Missed Ports?

[ali3pt14]

I'm just curious...does RCI offer port fee refunds if a port must be missed due to inclement weather (i.e. hurricanes)?

 

Would travel insurance refund anything?

[Familygoboston]

What I've heard is that it says right in the cruise contract that they can make any itinerary changes required; so they are not obligated to compensate pax for changes, because pax have agreed to that. But I've also heard that sometimes they do offer OBC or future cruise discounts or other incentives just as a good will gesture. Probably so pax leave feeling satisfied that the line did all they could and speaking positively about the experience. I've never heard about port fee refunds...maybe someone has experienced this.

 

I like to remind fall cruisers that they already got their compensation in the form of very attractive fall fares!! If you don't get an itinerary change/bad weather you have come out ahead. If you do, you have come out even!:D

[griffy116]

Sometimes they give a credit (very, very small) like port fee if they miss a port and do a sea day, but if they change the port due to weather, you don't usually see a refund because it goes to port taxes at the alternate port. We've had this happen once and didn't get a refund or credit of any kind. I think they had free drinks for an hour or two. As it turned out, we were thrilled with the alternate choice so it worked out well for us.

[Langley Cruisers]

We had a small refund of the port fees when we missed one port due to hurricane. But, we ended up staying overnight in a different port so it all worked out.

 

I don't think they would give OBC or future cruise credit to all passengers - that's an awful lot of lost revenue and unnecessary (IMO) huge compensation for a weather-related change in itinerary. When you sail in hurricane season, you take your chances. :)

[cruisegirl1]

We’ve missed ports a few times, Grand Cayman twice and Costa Maya once and did NOT receive any type of refund or ship board benefit. These were not Fall Cruises and attractively priced as suggested by a previous poster.

 

Higher winds/seas can occur at any time making tendering or docking hazardous.

 

Ship happens!

M

[Mines]

We have missed ports on several occasions and never received anything.

[ali3pt14]

Thanks for your quick responses!

 

I know we took our chances booking this time of year (thank you, Travel Guard), I just wondered if one still had to pay for the port fees, if the port itself was never used.

 

Obviously if your ship utilizes another port, the fee would cover that particular port. If however, you spend the day at sea without a different itinerary offered or available, was there was any type of compensation for the unused charges. (I can't say I've even looked to see how those charges were broken down - this is really just a pondering in light of the current hurricane)

 

I'm assuming the cruiselines aren't charged if they don't dock...I'm not in the industry or an avid cruiser, so I don't know that for sure - just guessing. (Those that are quick to criticize on here, please note my acknowledgement of my own lack of experience in these matters!)

[sgermic]

It is my understanding that every port authority requires a port tax for each pax on board, and it is a part of your Cruise Fare.

 

When we missed Roatan, Honduras, we received that port tax back, but sometimes it is so nominal that you might not notice, and it is charged as a credit to your account. I think the Roatan one was approx. $13 (or one and half pina coladas---which is how I quantify things when I'm on a cruise).

[ali3pt14]

It is my understanding that every port authority requires a port tax for each pax on board, and it is a part of your Cruise Fare.

 

When we missed Roatan, Honduras, we received that port tax back, but sometimes it is so nominal that you might not notice, and it is charged as a credit to your account. I think the Roatan one was approx. $13 (or one and half pina coladas---which is how I quantify things when I'm on a cruise).

 

 

;) LOL! Perfect!

[Queen of Oakville]

I've never received any credit from Royal.

 

On Carnival Dream, we did ge the port fees refunded immediately to on our onboard account, which may have been for Honduras, as I recall it being $13.00 lol

[Desertbelle]

People are assuming that when a port is missed because of weather that the cruise line doesn't have to pay for that port or the taxes. They may have an agreement to pay for the port even if weather doesn't allow them to dock. I don't know the answer, and the answer may be different for each port.

