Miscellaneous charges....????

[gangwayqueen]

Two friends and I are hopefully cruising in March of 2007. I went to Carnival web site and found three to our likeing. Looking at the final price I noticed miscellaneous charges rangeing from $80 to $114. I assumed it was for taxes. I then went to Travelocity. There were no misc. charges and the taxes were listed and weren't that high. Just curious what those misc. charges are on the Carnival site?

[captaincrash]

Strange -

 

- I for one would be curious about this since we're about to sailing in a few weeks and I am thinking of reviewing what we paid now. And with this posting I will be following this thread- anyone out there know what this is all about?

[Mgetta]

Two friends and I are hopefully cruising in March of 2007. I went to Carnival web site and found three to our likeing. Looking at the final price I noticed miscellaneous charges rangeing from $80 to $114. I assumed it was for taxes. I then went to Travelocity. There were no misc. charges and the taxes were listed and weren't that high. Just curious what those misc. charges are on the Carnival site?

 

Were you able to compare total cost? My final price through a TA was broken down between "price" and $195.42 for "tax/fee". They said the tax/fee portion was port charges of $160 and federal tax of $35. However, the final price was the same as what was on the Carnival web site. Some TA's on the internet don't have the tax shown and add it later. They used to not show the port charges and the government made them start including that under the truth in advertising law when advertising price because it is such a significant cost.

[zqvol]

Two friends and I are hopefully cruising in March of 2007. I went to Carnival web site and found three to our likeing. Looking at the final price I noticed miscellaneous charges rangeing from $80 to $114. I assumed it was for taxes. I then went to Travelocity. There were no misc. charges and the taxes were listed and weren't that high. Just curious what those misc. charges are on the Carnival site?

I suspect that the non Carnival site fails to include port charges in their fees in an effort to appear less expensive, though they may have a block of cabins that they are discounting.

[Cotton]

Sounds as if that's the port charges. If you call the Carnival toll-free number, you can speak with a PVP (Personal Vacation Planner), and he/she can answer any question you have. The PVP will give you the bottom line figure (including tax and port charge). Sometimes other agencies will give you only the cruise rate and then add the pc & tax.

[DiveCruiser]

Alot of ad just list the cruise price and once they have you let you know about the port charges and taxes.

 

Bob

[PINEVIEW01]

Two friends and I are hopefully cruising in March of 2007. I went to Carnival web site and found three to our likeing. Looking at the final price I noticed miscellaneous charges rangeing from $80 to $114. I assumed it was for taxes. I then went to Travelocity. There were no misc. charges and the taxes were listed and weren't that high. Just curious what those misc. charges are on the Carnival site?

Travelocity quote prices WITH port chages and without Taxes. If you follow thru with booking (but not book)it will give you the total price WITH taxes. If you do the same booking thing with Carnival you will also get a TOTAL price and those are the two you compare. I have found cruises using them at a lower fare that Carnival in the past.

[RizzoLee]

Just an example:

 

Called my TA for a quote on a 5 day, Jan/2007 Carnival cruise for an IS category. She started giving me prices, anywhere from $290/US - $400/US. Figuring the $290 was a good price, I tried to book that. Then she added on the 'miscellaneous charges'. For the $290 cruise, that was an additional $216/US, per person!

 

I looked up prices online for RCI-in Canadian dollars-and the miscellaneous charges came to $58/CDN (total for both passengers, not per person). While their miscellaneous charges are more reasonable, the price of the cruise just evens it out. :D

[Cotton]

BUT, Rizzo - your port charges will be figured in somewhere. Can't get around it. Maybe they went ahead and added the port charges to your cruise rate - and the $58 is your tax.:confused:

[RizzoLee]

Cotton-I do realize that, I just like seeing $58CDN, rather than $219US/pp. :D Not so much of a shock factor, lol.

 

It's interesting to be able to see how much the miscellaneous charges equal out to be though! That's a big chunk. :(

[cherylandtk]

Moral of the story: Always get your quote broken down into Fare + Port + Tax = Total. Tax and Port fees should always be the same numbers on quotes for the same cruise; if not, ask. Be sure you are comparing the Total charges before deciding which price is better.

 

Some online sites make you do the math. They initially show a "Fare" where that fare includes the port charges. But often the subsequent pages will show a different "fare" number, and they put the port + tax together as miscellaneous, or they list the port as "non-commissionable fees". You have to add/subtract to break it into individual Fare + Port + Tax.

