Port Charge Reimbursement for Itinerary Change

[cruzincat50]

Our Pride cruise to Bermuda from Baltimore is being re-routed to the usual Bahamas itinerary of Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay, and Freeport. The taxes and Port charges for the Bermuda cruise amounted to ~$165. I checked the cruises just before or after the Bermuda cruise that is going to the three ports above and the charge was ~$126. That is a $39 dollar difference. Someone on another site not to be named said he was a TA and he found out they are reimbursing our Sail n Sign accounts with $20.01pp. Is Carnival pocketing the difference? We won't know for sure until we get on board and see what they actually reimbursed. Before I go nuts on someone at checkin, I would like to know if there might be a valid reason for the difference.

[c r u i s e]

Our Pride cruise to Bermuda from Baltimore is being re-routed to the usual Bahamas itinerary of Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay, and Freeport. The taxes and Port charges for the Bermuda cruise amounted to ~$165. I checked the cruises just before or after the Bermuda cruise that is going to the three ports above and the charge was ~$126. That is a $39 dollar difference. Someone on another site not to be named said he was a TA and he found out they are reimbursing our Sail n Sign accounts with $20.01pp. Is Carnival pocketing the difference? We won't know for sure until we get on board and see what they actually reimbursed. Before I go nuts on someone at checkin, I would like to know if there might be a valid reason for the difference.

 

Why would you "go nuts" on someone checking you in?

[kona_wahine]

I would check when on ship and see what is going on. Don’t freak out over $18. I’m sure carnival isn’t stealing anything from their passengers. As for going nuts on someone at check in, I’d just calm down a bit. It’s vacation and they are people, and not to be blamed.

[shof515]

port taxes and fees can change every day/week/whenever. carnival has no say in this. one week the port tax is 140, next week is 130, the following week is 125, etc. These fees is charged by the local port authority wherever the ship docks

 

 

if a refund is due, carnival will give you a onboard credit on your sail n sign card a day before or after the port stop

[WLHyatt]

The other bit of this that is a variable is the number of berths on the ship versus how many actually sail. If they plan port fees and taxes for fully loaded ships then the ship sails with less than maximum, they refund that onboard too. Most of our sailings have had some level of refund around $10 per person because the ship was not at full capacity, even with all the rooms sold out.

 

When they quote the taxes and fees when you book it is based on maximum berths.

[cruzincat50]

Why would you "go nuts" on someone checking you in?

I'm a pretty calm person dealing with these situations. By "going nuts", I just mean I would definitely have to ask for an explanation. Some people do go nuts. Going nuts for me is just enough to risk embarrassing myself, by asking a stupid question.

[ontheweb]

I'm a pretty calm person dealing with these situations. By "going nuts", I just mean I would definitely have to ask for an explanation. Some people do go nuts. Going nuts for me is just enough to risk embarrassing myself, by asking a stupid question.

 

Whatever person you "ask and go nuts" will not have any idea of why the difference and no power to make any changes. I hope you realize that.

[firefly333]

I would be more dissapointed to miss a great port i wanted more so than worrying about the port charge difference. I too find odd aounts of refund obc on my acct i never know what from.

 

wheever i get extra obc, im happy no matter how much, but id rather have the ports i booked usually. Doesnt do any good to ask imo, you cant find someone on the ship with the answer, it probably came from the acctg office in Miami.

[Daphne'sMom]

The other bit of this that is a variable is the number of berths on the ship versus how many actually sail. If they plan port fees and taxes for fully loaded ships then the ship sails with less than maximum, they refund that onboard too. Most of our sailings have had some level of refund around $10 per person because the ship was not at full capacity, even with all the rooms sold out.

 

When they quote the taxes and fees when you book it is based on maximum berths.

 

Thanks for the explanation Seems we always get a small refund in port fees but have never had our account charged extra. To me, if Carnival was charged more but didn't pass that on as an extra charge, it was surprising that they would pass on lower port fees in the form of a refund. I didn't lose sleep over it but did wonder every time the refund showed up on our cruise statements. It does make sense for Carnival to charge the higher amount and adjust the passenger accounts than have to eat the extra fees. Approx $10 per passenger x a few thousand passengers adds up.

[tidecat]

I think a cruise line is obligated to pass on a refund for port taxes. While they have the right to do the reverse, I imagine it’s generally avoided just because how it would look.

