Did I get screwed ?

[riekl]

I thought I was getting a good deal at the time, but now I'm thinking I got bitten.

 

I'm sailing in MX on 7/2 on Escape, I booked on Monday 5/23 when the price was (and still is) 999/pp. My cruise agent charged me 999+131+200/pp , the 131 being taxes/fees and the 200 being nccf port charges for a total of 2659.22 for 2 pax.

 

Every other TA I look at shows 2259.22 (999+131/pp) no 200 port charges ?

[Into Cruising]

the gratuities for two on the Beverage package

[Into Cruising]

do include the port charges

[KevInPitt]

Ask your TA to provide a better explanation for the extra $200pp. "RCCL PORT CHARGES" is vague and misleading considering the $131pp already covers GOV'T TAXES, FEES & PORT EXPENSES.

[IsanTom]

NCL is sneaky with fees and service charges. This maybe service charges on the UBP!

[esm54687]

Because you chose MX, there are no promos so it can't be SDP or UBP service charges... the $200 p\p sounds like NCL Admin fees....

[GeezerCouple]

I thought I was getting a good deal at the time, but now I'm thinking I got bitten.

 

I'm sailing in MX on 7/2 on Escape, I booked on Monday 5/23 when the price was (and still is) 999/pp. My cruise agent charged me 999+131+200/pp , the 131 being taxes/fees and the 200 being nccf port charges for a total of 2659.22 for 2 pax.

 

Every other TA I look at shows 2259.22 (999+131/pp) no 200 port charges ?

 

Is your "cruise agent" a travel agent who does *not* work directly for NCL?

 

If so, have you double checked that they don't add on their own fee?

[cruisejunkie76]

call NCL and give them your Reservation number and let them check the booking and explain those extra $ 200,-

[khaide612]

That extra $200 isn't there when you do a mock booking on NCL website. Tell the TA that & ask for a better explanation.

[esm54687]

NCL is sneaky with fees and service charges. This maybe service charges on the UBP!

 

I don't think NCL is "sneaky"... they publish all fees and service charges in the T&Cs or "details of charges"... I have never been surprised by an unexpected fee or service charge.... do I agree with all of them.. NO.. but NCL communicates all of them and I can make choices based on that

[khaide612]

I thought I was getting a good deal at the time, but now I'm thinking I got bitten.

 

I'm sailing in MX on 7/2 on Escape, I booked on Monday 5/23 when the price was (and still is) 999/pp. My cruise agent charged me 999+131+200/pp , the 131 being taxes/fees and the 200 being nccf port charges for a total of 2659.22 for 2 pax.

 

Every other TA I look at shows 2259.22 (999+131/pp) no 200 port charges ?

 

Yeah you got screwed. I looked again & if you book a MC where you can pick your cabin for $1199 pp, the total comes to $2883.14 and that includes the UBP & SDP.

[esm54687]

Yeah you got screwed. I looked again & if you book a MC where you can pick your cabin for $1199 pp, the total comes to $2883.14 and that includes the UBP & SDP.

 

khaide612.... the OP booked an MX category (mini guarantee) and those do not come with any promo!

[riekl]

Right it is MX so no promos of any kind. I got some answers.

 

Apparently even though the price changed on 5/23 to 999 at the time I booked during the day it was still 1199, so the TA shows the $200 of port charges "separately" so i paid 1199 + taxes even though the price changed the same day :( Being it was final payment nothing I can do about it now.

[Laszlo]

Hope you got kissed first:D

[KevInPitt]

Right it is MX so no promos of any kind. I got some answers.

 

Apparently even though the price changed on 5/23 to 999 at the time I booked during the day it was still 1199, so the TA shows the $200 of port charges "separately" so i paid 1199 + taxes even though the price changed the same day :( Being it was final payment nothing I can do about it now.

 

So it would appear you were screwed... .by your TA.

[spanishguy1970]

I thought I was getting a good deal at the time, but now I'm thinking I got bitten.

 

I'm sailing in MX on 7/2 on Escape, I booked on Monday 5/23 when the price was (and still is) 999/pp. My cruise agent charged me 999+131+200/pp , the 131 being taxes/fees and the 200 being nccf port charges for a total of 2659.22 for 2 pax.

 

Every other TA I look at shows 2259.22 (999+131/pp) no 200 port charges ?

 

For 5 years we were using a travel agent. He was helpful but on our last cruise he charged us 437 dollars for taxes " each" when i went to ncl directly the taxes for that same cruise was only 127 dollars each. I asked my travel agent why the difference and he kept giving me the run around. We were so upset. Needless to say we found out he was charging us fees. We got rid of him and went to a new travel agent. We make sure that the fees are the same and so far so good. I reported that agent to the better business bureau. Ask your travel agent.

