Bahamas rears its ugly head

[Theosprey247]

3 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

So much speculation, bias, and hearsay, so few facts. 

Welcome to Cruise Critic 

[Incognito1]

Just now, BlerkOne said:

So much speculation, bias, and hearsay, so few facts. 

The linked UK Mail article does have quite a few facts in it.  Definitely made it sound like there were some shenanigans going on with the story.

[Elaine5715]

36 minutes ago, CoasterGuy said:

 

The difference is that if you're an american and something like this happens to you in the US, you aren't in a foreign country whose economy is almost entirely run by tourism, with a police force that is in cahoots with the local tourism businesses and just waiting for you to go back home and they will not press charges because they want to keep the crime statistics as low as possible. 

 

EDIT: Although I'm sure this exact same scenario can easily play out in the US, it greatly depends on where in the country it took place, and it isn't practically guaranteed to happen like in the bahamas.

The US media may also take up the story as sympathetic to the tourist unlike the Bahamian media which seems to favor their police.   

[BlerkOne]

19 minutes ago, Incognito1 said:

The linked UK Mail article does have quite a few facts in it.  Definitely made it sound like there were some shenanigans going on with the story.

Perhaps. No where does it say the victims booked the excursion through Carnival, but it seems to imply it. Based on CC reports, lots of people go on their own. Viator even sells a tour. The victims seem to were a number of outfits in the pictures - how many times did they change during that day. No doubt there could be some shenanigans.  

 

Paul Harvey might be able to sort it out 

 

 

[stobe1]

1 hour ago, BlerkOne said:

Perhaps. No where does it say the victims booked the excursion through Carnival, but it seems to imply it. Based on CC reports, lots of people go on their own. Viator even sells a tour. The victims seem to were a number of outfits in the pictures - how many times did they change during that day. No doubt there could be some shenanigans.  

 

Paul Harvey might be able to sort it out 

 

 

 

 

Goood daaayyy!

[CoasterGuy]

13 hours ago, purpleally said:

Freaking money grab. Not Carnivals fault. Why on earth do they need a go fund me. Take responsibility for your actions. 

 

You're welcome to not donate to it, in case you didn't know. 

[Etta1213]

On 2/9/2024 at 12:28 PM, sparks1093 said:

They probably wouldn't step in any of those cities, either. Heck, we're in the middle of a crime wave here in our little village of 1700 people.

I'm so sorry. Our culture is deteriorating; scary, especially if one has kids/grandkids.

[sparks1093]

6 hours ago, Etta1213 said:

I'm so sorry. Our culture is deteriorating; scary, especially if one has kids/grandkids.

Yes, I've watched society deteriorate my entire life. Yesterday someone drove their vehicle through the front door of the funeral home. Crazy times.

 

As for the story at hand, the Bahamas have been unsafe for quite some time and tourists have been told to be on the alert while there.

[bucfan2]

On 2/9/2024 at 1:39 PM, BlerkOne said:

Exactly. Why hold other countries to a higher standard or expect them to be safer, while ignoring the problems at home.

The problems at home haven't been ignored....they've been welcomed. No blame game to pass around.

[Haljo1935]

10 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

Perhaps. No where does it say the victims booked the excursion through Carnival, but it seems to imply it. Based on CC reports, lots of people go on their own. Viator even sells a tour. The victims seem to were a number of outfits in the pictures - how many times did they change during that day. No doubt there could be some shenanigans.  

 

Paul Harvey might be able to sort it out 

 

 

👍 Paul Harvey "rest of the story" 😉

[firefly333]

Royal is adding Bahamas tax increase to already booked cruises which I think is not right, though the loyal to royal all say well you cant expect royal to eat the increase. It was reported something like $12 to $16 pp . ..but on one I got a  notice of $19 increase. So even the news release was a lie. I'm a solo pax, so it's me, just one person and more is added than royal even says. It's not a lot per person, I'm not cancelling but I do think once you book a line shouldnt be allowed to add more port taxes or fees. 