 

 

Sent from my eye phone using a three legged yak FFS

[kona_wahine]

I just read they are giving a 25% voucher for future cruise, and I believe its for your cruise..I don’tknow If this link will work, its from cruisefever dot net.

https://cruisefever.net/cruise-lines-offer-passengers-compensation-for-altered-itineraries/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=SocialWarfare

[Bookbug53]

Our Pride cruise to Bermuda from Baltimore is being re-routed to the usual Bahamas itinerary of Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay, and Freeport. The taxes and Port charges for the Bermuda cruise amounted to ~$165. I checked the cruises just before or after the Bermuda cruise that is going to the three ports above and the charge was ~$126. That is a $39 dollar difference. Someone on another site not to be named said he was a TA and he found out they are reimbursing our Sail n Sign accounts with $20.01pp. Is Carnival pocketing the difference? We won't know for sure until we get on board and see what they actually reimbursed. Before I go nuts on someone at checkin, I would like to know if there might be a valid reason for the difference.

 

The people at check in are not Carnival employees. They work for the port.

 

Why don't you 'go nuts' and call Carnival.

[shof515]

They work for the port.

Yes. Depending on the port, a popular port operator is Ports America (https://www.portsamerica.com/) . They provide all of the workers for checkin, luggage handling and other things

[13cheermom]

I just read they are giving a 25% voucher for future cruise, and I believe its for your cruise..I don’tknow If this link will work, its from cruisefever dot net.

https://cruisefever.net/cruise-lines-offer-passengers-compensation-for-altered-itineraries/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=SocialWarfare

 

We also received a voucher just like this for a Bermuda cruise that was rerouted in 2015 due to a hurricane. We ended up on an eastern caribbean itinerary and had a great time, but of course was disappointed to miss Bermuda. The Bermuda cruises are pricey and don't really compare to the normal caribbean route prices. We will attempt to go again next year out of Charleston, of course it's during hurricane season once again, lol. Hope the OP has a great cruises regardless, seems like storms are really kicking into full force this next week. :eek:

[kona_wahine]

Why are Bermuda cruises only offered during hurricane season? Is it because it’s so far north?

[Luckiestmanonearth]

I am planning sometime in the future to take this cruise, solely for the destination. I would be upset if this happened to me but not sure what one small person could do against such a super powerful company like Carnival. Hopefully they are sympathetic and have a “customer first” instead of “profits first” type of mentality

 

 

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[shof515]

Why are Bermuda cruises only offered during hurricane season? Is it because it’s so far north?

It is the only time Carnival has berth space in Bermuda to dock the ship.

 

From end of April to September, other cruise lines have berthing rights in Bermuda.

 

Bermuda only has space to dock 2 ships at the same time

[Luckiestmanonearth]

It is the only time Carnival has berth space in Bermuda to dock the ship.

 

From end of April to September, other cruise lines have berthing rights in Bermuda.

 

Bermuda only has space to dock 2 ships at the same time

 

 

 

So between April and September, when is the right time to Cruise to Bermuda ?

 

 

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[salty dingo]

Our port charges decreased by about $22 - we had no idea, but a credit appeared on our statement at the end of the cruise, when they slipped it under the door. We only charged around $7 on the account, so Carnival mailed us a check for over $14. It took about a week to arrive after the cruise.

 

They tell you on the ship that if the refund amount is $10 or less, they just donate it to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, unless you request a refund.

[shof515]

So between April and September, when is the right time to Cruise to Bermuda ?

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

May or early June is good for me. I went twice during this timeframe and had good weather

[kona_wahine]

It is the only time Carnival has berth space in Bermuda to dock the ship.

 

From end of April to September, other cruise lines have berthing rights in Bermuda.

 

Bermuda only has space to dock 2 ships at the same time

Ah, gotcha. Thank you!

[pacruise804]

Why are Bermuda cruises only offered during hurricane season? Is it because it’s so far north?

 

So between April and September, when is the right time to Cruise to Bermuda ?

 

 

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It depends on what you want from Bermuda and (if being in the water is part of it) how cold of water you can tolerate. I see a lot of complaints about Bahamas being too cold since they are in the Atlantic vs. Caribbean. Bermuda would be even cooler.

 

I've know people who went in June and really enjoyed it but did find the water a little cool even then. Friends went this July and found it great, but costs are likely higher in the summer months so there's always a trade off.

 

If you don't care about going in the water or are traveling with a diving suit to help keep warm, April or May would likely be good.

[Cruiseman38]

The people at check in are not Carnival employees. They work for the port.

 

This^^^^^^^^^^

[Liljo22]

So between April and September, when is the right time to Cruise to Bermuda ?

 

 

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If you are looking to avoid a hurricane completely, April and May is not in hurricane season. June and July are usually pretty quite also. August and September are when the season really picks up.