Cruise Tax

[SHINEMAN]

Anyone know how the cruise tax is computed?

Is it a Federal Tax? Are there State taxes also? What is the rate?

[mixer911]

I would also like to know. I went to book a cruise on Jewel and the taxes and port charges for 2 are $450. That is crazy.

[Dolphins]

With the price of oil reaching $67. a barrel, I fear a cruise fuel surcharge cannot be far behind. I understand Crystal and Radisson are already imposing them. Gasoline at my neighborhood station went up 16 cents a gallon in the last three days. My last month's electric bill contained a $44. Excess Fuel Cost Surcharge. Airlines are also imposing fuel surcharges and many face bankruptcy. While we get ripped off in every area, oil companies post record profits. Am I alone in thinking there is something seriously wrong with this picture?

[mbisson]

Am I alone in thinking there is something seriously wrong with this picture?

 

No, I don't think you're alone at all. I don't blame the other companies for the fuel surcharges, but those oil companies profits border on the ridiculous.

 

-Monte

[Host CMLA]

Yes, I'm off topic. I'm sorry. I was watching Fox News or CNN today and there was some industry analyst saying that until the public changes our habits and stops paying for fuel at these high rates, they won't go down. We stopped. I work from home and my husband now bikes to work. We buy minimal amounts of gas. I wish others would too.

[SHINEMAN]

Don't know how we can get a fix on port charges, but the taxes should be transparent. As it is don't know if theyare Federal or State or both. They seem to just come up on screen and no one seems to be able to explain how they are arrived at.

[seahorse]

Don't know how we can get a fix on port charges, but the taxes should be transparent. As it is don't know if theyare Federal or State or both. They seem to just come up on screen and no one seems to be able to explain how they are arrived at.

 

Cruiselines do not pay fed or state taxes. They are exempt.

[seahorse]

Yes, I'm off topic. I'm sorry. I was watching Fox News or CNN today and there was some industry analyst saying that until the public changes our habits and stops paying for fuel at these high rates, they won't go down. We stopped. I work from home and my husband now bikes to work. We buy minimal amounts of gas. I wish others would too.

 

Cecilia, I sure hope it was not FOX:eek: Unless you are a Conservative. Had a conversation with some Army personnell waiting for a flight and we were talking about the media. They call CNN the Communist News Network.

 

We are not to blame for the oil prices. This administration is all about the oil..........we are being manipulated. Enough about politics, but it is impacting travel and it will inpact our cruise prices. (sigh)

[SHINEMAN]

I'm talking about the taxes that I am charged when purchasing a cruise.

To be specific on a cruise costing $1858 for a couple there is a tax of $403.56.

That is about 21.7%.

It would be helpful if someone out there who would compute what tax they are paying on a recent cruise.

[mixer911]

I'm talking about the taxes that I am charged when purchasing a cruise.

To be specific on a cruise costing $1858 for a couple there is a tax of $403.56.

That is about 21.7%.

It would be helpful if someone out there who would compute what tax they are paying on a recent cruise.

 

I am with you. Mine was the same as yours.

I noticed on RCL for a 6 day western carib. cruise the taxes & Fees on jewel of the seas was 78.50 x2 = 157.00. Jewel on NCL 7 day western carib is 225.00 x2= 450.00. How do they figure these fees???

[shoreguy]

I am with you. Mine was the same as yours.

I noticed on RCL for a 6 day western carib. cruise the taxes & Fees on jewel of the seas was 78.50 x2 = 157.00. Jewel on NCL 7 day western carib is 225.00 x2= 450.00. How do they figure these fees???

 

I think you are looking at the total for all noncom fees. That number includes taxes, port charges and an othe misc. fees including a fuel sur-charge should they have one.

 

I just did a quick seach and a 7 day western on the Jewel shows taxes at $85.36 in line with the RCL figure.

 

Invoice Item Guest 1 Guest 2 All Guests

VOYAGE FARE DBL 639.00 639.00 1,278.00

NON-COMM FARE 140.00 140.00 280.00

+INSURANCE 89.00 89.00 178.00

GOVERNMENT TAX 85.36 85.36 170.72

Guest Total 953.36 953.36 1,906.72

[Don Haynes]

There is nothing political about gasoline prices, its all supply and demand free market place. The simple truth of the matter is that we are consuming 9 million more barrels of oil a day from last year, apparently surpassing our capacity to refine it. Our consumption has matched and will surpass the 86 million barrels a day which is our refinery capacity. Even though the price of a barrel of oil has gone up significantly, doubled, there has been no slack in demand. Frankly, demand is increasing faster.....

 

What is wrong with this picture is at the same time my seven year old grandson can do the math, the new car lots are full of large pickups and SUVs, you would have thunk my now they would be dinosaurs..... Our reserves in the pipelines have dropped from a few years ago of 180 days of oil to only 54 days of oil. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out we'll be seeing shortages soon.....

 

It doesn't appear our government has the will to do anything about the situation until the long lines and closures occur all over again. When the shortages are very apparent, the government will reintroduçe the 55 MPH speed limit again, as it is the quickest way to conserve 15 percent of our energy consumption.... I also expect to see the government increase the gas mileage for vehicles, the days of the large pickup and large SUVs will soon be over....

 

The only nations which are actually increasing oil production is OPEC, all of the other nations have had oil production declining.... I suggest everyone do a google search on Peak Oil.....we are there.....

 

In fact, there are three refineries in America that are currrently not in service, one is a huge complex in Texas City, Texas, a refinery capacity of half a million barrels of oil daily, which recently suffered an explosion.

