Tourist Refund Scheme

[Relaxing Robbies]

I am cruising on Coral Princess in a few weeks, doing a 7 day cruise that includes Willis Island. I know that you can purchase duty free on the ship. Does this cruise also count as an international departure so that you can claim back GST on new goods under the Tourist Refund Scheme? Did any of our recent cruisers doing this cruise see a TRS claim desk at the cruise terminal when they were boarding or were you all so excited to be back on a ship that you forgot to look?

 

I need a new ipad and mobile phone and an wondering if it is worth purchasing them before my cruise?

[Porky55]

I think the “Duty Free” circuit around Willis Island is for the purchase of alcohol and a minimal few cigarettes.

 

In all reality it is a domestic cruise.

Edited July 31, 2022 by Porky55

[MicCanberra]

Duty free is duty free, it is classed as an international island so enables the duty-free items to be sold.

I haven't  been on any cruises that qualify since Covid but they have had the desk just past immigration  point in the now long ago past.

[Porky55]

9 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Duty free is duty free, it is classed as an international island so enables the duty-free items to be sold.

I haven't  been on any cruises that qualify since Covid but they have had the desk just past immigration  point in the now long ago past.

Didn’t see any TRS claim desks at Brisbane and our cruise went to Willis Island 

[Aus Traveller]

10 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Duty free is duty free, it is classed as an international island so enables the duty-free items to be sold.

I haven't  been on any cruises that qualify since Covid but they have had the desk just past immigration  point in the now long ago past.

That how they had it at Portside. However, when we boarded at the new Brisbane terminal I didn't see a TRS desk, but then I wasn't looking for it.

[Russell21]

1 hour ago, Relaxing Robbies said:

I need a new ipad and mobile phone and an wondering if it is worth purchasing them before my cruise?

Don't forget the $900.00 limit.

[MicCanberra]

I was referring to Sydney OPT and Portside when I saw them all those years ago.

[arxcards]

I have done a couple of QLD coastals that included Willis Island, and they had TRS. Made a claim for a new camera lens on one of them. But yes, that was in Portside. 

 

The new terminal has the facility for TRS, and it is marked on the terminal map. With staff shortages all over the place, I have wondered if this would be one amenity that is considered a lower priority if they don't have enough Borderforce staff to go around.

 

All the same, I think if you didn't know it was there, it would be easy to miss, tucked away in the right corner after you go through customs screening. If there is no customs screening, being a domestic cruise, you would need to walk past the entrance to the gangway to even get to it.

 

https://www.portbris.com.au/getmedia/81a10f8b-549b-428d-ab2b-60e7ce2d4809/BICT-Terminal-building-map.pdf

Edited July 31, 2022 by arxcards

[Aus Traveller]

6 minutes ago, arxcards said:

I have done a couple of QLD coastals that included Willis Island, and they had TRS. Made a claim for a new camera lens on one of them. But yes, that was in Portside. 

 

The new terminal has the facility for TRS, and it is marked on the terminal map. With staff shortages all over the place, I have wondered if this would be one amenity that is considered a lower priority if they don't have enough Borderforce staff to go around.

 

All the same, I think if you didn't know it was there, it would be easy to miss, tucked away in the right corner after you go through customs screening. If there is no customs screening, being a domestic cruise, you would need to walk past the entrance to the gangway to even get to it.

 

https://www.portbris.com.au/getmedia/81a10f8b-549b-428d-ab2b-60e7ce2d4809/BICT-Terminal-building-map.pdf

I will try to remember to check on 27th August when we go on our next cruise.

[OzKiwiJJ]

40 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

I will try to remember to check on 27th August when we go on our next cruise.

But that cruise will be out of Sydney, yes? If so it's usually just past the space that is used for passport control, on the corner where you turn right to the security screening. Sometimes there is a shortcut in the partitioning and in that case it might be to the left. However there is no guarantee it is a fixed position, they might relocate it for domestic duty free cruises.

[arxcards]

34 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

But that cruise will be out of Sydney, yes? If so it's usually just past the space that is used for passport control, on the corner where you turn right to the security screening. Sometimes there is a shortcut in the partitioning and in that case it might be to the left. However there is no guarantee it is a fixed position, they might relocate it for domestic duty free cruises.

I think that 27th August cruise will be on Encounter?

[Aus Traveller]

16 hours ago, arxcards said:

I think that 27th August cruise will be on Encounter?

Yes, it is on the Pacific Encounter. When we booked the cruise, it was the standard 'Island Hopper', seven days to Noumea, Lifou and Port Vila, but that changed to the Q'ld coast. We had a good price on a balcony cabin so we left the booking in place. Any cruise is better than no cruise.

[OzKiwiJJ]

6 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

Yes, it is on the Pacific Encounter. When we booked the cruise, it was the standard 'Island Hopper', seven days to Noumea, Lifou and Port Vila, but that changed to the Q'ld coast. We had a good price on a balcony cabin so we left the booking in place. Any cruise is better than no cruise.

