Port fees and Taxes to be included in advertised pricing now?

[voljeep]

Hasn't this been tried before? New California law?

 

Cruise lines love to hype their value. But the low prices most dangle don’t tell the full story — for now. Soon, some of the country’s largest lines will better reflect reality.

Starting July 1, operators including Royal Caribbean International, Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises and Princess Cruises will include the cost of port expenses, taxes and other fees in the price that potential passengers see. The additional charges can tack on more than $100 to the fare, or even double the cheapest base price on some short itineraries.

[Cruise Raider]

5 minutes ago, voljeep said:

Hasn't this been tried before? New California law?

 

Cruise lines love to hype their value. But the low prices most dangle don’t tell the full story — for now. Soon, some of the country’s largest lines will better reflect reality.

Starting July 1, operators including Royal Caribbean International, Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises and Princess Cruises will include the cost of port expenses, taxes and other fees in the price that potential passengers see. The additional charges can tack on more than $100 to the fare, or even double the cheapest base price on some short itineraries.

I seem to recall Princess did try that pricing method in the past but if I’m remembering this correctly, other cruise lines didn’t follow suit and so the found it made Princess look more expensive.  It was quickly discontinued.  Now, if it’s a new law, then every line would have to follow the same display of pricing, just as they do with airline tickets.  Maybe this time it would work.  
I know one of my cruises, the taxes and fees are $500 each and Panama Canal cruises are over $700 pp.  The actual cruise fare is a bargain .. it’s all the extras that really add up.  

[coldweather]

This is how pricing of European cruise lines works.  Example:  Aida.  It makes shopping very easy. Example:  When you search Aida cruises (owned by Carnival) you will see the TOTAL price of the cabin for 2 people.  

[vakamalua]

Disney Cruise Line has always included the taxes & fees in the price.

[Mark_K]

1 hour ago, Cruise Raider said:

I know one of my cruises, the taxes and fees are $500 each and Panama Canal cruises are over $700 pp.  The actual cruise fare is a bargain .. it’s all the extras that really add up.

Interesting, we did a Canal cruise on Celebrity 2 years ago and the taxes/fees were less than $400.  
 

Anyway, it will be nice to see them all included in the advertised price.  I imagine the luxury lines that already included them in their prices are happy about it too.

[Waynetor]

When I last cruised on Oceania they had an all-in price.  Based on their pricing model versus the way Princess and most other cruise lines have been doing there pricing there was some legal stuff that allowed them to decline paying any port fees for missed ports. 

I'm wondering if this change to show an all included price could effect port fees and fee refunds on a no-show cancellation or it everything the same in the background  

[startedwithamouse]

In California starting July 1st, all cruise lines need to adhere to this new law designed to protect the consumer for hidden costs. What you see is what you pay. 

[Reina del Mar]

Princess Cruiselines show prices including port taxes and fees for UK market.

 

For us, showing taxes as extras is confusing, just as adding taxes onto other purchases is. Maybe my mental arithmetic isn’t as good as it should be !!😂

[Scottdalfonso]

Now just include gratuities, as well and it will actually be a complete "pay what you see" situation! 

[skynight]

8 hours ago, startedwithamouse said:

In California starting July 1st, all cruise lines need to adhere to this new law designed to protect the consumer for hidden costs. What you see is what you pay. 

As I see this new CA law it is not a big change in the way cruise line pricing. Currently when you look up prices on the web site the fees and taxes are clearly shown. They are not hidden. Port fees can be subject to change and refunds as well if you miss ports. The law only concerns up front advertising. Advertised pricing has to contain the fare(s) plus the fees and taxes. Advertising will probably look something like "book fares as low as $500 per person plus $50 port fees and taxes."

 

[shakuyi]

4 hours ago, skynight said:

Currently when you look up prices on the web site the fees and taxes are clearly shown. They are not hidden.

the law actually is that the advertised price needs to include those fees. Just mentioning it is meaningless. The line item that shows the cruise and price must have final price.  All fees that must be paid need to be included in the advertised price

 

6 hours ago, Scottdalfonso said:

Now just include gratuities, as well and it will actually be a complete "pay what you see" situation! 

law only applies to fees that cannot be removed

[memoak]

On 5/16/2024 at 8:17 AM, Mark_K said:

Interesting, we did a Canal cruise on Celebrity 2 years ago and the taxes/fees were less than $400.  
 

Anyway, it will be nice to see them all included in the advertised price.  I imagine the luxury lines that already included them in their prices are happy about it too.

Fees can vary wildly depending on ports to be visited and the associated port fees that the port charges

[Scottdalfonso]

8 minutes ago, shakuyi said:

law only applies to fees that cannot be removed

I'm saying they should be included in the general fare anyway, like virgin and some other lines do- then not only aren't they optional, they also can't be removed. 

[shakuyi]

4 minutes ago, Scottdalfonso said:

I'm saying they should be included in the general fare anyway, like virgin and some other lines do- then not only aren't they optional, they also can't be removed. 

thats completely up to the cruise line at this point, law wont change how they decide to price things out. The fact that Virgin does it in the US tells you the issue is with the cruise line. Its a deceptive practice, changing the law will only make them be more deceptive in other ways.