 

I recently cruise to Bermuda. I noticed that in Bermuda the people were paying over $6 a gallon for gasoline. Their government has rationed one car per household, while they can have as many scooter as they wish. When I was in Bermuda for 3 days, I noticed only one large pickup. Only one. Most of the people in Bermuda were driving cars, European and Asian, that are smaller than the cars in the United States. I guess the price of gasoline had something to do with the smaller cars.

 

With our refinery capacity capped at 86 million barrels a day, one wonders what we'll be doing next year when oil consumption increases to 95 million barrels of oil a day.... Something is going to give........

[SeattleCruiselover]

Port taxes, per se, which is the old term, have to do with docking fees charged by the port authority, fuel excise taxes and other fees that the cruise line has to pay as a cost of doing business in a particular port of call. They vary from cruise to cruise because each port charges a different amount. No standard or concrete way to calculate them per cruise unless you contact each port authority and determine per ship cost.

[shoreguy]

Port taxes, per se, which is the old term, have to do with docking fees charged by the port authority, fuel excise taxes and other fees that the cruise line has to pay as a cost of doing business in a particular port of call. They vary from cruise to cruise because each port charges a different amount. No standard or concrete way to calculate them per cruise unless you contact each port authority and determine per ship cost.

 

As you can above in my post - when you price an NCL cruise at least on their website the break out the Government taxes from all of the above.

[newmexicoNita]

I would also like to know. I went to book a cruise on Jewel and the taxes and port charges for 2 are $450. That is crazy.

How long was the cruise? Yes, that is very high; port charges normally run about $120-$140 with Alaska being higher. Government taxes can be anywhere from $40 to $60 or so. Again, I am generalizing now, based on a 7 day cruise. NMNita

[newmexicoNita]

Cecilia, I sure hope it was not FOX:eek: Unless you are a Conservative. Had a conversation with some Army personnell waiting for a flight and we were talking about the media. They call CNN the Communist News Network.

 

We are not to blame for the oil prices. This administration is all about the oil..........we are being manipulated. Enough about politics, but it is impacting travel and it will inpact our cruise prices. (sigh)

Seahorse, I do hope you are just making light of something and not bringing politics into this thread. You are a TA if I remember correctly and thus know the port charges and taxes have nothing to do with our government. sure fuel will inpact our cruise prices, I think it already has, but let's not start blaming this or any other administration for things we really don't know much about and do not understand. Now back to our program. LOL

 

NMNIta

[hotspur]

...but let's not start blaming this or any other administration for things we really don't know much about and do not understand.

Speak for yourself, Nita. Some of us think seahorse is right on. Perhaps it's time to start laying some blame.

[stellalimelight]

Port charges are taxes that are charged to the cruise lines for using the port to be docked in. They are determined by the government of each country that the ship is visiting. Port charges range in price according to how long the cruise is as well as how many ports are being visited. The more ports visited, the higher the cost of port charges. There are also other government fees that are added to these charges. It is payed for at the time you pay your final payment on your cruise. If you book your airfare through the cruise lines there are govt and airport taxes. So there is no way to calculate them. I hope this helps answer your question.

 

Shelley

 

P.S. and remember the oil companies are making record profits. Just announced yesterday. Time for alternative fuel sources. Of course, we would have to get the oil companies out of the way. And don't forget the huge tax breaks for oil companies passed with the so called energy bill.

[shoreguy]

Speak for yourself, Nita. Some of us think seahorse is right on. Perhaps it's time to start laying some blame.

 

Perhaps the fact that ever other car prchased is an SUV. Maybe the fact that prices continue to go up and demand refuses to slow.

 

If politics does not get ugly enoungh here perhaps we could throw religion into the mix as well :D

[seahorse]

Seahorse, I do hope you are just making light of something and not bringing politics into this thread. You are a TA if I remember correctly and thus know the port charges and taxes have nothing to do with our government. sure fuel will inpact our cruise prices, I think it already has, but let's not start blaming this or any other administration for things we really don't know much about and do not understand. Now back to our program. LOL

 

NMNIta

 

I did not say our gvt. had anything to do with the PORT charges and TAXES I was speaking about the oil............I do not make light..........and I know where to put the blame, because I DO understand.

 

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT..............back to our regular program:D

[Host CMLA]

Hi everybody! I think we're going down the wrong path here. Sorry to be the wet blanket. However, there are some pretty tried and true rules I always follow when hanging out with friends (and I consider all of you friends). Never discuss politics, religion or capital punishment. Those are no win conversations and all you do is create tension. So while oil and gas prices, etc. may be connected to politics, we shouldn't be discussing that stuff here. OK? Sorry again. I hate to be the downer. :o As for me, we're on the waiting list for a hybrid car right now hoping to have one by the end of the year. :)

[newmexicoNita]

thanks Cecelia for stepping in on this.

 

NMNita

[SHINEMAN]

So, getting back on message...We can identify port charges and they do vary. But what about the category on the invoice that says taxes.

We know that in my state you pay 5% sales tax on many items. And the Federal Income Tax schedule is fairly explicit. But what is the tax, federal or otherwise on a cruise and how is it computed?

All I cn get by way of info is that is what the computer says.

[smeyer418]

http://www.fedcir.gov/opinions/04-1110.pdf

 

 

go look at this. There appears to be this tax and I saw another per passenger tax of three dollars per head.The tax is .125% computed as in the opinion. I also think there may have been added another tax for security purposes but I don't know if that is listed as port charges.

[SHINEMAN]

That is really interesting. Since they are hitting me with over 20%, it sounds as if somethings rotten in Denmark.

Really do believe that there should be more transparency in all the charges.

I made inquiry of IRS and they sent me info on travel deductions!

We need an AARP or AAA organization looking out for interests of cruisers.

(and based on some of the comments on board, maybe AA also. But I do believe there are meetings on most ships)