Princess refuses to refund port charges

[rentlady]

In March we were on the Majestic Princess, scheduled to stop at Dunedin (Port Chalmery), N.Z. Due to fog , the ship did not make this stop. I asked at the service desk if my port fees for this stop would be credited to my account. I was told everyone would be getting this credit. Next day ,I was told no one would get this refund. the last  day of cruise I was told Corp was considering refunding this charge. Once again, I contact princess about this refund.I was told “the money was used to cover other expenses!” Last week my travel agent was told the same  thing. I see this as  conversion of funds!Anyone have any thoughts on this? 

[BCCRUSINGCOUPLE]

In March we were on the Majestic Princess, scheduled to stop at Dunedin (Port Chalmery), N.Z. Due to fog , the ship did not make this stop. I asked at the service desk if my port fees for this stop would be credited to my account. I was told everyone would be getting this credit. Next day ,I was told no one would get this refund. the last  day of cruise I was told Corp was considering refunding this charge. Once again, I contact princess about this refund.I was told “the money was used to cover other expenses!” Last week my travel agent was told the same  thing. I see this as  conversion of funds!Anyone have any thoughts on this? 

I have always got my money returned


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[Colo Cruiser]

Good luck.

[paul929207]

In February,  the Royal Princess missed a port and we got a refund 

[voljeep]

We've never missed a port ... but have had port charges etc adjusted before a cruise and it has shown up as a credit on our shipboard account ... never gone up, or at least not charged additional

[satxdiver]

We have missed ports several times and always received the port fee as OBC.  Australian cruises tend to have different rules as I have been reading on other posts.  So maybe this is an Australian issue? 

[Kartgv]

Are you sure the credit wasn't posted to your onboard account and used "to cover other expenses" there?   We once thought we were due a credit, called and the person we talked to emailed us a final copy of our onboard account with the posted credit shown.   

[skynight]

It's most likely a small number, maybe $5 or so. We have always received refunds when we missed ports in the form of refundable OBC. Maybe the port actually charged the ship even though they did not make it to port. I believe Princess has a good reason as their normal policy is to refund.

[rentlady]

It was not posted as a credit nor refunded.The  princess agent said we were lucky we were not charged additional port fees on this cruise! We have never had such a response.

[Cindy]

Port fees can differ from passenger to passenger depending on when the initial booking was made. Once you book your port fees will not go up, so you might actually be paying less than the going rate. If a port is missed and you are “in the red” those fees will be applied to another port to make up the difference. You’re only refunded if your port fees paid are more than the total for the cruise.

[bemis12]

4 hours ago, rentlady said:

I see this as  conversion of funds!Anyone have any thoughts on this? 

 

I'm impressed with the use of the term "conversion of funds."  Haven't heard it since Business Law class in college.  I'd pay your port fee just for the ability to use that term.

[DrivesLikeMario]

2 hours ago, Cindy said:

Port fees can differ from passenger to passenger depending on when the initial booking was made. Once you book your port fees will not go up, so you might actually be paying less than the going rate. If a port is missed and you are “in the red” those fees will be applied to another port to make up the difference. You’re only refunded if your port fees paid are more than the total for the cruise.

That's exactly what I was thinking.  The cancelled port fees went toward other port fees that had gone up in price from the time of booking that the OP wasn't going to be made to pay.

[land lover]

2 hours ago, Cindy said:

Port fees can differ from passenger to passenger depending on when the initial booking was made. Once you book your port fees will not go up, so you might actually be paying less than the going rate. If a port is missed and you are “in the red” those fees will be applied to another port to make up the difference. You’re only refunded if your port fees paid are more than the total for the cruise.

 

9 minutes ago, DrivesLikeMario said:

That's exactly what I was thinking.  The cancelled port fees went toward other port fees that had gone up in price from the time of booking that the OP wasn't going to be made to pay.

 I agree with you both. Well stated.

 

 

Edited April 9, 2019 by land lover

[SmilesYourWay]

2 hours ago, Cindy said:

Once you book your port fees will not go up, so you might actually be paying less than the going rate.

 

The following was taken from Princess Cruises:

"Taxes, Fees & Port Expenses are subject to change and we reserve the right to collect any increases in effect at the time of sailing even if the fare has already been paid in full."

[BCCRUSINGCOUPLE]

6 minutes ago, SmilesYourWay said:

 

The following was taken from Princess Cruises:

"Taxes, Fees & Port Expenses are subject to change and we reserve the right to collect any increases in effect at the time of sailing even if the fare has already been paid in full."

 I had no idea  thanks for the info 

[DDG 41]

1 hour ago, SmilesYourWay said:

 

The following was taken from Princess Cruises:

"Taxes, Fees & Port Expenses are subject to change and we reserve the right to collect any increases in effect at the time of sailing even if the fare has already been paid in full."

They say that but is unlikely that they will collect more. Sort of like the fuel surcharge still written into the contract but only used when fuel prices go up very high.

[caribill]

6 hours ago, DDG 41 said:

They say that but is unlikely that they will collect more. Sort of like the fuel surcharge still written into the contract but only used when fuel prices go up very high.

It is not unlikely.

 

They will definitely collect any higher port charges and refund any lower port charge changes. I have experienced this on many Princess cruises.

[GUT2407]

We’ve always had a small and I do mean small credit when a Port is missed, did you get a replacement port or just a Sea day?

[Coral]

8 hours ago, DDG 41 said:

They say that but is unlikely that they will collect more. Sort of like the fuel surcharge still written into the contract but only used when fuel prices go up very high.

I have had them add it several times on the ship.