Missed a port due to weather? RCCL's new (?) policy says they keep port fees!

[Jordster]

A long time ago, I was on a cruise and we missed a port due to weather. Everyone received a $50 credit, which was the amount that the cruise line had paid for port fees.

 

I was on the Freedom of the Seas on 8/24 and our first port (Coco Bay, Bahamas) was stormed out. There was no refund ... And of course RCCL's contract says they now keep the difference.

 

Feels to me like they changed their policy to profit off of the misfortune of their customers. Very disappointing.

[dplusd]

It could be that there are no port fees at Coco Cay, since that is their private island. No port fees = no refund.

 

I missed one port on RCCL and the minor port fees were refunded...less than $20 pp. But that was a couple of years ago.

[joepeka]

It could be that there are no port fees at Coco Cay, since that is their private island. No port fees = no refund.

 

I missed one port on RCCL and the minor port fees were refunded...less than $20 pp. But that was a couple of years ago.

 

Was thinking the same thing when I read this but OP says the policy on port fee refunds has changed so I guess I will go look that up.... if I can find it.

Edited September 9, 2014 by joepeka

[oneputt18]

Found the cruise contact, It says, except for mechanical breakdown, a passenger is not due a refund if a scheduled port is missing.

 

http://media.royalcaribbean.com/content/en_US/pdf/RoyalCaribbean_Cruise_Ticket_Contract_013114.pdf

[orville99]

Found the cruise contact, It says, except for mechanical breakdown, a passenger is not due a refund if a scheduled port is missing.

 

http://media.royalcaribbean.com/content/en_US/pdf/RoyalCaribbean_Cruise_Ticket_Contract_013114.pdf

 

 

That section refers to a refund of a portion of the cruise fare itself, not the port fees, and that language has been there since we started cruising on RCL. Port fees are a direct "passthru". The line collects them on behalf of the customer and remits them directly to the port authority. In May, we skipped Coco Cay due to weather, and received a ~$8-$9 credit on each of our bills. Could be that the OP was looking for a large $# and missed the little $#. BTW, there was nothing on the bill that indicated what the credit was for, but every time we've ever missed a port, a little $# shows up as a credit.

[Bobal]

We were on Oasis on 23 August and missed Nassau due to the storm and were all refunded around $35 each.

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

As an above poster stated, its possible that it is because CocoCay is Royal's private island and there would be no port fees.

[Beachcampin]

We missed Coco Cay in May and received a refund for each of us, not sure the amount, but it was also small.

[cruisegirl1]

Weird - we've missed Coco Cay at least 10 times over the years and I don't recall any refund for port fees. I check the bill carefully and would know if there was any unexplained refund.

 

M

[njmomof2]

I was also on the 8/24 Freedom sailing that the OP was on, and my account receive a refund of over $21. My kids and mom got the same. Now did taxes end up being so much less in the end that we got all of that, or was some of that for Coco Cay? I don't know but was happy to see the refund regardless.

 

OP, did you have any sort of credit on your Seapass Account?

[jenfromjersey]

We had a VERY abbreviated stop at Labadee on our December FOS sailing due to a medical emergency right after we started sailing, and they refunding port fees. My guess is that you missed it on your statement?

[ladylikes2cruise]

missed coco cay in March, due to a storm approaching.......no refund of any amount ( still have our setsail bill) for port fees:(

Edited September 9, 2014 by ladylikes2cruise

[Big_G]

I'll let you know in October. We're 0 for 4 going to Coco Cay so I figure it's a given we'll miss it again. I don't remember a refund but that doesn't mean it didn't happen. The memory isn't what it use to be. :o

[sunnydaysmile]

 

I was on the Freedom of the Seas on 8/24 and our first port (Coco Bay, Bahamas) was stormed out. There was no refund ...

 

We were on same cruise. Not sure why you didn't get it - they credited our account - something like $24 each person.

[critterchick]

We missed two of our four ports on the Brilliance TA in 2012. Some passengers received a refund and others, including us, did not. Guest Services told us that the amount was determined by Miami and depended on when the cruise was booked because the port fees can rise and fall over the course of the available booking window. The refund was a small enough amount that we didn't pursue it once we returned home.

