What's up with these high taxes + fees?

[kelmac]

My wife and I have cruised 64 times on a variety of cruise lines. A couple of years ago we tried NCL again and found if we added a dining package and a drink package that the overall quality of the cruise was excellent.

Today I was trying to book a cruise for early November and couldn't believe all the taxes and fees that NCL adds to the booking price. The other lines have these same taxes and fees, but at a much lower rate (by the way, these are separate from port charges):

examples--

 

Celebrity Equinox, 11 nights.............................$255.04 taxes and fees*

NCL Getaway, 7 nights.....................................$322.56 taxes and fees*

Carnival Magic, 7 nights....................................$286.80 taxes and fees*

NCL Pearl, 14 nights.........................................$863.74 taxes and fees*

Princess CP, 14 nights......................................$320.00 taxes and fees*

MSC Seaside, 7 nights......................................$275.66 taxes and fees*

RCL Harmony, 7 nights......................................$235.10 taxes and fees*

 

* per cabin for two people

 

Adding a dining package + the service charge of the drink package pushes NCL's

prices way above Celebrity, HAL, Princess, Carnival, Royal Caribbean and MSC.

 

Is NCL that good?

Kel:confused:

[Love my butler]

It's just nickels and dimes. Pay the freight and move along. It's for your convenience after all..........

[tanyaewa]

That’s super interesting. I’ve never seen it side by side like that.

Do you think the embarkation port/ country makes a difference?

[PTC DAWG]

Do the other lines include the beverage package taxes? All cabins similar? Pick the one you like the best.

[Rsavtechcruise]

For this to be a fair comparison you would have to compare same ports same sailing dates and so on apples to apples

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[drsel]

My wife and I have cruised 64 times on a variety of cruise lines. A couple of years ago we tried NCL again and found if we added a dining package and a drink package that the overall quality of the cruise was excellent.

Today I was trying to book a cruise for early November and couldn't believe all the taxes and fees that NCL adds to the booking price. The other lines have these same taxes and fees, but at a much lower rate (by the way, these are separate from port charges):

examples--

 

Celebrity Equinox, 11 nights.............................$255.04 taxes and fees*

NCL Getaway, 7 nights.....................................$322.56 taxes and fees*

Carnival Magic, 7 nights....................................$286.80 taxes and fees*

NCL Pearl, 14 nights.........................................$863.74 taxes and fees*

Princess CP, 14 nights......................................$320.00 taxes and fees*

MSC Seaside, 7 nights......................................$275.66 taxes and fees*

RCL Harmony, 7 nights......................................$235.10 taxes and fees*

 

* per cabin for two people

 

Adding a dining package + the service charge of the drink package pushes NCL's

prices way above Celebrity, HAL, Princess, Carnival, Royal Caribbean and MSC.

 

Is NCL that good?

Kel:confused:

Anyone can get a $125 or $250 discount on an inside or balcony cabin in NCL, using 1 or 2 cruise next certificates. Factor that discount in the price

[KeithJenner]

You state that adding the dining and beverage package pushes NCL's charges above the others.

 

That's your answer right there. The service charge on the beverage package for 2 people over 14 nights is about $500. Take that away and the taxes and fees are pretty well in line with the others (in fact, considering it is 14 nights, they look on the light side).

 

Whether the overall price makes it worth it depends on many other factors than just these fees, but the reason for the difference looks clear to me.

[jdvmd]

Different sailings, ships and ports so obviously the port charges and taxes are going to be different.

[newmexicoNita]

My wife and I have cruised 64 times on a variety of cruise lines. A couple of years ago we tried NCL again and found if we added a dining package and a drink package that the overall quality of the cruise was excellent.

Today I was trying to book a cruise for early November and couldn't believe all the taxes and fees that NCL adds to the booking price. The other lines have these same taxes and fees, but at a much lower rate (by the way, these are separate from port charges):

examples--

 

Celebrity Equinox, 11 nights.............................$255.04 taxes and fees*

NCL Getaway, 7 nights.....................................$322.56 taxes and fees*

Carnival Magic, 7 nights....................................$286.80 taxes and fees*

NCL Pearl, 14 nights.........................................$863.74 taxes and fees*

Princess CP, 14 nights......................................$320.00 taxes and fees*

MSC Seaside, 7 nights......................................$275.66 taxes and fees*

RCL Harmony, 7 nights......................................$235.10 taxes and fees*

 

* per cabin for two people

 

Adding a dining package + the service charge of the drink package pushes NCL's

prices way above Celebrity, HAL, Princess, Carnival, Royal Caribbean and MSC.

 

Is NCL that good?

Kel:confused:

are you saying these other lines do not charge gratuities on their drink and dining package? I don't think that is correct. That is where the costs are coming in. As for taxes, cruise lines do not charge taxes per say. The taxes charged are based on whet they have to pay. Like port charges, it depends on things like the ports, not always the length of the cruise or anything else. Yes, it does seem like a lot but when all is said and done there isn't much difference.

