Win a free cruise...but not really free

[Texas2steppers]

I won the slot machine tournament on VOS in February. The grand prize was a free 5 day cruise for 2 sailing November 6th from Fort Lauderdale with ports of call in Cayman and Cozumel. It also includes entry into the "Royal Slot Tour" tournament during that cruise. The cruise is for that date only and of course is non-transferable.

 

The sad thing is there were 80 people entered in the tournament @ $25 entry fee each. 3rd place received $60 with 2nd place only receiving $100. I think RCI banks on the fact that not everyone will be able to go on that specific cruise. My husband won the slot machine tournament 2 years ago on the same ship and received $1100 cash.

 

When I called to book this cruise I was given a Category H outside room on the 2nd floor.:( The RCI rep tallied the costs and it will be $200/pp, which is for taxes & fees. The taxes/fees, if I booked it myself online, show only to be $83.50/pp. I'm frustrated because $200/pp is 1/3 of the total cruise cost including taxes/fees. I expected to pay for the taxes/fees, but not this much.

 

I don't understand why the taxes/fees are so high. We are booked on a 7 day cruise on the Mariner of the Seas in May. We will be at 3 ports and the total taxes/fees is only $56.

 

So when you win a "Free Cruise", don't expect it to be free!

[yogimax]

 

 

I don't understand why the taxes/fees are so high.

 

Did you ask the RCCL rep why they were $200 and if you could receive a detailed statement?

[flashdog_1]

That must be disappointing.

 

You know, when we research cruises, the prices we see include port charges, so the tax that we see is just that, and what you are referring to when you say your taxes for your own cruise were only $56, and for the "free" cruise if booked independently, $83.50. But those low taxes do not include port charges.

 

That's all I could come up with to make the $200 figure make sense. Maybe someone who's a travel agent can lend more light on the subject.

[cruisinfanatic]

I won the slot machine tournament on VOS in February. The grand prize was a free 5 day cruise for 2 sailing November 6th from Fort Lauderdale with ports of call in Cayman and Cozumel. It also includes entry into the "Royal Slot Tour" tournament during that cruise. The cruise is for that date only and of course is non-transferable.

 

The sad thing is there were 80 people entered in the tournament @ $25 entry fee each. 3rd place received $60 with 2nd place only receiving $100. I think RCI banks on the fact that not everyone will be able to go on that specific cruise. My husband won the slot machine tournament 2 years ago on the same ship and received $1100 cash.

 

When I called to book this cruise I was given a Category H outside room on the 2nd floor.:( The RCI rep tallied the costs and it will be $200/pp, which is for taxes & fees. The taxes/fees, if I booked it myself online, show only to be $83.50/pp. I'm frustrated because $200/pp is 1/3 of the total cruise cost including taxes/fees. I expected to pay for the taxes/fees, but not this much.

 

I don't understand why the taxes/fees are so high. We are booked on a 7 day cruise on the Mariner of the Seas in May. We will be at 3 ports and the total taxes/fees is only $56.

 

So when you win a "Free Cruise", don't expect it to be free!

The reason it costs $200 instead of $56 is because unless you get a breakdown of the charges, you never see the port charges of the cruise cost. If it were broken down and you could see what the port charges were, that $56 would be a lot more.

What ship? I can find no 6 day cruise on Nov 6th

[dcgrumpy]

The reason it costs $200 instead of $56 is because unless you get a breakdown of the charges, you never see the port charges of the cruise cost. If it were broken down and you could see what the port charges were, that $56 would be a lot more.

What ship? I can find no 6 day cruise on Nov 6th

 

 

 

It says 5 day in the OP. Navigator has a 5 day cruise leaving on November 6th

[PrincesScuba]

The reason it costs $200 instead of $56 is because unless you get a breakdown of the charges, you never see the port charges of the cruise cost. If it were broken down and you could see what the port charges were, that $56 would be a lot more.

What ship? I can find no 6 day cruise on Nov 6th

Navigator 5 night.

[cruisenfever]

To earn her cruise credit she has to pay something.

[setsail]

You are paying the tax on the highest retail price that this cat. is sold for plus you will probably get a 1099 for the retail price. More taxes.

[Mark_K]

I won the slot machine tournament on VOS in February. The grand prize was a free 5 day cruise for 2 sailing November 6th from Fort Lauderdale with ports of call in Cayman and Cozumel. It also includes entry into the "Royal Slot Tour" tournament during that cruise. The cruise is for that date only and of course is non-transferable.