[Topo Gigio]

We missed two of our four ports on the Brilliance TA in 2012. Some passengers received a refund and others, including us, did not. Guest Services told us that the amount was determined by Miami and depended on when the cruise was booked because the port fees can rise and fall over the course of the available booking window. The refund was a small enough amount that we didn't pursue it once we returned home.

 

I had the same experience, when Liberty missed Ocho Rios due to a medical diversion. I did not get anything, while others did get back their money. I was standing in line at Guest Services and the DL concierge was there and (i'm pretty sure) I heard he was telling another guest in the row that Diamond members didn't get back their port charges. Btw for me at least it doesn't make any sense if they tell you that you can't get your money back, because even if the port charges have gone up or down, you still have paid something..

[thegima]

I thought Royal Caribbean leased the island, not owned it.

 

In either event it's still part of the Bahamas and taxes are due if the ship stops. They are simply the middle man on taxes and fees, they're collected and passed on. I'm not sure it makes any sense to me that they'd give some passengers credit and not others.

 

Kind of like returning something at the store and them giving you the price of the item back but not the tax you paid.

[Ourusualbeach]

A long time ago, I was on a cruise and we missed a port due to weather. Everyone received a $50 credit, which was the amount that the cruise line had paid for port fees.

 

I was on the Freedom of the Seas on 8/24 and our first port (Coco Bay, Bahamas) was stormed out. There was no refund ... And of course RCCL's contract says they now keep the difference.

 

Feels to me like they changed their policy to profit off of the misfortune of their customers. Very disappointing.

 

As Coco cay is there own island I would be surprised if there were any actual port fees involved and this is why you received no refund. It may have been different if you had missed Nassau.

[dancinman66]

Could also be port won't refund them who knows

 

 

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[orville99]

I'm not sure it makes any sense to me that they'd give some passengers credit and not others.

 

Kind of like returning something at the store and them giving you the price of the item back but not the tax you paid.

 

Not really all that complicated. Port fees go up and down all the time. If you (for example) paid $100 in port fees when you booked, and the total went down by the time you boarded, you'd get a rebate. If they went up, the cruise line eats the cost. If the port fees went up $20 between when you booked and when another passenger booked, they would have paid $120. If a port was missed and that brought the total port fees back down to $100 (what you originally paid), you break even and the cruise line doesn't have to eat the cost anymore. The passenger who paid $120 has now overpaid $20, so they get that back. Very equitable math.

[velmasue]

We were recently on a Carnival cruise and missed Half Moon Cay and were refunded the port fees. My husband even went to guest services to inquire if they had made a mistake. Guest services confirmed that the amount was correct. The refund was 16 cents per person!

[1northstar]

We missed Coco Cay back in May when we were on the Freedom and did not receive any refund or OBC.

[CruiseKeeper]

Anyone else remember this from years ago? This is possibly as many as 15-18 years ago we received vouchers from RCI because they got in trouble for not refunding port fees for missed ports? We received two $40 vouchers that we could apply to our next cruise. Turns out ours expired before we had a chance to use them. Anyone? I couldn't have dreamt this, could I?

[2Ports]

Did any of you stop at another port in the Bahamas (Nassau, Freeport, etc.) when you missed Cococay? In the Bahamas they only charge port fees once, not per island, so if you made another Bahamas stop but missed Cococay, you would not be due any refund...

[thegima]

Not really all that complicated. Port fees go up and down all the time. If you (for example) paid $100 in port fees when you booked, and the total went down by the time you boarded, you'd get a rebate. If they went up, the cruise line eats the cost. If the port fees went up $20 between when you booked and when another passenger booked, they would have paid $120. If a port was missed and that brought the total port fees back down to $100 (what you originally paid), you break even and the cruise line doesn't have to eat the cost anymore. The passenger who paid $120 has now overpaid $20, so they get that back. Very equitable math.

 

Wouldn't the actual port charge and tax be irrelevant if the ship doesn't call a specific port (CocoCay for instance)? Let's say they collected $100 total from me, and $120 total from you since we booked at different times. If we skip the port that means we've both paid for something that the cruse line is no longer responsible for paying. They surely don't have to pay these port fees and taxes if they miss a port, right? Wouldn't that mean each of us were due back something? Unless of course at the same time all the other ports on that itinerary subsequently had a port charge / tax increase.

Edited September 10, 2014 by thegima