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Crazy High HAL Taxes


mrmac
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Is this hypothetical, or is it a real example? If real, giving the ships/dates, etc would be helpful to figure out the issues.

 

As to the possible reasons for different fees and taxes, perhaps reading chengkp75's comments would be easier than a "researched analysis"...but what does he know, besides many years on ships? But one would have to stop looking for black helicopters.

 

(bold is mine)

 

That's a good line. Haven't heard that one before.

 

 

It's all about the outrage!!!

 

You forgot to add: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

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It would be nice if they quoted the rate as inclusive of all fees, but is a fairly simple calculation - Add the the cruise price, taxes, fees, port charges, tips, etc less any onboard / ta credits to get your total cost. If you are happy with the price, book it. If you aren’t happy with the price, don’t book it.

 

 

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You ultra HAL cheerleaders sometimes sound like paid employees. Maybe you should start your own board and not allow any honest critiques. Then you can pay extra for your cruises to keep HAL in the black.

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You ultra HAL cheerleaders sometimes sound like paid employees. Maybe you should start your own board and not allow any honest critiques. Then you can pay extra for your cruises to keep HAL in the black.

 

Present facts please...not personal attacks...have not heard a single actual fact.

 

You want HAL to operate in the red? Break even? Businesses don't operate like that. Doesn't make you look like you have any idea of how things operate. Cruise lines are not in the business of breaking even.

 

Just a couple of facts would be nice.

Edited by CruiserBruce
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Hey I like HAL as much as the next guy. But not when they do something like this. And unlike the "never can they do any wrong" fans I speak up. Princess and HAL are both part of the Carnival family so should be getting the same breaks. HAL is going to the same usual ports in their East/West Caribbean, back to back, combined 14 day cruise. $280 is nuts!

 

More people should be complaining instead of taking it like lemmings in a line. Taxes and fees are not regulated by Sunshine rules. We really don't know what's included and if the cruise line is just bumping it up to keep advertised prices lower. Before they changed it a few years ago, the port fees were included in the cruise price and travel agents were not paid on that portion of the cruise price. The cruise lines now pay travel agents on the "commisionalble amount" of the cruise price, still leaving the old port fees in there as uncommisionalble and charging for port fees again in the taxes. A greedy move is a greedy move.

 

Wouldn't everyone love seeing one price that included taxes and fees, especially since they've grown so much in the last 5 years? Does anyone really want to get excited about a 7 day $599 fare to Alaska and then learn that the taxes and fees are over $200???

 

Nieuw Amsterdam 14 day Caribbean Oct. 21. Taxes are $280. Car. Princess Oct. 28, 14 day taxes are $170. Plus more facts above that you didn't dispute. No need to respond for your 30,000th time.

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That is hardly a fair comparison. The HAL cruise is actually two 7nt cruises being sold as a back to back. The Princess Cruise is a true 14nt sailing. A more accurate comparison would be between two true 14nt itineraries or two 14nt back to back sailings.

 

Similar 14nt back to back Princess sailings in November have taxes in the range of $230-235 per person. Given the much larger size of Princess ships and the commensurate increase in passengers to amortize taxes amongst a $45-50 difference in tax per person is not surprising, especially as the ports are not 100% identical.

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That is hardly a fair comparison. The HAL cruise is actually two 7nt cruises being sold as a back to back. The Princess Cruise is a true 14nt sailing. A more accurate comparison would be between two true 14nt itineraries or two 14nt back to back sailings.

 

Similar 14nt back to back Princess sailings in November have taxes in the range of $230-235 per person. Given the much larger size of Princess ships and the commensurate increase in passengers to amortize taxes amongst a $45-50 difference in tax per person is not surprising, especially as the ports are not 100% identical.

 

(bold is mine) Now that's an interesting fact. Perhaps there are more fees charged at an embarkation/disembarkation port than at a regular port stop?

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Nieuw Amsterdam 14 day Caribbean Oct. 21. Taxes are $280. Car. Princess Oct. 28, 14 day taxes are $170. Plus more facts above that you didn't dispute. No need to respond for your 30,000th time.