[newmexicoNita]

It's just nickels and dimes. Pay the freight and move along. It's for your convenience after all..........

let me try and say this nicely: you are only partly right. It is based on so many things. :eek:I wanted to say something else.

[Shawnino]

It's just nickels and dimes. Pay the freight and move along. It's for your convenience after all..........

 

That's more dry than my last martini.

Well done.

[Shawnino]

let me try and say this nicely: you are only partly right. It is based on so many things. :eek:I wanted to say something else.

 

"It's a naked price gouge."

There. I did it for you.

[tef43]

 

Celebrity Equinox, 11 nights.............................$255.04 taxes and fees*

NCL Getaway, 7 nights.....................................$322.56 taxes and fees*

Carnival Magic, 7 nights....................................$286.80 taxes and fees*

NCL Pearl, 14 nights.........................................$863.74 taxes and fees*

Princess CP, 14 nights......................................$320.00 taxes and fees*

MSC Seaside, 7 nights......................................$275.66 taxes and fees*

RCL Harmony, 7 nights......................................$235.10 taxes and fees*

 

* per cabin for two people

These comparisons are invalid and a complete waste of time unless they are for the same cruise length, same ports and same dates. Also, the cruiselines do not have any control over what these charges are. They are simply a passthrough to the taxing authority.

 

Or perhaps you are one of the tinhats who think there is a vast conspiracy to jack up the rates and pocket the difference, similar to those people who are of the mindset that the gratuities do not make their way to the staff?

[kelmac]

are you saying these other lines do not charge gratuities on their drink and dining package? I don't think that is correct. That is where the costs are coming in. As for taxes, cruise lines do not charge taxes per say. The taxes charged are based on whet they have to pay. Like port charges, it depends on things like the ports, not always the length of the cruise or anything else. Yes, it does seem like a lot but when all is said and done there isn't much difference.

 

Sorry, but these quotes do not include the service charges added on for the drink package. These taxes and fees are charged to every cabin, even the inexpensive inside guarantee categories.

 

Come to think of it, you never see any cruise line itemize their taxes and fees.

Just another first world problem I guess. No conspiracy here and I will look to book another NCL cruise down the line, but I will continue to check these taxes and fees to see if it is a trend.

We ended up booking a Celebrity cruise, and two Royal Caribbean cruises for our October adventure.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:D

[ChicagoBarb]

 

Come to think of it, you never see any cruise line itemize their taxes and fees.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:D

 

You obviously don't look at the actual confirmation. All cruise lines have a separate line for taxes and fees. My current receipts lists "Gov Tax/Port Exp/Fees" as a separate line item.

[jdvmd]

You obviously don't look at the actual confirmation. All cruise lines have a separate line for taxes and fees. My current receipts lists "Gov Tax/Port Exp/Fees" as a separate line item.

Poster was referring to each specific port.

[buddylover]

It's just nickels and dimes. Pay the freight and move along. It's for your convenience after all..........

What is "for your convenience"??? It's not just "nickels and dimes" either, it is sometimes $100's of $$$$!! Have always wondered what makes such huge discrepancies in these costs.....some lines seem to be lower in cost than others for the SAME itinerary....easy to compare the typical Eastern or Western itins and there can can be as much as $90-$100 difference in port fees/taxes etc.... :eek:

[PTC DAWG]

Sorry, but these quotes do not include the service charges added on for the drink package. These taxes and fees are charged to every cabin, even the inexpensive inside guarantee categories.

 

Come to think of it, you never see any cruise line itemize their taxes and fees.

Just another first world problem I guess. No conspiracy here and I will look to book another NCL cruise down the line, but I will continue to check these taxes and fees to see if it is a trend.

We ended up booking a Celebrity cruise, and two Royal Caribbean cruises for our October adventure.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:D

 

3 out of 4 weeks cruising...enjoy

[njhorseman]

You obviously don't look at the actual confirmation. All cruise lines have a separate line for taxes and fees. My current receipts lists "Gov Tax/Port Exp/Fees" as a separate line item.

 

Not so. For example Oceania, which is part of the NCLH corporate family, does not separately state taxes, port charges and fees. They're rolled into the base fare.

 

I haven't checked every other cruise line but it wouldn't surprise me if there are other cruise lines that do the same.

[njhorseman]

The only valid comparisons are of the bottom line total costs of cruises sailing the identical itinerary, not the breakdown into individual line items. Taxes and port charges vary by port, by size of the ship, by date (taxes can vary by season in some ports), even by cruise line as a cruise line may have a more favorable contract with a local port authority.

 

Each cruise line has its own proprietary formula for calculating how these expenses are charged to passengers, so trying to compare one to another is a waste of time.

[kelmac]

If you paid port charges, and taxes I get it, but what is a fee? Does the fee go to the cruise line or to a third party. Can anyone give me an example?

 

Just to be clear, I have no problems with taxes collected for services and facilities provided by various governments.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:D

[jdvmd]

If you paid port charges, and taxes I get it, but what is a fee? Does the fee go to the cruise line or to a third party. Can anyone give me an example?

