Port Taxes returned after a no show guest

[susan1957]

Good morning....just wondering....people say if a guest does not show for the cruise (wife died 2 days before ;( .....that this guest is entitled to the port taxes and fees being returned.  Has anyone had this happen...if so....do they automatically credit the credit card that was used or do they have to fill out a form, etc....thanks for any help.

[firefly333]

Its automatic. Nothing to be filed.

[nwcruiselover]

I have done that when DH decided he didn’t want to go on the cruise.  Taxes and port fees were automatically refunded to the credit card we used to pay for the cruise.

[susan1957]

Great....how long does it take?

[mondello]

35 minutes ago, susan1957 said:

Great....how long does it take?

Should be pretty quick.

[nwcruiselover]

45 minutes ago, susan1957 said:

Great....how long does it take?

It had been refunded to my credit card before I returned from the cruise.

[susan1957]

1 hour ago, nwcruiselover said:

It had been refunded to my credit card before I returned from the cruise.

I've been home 2 weeks and nothing.....

 

[susan1957]

UPDATE....Reason I didn't get it ...is because they put it on my SIL'S credit card instead of mine....ugh....she lives in Fla.....i live in Toronto......

[parothead]

If I paid with gift cards would it be added to my onboard account?

[Joe817]

1 minute ago, parothead said:

If I paid with gift cards would it be added to my onboard account?

I'd say yes...IF your cruise is already paid in full. THEN, you can apply your gift cards to your sail & sign account. 

[pearose]

7 hours ago, susan1957 said:

Good morning....just wondering....people say if a guest does not show for the cruise (wife died 2 days before ;( .....that this guest is entitled to the port taxes and fees being returned.  Has anyone had this happen...if so....do they automatically credit the credit card that was used or do they have to fill out a form, etc....thanks for any help.

Yes.  My daughter and her boyfriend who was to go with us, broke up before the cruise.  So he was a "no show" and a few days into the cruise I received a letter in the cabin stating his port fees/taxes were being refunded to the card that they were charged on, and it was done automatically.  

[n6uqqq]

23 minutes ago, parothead said:

If I paid with gift cards would it be added to my onboard account?

From my experience I received new gift cards sent to me via FEDEX 2nd day air while I was on the cruise still. Luckily my daughter was home and retrieved the envelope.

[Brkintx]

17 hours ago, n6uqqq said:

From my experience I received new gift cards sent to me via FEDEX 2nd day air while I was on the cruise still. Luckily my daughter was home and retrieved the envelope.

 

Agree with this.

 

@parothead  However, if you call them and drop the extra person prior to sailing, they would typically prefer to add this as OBC rather than having to rebook the cabin...  (Hold times notwithstanding...)

[n6uqqq]

4 hours ago, Brkintx said:

 

Agree with this.

 

@parothead  However, if you call them and drop the extra person prior to sailing, they would typically prefer to add this as OBC rather than having to rebook the cabin...  (Hold times notwithstanding...)

 

It should be noted however, never ever drop someone from your booking when into the penalty period. Carnival will confiscate their portion of the fare as penalty and then the original party will have to make up the difference as a solo supplement. It is best to let sleeping dogs lie. Port fees and taxes, any prepaid gratuities, and shore excursions purchased etc will automatically be refunded to the original form of payment. If that payment was a gift card, that is exactly what you will get back. Make sure Carnival has your correct address so that any gift card sent to you goes to the correct location!  

Edited April 14, 2022 by n6uqqq

[Brkintx]

18 minutes ago, n6uqqq said:

 

It should be noted however, never ever drop someone from your booking when into the penalty period. Carnival will confiscate their portion of the fare as penalty and then the original party will have to make up the difference as a solo supplement. It is best to let sleeping dogs lie. Port fees and taxes, any prepaid gratuities, and shore excursions purchased etc will automatically be refunded to the original form of payment. If that payment was a gift card, that is exactly what you will get back. 

 

I'm not sure where that information comes from, but that's not how it has worked any of the four times this specific scenario has occurred to me in the past year. 

While Carnival does not charge a 'single supplement fee" - the booking for two persons is the same cost as booking for one person. Some may want to call that a 'single supplement' but it's not added on top of the double occupancy fare. It's easier to think of the base room cost as being the PPPN/DO rate. Occupants 3 and up are charged additionally, but there is no way around the base room cost.

Should someone shift a booking from double occupancy to single occupancy after the cancellation date (during the penalty period), the other guests fare is essentially the supplement. There is no fee added on top of that.

Example: Cabin booked for 2 @ $100 per person per night / double occupancy = $200 per night. Person 2 gets dropped from the reservation, the new fare is now $200 per night for the 1 person. (They don't keep the $100 per night then add a supplement on top of that.)

 

Edited April 14, 2022 by Brkintx

[n6uqqq]

14 minutes ago, Brkintx said:

 

I'm not sure where that information comes from, but that's not how it has worked any of the four times this specific scenario has occurred to me in the past year. 

While Carnival does not charge a 'single supplement fee" - the booking for two persons is the same cost as booking for one person. Some may want to call that a 'single supplement' but it's not added on top of the double occupancy fare. It's easier to think of the base room cost as being the PPPN/DO rate. Occupants 3 and up are charged additionally, but there is no way around the base room cost.

Should someone shift a booking from double occupancy to single occupancy after the cancellation date (during the penalty period), the other guests fare is essentially the supplement. There is no fee added on top of that.