 

Does it occur to you that a major element in comparing port fees and taxes MUST CONSIDER THE PORTS involved?

 

There are nine ports involved in each of the itineraries you cite --- however they are completely different ports.

 

You really are trying to compare apples and weasels.

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(bold is mine) Now that's an interesting fact. Perhaps there are more fees charged at an embarkation/disembarkation port than at a regular port stop?

 

I think you may be on to something. The port taxes for my upcoming B2B cruise are about $30 higher than the 28 day Collectors' sailing. I couldn't figure out why and this might very well explain it.

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Does it occur to you that a major element in comparing port fees and taxes MUST CONSIDER THE PORTS involved?

 

There are nine ports involved in each of the itineraries you cite --- however they are completely different ports.

 

You really are trying to compare apples and weasels.

 

Thank you...

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Hal's taxes have really gotten crazy with no explanation. A few years ago a weeks cruise had taxes of $25-50. Now it's upwards of $100-140! Alaska is even more because of the state tax and Glacier Bay intineraries. The Nieuw Amsterdam 14 day cruise to Caribbean Oct. 21 has taxes of $280 vs Princess 14 day Oct. 28 taxes of $170. Makes no sense and, of course, they never seem to have to justify their taxes, fees and port expenses.

 

You might be interested in the fact that the cruise line has NO input or control over what local, state of federal government charges the company/ship.... NONE..Zero... They are at the mercy of government totally.!!! Hows that for justification its what they get charged

 

I wish HAL and others would adopt a 1 price for a cruise that includes all port charges and taxes in the fare. Or even better offer like some lines an all inclusive price for everything from airfare, transfers, special meals, drinks and gratuities, Everything but shore trips.... That way you pay 1 time and your know exactly what the cost will be when you book !!!

 

I guess that might scare off some customers who shop only by price., but fail to add in all the fine print charges. A $599 cruise can very easily cost $1100 to 1200 when you add on all the little things. Like buying a car and selecting all the extras offered

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I guess that might scare off some customers who shop only by price., but fail to add in all the fine print charges. A $599 cruise can very easily cost $1100 to 1200 when you add on all the little things. Like buying a car and selecting all the extras offered

But it is much nicer to be able to add those options you really want and leave the other ones you don't want. I do not need to pay an extra commission to the cruise line to book my air travel or transfers. I do not need to pay for shore excursions in advance only to be piled into a bus with 50 other folks whose peeing schedule I do not know. ;p

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But it is much nicer to be able to add those options you really want and leave the other ones you don't want. I do not need to pay an extra commission to the cruise line to book my air travel or transfers. I do not need to pay for shore excursions in advance only to be piled into a bus with 50 other folks whose peeing schedule I do not know. ;p

 

I was suggesting that the be up front with the charges for taxes, service charges per day x days and make it an all inclusive total for the things you have to get...and you have no option. Give the price inclusive of them not tours or the like Give the option of an all inclusive air/transfer and one without. Many lines are doing this now their prices are up front totals where you dont have to add all the tiny type mandatory extras, thats all

 

Does HAL charge you a extra fees over and above the actual air fare to book airline tickets.....Really ???

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Does HAL charge you a extra fees over and above the actual air fare to book airline tickets.....Really ???

 

 

I assume this was sarcasm, since it appears most cruise lines charge more than the actual airline fare for their add-on fares. Just like they do with excursions, etc. I have no issues with them doing that and can always choose not to purchase it. Most of the time you can find a better deal, but if booking late, it may be a better price. I also assume some just prefer the convenience of not having to do it on their own and are satisfied with the price.

 

 

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Hal charging extra for booking an airline ticket ??? I needed a one-way Tampa to Venice. The cheapest fare I could find on many sites was $840 economy and $3900 business. HAL got me $388 economy and $1240 business. If they are tacking an extra fee onto my ticket, I sure didn't see it. Plus, by booking air with HAL, you get a confirmed reservation with a record locator immediately upon booking. But, you don't have to pay for that airline ticket until final cruise payment. If you have to cancel before final payment date, you lose nothing. Try that by booking yourself.

