Taxes on Drink Purchases

[moonjelly]

On 5/1/2019 at 4:29 AM, 6rugrats said:

It says, “affects our beverage packages.”  I’ve never been charged VAT in addition on a single drink.

 

Hello  everyone!

I am trying to calculate whether the drink package is worth it for us on a Europe itinerary and I wonder if the above is still the case? Do we need to factor in European VAT on individual drink purchases?

 

On the Windstar site it says, "If you purchased beverages a la carte there is a 15% gratuity for 2022 departures and 18% for 2023 departures added to your purchase."

 

but does not mention anything about an additional taxes in Europe.

Thank you!

[BruceMuzz]

VAT is levied on some - but not all - onboard sales when a foreign flag cruise ship (non-EU flag) spends the entire voyage in the Eurozone. The VAT rate changes, depending on which EU countries the ship is visiting. A cruise ship traveling from Greece to Italy (without leaving the Eurozone) is charged one VAT rate, and then is charged a different rate when traveling from Italy to Spain (without leaving the Eurozone).

Many cruise lines choose to have the passengers pay the VAT on larger purchases. With smaller purchases (like individual drinks), they tend to “eat” the VAT rather than increase prices.

[Host Jazzbeau]

23 minutes ago, BruceMuzz said:

VAT is levied on some - but not all - onboard sales when a foreign flag cruise ship (non-EU flag) spends the entire voyage in the Eurozone. The VAT rate changes, depending on which EU countries the ship is visiting. A cruise ship traveling from Greece to Italy (without leaving the Eurozone) is charged one VAT rate, and then is charged a different rate when traveling from Italy to Spain (without leaving the Eurozone).

Many cruise lines choose to have the passengers pay the VAT on larger purchases. With smaller purchases (like individual drinks), they tend to “eat” the VAT rather than increase prices.

If there is one non-Eurozone port on an itinerary, you avoid all issues of VAT onboard.  If Montenegro joins the 'party,' I believe that will remove the last eligible port in the mid-Med area [and you thought Kotor was so popular just because it's pretty!!!]  Thank God for Ephesus and Gibraltar, and expect more cruises to schedule a stop in North Africa...

[Misty Morning]

I read somewhere that the stop in the non Euro zone had to be at least 9 hrs or more to make the cruise qualify for no VAT

[moonjelly]

Thank you for the information, everyone. 🦥