Additional Cruise Fees

[wrmiles]

When booking a cruise using non-standard methods such as a Vacation Club, Vacation Package, or Timeshare Points, my experience and research has shown that additional fees will be charged. Details are as follows:

 

--The charges are usually called Cruise Line Pass-Thru Fees or Non-Commissionable Fares.

 

--Additional inquiry only provides an explanation that they are Port Charges.

 

--They are different from, additional to, and larger than the normally expected Taxes, Fees, and Port Expenses. How Port Charges are different from Port Expenses, so far nobody will say. The Cruise contract definition of Port Expenses would seem to cover everything.

 

--Cruise lines cannot charge additional for Port Charges (inluded in quoted fare) per an agreement with the Florida Attoney General. This apparently does not apply to some other travel provider entities.

 

--There have been lawsuits filed over this. Status is unclear.

 

--There has been one particular company (not allowed to name) or its DBA's that has been heavily involved.

 

--They do disclose, but in a confusing manner (i.e., verbally from a fast-talking salespersons) with minimal details in writing. It is easy to confuse these with the normally expected additional fees.

 

I am just wondering if anybody has a similar experience or any other input on this sitituation?

[paul929207]

My TA quotes a price that includes port charges. That is what I pay.

[wrmiles]

My TA quotes a price that includes port charges. That is what I pay.

 

That has been my previous experience also, until I got talked into buying a vacation package. Bad on me, I guess.

[paul929207]

If someone starts trying to add a ticketing fee or a booking fee, they will soon hear a dial tone when I hang up

[Krazy Kruizers]

Our TA quotes us a price for the cruise and tells us exactly what the port charges and government fees will be.

Once we book our cruise, the confirmation also shows all these items separately so we know what we are paying.

She also lists all shipboard credit we are entitled to as well as all the perks we are going to get.

[chengkp75]

The reason the seller you are using can offer a "better fare" than the cruise line is that they are allowed to break out "non-commissionable fees" from the "fare" that they are receiving commission on. Typically, if you add the NCF to the advertised fare, you come out very close to the cruise line's advertised fare. The cruise lines set NCF's basically any way they want to, it is just a way to cut commissions to travel agents. NCF's are not taxes or port fees, simply what the cruise line doesn't want to pay commission on. The law requires the cruise lines to report NCF's as part of the whole fare being charged, but travel agents and booking sites don't have to, so they can deflate the cruise fare, much as the cruise companies did in the past, by not advertising the NCF.

 

Here's an article from a travel industry site that explains it:

 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjY3I-H48bNAhUG_IMKHc_GApcQFgguMAI&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftravelindustrytoday.com%2Findex.php%3Ftype%3Darticle%26thisid%3D10779&usg=AFQjCNHnakhEoGkkm0Ea8xh_go2fvLQpKw