Port Exit Fee at Puerto Quetzal?

The tour operator that I am possibly going to use for a trip to the Mayan ruins at Iximche tells me we have to pay a port exit fee. This started out at $25pp then when I queried it morphed into $5 port exit, $10 to the ruins (in addition to the $7 entry fee originally quoted, and $10 to the curtural centre. This last is an option, with alternative being Antigua, for the afternoon after the ruins. I have told them we want to do Antigua, waiting for reply.

Can anyone who has had a port call at Puerto Quetzal tell me anything about this port exit fee? Did you pay it? Who to? Can you pay in $$ or must it be local currency?

I have also posted this on the Guatemala forum, but I don't think that is visited as frequently as this one.

We were in Guatamela in November and went to Antigua for the day. No one mentioned any port exit fee.

Have been to Puerto Quetzal twice, no port exit fee. Sounds to me that the tour operator is trying to plump up his profits. I think I would look elsewhere. Have you asked about them on the Ports of Call boards here? EM

Have been to Puerto Quetzal twice, no port exit fee. Sounds to me that the tour operator is trying to plump up his profits. I think I would look elsewhere. Have you asked about them on the Ports of Call boards here? EM

Exactly what I thought. Further communication has clarified that we can pay the $5 exit fee ourselves direct to port :confused:. $10 was instead of, not additional to, $7 entry fee to ruins because he has been told that is this year's new price. Other $10 was entry to Cultural Centre which I have now told him we don't want to go to. Given that in all previous communications prices were quoted exclusive of entry fees, no wonder I was confused.

I am now awaiting a reply to my email stating we will pay his quoted price of $700 for a bus + $150 for a tour guide (in addition to driver) and will pay all and any other expenses as we go.

I did post originally on both forums, but the post both you kind people replied to has been moved from the main Celebrity board to the Guatemala board, so I hope you see this response.