Example: Cabin booked for 2 @ $100 per person per night / double occupancy = $200 per night. Person 2 gets dropped from the reservation, the new fare is now $200 per night for the 1 person. (They don't keep the $100 per night then add a supplement on top of that.)

 

The information comes from numerous posts here on CC and from personal experience. I just recently booked a cruise for 2 people to Alaska on May 2nd on Splendor on Carnival.com. I was unable to find a 2nd person to go on short notice so I called to see about removing the TBA passenger that shows up when you book on their website to have the 265 dollars in port fees refunded to my credit card. I was told that even removing a yet unnamed passenger would generate a penalty since I am already in the penalty phase for cancellation. When I say solo supplement I mean what you said. I understand I am paying for double occupancy. Removing a name from a booking is a partial cancellation and if in penalty phase the fare of the cancelled half is taken per the terms of the cruise contract. So for example if I book a room for $400 total ( 200 per passenger) and the 2nd person is removed the  the penalty is taken out of the 200 dollars leaving me short of the $400 dollar room cost. I then must make up that difference. 

[Earthworm Jim]

On 4/14/2022 at 3:58 PM, n6uqqq said:

 

It should be noted however, never ever drop someone from your booking when into the penalty period.

 

Does that hold true even when trip insurance is involved? If you're canceling for a covered reason, I'm assuming you'd need some confirmation of your loss from Carnival to file a claim. Would a no show get any documentation saying you lost your money for the claim?

[StephPS79]

On 4/14/2022 at 4:45 PM, n6uqqq said:

The information comes from numerous posts here on CC and from personal experience. I just recently booked a cruise for 2 people to Alaska on May 2nd on Splendor on Carnival.com. I was unable to find a 2nd person to go on short notice so I called to see about removing the TBA passenger that shows up when you book on their website to have the 265 dollars in port fees refunded to my credit card. I was told that even removing a yet unnamed passenger would generate a penalty since I am already in the penalty phase for cancellation. When I say solo supplement I mean what you said. I understand I am paying for double occupancy. Removing a name from a booking is a partial cancellation and if in penalty phase the fare of the cancelled half is taken per the terms of the cruise contract. So for example if I book a room for $400 total ( 200 per passenger) and the 2nd person is removed the  the penalty is taken out of the 200 dollars leaving me short of the $400 dollar room cost. I then must make up that difference. 

 

I know this is a resurrected thread, so sorry!  But can you answer a question about your experience (I'm in that same situation with a TBA that probably won't be filled).  How did you get around the unnamed guest on the booking?  Did you add a mock name and birthday and just tell them the person wouldn't make it when checking in?  Just a little anxious about getting through check in.  Thanks for any info you're willing to provide!

[Brkintx]

On 7/7/2022 at 8:14 PM, spsarrocco said:

 

I know this is a resurrected thread, so sorry!  But can you answer a question about your experience (I'm in that same situation with a TBA that probably won't be filled).  How did you get around the unnamed guest on the booking?  Did you add a mock name and birthday and just tell them the person wouldn't make it when checking in?  Just a little anxious about getting through check in.  Thanks for any info you're willing to provide!

I know you were asking for someone else's experience, but I just did this again today for an August sailing. Left it TBA on the reservation, and paid for it in full (including gratuities and taxes / fees). Gonna be doing online checkin in the next few days and called to have the TBA removed. There was no additional 'penalty' charge added to the CC or S&S account - frankly I don't believe that happens (and there's no basis for it in the cruise contract, which I have in fact read). Instead, the TBA's port taxes, fees, and prepaid gratuities were refunded to me.

 

Actual numbers:

The booking went FROM:

Cabin fare @ $100/ppdo (total = $200)

Taxes & Fees @ $113.72 / pp (total = $227.44)

Prepaid gratuities @ $16.5/pp ( total = $231)

Grand total with me+TBA = $658.44

 

TO:

Cabin fare @ $100/ppdo (total still because the total is based on double occupancy even though it's now only got one in it = $200)

Taxes & Fees @ $113.72 / pp (now times only one, total = $113.72)

Prepaid gratuities @ $16.5/ppdo (now times only one, total = $115.50)

Grand total with me = $429.22

Resulting in an overpayment of $229.22

I chose to just have that $229.22 added as OBC rather than via CC to make it easier (and because I know I'll spend it). Waiting on hold took about 30 minutes. Doing the transaction took about 45 seconds. OBC is visible on my booking details.

 

 

More explanation for those who care:

Carnival charges cabin fare based on per person, double occupancy and does not charge a single supplement. In my example above, the fare was $200, based on that being $100 per person for double occupancy. In this way, it's done the same as a land based hotel and really SHOULD be less confusing - it's $200 for the room for the first two guests.

Some cruise lines DO charge a single supplement for solo reservations. In that case, the same cabin would be $100 each for two people (per person double), thus that same booking for two would be $200. Dropping the second person after the refund period would result in the loss of the deposit for person #2 (no refund for them cancelling) AND THEN a single supplement charge being added. By way of example relevant to the above, (and using a cruise line that charges a single supplement of 50% for instance...) Cabin fare of $200, minus no refund of the second person's deposit when the second person dropped, plus a SS of 50% = $250. (($100x2=$200)-($100x0)+($100*50%)=$250).

But Carnival does not charge a single supplement. You pay double occupancy for the room.