Pricing Rip Off

[Keith B.]

We are sailing on the Zaandam 6 Nov. I have asked my T.A to check on GC. She said we ARE going to GC per HAL. I hope she isn't lieing to me. I won't be upset with HAL if we don't (I love at sea days) but I will be looking for a new T.A.

[Esme]

Keith - check out HAL's web site. According to them you're not going to GC.

 

Itineary is now lv. Pt. Canaveral, sea, Cozumel, sea, Ocho Rios, sea, HMC.

 

Things could change, but at this late date, doubt GC will be ready.

 

We also are missing GC on our December cruise on the Westerdam, and we couldn't care less. Been there, done that sort of thing. We'll take a day at sea anytime.

 

Many times we have missed ports, in fact on our very first cruise back in 1981, we missed 2 ports and put into Curacao for 2 days instead of 1. Were we upset - NO! :D

 

Life is too short to be worrying about small matters like this, isn't it. I see you like sea days also. :D

[janisutx]

I'm also on the Westerdam Christmas Cruise and very sorry to hear we won't be going to Grand Cayman. My group picked this cruise because of that port too. We are very excited about sailing on the Westerdam and will spend more time in the spa and exploring the ship with an extra sea day. As my daughter's friend Julie said after the hurricanes, "as long as the Westerdam is okay and the blenders and ice machines are running, I'm there!"

[Jeal]

Grannynurse - thanks for the info on the itinerary change on the New Year's cruise on the Zaandam. We will be on the Zaandam then also. Truthfully, we don't care which ports the ship stops in on this particular cruise - we are going for rest and relaxation.

[cruzincurt]

Quiet please! HAL just substituted 3 ports for two on our Nov 13th Veendam. Two of these new ones are ports we haven't been to before, so we are happy about that. Now, will they be charging us an additional port fee?

[Cruiseoften]

Aw, come on! Your share of the Port Taxes is going to amount to nickles and dimes - chances are you'll receive a few free drinks!

 

Feeling as you do about Princes, perhaps you should have booked with that Line in the first place. :p

 

P.S. Can relate to having a bad day - it's always that miserable straw that breaks the camels back - I'm sure you'll be compensated for miss GC :D

[jima53]

We also received the change in our schedule for our 10/23 cruise. Got an email from HAL showing the change and explaining why. No problem for us because we would rather have a lazy day at sea. Just our preference but knowing what the Islands have gone through is enough for us. We got some of the outlying winds here in northern Florida and are just wanting to relax.

 

Jim

[Ray in NH]

Hi All,

 

Our stop in GC, during upcoming B-2-B on Oosterdam, has also been cancelled. Our travel agent forwarded the fax from HAL, showing revised itnerary. In our case the missed stop in GC is being replaced by a stop in Key West. We're happy cruisers.

[Keith B.]

I talked with HAL today to get the straight poop. The bottom line was the adjustment would be made on the ship not before even though they have already changed the itinary. It has something to do with making all adjustments at the same time. If another change happens and they go to a different port or they end up going to the port afterall, etc.

Made sense to me and quite frankly I really don't give a damn about the $20. These folks have plenty of headaches trying to give us a great cruise and I'd prefer they give the money to the people of G.C. who desperatly need it.

I already mailed a check to a relief organization down there.

Now I have to mail the stuff I was bringing with me to give them (when I thought we were stopping there.)

[sheephugs]

I found out from reading the posts about the cancelled G.C. stop. I called HAL & spoke to a Customer service agent. I told her I understood why but when were they going to tell me, after all HAL e-mails me about every two weeks with promotions. I had an excursion booked with Capt. Marvin since HAL was not offering a Stingray City excursion & would need to cancel it (I had e-mailed HAL several weeks ago & as of then the 11/23 G.C. stop was a go). She informed me that it was my responsibility to find out about the changed itinerary & used an analogy that if we were going to a hotel in Europe & it burned down it's not the hotel's responsibility to inform me. I really don't get that one! I asked about a credit on port charges & she said they don't call them port charges anymore and they are non-refundable...basically like it or lump it! The last HAL cruise changed they itinerary (switched Tortola & St. Thomas days) & they shortened the stay in St. Thomas by about 5 or 6 hours. Is this typical HAL attitude or did I get a representative having a bad day?