[habby]

Moral of the story: Always get your quote broken down into Fare + Port + Tax = Total. Tax and Port fees should always be the same numbers on quotes for the same cruise; if not, ask. Be sure you are comparing the Total charges before deciding which price is better.

 

Some online sites make you do the math. They initially show a "Fare" where that fare includes the port charges. But often the subsequent pages will show a different "fare" number, and they put the port + tax together as miscellaneous, or they list the port as "non-commissionable fees". You have to add/subtract to break it into individual Fare + Port + Tax.

 

Which is why when we book a cruise, we always tell the TA or PVP to give us the total price including all taxes and port charges, and that the only other money we will need is for drinks and such.

[cruisevirgin06]

If you book directly with Carnival are all the taxes and port fees included in the final cost...or are you only paying for the cruise and the tax and port fees get added to your S&S card?

 

Erin

***************

Carnival Valor 2/06

[todb]

I paid $243.40 cdn pp for port charges. If you miss a port do they refund you any money.

[caprcorn28]

If you book directly with Carnival are all the taxes and port fees included in the final cost...or are you only paying for the cruise and the tax and port fees get added to your S&S card?

 

Erin

***************

Carnival Valor 2/06

 

The taxes and port fees are added to the cost of the cruise - you pay that all before you ever step foot on the ship to get your sail and sign card!!

 

(**WhooHoo** I just made Final Payment yesterday!!!)

[melika091900]

I paid $243.40 cdn pp for port charges. If you miss a port do they refund you any money.

nope :(

 

they might give you ship credit..depends on situation

we went on the conquest 1 week after hurricane Ivan 2004

and we skipped cayman islands since it was devistated..

and we got 25 $ per person ship credit,, whoppeeee dooo..

 

we are traveling on the NCL star in 2 weeks , and they dropped 2 ports. but added 2 more.... and we got 100 $ ship credit per stateroom..

so it depends on alot of things.. but you never get any money back.....

 

happy cruising

[Mgetta]

Two friends and I are hopefully cruising in March of 2007. I went to Carnival web site and found three to our likeing. Looking at the final price I noticed miscellaneous charges rangeing from $80 to $114. I assumed it was for taxes. I then went to Travelocity. There were no misc. charges and the taxes were listed and weren't that high. Just curious what those misc. charges are on the Carnival site?

 

 

I would never go by the Carnival web site for prices. It is terribly unfriendly to individuals who aren't travel agents. They don't show any of the discounts available such as over 55, military, resident, etc. Call a PVP and ask what is available, then ask for the full price including taxes. The port charges must be included in these prices by law, but the taxes, which run around $30, depending on cruise may not be.

[todb]

Ship board credit would be good as long as they gave you something.

[Cotton]

Huh?

[serene56]

Government taxes for a 7 day cruise will run us 58 bucks. this price is not on carnival pricing on their web page.

 

When booking with a place like traveloicty--expedia-- etc. please be aware that the prices may seem cheaper but add in the cost of taking your booking-- (usually 15-25 bucks per person) they also have a cancellation fee of 50.00 per person if you need to cancel before final payment.

 

You also want to ask an agent if they will give you a refund up til final payment at least..and what the cost is if you find a lower rate elsewhere.

(get it all in writing)

[Host Kat]

The taxes and port fees are added to the cost of the cruise - you pay that all before you ever step foot on the ship to get your sail and sign card!

 

And let's not forget the optional insurance, whether you get it through your cruise line, TA or on your own.

 

Kat

[GoinCruisin]

Huh?

 

My thoughts exactly Cotton! LOL!!!

[VegasGreen]

nope :(

 

they might give you ship credit..depends on situation

we went on the conquest 1 week after hurricane Ivan 2004

and we skipped cayman islands since it was devistated..

and we got 25 $ per person ship credit,, whoppeeee dooo..

 

we are traveling on the NCL star in 2 weeks , and they dropped 2 ports. but added 2 more.... and we got 100 $ ship credit per stateroom..

so it depends on alot of things.. but you never get any money back.....

 

happy cruising

 

Sooooo then, they DID give you something back. Most confusing post ever?

[VegasGreen]

all prices advertised by TA's should include port and not taxes. I don't believe it is even legal for prices to be advertised sans port charges anymore...

[melika091900]

Sooooo then, they DID give you something back. Most confusing post ever?

 

HOw is it confusing

the question he/she was asking ...

that if they pay whatever amount for PORT CHARGES

and they miss a port ,,, do they get money back????? ( for missing the port) and the answer is no... you get no money back that you paid for the port charges.....

read his/her question again and then read my response... i might have been tired when i typed it.. but i said it in plain english:D