Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

As of July 1, 2024 Princess Pricing to Include Taxes, Fees and Port Charges

Lady Arwen

By Lady Arwen,
in Princess Cruises

 Share

Recommended Posts

TRLD

TRLD

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, MacMadame said:

I'm surprised restaurants were included. I never compare the prices at two restaurants like I do cruises. I mean if I'm in the mode for Indian, I'm not going to go to an Italian restaurant because one is selling ice tea for 50 cents less.

In CA you had the practice spring up a few years ago of some restaurants adding a percentage (often 3 to 5%) mandatory charge to the bill, often not disclosed, or in small print at the bottom of the menu. In some cases it was 20% and replaced tipping, but usually in the 3 to 5 percent range.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
RNRcruisers

RNRcruisers

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, TRLD said:

In CA you had the practice spring up a few years ago of some restaurants adding a percentage (often 3 to 5%) mandatory charge to the bill, often not disclosed, or in small print at the bottom of the menu. In some cases it was 20% and replaced tipping, but usually in the 3 to 5 percent range.

 

We just had that happen this weekend in a restaurant here in Michigan! They added 3% and when I asked about it they said it is to offset credit card fees. It was not stated anywhere except on the final bill.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
startedwithamouse "Live from...." Rare

startedwithamouse

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, RNRcruisers said:

 

We just had that happen this weekend in a restaurant here in Michigan! They added 3% and when I asked about it they said it is to offset credit card fees. It was not stated anywhere except on the final bill.

Lots of businesses do this.

 

Even the department of motor vehicles (DMV) does this when paying with a credit card.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
TRLD

TRLD

Posted
Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, RNRcruisers said:

 

We just had that happen this weekend in a restaurant here in Michigan! They added 3% and when I asked about it they said it is to offset credit card fees. It was not stated anywhere except on the final bill.

Did they only apply the charge to credit card purchases? or did they charge it to everyone?

 

It is legal in most states to charge more for CC processing fees since the federal law preventing it expired. But in that case they still should disclose it in advance. In Michigan any business that has a cc surcharge is supposed to post that fact at the entrance and to notify customers at the point of sale. When you hand them a CC they should have told you about the CC surcharge.

 

In CA they charged everyone CC or cash. Usually they would give some reason like for employee Healthcare or some other reason.

 

Since it is a service charge it is considered to be income to the business and can be used for anything.

Edited by TRLD
Link to comment
Share on other sites
PrincessLuver

PrincessLuver

Posted
Posted

Almost all businesses we deal with do not charge for a credit card swipe fee where we live and if they did we would not patronize them.  If they do or did, the law is they can only charge what the credit card company charges the business for the swipe fee.  It sounds like some businesses in some states are just gouging the customer and the state is not enforcing consumer laws.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MacMadame

MacMadame

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, TRLD said:

In CA you had the practice spring up a few years ago of some restaurants adding a percentage (often 3 to 5%) mandatory charge to the bill, often not disclosed, or in small print at the bottom of the menu. In some cases it was 20% and replaced tipping, but usually in the 3 to 5 percent range.

I've seen reports of all different percentages with all different reasons for them. I find it bogus.

 

1 hour ago, startedwithamouse said:

California they do. 

Is this something new? They didn't when I renewed my license a few years ago.

 

My (now ex)vet charged 3.9% if you used a credit card.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
SCX22

SCX22

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, startedwithamouse said:

Even the department of motor vehicles (DMV) does this when paying with a credit card.

 

That's a little different.  The DMV is government agency and their budgets come from tax dollars.  If you don't pay for the CC fee, that will boil down to the tax payer.  Same with paying property taxes with a credit card.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
SCX22

SCX22

Posted
Posted
9 hours ago, TRLD said:

In CA you had the practice spring up a few years ago of some restaurants adding a percentage (often 3 to 5%) mandatory charge to the bill, often not disclosed, or in small print at the bottom of the menu. In some cases it was 20% and replaced tipping, but usually in the 3 to 5 percent range.

 

San Francisco, not sure about other cities in California, passed a mandate that restaurants had to provide health benefits to their employees.  To offset the cost of this, many businesses added an extra surcharge (note the terminology, not a tip because it can't be removed from the bill) to offset the costs.

 

Here's an article how the debate over restaurant surcharges and the new California junk fee ban could affect restaurant workers.

 

https://sfstandard.com/2024/06/24/service-fee-restaurants-san-francisco/

Link to comment
Share on other sites
TRLD

TRLD

Posted
Posted (edited)
38 minutes ago, SCX22 said:

 

San Francisco, not sure about other cities in California, passed a mandate that restaurants had to provide health benefits to their employees.  To offset the cost of this, many businesses added an extra surcharge (note the terminology, not a tip because it can't be removed from the bill) to offset the costs.

