Refunded port fees?

[MaryL31]

Just home on Monday from our cruise on the Sun. There was a $7 difference between the port fees I paid when I booked our cruise back in November and what was being charged just before the cruise. Royal Caribbean just automatically refunds this difference as OBC, but there was no refund on our account. Would have asked while we were on ship, but didn't think about it til a day or two ago. Just haven't been able to get a free minute away from work to call, and of course Guest Relations does not have evening hours. Granted, it's a small amount of money, but it irks me that they expect to pocket it. Has anyone else ever gotten an auto-refund for this?

[njhorseman]

We've always seen port charge refunds as adjustments on our final on board bill. It was always done automatically...no need to ask. Sometimes you had to look carefully and ask yourself "Where is that $3 adjustment coming from?" because it wasn't obvious.

[OCruisers]

Ours have always been done automatically as well. :)

LuLu

[All-ready2cruise]

We've always seen port charge refunds as adjustments on our final on board bill. It was always done automatically...no need to ask. Sometimes you had to look carefully and ask yourself "Where is that $3 adjustment coming from?" because it wasn't obvious.

 

That's how it happened for us too when we couldn't port at Nassau. Don't remember how much it was but probably around $7-$20, not enough to sweat over. Don't sweat the small stuff is what we live by.

 

OP, MaryL31, hope you enjoyed your cruise even if it did cost an extra $7.

 

Looking so forward to our next cruise on the Sun, can't wait.

 

Cheers.

[SuiteCruiser]

I think if you miss a port, you automatically get those port fees refunded on your account. Your situation was different in you said the fees changed between when you bought your cruise and when you set sail. Is it possible that your final payment was adjusted?

[MaryL31]

No, it was not adjusted. Again, we are only talking about $14 here. Not a big deal. Just the principal of it. If they feel the need to charge me $15 to bring a $12 bottle of wine on the ship, I feel the need to question their keeping port fees that they have collected from me but did not have to pay out. Poor customer relations, IMO.

[bear3412]

Changes to the port fees and whatever occur often. We always got or $ back except once when we missed a port. A call solved this issue.

 

Keep calling back and until you get someone who is competent if you want your $14 back.

 

Good Luck

[shealea]

Heck, I would want my $$$ back also. Whether it was $7 or $14. I could use that money more than them, I'll bet!!!!

[MaryL31]

It's really not a matter of "wanting it back"; it's more a matter of "it's not theirs to keep". ;)

[luvtheships]

Well it would have been $42 for my family

 

It puts it in a slightly different light when you realize that $7 per person times say 4000 pax is quite significant and certainly not the cruise lines to keep

 

So to those that say don't sweat the small stuff and its only $7 I really think it is way more than $7

 

Anyone that belittled the op really should apologize.

 

 

And here we go...I am sure

 

 

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[rvsullivan]

So we've extrapolated the OP's post to now include all 4000 passengers? There is nothing to indicate anyone other than the OP had an issue.

I'm not clear on how the OP determined the difference in port charges from November until time to cruise. If the new charges were in affect at final payment back in July, I would think it would have been adjusted then? If there was a change after final payment how did the OP find out and why not call NCL back then?

[MaryL31]

So we've extrapolated the OP's post to now include all 4000 passengers? There is nothing to indicate anyone other than the OP had an issue.

I'm not clear on how the OP determined the difference in port charges from November until time to cruise. If the new charges were in affect at final payment back in July, I would think it would have been adjusted then? If there was a change after final payment how did the OP find out and why not call NCL back then?

 

I checked several times up to a few days before the cruise, doing a "phantom" booking-I think that's what it is called-and the port fees were always $7 less than what I paid. I just checked my final payment documentation to be sure it was not adjusted, and it was not. Quite honestly, I expected that it would be returned in the form of OBC, and meant to ask about it while on the ship, but never did. Again, poor customer relations.

[luvtheships]

So we've extrapolated the OP's post to now include all 4000 passengers? There is nothing to indicate anyone other than the OP had an issue.

I'm not clear on how the OP determined the difference in port charges from November until time to cruise. If the new charges were in affect at final payment back in July, I would think it would have been adjusted then? If there was a change after final payment how did the OP find out and why not call NCL back then?

 

Exactly you make my point perfectly

 

We will never know if the other pax are affected

 

But logical thought mandates that the question be asked

 

There is no indication that the op is the only one not refunded as it could well be ship wide

 

Logical thought also realizes the op may or may not have all the facts straight or may just not have all the needed info

 

Either way it is illogical to say the $7 is immaterial before clearly thinking it through.

 

The op clearly has every reason to persue this with Ncl until a satisfactory answer is received

 

 

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Edited September 21, 2014 by luvtheships

[AAAAmerican]

Dear MaryL31,

 

Thank you for showing the actual and factual !

 

 

You are so so very correct!

 

1.) Any Port Fee/TAX which is levied and not used should and is supposed to be returned to the payer of those unused, let us call the credits. No not an OBC either. Most Cruise Lines do add them to the On and A-Board Billing.

 

1a.) WOW I want you to know this about NCL before this firm became public now ( NCLH :NASDAQ). Before the large second Dock was poured on what is actually North Ireland Island in Bermuda. The old NCL used to charge Three Port Fees/Taxes/ Charges even if the vessel ( ship) only went to one and not the second and/or nor third. Oh the Bermuda Islands Goverment only charges ONE Set FEE!!!

 

 

2.) NCL is the only one I know now and/or before in my 3 Score of travel on the Waters of the World which has a (So Called Corkage FEE for in cabin consumption) IMHO it is only a way to control alcohol consumption and still charge a hefty markup for the beverages aboard. Even Fountain SODA/ POP/ Carbonated (CO2) Water the average cost is Two Cents per cup and yes that includes the blown plastic containers too. What a high profit. On Wines, Spirits, etc.. they do have a wonderful profit mark up too. I like to see firms especially public ones profit well. As all lines do have to compete and that does help keep the retail costs down.

