Jewel taxes/fees W.Caribbean

[tartan cruiser]

I've been comparing cruises on the Jewel and Carnival Dream with similar ports of call for late Feb/2010. Only difference is private island for Jewel and Cozumel for Dream but the taxes and fees are $42 more for NCL. $114 NCL vs 72 CCL. Could is cost $42 more to visit their private island? Haven't been able to find a break down of the taxes and fees for either cruiseline. Not a big deal but I was just curious why they were so much more on NCL. I know the base price is less on the Jewel but can't see why the taxes and fees are so much higher. Not debating one line over the other, just why the taxes and fees are so different. I know Belize is tender for both and I believe they both use the same dock in Costa Maya. In Roatan Carnival uses the new dock and NCL Coxen Hole. Like I said, just curious.

[bakerintn]

Well, the best I can tell, NCL (and maybe all the others) state taxes and fees to be whatever they want them to be. Never any detail provided. When using the military discount on NCL, I was surprised to learn that the taxes and fees were almost 50% of the quoted fare (the discount is based on the base fare, not including taxes and fees). At the time I felt certain that NCL just made the taxes and fees part bigger than it really was to reduce their cost of the military discount. No proof, but the "taxes and fees" is smoke and mirrors in my estimation.

[smeyer418]

the base fare excludes non commission-able fare. This includes expendibles like fuel and other pass throughs that NCL doesn't want to pay commission on. Different cruise lines calculate these numbers differently. They differ on the size on the ship, the number of passengers and other things so its almost impossible to compare one set of taxes and fees against the other cruise lines. What they put in where is almost a trade secret. My suggestion is to compare the whole thing including taxes and fees and worry less about how they split it up.

[gemsm]

The difference could also be based on porting in the Bahamas vs. Mexico. Private Island is an atoll island in the bahama chain and therefore bahamian taxes are charged

[tartan cruiser]

Thanks to both of you for your response. Good advice from Smeyer418 to compare the total cost not just the base fare. Sometimes when the taxes and fees are added the difference between different cruises is alot less than lst appears. I never noticed this before. Always thought the taxes and fees would be the same or very similar for the same ports. One more thing to consider.