[gizmo]

I asked about a credit on port charges & she said they don't call them port charges anymore and they are non-refundable...basically like it or lump it! The last HAL cruise changed they itinerary (switched Tortola & St. Thomas days) & they shortened the stay in St. Thomas by about 5 or 6 hours. Is this typical HAL attitude or did I get a representative having a bad day?

This is an interesting statement. Over on the X board there is a similiar thread stating basically the same thing, " they don't call them port charges anymore and they are non-refundable".

 

I looked at Hal's web site and there are no Port Charges listed. Taxes and Fees are listed, but I have never figured out what the Fee was.

 

Maybe Jazzsea or another person in the travel business can enlighten us.

[mcduck]

If the per passenger fee that is paid to the local port authority is not credited back to the passangers, it does create a significant "windfall" for the cruise line. It may only be $20 or $25, but if there are 2,000 pax on board, that is a $40,000 - $50,000 windfall.

 

Our TA has not yet received an answer for HAL as to what is going to happen with the port charges.

 

Years ago, when I first got into the automobile industry, I noticed that the factory's coded invoice included a option charge of $0.99 on every invoice. After searching in great detail through the dealer code books, I discovered that this $0.99 "option" on every vehicle was an "invoice preparation" charge.

 

So, take the huge number of vehicles this manufacturer sells times a lowly $0.99 and you get a great big profit. Would you be impressed if Wal Mart or Piggly Wiggly added $0.10 to every sales slip for producing your receipt? (This $0.99 charge disapeared off the invoices some time ago.)

 

I would also bet that hotel with the fire would not only be contacing their guests, but would also be trying to make alternative accomodations at other hotels. In our case, if we will not have a car to fill your rental reservation, we make alternative arrangements with one of our competitors to make sure you have a car, and pick up any rate differential, and if no one has a car, will refund all you cab fares untill we can deliver one to you.

[shipcafe]

If the per passenger fee that is paid to the local port authority is not credited back to the passangers, it does create a significant "windfall" for the cruise line. It may only be $20 or $25, but if there are 2,000 pax on board, that is a $40,000 - $50,000 windfall.

 

Our TA has not yet received an answer for HAL as to what is going to happen with the port charges.

 

Years ago, when I first got into the automobile industry, I noticed that the factory's coded invoice included a option charge of $0.99 on every invoice. After searching in great detail through the dealer code books, I discovered that this $0.99 "option" on every vehicle was an "invoice preparation" charge.

 

So, take the huge number of vehicles this manufacturer sells times a lowly $0.99 and you get a great big profit. Would you be impressed if Wal Mart or Piggly Wiggly added $0.10 to every sales slip for producing your receipt? (This $0.99 charge disapeared off the invoices some time ago.)

 

I would also bet that hotel with the fire would not only be contacing their guests, but would also be trying to make alternative accomodations at other hotels. In our case, if we will not have a car to fill your rental reservation, we make alternative arrangements with one of our competitors to make sure you have a car, and pick up any rate differential, and if no one has a car, will refund all you cab fares untill we can deliver one to you.

 

Okay you're losing me - LOL ... Is the ship supposed to relate to a hotel fire? The ship will still be in port and be sailing a seven-day cruise. From what we are to gather, the stateroom will still be intact.

 

Also to date I have never seen documentation or reports solidifying cruise line usage of port fees. I know that they are separated between "non discountable fees" which are formerly "port charges" and then government taxes.

 

Back to the car rental as well.. I'm confused. I guess it's just too early in the morning. LOL :D

[gizmo]

Took another look at Hal's site. This APPEARS to be port charges although it doesn't say that. It only calls it NDA.

