Policy on changes in port fees and taxes?

[AndyCapn]

When I booked my upcoming cruise last year, port fees were $160. Earlier this week, new bookings were being charged $138. I contacted my TA to get the fees refunded and this is how Celebrity replied.

 

"We do not adjust the taxes and port fees, as a courtesy I made an exception. Emailed revised booking confirmation."

 

Last night the fees listed dropped again to $121. I'm not going to bother my TA with another request, but is this normal procedure for Celebrity? To be clear, this isn't a drop in the price of the cruise, just the port fees and taxes.

 

Should I try to get the overcharge refunded on board through Guest Services?

 

My experience with NCL is that any reduction in fees and taxes are refunded.

 

I should add this is being booked through the casino department, but I don't see why that would affect a change in port fees and taxes.

[LGW59]

2 minutes ago, AndyCapn said:

When I booked my upcoming cruise last year, port fees were $160. Earlier this week, new bookings were being charged $138. I contacted my TA to get the fees refunded and this is how Celebrity replied.

 

"We do not adjust the taxes and port fees, as a courtesy I made an exception. Emailed revised booking confirmation."

 

Last night the fees listed dropped again to $121. I'm not going to bother my TA with another request, but is this normal procedure for Celebrity? To be clear, this isn't a drop in the price of the cruise, just the port fees and taxes.

 

Should I try to get the overcharge refunded on board through Guest Services?

 

My experience with NCL is that any reduction in fees and taxes are refunded.

 

I should add this is being booked through the casino department, but I don't see why that would affect a change in port fees and taxes.

If it's worth the twenty bucks or so for the time you will spend chasing this, go for it.

[Jeremiah1212]

Similarly, they do not pass on the charge to you when port fees increase, so the blanket policy is no adjustments. From my understanding, dependent on the port the fee is not necessarily a flat rate either. 

 

If you really want to nerd out on the topic, here is Port Miami's policy http://www.miamidade.gov/aopdfdoc/aopdf/pdffiles/IO4-4.pdf

[NutsAboutGolf]

28 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

If it's worth the twenty bucks or so for the time you will spend chasing this, go for it.

 

That $17 could help cover the new specialty restaurant 18% gratuity or the price for a la carte internet and drink package🙃

[jelayne]

We have 5 booking between 10/22  & 10/23, for 2 of them the taxes and fees have remained the same and the other 3 have all risen.  The increases range from $4-72 pp.

They don't we pay the increase so in the end it all works out.

[RTShaker]

That works both ways. They don't come running to you for more if the port fees go up.

[Arizona Wildcat]

The only adjustment we ever received was for missing a port due to a medical emergency.   Got a $12OBCR

[the penguins]

10 hours ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

The only adjustment we ever received was for missing a port due to a medical emergency.   Got a $12OBCR

X even refused that on our May Silhouette sailing. Claimed they paid 1 fixed amount to dock in 3 ports in Finland with no reduction if a port was missed.

Also in the UK/Europe it is illegal to charge port fees etc separately i.e. any cost that is not optional must be included in the basic price. This applies to all consumer pricing (not business to business) and hence VAT is included in prices unlike in the US where the Sales Tax is added separately.

[Arizona Wildcat]

28 minutes ago, the penguins said:

X even refused that on our May Silhouette sailing. Claimed they paid 1 fixed amount to dock in 3 ports in Finland with no reduction if a port was missed.

Also in the UK/Europe it is illegal to charge port fees etc separately i.e. any cost that is not optional must be included in the basic price. This applies to all consumer pricing (not business to business) and hence VAT is included in prices unlike in the US where the Sales Tax is added separately.

Different rules in North America from thr UK/Europe.  The agreements for port fees in many ports is use it or lose it.   We had many passengers that were nasty to the customer service people about missing the port even after the Captain made an announcement explaining what was happening.  Really sad as we cruised at max speed north for 6 hours so we could meet a USCG medevac chopper for a stroke victim.  (He survived).  The cost to X had to be thousands of $$ in fuel.

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, the penguins said:

Claimed they paid 1 fixed amount to dock in 3 ports in Finland with no reduction if a port was missed.

 

As I've read elsewhere when this subject has come up, that may well be correct.  The port is holding that spot for a specific ship.  If the ship is a no-show at the last minute, the port is out of luck. 

[the penguins]

1 hour ago, Turtles06 said:

 

As I've read elsewhere when this subject has come up, that may well be correct.  The port is holding that spot for a specific ship.  If the ship is a no-show at the last minute, the port is out of luck. 

The odd thing was the Director of Guest Relations was expecting us to get a refund and she contacted HO twice to confirm that no refund was due. No problem on the ship about it and frankly I don't think the majority of passengers (mainly Brits) even knew that the fees are ever refunded - we certainly didn't until our US friends told us. In fact the first time it happened the ship credited all American/Canadian passengers automatically but not the few Brits who were onboard. At the suggestion of our American table companions we asked and were initially told no refunds. When we explained that our table companions had been credited we were told " sorry it was a mistake, of course you get the credit" and it was done immediately.