Taxes & Fees with Price Drop

[CruiseGirl4ever]

I just called to take advantage of a price drop on my upcoming cruise on Liberty. I went from a balcony guarantee to a superior oceanview balcony cabin of my choice and the price dropped by $150 total. I originally booked with an RCI agent (although I'd started the process online, I had a couple of questions about being able to change the passenger if needed, so I called in). Anyway, the agent I just spoke to said although they could lower the price of the booking, the taxes and fees remained the same. I tried to argue that taxes should be based on the new price, but it was only about $20 total, so I didn't want to waste any more time. For those of you who've taken advantage of price drops, has this happened to you as well?

[Tulsacoker]

taxes and port fees are set at the time of initial booking. They do not change (up or down) when you change rooms for a savings or you pay more.

Edited February 25, 2020 by Tulsacoker

[mets123]

Port fees are set by the locality the ship is docking at. It has nothing to do with the price you paid.

[stevea36]

9 minutes ago, mets123 said:

Port fees are set by the locality the ship is docking at. It has nothing to do with the price you paid.

same for the taxes.   They are not "sales taxes" on the price of the cruise.

[Biker19]

23 minutes ago, CruiseGirl4ever said:

For those of you who've taken advantage of price drops, has this happened to you as well?

If you want to save that last $20, you need to cancel and rebook - RCI will not adjust those. 

[molly361]

Taxes are based on the original booking  never have seen it any different

[Joseph2017China]

43 minutes ago, CruiseGirl4ever said:

I just called to take advantage of a price drop on my upcoming cruise on Liberty. I went from a balcony guarantee to a superior oceanview balcony cabin of my choice and the price dropped by $150 total. I originally booked with an RCI agent (although I'd started the process online, I had a couple of questions about being able to change the passenger if needed, so I called in). Anyway, the agent I just spoke to said although they could lower the price of the booking, the taxes and fees remained the same. I tried to argue that taxes should be based on the new price, but it was only about $20 total, so I didn't want to waste any more time. For those of you who've taken advantage of price drops, has this happened to you as well?

It is not unusual for taxes/fees to go up, when you have a price reduction either.  They are not a % of the cost.  Your taxes and fees are locked in at time of booking, and RCCL will neither raise them or lower them.  Where did you get the $20.00 figure?

[CruiseGirl4ever]

I created a dummy booking and the fees and taxes for that were about $20 less than I originally paid. I can’t cancel and rebook or I’ll lose $200 of my deposit. I’m perfectly satisfied with the outcome, I just have never taken advantage of a price drop before so I wasn’t aware of this policy. Thanks all!

[firefly333]

25 minutes ago, CruiseGirl4ever said:

I created a dummy booking and the fees and taxes for that were about $20 less than I originally paid. I can’t cancel and rebook or I’ll lose $200 of my deposit. I’m perfectly satisfied with the outcome, I just have never taken advantage of a price drop before so I wasn’t aware of this policy. Thanks all!

Carnival gives you any adjustments during the cruise as a obc that is a random number.

 

I guess rcl doesnt do this? 

 

Carnival never says what the obc is for but that's my guess why people get a small unexpected obc to their onboard acct. 

 

I wouldnt worry about it.

[stevea36]

38 minutes ago, CruiseGirl4ever said:

I created a dummy booking and the fees and taxes for that were about $20 less than I originally paid. I can’t cancel and rebook or I’ll lose $200 of my deposit. I’m perfectly satisfied with the outcome, I just have never taken advantage of a price drop before so I wasn’t aware of this policy. Thanks all!

When you book the cruise your "Taxes and Fees" (Port fees) are locked in based on historical pricing.   If they go up they will not adjust your pricing.   If they go down or you miss a port you can request that they refund the difference, but not until after you sail.  If current, interim, costs are lower it will not affect your pricing unless you cancel and rebook.  Once they sail and know the true, final, costs they will refund the difference if you request it.  (my experience has been that, lately, the port fees and taxes are higher than the historical pricing but YMMV).

 

[LeeW]

13 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

 

 

I guess rcl doesnt do this? 

 

 

 

All cruise lines will refund port fees when they go down during the cruise, but with RCI they only refund when the total for the cruise is less than the total you happened to lock in when you booked.  Some ports may have gone up, some down between booking and port arrival.

[firefly333]

40 minutes ago, stevea36 said:

When you book the cruise your "Taxes and Fees" (Port fees) are locked in based on historical pricing.   If they go up they will not adjust your pricing.   If they go down or you miss a port you can request that they refund the difference, but not until after you sail.  If current, interim, costs are lower it will not affect your pricing unless you cancel and rebook.  Once they sail and know the true, final, costs they will refund the difference if you request it.  (my experience has been that, lately, the port fees and taxes are higher than the historical pricing but YMMV).

 

That's interesting that if you miss a port you have to request port fees back.

 

Carnival just refunds them again as obc during the cruise. 

 

I dont think I've ever missed ports on rcl to have found out ... but was on carnival when the seas were too high to dock and lots of newbies who had a uprising. Quite amusing. They had meetings and called radio stations back in Galveston and marched around protesting.

 

Wasnt the only time ive been on carnival were they missed a port but the most fuss. 

 

I told them it's in the cruise documents you agreed to and got kicked out of their meeting for not being on their side. They were oblivious that the red and blue cards they had identified them as first timers and almost first timers. One first timer was a lawyer who security removed from marching in the customer service area. It was quite the show.

 

I didnt know you have to ask to have the missed port charge refunded. ... just more spending money on carnival. One gal at my dinner table was part of the uprising and said she booked the cruise specifically for that port, first time, and she too got mad at my reply so I zipped my lip after that, and just enjoyed the show.

Edited February 25, 2020 by firefly333

[Biker19]

9 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

 

 

I didnt know you have to ask to have the missed port charge refunded. .

You don’t, it will just show up as a credit on your account. 

[clochette]

11 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

That's interesting that if you miss a port you have to request port fees back.

 

Carnival just refunds them again as obc during the cruise. 

 

we missed a port in January and we were refunded the port fees back without asking

[firefly333]

13 minutes ago, clochette said:

we missed a port in January and we were refunded the port fees back without asking

Thanks, 

[vettecruiser1]

Yes I learned this lesson also.  My cruise went down $1600 for my Liberty cruise and but the fees stayed the same.  Now i'm inside final payment so now I'm watching if the price continues to plummet I will call for the upgrade. 

[2chiefs]

2 hours ago, stevea36 said:

When you book the cruise your "Taxes and Fees" (Port fees) are locked in based on historical pricing.   If they go up they will not adjust your pricing.   If they go down or you miss a port you can request that they refund the difference, but not until after you sail.  If current, interim, costs are lower it will not affect your pricing unless you cancel and rebook.  Once they sail and know the true, final, costs they will refund the difference if you request it.  (my experience has been that, lately, the port fees and taxes are higher than the historical pricing but YMMV).

 

Many years ago on the Majesty we received an unexpected OBC during our cruise. When we went to the services desk to inquire about it they told us it was credit for some port taxes that were lowered. There was no change in our itinerary so we were a little puzzled but happy about it. I guess they don't make those adjustments anymore if they don't have to. I can see where it would be an administrative burden for small amounts. Seems to me that if they are changing port taxes that there would be some sort of law requiring the cruise line to at least refund any differences in lowered tax rates since it's not really their money to keep.

T