Taxes & Fees Went Down -- Anyone??

[mdepsmom]

Hi all,

 

I'm sailing on Anthem next summer, booked through a big-box TA. I called the TA recently for a small ($10 total -- told ya it was small!) price drop, which I was given. The revised invoice I was sent after calling for the price drop shows not only my price drop, but a reduction in "taxes and fees," so my new total is now almost $250 less than it was pre-price-drop-call. I've prepaid gratuities, which I know are included in this category, if that makes a difference, although I can't imagine it does. I'm thrilled that my total price has gone down but am curious whether anyone has received a reduction in taxes and fees like this, or why this would happen.

[Clarea]

We've never received a drop in taxes pre-cruise. When we have seen a drop in taxes, it came as OBC when onboard.

[Husky1987]

If your big box TA is a giant warehouse store, I’ve noticed that the way they price out the cruises is way different than what you’d find elsewhere. It’s almost like they wrap ur their commission plus a few other things into the “taxes and fees” line item.

[Rjh8842]

I have never gotten a price adjustment or obc when they have gone down. As a matter of fact I switched cruises once and they kept it at the higher rate from the original cruise. The only way they would change it was to cancel and rebook.

[frank808]

I have never gotten a price adjustment or obc when they have gone down. As a matter of fact I switched cruises once and they kept it at the higher rate from the original cruise. The only way they would change it was to cancel and rebook.

That is my experience also. And i use a big box store out of kirkland washington for all my cruises. They even have told me i dont qualify for a price drop because it was the taxes going down and my rate is from old tax.

 

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[Keith1010]

Glad to hear that your overall price went down.

 

That is a nice gift for the holidays.

 

Keith

[Clarea]

Hi all,

 

I'm sailing on Anthem next summer, booked through a big-box TA. I called the TA recently for a small ($10 total -- told ya it was small!) price drop, which I was given. The revised invoice I was sent after calling for the price drop shows not only my price drop, but a reduction in "taxes and fees," so my new total is now almost $250 less than it was pre-price-drop-call. I've prepaid gratuities, which I know are included in this category, if that makes a difference, although I can't imagine it does. I'm thrilled that my total price has gone down but am curious whether anyone has received a reduction in taxes and fees like this, or why this would happen.

I would not call RC for an explanation, just in case!

[mdepsmom]

I would not call RC for an explanation, just in case!

 

:D I certainly don't plan to contact them! It sounds like it was a fluke and a lucky break on my part! I did book through [travel agent].

Edited December 25, 2017 by Host Clarea
.Deleted TA name

[Clarea]

:D I certainly don't plan to contact them! It sounds like it was a fluke and a lucky break on my part! I did book through [travel agent].

That's good, and just a reminder not to mention specific travel agents.

[Coralc]

We've never received a drop in taxes pre-cruise. When we have seen a drop in taxes, it came as OBC when onboard.

 

My final payment was once $12 less than my confirmation, apparently because of a slight drop in taxes and fees.

[chengkp75]

If your big box TA is a giant warehouse store, I’ve noticed that the way they price out the cruises is way different than what you’d find elsewhere. It’s almost like they wrap ur their commission plus a few other things into the “taxes and fees” line item.

 

Yes, this sounds like a case of the NCF (non-commissionable fare) being rolled into "port taxes, fees, and charges". This is commonly how TA's advertise a much lower fare than the cruise line, but in the end the total charge is very close to the cruise line advertised charge when you add in the cruise line's "taxes and fees" and the TA's "taxes, fees, and port charges".

[Biker19]

There are very few itineraries where the taxes are that high that you could get a $250 reduction - most of the time that part of the fare moves by a few $ at most and as was mentioned shows up as OBC on board.

[mdepsmom]

There are very few itineraries where the taxes are that high that you could get a $250 reduction - most of the time that part of the fare moves by a few $ at most and as was mentioned shows up as OBC on board.

 

When I initially booked it, the line item on my email confirmation for "taxes, fees and misc." was $588.12/person (there are two of us traveling). However, when I add up port taxes and prepaid gratuities myself, I get a completely different number. "Taxes, fees and port expenses" per the RCI website are $190.75/person, and prepaid gratuities are $135/person, for a total of $325.75. On the new invoice I received post-price-drop, the line item for "taxes, fees and misc." was $466.62/person. So I guess I'm more confused now than I was before as to how they come up with these numbers.

[Ourusualbeach]

When I initially booked it, the line item on my email confirmation for "taxes, fees and misc." was $588.12/person (there are two of us traveling). However, when I add up port taxes and prepaid gratuities myself, I get a completely different number. "Taxes, fees and port expenses" per the RCI website are $190.75/person, and prepaid gratuities are $135/person, for a total of $325.75. On the new invoice I received post-price-drop, the line item for "taxes, fees and misc." was $466.62/person. So I guess I'm more confused now than I was before as to how they come up with these numbers.

 

As others have mentioned you cannot compare the taxes and fees that you see on Royal's site to the taxes and fees that your Travel agent show as it contains non commissionable fare as well. The only thing you can compare is the final price. Don't worry about how they arrived at it.

[ONECRUISER]

Just got an OBC for about $10 last week on Serenade. Happens...

[kreneec28]

Last month, I called Royal to see if my 6/19 cruise had dropped in price due to a sale that was going on. The CSR told me my cruise was eligible for a reduction in price due to the sale AND because my port taxes/fees had gone down. She then went on to say that this happens on occasion and that’s one of the things to ask for when checking for reduced pricing. My cruise was reduced approximately $300 [emoji4]

 

 

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[moopetguy]

I have never gotten a price adjustment or obc when they have gone down. As a matter of fact I switched cruises once and they kept it at the higher rate from the original cruise. The only way they would change it was to cancel and rebook.

 

 

I did a switch from Oasis to Allure recently via a TA. I got the same story about them keeping the taxes/port fees that were higher from the original cruise. I politely told the TA that I was sorry and I know it’s not their fault (acknowledging it’s a stupid RCI policy, to which the TA agreed) but I wanted to cancel and rebook because of that.

 

The TA put me back on hold for a few minutes while they talked to RCI again, and RCI magically found a way to fix (lower) the taxes and port fees without needing to cancel and rebook. [emoji849]

 

So they can do it, it’s simply a question of which RCI agent you (or the TA) gets and their willingness.

 

 

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[Rjh8842]

I did a switch from Oasis to Allure recently via a TA. I got the same story about them keeping the taxes/port fees that were higher from the original cruise. I politely told the TA that I was sorry and I know it’s not their fault (acknowledging it’s a stupid RCI policy, to which the TA agreed) but I wanted to cancel and rebook because of that.

 

The TA put me back on hold for a few minutes while they talked to RCI again, and RCI magically found a way to fix (lower) the taxes and port fees without needing to cancel and rebook. [emoji849]

 

So they can do it, it’s simply a question of which RCI agent you (or the TA) gets and their willingness.

 

 

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Nice. When I talked to the royal rep and supervisor neither would do it. But the more I read these boards it seems like the best policy is to just call back and talk to someone else. Eventually a rep will solve the issue.