High Port charges in Seattle

I booked a HAL cruise to Alaska R/T from Seattle. The Port charges are $471.50. I asked my travel agent and he said the Seattle Port charge is $358 of the total. He said the Seattle Port Charges are the highest in the world. Does anyone know what the reason for the high Seattle Port charges?

I booked a HAL cruise to Alaska R/T from Seattle. The Port charges are $471.50. I asked my travel agent and he said the Seattle Port charge is $358 of the total. He said the Seattle Port Charges are the highest in the world. Does anyone know what the reason for the high Seattle Port charges?

Because we're worth it...? :D ;)

In all seriousness...I think that has a lot to do with it. Another way of putting it might be, we do it because we can. The port charges don't seem to be stopping the nearly 1,000,000 people who passed through Seattle in 2015 to board a cruise. So it's a solid source of revenue for the region, helping pay for necessary goods and services, and the folks paying it aren't showing any signs of staging a tax revolt or going elsewhere in large numbers to avoid it. I'd say that's a pretty successful tax!

Governments collect taxes because infrastructure and services cost money. If they don't collect what's needed to pay for those from port taxes, they'll get it from another kind of tax--or they won't get it at all, and the things it would have paid for deteriorate accordingly. Washington is a blue state, and King County is VERY blue. We tend to believe, between taxes and no taxes, having to pay taxes is the lesser evil. And a lot of us also think it's fair to expect the folks at the upper end of the economic scale to kick in a higher percentage of the necessary tax revenues. And while I know some folks have to scrape and sacrifice more than others to afford a cruise, the fact that it's an option at all shows that they're better off than a whole lot of their neighbors.

So, yeah, you'll pay a bit more in port charges to sail from Seattle, and we thank you! We'll do our best to make your visit worth it. But I'm willing to bet that you're one of a minority of the folks who sail from Seattle who even bother to read the fine print and notice this!

I booked a HAL cruise to Alaska R/T from Seattle. The Port charges are $471.50. I asked my travel agent and he said the Seattle Port charge is $358 of the total. He said the Seattle Port Charges are the highest in the world. Does anyone know what the reason for the high Seattle Port charges?

Is this the total for two passengers?

It would have to be for 2 people. My sister and I each paid $264.26 for our upcoming Alaskan cruise.

Roz

Wow! The port charges have really gone up in only two years. We last cruised Alaska exactly two years ago in May 2014. I just went back and looked at my invoice and at that time the port charges were $183.14 per person for a grand total we paid $366.28 for both of us. I had always assumed most of that was for Alaska ports charges not our local Seattle charges. Very interesting.

The port charges aren’t for just Seattle they are for Seattle and all the Alaskan ports that you go to. Alaska raised their ports fees I believe last year. Juneau is building a new $56 million dollar pier, Icy Point just built a new pier Someone has to pay for these improvements.

Permits for Glacier Bay and/or Tracy Arm factor in as well I would think.

Seattle also has one of the highest hotel tax rates of any city in the USA. They make sure in WA to get the tourists and other travelers to pay for things in their state...as do many others.

Unfortunately Washington State has one of the highest taxes, including gas. King County I believe has the highest sales, hotel etc in all of Wa:mad:

Do I think Seattle is worth it? No, IMHO, but the cruise part IS:)

Seattle also has one of the highest hotel tax rates of any city in the USA. They make sure in WA to get the tourists and other travelers to pay for things in their state...as do many others.

Unfortunately Washington State has one of the highest taxes, including gas. King County I believe has the highest sales, hotel etc in all of Wa:mad:

 

Do I think Seattle is worth it? No, IMHO, but the cruise part IS:)

Washington state residents pay no state income tax. The revenue has to come from somewhere. Ergo, high sales taxes, port taxes, etc.

It's easy to increase local taxes on hotels and rental cars, because locals are rarely if ever impacted by them. My state doesn't have a state income tax, but we pay high sales tax on everything, including food in the grocery store.

Roz

Washington state residents pay no state income tax. The revenue has to come from somewhere. Ergo, high sales taxes, port taxes, etc.

Yes, I know. That is why my sister and BIL moved there when they retired!

I think y'all are giving Seattle a short shrift....without any credit to port charges in Alaska. It is not all Seattle. Certain itineraries out of Vancouver have similar charges.

And, if you want to see real port charges, look at the add-ons for partial and full transit Panama Canal voyages.

Is this the total for two passengers?

yes for two passengers

Unfortunately Washington State has one of the highest taxes, including gas. King County I believe has the highest sales, hotel etc in all of Wa:mad:

 

Do I think Seattle is worth it? No, IMHO, but the cruise part IS:)

Yes, but you do need to remember that we have no state income tax either, which means that the money for government spending must come from other sources. And you're right about high state sales tax. WA is #4 at 8.9% following Tennessee at 9.46%, Arkansas at 9.3%, Louisiana at 9.0%, & Alabama at 8.97%. Of course that doesn't count any local sales taxes. (No, I didn't have this info, I got curious after reading the start of the thread and googled the info. :p)

Tom

Port charges are split by all ports that the Ship visits, including the access to the Park entrances to see the Glaciers. Alaska has the highest around, being part of the US. Seattle has added more cruise ships every year, all sell out every week. Disney is planning to come to Seattle for Alaska Cruises.

Disney is planning to come to Seattle for Alaska Cruises.

They were cruising out of Pier 91 2-3 years ago. I believe it was to "test the waters" and see how it worked for tehm. I guess it worked well if they're returning.

Tom

Port charges - yes they are high.

Seattle has a short cruise ship and tourist season, May through mid-September. We have big tides that impact port facilities. We experience significant winter storms.

That said, it was a very big deal when Seattle finally had good cruise ship port facilities and was able to welcome cruise passengers to Puget Sound.

