More bad news from Princess

[SoCalGal]

Wow! We not only got the word from our TA about the (understandable) fuel surcharge of $70.00 pp but today she called and told us that Princess has added a new "tax" to our June 2008 European cruise which will be a total of $408.00. Apparently, according to our TA, Princess so far as she knows is the only cruiseline doing this. Maybe we should have stayed with Celebrity.

[janetz]

Wow! We not only got the word from our TA about the (understandable) fuel surcharge of $70.00 pp but today she called and told us that Princess has added a new "tax" to our June 2008 European cruise which will be a total of $408.00. Apparently, according to our TA, Princess so far as she knows is the only cruiseline doing this. Maybe we should have stayed with Celebrity.

 

 

Did you ask what the new tax was for? I certainly would question that "new" tax.

[SoCalGal]

Yes, I questioned the tax, and the TA said Princess just decided to up their taxes...ha! This is weird. What's to stop them from doing this again in a few months? I'm not happy at all believe me.

[LARGIN]

Yes, I questioned the tax, and the TA said Princess just decided to up their taxes...ha! This is weird. What's to stop them from doing this again in a few months? I'm not happy at all believe me.

 

You might want to call Princess and another TA to check on this..

[janetz]

I would have the TA send you a new confirmation with that information (added taxes) on it. Seems to me that your price is locked in and I would not think they can do that, although they did with the fuel charge. Just seems high. I, and this is just me, would even go as far as calling Princess or go online to book a cruise and see what they come up with for a tax amount. :)

[zaandam_2]

You might want to call Princess and another TA to check on this..

 

I would have the TA send you a new confirmation with that information (added taxes) on it. Seems to me that your price is locked in and I would not think they can do that, although they did with the fuel charge. Just seems high. I, and this is just me, would even go as far as calling Princess or go online to book a cruise and see what they come up with for a tax amount. :)

 

very good advice. something is not right here. maybe they made an error originally?

[janetz]

That is a 16 day cruise, correct?

[bubbadog]

if this tax was true, i would think alot more people would be screaming about it , call princess and ask about it:cool:

[cherylandtk]

The Princess website lists the taxes and fees as 185.13 per person for your cruise; I would ask your TA to give you an itemized cruise statement and challenge the "new" amount of taxes. It does not look as if it is coming from Princess.

 

Someone above mentioned that they thought taxes should remain fixed once you have a confirmed booking. That is not correct, Princess does reserve the right to revise total amounts due when taxes are increased ( I got a revised bill for a whopping $0.02 increase!) But I don't think the increase you were quoted has anything to do with a tax increase by the ports you are visiting.

[spongerob]

The Princess website lists the taxes and fees as 185.13 per person for your cruise; I would ask your TA to give you an itemized cruise statement and challenge the "new" amount of taxes. It does not look as if it is coming from Princess.

I checked a couple of different places and found the same figure for taxes and fees ex fuel supplement. I think your TA has some 'splaining to do.

[mycruz]

We haven't hear a word from our TA about the fuel or any added taxes on our 8/08 sailing from Southampton to NYC!

[BJS]

We haven't hear a word from our TA about the fuel or any added taxes on our 8/08 sailing from Southampton to NYC!

You might want to check with the TA because Princess notified us, we book directly, for both our May and Nov. 2008 cruises of the fuel charge addition and the new balance due.

 

All cruises after Feb 1, 2008 will have the fuel charge. I have not heard of any exceptions.

[basawasa]

Sounds like a mistake but.... does $70 more towards fuel with lets say 1200 cabins makes up the difference in the recent fuel hikes? 148kish thousand. Not sure do we have any maritime folks that we can ask if the calcs make sense? Sure it depends on the knots you cruise at. Not happy with my fuel bills and it not going to get any better.

 

Happy thanksgiving

[Pam in CA]

Actually, the ONLY cruiseline not imposing a fuel surcharge is the one with the mouse so whether you stuck with Celebrity or went on Princess, you'd still have the surcharge. As for the additional "tax," Princess doesn't tax passengers but they do pass along increased port taxes and fees. You mention you're going to Europe in June. Some countries have greatly increased their port taxes; Norway is one of them.

 

As has been said, I'd have my TA double-check the amount and ask for a breakdown of all of the port taxes and government fees.

[SoCalGal]

The Princess website lists the taxes and fees as 185.13 per person for your cruise; I would ask your TA to give you an itemized cruise statement and challenge the "new" amount of taxes. It does not look as if it is coming from Princess.

 

Someone above mentioned that they thought taxes should remain fixed once you have a confirmed booking. That is not correct, Princess does reserve the right to revise total amounts due when taxes are increased ( I got a revised bill for a whopping $0.02 increase!) But I don't think the increase you were quoted has anything to do with a tax increase by the ports you are visiting.

 

I just looked at our booking confirmation that we booked in January 2007. Our taxes were $51.00 per person and port charges $360.00 pp. Our TA said the correction of $134.00 pp was added for taxes. So total taxes would be $185.00 pp., plus the $70.00 pp fuel charge. That still adds up to a "correction" of $403.00. This cruise is the Royal Princess - Rome to Stockholm 16 night on June 6, 2008. I originally got these rates from the Princess website and then booked it through my TA.

