Till when can Carnival charge us the increases in port charges/taxes?

[Middleager]

Booked Early Saver on the Conquest 2014.08.24 sailing. Today is final payment and saw the prices went down $60. Asked the TA for the price adjustment. But then the port charges/taxes went up by $35. The TA said the port charges/taxes are not protected from increases.

 

So at the end, we ended up with $60-35=$25 in savings.

 

Just wondering, if we didn't ask for the price adjustment, can Carnival charge us the $35 increase in the port/taxes when we are making final payment? If after final payment, can those charges still go up, and does Carnival charge us when we board?

[snc_cam]

legally, yes, it is in the fine print. will they is a different question. over the past cruises we've received a small OBC due to a decrease in port charges when they sailed. have (not yet) seen a charge on S&S card for extra fees.

[chocolate melting cake]

We've been on 22 Carnival cruises and have never been charged extra when the fees increased. CCL does has the right to increase your price---but so far it has not. There HAVE been many times when we'll see a small ($11.62) refund, and when we've inquired were told it was the decrease in port fees.

[andy.capitan]

Carnival can charge you up until the day you board. Same as any potential fuel surcharge. Currently they don't, unless the taxes go down and give you some back. If you open up the booking for any reason, including a reduction, they typically will. Taxes can go up or down.

[WindsorFred]

We've been on 22 Carnival cruises and have never been charged extra when the fees increased. CCL does has the right to increase your price---but so far it has not. There HAVE been many times when we'll see a small ($11.62) refund, and when we've inquired were told it was the decrease in port fees.

 

Haven't been on as many cruises but this is the same for us.

[MV Wiggle]

Same here. Never have been charged the difference from an increase in port fees/taxes, but have received OBC (at embarkation) for the difference from a reduction.

[MV Wiggle]

I always thought fees and taxes were not included in Price Protection price reductions. Just the cruise rate paid versus the cruise rate from the Carnival Fare Viewer. Am I wrong?

[snc_cam]

taxes and fees are definitely part of the price reduction determination. I actually got a price reduction just because the fees/taxes dropped.

 

When I look for a price reduction, I do a mock booking to get the total price for a similar cabin on the same deck which also will then include the fees/taxes

[katiel53]

We have never had our port charges/fees increased except for when we have had a price change with Early Saver. If the port charges/fees go up, we have been charged the new rate for both the cruise and fees.

 

I can't remember the charges/fees going down and receiving a credit, but that doesn't mean that it hasn't happened and I didn't pay much attention to it. Just keep in mind if there is another price drop that you should do a mock booking to see what the total is and what you are now paying, You could get a lesser credit than originally thought because of the fees. That has happened to us every time we have had Early Saver.