Mediterranean cruise and VAT refund

[claireruth]

Hi there!  I'm hoping to shop for some luxury goods (purses, perfumes, and possibly shoes) while on a Mediterranean cruise in March.  I'm just curious how the VAT refund works.  Do I need to make any purchases in the city where we get on and off the cruise ship since it's my understanding you get the VAT refund at the airport on your way out of Europe, or since all the countries we're stopping in are EU does it not matter where I buy the stuff?

 

Also kind of related, are prices pretty standard across countries for brands like Gucci, Chanel, and Dior?  Or would I get better prices on Chanel and Dior in France and Gucci in Italy?

[Stockjock]

I don't think it matters where you bought it.

On our September trip, my GF bought some shoes and sunglasses, I think all of them in Copenhagen.  Each shop gave us a VAT refund receipt.  We tried to redeem at the Barcelona airport, but there was some kind of difficulty and I couldn't do that.

My GF didn't want to mess w/it further, but I mailed the two receipts to two different addresses, one in Poland and the other in Slovenia.  I think postage cost me about $2.65 per letter, but she got back $60-something dollars.

I would think that they can usually do the refund at the airport, but just to let you know that there is a mail-in option if that doesn't work.

If you buy on the ship, I don't think you are charged VAT (duty free), therefore no VAT refund.  She bought 2 purses on Grandiosa, but no VAT was assessed.

[claireruth]

13 hours ago, Stockjock said:

My GF didn't want to mess w/it further, but I mailed the two receipts to two different addresses, one in Poland and the other in Slovenia.  I think postage cost me about $2.65 per letter, but she got back $60-something dollars.
 

 

This is good to know.  We fly in and out of Rome, and I was reading somewhere that airport can be a real mess, so just in case I run out of time to wait in a line I'm glad there's a mail-in option.  Thanks so much!

[Nunagoras]

A good start point in this subject to consider is reading this official EU website right away:

 

Guide to VAT refund for visitors to the EU (europa.eu)

 

Do note though that; each country will apply this regulation its own way. If you want more specific information on other people's experiences, I encourage you to submit a post on CC ports of call section where a larger audience than what the relatively small CC MSC boards has will probably help you. To consult the countries in questions official authorities websites could to be handy as well.

 

Hope to have helped a bit!...

[Stockjock]

1 hour ago, claireruth said:

 

This is good to know.  We fly in and out of Rome, and I was reading somewhere that airport can be a real mess, so just in case I run out of time to wait in a line I'm glad there's a mail-in option.  Thanks so much!

The mailing address was on each respective receipt, but make sure you tell them that you need documentation for a VAT refund at the time of purchase.  Took weeks, but ultimately the VAT was credited back to her credit card.

[claireruth]

On 1/9/2023 at 9:05 AM, Nunagoras said:

A good start point in this subject to consider is reading this official EU website right away:

 

Guide to VAT refund for visitors to the EU (europa.eu)

 

Do note though that; each country will apply this regulation its own way. If you want more specific information on other people's experiences, I encourage you to submit a post on CC ports of call section where a larger audience than what the relatively small CC MSC boards has will probably help you. To consult the countries in questions official authorities websites could to be handy as well.

 

Hope to have helped a bit!...

Thank you so much for this link!  I will read through it and see what it says.  Also one of the port boards is a good idea...I wasn't really sure where was the best spot to post originally.