Port fees dropped $20 pp before final?

[Ourusualbeach]

5 hours ago, ARandomTraveler said:

Can't you just get a price drop if you're before final payment? 

 

5 hours ago, packedandready said:

Did they say why you can't be repriced as if there was a rate decrease?

Price drops have never included changes to taxes and fees.  Those are locked the day you book.  Price reductions are on cruise fare only.

[Ourusualbeach]

6 hours ago, coaster said:

Final is due tomorrow on Granduer in November. Price is lower due to lower taxes and port fees now. Just the gamble for booking early? Folks booking now have the lower rate.

 

And many times booking later will result in a cruise fare or taxes  that are much higher.  

[twangster]

No price adjustments for changes in port fees and taxes has been a policy for many years now. 

 

Nothing has changed in this respect.

[papaflamingo]

10 hours ago, coaster said:

Why book early anymore?

I book early because:

1. I get the cabin I want.

2. Prices can (and usually do) go up as the cruise gets closer

3. The cruise can sell out

4. I've locked in a price I am willing to pay

Example..  a few years ago I booked a Southern Caribbean cruise.  Some friends wanted to go but decided to wait until their cruise a few weeks after I had booked, so they could book on board for the perks.  By the time they boarded their upcoming cruise, the cruise I was on had gone UP almost DOUBLE and there were very few cabins left and those were undesirable.  

We cruised the Southern Caribbean, our friends stayed home an read my social media posts about the cruise. 

THAT'S why I book early. 

[soremekun]

Hmmm.  @papaflamingo,  is there any relationship with @flamingos?

 

Edited August 6, 2022 by soremekun

[ocean sounds]

OP, this goes both ways.  
 

About 6 months ago I noticed a lower price (before final)  on a cruise I had booked when itineraries were first released.  
 

I called Royal to re-price.. The agent advised me that I would actually save a little more than the difference in the mock pricing I saw - because my Port Fees and Taxes were LOWER when booked, than the current pricing.   Agent said they always go by the initially booked fees - don’t increase them.    

 

So I got the benefit of an extra savings, as they kept my lower port fees. 
 

 

 

Edited August 6, 2022 by ocean sounds
Clarify

[packedandready]

16 hours ago, coaster said:

No obc showing for this cruise. I wish that was the case. It would seem fair as those booking later than us are paying less in port and taxes.

Our obc for the port fee decrease didn't show up until a couple of days into the cruise. Checking our account on board showed this strange amount. Was told of the decrease. Don't know if the obc showed up after we were in the port that decreased or what??? 

[firefly333]

9 minutes ago, packedandready said:

Our obc for the port fee decrease didn't show up until a couple of days into the cruise. Checking our account on board showed this strange amount. Was told of the decrease. Don't know if the obc showed up after we were in the port that decreased or what??? 

As rcl office email said it's up to the ship. Some refund and some dont. It's entirely random. Some got the obc and others at the very same time did not. I was a did not get a dime of obc.

 

Wouldnt make me change booking rcl, but I'm seeing much cheaper gtys for sept for my cruise dates I cant match. I'm just thinking since I'm not picky about cabins last minute lately I'd save a bunch. 

 

Lol I posted the policy right in the beginning  ... that's their policy. It's up to the ship. 

[orville99]

We received refunds of port fees as OBC on all three legs of our Mariner cruise in July. Our experience over the past 12 years and 100+ cruises on RCL is that if they drop you will receive the difference in OBC once you are onboard.

[taglovestocruise]

7 hours ago, soremekun said:

Hmmm.  @papaflamingo,  is there any relationship with @flamingos?

 

Rented  a airbnb cabin up in Big Bear Lake three months ago. Granddaughter found a Spaceballs CD  in a giant stack of movies the owner left. Rum and cokes, a pizza from saucy mamas, and a great comedy movie made for a great night. Hope to sea you onboard someday. 

[papaflamingo]

21 hours ago, soremekun said:

Hmmm.  @papaflamingo,  is there any relationship with @flamingos?

 

Funny you should ask.  We are the ORIGINAL Flamingo Club (not the one's "claiming" to be "Flamingos" that you elude to).  We. started a party group in 1991 and have done a number of cruises together.  All other "Flamingos" are simply imposters. 😜

 

Edited August 7, 2022 by papaflamingo

[texas bound]

so port fees can go up after reserved? We booked in 2021. Our port fees were less than what the website is showing so now our confirmation shows the higher fees. We did get a price reduction. I wish when you go online you can get price with refundable deposit. We are a group reserved with a TA so every time I have a question I have to contact her. 

[Biker19]

7 hours ago, texas bound said:

I wish when you go online you can get price with refundable deposit.

Other than suites, you can. Yes, port fees vary, almost as much as the corner gas station price.

[brillohead]

12 hours ago, texas bound said:

so port fees can go up after reserved? We booked in 2021. Our port fees were less than what the website is showing so now our confirmation shows the higher fees. We did get a price reduction. 

If you don't change your reservation, your port fees don't change.  If you reprice your cruise, that's different.  If you book and just stay with that price, your port fees won't change even if they go up in the meantime.

 

 

12 hours ago, texas bound said:

I wish when you go online you can get price with refundable deposit. We are a group reserved with a TA so every time I have a question I have to contact her. 

You just have to go through the entire booking process to the end, right up to (but not including) paying for the cruise, to see the extra amount they will charge for a refundable fare.

[RandomUser123]

I think you would just get the difference as OBC if port fees drop. That is my experience with cruises. 

[S.A.M.J.R.]

I don't understand why this would be ship dependent.  Shouldn't RCI have a policy in place that's the same everywhere?  

 

If a "ship" decides to not refund the difference, where does the money go? 

[Biker19]

5 hours ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

Shouldn't RCI have a policy in place that's the same everywhere?  

Have you not sailed RCI enough to realize that doesn't happen?