[Pam in CA]

I just looked at our booking confirmation that we booked in January 2007. Our taxes were $51.00 per person and port charges $360.00 pp. Our TA said the correction of $134.00 pp was added for taxes. So total taxes would be $185.00 pp., plus the $70.00 pp fuel charge. That still adds up to a "correction" of $403.00. This cruise is the Royal Princess - Rome to Stockholm 16 night on June 6, 2008. I originally got these rates from the Princess website and then booked it through my TA.

It sounds like your TA's math and Cheryl's is consistent. It's not at all unusual to have increases due to additional port and government taxes. These are not "Princess taxes" but rather their passing along their increased costs.

[SoCalGal]

It sounds like your TA's math and Cheryl's is consistent. It's not at all unusual to have increases due to additional port and government taxes. These are not "Princess taxes" but rather their passing along their increased costs.

 

Who's government gets the $185.00 taxes? The port fees go the the various countries we are visiting.

[Pam in CA]

Who's government gets the $185.00 taxes? The port fees go the the various countries we are visiting.

I don't have the answer to that but some countries impose a tax on each passenger arriving by ship. Heck, Alaska is charging a $50/pp tax now that isn't port fees.

 

On my HAL cruise last summer, I learned why the major cruiselines are no longer going to Spitzbergen (Norway.) The reason is a new prohibitive tax (not a port fee) on each passenger. This is why the Grand Princess didn't do the same itinerary as the Sea Princess last year and why HAL will no longer have cruises going to Spitzbergen. The Captain told us that the additional tax for us to go to Spitzbergen was $2.2-mil (and that was for a ship with 720 passengers.)

 

The point is that there could be several answers to your question.

[MaryPoppinz]

Since when is Princess authorized to levy a tax??? They can pass on local taxes and port fees, but a "new Princess tax?" No such animal.

[sonomaphil]

Wow! We not only got the word from our TA about the (understandable) fuel surcharge of $70.00 pp but today she called and told us that Princess has added a new "tax" to our June 2008 European cruise which will be a total of $408.00. Apparently, according to our TA, Princess so far as she knows is the only cruiseline doing this. Maybe we should have stayed with Celebrity.

 

Could it be your TA made a mistake and now is blaming Princess for raising the taxes when they are just covering up for their mistake? Or maybe they low balled you and planned all along on springing this on you to get the booking. You're still in your cancellation period.

[SoCalGal]

Yes, they can and do pass on taxes, but it seems that once you've booked that shouldn't happen. Perhaps the "government" taxes go to the country where the ship is registered. Anyone kinow?

[BJS]

Yes, they can and do pass on taxes, but it seems that once you've booked that shouldn't happen. Perhaps the "government" taxes go to the country where the ship is registered. Anyone kinow?

Most probably they go to the countries you are visiting.

 

We already have had (don't laugh) a 49 cent pp increase in government taxes for our Apr 2009 Asian cruise.

 

We have had increases before but never as large as you have and we frequently book far in advance. It might be possible for your TA to find out from Princess exactly what government is increasing their tax and if the money goes to that country.

If you find out the answer I'm sure everyone here would be interested in hearing it.

 

If increases were frequent, that large, and only when booking a Princess cruise you would not find their ships sailing full all of the time.

[SoCalGal]

Most probably they go to the countries you are visiting.

 

We already have had (don't laugh) a 49 cent pp increase in government taxes for our Apr 2009 Asian cruise.

 

We have had increases before but never as large as you have and we frequently book far in advance. It might be possible for your TA to find out from Princess exactly what government is increasing their tax and if the money goes to that country.

If you find out the answer I'm sure everyone here would be interested in hearing it.

 

If increases were frequent, that large, and only when booking a Princess cruise you would not find their ships sailing full all of the time.

 

I will call Princess on Monday to see exactly what is happening here. Happy Thanksgiving to all!

[chasetf]

I just looked at our booking confirmation that we booked in January 2007. Our taxes were $51.00 per person and port charges $360.00 pp. Our TA said the correction of $134.00 pp was added for taxes. So total taxes would be $185.00 pp., plus the $70.00 pp fuel charge. That still adds up to a "correction" of $403.00. This cruise is the Royal Princess - Rome to Stockholm 16 night on June 6, 2008. I originally got these rates from the Princess website and then booked it through my TA.

Something seems fishy. I just looked at the Princess web site for your cruise Royal Princess (6-6-08) and it shows Government Taxes and Fees: $185.13pp and Fuel Supplement of $70pp.

[skibozo]

I got a revised bill for a whopping $0.02 increase!

 

THAT's why Princess is charging more! Imagine what it would cost to inform everyone of a $0.02 increase, postage & paper, phone charges between Princess/TA/clients, employee time to process, plus whatever the CC companies charge for each $0.02 transaction!! Sounds stupid to me...... :)