5 euros each to leave the ship

[BruceMuzz]

Any guesses as to why? I'm boycotting any cruise with ports on the Appenine Peninsula until rapacious rackets such as these are abolished.

 

The USA charges Europeans US$14 administrative fees to get an ESTA visa to visit America.

But Americans get a free visa to visit Europe.

I'm boycotting any visits to the USA until rapacious rackets such as these are abolished.

[Skai]

The USA charges Europeans US$14 administrative fees to get an ESTA visa to visit America.

But Americans get a free visa to visit Europe.

 

Seems like a reasonable fee...After all, it was us Yanks that played a pivotal role in liberating Europe from the fascists.

 

Those weren't tourists coming ashore at Gela and Vierville-sur-Mer en route to the ports of Palermo, Messina and Le Havre et al.

[rdsqrl]

Seems like a reasonable fee...After all, it was us Yanks that played a pivotal role in liberating Europe from the fascists.

 

Those weren't tourists coming ashore at Gela and Vierville-sur-Mer en route to the ports of Palermo, Messina and Le Havre et al.

I can only assume at this point that all your posts are satire.

 

Or else we're going to need a corollary to Godwin's Law, having to do with instantaneously losing all credibility when you start invoking America's "pivotal role" in WW2 during a discussion about modern-day travel.

[Skai]

I can only assume at this point that all your posts are satire.

 

Or else we're going to need a corollary to Godwin's Law, having to do with instantaneously losing all credibility when you start invoking America's "pivotal role" in WW2 during a discussion about modern-day travel.

 

Methinks that the trouncing of the "Livorno" Infantry Division by Allied forces on the shores of Sicily is a reasonable presumption as to why the modern day Port of Livorno feels the need to fleece cruise visitors wishing to depart the port gates.

[rdsqrl]

Methinks that the trouncing of the "Livorno" Infantry Division by Allied forces on the shores of Sicily is a reasonable presumption as to why the modern day Port of Livorno feels the need to fleece cruise visitors wishing to depart the port gates.

So by that logic, they must not charge the fee to those sailing on Aida or Hapag-Lloyd. Perhaps you should look into a cruise with one of those lines. I imagine the beer is good.

[Skai]

So by that logic, they must not charge the fee to those sailing on Aida or Hapag-Lloyd. Perhaps you should look into a cruise with one of those lines. I imagine the beer is good.

 

How so? Aida is American owned and Hapag-Lloyd opts to port at Viareggio -- as its access point to Firenze et al.

Edited July 31, 2015 by Skai

[caribill]

The USA charges Europeans US$14 administrative fees to get an ESTA visa to visit America.

But Americans get a free visa to visit Europe.

I'm boycotting any visits to the USA until rapacious rackets such as these are abolished.

 

Americans do not need a visa to visit most of western Europe and a good part of eastern Europe.

[Wehwalt]

While people are technically correct that its possible to negotiate with ports, in practice, not so much, especially when that port is the only access to a very popular destination. In reality, this is not something they can negotiate away.

 

Thus, Princess has 3 choices:

 

1> Provide their own transport - and raise the cost of the cruise a few bucks for everyone even those not leaving the ship.

2> Pay for the shuttle service - and raise the cost of the cruise a few bucks for everyone even those not leaving the ship.

3> Skip one of the most popular ports in the med.

 

So, which should they do?

 

It's possible, but I wonder. First, we do not know how much leverage CCL has with the port of Livorno, and we have no way of knowing. Or finding out for that matter. We can assume based on what we think we know, but I'm not sure such assumptions are productive.

 

What we do know. We do know that CCL delivers dozens of ships per year to the port, and is a not-inconsiderable bringer of tourists (who spend money) in Northern Italy. The cruise ships not coming has brought shivers to Egypt and Tunisia, I doubt it is as crucial to Northern Italy, but they'd rather have us than not. Maybe that's a factor, maybe it's not. But I'd need to see a bit more evidence that CCL are supplicants at the toes of the Great Lords of the Port of Livorno.

 

I wonder if the choices are likely to be anywhere near as simple as you suggest. Princess (or CCL) is bargaining for many things when it goes into a port, from services for us to services for the ship. The port wants certain things, Princess wants certain things, and undoubtedly there is give and take. All of those things you mention are very possible things, but don't seem to exclude "We'll make the bus free if you waive the provisions of clause 16(k)(12) of the current contract".

 

So yeah, what you say is plausible, but without a spy drone in the conference rooms at Santa Clarita, we're back knowing what we did before!

 

Come on people get real, we are talking about 5 euros for a SAFE and comfortable passage into town. Stop nitpicking. If 5 euros is going to break the bank perhaps you should have stayed home!

 

That is true ... but few of us got to where we have cruising as a hobby tossing five euro notes over a cliff. And it might not be five euros tomorrow. Would you agree 100 to be extortionate? Then there's some place between 5 and 100 at which we'd agree, and we're just dickering about the point at which reasonable becomes robbery.

Edited July 31, 2015 by Wehwalt

[Loonbeam]

Based on discussions overheard when I was contracting at Princess, it didn't sound like they had a lot of leverage operationally. Almost all negotiations seemed to focus on fuel rates, docking fees, etc.

 

I'm sure that Princess probably could bring it up, but realistically, other than we're not coming at all, it's a give and take, so any gains there would probably be reflected in less leverage in docking fees and end up with same net effect.

 

Egypt and Tunisia are very different in that there are external factors driving down demand for the ports themselves.

 

It's possible, but I wonder. First, we do not know how much leverage CCL has with the port of Livorno, and we have no way of knowing. Or finding out for that matter. We can assume based on what we think we know, but I'm not sure such assumptions are productive.

 

What we do know. We do know that CCL delivers dozens of ships per year to the port, and is a not-inconsiderable bringer of tourists (who spend money) in Northern Italy. The cruise ships not coming has brought shivers to Egypt and Tunisia, I doubt it is as crucial to Northern Italy, but they'd rather have us than not. Maybe that's a factor, maybe it's not. But I'd need to see a bit more evidence that CCL are supplicants at the toes of the Great Lords of the Port of Livorno.

 

I wonder if the choices are likely to be anywhere near as simple as you suggest. Princess (or CCL) is bargaining for many things when it goes into a port, from services for us to services for the ship. The port wants certain things, Princess wants certain things, and undoubtedly there is give and take. All of those things you mention are very possible things, but don't seem to exclude "We'll make the bus free if you waive the provisions of clause 16(k)(12) of the current contract".

 

So yeah, what you say is plausible, but without a spy drone in the conference rooms at Santa Clarita, we're back knowing what we did before!

 

 

 

That is true ... but few of us got to where we have cruising as a hobby tossing five euro notes over a cliff. And it might not be five euros tomorrow. Would you agree 100 to be extortionate? Then there's some place between 5 and 100 at which we'd agree, and we're just dickering about the point at which reasonable becomes robbery.

[Wehwalt]

Based on discussions overheard when I was contracting at Princess, it didn't sound like they had a lot of leverage operationally. Almost all negotiations seemed to focus on fuel rates, docking fees, etc.

 

I'm sure that Princess probably could bring it up, but realistically, other than we're not coming at all, it's a give and take, so any gains there would probably be reflected in less leverage in docking fees and end up with same net effect.

 

Egypt and Tunisia are very different in that there are external factors driving down demand for the ports themselves.

 

Either way, it's not a priority for Princess. Pity.

[Loonbeam]

From a percentage basis, it probably affects a fairly small portion of passengers. The vast majority will be doing ship or private excursions.

 

Either way, it's not a priority for Princess. Pity.