Then you're in charge of sussing out the Brisbane TRS setup.

[Aus Traveller]

Just now, OzKiwiJJ said:

Then you're in charge of sussing out the Brisbane TRS setup.

.. Unless someone else is cruising this month before we do.

[Relaxing Robbies]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. We are cruising on 12th August, so I guess I’ll find out for sure then and report back.  Think it might be safer to delay my purchases and use the TRS when we cruise from Melbourne to New Zealand in November.

[MicCanberra]

They may be the safest option

[Aus Traveller]

For Aussies returning to the country at the end of their trip, the TRS doesn't represent a great saving. You only save the 10% GST and if your purchase is more than $900 you should declare it and pay the tax anyway.

[Relaxing Robbies]

Families can pool their $900 per adult and $450 per child concession allowance. 2 adults travelling together can bring back $1800 worth of goods without repaying the TRS refund.  Not a huge amount in the scheme of things, but a saving of maybe $160 if you work it right. Helps pay for the next cruise!

[MMDown Under]

1 hour ago, Relaxing Robbies said:

Families can pool their $900 per adult and $450 per child concession allowance. 2 adults travelling together can bring back $1800 worth of goods without repaying the TRS refund.  Not a huge amount in the scheme of things, but a saving of maybe $160 if you work it right. Helps pay for the next cruise!

Having always pooled a family of four tax exemptions, I claimed a tax exemption on a large laptop.  Returning home, I ticked that I claimed a tax exemption on a laptop.  Lucky I did, because the Customs Guy could see on his computer that I'd claimed a tax exemption.  He could see my genuine shock that I wasn't entitled to claim that much and sent me on my way!

[Aus Traveller]

On 7/31/2022 at 9:20 PM, OzKiwiJJ said:

But that cruise will be out of Sydney, yes? If so it's usually just past the space that is used for passport control, on the corner where you turn right to the security screening. Sometimes there is a shortcut in the partitioning and in that case it might be to the left. However there is no guarantee it is a fixed position, they might relocate it for domestic duty free cruises.

Our 27th August cruise is on the Pacific Encounter from Brisbane.🙂

[Relaxing Robbies]

Reporting back on the answer to my question. There was no TRS desk set up when we boarded in Brisbane. When I enquired about it, they mentioned that it was not available because Brisbane was not the last port before cruising overseas. 

[arxcards]

5 hours ago, Relaxing Robbies said:

Reporting back on the answer to my question. There was no TRS desk set up when we boarded in Brisbane. When I enquired about it, they mentioned that it was not available because Brisbane was not the last port before cruising overseas. 

Interesting.. this was also the case for a while In the past, when you were docking in Cairns, as you could go to a TRS desk there. Most cruises were tendering at Yorkeys Knob though, so you claimed in Brisbane. 

 

Sorry, I hadn't considered that as a possibility, as all of our claims on similar cruises were done in Brisbane - all were Yorkeys Knob visits.

[arxcards]

Now that most ships will dock at Trinity Wharf in Cairns, it looks like that is where you will claim TRS on Willis Island domestic cruises (Splendor, Encounter, Adventure, Explorer, Coral, Luminosa and others).

 

The current exceptions for this season are Celebrity Eclipse, Majestic Princess & Quantum of the Seas, which are the only ships that will be tendering from Yorkeys Knob. In those cases, it is likely the claim for TRS will be in Brisbane for Quantum of the Seas.

 

If claiming in Cairns, consider if an all day tour could make it difficult to claim, and also make sure your 60 day purchase window is still valid when you arrive in Cairns.

 

The Brisbane one will operate on Pacific island and NZ cruises.

[Aus Traveller]

1 minute ago, arxcards said:

Now that most ships will dock at Trinity Wharf in Cairns, it looks like that is where you will claim TRS on Willis Island domestic cruises (Splendor, Encounter, Adventure, Explorer, Coral, Luminosa and others).

 

The current exceptions for this season are Celebrity Eclipse, Majestic Princess & Quantum of the Seas, which are the only ships that will be tendering from Yorkeys Knob. In those cases, it is likely the claim for TRS will be in Brisbane for Quantum of the Seas.

 

If claiming in Cairns, consider if an all day tour could make it difficult to claim, and also make sure your 60 day purchase window is still valid when you arrive in Cairns.

 

The Brisbane one will operate on Pacific island and NZ cruises.

You have made some very good points. Next week we are on a  Q'ld coastal cruise. I will check out the terminal in Cairns to see if there is a TRS desk.

[Stickman1990]

On 8/23/2022 at 8:18 AM, Aus Traveller said:

Next week we are on a  Q'ld coastal cruise. I will check out the terminal in Cairns to see if there is a TRS desk.

 

Did you check it out?

 

Is anyone able to tell me how TRS is processed at Cairns cruise terminal - its our last port in Australia before we head to PNG so I'm hoping to make a TRS claim at the cruise terminal and would appreciate any feedback on how easy that is going to be