 

The sad thing is there were 80 people entered in the tournament @ $25 entry fee each. 3rd place received $60 with 2nd place only receiving $100. I think RCI banks on the fact that not everyone will be able to go on that specific cruise. My husband won the slot machine tournament 2 years ago on the same ship and received $1100 cash.

 

When I called to book this cruise I was given a Category H outside room on the 2nd floor.:( The RCI rep tallied the costs and it will be $200/pp, which is for taxes & fees. The taxes/fees, if I booked it myself online, show only to be $83.50/pp. I'm frustrated because $200/pp is 1/3 of the total cruise cost including taxes/fees. I expected to pay for the taxes/fees, but not this much.

 

I don't understand why the taxes/fees are so high. We are booked on a 7 day cruise on the Mariner of the Seas in May. We will be at 3 ports and the total taxes/fees is only $56.

 

So when you win a "Free Cruise", don't expect it to be free!

Moral of the story - Always read the fine print.

[Mark_K]

You are paying the tax on the highest retail price that this cat. is sold for plus you will probably get a 1099 for the retail price. More taxes.

Unless they asked for a SSN, they won't get a 1099.

[debshomespun]

I will gladly pay the $200. pp and go on the cruise! :D

[gatour]

Unless they asked for a SSN, they won't get a 1099.

 

Who is to say that the OP wasn't or won't be given the necessary forms for a 1099 to be filed.

 

If you win a big jackpot in Las Vegas, the casino will withhold the appropriate taxes. I am guessing that may be one reason for the additional taxes beyond the normal port charges. Since RCCL is probably advertising the prize at the full brochure rate, they collect taxes at income taxes at that rate for transfer to the gov't

 

Now for the fact that you are only allowed to take the cruise on a particular week, that is definitely a good heads up.

[rubrrick]

A very interesting point is brought up here. The question of paying "just the taxes and port fees" or the $200.00 pp that RCCL wants.

 

If you have ever watched "The Price is right, Jeopardy" or other game shows, and see someone win $20,000 or more......or less......what is never said......is that the contestant must pay taxes on his/her earnings.

 

So the question to RCCL is...... does that $200.00 include your income tax, that they will be paying on your behalf.

 

There has to be a pricetag attached to your winnings. They are never free........onboard or in Vegas.

 

You may receive a statement of what you have paid to RCCl for taxes, for your tax return.

 

Totally a guess on my part..........but I can't think of any other reason that RCCL would charge you more.

 

Rick

[jmezmom]

 

If you win a big jackpot in Las Vegas, the casino will withhold the appropriate taxes.

 

 

 

I live in Las Vegas.

 

My brother won $30,000 last summer at the local casino......he walked out with $30,000 in $100 bills and and armed escort......and was required to pay the taxes himself.

[rubrrick]

I live in Las Vegas.

 

My brother won $30,000 last summer at the local casino......he walked out with $30,000 in $100 bills and and armed escort......and was required to pay the taxes himself.

 

 

So, the question for you Ruth.........living in Las Vegas, is there a point where casinos are required to withold funds.

 

Your brother walked out with funds...by the way, congrats to him...but did he have to give a 1099 form to the casino?

 

Rick

[Maraprince]

My guess would be that RCI is probably also charging for insurance on the sailing along with the port taxes. That could add up to $200 per person.

Doubt it could be the auto tips.

 

MARAPRINCE

[jmezmom]

So, the question for you Ruth.........living in Las Vegas, is there a point where casinos are required to withold funds.

 

Your brother walked out with funds...by the way, congrats to him...but did he have to give a 1099 form to the casino?

 

Rick

 

I really don't know if there is a limit where they do it for you...i will call him now and ask as he worked for the Nevada Gaming Control Board years ago and is an accountant now:D

 

They did send him a 1099 after January 31st this year and they did get his social security info the night he won.....although he didn't have his SS card with him.....they took his word for it.

 

He hit the $10,000 slot on a big wheel with 3X pay.

[rubrrick]

My guess would be that RCI is probably also charging for insurance on the sailing along with the port taxes. That could add up to $200 per person.

Doubt it could be the auto tips.

 

MARAPRINCE

 

So, my question to you.....why would RCCL charge for insurance??

 

Something is amiss here.......and does not add up!

 

Rick

[perkyblue]

Hmm... A TA taking a guess here. The NCF is the only other thing I can think of that would make the price of your "free" cruise cost more than just the price of the taxes & fees. It might be similar to the TC (tour conductor) credit that they give groups. You might be getting the "cruise fare" for free but still be paying the NCF (non-commissionable fare) as well as the taxes & fees.

 

If you book a group of 8 cabins, RCCL will give you one "free berth." But the total cost per person is made up of the cruise fare, the NCF, and the taxes & fees; and with the "free berth" only the regular portion of the cruise fare is free. So even though they say you get one free berth for each 8 cabins, only a portion of that berth is actually free.