 

My first is harmony out of texas, 8 days to coco cay. I think the other is my xmas cruise, going to nassau I think and grand Bahamas. Didnt even know ships went to the grand Bahamas. Only a 6 day and grand bahamas was a switch. Maybe wherever they were going was c,used xmas day. Royal doesnt match if fees and taxes go down unless the ship feels like doing it, unlike carnival who always refunds any small overage. 

[BlerkOne]

10 hours ago, bucfan2 said:

The problems at home haven't been ignored....they've been welcomed. No blame game to pass around.

If a head in the sand is a welcome.

[BlerkOne]

2 hours ago, firefly333 said:

Royal is adding Bahamas tax increase to already booked cruises which I think is not right, though the loyal to royal all say well you cant expect royal to eat the increase. It was reported something like $12 to $16 pp . ..but on one I got a  notice of $19 increase. So even the news release was a lie. I'm a solo pax, so it's me, just one person and more is added than royal even says. It's not a lot per person, I'm not cancelling but I do think once you book a line shouldnt be allowed to add more port taxes or fees. 

 

They can and it's in the contract.

 

 

 “Cruise Fare” or “CruiseTour Fare” includes the amount due for the Cruise or CruiseTour, whether such amounts are
owing and/or have been paid by the Passenger, but does not include amounts due for other products or services such as
air transportation, photographs, gratuities, telephone calls, or medical services which can be purchased separately, nor
does it include government or quasi-governmental taxes and fees, whether assessed on a per passenger, per vessel, per
berth or per ton basis, nor any fuel surcharges, security surcharges or similar assessments made by airlines, trains,
buses, hotels or other third parties which are subject to change and are due and payable by Passenger upon request. For
CruiseTours that include air travel, airfare is included in the CruiseTour Fare.
e. “CruiseTour” means the combined vacation package officially published and offered by

[Knights on the Beach]

3 hours ago, firefly333 said:

My first is harmony out of texas, 8 days to coco cay. I think the other is my xmas cruise, going to nassau I think and grand Bahamas. Didnt even know ships went to the grand Bahamas. Only a 6 day and grand bahamas was a switch. Maybe wherever they were going was c,used xmas day. Royal doesnt match if fees and taxes go down unless the ship feels like doing it, unlike carnival who always refunds any small overage. 

 

Freeport is on Grand Bahama Island, ships have been going there for many years - though it's probably been 15+ years since we've been there on a cruise.

[firefly333]

2 hours ago, Knights on the Beach said:

 

Freeport is on Grand Bahama Island, ships have been going there for many years - though it's probably been 15+ years since we've been there on a cruise.

It's been at least 25 years, maybe longer since I did the big red boat and those 1 day cruises to the bahamas before my cruising days. Not that excited for it tbh. But the 8 day cruise before it goes to some new ports for me and I'm moving to a new place I dont know anyone so said might as well book the 6 day afterwards over xmas. If it wasnt b2b and xmas wouldnt have booked it lol. 

 

Also been to bimini on one of those long ago cruises. One restaurant, 1 bar and endless sand. They did a wet tee shirt contest at the bar was the only activity. Lol. All the contestants but 1 were ringers. We pulled for the real customer but I think one of the ringers won. 

 

I am annoyed royal is adding Bahamas tax to already booked cruises. I think once you lock in a price it should be the price. Dont care if it's only $20. 

[BlerkOne]

36 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

 

I am annoyed royal is adding Bahamas tax to already booked cruises. I think once you lock in a price it should be the price. Dont care if it's only $20. 

The Bahamas are also adding tax on the private islands. Look for cruise lines to pass that on, too.

[bucfan2]

15 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

If a head in the sand is a welcome.

Plenty of that as well. It'll all play out nicely in due time. 

Edited February 12 by bucfan2

[FTLCruiseGal]

13 hours ago, firefly333 said:

 

I am annoyed royal is adding Bahamas tax to already booked cruises. I think once you lock in a price it should be the price. Dont care if it's only $20. 

I have to disagree with you on this one.  $20 per person, one ship that holds 3,500 people visiting the Bahamas once a week — 52 weeks is significant.  That’s just one ship, and you have to pay the tax, whether or not people get off the ship.  I don’t feel Royal should absorb that cost.

