you are “eating and drinking” in not to the country that you live in.

Or actually your UK company may add UK VAT to your invoice too. I think they do so here.

 

 

The UK company is Royal Caribbean International, their UK registered subsidiary not a travel agent.

 

I don't pay Spanish VAT on any other part of the cruise

[Mr&Mrs L.]

The UK company is Royal Caribbean International, their UK registered subsidiary not a travel agent.

 

I don't pay Spanish VAT on any other part of the cruise

 

I’m sorry that I don’t know too much about international VAT regulations and certainly not regarding cruise ships and companies. How do you know that a part of your cruise fare is not Spanish VAT. I think I have seen somewhere on this board someone complaining that the 7 night cruises out of Barcelona is more expensive than a 7 night Caribbean cruise.

[ocav]

I’m sorry that I don’t know too much about international VAT regulations and certainly not regarding cruise ships and companies. How do you know that a part of your cruise fare is not Spanish VAT. I think I have seen somewhere on this board someone complaining that the 7 night cruises out of Barcelona is more expensive than a 7 night Caribbean cruise.

 

 

Because the VAT on my cruise invoice is 20% which is the UK rate and not 21% which is the Spanish rate

 

The complaint was regards currency exchange rates

[mlsetc]

I just bought the Premium drink package for the Allure transatlantic in October. Paid $55 a day, there was no 18% or VAT added. Are these something that will be added on when I cruise?

[ocav]

I just bought the Premium drink package for the Allure transatlantic in October. Paid $55 a day, there was no 18% or VAT added. Are these something that will be added on when I cruise?

 

 

Transatlantic doesn't have VAT as it leaves the European Union

[andyhp]

I noticed the drinks package prices on the UK site have increased in the last week or so, have they increased the US price too?

 

I notice the Kids soda package increased to £3.80/day from £3.50

I also recall the Classic package has risen by around £2.

 

I know the US price has to have the 18% gratuity added whereas the UK prices shown on their website are inclusive of the gratuity.

[cflower04]

I checked the prices a few days ago and today the premium package is roughly €40 more for the week.... CRAZY

[ocav]

Premium comes to £279.22 on the UK site per person for 7 days which is $432.54 or $61.79 a day

[Clarea]

Premium comes to £279.22 on the UK site per person for 7 days which is $432.54 or $61.79 a day.

That is less than the current US price inclusive of gratuity of $64.90 per day. Maybe a favorable exchnge rate.

[denatravels]

That is less than the current US price inclusive of gratuity of $64.90 per day. Maybe a favorable exchnge rate.

 

 

Deleted

Edited May 25, 2015 by denatravels

[cflower04]

Price is back down to €390 here for the week... Huh?!

[welshy74]

Price is back down to €390 here for the week... Huh?!

 

Based on the UK price that would make sense. if I convert that to pounds i get around £279 which is close to the advertised price. What was it before? The UK price has actually gone up slightly.