Government Taxes/Fee Fluctuations

[BEAV]

In April 2012 we booked a cruise leaving February 2014, some 22 months in advance. When we originally booked, the gov't taxes/fees were calculated to be $225. Several months later we took advantage of a fare reduction in our category, and when the booking was repriced, the gov't taxes/fees now were listed at $249. Recently, a friend of ours booked the same sailing, and now =X= is charging $190. (you can view the tax/fee amount if you do a dummy booking on =X= website and get a breakdown of the pricing)

 

Our own invoicing remains at $249 since we have made no modifications to our booking recently. If we were to make final payment now, is it safe to assume =X= would charge us $249? And if so, where does the over payment on gov't taxes/fees go? Does =X= pocket it?

 

To avoid any misunderstanding, I'm not talking about port charges as =X= bundles them into the cruise fare. I'm speaking solely of the gov't taxes/fees added on top of the cruise fare.

[jeffbook]

On our British Isles sailing on 6/3/13 on Infinity, we were credited with about $27 for each of us in the form of onboard credit for what appeared to be a tax revision from the time of our booking. Hope that this helps....

[BEAV]

Thanks for your reply. I've never heard of this happening before, except for reimbursement of port charges for a stop that was dropped from the itinerary for various reasons.

 

I may have our TA contact =X= and see if they'll reprice our booking as the difference in gov't taxes/fees now equals a $117 reduction over our most recent invoice. I'd rather have the overcharge just removed now than over pay and hope for an on board adjustment. Fortunately, our cruise fare hasn't gone up, otherwise a repricing could open a different can or worms!

 

I don't believe we've ever booked a cruise as far as 22 months in advance as we have this one. I just find it interesting the gov't fees/taxes have changed 4 times so far.....

[jelayne]

We also got OBC on our last cruise that was w refund of taxes

[vkb2751]

We received OBC on the last 2 cruises for taxes.

[Phxazzcruisers]

We received a refundable OBC on each of our last three Azamara Cruises for taxes paid.

I think they are very honest about this.

[BEAV]

Thanks for all the feedback. With 40-something cruises under our belt, it's never happened to us before (receiving OBC for reductions in taxes/fees). So it's good to see the overpayment doesn't disappear into never, never land!

[Jade13]

The taxes have gone down approx $100.00 for our Solstice cruise next year and we have been told by our TA, and by Celebrity, that they will not reprice us, and taxes are based on the time that we booked. They have never said anything regarding a credit when we board.

 

Are you sure those who say they received a refund in the form of OBC are not being credited port fees?

 

Every time that I look at the website it appears our cruise fare has gone down, but then I remember that the taxes have gone down, and Celebrity will not adjust the taxes.

[Jade13]

Thanks for your reply. I've never heard of this happening before, except for reimbursement of port charges for a stop that was dropped from the itinerary for various reasons.

 

I may have our TA contact =X= and see if they'll reprice our booking as the difference in gov't taxes/fees now equals a $117 reduction over our most recent invoice. I'd rather have the overcharge just removed now than over pay and hope for an on board adjustment. Fortunately, our cruise fare hasn't gone up, otherwise a repricing could open a different can or worms!

 

I don't believe we've ever booked a cruise as far as 22 months in advance as we have this one. I just find it interesting the gov't fees/taxes have changed 4 times so far.....

 

Tell us what you find out because we have been told that Celebrity will not (and has never) repriced a cruise fare and refunded taxes. Our cruise fare is also the same with the taxes going down around $100.00.

[bubbachief]

Ours went down around $14, just called X and they reduced the price of the cruise by that amount. Don't know why they didn't reduce the taxes and fees, but we got the reduction with a new confirmation.

[Essiesmom]

WE got OBC for tax/fees rebate on Infinity Panama Canal cruise, around $49pp. Also had a slight refund on the following TA. EM

[jelayne]

The taxes have gone down approx $100.00 for our Solstice cruise next year and we have been told by our TA, and by Celebrity, that they will not reprice us, and taxes are based on the time that we booked. They have never said anything regarding a credit when we board.

 

Are you sure those who say they received a refund in the form of OBC are not being credited port fees?

 

Every time that I look at the website it appears our cruise fare has gone down, but then I remember that the taxes have gone down, and Celebrity will not adjust the taxes.

 

The OBC we got was for a refund of taxes - not port charges. We have taken 21 cruises on multiple cruise lines and this is only the 2nd time we got a refund for taxes.