Carnival Vista stops at Turkey

[HawkIVette]

les, Since you are so persistant on this VAT Tax thing, and I don't understand it exactly. What purchases does the VAT Tax affect?.

Just food and drinks?

Anything you buy on the cruise ship?

It doesn't apply to the cost of the actual cruise, does it?

 

Thanks for helping me to understand this better.

 

I am on the Sept 13th cruise , as this could affect me.

[bluwes]

les, Since you are so persistant on this VAT Tax thing, and I don't understand it exactly. What purchases does the VAT Tax affect?.

Just food and drinks?

Anything you buy on the cruise ship?

It doesn't apply to the cost of the actual cruise, does it?

 

Thanks for helping me to understand this better.

 

I am on the Sept 13th cruise , as this could affect me.

 

HawkIVette.

 

No it doesn't apply to the cost of the cruise only your purchases on board. It is added when there is no non EU port on the itinerary.

 

We sailed on the Magic on such a cruise in 2011 from Barcelona. Every drinks and food purchase had the 15% gratuity plus a further 10% purchase tax.

 

All gifts or other items purchased in the on board shops had an extra 20% tax added to every purchase.

 

Hope that helps, and see you on board !..Have you joined the roll call for our sailing yet ?

 

Wes

[les37b]

les, Since you are so persistant on this VAT Tax thing, and I don't understand it exactly. What purchases does the VAT Tax affect?.

Just food and drinks?

Anything you buy on the cruise ship?

It doesn't apply to the cost of the actual cruise, does it?

 

Thanks for helping me to understand this better.

 

I am on the Sept 13th cruise , as this could affect me.

 

No problem..... Though to be fair, I was unaware of it affecting me until about 2 months ago and Carnival failed to inform me when I asked a direct question to them about costs of things onboard.

 

OK, firstly VAT is a European purchase tax on goods and services. Each country has its own rates and the tax is applied independently of each other and varies from country to country.

 

It's the Spanish who have put this into motion, though any country is entitled to receive.

 

The tax is applicable when a ship departs from an EU port and then doesn't go outside of EU waters. As wrong as it sounds, there are no international waters and if the ship doesnt dock at a non EU port, then tax is applicable and paid to the departing Port only for the entire trip. From what I have seen, the Spanish want taxes collected from any ship that docks for purchases on board while there.

 

In the case of my cruise, it starts and finishes in Barcelona and doesnt stop in a non EU port. Carnival will apply and collect taxes for purchases aboard.

 

As I said, I am not going to claim full knowledge of what it will be applied on but generally, all drinks and food in speciality restaurants will be taxed at 10% when consumed in a bar or restaurant. Pretty much everything else will be taxed at 21%. This includes most things ie any gifts and physical goods. I believe it will also be applied to things like cinema tickets. I think it should also apply to trips you book onboard, but I have a feeling these may be exempt. (And I base this on personal experience oof a trip booked on board Silver Wind when we were in Itea.... No tax was applied, though it was on a bracelet bought on the ship and Spanish tax applied at 21% - we started in Barcelona on this one too.)

 

I would suggest you ask Carnival for things you might buy and ask them. They really should know the answers by now, though from experience they have been clueless and constantly giving out false information. The ones you email, have I believe been accurate.

 

Obviously the above is applicable to cruises starting from Barcelona that remain in the EU.

 

Yours is different. Yours starts from Athens. EU tax rules should mean Greek tax rules apply, though I'm unsure again, if the Greeks are actively chasing like the Spanish. (This "cruise" tax has picked up the name "Spanish tax".)

 

So if it does, different rates apply - and I'm sorry to say I dont know what their rates are. BUT the fact yours SHOULD be docking in Turkey, then it would mean NO TAXES ARE APPLICABLE. And there's the rub. If it fails to call and doesnt go to a non EU port, it is possible you will have Greek VAT applied to your whole trip as you start from Athens.

 

Its a fact on how it applies to the cruises from Barcelona. From Athens, I am unsure if they are applying the same rules. (They are entitled to - but doesnt mean they 100% will...... Only carnival can tell you this, since its them who will apply it!.) If they do, the rates will be different.

 

So not the clear cut picture that you wanted, but a fact for those sailing from Barcelona with no non EU port.

 

The price you paid for you cruise is not relevant is it wasnt purchased in Spain (or Greece). However, for me, I have already paid 20% VAT on the cost of my cruise, but it was paid for in the UK at the time of booking. You will have nothing to pay other than what youve paid your TA or Carnival.

 

Carnival really should be informing people - but I guess if they did, people wouldnt book on a cruise not leaving the EU..... and they wouldnt want that would they!!! (Yes I am suspicious that this info isn't being passed on to save their sales!)

 

One more thing... if you are buying drinks for your room or CHEERS, then do so before the day of departure and you will avoid paying VAT.

 

.

Edited July 21, 2016 by les37b

[les37b]

HawkIVette.

 

No it doesn't apply to the cost of the cruise only your purchases on board. It is added when there is no non EU port on the itinerary.

 

We sailed on the Magic on such a cruise in 2011 from Barcelona. Every drinks and food purchase had the 15% gratuity plus a further 10% purchase tax.

 

All gifts or other items purchased in the on board shops had an extra 20% tax added to every purchase.

 

Hope that helps, and see you on board !..Have you joined the roll call for our sailing yet ?

 

Wes

 

Wes, are you sure it wasn't 21%?

 

(Though it maybe that the tax has increased since 2011 of course.)

