Alaska Tax Surcharge

[Lightsluvr]

And in my mind a great way to put the message across about this tax is when in the ports of call walk into the various places of business, look around, and then let the propietor know that you won't be buying anything in order to make up for the tax that they pushed through. Hitting them in their pocket books is the only message that they will understand.

 

And for anyone who doesn't understand those of us who make decisions based on "the principle of the issue" I feel a bit sorry for you.

 

Right on!

 

We will be returning to Alaska in 2008, tax or no tax. However, my money will be going to RCI Cruises and RCI cruise tours. When I get off in Skagway, Juneau, Seward, Anchorage and Fairbanks, my pocket book is going to be slammed shut...

 

JMHO

 

LL

[negc]

I just hope that those who object to this tax, will remember that feeling the next time their local politicians suggest imposing a new tax that will only be applied to tourists and visitors to their state or city. The fact that the tax won't be paid out of your pocket doesn't make it any more reasonable. In the long run, what goes around, comes around.:rolleyes:

[Lightsluvr]

I just hope that those who object to this tax, will remember that feeling the next time their local politicians suggest imposing a new tax that will only be applied to tourists and visitors to their state or city. The fact that the tax won't be paid out of your pocket doesn't make it any more reasonable. In the long run, what goes around, comes around.:rolleyes:

 

You're absolutely right. I still remember the sting of Boston's hotel taxes on top of my $400 per night room charge... Heck, that alone was more than the $50 tax Alaska wants to stick to me... :o

 

LL

[Ocean Boy]

You're absolutely right. I still remember the sting of Boston's hotel taxes on top of my $400 per night room charge... Heck, that alone was more than the $50 tax Alaska wants to stick to me... :o

 

LL

But don't forget, when you rent a room in Boston you have not already paid "port taxes" that help the community pay for the increase in services that they must provide to compensate for the influx of people. Alaska is taxing you twice.

[yogimax]

How many more times in the next several months will this be posted?

 

I will happily not post this again (sorry I didn't know it was already discussed). BUT how many times in the next several months will we see posts about smuggling booze?

[yogimax]

How many more times in the next several months will this be posted?

 

I will happily not post this again (sorry I didn't know it was already discussed). BUT how many times in the next several months will we see posts about smuggling booze?

[rokcop]

I live on the island of Martha's Vineyard and each ferry passenger is charged $.50 in addition to the ticket price both to and from the island as an "embarkation" tax. I live here and I still have to pay it. This tax was imposed by the legislature of the commonwealth of tax-achusetts, not the voting populus. The $ is divided up among the "port" towns on Cape cod and both the Vineyard and Nantucket and used to off-set the impact of an increased population. The town I work for has used the $ for a new firetruck, police cruisers, beautification projects, etc. I will pay my $.50 each way on the ferry both before and after my June cruise to Alaska where I'll also pay the extra $50. Such is life.

[Cruising89143]

And in my mind a great way to put the message across about this tax is when in the ports of call walk into the various places of business, look around, and then let the propietor know that you won't be buying anything in order to make up for the tax that they pushed through. Hitting them in their pocket books is the only message that they will understand.

 

And for anyone who doesn't understand those of us who make decisions based on "the principle of the issue" I feel a bit sorry for you.

 

Very true.

[PhoenixCruiser]

I just hope that those who object to this tax, will remember that feeling the next time their local politicians suggest imposing a new tax that will only be applied to tourists and visitors to their state or city. The fact that the tax won't be paid out of your pocket doesn't make it any more reasonable. In the long run, what goes around, comes around.:rolleyes:

 

You are correct, I believe that is how we paid for our new stadium - the one that just hosted the Fiesta Bowl and will host the Superbowl next year...

 

###

[Micki Dee]

Here in Detroit we imposed a tax on hotels and rental cars to help pay for our new stadiums. The tax is paid by everyone not just tourists to our state. Even us residents who want a weekend getaway to a local hotel have to pay the extra tax. It's all a big govermental racket, but the extra $50 won't stop me from cruising to Alaska 2008.

