Why so much in Taxes - NYC 1 CTN

[zerooveride]

Was looking into a Cruise to Nowhere out of New York on the Gem this Jan and Feb. They have some great rates on an inside cabin, $99pp (no need for anything more on a 1 night). When I go to check out there is $161.84 in port fees and taxes. Any idea why it is so outrageous? That is crazy.

[Got Tequila?]

Was looking into a Cruise to Nowhere out of New York on the Gem this Jan and Feb. They have some great rates on an inside cabin, $99pp (no need for anything more on a 1 night). When I go to check out there is $161.84 in port fees and taxes. Any idea why it is so outrageous? That is crazy.

 

The GEM on 1/21 is down to $79 PP with a latitude discount....but I agree the taxes are expensive.

[zerooveride]

Didn't click the Latitude box. Still crazy with taxes. Might call NCL to see if they are willing to give me a straight answer.

 

Just to add some information to this, I was looking at the 2 night Cruise to Nowhere that Carnival does out of New York City's Manhattan Cruise Terminal in October and taxes for 2 people are only $114.88.

 

Is NCL padding the taxes to make more money?

[Tightwallet]

Was looking into a Cruise to Nowhere out of New York on the Gem this Jan and Feb. They have some great rates on an inside cabin, $99pp (no need for anything more on a 1 night). When I go to check out there is $161.84 in port fees and taxes. Any idea why it is so outrageous? That is crazy.

 

You can't get a decent hotel room for anywhere near that price in NY.

[Got Tequila?]

Didn't click the Latitude box. Still crazy with taxes. Might call NCL to see if they are willing to give me a straight answer.

 

Since your calling I would be curious to know why the taxes for the 1 night GEM on a Friday are more expensive than the 1 night JEWEL on a Saturday???

 

Keep us updated if/when you call....

[zerooveride]

Looking at the Jewel the following day, taxes are $85.62 for 2 people.

 

NCL stated "They are set by the cruise terminal" and could not explain why they are different from the same terminal.

 

And aren't the port fee set at a standard rate per person? Also I would think the more you paid the more the taxes would be, but in this instance that is not the case. It is $158 for 2 people on the Gem 1/21 Cruise and $398 for 2 people on the Jewel. So the more expensive cruise has less taxes which makes more sense. Something is not right here . . .

[njhorseman]

Looking at the Jewel the following day, taxes are $85.62 for 2 people.

 

NCL stated "They are set by the cruise terminal" and could not explain why they are different from the same terminal.

 

And aren't the port fee set at a standard rate per person? Also I would think the more you paid the more the taxes would be, but in this instance that is not the case. It is $158 for 2 people on the Gem 1/21 Cruise and $398 for 2 people on the Jewel. So the more expensive cruise has less taxes which makes more sense. Something is not right here . . .

 

No...only part is a straight per person tax. There are charges that vary by the size of the ship, number of tugs needed to dock and depart, charge for the harbor pilot, and probably some things I haven't mentioned. Almost nothing is a percentage of the base cruise price...just a small federal excise tax I believe, but no sales tax. I suspect some of the charges may be greater on a Sunday than a Saturday, and either would be more than a weekday because tug crews, harbor pilots, cruise pier personnel, etc. are no doubt paid a much higher salary on Sundays. The exact way cruise lines compute these charges is a deep, dark secret, and they'e not going to give you anything more than a vague answer at best.

[Got Tequila?]

No...only part is a straight per person tax. There are charges that vary by the size of the ship, number of tugs needed to dock and depart, charge for the harbor pilot, and probably some things I haven't mentioned. Almost nothing is a percentage of the base cruise price...just a small federal excise tax I believe, but no sales tax. I suspect some of the charges may be greater on a Sunday than a Saturday, and either would be more than a weekday because tug crews, harbor pilots, cruise pier personnel, etc. are no doubt paid a much higher salary on Sundays. The exact way cruise lines compute these charges is a deep, dark secret, and they'e not going to give you anything more than a vague answer at best.

 

Thanks Paul, I hadn't thought about some of the other variables involved.

 

I guess it could possibly be more expensive on a Friday because that isn't a normal/typical NCL cruise day out of NYC....since the GEM and JEWEL normally sail on Saturday and Sunday.

[njhorseman]

Thanks Paul, I hadn't thought about some of the other variables involved.

 

I guess it could possibly be more expensive on a Friday because that isn't a normal/typical NCL cruise day out of NYC....since the GEM and JEWEL normally sail on Saturday and Sunday.

 

Just speculation...but let's say the cruise thinks occupancy will be lower on a Friday cruise than a Saturday cruise. If they're going to recover their fixed costs...the ones that are not a per passenger head tax, they have to charge more for the Friday cruise.

 

As an example if the fixed costs for pier rental, harbor pilot and tugs amount to $60,000 (I just made the number up), and they expect to draw 1,500 passengers on a Friday cruise but 2,000 on a Saturday cruise, then in order to recover the $60,000, they would have to charge $40 per passenger on Friday versus $30 per passenger for the Saturday cruise.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

You can't get a decent hotel room for anywhere near that price in NY.

 

how much does a decent room cost in NY. I would think for $360 you should be able to get something decent.

 

I don't go to NY much so don't have a clue.

