mocruising
Member
Is it legal and are people still having to pay it. I did in April but felt I need not have as a fellow cruiser who has been in and out of Greek waters for the past 3 years has never paid.
Cruising Tax in Greece
- Thread starter mocruising
- Start date
Oliveoyl
New member
See the tab "legalease" on boatmansworldcorfu.com
charles_reed
Active member
Boatmansworld
Excellent, simple and to-the-point.
It will, perhaps, incense those Jonahs who like to disseminate bad news - the Greek alphabet helps to add to their misunderstandings.
I did try to paste the actual Greek words, but AINSI won't have it.
Excellent, simple and to-the-point.
It will, perhaps, incense those Jonahs who like to disseminate bad news - the Greek alphabet helps to add to their misunderstandings.
I did try to paste the actual Greek words, but AINSI won't have it.
jimbaerselman
New member
Cruising tax only applies to non EU flagged boats.
MASH
N/A
Sorry pal, no it doesn't. The Greeks still demand an illegal tax on EU registered boats over 10m long cruising Greek - that is EU - waters (unless it has been scrapped since June...). Don't think you'll have much luck arguing your way past it either.
Appleyard
Well-known member
They can "Demand" as often as they like,,,they are getting bugger all from me
Glyka
Member
Cruising tax in Greece?
I really find it a great idea. It's against today's spirit to give for free what you 've got for sale.
And I'm not joking.
I really find it a great idea. It's against today's spirit to give for free what you 've got for sale.
And I'm not joking.
scarlett
New member
I refused to pay the origonal tax back in 2000 and they confiscated all my papers and said if I attempted to leave Argostoli they would chase me. The UK embassy said to pay up or get a Greek solicitor. I paid.
Last year I convinced every Port Police Office that not only were <10m boats exempt from boat tax but did not need to pay harbour dues either. I offered to pay if they found otherwise but none came after me on another day with a request for money. I like the style of Greek administration.
Last year I convinced every Port Police Office that not only were <10m boats exempt from boat tax but did not need to pay harbour dues either. I offered to pay if they found otherwise but none came after me on another day with a request for money. I like the style of Greek administration.
jimbaerselman
New member
[ QUOTE ]
Sorry pal, no it doesn't. The Greeks still demand an illegal tax on EU registered boats over 10m long cruising Greek - that is EU - waters (unless it has been scrapped since June...).
[/ QUOTE ] I don't know what your basis is for making this claim.
For the current facts, and the current practice, you can go to my website.
There are three potential charges made for yachts over 10m in Greece, and this regime cam into force at the beginning of 2006
1. Cruising Tax. Only charged for non-EU registered yachts, which must carry a Transit log.
2. Port Entry Fee. Charged for all yachts reporting to the port police - about €4 for a 12m yacht.
3. 'Mooring' dues. Charged at a daily rate for yachts which don't have a long term contract with a marina - again - about €4 for a 12m yacht (more if you go alongside).
Most Greek yachts are based on a marina, and pay their mooring dues within their marina charges. As do EU yachts based in Greece - but the harbour police tend to assume all non-Greek flagged yachts are in transit, so often ask for the mooring tax when they shouldn't.
And no, if you ask them politely and show them your contract, they'll apologise and strike the mooring tax out.
Frankly, I think those charges are exceptionally good value compared to most of the rest of the mediterranean. And it is also very rare that they're pursued anyway - You're not required to check in with the port police more than once a month, excepting some harbours, which ask you to do so routinely (Rhodes, Symi for instance).
So, pal, where's the illegal bit?
Sorry pal, no it doesn't. The Greeks still demand an illegal tax on EU registered boats over 10m long cruising Greek - that is EU - waters (unless it has been scrapped since June...).
[/ QUOTE ] I don't know what your basis is for making this claim.
For the current facts, and the current practice, you can go to my website.
There are three potential charges made for yachts over 10m in Greece, and this regime cam into force at the beginning of 2006
1. Cruising Tax. Only charged for non-EU registered yachts, which must carry a Transit log.
2. Port Entry Fee. Charged for all yachts reporting to the port police - about €4 for a 12m yacht.
3. 'Mooring' dues. Charged at a daily rate for yachts which don't have a long term contract with a marina - again - about €4 for a 12m yacht (more if you go alongside).
Most Greek yachts are based on a marina, and pay their mooring dues within their marina charges. As do EU yachts based in Greece - but the harbour police tend to assume all non-Greek flagged yachts are in transit, so often ask for the mooring tax when they shouldn't.
And no, if you ask them politely and show them your contract, they'll apologise and strike the mooring tax out.
Frankly, I think those charges are exceptionally good value compared to most of the rest of the mediterranean. And it is also very rare that they're pursued anyway - You're not required to check in with the port police more than once a month, excepting some harbours, which ask you to do so routinely (Rhodes, Symi for instance).
So, pal, where's the illegal bit?
LadyJessie
New member
[ QUOTE ]
You're not required to check in with the port police more than once a month, excepting some harbours, which ask you to do so routinely (Rhodes, Symi for instance).
