Taxes on wine

[scseas]

Heading to the Mediterranean early this summer and will be eating in the Wake about 15 minutes before leaving Bordum. We were planning on ordering a very expensive bottle of wine. Does anyone know what/if there will be tax on the wine? I’m assuming if we order it while docked we’d get hit with taxes. If we waited a little, would it be 12 miles from shore which would probably be awhile to avoid the taxes? 

[cantgetin]

Med cruises are tricky on taxes.  IF the cruise has a port in a country that does not participate in the "Sch something", then there are no taxes once the ship is in international waters.  If all stops are in participating countries, then the entire cruise sales are subject to tax, regardless of where the ship is.  And even if you waited "a few minutes," you might be surprised at how long it would take to reach that 12 miles.

Yes if you order while in port, you will pay the tax.

[scseas]

You’re thinking of the Schengen area but I think it’s just the EU. The Schengen area is a little broader and focuses on passport requirements. If a cruise is only visiting EU ports, all alcohol is subject to VAT. In my case, the boat also stops in Turkey, which is outside the EU. I’m wondering if anyone knows what the Turkish tax would be for alcohol consumption on cruises. I was reading that some alcohol taxes in Turkey are as high as 20%.

[cantgetin]

2 hours ago, scseas said:

You’re thinking of the Schengen area but I think it’s just the EU. The Schengen area is a little broader and focuses on passport requirements. If a cruise is only visiting EU ports, all alcohol is subject to VAT. In my case, the boat also stops in Turkey, which is outside the EU. I’m wondering if anyone knows what the Turkish tax would be for alcohol consumption on cruises. I was reading that some alcohol taxes in Turkey are as high as 20%.

The only time you would pay the Turkish tax is when the ship is in Turkey--either docked or within 12 miles of the land.  You are right about the difference between the EU regs and Schengen regs--sorry. Right idea, wrong term.

Since the cruise mentioned above visits Turkey, you will not be subject to tax any time your are outside territorial waters.

 

[neverendingcruising]

This is in fact why they go to Turkey, to avoid taxes. When we sailed last year there were no taxes charged while in Bodrum. 

[cantgetin]

Exactly the reason for getting out of the EU....this means no taxes on stuff in the shops, drinks etc while in international waters.  MUCH nicer for sailors.

[the_fh_mets]

YMMV, but the itineraries departing Puerto Rico had very late sail away times and I was never charged additional sales tax on drinks. (San Juan has an 11.5% tax on alcohol so it was a pleasant surprise.) I would assume that Virgin just ate the cost. 

 

Outside of the US, prices are typically inclusive of taxes, but I don't know what Virgin usually does about that. I know that depending on local laws, some cruise lines have different menus for different regions to account for needing to include tax and gratuities in the up front cost. 

[cantgetin]

In the Med, taxes were charged when in port.  We had the same cocktail on two consecutive nights.  The second night while in port it was $1.50 more than the previous night.  The menus do not reflect taxes, regardless of where the ship is.  THey do include gratuity

 

[scseas]

I wonder if it matters when you pay the bill, versus when you order it. At the bar, you often pay immediately. At dinner, you pay at the end when perhaps the ship has actually sailed far enough away from shore to be in international waters.

[cantgetin]

8 hours ago, scseas said:

I wonder if it matters when you pay the bill, versus when you order it. At the bar, you often pay immediately. At dinner, you pay at the end when perhaps the ship has actually sailed far enough away from shore to be in international waters.

At dinner on VV, you "pay" whenever the server puts the charge in. We've had them ask to scan a bracelet at various times thru the meal and also had them tell us that they didn't need our bracelet (when we offered) and that they could put it in based on our cabin number...which they already had in their computer.  I didn't think about it at the time, but the servers may have been instructed to wait until  people were leaving or had already left the restaurant before entering the charge--I know that one night our charge didn't go in till able 2 hours after we had dinner with a drink while most of the time it would show up immediately.  Of course, that could have been some sort of computer or app glitch as well.

[garycarla]

Why not bring it onboard with you and avoid the taxes?

[jaxcruisinguy]

When we sailed from Barcelona they charged the EU or what not VAT on everything the entire cruise. I don’t think they got far enough out to not charge it?

[scseas]

1 hour ago, garycarla said:

Why not bring it onboard with you and avoid the taxes?

Coming from the States, it's a long distance to travel with a bottle of wine and subject it to altitude and temperature changes. Plus, we're stopping elsewhere in Europe beforehand, so I don't want to lug it around. 

[garycarla]

11 minutes ago, scseas said:

Coming from the States, it's a long distance to travel with a bottle of wine and subject it to altitude and temperature changes. Plus, we're stopping elsewhere in Europe beforehand, so I don't want to lug it around. 

 

Sorry, I was assuming you could buy some good wine locally just before boarding the ship

[jon81uk]

1 hour ago, jaxcruisinguy said:

When we sailed from Barcelona they charged the EU or what not VAT on everything the entire cruise. I don’t think they got far enough out to not charge it?

As it never stops outside of the Schengen area of the EU they have to charge VAT the whole time. That’s one reason the Greek Isle cruises stop in Turkey, then no VAT once in international waters.

[cantgetin]

You must know a bit of what you are doing and where to shop.  A friend  bought wine for 4 euros per bottle in Barcelona and brought 4 bottles on board.  Yes,. I know the rules, but she brought 2 and her husband brought 2 and no questions were asked.  In contrast, on this trip I brought the smallest bottle of steak sauce I could get at the local grocery store, and VV had me open the bag at embarkation to prove it wasn't liquor. (their specific question)