Cancellation Insurance - gratuities & port fees/taxes?

[jasm8449]

I'm purchasing cancellation/interruption insurance for my B2B cruises and as it makes a difference in the premium I pay, need to know if, should I have to cancel the cruise after final payment, does Celebrity refund the prepaid gratuities and port charges and taxes? In our case those items total around $900 Canadian.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Yes, any pre purchased items like shore excursions, bev packages, etc., taxes & fees, and prepaid gratuities will be refunded in the event of a cancellation.

[ilovhywd]

We spoke to a supervisor at Celebrity today who advised us that port charges are NOT refundable in the event of a cancellation.

 

We need to insure cruise fare and port charges.

 

Gratuities and government fees are refundable.

[cruisestitch]

If that is so, it is definitely a change. Port charges have always been refunded in cases of cancellation. Sometimes they are even refunded when the ship has to skip a port due to weather or mechanical issues. Even though you heard it from a supervisor, I think that is incorrect.

[az_tchr]

Just a thought. How are you paying for your cruise? Paying with a Chase Sapphire Visa provides $10,000 in cancellation insurance with similar coverage to that of Celebrity. Ditto with PRIOMARY free coverage on car rentals. Even in Italy (LOL). Wouldn't that be cheaper (free card in first year) with 2% rebate on travel purchases?

[dappledumpling]

My Wife and I sailed on a RCCL vessel last january as a back to back. We had to cancel the second portion and they refunded the port charges,taxes/fees/gratuities and our insurance company refunded the cruise fare. I know not Celebrity but figure thier policies on this should be pretty similiar.

 

Hope that helps

Rick

[CHEZMARYLOU]

We cancelled a cruise in 2012 at literally the last minute, 4 hours before sailing, and our port fees were refunded by Celebrity. The cruise fare was covered by insurance as was our medical copay. I would call and speak to someone else because this is definitely a change from prior policy.

Edited September 14, 2015 by CHEZMARYLOU

[ilovhywd]

We agree with cruisestitch and chezmarylou, but the supervisor we spoke to was pretty definite. So was our (new) travel agent.

 

Does anyone have a reliable contact at Celebrity who could help us resolve this issue? Does Celebrity monitor these message boards?

 

 

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[cruisestitch]

I have a couple of thoughts about this. At first, I wondered if this was somehow a Canadian policy change, but I see that someone else not in Canada was also told this. So, perhaps it is some sort of new policy, although I still consider that unlikely.

 

But my second thought is that port charges aren't usually very much money in comparison to the cruise fare. I think I would gamble and not include them in the insured total. After all, you probably won't need the insurance at all (if the stars are all aligned). And if by some unfortunate series of events you do have to cancel the cruise, that amount of money they charge as port fees might not make much of a difference in the grand scheme.

 

I still think you would get them back if you cancel. I'd like to see some sort of written policy to the effect that they would not be refunded in case of cancellation, and I'm not aware of any such written statement anywhere in the Celebrity T&C.

[ilovhywd]

I am happy to report that I finally got a reply, in writing, from Celebrity that port charges are refundable in the event of cancellation. Therefore, they don't have to be insured!

 

It's too bad that some of their telephone representatives are misinformed.

 

 

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[cle-guy]

I think there may be a difference in Port Charges versus Taxes and Fees,

 

It's my understanding that Port charges are largely these days buried in the cruise fare.

 

In any case, in the event of cancellation, you will get back the "taxes and fees" itemized and billed to you on your invoice.

 

DO note that some TA's do still itemize out the actual Port Charges and NCF. So while an invoice from Celebrity looks like:

• $2000 Cruise fare
  
• $120 Taxes and fees
  
• $2120 total
  

 

A TA may bill it as as:

• $1800 Crusie Fare
  
• $200 NCF (Or whatever they decide to call it)
  
• $120 taxes and fees
  
• $2120 total
  

In either case, only the $120 is refundable.

 

Some TA's itemize out like this as TA's don't get commissioned on the full cruise fare, only part of it. So to account properly, they need to back out the amount not commissioned.

Edited September 16, 2015 by cle-guy

[RocketMan275]

I'm purchasing cancellation/interruption insurance for my B2B cruises and as it makes a difference in the premium I pay, need to know if, should I have to cancel the cruise after final payment, does Celebrity refund the prepaid gratuities and port charges and taxes? In our case those items total around $900 Canadian.

 

It may not matter. Most of the insurance quotes I've seen work on $500 increments. A $1501 trip costs the same as a $1999 trip. I just did a quote. For a $1501 trip, the cost was $160. The cost of a $1999 trip was $160. The cost of a $2001 trip was $195.

[az_tchr]

Again I would ask why anyone would not get a credit card with trip insurance for little cost and more coverage. Certainly makes no sense to me to pay say 8% of a $3000 trip or about $240 for insurance when for $79 you can get $10k worth of trip insurance and from at least one or two Visa issuers PRIMARY coverage for rental cars. Understand this is probably different outside North America, but still for the posters here ?????

[cle-guy]

Generally the Credit Card insurances are very limited once you get into the details. And full of loopholes, like if you paid for any portion of the cruise with a card other than the one with insurance, there is no coverage. SO for example, do a book on board booking, pay the $250 deposit with a card, then pay the balance at final payment with 2nd card, no coverage.

 

Credit card insurance isn't going to cover for med-evac coverage either. I have a card with such "perks" but once I read the fine details, they only provided "assistance" in recovering your trip or finding transportation, but required the individual to pay for all services they arrange on their behalf. This is the United Presidential Plus MasterCard.

 

I also don't think these cards will cover cancellations after final payment, regardless of reason.

 

I think the cards are good for rental cars and airfare related travel stuff, but don't see them offering the coverage that Cruisers really need.

[cruisergal 1]

If that is so, it is definitely a change. Port charges have always been refunded in cases of cancellation. Sometimes they are even refunded when the ship has to skip a port due to weather or mechanical issues. Even though you heard it from a supervisor, I think that is incorrect.

 

We just got off a cruise a couple of weeks ago, and we were refunded a couple of port charges, as a result of skipping the ports due to the weather.