 

NDA/NCA Your cruise fare includes a "Non-Discountable Amount" (NDA). That portion of the fare is both non-commissionable to travel agents (NCA) and not subject to reduction in the event of a percentage discount promotion, 2 for 1 promotion or otherwise

[peaches from georgia]

Port charges are non-discountable fees because HAL owes each port visited that amount per person and if this fee was part of what was discounted HAL would not have collected enough from each person to pay the port charge.

 

We DID get a credit on our shipboard account when the Oosterdam could not get into Grand Cayman due to weather. Why do some people always presume before the fact that everyone is out to rip them off?

[gizmo]

I agree with you Peaches. We also got a refund on board when we missed a port.

 

I am thinking this NDA is port charges since this amount is not taken into the dollar amount of a cruise when a discount is applied.

 

I think the Hal customer rep told Sheephugs there are no port charges since they are not listed as Port Charges.

 

It is possible that the same thing is going on over on X board and the documents don't say "Port Charges" but something else instead.

[ryansmemom]

This might seem simplistic, but, why not just give them the benifit of the doubt instead of assuming they are out to rip you off. The logistics of this have to be a nightmare. They have to take a lot of factors into consideration and possibly make some last minuite changes to get the best possible result for all involved. We have been on many cruises where last minuite changes have been made to the itinerary and the costs are all sorted out in the end.

 

It is sad, though that so many of us are so stressed out these days that we are unable to handle having even something as small as this undefined.

 

We all need to be on a cruise ship so we can relax!!

 

Linda

[Roadwork]

I don't think anyone is getting bent out of shape over this. The original poster did apologize for over reacting. After that post, it reads more like a discussion.

 

What sheephugs was told by a Hal representive is confusing.

 

If I were booked on any of these cruises, I would be looking for a refund of these port charges also.

 

 

It is sad, though that so many of us are so stressed out these days that we are unable to handle having even something as small as this undefined.

I don't see anyone not handling this. I don't mean to offend and please don't take this personal but it sounds like something out of "shrink 101 book".

I have a friend that is a shrink and it just sounds like a quote from him.

[mcduck]

THANKS Roadwork. Roadwork is refering to my post #24 apologizing for "going off the deep end" on this one.

 

And to Shipcafe, the reference to the hotel fire and so on is simply in response to post #35 by sheephugs.

[ryansmemom]

I don't see anyone not handling this. I don't mean to offend and please don't take this personal but it sounds like something out of "shrink 101 book".

I have a friend that is a shrink and it just sounds like a quote from him.

 

 

Roadwork: No offence taken. Guilty as charged. Professional Shrink.

 

Thanks,

 

Linda :D

[Cruiseoften]

Haven't had time to read all of this but bottom line is -

 

any cruise Line can discount the cost of a cruise - Port charges, any and all other taxes cannot/are not discounted becuase they're not controlled/set by the Cruise Line.

 

A port, by-passed due to weather or other conditions, where taxes have been charged, would warrant a refund - the ship didn't 'park' ! - there's no 'parking fee' ! - cruise line has money to refund. A simplification but hopefully you get the gist!

[kryos]

Windfall profit??? Who's paying the "gas bill" for that extra day at sea???

Us. LOL ... a day at sea generally means more money spent on the ship. :) Stores are open ... casino ... etc. :)

 

The extra revenue should cover a few extra barrels of oil. :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[mcduck]

Both sister lines, Princess and Carnival, are resuming their stops at Grand Caymen, but HAL has not joined them. Our TA has not been able to get HAL to confirm what they are doing with the port fees for the GC stop on our W'Dam Christmas cruise.

 

Wonder why HAL has not joined them in, nor have they been upfront about the port fees for the cancelled stop?

[Esme]

The cruise is still nearly 2 months away, so HAL may decide to stop in GC at Xmas. Friends are going on that cruise and their TA told them they would get the port charges credited to their account.

 

Check HAL's website again in a couple of weeks and see if it has been changed.

[hdawson]

For now the Port Authority and Tourist Commision is only allowing two ships per day in to Georgetown, beginning next week. I think by Christmas they will probably be up to four ships per day.