[/ QUOTE ]
In my three years (2004-2006) cruise through Greece I found that the Port Police got very snotty if you did not seem to check in with them daily. And this was not limited to the Dodecanese, although that is where you will find the most unpleasant treatment. I was severly harassed in Missalonghi in the Gulf of Patras and Poros in the Saronic Gulf. I just visited Tilos a month ago on a visa run out of Turkey and found that the local Port Police had decided to seriously go for the first price in "Most Unpleasant Port Police in Greece" contest. This "Transit Log" nonsense is keeping many yachties, including myself, from wanting to spend any time there.
And to answer your question Jim: that is the illegality. The requirement of a "Transit Log" is a clear breach of the free movement of people and goods within the EU. It would be declared illegal by the European Court if challenged. If I thought it was worth my time, I would do it myself. But as I have no further plans to visit Greece I will let it pass. Hopefully someone else will and puts a stop to this illegal nonsense.
You're not required to check in with the port police more than once a month, excepting some harbours, which ask you to do so routinely (Rhodes, Symi for instance).
[/ QUOTE ]
In my three years (2004-2006) cruise through Greece I found that the Port Police got very snotty if you did not seem to check in with them daily. And this was not limited to the Dodecanese, although that is where you will find the most unpleasant treatment. I was severly harassed in Missalonghi in the Gulf of Patras and Poros in the Saronic Gulf. I just visited Tilos a month ago on a visa run out of Turkey and found that the local Port Police had decided to seriously go for the first price in "Most Unpleasant Port Police in Greece" contest. This "Transit Log" nonsense is keeping many yachties, including myself, from wanting to spend any time there.
And to answer your question Jim: that is the illegality. The requirement of a "Transit Log" is a clear breach of the free movement of people and goods within the EU. It would be declared illegal by the European Court if challenged. If I thought it was worth my time, I would do it myself. But as I have no further plans to visit Greece I will let it pass. Hopefully someone else will and puts a stop to this illegal nonsense.
Sybaris
Member
Wow, it is amazing how totally different the experience can be between boats. We have cruised extensively in Greece for two seasons now and have never been "harassed" by the Port Police. We find that they are generally very relaxed and often enough never even ask you to come and pay. The prices are more than reasonable if you compare to the marinas in Turkey where just the other day we were charged €66 for one night (for a 16m boat).
LadyJessie
New member
Yes, maybe I should have added that it is not everywhere in Greece that the Port Police are bad. You can get lucky. However, I had more than enough of bad experiences to turn me off Greece. Life is too short and there are other places.
Wow, E66 is really expensive. Can I guess? C&N in Göcek. Otherwise I have found most marinas in Turkey to have very similar charges to Kos Marina which is really the only marina in Greece that competes with Turkey. Many, like Yacht Marine, are significantly cheaper than anything I have seen in Greece.
Wow, E66 is really expensive. Can I guess? C&N in Göcek. Otherwise I have found most marinas in Turkey to have very similar charges to Kos Marina which is really the only marina in Greece that competes with Turkey. Many, like Yacht Marine, are significantly cheaper than anything I have seen in Greece.
ccscott49
Active member
Whats it like for cops, tax, hassle and cruising log in Corfu/ionian?
lille_bee
New member
[ QUOTE ]
Whats it like for cops, tax, hassle and cruising log in Corfu/ionian?
[/ QUOTE ]
Very very hit 'n miss: we were out there for 4 weeks in june, and got asked twice to the port police: once for 8.34 Euros, and once for 5.04 Euros (though we got away with just paying 5 euros as we didn't have any change and neither did Mr Port Policeman). They usually ask for passports and ICC, and ALWAYS for insurance certificates. We always go armed with multiple photocopies of all our documents to give to the port authorrities, it puts them in a good mood as they seem to hate having to copy them themselves...
Whats it like for cops, tax, hassle and cruising log in Corfu/ionian?
[/ QUOTE ]
Very very hit 'n miss: we were out there for 4 weeks in june, and got asked twice to the port police: once for 8.34 Euros, and once for 5.04 Euros (though we got away with just paying 5 euros as we didn't have any change and neither did Mr Port Policeman). They usually ask for passports and ICC, and ALWAYS for insurance certificates. We always go armed with multiple photocopies of all our documents to give to the port authorrities, it puts them in a good mood as they seem to hate having to copy them themselves...
Glyka
Member
[ QUOTE ]
I just visited Tilos a month ago on a visa run out of Turkey and found that the local Port Police had decided to seriously go for the first price in "Most Unpleasant Port Police in Greece" contest.
[/ QUOTE ]
The world, you know, does not consist entirely of naive tourists.
There are some substances that make you feel very well and happy but unlike alcohol are somehow illegal. Turkey is a major producer of such candies. On top of that some un-democratic Iraqis and Kurds choose the Greek islands as a start for their vacations in Europe. So, going in and out of Turkey make some grumpy policemen a bit suspicious. Pitty.
So I think that your decision to stay in this lovely country is a wise one and I'm sure that whoever wins the elections, be the Islamic party or the army-supported Kemalists things will go even better and the prices even lower.
I just visited Tilos a month ago on a visa run out of Turkey and found that the local Port Police had decided to seriously go for the first price in "Most Unpleasant Port Police in Greece" contest.
