Cruise tax drop to half, a year to departure date, Where is the price different go to?

[Misternia]

Hi, all

 

We early booked European cruise for December 2024 on MSC Europa for 2 adults and 2 kids. Cruise tax when we booked back from September 2023 was $140 pp.  Now we looked back and found out all tax in the same cruise even in any different date of departure, the tax drop down to $70-$80 pp.  It could save us more over $250 if we can get the same tax.

 

We called our agency, explain everything and they see it. They called MSC for us, the answer from MSC was they cannot do anything to adjust the total price!!! 

We just paid deposit $400, but still have balance and we feel really unfair that booked early, but need to pay more on price

 

Can some one explain how the cruise tax work?

Is it go up and down as same as cruise fare?

 

Thank you

 

PS. I have show photo of my receipt, photo of today booking from MSC site and from Agency site

[Até]

It looks like the cabin rate hasn't changed, just the taxes/port fees.

 

ETA: Actually I looked closer and it looks like they have increased the cabin rate and decreased the taxes. So what I wrote first doesn't really apply.  It's become annoyingly common with MSC but you are unlikely to get the lower cabin rate plus the lower taxes.

Edited December 27, 2023 by Até

[sfaaa]

Simple solution. Cancel existing booking and rebook online at lower tax.

[JT1962]

From my experience with MSC, the taxes / port charges are an estimate at the time of booking and final payment. On three of my cruises, the actual taxes / port charges were lower than estimated by the time of the cruise and I received a refund to my original form of payment once the cruise sailed. 

[Misternia]

Ate',  Thank you. Our agent try to help contact MSC, but MSC said cannot do anything to adjust this booking.

 

sfaaa, Thank you. We think about that, but new booking the cruise fare already went up, so finally total price come out not that different. But still annoying since we notice about this tax.

 

JT1962, Thank you for explanation about tax. "I received a refund to my original form of payment"

MSC told our agency that cannot do anything to adjust.  Any recommend from you how to get that refund?

 

[JT1962]

1 hour ago, Misternia said:

 

 

JT1962, Thank you for explanation about tax. "I received a refund to my original form of payment"

MSC told our agency that cannot do anything to adjust.  Any recommend from you how to get that refund?

 

I did not need to do anything. MSC refunded the difference to my credit card once I boarded the cruise.

[brucevr6]

When I booked my upcoming cruise 10 months in advance, the taxes and fees were $300 per person. About a week after booking, the cabin per person rates hadn’t changed, but the taxes and fees dropped to $180 per person…a savings of $360. I called my TA, she called MSC. Canceled the original booking, paid another deposit and rebooked…all without a problem and maybe 20 minutes on the phone. Got my original deposit refunded in about two weeks.