[HawkIVette]

Thank you so much, les37b. That clears up a lot of things for me. I hope that we still stop in Turkey, but if we don't, at least I am for warned of any additional charges that I shall incur.

 

Thanks again and hope you have a great cruise in spite of the extra costs.

[HawkIVette]

HawkIVette.

 

No it doesn't apply to the ................

 

Hope that helps, and see you on board !..Have you joined the roll call for our sailing yet ?

 

Wes

 

I thought I did back in January when I booked the cruise, though I can't find it now.

I seem to get a lot of my posts deleted for some reason. I don't think I am that offending, just try to be humorous. Guess not everybody thinks I'm cute (good thing my wife does).

 

Anyway, I though I posted to the roll call, but then I just kind of lurk on some posts. Maybe I didn't. I'll post up again over their and introduce myself and my cruise mates. See ya soon!!!

Edited July 21, 2016 by HawkIVette

[LIMPIT]

Our 10 day on Oct 1st sails out of Barcelona and finishes in Athens, both EU Ports, Spain currently has a vat rate of 21% and Greece 24%.

I reside in the UK, so have already paid 20% vat on the cost of the cruise. I think it is highly unlikely given the current climate that Vista will port in Turkey.

I assume that Carnival will clarify the situation to its customers prior to the cruise in respect to the unexpected charges thus it not being a surprise when the final bill is received [emoji848]

Edited July 21, 2016 by LIMPIT

[bluwes]

Wes, are you sure it wasn't 21%?

 

(Though it maybe that the tax has increased since 2011 of course.)

 

It may have been Les, my only concern was the VAT on the drinks ;)

[les37b]

Thank you so much, les37b. That clears up a lot of things for me. I hope that we still stop in Turkey, but if we don't, at least I am for warned of any additional charges that I shall incur.

 

Thanks again and hope you have a great cruise in spite of the extra costs.

 

No problem. Hopefully they will sort things out for you. As I mentioned, even without Turkey, things may be different since you start from Greece. Email guest relations and put them on the spot. Explain your cruise starts from greece and concerned about rumours of extra tax charges. If they say 10% on drinks and 21% on all other purchases, then they dont understand. Hopefully its good news and no taxes applied.

 

 

Knowing that I would be hit with 10% on drinks, I decided to purchase Cheers.... so I'm now damned sure I will get my monies worth!! :p

 

Our 10 day on Oct 1st sails out of Barcelona and finishes in Athens, both EU Ports, Spain currently has a vat rate of 21% and Greece 24%.

I reside in the UK, so have already paid 20% vat on the cost of the cruise. I think it is highly unlikely given the current climate that Vista will port in Turkey.

I assume that Carnival will clarify the situation to its customers prior to the cruise in respect to the unexpected charges thus it not being a surprise when the final bill is received [emoji848]

 

 

Thats the thing Limpit, they should clarify when making a booking. Before booking I did ask about the cost of things and no one mentioned they would be charging more for VAT. I wouldnt have booked had they been truthful and I suspect I'm not the only one. They really should have got their act together with answers on this by now.

[les37b]

It may have been Les, my only concern was the VAT on the drinks ;)

 

Haha.... Cheers. :D

 

Ive avoided VAT by buying that in advance..... I wasnt going to, but it pushed me over the edge.

 

I think they may be lucky theyve limited it to 15 alcoholic drinks. :D

 

BTW....... How do you compare your celebrity cruise with the carnival ones?

Edited July 21, 2016 by les37b

[bluwes]

Haha.... Cheers. :D

 

Ive avoided VAT by buying that in advance..... I wasnt going to, but it pushed me over the edge.

 

I think they may be lucky theyve limited it to 15 alcoholic drinks. :D

 

BTW....... How do you compare your celebrity cruise with the carnival ones?

 

On our previous Med trips the ability to bring on drinks at each port has negated the need to purchase the Cheers packages. If the extra purchase tax is invoked then it might be worth doing it.

 

Loved the Celebrity cruise, the ship is beautiful, a class above, and with the drinks package along with free gratuities as a perk it worked out cheaper than a similar Carnival cruise. Only doing this one because lots of our cruise mates said, hey lets do it, and celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary.

 

Interested to see your sailings on Silverseas,and why you come down a good few levels to Carnival

Edited July 22, 2016 by bluwes

[Detroit Donna]

I'm on the Vista out of Athens now and we did skip Turkey. Yes, there is a VAT tax of 21%. An in-cabin movie was not charged tax (5.99) and a coke was 2.24 (gratuities?). I ordered a lobster roll at the Seafood Shack and was charged 13.80. Sorry, I don't keep receipts so not sure what the original cost was or if it was a gratuity charge. We did buy the 133.00 wine package and was charged 152.95 (the receipt said gratuities). Hope this helps a little. I guess I expect to be nickel and dimed on board and don't pay enough attention. On that note, this just forced me to look at my sign and sail account - aaahhhhhhhhhh!

 

 

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[Cliffdsouza86]

Hi

 

So is the ship still rocking at Kusadasi or no?

[minikiss]

Hi

 

So is the ship still rocking at Kusadasi or no?

 

Believe there is no word on the matter just yet.

You can be sure as soon someone hears / sees something it will be on here like a flash.

[BaseballMomof4]

Hi

 

So is the ship still rocking at Kusadasi or no?

 

We docked there in May and had a fabulous time! We booked a guide through Ephesus Shuttle, Emre, and he was wonderful! There is a tour called the Relax tour and you call the shots. It was very reasonably priced. So if you do get to stop in Kusadasi, I highly recommend them and Emre in particular.