[boaterette]

It seems to me that paying taxes is just a fact of life. I pay Fed. State and City taxes just to use my telephone. I pay Fed taxes just to fly in an airplane. I pay Fed andState taxes on gasoline for my car. I pay State County and City tax on my toilet paper so I can wipe my hiney. Paying 50 dollars to see alaska just isn't that out of line in the scheme of things.

[Coralc]

Geez Yogi...You received an e-mail from Royal Caribbean? You must be more special than us!:D After reading your post, I checked our reserved cruises, and noted that final payment amount has increased by I think around $98. It is listed under "Other Options" I wonder if they were going to wait until March to notify us? :D

[Coralc]

TP Keller, the preview post thing didn't seem to work.

[yogimax]

Geez Yogi...You received an e-mail from Royal Caribbean? You must be more special than us!:D After reading your post, I checked our reserved cruises, and noted that final payment amount has increased by I think around $98. It is listed under "Other Options" I wonder if they were going to wait until March to notify us? :D

 

I think the most frustrating factor is the size of the increase. Sure taxes and fees do increase, but an additional $100 is quite hefty. No one would be complaining if it were $5 or $10, but $50/person is a bit much.

 

Interesting that when I checked my booking online, the new tax wasn't even listed. I had used online discount coupons for a credit of $150. What they did was simply reduce the size of the credit to about $50.

[PrincessJen]

This tax is not due to RCCL. The voters in Alaska just passed this last year (I voted against it). The fares quoted by RCCl are stated as a fare plus additional taxes and port charges which are subject to change. I am sorry for the unexpected increase in cost, but RCCL is not getting a cut of this. As an additional note this piece of this legislation aslo included a requirement that the cruise lines must now disclose the commissions that they receive for the ship sponsored tours.

 

 

This is an interesting piece of information. Mainly I wonder how will the cruiseline disclose their commissions... in the brochure, when you go to book online or an "as asked" basis.....

 

Although I'm not affected by this change I do like the idea of RCC offering OBC to people with current reservations & adding on the new tax to any future bookings. Yes, it will cost them some money but customer relations should be taken into consideration important ... JMHO

[dougp26364]

And you all think this is unique to Alaska? You don't think other ports already charge a fee and you just aren't aware of it? Then you're probably mistaken. Tourist taxes are very popular everywhere.

[chasetf]

Don't be mad at the cruiseline--by mad at the Alaskan Government!!!! THEY are the ones who impose the taxes!

Only problem Alaska did was make it so public and made it an upfront tax. Like mentioned about many states and counties put on Hotel taxes, airport taxes, rental car taxes, port taxes ...........

[Ocean Boy]

This is an interesting piece of information. Mainly I wonder how will the cruiseline disclose their commissions... in the brochure, when you go to book online or an "as asked" basis.....

 

Although I'm not affected by this change I do like the idea of RCC offering OBC to people with current reservations & adding on the new tax to any future bookings. Yes, it will cost them some money but customer relations should be taken into consideration important ... JMHO

In the past when RCI has instituted new, or increased, charges aboard their ships those charges also applied to people who already had booked those cruises. They were not just applied to new bookings. Why should this be handled differently? When it comes to revenue inhancement customer relations tends to take a back seat. Providing any type of on board credit for this tax would not fall under "revenue inhancement".

[spongerob]

And in my mind a great way to put the message across about this tax is when in the ports of call walk into the various places of business, look around, and then let the propietor know that you won't be buying anything in order to make up for the tax that they pushed through. Hitting them in their pocket books is the only message that they will understand.

These people were decidedly opposed to the new tax measure. It passed because it was a statewide vote.

 

I wouldn't completely restrict spending money, just be sure to support locally-owned businesses, avoid places like Diamonds International and such who are partly to blame for giving the cruise industry such a bad name in Alaska.

