Excessive Rivera port chrges

[zoncom]

Received a quote on May 6, 17 Rome-Venice 10Ner. $740 in port charges!! Recently read somewhere about 20% VAT on cruises. Anyone have info?

[Cruise Junky]

It stops in Montenegro so you won't pay any VAT onboard. Does seem high on port charges but it's also jammed with ports, no sea days

[LHT28]

Where do you see the port charges ??

Is it just port charges or other fees as well?

 

The website only shows the bottom line (all fees rolled into fare)

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I believe the port fees are rolled into the overall fares, at least on the US website? But perhaps not in the UK or Europe?

[Hawaiidan]

look at the Alaska port charges.....for a real shocker

[zoncom]

Emailed O directly. They had one of their outside agents respond. She skirted the issue. Asked her where she was located twice. She never responded to that question either.Lost interest.And my business. Simple questions.Am in US.

Edited July 31, 2016 by zoncom

[Cruise Junky]

Why do you care though? It's in the price, it's not extra. You either like their price or not and why do you care where a call centre agent is located?

[Cruseforme]

As an aside, for those that didn't understand where the OP is getting the port charges from.....now on the new brochures, if you opt for the non-Olife pkg, it includes air (which you can decline and get monies off the cruise), however, it is a base price, and states underneath the price, the addl port charges and fees per person that will need to be added. Almost looks like they may start an a la carte pricing soon. It is on all the new Summer Sale brochures that we have received. You can choose the OLife pkg or not, and see the price difference up front (however need to add port charges..etc per person to the non OLife).

[SellaVee]

I will find that soooooo annoying.. It's not like port charges are optional! I don't mind paying them, I just don't want to have to do the adding up.

 

I don't mind the total of the port charges being shown, but I don't want it taken out of the base price as if it was optional when it isn't.

[globevest]

I will find that soooooo annoying.. It's not like port charges are optional! I don't mind paying them, I just don't want to have to do the adding up.

I don't mind the total of the port charges being shown, but I don't want it taken out of the base price as if it was optional when it isn't.

 

SellaVee, I fully agree with you. It looks as though they want to follow some of the airline practices.....low price then watch out for the 'hidden' fees...Ugh! :eek: not what I expect from a premium cruise line.

[globevest]

Maybe they are going to refund port charges when they miss ports :rolleyes: I don't think....

[wripro]

Maybe they are going to refund port charges when they miss ports :rolleyes: I don't think....

 

Ain't gonna happen! Great way to pad the bottom line.

[Hawaiidan]

I have never take an O cruise that port, taxes etc were not all in the price!

I fail to see how one can bargain or deal . Calling up the cruise line and ranting about port charges seems like a fools errand.... whats a agent to say to such an abstract problem that really dosent exist and has nothing to do with or within the cruise lines control..

Its the governments and port authorities that set and decide what to charge ...Heck if you really wnat to get wound up how about what the Panama Canal charges a cruise ship..100,000+ per passage...Ports are chump change.....go rant at the Canal government

 

The mass market lines that cater to the budget minded always, well most always never give the total price...only the loss leader price no tax, no gratuities, no service fee, no port, no fuel surcharge..

Edited August 1, 2016 by Hawaiidan

[RJB]

Maybe they are going to refund port charges when they miss ports :rolleyes: I don't think....

I think if they break the port charges out then they will have to refund them if they miss a port. I thinks that was the outcome of a lawsuit a few years ago. Anyone who knows the answer for sure please let us know.

[Silver Sweethearts]

Maybe they are going to refund port charges when they miss ports :rolleyes: I don't think....

 

Ain't gonna happen! Great way to pad the bottom line.

 

On our last Seabourn cruise, they refunded us our port taxes for two ports that were missed.

[rallydave]

I think if they break the port charges out then they will have to refund them if they miss a port. I thinks that was the outcome of a lawsuit a few years ago. Anyone who knows the answer for sure please let us know.

 

+1 You are mostly correct, it was a settlement when the State of Florida was threatening to sue. All or most all cruise lines based in Florida signed an agreement that when port charges including fees, taxes, etc. that were to be paid to a Government entity were called out specifically to the customer those dollars could only be used to pay Governments for the specific reason that they were collected for and otherwise could not be retained by the cruise line and thus returned to the passenger for missed ports and possible fee/rate/tax changes, etc. Used to be able to find on line all of the signed settlement documents but, as of late unable to find the actual signed documents but, pretty sure they are still in existence and valid.

[RJB]

+1 You are mostly correct, it was a settlement when the State of Florida was threatening to sue. All or most all cruise lines based in Florida signed an agreement that when port charges including fees, taxes, etc. that were to be paid to a Government entity were called out specifically to the customer those dollars could only be used to pay Governments for the specific reason that they were collected for and otherwise could not be retained by the cruise line and thus returned to the passenger for missed ports and possible fee/rate/tax changes, etc. Used to be able to find on line all of the signed settlement documents but, as of late unable to find the actual signed documents but, pretty sure they are still in existence and valid.

Thanks, I thought there was something about this, but not totally sure.

[LHT28]

Still unclear where the OP saw the port charges ??

In the new sale flyers that advertise "cruise only " fares it does show port taxes/fee extra but no where near that amount the ones I saw

 

MOOT point I guess since she has moved on

[ccbee]

On my 31 day Miami to Rome Cruise, my travel agent broke out the Port charges & Taxes/Fees and they were just over $2000 per person. I thought this was quite high but their are a lot of ports and the total figure equates to the amount O is charging for the cruise so I figured it was right.

[rallydave]

On my 31 day Miami to Rome Cruise, my travel agent broke out the Port charges & Taxes/Fees and they were just over $2000 per person. I thought this was quite high but their are a lot of ports and the total figure equates to the amount O is charging for the cruise so I figured it was right.

 

There are at least a couple of reasons the TA will always break out the Port Charges, Taxes, and air if included. They may or may not share that information with you, but, they need it in order to figure their commissions as commissions are based on the basic fare not including the above items so your TA definately has an interest in the accuracy of the breakdown. Also, for TA's who provide rebates, that percentage is based on that same commission value. Some cruise lines show those costs in their brochures and on line while others roll them into the fare as Oceania does but, does break them down at least for the TA so they know what their commissions will be. We are booked on a cruise where the port fees and taxes show up on their website but, there are more costs that are broken out and not commissionable and for which we don't receive our 11% rebate. Tried to figure out what those were but, was unsuccessful. In any case there are always port fees and taxes and some are shown to the public and some are not but, the TA will always have that breakdown.