[mandi999]

What about refunds to your excursions? If you book through the cruise lines, and that excursion is missed due to not being at port....does that money get refunded?

[Sequim88]

already got their compensation in the form of very attractive fall fares!!

 

It would probably risk scaring people off but listing "regular" prices for Fall cruises and then adding a "seasonal weather risk discount" would make it clear to people that the "refund" is built in to the price. Then again people should be able to figure it out for themselves - not that a lot of them still won't. :rolleyes:

[Bellalago Breeze]

A few years ago we were on Carnival Pride. When we couldn't go to Grand Caymen, they immediately credited our port charges back to our account. They had a very efficient system and the money was in everyone's account in less than an hour! We've missed Grand Caymen on Royal Caribbean, but never got anything back and no free drinks!:(

[pcur]

What about refunds to your excursions? If you book through the cruise lines, and that excursion is missed due to not being at port....does that money get refunded?

 

Yes.

[cruiser1956]

On our last cruise we missed St. Maartin. Actually, we pulled right up to the dock, and the Captain felt the seas were too rough to stay, so we pulled away. We were refunded our port taxes that day, in the form of a credit on our sea pass account. Both of us received a refund of the same amount.

[jagsfan]

A couple of years ago we missed Cork and Falmouth, Cornwall, and RCCL subsituted Dover.

We got no refund of port charges, even though we were short one port. It sure reminded us

never to book a cruise for the itinerary, you never know when it will change.

Actually on a Canada NE last fall we missed Sydney Nova Scotia because of fog, and Princess gave us a credit

on our Sign and Sail.

[Langley Cruisers]

It sure reminded us never to book a cruise for the itinerary....

 

Sorry, so what are you supposed to book a cruise for then? Seriously asking.

[Desertbelle]

.....It sure reminded us

never to book a cruise for the itinerary, you never know when it will change.....

 

That's silly talk...we've been on 17 cruises and have missed 4 ports, three of them on one cruise because of engine trouble. We enjoy the ships and our sea days, but we love the ports and we pick cruises almost entirely on ports. The few ports we missed were a disappointment but if you travel you need to be able to be OK with changes and still have a good time.

[Eng23]

Yes, port fees and taxes from a missed port will be credited to your Seapass. One of my cruises last year missed St. Maarten due to a hurricane and the port fees and taxes for St. Maarten were refunded to my Seapass.

[CVU]

A couple of years ago we missed Cork and Falmouth, Cornwall, and RCCL subsituted Dover.

We got no refund of port charges, even though we were short one port. It sure reminded us

never to book a cruise for the itinerary, you never know when it will change.

Actually on a Canada NE last fall we missed Sydney Nova Scotia because of fog, and Princess gave us a credit

on our Sign and Sail.

 

That is for sure! We have had most of our ports changed before boarding the ship. A few on board due to weather but many were itinerary changes with no notice. Just happens.

[yarlenna]

Sorry, so what are you supposed to book a cruise for then? Seriously asking.

 

The Ship!! Seriously, if you want to go to a port, fly there. Think of the ports as part of the entertainment. Most times, you do get to the ports, but it is NEVER a sure thing.

[johneeo]

Sorry, so what are you supposed to book a cruise for then? Seriously asking.

 

I book for the ship, where it departs, and in general where it goes.

 

Explorer, Bayonne, Caribbean.

 

Ports are my last criteria.

[MrsFixitCT]

Someone asked about excursions being refunded in case of a missed port, and someone else simply answered "Yes"...which is fine...BUT...

 

ONLY if it's an RCI excursion. If you have booked a private tour/excursion, RCI will not refund/reimburse your fee...it's up to you to work that out with the tour operator....

[cruisegirl1]

Every private excursion I have book with private tour operators has been fully refunded if the ship does not make it to port or conditions are such that the excursion is cancelled by the company . These operators live off the cruise chip business and will most often offer a refund under these conditions.

 

Always ask prior to booking.

 

M