 

For example -- I have a group booked on Monarch later this year, and they have earned 2 free berths. But the total cost per person for their category is $282.34, and the "cruise fare" (the part the free berth covers) is $125, so even the group leaders who use the TC credit will still have to pay $157.34 for their "free berth."

 

I don't know if that's what's going on in your specific case, but it could be that RCCL is technically giving you a free berth (or 2 free berths) and not a free cruise. Although it's strange that if you're paying taxes & fees it comes to an even $200. There are usually cents involved in that portion of the cruise cost. I would ask for more details about exactly what your $200 is for.

[rubrrick]

I really don't know if there is a limit where they do it for you...i will call him now and ask as he worked for the Nevada Gaming Control Board years ago and is an accountant now:D

 

They did send him a 1099 after January 31st this year and they did get his social security info the night he won.....although he didn't have his SS card with him.....they took his word for it.

 

He hit the $10,000 slot on a big wheel with 3X pay.

 

That had to put a smile on his face......when he hit the jackpot!:D

 

I know that you will be cruising shortly......and my DW and many friends will be aboard........and after meeting them.......I hope that you will not think so badly of me........

 

I wish I could be there as well, to meet you......but some of us have to work!!

 

Back to the subject at hand!!;)

 

Rick

[jmezmom]

That had to put a smile on his face......when he hit the jackpot!:D

 

I know that you will be cruising shortly......and my DW and many friends will be aboard........and after meeting them.......I hope that you will not think so badly of me........

 

 

Rick

 

i smiled too.......he paid my daughters yearly deposit we usually make into her college fund:)

 

jamie in vegas at cox dot net....would like to make amends......

[rubrrick]

i smiled too.......he paid my daughters yearly deposit we usually make into her college fund:)

 

jamie in vegas at cox dot net....would like to make amends......

 

 

Email headed your way......hope I captured your right address!:)

 

Rick

[seaofwonder]

You don't have to report winnings on a 1099 until it reaches over $1200...nor do you have to report it to the IRS if a single winning is less than $1200.

 

Casinos will ask you if you want cash or check when you win a jackpot...and you can choose to have taxes withheld. Many gamblers don't because they have enough losses to offset the wins.

They will ask for a drivers license and your SS#. Will give you your money in whatever form you chose, along with your 1099 form.

[jmezmom]

You don't have to report winnings on a 1099 until it reaches over $1200...nor do you have to report it to the IRS if a single winning is less than $1200.

 

Casinos will ask you if you want cash or check when you win a jackpot...and you can choose to have taxes withheld. Many gamblers don't because they have enough losses to offset the wins.

They will ask for a drivers license and your SS#. Will give you your money in whatever form you chose, along with your 1099 form.

 

Vegas has thousands of machines that advertise "top jackpot of $1199"....as in "play me and win the jackpot tax free":D

[Pam713]

I won the slot machine tournament on VOS in February. The grand prize was a free 5 day cruise for 2 sailing November 6th from Fort Lauderdale with ports of call in Cayman and Cozumel. It also includes entry into the "Royal Slot Tour" tournament during that cruise. The cruise is for that date only and of course is non-transferable.

 

The sad thing is there were 80 people entered in the tournament @ $25 entry fee each. 3rd place received $60 with 2nd place only receiving $100. I think RCI banks on the fact that not everyone will be able to go on that specific cruise. My husband won the slot machine tournament 2 years ago on the same ship and received $1100 cash.

 

When I called to book this cruise I was given a Category H outside room on the 2nd floor.:( The RCI rep tallied the costs and it will be $200/pp, which is for taxes & fees. The taxes/fees, if I booked it myself online, show only to be $83.50/pp. I'm frustrated because $200/pp is 1/3 of the total cruise cost including taxes/fees. I expected to pay for the taxes/fees, but not this much.

 

I don't understand why the taxes/fees are so high. We are booked on a 7 day cruise on the Mariner of the Seas in May. We will be at 3 ports and the total taxes/fees is only $56.

 

So when you win a "Free Cruise", don't expect it to be free!

 

Texas, I (along with 7 others) am booked on this same cruise. We have 4 E2 balcony cabins on deck 7 booked since last May. I just checked my invoice and and it shows $599.00 Cruise Fare pp and $83.71 pp in taxes and fees.

 

I think I'd call back and ask for a break-down of exactly what you are being charged. Something sounds fishy to me.

 

Are there slot tournaments on every cruise? I must have missed that. Maybe I'll sign up and see you in the casino!! :D