 

Here's an article how the debate over restaurant surcharges and the new California junk fee ban could affect restaurant workers.

 

https://sfstandard.com/2024/06/24/service-fee-restaurants-san-francisco/

I have seen it all over the map. Cannot say about SF since I have not eaten at a restaurant within the city limits. I have seen worker Healthcare, worker retirement, worker security, CA minimum wage increase, etc.

 

Some with statements on their menus, many without. I very much disagree with a restaurant passing on expenses via a service charge and not including it in their prices, especially if it is not disclosed.

 

With or without the rule restaurants are failing at a very high rate in CA. More so in SF from all of the reports I have seen.

 

The Healthcare requirement, as with the recent minimum wage in fast food restaurants has resulted in a fairly large number of industry job losses. Though the fast food minimum wage law has had more impact as far as job losses. App and Kiosk companies are doing a booming business as a result.  

 

The hotel zone around LAX has also been given some unique employee requirements.

 

 

 

Edited by TRLD
Link to comment
Share on other sites
carnabombers

carnabombers

Posted
Posted
8 hours ago, RNRcruisers said:

 

We just had that happen this weekend in a restaurant here in Michigan! They added 3% and when I asked about it they said it is to offset credit card fees. It was not stated anywhere except on the final bill.

3% is a rip off. I would ask to see their card or visa or Amex statement to prove that they are paying 3%

Anywsy, this thread should be about cruise fares. 

  • Like 1
  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
startedwithamouse "Live from...." Rare

startedwithamouse

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, SCX22 said:

 

That's a little different.  The DMV is government agency and their budgets come from tax dollars.  If you don't pay for the CC fee, that will boil down to the tax payer.  Same with paying property taxes with a credit card.

A lot of states there's no fee. CA there is. CA also has some of the highest registration fees in the nation which could clearly offset a fee. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
startedwithamouse "Live from...." Rare

startedwithamouse

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, MacMadame said:

I've seen reports of all different percentages with all different reasons for them. I find it bogus.

 

Is this something new? They didn't when I renewed my license a few years ago.

 

My (now ex)vet charged 3.9% if you used a credit card.

It's been this way for the entire time they've accepted credit cards for registration. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
SCX22

SCX22

Posted
Posted
Just now, startedwithamouse said:

A lot of states there's no fee.

 

I would take offense to that if I didn't own property (which a lot don't in CA), for example, and my payroll/sales taxes were used to fund the CC fees of paying property taxes with a CC.  Or as someone who didn't own a car, but my personal taxes were subsidizing the CC fees of those who owned a car and using a CC to register their car.

 

2 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

CA also has some of the highest registration fees in the nation which could clearly offset a fee. 

 

I think you're missing the point.  If the DMW (or any other government agency) is using part of the registration fee to cover CC fees, then the the DMV is not allocating enough to what the taxes are covering.  The DMV doesn't operate for profit, in the sense of the corporation.  They are basically tax collectors for the State of California, so every cent is (supposed to be) earmarked. 

 

Another, example would be if the DMV were to add the 3% CC fee into everyone's registration.  The accounting wouldn't balance because those paying by cash/check/money order would be paying the CC fee, but the DMV wouldn't be paying the CC to a CC bank because a CC wasn't used.  How would the surplus be accounted for?  The accounting wouldn't balance.  They aren't a for-profit where the surplus can be considered a profit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
SCX22

SCX22

Posted
Posted
27 minutes ago, carnabombers said:

3% is a rip off. I would ask to see their card or visa or Amex statement to prove that they are paying 3%

 

In Australia (and New Zealand), businesses can legally recoup the CC by adding it to the consumer's total.  It adds 1.5% to 2.5% to the total.  Cash total is always cheaper in Australia (and NZ).  Princess has a disclosure on cruises that use AUD as onboard currency that folio's settled with a credit card will incur a 1.5% fee.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
SCX22

SCX22

Posted
Posted
32 minutes ago, MacMadame said:

The various fees that the DMV collects are not to offset a direct cost. The fees are arbitrary -- I mean it doesn't cost less to do the "paperwork" for an older car but as the car gets older, the registration fee goes down. 

 

4 hours ago, startedwithamouse said:

Funniest thing I've read all day. If you believe that...

 

That's why in the eyes of economists, the DMV is the tax agency for motorists.  It taxes at a diminishing tax rate because the value of a car diminishes as it ages.  Having said that, once the tax rate is calculated, a percentage of the tax is earmarked for various departments and projects.

 

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv-research-reports/department-of-motor-vehicles-dmv-performance-reports/where-did-your-2018-fees-go/

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • ANNOUNCEMENT: Set Sail on Sun Princess®
      • Hurricane Zone 2024
      • Cruise Insurance Q&A w/ Steve Dasseos of Tripinsurancestore.com June 2024
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...