[skynight]

2 hours ago, shakuyi said:

the law actually is that the advertised price needs to include those fees. Just mentioning it is meaningless. The line item that shows the cruise and price must have final price.  All fees that must be paid need to be included in the advertised price

Yes that is correct. The way I read the CA law fares, port fees & taxes can be listed separately, have to be of equal prominence and there has to be a total amount shown. The fees and taxes do not have to be hidden within a fare. I would imagine that if a port is missed that these charges would be refunded as they are now. 

[voljeep]

33 minutes ago, skynight said:

Yes that is correct. The way I read the CA law fares, port fees & taxes can be listed separately, have to be of equal prominence and there has to be a total amount shown. The fees and taxes do not have to be hidden within a fare. I would imagine that if a port is missed that these charges would be refunded as they are now. 

say on a  7 day cruise - Caribbean East - 4 ports - Is there a pre-cruise way that shows the breakdown as to how much are "PORT FEEs" per port, of the $ 150 or so that is port fees 

AND TAXES...  including IRS taxes ...

[skynight]

39 minutes ago, voljeep said:

say on a  7 day cruise - Caribbean East - 4 ports - Is there a pre-cruise way that shows the breakdown as to how much are "PORT FEEs" per port, of the $ 150 or so that is port fees 

AND TAXES...  including IRS taxes ...

I would say yes. Cruise lines know how much each port charges and the basis for the charge, ie per passenger, per passengers + crew, per vessel tonnage or some combination of multiple basis factors.

IRS is not involved. Income taxes are based on the total U.S. based income for the corporation. It's not on a port by port, cruise by cruise or cruise line by cruise line thing.  

[voljeep]

3 minutes ago, skynight said:

I would say yes. Cruise lines know how much each port charges and the basis for the charge, ie per passenger, per passengers + crew, per vessel tonnage or some combination of multiple basis factors.

IRS is not involved. Income taxes are based on the total U.S. based income for the corporation. It's not on a port by port, cruise by cruise or cruise line by cruise line thing.  

so, you are stating - that NO IRS taxes are included in the Port Fees and Taxes amount? - or that?

[eclue]

ON the casino comp cruises , I suppose we will still have to pay the port fees and taxes outside of that quote??? Just wondering...

[wcook]

On 5/16/2024 at 9:30 AM, coldweather said:

This is how pricing of European cruise lines works.  Example:  Aida.  It makes shopping very easy. Example:  When you search Aida cruises (owned by Carnival) you will see the TOTAL price of the cabin for 2 people.  

And that includes gratuities/service charges/whatever you want to call them. Such a better system. 

[voljeep]

9 minutes ago, skynight said:

I would say yes. Cruise lines know how much each port charges and the basis for the charge, ie per passenger, per passengers + crew, per vessel tonnage or some combination of multiple basis factors.

IRS is not involved. Income taxes are based on the total U.S. based income for the corporation. It's not on a port by port, cruise by cruise or cruise line by cruise line thing.  

Taxes, Fees & Port Expenses, as used by us, may include any and all fees, charges, tolls and taxes imposed on us by governmental or quasi-governmental authorities, as well third party fees and charges arising from a vessel's presence in a harbor or port. Taxes, Fees & Port Expenses may include U.S. Customs fees, head taxes, Panama Canal tolls, dockage fees, wharfage fees, inspection fees, pilotage, air taxes, hotel or VAT taxes incurred as part of a land tour, immigration and naturalization fees, and Internal Revenue Service fees, as well as fees for navigation, berthing, stevedoring, baggage handling/storage and security services. Taxes, Fees, & Port Expenses may be assessed per guest, per berth, per ton or per vessel. Assessments calculated on a per ton or per vessel basis will be spread over the number of guests on the Ship. Taxes, Fees & Port Expenses are subject to change and Princess reserves the right to collect any increases in effect at the time of sailing even if the fare has already been paid in full.

[voljeep]

57 minutes ago, voljeep said:

say on a  7 day cruise - Caribbean East - 4 ports - Is there a pre-cruise way that shows the breakdown as to how much are "PORT FEEs" per port, of the $ 150 or so that is port fees 

AND TAXES...  including IRS taxes ...

too late to edit - Internal Revenue Service "fees"

Edited May 17 by voljeep

[d9704011]

16 hours ago, startedwithamouse said:

In California starting July 1st, all cruise lines need to adhere to this new law designed to protect the consumer for hidden costs. What you see is what you pay. 

I disagree.  Currently, fees and taxes are clearly identified in the total cost - albeit at the end of the booking process.  Including the fees and taxes in the price makes things totally opaque to the consumer.

[mahasamatman]

IRS fees are not the same as income tax.

[azbirdmom]

18 hours ago, Waynetor said:

When I last cruised on Oceania they had an all-in price.  Based on their pricing model versus the way Princess and most other cruise lines have been doing there pricing there was some legal stuff that allowed them to decline paying any port fees for missed ports. 

I'm wondering if this change to show an all included price could effect port fees and fee refunds on a no-show cancellation or it everything the same in the background  

I know of at least one example of Oceania not refunding port fees when a port was missed. That’s because it’s all “baked in” when it’s one price. I can totally see Princess doing the same thing when this happens in the future if they go to that pricing scheme.