Government tax on Panama cruise

I remembered that from reading some of the other posts... don't know if I posted in any of those or not. Didn't want to wander off too far in my own words, so I was just borrowing the verbiage from the Canal's tolls pages. Here is their explanation of whether or not they will use the berths in the calculation.

 

 

Note: Vessels above 30,000 gross tons (GRT) and whose PC/UMS tonnage

divided by maximum passenger capacity (PAX-ITC) ratio is less than or equal to

33, shall pay tolls on a per berth basis. If such ratio is greater than 33, tolls shall

be paid on the basis of PC/UMS tonnage. Vessels below or equal to 30,000 GRT

shall also pay on the basis of PC/UMS tonnage

 

 

I'll blame it on them!;)

 

Edit: I cheat and always read the English side of the house, so I went over to the Spanish tolls since that is the controlling document to see what that passage says and this is the key part... toneladas de resgistro bruto... Sounds to me like they are still using GRT.

 

All their fault!!:D

Yeah, folks that should know better, not just the Canal Authority, still bandy about the terms GRT and NRT. The IMO adopted the new convention on ship measurement in 1969, it came into effect in 1982, with a 12 year grace period for existing vessels, and in 1984 the GT and NT measures (which unlike their cousins the GRT and NRT are not actual volumetric measurements, but a dimensionless index calculated by a mathematical formula from the ship's volume) became the only official means of measuring a ship's tonnage.

And, I don't disagree that they are using GT as the dividing point between the two tarif rates, but the actual PC/UMS tonnage is closer to Net Tonnage than Gross Tonnage, since both the UMS and NT only calculate the cargo/revenue generating volume of the ship, while GT includes the engineering spaces, tankage, etc.

I checked a few sailings and larger ships seem to have higher taxes and fees per passenger. Of course larger ships incur high total fees and taxes but I thought it would be around the same once the total is divided into each passenger. Does it make any difference if the ship uses the new locks vs the old locks?

Also, am I right to assume if a ship can fit the old locks, it will still use the old locks? Everyone is saying cruises using the old locks are much better so I want to be sure.

I checked a few sailings and larger ships seem to have higher taxes and fees per passenger. Of course larger ships incur high total fees and taxes but I thought it would be around the same once the total is divided into each passenger. Does it make any difference if the ship uses the new locks vs the old locks?

 

Also, am I right to assume if a ship can fit the old locks, it will still use the old locks? Everyone is saying cruises using the old locks are much better so I want to be sure.

I think the difference between new and old locks tariff is $10-20 per berth. Now, one thing to remember, while the tariff is based on a fixed number of persons (maximum capacity), the total amount is divided by the actual number of passengers on the cruise, which is why you frequently see the PC taxes and fees fluctuate during the booking time, as the number of bookings change. Also, larger ships will require more tugs, more line handlers, etc, getting into the "miscellaneous" charges that drive up the PC fee over the base tariff.

Generally, yes, if the ship can use the old locks, it will continue to do so. The new locks have a limited number of transits per day, and those are booked by ships needing the larger locks.

I think the difference between new and old locks tariff is $10-20 per berth. Now, one thing to remember, while the tariff is based on a fixed number of persons (maximum capacity), the total amount is divided by the actual number of passengers on the cruise, which is why you frequently see the PC taxes and fees fluctuate during the booking time, as the number of bookings change. Also, larger ships will require more tugs, more line handlers, etc, getting into the "miscellaneous" charges that drive up the PC fee over the base tariff.

 

Generally, yes, if the ship can use the old locks, it will continue to do so. The new locks have a limited number of transits per day, and those are booked by ships needing the larger locks.

Thank you for the explanation. Small ships advantage again. :D:D

Thank you for the explanation. Small ships advantage again. :D:D

molole, in post #15 of this thread I listed some of the major charges that are added to the $138 per passenger berth figure to come up with the final toll. Price per berth at the new locks is $148.

molole, in post #15 of this thread I listed some of the major charges that are added to the $138 per passenger berth figure to come up with the final toll. Price per berth at the new locks is $148.

Thanks, Bill. Are that $35K reservation fee and the $30k daylight guarantee fee per ship regardless of ship size? If so, large ships advantage. :D

Thanks, Bill. Are that $35K reservation fee and the $30k daylight guarantee fee per ship regardless of ship size? If so, large ships advantage. :D

The 35K reservation is for ships that are 900+' length and 100+' beam and drops accordingly as the size goes down, a ship under 300' is at the bargain rate of $2500! On the other hand the daylight guarantee is the same for all sized ships.