 

Just to be clear, I have no problems with taxes collected for services and facilities provided by various governments.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:D

Here is a good explanation from another online travel agency that I cannot name here.

 

Taxes, fees, and port expenses may include any and all fees, charges, tolls, and taxes imposed on the cruise line by governmental or quasi-governmental authorities, as well as third party fees and charges arising from a vessel’s presence in a harbor or port.

In normal English, that legal-speak refers to costs such as:

 

 

• tolls
  
• ship inspections
  
• local harbor pilots
  
• air, hotel or VAT taxes incurred as part of a land excursion
  
• immigration and naturalization costs
  
• Internal Revenue Service charges
  
• baggage handling at embarkation and disembarkation ports
  
• security services.
  

 

 

 

 

All of these obligations are calculated on a per ton or per vessel basis, and the cruise lines spread the expense across a ship's total number of passengers. While no cruise line will breakdown exactly how much of the fee is going toward what specific charge, the total costs for government fees and port charges are typically less than 20 percent of the base cruise fare -- though they can be as high as 50 percent in some cases.

 

So what exactly can you expect to pay on some popular cruise itineraries? Here are some examples. (Note: these are from 2014).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Norwegian's Pride of America, a seven-day Hawaii cruise roundtrip from Honolulu starts at $1,379 per person for a September departure. The tax and port charge is an additional $167 per person, or about 12 percent.

 

A seven-day Southern Caribbean cruise in September, aboard Royal Caribbean International's Jewel of the Seas, has fares beginning at $489 per person. Additional fees are $71, about a 15 percent add-on. But Carnival's seven-day Canada to New England cruise, sailing in September aboard Carnival Splendor, offers fares of $429 per person. The hefty $218 per person tax and port fee? It's a 50 percent addition to the fare.

 

 

 

 

It's worth noting that if you're searching for trips online, in most cases, you'll see the taxes and port fees early in the booking or browsing process. Carnival Cruise Lines, for instance, always shows the fee next to the cruise fare on its site. In a few cases, the charges are revealed further along in the booking process; Norwegian Cruise Line only does so after you select a stateroom. Yet other times, mostly with upscale and luxury lines such as Oceania Cruises and Silversea Cruises, the fees will already be included in the quoted cruise fare.

[kelmac]

Here is a good explanation from another online travel agency that I cannot name here.

 

Taxes, fees, and port expenses may include any and all fees, charges, tolls, and taxes imposed on the cruise line by governmental or quasi-governmental authorities, as well as third party fees and charges arising from a vessel’s presence in a harbor or port.

In normal English, that legal-speak refers to costs such as:

 

 

• tolls
  
• ship inspections
  
• local harbor pilots
  
• air, hotel or VAT taxes incurred as part of a land excursion
  
• immigration and naturalization costs
  
• Internal Revenue Service charges
  
• baggage handling at embarkation and disembarkation ports
  
• security services.
  

 

 

All of these obligations are calculated on a per ton or per vessel basis, and the cruise lines spread the expense across a ship's total number of passengers. While no cruise line will breakdown exactly how much of the fee is going toward what specific charge, the total costs for government fees and port charges are typically less than 20 percent of the base cruise fare -- though they can be as high as 50 percent in some cases.

 

So what exactly can you expect to pay on some popular cruise itineraries? Here are some examples. (Note: these are from 2014).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Norwegian's Pride of America, a seven-day Hawaii cruise roundtrip from Honolulu starts at $1,379 per person for a September departure. The tax and port charge is an additional $167 per person, or about 12 percent.

 

A seven-day Southern Caribbean cruise in September, aboard Royal Caribbean International's Jewel of the Seas, has fares beginning at $489 per person. Additional fees are $71, about a 15 percent add-on. But Carnival's seven-day Canada to New England cruise, sailing in September aboard Carnival Splendor, offers fares of $429 per person. The hefty $218 per person tax and port fee? It's a 50 percent addition to the fare.

 

 

 

 

It's worth noting that if you're searching for trips online, in most cases, you'll see the taxes and port fees early in the booking or browsing process. Carnival Cruise Lines, for instance, always shows the fee next to the cruise fare on its site. In a few cases, the charges are revealed further along in the booking process; Norwegian Cruise Line only does so after you select a stateroom. Yet other times, mostly with upscale and luxury lines such as Oceania Cruises and Silversea Cruises, the fees will already be included in the quoted cruise fare.

 

j,

 

 

Good stuff! Thanks for the info.

 

 

Kel

[jdvmd]

j,

 

 

Good stuff! Thanks for the info.

 

 

Kel

You are very welcome!

[njhorseman]

If you paid port charges, and taxes I get it, but what is a fee? Does the fee go to the cruise line or to a third party. Can anyone give me an example?

 

Just to be clear, I have no problems with taxes collected for services and facilities provided by various governments.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:D

 

You're getting hung up on semantics. A charge for docking could be a separate fee in some ports or rolled in as part of the port taxes in others. The charge for a harbor pilot could be called a fee or it could be part of the taxes.

 

Ignore the descriptive words and only compare the bottom line total for identical itineraries, not how the cruise lines dice and slice it.