[bucfan2]

24 minutes ago, FTLCruiseGal said:

I have to disagree with you on this one.  $20 per person, one ship that holds 3,500 people visiting the Bahamas once a week — 52 weeks is significant.  That’s just one ship, and you have to pay the tax, whether or not people get off the ship.  I don’t feel Royal should absorb that cost.

Be nice if the cruise lines could avoid that dump and go elsewhere, but with their ships going to the private islands, the Bahamas has played their cards well and has them in a bit of a pickle. Nicely played overall. 

[mz-s]

38 minutes ago, FTLCruiseGal said:

I have to disagree with you on this one.  $20 per person, one ship that holds 3,500 people visiting the Bahamas once a week — 52 weeks is significant.  That’s just one ship, and you have to pay the tax, whether or not people get off the ship.  I don’t feel Royal should absorb that cost.

 

I don't think they should be allowed to change the tax rate on ship calls that were already on the calendar. If they want to re-negotiate tax rates on future calls, fine. But not those that were already scheduled. But it's their sandbox and their rules so it is what it is. I'm sure the cruise lines are unhappy but what can they do?

 

9 minutes ago, bucfan2 said:

Be nice if the cruise lines could avoid that dump and go elsewhere, but with their ships going to the private islands, the Bahamas has played their cards well and has them in a bit of a pickle. Nicely played overall. 

 

The Bahamas and Nassau knows for example that there are very few ports that can accommodate the super ships that the mainstream lines are building these days. Nassau is one of the few. And The Bahamas has most of the private island destinations. Perfect Day isn't going anywhere, even if this extra tax doubles in cost. If the ships leave Nassau behind because of the tax there's not many other places they can stop, especially not all those ships all at once.

[d9704011]

22 minutes ago, mz-s said:

I don't think they should be allowed to change the tax rate on ship calls that were already on the calendar.

If you book a hotel for $250 with taxes at 10%,  ($275 total) you can rest assured that the hotel chain will pass along any change in taxes; be prepared to pay $277.50 if the tax rate is raised to 11%.  Why should cruise lines (and cruise passengers) be treated any differently?

[mz-s]

1 minute ago, d9704011 said:

If you book a hotel for $250 with taxes at 10%,  ($275 total) you can rest assured that the hotel chain will pass along any change in taxes; be prepared to pay $277.50 if the tax rate is raised to 11%.  Why should cruise lines (and cruise passengers) be treated any differently?

 

I am saying that the Bahamas should not be allowed to change the tax rate for port calls already scheduled. They should only be able to change it for future calls.

 

Obviously the cruise lines have to pass on the tax. Just like they pass on their employee's wages by calling them gratuities, etc.

[d9704011]

2 minutes ago, mz-s said:

I am saying that the Bahamas should not be allowed to change the tax rate for port calls already scheduled. They should only be able to change it for future calls.

OK.... 'grandfathering' of a sort.  I don't agree but that's just my opinion.

[mz-s]

4 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

OK.... 'grandfathering' of a sort.  I don't agree but that's just my opinion.

 

Fair enough! 🙂

[firefly333]

3 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

I am saying that the Bahamas should not be allowed to change the tax rate for port calls already scheduled. They should only be able to change it for future calls.

 

Obviously the cruise lines have to pass on the tax. Just like they pass on their employee's wages by calling them gratuities, etc.

I'm not even complaining about if the ship is already scheduled. I'm talking about I've booked it and thought I locked in the price. Idk about hotels. If i paid at the time i booked the hotel, i also cant imagine getting there and them saying i owed more. New bookings I can understand adding it. But not if you already are booked at a price you have in writing. 

 

 

and I get it, I'm in the minority and most say it's fine to add on charges after I book and it's too late to cancel. Lucky I only have 2 this year going there. Some out of florida I'm sure had many more affected.

 

The example above says royal shouldnt absorb 3500, if 3500 booked, but the ship wasnt all booked when this was added on, only affects those who booked ahead this year. Just my opinion. As noted above hits jan 1st this year.