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Hal charging extra for booking an airline ticket ??? I needed a one-way Tampa to Venice. The cheapest fare I could find on many sites was $840 economy and $3900 business. HAL got me $388 economy and $1240 business. If they are tacking an extra fee onto my ticket, I sure didn't see it. Plus, by booking air with HAL, you get a confirmed reservation with a record locator immediately upon booking. But, you don't have to pay for that airline ticket until final cruise payment. If you have to cancel before final payment date, you lose nothing. Try that by booking yourself.

 

I've only used Cunard's air, but my experience is similar to yours. A one-way flight to England (for a westbound TA) is much less expensive through them than on my own.

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I assume this was sarcasm, since it appears most cruise lines charge more than the actual airline fare for their add-on fares. Just like they do with excursions, etc. I have no issues with them doing that and can always choose not to purchase it. Most of the time you can find a better deal, but if booking late, it may be a better price. I also assume some just prefer the convenience of not having to do it on their own and are satisfied with the price.

 

 

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Wasn't my experience. I am an "apple to apples" person.

 

Price in North America to get to FLL was no different than what I could get on my own, but with the P'dam bonus, it was a huge difference. I always ask the "before and after" price.

 

Price on the flight from Europe coming home was huge :eek:. I'm talking serious huge. Big savings even before I took the bonus into account. If they have fees built in, so be it. I couldn't do better than that on my own unless I used my FF miles.

 

I like control. I like my own bookings. But this was too good to pass up.

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Wasn't my experience. I am an "apple to apples" person.

 

Price in North America to get to FLL was no different than what I could get on my own, but with the P'dam bonus, it was a huge difference. I always ask the "before and after" price.

 

Price on the flight from Europe coming home was huge :eek:. I'm talking serious huge. Big savings even before I took the bonus into account. If they have fees built in, so be it. I couldn't do better than that on my own unless I used my FF miles.

 

I like control. I like my own bookings. But this was too good to pass up.

 

What is the P’dam bonus?

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What is the P’dam bonus?

 

There was an early booking bonus on some Prinsendam sailings. A discount on flights of up to $800 were part of the benefits along with OBC, prepaid HSC, etc.

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If there are two ships on two different lines, both with roughly same number of passengers, traveling the same route, but one has "Taxes & Port Fees" of $55, while the other has "Taxes & Port Fees" of $161, I genuinely question how truthful the lines are being about the fees.

 

While I'm sure many will jump to defend their beloved cruise line, I've not seen any researched analysis of what could possibly cause such a wide disparity in "Taxes & Port Fees" if, as we are being told, the fees are going straight to the port & government.

 

Exactly! It is very hard to believe -- as some claim in this thread -- that all this tax/fee add-on is going only to the port and the government. Case in point, compare my Volendam May 5, 2019 cruise with the Golden Princess September 25, 2019 cruise. Exactly the same route, with the same end and port stops, the only difference being that they are in opposite directions. Yet Princess is only charging $55 in taxes and fees, compared to $185 for HAL. That is a huge difference, particularly on a three day cruise! To me, it is clear that HAL is shifting some cost to "taxes and fees" that Princess is not. Is there some creditable source that details exactly what can be included in the tax/fee category?

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Exactly! It is very hard to believe -- as some claim in this thread -- that all this tax/fee add-on is going only to the port and the government. Case in point, compare my Volendam May 5, 2019 cruise with the Golden Princess September 25, 2019 cruise. Exactly the same route, with the same end and port stops, the only difference being that they are in opposite directions. Yet Princess is only charging $55 in taxes and fees, compared to $185 for HAL. That is a huge difference, particularly on a three day cruise! To me, it is clear that HAL is shifting some cost to "taxes and fees" that Princess is not. Is there some creditable source that details exactly what can be included in the tax/fee category?

 

 

Sorry, I missposted this. Please ignore it. I understand why the taxes and fees can be different, my main beef is that I cannot find an easy way to get the all-in cost for multiple cruises the way I can for the base fares on multiples cruises at a website like VTG.

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