 

Bill

[goose30]

how much does a decent room cost in NY. I would think for $360 you should be able to get something decent.

 

I don't go to NY much so don't have a clue.

 

Bill

 

Not with food and entertainment.

[Budget Queen]

how much does a decent room cost in NY. I would think for $360 you should be able to get something decent.

 

I don't go to NY much so don't have a clue.

 

Bill

 

I go to NYC frequently, and many times stay in a Times Square Hostel. :) For a 4 bed room (I always get the entire room) it's $180 with a spotless shared bath.

 

I'm headed there again Thurs for 4 days. Rates are way over $300 for most lodging.

 

Jan. is lower than Dec however. But rates have sky rocketed in the last couple years. :)

[zerooveride]

Just speculation...but let's say the cruise thinks occupancy will be lower on a Friday cruise than a Saturday cruise. If they're going to recover their fixed costs...the ones that are not a per passenger head tax, they have to charge more for the Friday cruise.

 

As an example if the fixed costs for pier rental, harbor pilot and tugs amount to $60,000 (I just made the number up), and they expect to draw 1,500 passengers on a Friday cruise but 2,000 on a Saturday cruise, then in order to recover the $60,000, they would have to charge $40 per passenger on Friday versus $30 per passenger for the Saturday cruise.

 

That is completely understandable, but they can't state it is part of taxes. That should be part of the fare. If they are stating things are taxes when they're not that is illegal and is complete misrepresentation.

[Darthdaddy]

I would think that port charges would have nothing to do with the length of the cruise. The labor to assist a ship in leaving port and returning to port would seem to be the same regardless of how much time separates the two events. Thus, it seems reasonable that the port charges would seem disproportionate for a shorter cruise. There may be variables such as day of week, etc that have already been mentioned, but the principle remains the same...port charges are not dependent on length of cruise.

 

Untie from the dock; pull away; return to dock; get charged...I suspect every port is similar.

[spacewoman]

You've all got to remember those guys are all UNION employees. The salaries, etc. all have to affect the port charges I would think.

[Tightwallet]

how much does a decent room cost in NY. I would think for $360 you should be able to get something decent.

 

I don't go to NY much so don't have a clue.

 

Bill

 

Maybe at off times you may get something for $360

New York has 3 different taxes they put on hotel bills that I believe total somewhere around 25 to 30%.

[iceman2a]

That is completely understandable, but they can't state it is part of taxes. That should be part of the fare. If they are stating things are taxes when they're not that is illegal and is complete misrepresentation.

 

It's part of "TAXES & FEES", and couldn't be lumped with "FARE" because that would have "other" implications!

[NYcruzzer]

would a CTN count as a trip towards lattitudes ? I am 2 from Platinum with a trip booked 2/13 on the Jewel..

[Got Tequila?]

would a CTN count as a trip towards lattitudes ? I am 2 from Platinum with a trip booked 2/13 on the Jewel..

 

The 1 night cruises do count towards your latitude levels right now. I'm not sure if NCL will be changing this in the future, but it's always possible.

[smeyer418]

not all the tugs are Union in NYCity any more. In any case, its port charges not taxes. Is this on the NCL website or on a TA's one? The reason I ask NCL is supposed to include port charges in its fares while the TA's generally break them down differently. (they include NCF in the "taxes"). look on the NCL website and see if they break it down differently. NCL states "basefare" not that the amount is taxes....

 

BTW the NY port charges about $39.00 for getting on and $39 for getting off. BUT the port rebates part of the charge to NCL when they overall hit a certain number of passengers on NCL out of NY. I believe they do hit that number. You can also be sure the rebate will not be refunded.

[NYcruzzer]

The 1 night cruises do count towards your latitude levels right now. I'm not sure if NCL will be changing this in the future, but it's always possible.

 

Thank you for responding back so quickly. I might have to book this one.

[Got Tequila?]

Thank you for responding back so quickly. I might have to book this one.

 

If your really interested you could always do back to back one night cruises.....Jan 21st on the GEM, followed by Jan 22nd on the JEWEL. So far only the prices on Friday the 21st have come down, the 22nd seems to be selling quite well and the cheaper cabins are sold out most places.

[pikabu]

I"m sorry if this is a dumb question.. but just curious: do the ships actually sail on cruises to nowhere? or do they remain docked?

 

Thanks. :)

[Got Tequila?]

I"m sorry if this is a dumb question.. but just curious: do the ships actually sail on cruises to nowhere? or do they remain docked?

 

Thanks. :)

 

No such thing as a dumb question.

 

They cruise..........they go far enough out so the casinos can open and then just cruise in circles I think. We leave about 4PM, cruise past the statue of liberty and get back in the next morning about 8AM.

[NYcruzzer]

If your really interested you could always do back to back one night cruises.....Jan 21st on the GEM, followed by Jan 22nd on the JEWEL. So far only the prices on Friday the 21st have come down, the 22nd seems to be selling quite well and the cheaper cabins are sold out most places.

 

I already made final payment for the 2/13 cruise. I did the 10 day on the Gem last year. Cannot take as much time off from work this year. Anyway we got a great rate..$449.00 p/p for cat G with port and taxes $1176.00 for the two of us !! Looking forward to the weekly spa pass. Don't even care about the ports. I have done this itineraries multiple times.