Additional tax costs? Uk passenger booking with TA outside of UK

[gorrylikelorry]

Hi We have booked through a TA outside of UK and just wondering as have heard a rumour about additional port tax... is this correct or am I right in presuming that the price we pay the travel agent will be for the total of the cruise (minus on board spend of course!)

 

Have any other UK bookers booked with TA from outside of UK?

 

Thanks in advance. ..

 

:-)

 

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[pepsicruiser]

I'd like to know about this also. I'm in U.S. and my friend from London asked me to look into booking from U.S. for her. Anyone ever done this? tks

[robandana]

Anytime we have booked via a TA from the EU in the US we paid the TA the price quoted and that's it.

 

All you need to book directly with RC USA is an address in the US or Canada.

 

The price difference from the UK to the US website certainly warrants finding a solution.

Edited August 18, 2014 by robandana

[ozziecruiser10]

Anytime we have booked via a TA from the EU in the US we paid the TA the price quoted and that's it.

 

All you need to book directly with RC USA is an address in the US or Canada.

 

The price difference from the UK to the US website certainly warrants finding a solution.

 

from australia we can book using a US TA and we dont need an address in the US, wouldnt the UK be the same

 

any extra we are charged the conversion fee plus what our bank charges for using our credit card

[robandana]

from australia we can book using a US TA and we dont need an address in the US, wouldnt the UK be the same

 

any extra we are charged the conversion fee plus what our bank charges for using our credit card

 

Not the same because the UK, Spain etc. although are technically Royal Caribbean they actually work like a travel agent and there agreement with Royal is that they can not knowingly sell to anyone in there country. Therefore if you call RC with a UK address they remit you to the UK operation. This use to happen with us when we lived full time in Spain. Now that we live mostly in Canada we can buy direct.

 

A few years back RC made agreements with most EU countries, in fact one of the main agents in Spain became the RC representative and now all sales must go thru them.

 

Some T/A's do sell to EU customers, its kind of a gray area....

Edited August 18, 2014 by robandana

[BARNET]

We have used a USA T/A to book a cruise before the on-line price didn't include taxes or port charges it was a base price only, once I spoke to the agent he gave me a total price which was a lot cheaper than the UK price. I was up front that I lived in the UK this didn't seam to matter and received on board credit the only thing at I didn't know was that the pre paid tips where not in the price as I always pay up front, once the booking appeared on my C&A login called RCI direct and then paid.

Here are the prices for a TA in Nov 2014 RCI want for 2 people for a inside cabin £1906.32 including tips, port charges and taxes is is based on a mock booking on RCI web site, T/A in USA on line price including port charges and taxes and pre paid tips £988.64 and you could get up to $300 on board spend. The USA T/A base price starts at £314.47 plus £76.00 port charges and taxes and £104.32 pre paid tips. I you able to go at short notice where would you book.

[TOMCAT22]

I have also used a US online TA for my upcoming RCI cruise,so far I have had no problems.The price onscreen was the price I paid and I also got my C&A balcony discount as well as some onboard credit which I never get with UK TA.

 

Definitely worth trying,but be careful with some lines like Princess who seem to enforce the rule that US TA don't sell to uk market.

 

Good luck.

[villauk]

Hi We have booked through a TA outside of UK and just wondering as have heard a rumour about additional port tax... is this correct or am I right in presuming that the price we pay the travel agent will be for the total of the cruise (minus on board spend of course!)

 

Have any other UK bookers booked with TA from outside of UK?

 

Thanks in advance. ..

 

:-)

 

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The final price the TA quoted will usually include the taxes and port charges but not gratuities (look at the invoice they have provided or do a mock booking on their site and it will show the tax aspect separately).

 

You are able to book in the States without a US address via a TA for Royal and X cruises. Just the same as you can book onboard and then transfer your booking to a US TA. Now, Princess etc. will not let you book in the US - you'll usually find this is stated on your TA's website (can't think why :rolleyes:).

[insidecabin]

UK pax booking through the US is easy but I think you need to use a TA or if booking direct a US address.

 

You need to find a trusted TA, no one can recommend one but relatively easy to find one.

 

Some even operate UK phone numbers to make it even easier

 

The one I currently use, I do it all by email.

 

Check the cancellation/change policies some do charge others don't.

 

MOST(all?) US agents just give RCI your Card details to make payments so you are saver than a UK booking which rely on ABTA/ATOL.

 

The cancellation policies are much more generous(like no penalty up to final).

 

Also seems to be easier to get price drops/upgrades

 

Just about every US TA will price the same as RCI web price where there will be a difference will be the extras like OBC or freebees.

 

Just make sure you have the taxes added when doing the price comparisons.

 

Check US, UK and EU prices.

 

I do this on RCI sites for each region.

Make sure you are logged into your account to get the relevant discounts for your C&A status. also check the 55+ if relevant

 

Try Starting here and change country.

 

https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/mycruises/login.do?wuc=USA

 

Don't assume all cruise will be cheaper through the US.

eg OASIS 12night TA from Southampton is cheapest on some cabin grades through EU priced in €, some $ and recently there was a short deal and the UK price was very good.

 

Celebrity is done much the same,

 

There have been some pricing issues with UK prices on the .com sites so best to do UK pricing on .co.uk

 

If trying NCL they will let you book direct on-line using any of their sites.

[BARNET]

Have just had another look and the base price does include port charges but not government taxes or fees.

[gorrylikelorry]

Im getting a bit confused! This is oir first cruise. And we just dont want any masty surprises! My understanding is that the price we have been quoted is our final price?

 

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[villauk]

Im getting a bit confused! This is oir first cruise. And we just dont want any masty surprises! My understanding is that the price we have been quoted is our final price?

 

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Just ask the TA for a breakdown of the costs and then you'll know for definite - email them direct. I'd be very shocked if the final price does not include the taxes :eek:. You can check for yourself on any US TA website as they all have to quote the same price as Royal unless it's a group rate. What sailing are you looking at?

 

How are you comparing prices with the UK? It's best to always check prices on both sides of the pond before booking. If you look on a price comparison site, it will list all the current pricing for every cruise line and every sailing - remember, the prices quoted there will be base without taxes added (sorry, I'm not allowed to post their name, but you can google 'cruise ship price tracker' for more information ;)).

[dancinman66]

The price you pay for taxes etc is based on where the cruise ports are rather than where you book

 

 

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[heatherb1958]

We have booked with a US TA with no issues, everything done by e.mail to get the price then I phone to pay by credit card, takes all of two minutes as I am dealing directly with one person who is expecting my call. :cool:. We have booked two cruises for next year and paid in full to lock in the current exchange rate as it was quite good when we booked.

Only a broken leg or death will stop us from doing the cruises :D.

[delirious9876]

Im getting a bit confused! This is oir first cruise. And we just dont want any masty surprises! My understanding is that the price we have been quoted is our final price?

 

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The price you will have been quoted will include taxes and port fees but not usually gratuities

[insidecabin]

Just to clarify the popular price comparison sites will(should) include taxes for EU and UK pricings.

 

There was a glitch on the RCCL booking system that messed up data crawlers and the taxes were missing for a while. this was .com(UK country) the .co.uk site was OK.

 

Also they don't always pick up the discounts and specials, the Tues GTY deals on X were missing for ages and the other thing they don't catch with RCI is any C&A discounts, these are different for US/EU/UK.

 

I have registered with the CC price checker and that one misses loads of changes