Why are RCI taxes and fees so high?

[MontTheDonk]

Compared with CCL, for about a similar itinerary, RCI taxes and fees are almost double. Are they slipping in fuel surcharge?

[Mark_K]

Compared with CCL, for about a similar itinerary, RCI taxes and fees are almost double. Are they slipping in fuel surcharge?

I doubt they're slipping in fuel surcharges, but unless it's the same itinerary on the same, or very similar dates, it's hard to say what the difference is made up of.

[Ocean Boy]

What ship and itinerary are you doing? I commented a couple of weeks ago that I thought the taxes and fees for Independence sailing out of Ft. Lauderdale on an eight night cruise seemed much higher than what I had paid in the past. I think the issue with Ft. Lauderdale are the fees that have been added to pay for the new terminal that was built for Oasis. I wonder if those fees are being charged to all the cruise lines or just RCI since it is their ship that necessitated the building of a new terminal?

[uksimonusa]

What ship and itinerary are you doing? I commented a couple of weeks ago that I thought the taxes and fees for Independence sailing out of Ft. Lauderdale on an eight night cruise seemed much higher than what I had paid in the past. I think the issue with Ft. Lauderdale are the fees that have been added to pay for the new terminal that was built for Oasis. I wonder if those fees are being charged to all the cruise lines or just RCI since it is their ship that necessitated the building of a new terminal?

 

I think the passenger fee at FLL went from $5pp to $10pp since the new terminal opened. That doesn't make RCI twice the price though. Fees and taxes are not a profit center, they are passed onto the customer at the same rate that the cruiseline is charged, they have to be since a ruling a few years back by the FLAG. There must be port or ship size differences between the cruises that the OP is comparing

[pfman]

Compared with CCL, for about a similar itinerary, RCI taxes and fees are almost double. Are they slipping in fuel surcharge?

You cannot compare similar iteneraries, they must be exact, from Homeport to ports of call, and I would think the same days.

[TEXASMUNK]

Taxes and fees are very closely monitored after legal action several years ago.

Match exact itineraries.

[Cruzaholic41]

You cannot compare similar iteneraries, they must be exact, from Homeport to ports of call, and I would think the same days.

 

This is correct. Also, the times in port make a difference.

[FLACRUISER99]

I think the FL AG has to take a close look at this.

[Gonzo70]

On a prior thread a few weeks ago a poster provided exact itineraries on a Royal cruise and I think the other was Carnival. Royal's taxes/fees were just about double. There is something suspicious going on. A covert fuel surcharge may have been put in place. Hopefully someone can get to the bottom of it; perhaps there is a benign explanation but it definitely raises eyebrows.