Port charges??

[Not_too_sirius]

Forgive me in advance, as I am new here. My previous cruising was nothing like this.

 

I won a 7 day cruise with a low bid on a charity auction. I understand it was a lowball, but the agents agreed to it. Now they are bringing up the "extra charges":

 

I get the $100 for a planning phonecall where they asked if I wanted early or late dining and how many per table. They also called the cruise line about the cost of a cabin upgrade and returned an email.

 

But then came the invoice with "Port, Govt. Fees and taxes". I looked at the cruise line's site and they quote $56 pp and Fees and taxes, but do not mention port fees. The agents are telling me that those fees total $465 per person.

 

Is this Normal, or are they trying to bump the price up?

 

Thank you

[Atomica]

Port charges are standard - it costs the cruise line money to dock at a port, so they pass those charges along to you.

 

Normally, if you book a cruise those charges get rolled into your purchase price.

 

If you win a cruise (or bid on one at an auction), it's not uncommon for those charges to be additional - much the same way if you win a 'free' flight somewhere, you'll still be on the hook for airport improvement fees, security fees, and whatnot.

[BaumD]

Yes, they are trying to bump the price. New laws in the past few years have required that Travel agents and cruise lines include the port fees in their advertising.

 

What they are trying to do is to get you to pay the "Non-commissionable fees". Let's say the cruise is $1,200 per person. It may breakdown as follows.

Base cruise fare $ 679

Port charges (& other non-com fees) $465

Taxes $56

 

Also, $100 for a phone call? another rip off. I would contact the Charity that sponsored the auction and let them know the TA that offered the cruise is hosing you.

[cherylandtk]

Well, the law states that Travel Agents have to advertise cruise 'fares' inclusive of the port fees, but can list the taxes as a separate charge. If they advertised the value of the cruise at the auction, then that value should have included the port fees, although they may have listed it differently. You will still find port fees listed separately on some online auction sites, because they are auctions. The amount of the port fees can be in the $200-$300 range, but it will depend on your specific cruise. What cruiseline, what ship and what date are you trying to book?

 

However, I would add that the agents in question are trying to recoup their costs, because no real travel agent charges $100 for just taking a booking! That is truly outrageous to charge you that for simply making a reservation. Shame on them!

[eh2zed]

It really depends on the way the auction was conducted. If the voucher or advertisement gave a value, it may have been cruise only, cruise and taxes or cruise, taxes and port charges. If it was cruise only then you are on the hook for the taxes and port charges. You can check with another TA to confirm what the real port charges are. There are some cruises that may be that high.

As for the $100 fee, thats realy a rip. It was a charity auction and presumably the TA who put in the prize were donating their services. If the TA was not the donour then they have a right to charge something to service your account.

[Not_too_sirius]

Hmm. Complex questions.

 

On the Auction they stated the "comparison value" as $4,100, which no inside cabins are even close to. It also stated not including "Air, port, Government fees/taxes. There was a blind reserve but as there were NO bids, I put up a few minimums within the outer limits of my budget and then quit hoping to get lucky. The auction ended, and I was out, but completely understood why.

 

A week later the TA sent this to the Charity.

"In the spirit of cooperation in these challenging times, we felt that we would give you the opportunity of pleasing your bidder by reducing our Reserve price of $ 2449 to your lowest bidding price of $ 1400 thereby allowing you to offer the cruise to your bidder @ $ 1400, the difference of $1049 being our credit donation to your charity"

I was excited and accepted. They sent a cruise certificate which did not mention money at all. Which I filled out and faxed. They also included a price sheet full of "professional services" beginning with Trip Planning of $50 PP. It also had air booking, flight confirmation, hotel booking etc. etc. etc. of $25-50 per item totaling around $400. I’ve traveled enough before, and need NONE of those things.

 

 

At this point the Charity charged out my CC for the $1,400.

I made contact with the TA, and they said I needed to pick dining options and asked about upgrades to a balcony. Although money is tight, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask. The return email upgrade info was $275 PP, plus $415 PP Gov’t fees and taxes, or $1,380 total. (Port fees not mentioned) Too rich for my blood, so I declined

 

I looked at the Cunard site, and found the identical trip to compare.

 

The same inside grade cabin was $1,125 PP, with $109.74 in Gov’t fees and taxes., or $2,354.74

 

At this point, I got an email and Paypal link from the TA to pay the $100 planning fee plus $465 PP totaling $930.

 

Am I wrong thinking that what they had offered was a great deal, and that they would honor it as it stood?

[eh2zed]

Your numbers are a bit hard to follow at times. Its unfortunate the TA donor and Charity didn't disclose all the costs at the auction. The port charges and govt taxes would have been known. As for the TA's charges I thought it was a donation not a way to make money. Normally a TA is certainly expected to make a commission but possibly not on this.

The port charges and taxes may not be out of line however. may not be

[Not_too_sirius]

Sorry, I can get wordy.

 

In a nutshell the timeline went

 

Cruise on the auction had a reserve of $2,449 which was blind, so I started at the min. and worked up to my level of pain and quit.

 

After it was closed, told the charity they would honor the $1,400, and take the other $1049 as their donation to them.

 

I paid the $1,400 directly to the charity.

 

I was later invoiced from the TA for an additional $930 in fees & taxes.

 

I contacted Cunard, and the normal trip would have been $2,250 plus $109 in fees & taxes.

 

The additional fees seem like a way for them to put the price back up to their reserve, which I really can't afford.

Like buying a car at auction, willing to pay the tax and license, then getting a bill to have the wheels included.

[smeyer418]

first I think the TA has a lot of nerve to charge you for their services in an charity auction. But the IRS does require they show the book value(even if it is more than most people would pay). So they show you the brochure rate something that most people never pay. You say they did say air port and government fees extra) port charges is almost an obsolete term as far as cruise lines go. The correct term is NCF- non commissionable fare. Port charges are more than the $109 in fees and taxes on most cruises. and yes its probably costing the TA less than the full reserved amount. remember you did this for the trip and charity and hopefully the charity got the full amount. I would suggest you contact the charity and talk with them especially about the undisclosed $100 planning fee that really is way beyond the pale here and the added charges in general.

 

If that fails there is always you states attorney generals office...

[Arwenmark]

I would never participate in something like this to begin with but if I was in your situation I would be going to the Charity involved and getting them involved in this. They offered the cruise at auction and they should know what they were offering. and THEY should have to deal with what sounds like a disreputable TA which is not delivering what it told the charity it was delivering.

[eh2zed]

IMO if the Cunard price you quote includes port charges then your TA is doing as you suggest. I would double check with Cunard what are the port charges and make sure they are included in the price you quote.

[Not_too_sirius]

IMO if the Cunard price you quote includes port charges then your TA is doing as you suggest. I would double check with Cunard what are the port charges and make sure they are included in the price you quote.

 

I did, and they are included if booked direct.

 

The Cunard rep did not think this was right. As they had represented it as the cruise fare. she said the only additions should have been the Gov't fees and taxes of $109 for both passengers.

[kitty9]

Sorry, but if it were me, I would go back to the charity and ask for my money back unless the charity can absolutely guarantee that you're going to get exactly what you bid on. I really think you're getting ripped off. First, no reputable travel agent would charge a client for a phone call, emails and a fax. Second, the numbers the agency gave you just don't seem to add up.

[Keith1010]

None of this makes sense. The $100.00 or the amount they are saying is for port charges. I would ask for your money back. It is terrible what they are doing. And this is supposed to be for a charity. Sad.

 

Keith