[esm54687]

Right it is MX so no promos of any kind. I got some answers.

 

Apparently even though the price changed on 5/23 to 999 at the time I booked during the day it was still 1199, so the TA shows the $200 of port charges "separately" so i paid 1199 + taxes even though the price changed the same day :( Being it was final payment nothing I can do about it now.

 

OMG! Was it NCL TA? If not, will the TA give you some of that back as OBC? That is just wrong.... TA quoted you $999 so I would be writing all sorts of letters......... that's also $400 extra their commission is based on.

[GeezerCouple]

Right it is MX so no promos of any kind. I got some answers.

 

Apparently even though the price changed on 5/23 to 999 at the time I booked during the day it was still 1199, so the TA shows the $200 of port charges "separately" so i paid 1199 + taxes even though the price changed the same day :( Being it was final payment nothing I can do about it now.

 

No, No, and NO!

 

Either the NCL price was $999 when the TA processed your reservation OR it was $1,999 when your reservation was processed. Full stop.

 

That $200 either IS or IS NOT *ALREADY* included in your fare.

 

Find a new Travel Agent ASAP for ALL future travel.

[brookie848]

Right it is MX so no promos of any kind. I got some answers.

 

Apparently even though the price changed on 5/23 to 999 at the time I booked during the day it was still 1199, so the TA shows the $200 of port charges "separately" so i paid 1199 + taxes even though the price changed the same day :( Being it was final payment nothing I can do about it now.

 

Can you call your credit card company and dispute the charge? That might be your best bet right now that way you can start again with someone who is actually trustworthy.

[beerman2]

OMG! Was it NCL TA? If not, will the TA give you some of that back as OBC? That is just wrong.... TA quoted you $999 so I would be writing all sorts of letters......... that's also $400 extra their commission is based on.

 

NCL doesn't have TA's!

 

OP I would definately contact the booking agent, port fees are not even close to that amount!

[khaide612]

khaide612.... the OP booked an MX category (mini guarantee) and those do not come with any promo!

 

I know - I'm saying they could book an MC & pick their room & get the promos for only $200 more than what the TA is charging them for the MX with no promos.

[jakesnana]

NCL doesn't have TA's!

 

OP I would definately contact the booking agent, port fees are not even close to that amount!

 

You are incorrect. The Port Chgs for NCL are $200 per person.

 

To the OP, the $999 should have included the port charge, as NO ONE is supposed to quote a cruise fare that is not inclusive of the port charges (there was a BIG law suit many years ago that changed the way cruise fares are quoted). Since you technically paid $1,199 (not including gov't taxes) for the booking, see what is available for that price on your sailing and ask to be upgraded to that category.

[esm54687]

NCL doesn't have TA's!

 

OP I would definately contact the booking agent, port fees are not even close to that amount!

 

Correct... they are PCCs but some refer to them as TAs. Since the OP mentioned TA, I stayed with the same terminology.

[StolidCruiser]

You are incorrect. The Port Chgs for NCL are $200 per person.

To the OP, the $999 should have included the port charge, as NO ONE is supposed to quote a cruise fare that is not inclusive of the port charges (there was a BIG law suit many years ago that changed the way cruise fares are quoted). Since you technically paid $1,199 (not including gov't taxes) for the booking, see what is available for that price on your sailing and ask to be upgraded to that category.

 

You are incorrect. What the OP states they were charged was "NCCF" of $200pp. NCCF stands for non-commissionable cruise fare and is the portion of the price upon which a TA does not earn commission. It may, or may not, include port fees but it is not ONLY port fees. The OP states he was charged $131pp which NCL defines as "GOV'T TAXES, FEES & PORT EXPENSES".

 

NCCF is normally not separately disclosed due to the reasons you mentioned about issues years ago. Most TAs today do not break it out as it would appear the OP's TA has done.

 

By the OP's own admission, they appear to possibly have been trapped on a re-pricing day when the total fare at one point was 1199pp and then changed to 999pp. Or - they have a scam TA who is totally pulling a fast one either by not charging the accurate price at the time of booking or adding on the NCCF to the advertised price contrary to FTC regulation.

Edited May 27, 2016 by StolidCruiser

[sanger727]

Are you comparing the price to ur ta's price or ncl's price? As only because I did a mock booking and wrote down all the totals (approx $900 for the room, $150 in taxes/fees, and then $150 or so for ubp/sdp). When I went to book through orbitz, the price they gave was approx $500 for the room, $550 in taxes, and $150 for promos. So same price overall, just broken down differently (the obc they offered was based on room price so they were trying to lower our obc bonus)

 

 

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