Question about port fees

[boomonster]

My friend is going to some time-share , rip off thing this evening and was told she would get a free cruise but had to pay port fees and taxes. They apparently come up to $189.00 a person.To me that's a price of an inside room for a 3 day cruise.Right? So what should port fees and taxes be?Does anyone know or could you direct me.Oh and they are going to throw in airfare if she sits through the presentation. Which to me isnt to bad cause i know what it costs to fly from here to Miami. Well over the 189. Any info would be great .

[Sequim88]

My understanding is that port fees are included in the cruise price for passengers. Never seen that charged separately. For fly-in visitors there are often "exit" fees at the airport, usually $20 or so, but cruise passengers don't pay that.

$189 sounds exorbitant and an excuse to cover the cruise cost from it. Sort of like the jacked up shipping & handling on the "as seen on TV" items where the second item is "free, just pay shipping & handling", and that fee is probably higher than the item is worth.

[marci22]

Me and DH once went to a time share presentation in Aruba for a free dinner. We made it through, and dinner was excellent, but never again.

 

Let her go once and she will be forever cured of this urge.

[willing292]

Port charges are contingent on what ports the ship will sail into. remember when Alaska raised their port tax to $50/person? and now that the number of ships doing Alaska is lower, Alaska is lowering their port charge to $39.50 I believe.

 

Taxes, I believe, reflect the state and/or country taxes where you purchase your cruise vacation in.

[barbie5401]

Speaking of Alaska reducing the port taxes - should we see a difference if we have a deposit on a cruise for 2011?