Duty Free on Ferries
Duty Free on Ferries
Save big on top brands with duty free shopping on ferries and at ports. Enjoy unbeatable prices, exclusive deals, and tax-free products you won’t find on the high street. From luxury fragrances to premium spirits, discover incredible savings on every journey. Explore our complete guide to duty-free ferry shopping and start saving today.
When you travel internationally, you can buy certain goods at duty free stores without paying import duties or local taxes. This is because the goods will be used outside of the country where they are being purchased, so local taxes don't apply. Without these extra taxes and duties, prices are usually much cheaper than what you would pay at regular retail stores.
Good to know:
Before you embark on a duty-free shopping spree, there are a couple of things you need to keep in mind. The amount of duty free merchandise you can buy depends on the countries you're traveling between. If you go over your allowance, then you'll need to declare your purchases and may be subject to paying tax once you arrive at your destination.
Below are some examples of amounts you can bring into a country without paying tax. Keep in mind that allowances are subject to change, so we'd recommend double-checking with the relevant local government website for the most up-to-date information.
| Country | Alcohol allowances | Tobacco allowances | Other goods |
| UK | - 4 litres of spirits/strong liqueurs (over 22% ABV) or - 9 litres of fortified wine, sparkling wine or other drinks under 22% ABV and - 42 litres of beer and - 18 litres of still wine | - 100 cigarillos or - 50 cigars or - 250g tobacco or - 200 sticks of heated tobacco | - Up to £390 worth of goods per person |
| France | - 1 litre of spirits over 22% ABV or - 2 litres of alcoholic drinks under 22% ABV - 4 litres of wine - 16 litres of beer | - 200 cigarettes or - 100 cigarillos or - 50 cigars or - 250g rolling/smoking tobacco | - Goods up to €430 on ferries |
| Spain | - 1 litre of spirits over 22% ABV or - 2 litres of fortified, sparkling wine or other drinks under 22% ABV - 4 litres of still wine - 16 litres of beer | - 200 cigarettes or - 100 cigarillos (small cigars) or - 50 cigars or - 250g rolling/smoking tobacco | - Up to €430 per person on ferries |
| Netherlands | - 1 litre of spirits (over 22% ABV) or - 2 litres of wine or fortified wine under 22% ABV and - 4 litres of still wine and - 16 litres of beer | - 200 cigarettes or - 250g hand-rolling tobacco or - 50 cigars or - 100 cigarillos | - €430 or less per person |
| Germany | - 1 litre of spirits over 22% ABV or - 2 litres of alcoholic beverages up to 22% ABV - 4 litres of still wine - 16 litres of beer | - 200 cigarettes - 100 cigarillos - 50 cigars - 250g smoking tobacco | - €430 worth if you arrive by air or sea |
Traveling from one EU country to another? Then the above restrictions do not apply. In general, when you're traveling between EU countries, there are no duty-free limits for personal use, so you can buy to your heart's content!
It's not just Europe that offers duty-free shopping! Travelers from the United States and Asia can take advantage of duty free stores and airport duty free shops worldwide. Here are some duty-free allowances to be aware of. Remember that allowances are subject to change, so always double-check the relevant local government website to avoid any surprise taxes and duties.
| Country | Alcohol allowances | Tobacco allowances | Other goods |
| Hong Kong | 1 litre of alcoholic liquor over 30% ABV | 19 cigarettes, or 1 cigar (or cigars totalling up to 25g), or 25g of other manufactured tobacco | |
| Singapore | 1 litre spirits + 1 litre wine or 1 litre spirits + 1 litre beer or 1 litre wine + 1 litre beer or 2 litres wine or 2 litres beer | You may get GST (Goods & Services Tax) relief up to $500 (48+ hours abroad) or $100 (shorter trips) | |
| Japan | Up to 3 bottles of alcohol (750ml each) | Up to 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 10 heat-not-burn tobacco packs or 250g of other tobacco duty-free. | - Perfume: Up to 2 ounces (≈56 ml) duty-free - Goods (except alcohol, tobacco, and perfume) totalling ¥200,000 or less - Items worth ¥10,000 or less are always exempt and aren't counted toward the ¥200,000 total. |
| South Korea | Up to 2 litres of alcoholic beverages, with a total value not exceeding USD $400 duty-free. (Includes wine, spirits, beer) | 200 cigarettes, or 50 cigars, or 250g of other tobacco products, or e-cigarette nicotine liquids. | - Perfume up to 60ml - Up to USD $800 worth of personal goods per person. |
A number of ferry companies have duty free stores on board their routes. Some ports also have duty free stores dockside, so you can stock up before you sail — much like you would at airport duty free shops.
Here's what you can expect when traveling with some popular ferry companies:
Stena Line offers duty-free shopping on a range of ferry routes. They also have duty free stores at select ports where you can find special bulk deals on duty free merchandise.
Each P&O Ferries ship has its own World Duty Free store on board. P&O also offers a 'Reserve & Collect' service on all their passenger routes so you can shop for duty free merchandise online before you go. Once you're on board, just head to the collection point.
P&O offers a range of duty-free deals that change frequently. We recommend checking the latest offers before you travel.
DFDS Seaways offers duty-free shopping on a range of routes, along with duty free stores at the ports of Calais and Dunkirk. They also offer a reserve and collect service for passengers traveling from the UK to France, with collection points in Calais, Dunkirk, and Dieppe.
DFDS offers a wide selection of duty-free deals on alcohol, fragrances, and more. Check before you travel for the latest offers.
Irish Ferries has Aelia duty free stores on board their ferry routes. A click and collect service is also available if you'd like to shop in advance — and you can save 10% when you order online.
You can shop duty free on all Brittany Ferries routes between the UK and France and the UK and Spain.
Brittany Ferries offers some great duty-free deals. Check before you travel for the latest offers.
Ready to treat yourself? Whether you're stocking up on your favorite wine or splurging on a luxurious new fragrance from one of our duty free stores, duty-free shopping is a great way to save on your way to your next destination — without paying tax at full retail prices.
Tip: Make sure you leave some room in your luggage for duty free merchandise!
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