 

3.) An easy answer would be report this form of Seaway robbery, which many I see say it is not much.. , to your Congressperson ASAP and both US Senators. If nobody says anything ..guess what they will do it over again and again and again..

 

Benjamin Franklin as most know, was an indentured servant.

He said " A PENNY SAVED is a A PENNY EARNED!"

 

 

 

No, it was not adjusted. Again, we are only talking about $14 here. Not a big deal. Just the principal of it. If they feel the need to charge me $15 to bring a $12 bottle of wine on the ship, I feel the need to question their keeping port fees that they have collected from me but did not have to pay out. Poor customer relations, IMO.

[SuiteCruiser]

A couple of points: The port charges and taxes are lumped together (at least on my bookings) so perhaps it wasn't actually a port charge change? I do think the OP should call NCL and find out, hopefully she has a print out or screen shots showing her mock booking.

 

As for the corkage, many lines don't let you bring on ANY wine, for many people having the ability to bring on as much as they wish and pay a $15 corkage fee is far better than not being allowed any at all. Some lines let you bring on one bottle, and if you take it to the dining room they charge corkage on that one bottle. Princess (at least used to) let you bring on as much wine as you wanted, which was great, but of course, their fares are also much higher.

[luvtheships]

A couple of points: The port charges and taxes are lumped together (at least on my bookings) so perhaps it wasn't actually a port charge change? I do think the OP should call NCL and find out, hopefully she has a print out or screen shots showing her mock booking.

 

As for the corkage, many lines don't let you bring on ANY wine, for many people having the ability to bring on as much as they wish and pay a $15 corkage fee is far better than not being allowed any at all. Some lines let you bring on one bottle, and if you take it to the dining room they charge corkage on that one bottle. Princess (at least used to) let you bring on as much wine as you wanted, which was great, but of course, their fares are also much higher.

 

I just want to mention something regarding princess

 

While their initial prices a year or so out might be higher, the reality that I found was that by final payment and with a good ta on your side, the prices are actually better maybe not compared to Ncl but certain compared to other lines.

 

Case in point:

Carnival freedom. Ov. 12 day grand med. primarily western med. 2 cabins. 6 pax. July 2008 $9200

 

Versus

 

Ruby princess. Ov. Grand med that included both Eastern and western med 2 cabins 6 pax July 2012. $ 7800

 

 

Ruby princess. Better ship. Better itin. Better amenities. Better service and food. Smaller cabin.

Very well priced ships excursions that were cheaper for 6 than private excursions

 

Just to note ccl also had ship in the med in 2012 the dream maybe but don't recall exactly and I didn't even give it a second look as it was more expensive than princess and didn't include eastern med and Istanbul which was a priority this time around.

 

Go figure but I guess because I research and watch my cruises like a hawk prior to final payment I get great deals

 

Oh and btw. The Ncl spirit was also doing the grand med same exact in 2012 and I looked at that as well and I could have saved slightly over my ruby princess cruise but we wanted the princess experience that time versus the Ncl experience which we like as well and the price differential was minimal and the ships excursions in the 3 ports that we wanted to do were more expensive.

 

Point is that princess cruises are not as expensive as people think. And ours in 2012 was only minimally higher over Ncl spirt prices in 2012and not by enough to make us switch

 

And our 2012 cruise on princess was much lower than our 2008 cruise on ccl

 

 

 

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Edited September 21, 2014 by luvtheships

[luvtheships]

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Edited September 21, 2014 by luvtheships

[mugtech]

Well it would have been $42 for my family

 

It puts it in a slightly different light when you realize that $7 per person times say 4000 pax is quite significant and certainly not the cruise lines to keep

 

So to those that say don't sweat the small stuff and its only $7 I really think it is way more than $7

 

Anyone that belittled the op really should apologize.

 

Of course what is required here is a class-action law suit.

 

Sent from my computer using coal burning generated electricity.

[luvtheships]

Of course what is required here is a class-action law suit.

 

Sent from my computer using coal burning generated electricity.

 

While you are probably trying to make a joke the reality is that assuming the op is fully informed and not missing any facts, then if Ncl is regularly not refunding port fee or tax reductions then they should be held to task to do so

 

I fully realize that cc posters like to be snarky and illogical at times and in this case are making fun if the $7 as an Insignificant amount but if it is company wide then it is certainly not insignificant

 

I also admit that we here at cc may not have all the facts in a row nor may the op

 

But if the op is entitled to $7 then they should get it no questions/ comments asked

 

I guess I don't follow the sheeple/ kool aid mentality...thankfully

 

Nor do I believe in frivolous lawsuits but I am intelligent enough to see things clearly and ask the correct questions

 

 

Of course many posters on cc just see threads like this one as a way to be comedic

 

 

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Edited September 21, 2014 by luvtheships

[mugtech]

I have tax clients who want to spend $100 to amend tax returns to get a $25 refund because it is a matter of principle. This thread reminds me of them.

[luvtheships]

I have tax clients who want to spend $100 to amend tax returns to get a $25 refund because it is a matter of principle. This thread reminds me of them.

 

No connection at all but you can of course feel that there is

 

This is a large corporation that may or may not be holding back money that rightfully belongs with the pax

 

Btw my return is quite complicated and I can read the Instructions very well as I am trained in that field but I can't begin to tell you how many of my colleagues miss simple deductions and adjustments for their clients

 

 

 

 

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Edited September 22, 2014 by luvtheships