Seattle has been a very expensive place to visit and offers little in return. If you are planning an Alaskan cruise you may want to look at departing from Vancouver or Victoria, Canada. Much cheaper. Also both places are more tourist orientated. Your money will go farther! I live here but I utilize Canadian cruise ports.

Have a great time!

Seattle has been a very expensive place to visit and offers little in return. If you are planning an Alaskan cruise you may want to look at departing from Vancouver or Victoria, Canada. Much cheaper. Also both places are more tourist orientated. Your money will go farther! I live here but I utilize Canadian cruise ports.

Have a great time!

Yes, Seattle is expensive. Show me just about any large city and it'll probably be expensive also. As far as offering little in return, that is one phrase I've seldom if ever heard to describe Seattle, especially during the summer season. I guess it depends on what you like to do. I would suspect that you're right about Victoria and Vancouver being more tourist oriented and either with or without the difference due to the rate of exchange, it very well be more tourist oriented and less costly. From what I've heard, though, Vancouver certainly isn't an inexpensive place to life but maybe that's only the case for people who live there and aren't just visiting.

But I do wonder when you make the blanket statement that "If you are planning an Alaskan cruise you may want to look at departing from Vancouver or Victoria." Vancouver is certainly a nice, clean city and while the terminal there is certainly nice and spacious it can be a real bear if more than 2 ships are sailing from there on the same day at least in my limited experience. But I'd never heard of any cruises starting out in Victoria so I went looking around and the only cruises I found were whale watching cruises or local area cruises and I couldn't find any cruises to Alaska whatsoever. Did I miss some somewhere?

Tom

Having just returned to WA in the last few months I am becoming reacquainted with the tax situation. The 8% boost in take home pay from no state income tax was nice but everything else is "pay as you go". To visit a state park requires a Discovery Pass - to hike in a National Forest requires another pass for that. 50% tax on liquor (incl sales tax) and I have no idea about tobacco (not a smoker) but suspect it is also high. Hotel, car rental, restaurant and port taxes are similar and as noted easy to pass along to visitors, up to the point where they rebel and stay away.

On top of the taxes Seattle is definitely expensive. My son says it is the Microsoft effect (not just MS but all the tech companies) and the influx from California where newcomers find Seattle reasonable so accept the prices. Cost of living in MN was a lot less but quality of living in Western WA can't be beat (even when it rains) so it's a choice -whether to live here or to visit. People visit NYC too and that's WAY more expensive.

Having just returned to WA in the last few months I am becoming reacquainted with the tax situation. The 8% boost in take home pay from no state income tax was nice but everything else is "pay as you go". To visit a state park requires a Discovery Pass - to hike in a National Forest requires another pass for that. 50% tax on liquor (incl sales tax) and I have no idea about tobacco (not a smoker) but suspect it is also high. Hotel, car rental, restaurant and port taxes are similar and as noted easy to pass along to visitors, up to the point where they rebel and stay away.

 

On top of the taxes Seattle is definitely expensive. My son says it is the Microsoft effect (not just MS but all the tech companies) and the influx from California where newcomers find Seattle reasonable so accept the prices. Cost of living in MN was a lot less but quality of living in Western WA can't be beat (even when it rains) so it's a choice -whether to live here or to visit. People visit NYC too and that's WAY more expensive.

Yep, the no state tax thing is a good one, all right. I especially appreciate it when I look at some of Kiplinger's "10 Best States to Retire To" or "10 Most Expensive States To Retire To" or such. :) I've never looked into the difference in actual cost to a person between living in a state with an income tax + a sales tax versus no income tax + a sales tax, but I'd guesstimate that it's less expensive to be in one with no income tax. Of course we don't think about that as we're standing in a checkout line seeing how much the sales tax is on the purchase we just made. :(

But you're right, one thing I'll bet we both agree on is that we'd much rather have our clouds, fog & rain than the hurricanes or tornadoes, or other assorted weather disasters that the other states are having (like 100+ temps in AZ :eek:.) Plus, if you're up in Sequim, you're in the rain-shadow of the Olympics and have beautiful weather, what, 7 1/2 days a week up there? :D

Tom

Not in Sequim... yet. Seven years and counting. :D

a state with an income tax + a sales tax versus no income tax + a sales tax,

On the other hand... live in Vancouver, WA and shop in Portland, OR. No income tax and no sales tax (although you're supposed to voluntarily remit the tax to WA - really, do people do that?). Definitely no "blue hole" in Vancouver. MN was high income tax AND high sales tax (8+ %) AND high property tax - the January-February cold can be brutal. Rain is good.

Not in Sequim... yet. Seven years and counting. :D

 

On the other hand... live in Vancouver, WA and shop in Portland, OR. No income tax and no sales tax (although you're supposed to voluntarily remit the tax to WA - really, do people do that?). Definitely no "blue hole" in Vancouver. MN was high income tax AND high sales tax (8+ %) AND high property tax - the January-February cold can be brutal. Rain is good.

Oh, you're in the "other Vancouver" huh? :) I had assumed (you know about what that word does, I assume:rolleyes:) from the handle that you were living up there. That'll be even handier for cruising. Maybe you can work a deal out with the pilot boat to just catch a ride out to one of the passing cruise ships as it goes out to pick up or drop off the pilot and save having to get down to Seattle to join the cruise!:rolleyes:

Tom

We will be cruising out of Seattle in September (pier 91). I'm wondering what is the best way (without breaking the bank) to get back to the airport with 4 people and a lot of luggage. I know there will be lots of cabs waiting but I think we'll need a van. Shuttles seem to be more expensive since they charge per person. Also, I would prefer to have it pre-arranged so that there's no race to grab a taxi and we don't have extra time to wait because of our flight time. Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks.