Port fees?

:)Hi first timer here i was talking to someone about going on atrip ashore on the first port and they said unless I booked it in advancr before either on line or with travel agents I would have to pay a port fee to go is this correct

Welcome to cruise critic--and where in the world are you cruising? At pretty much every port, everywhere, if you don't have pre-reserved plans you can simply walk off the ship on your own; nobody will be collecting any fee from you. Only possible exceptions are St Petersburg, Russia (where you must purchase a Visa on your own if not booked on a group tour) and possibly some of the more exotic ports in South Asia. You may also find some ports (mainly in Europe or South America) where you must take a shuttle bus to exit the port property, which may incur a small fee if your ship has not arranged for a complimentary shuttle. But these are genuinely rare exceptions.

:)Hi first timer here i was talking to someone about going on atrip ashore on the first port and they said unless I booked it in advancr before either on line or with travel agents I would have to pay a port fee to go is this correct

No, its nonsense. Port fees are part of your cruise fare. You're free to walk off, wander the town, go on an independent trip, take a ship-organised excursion or stay on board as you choose, with no additional payments

:)Hi first timer here i was talking to someone about going on atrip ashore on the first port and they said unless I booked it in advancr before either on line or with travel agents I would have to pay a port fee to go is this correct

Port fees are paid by cruise lines and are part of the cruise fare.

You also do not need to book any excursion through the cruise line. You can book them independently, typically at a lower cost, or do nothing at all. Information on most will be available on line and ideas for what to do can be found on the Cruise Critic Ports of Call boards. But as indicated, port fees and taxes are charged to the cruise line by each port of call and are assessed up front individually as a part of your total cruise fare and are not paid separately at any port of call.

:)Hi first timer here i was talking to someone about going on atrip ashore on the first port and they said unless I booked it in advancr before either on line or with travel agents I would have to pay a port fee to go is this correct

I'm going to guess that the person you talked to has never been on a cruise. If you have any other cruise related questions or concerns, I would suggest you go and talk to a knowledgeable travel agent in your area, and not someone whose head is filled with misinformation.

:)Hi first timer here i was talking to someone about going on atrip ashore on the first port and they said unless I booked it in advancr before either on line or with travel agents I would have to pay a port fee to go is this correct

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

And kudos to you for coming and asking about this rather than just accepting someone's opinion.

You do have to pay port fees, but you do so when you book a cruise. The fees are a part of the total amount that you pay to the cruise line before you ever set foot on a ship.

Only possible exceptions are St Petersburg, Russia (where you must purchase a Visa on your own if not booked on a group tour) and possibly some of the more exotic ports in South Asia. You may also find some ports (mainly in Europe or South America) where you must take a shuttle bus to exit the port property, which may incur a small fee if your ship has not arranged for a complimentary shuttle. But these are genuinely rare exceptions.

I think Cuba might currently be an exception also. We looked into a Cuba cruise and it appears to be difficult (but maybe not impossible) to get a Visa on your own.

dctravel

Even if you have no plans to get off the ship in port, the "port fees" are still charged...it's your share of what the ship has to pay to access a port! It's included in your fare, so it's not a separate charge...just like taxes!

I think Cuba might currently be an exception also. We looked into a Cuba cruise and it appears to be difficult (but maybe not impossible) to get a Visa on your own.

 

 

 

dctravel

Right, the only thing that is like this is visa fees - although I'm under the impression that if you go on the cruise and a port requires a visa, everyone is charged a visa fee, not based on whether or not you get off. But a port fee being charged if you get off is nonsense. Port fees are charged ahead with your cruise fare and refunded if you miss the port. If you want to take a tour in port you'll have to pay for that but it's not obligatory. Now, assuming you are going to the Caribbean, Hawaii, or Alaska as a us citizen; outside of Cuba you don't need any visas. If you are on a more world wide tour visa fees could come into play (Russia, Africa, Asia, etc).

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Right, the only thing that is like this is visa fees - although I'm under the impression that if you go on the cruise and a port requires a visa, everyone is charged a visa fee, not based on whether or not you get off. But a port fee being charged if you get off is nonsense. Port fees are charged ahead with your cruise fare and refunded if you miss the port. If you want to take a tour in port you'll have to pay for that but it's not obligatory. Now, assuming you are going to the Caribbean, Hawaii, or Alaska as a us citizen; outside of Cuba you don't need any visas. If you are on a more world wide tour visa fees could come into play (Russia, Africa, Asia, etc).

 

 

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Most, if not all, cruise lines offer optional visa services when itineraries include countries requiring visas (or reciprocity fees like those required of US residents who will visit Brazil). They are considerably more expensive than DIY, of course unless you don't live anywhere near a country's consulate. Even then, the application process might be somewhat challenging- enough so that paying $400 to an agency may be more of a personal value than a DIY at half the price.

We'll soon do reciprocity fees for Brazil. DIY here in SF = $160/person + my time. If We use O's agency, it would be $399/person.

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