[spongerob]

And you all think this is unique to Alaska? You don't think other ports already charge a fee and you just aren't aware of it? Then you're probably mistaken. Tourist taxes are very popular everywhere.

It's not just a tax or fee. If that's all it was I probably wouldn't even argue the point, just grumble a bit. The Ballot Measure includes several provisions that require cruise lines to host an environmental watchdog on board whose sole purpose is to look for trouble and file lawsuits. There are also taxes on casino operations which I think are unenforceable, the "anyone-can-file-a-lawsuit-and-profit" provision that someone else mentioned, and a few other details all designed to put Alaskan cruising under the gun.

 

The goal of this measure was to harrass cruise lines (supporters include several individuals and groups who hate cruise lines) and hopefully reduce or eliminate cruising in Alaskan waters.

 

It would be fun to take a few crates of tea and throw them in Juneau harbor to make a symbolic point, but the Ocean Ranger would probably have a cow! :)

[Ocean Boy]

It would be fun to take a few crates of tea and throw them in Juneau harbor to make a symbolic point, but the Ocean Ranger would probably have a cow! :)

I was thinking about tea when an above poster mentioned the surtax on her Boston hotel room!:D

[nrdsb4]

Only problem Alaska did was make it so public and made it an upfront tax. Like mentioned about many states and counties put on Hotel taxes, airport taxes, rental car taxes, port taxes ...........

 

So you prefer underhanded back door taxation vs. honest and upfront? I don't get that.

[elleluv]

This tax is not due to RCCL. The voters in Alaska just passed this last year (I voted against it). The fares quoted by RCCl are stated as a fare plus additional taxes and port charges which are subject to change. I am sorry for the unexpected increase in cost, but RCCL is not getting a cut of this. As an additional note this piece of this legislation aslo included a requirement that the cruise lines must now disclose the commissions that they receive for the ship sponsored tours.

 

I'm curious if you were as shocked as I was when this passed... I was certain that this measure was going to go down in flames. We had a pretty wide circle of friends when we lived in Fairbanks and I knew absolutely not one single person that was going to vote "yes".

[smeyer418]

I still don't think that states are allowed to tax people entering a state. Port charges are for use of the pier. The Ferry in Mass is intra state so the tax is permitted.

As for the lawsuit the Feds have something call a qui tam action where if you sure you get to keep part of the recovery as well. So this is nothing really new.

The worst "tax" I have seen is the Forida car rental fee tax which is over 20%.

All states tax some form of amusements i.e. sales tax on hotel rooms(extra ones as well) but this applies to everyone-even people who live inside the state although us visitors tend to pay it more as we use hotels more than locals(some locals anyway).

Its always easier to tax a tourist becuase they don't vote there!

 

The taxes of profits within state waters on the Casino is an interesting tax...which I don't see any consitutional violation...

[SherriZ366]

It's not just a tax or fee. If that's all it was I probably wouldn't even argue the point, just grumble a bit. The Ballot Measure includes several provisions that require cruise lines to host an environmental watchdog on board whose sole purpose is to look for trouble and file lawsuits. There are also taxes on casino operations which I think are unenforceable, the "anyone-can-file-a-lawsuit-and-profit" provision that someone else mentioned, and a few other details all designed to put Alaskan cruising under the gun.

 

The goal of this measure was to harrass cruise lines (supporters include several individuals and groups who hate cruise lines) and hopefully reduce or eliminate cruising in Alaskan waters.

 

It would be fun to take a few crates of tea and throw them in Juneau harbor to make a symbolic point, but the Ocean Ranger would probably have a cow! :)

Glad I already went on my once in a lifetime Alaska cruise. Glad I went and saw the scenery but do not have the desire to sail there again. DH would not even go and the rest of my family felt about the same as I did.

 

The $50 won't bother me but the other taxes that would be passed along would. The harrassment cast to this tax is also a big turnoff.