[/ QUOTE ]
The world, you know, does not consist entirely of naive tourists.
There are some substances that make you feel very well and happy but unlike alcohol are somehow illegal. Turkey is a major producer of such candies. On top of that some un-democratic Iraqis and Kurds choose the Greek islands as a start for their vacations in Europe. So, going in and out of Turkey make some grumpy policemen a bit suspicious. Pitty.
So I think that your decision to stay in this lovely country is a wise one and I'm sure that whoever wins the elections, be the Islamic party or the army-supported Kemalists things will go even better and the prices even lower.
LadyJessie
New member
[ QUOTE ]
So, going in and out of Turkey make some grumpy policemen a bit suspicious. Pitty.
[/ QUOTE ]
Well, if that is what the Port Police really did, protect the borders; then I would not have a problem with that at all. But all they are doing is sitting in their offices and trying their utmost to find something wrong with the papers of clearly normal unharmful old sailors. If I were smuggling contraband or illegal immigrants, the last thing I would do is to go to the Port Police office with my Transit Log and declare what I was doing. As ususal in countries with inefficient bureaucracies, it is the common man that is the victim and the criminals have a free run.
I have found a totally different attitude in Turkey; here you actually see the Coast Guard cutter out patroling and checking suspicious boats. That category usually does not include the obvious liveaboard cruising boats.
So, going in and out of Turkey make some grumpy policemen a bit suspicious. Pitty.
[/ QUOTE ]
Well, if that is what the Port Police really did, protect the borders; then I would not have a problem with that at all. But all they are doing is sitting in their offices and trying their utmost to find something wrong with the papers of clearly normal unharmful old sailors. If I were smuggling contraband or illegal immigrants, the last thing I would do is to go to the Port Police office with my Transit Log and declare what I was doing. As ususal in countries with inefficient bureaucracies, it is the common man that is the victim and the criminals have a free run.
I have found a totally different attitude in Turkey; here you actually see the Coast Guard cutter out patroling and checking suspicious boats. That category usually does not include the obvious liveaboard cruising boats.
mocruising
Member
We loved it in Corfu for the winter but it will take a big shoe horn to get you out of Barca!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are in the Adriatic now and Greek Islands next year.
ccscott49
Active member
Will need a big shoehorn to get Belinda out of Barcelona!!
But my brother lives on Corfu, bought a house there, still has the boat and lives on her most of the time. But I want to go and cruise the ionian and winter maybe in Corfu. What's the adriatic like, only ever drilled holes in it, working out of Italy! Heard it was full of zee germans, and was now getting expensive. But must be a beautiful cruising area, wonder what it's like to winter there, I mean for a permanent liveaboard and does it die a death in the winter? Whats the weather like, a fair bit north there.
But my brother lives on Corfu, bought a house there, still has the boat and lives on her most of the time. But I want to go and cruise the ionian and winter maybe in Corfu. What's the adriatic like, only ever drilled holes in it, working out of Italy! Heard it was full of zee germans, and was now getting expensive. But must be a beautiful cruising area, wonder what it's like to winter there, I mean for a permanent liveaboard and does it die a death in the winter? Whats the weather like, a fair bit north there.
jimbaerselman
New member
[ QUOTE ]
And to answer your question Jim: that is the illegality. The requirement of a "Transit Log" is a clear breach of the free movement of people and goods within the EU. It would be declared illegal by the European Court if challenged.
[/ QUOTE ] The cruising tax was challenged in court, and as a result abolished for all EU vessels from the beginning of 2006. Since that date, EU vessels cruising Greece do not need transit logs.
I realise you were frustrated by your experiences 2004 to 2006, but the regime then in operation no longer applies to EU registered yachts.
About Tilos. Are you EU registered? And if so, what, exactly, did they do to make you offer them the prize as the most unpleasant port police in Greece? I'm sure they didn't ask you for a Transit Log . . . Presumably, this was your first landfall on arrival in Greece from a non-EU country, so you had to obtain a DEKRA, which does take a little time . . . and I wasn't aware that Tilos was a port of entry, though things do change. But what else went wrong?
And to answer your question Jim: that is the illegality. The requirement of a "Transit Log" is a clear breach of the free movement of people and goods within the EU. It would be declared illegal by the European Court if challenged.
[/ QUOTE ] The cruising tax was challenged in court, and as a result abolished for all EU vessels from the beginning of 2006. Since that date, EU vessels cruising Greece do not need transit logs.
I realise you were frustrated by your experiences 2004 to 2006, but the regime then in operation no longer applies to EU registered yachts.
About Tilos. Are you EU registered? And if so, what, exactly, did they do to make you offer them the prize as the most unpleasant port police in Greece? I'm sure they didn't ask you for a Transit Log . . . Presumably, this was your first landfall on arrival in Greece from a non-EU country, so you had to obtain a DEKRA, which does take a little time . . . and I wasn't aware that Tilos was a port of entry, though things do change. But what else went wrong?
mocruising
Member
Sorry but I am EU registered (Southampton) and had to pay it in April this year in Corfu.
