Refund for Missed Port?

[petesweet]

The Explorer was unable to dock in Saint John recently because of fog. I asked at the information desk whether they refunded port charges in such a case and was told no. I'm satisfied with that answer. HOWEVER, . . .

 

I'm reading on another post that ships do give refunds for port charges when a ship does not dock. This has happened to me twice. What experience have others had? If this happens in the future, should I inquire again?

[seawyllow]

The Explorer was unable to dock in Saint John recently because of fog. I asked at the information desk whether they refunded port charges in such a case and was told no. I'm satisfied with that answer. HOWEVER, . . .

 

I'm reading on another post that ships do give refunds for port charges when a ship does not dock. This has happened to me twice. What experience have others had? If this happens in the future, should I inquire again?

 

If anyone got any kind of refund for a missed port, it was due to the kindness of the cruise line. They are under no obligation whatsoever to even keep the itinerary that you booked for. It is in the cruise contract that it is entirely up to their discreton.

 

However, for major disruptions, like going to NE instead of the caribbean, they will usually give a future cruise credit or such to maintain good will with their clients.

 

You are entitled to a refund of port charges when you do not dock there. Where did you dock? or did you just have a day at sea? If you docked elsewhere, then the fees went there, but if you had a sea day, you should get a refund.

[DonnaK]

The OP wasn't looking for an additional refund, just reimbursement of the port charges for the port they didn't use.

 

In my experience, the port charge should be refunded if you didn't go to the port, unless another port was substituted because the charge would have then gone to the replacement port.

 

I would call RCI and ask. And if you don't get a satisfactory response, politely hang up and call back to ask a different agent.

[petesweet]

We had a day at sea.

 

Let me emphasize that I'm perfectly content. No problems here. Just curious in view of what people are writing on the other board. Perhaps the person at the desk was unaware of the policy. (That wouldn't be the first time, would it?:) )

[BTfan]

That was my impression. Since the port charge is essentially a government tax, they are obligated to refund it (not sure if they do shipboard credit or a refund) IF a substitution wasn't made

[dachshunddoglover]

I have missed tons of ports and NEVER gotten a refund. I don't think RCI does that in my experience.

 

My personal opinion is that they should refund your port taxes and fees if you missed a port and nothing was substituted but my expereince with RCI is that they do not refund anything.

 

E-Beth

[PH8]

I have missed a port or two and never got the fees refunded.......the most we ever had was free bloody marys and screwdrivers for 2 hours....that was it......

[kwbrad]

In August on the Rhapsody we missed Costa Maya due to winds... literally got up to the dock, tried to tie down for a while, then the Captain came on the speaker system and said it was just too rough to dock and the forcast was for it to get worse. So we had an extra sea day, and 4 extra hours in progresso. Several people I spoke with tried to get their port charges refunded, both while on the ship and once they got home. Everyone was told no.

 

Just my personal experience.

[Aubiecruiser]

I've been on a couple of cruises where we missed a port, no refund or compensation was offer and when asked the answer was a flat no.

RCI just doesn't give refunds for missed ports.

Aubie

[PH8]

Just curious.............do you think we pay port fees for CocoCay?? Maybe not cuz its a RCCL port and they dont have to pay:confused: :confused: Or maybe yes, so they can charge us for everything they can?:p

[Mark_K]

The Explorer was unable to dock in Saint John recently because of fog. I asked at the information desk whether they refunded port charges in such a case and was told no. I'm satisfied with that answer. HOWEVER, . . .

 

I'm reading on another post that ships do give refunds for port charges when a ship does not dock. This has happened to me twice. What experience have others had? If this happens in the future, should I inquire again?

Some years ago Royal Caribbean got hit with a big class action lawsuit related to port charges. Since then, port charges have disappeared as a separate category on their official listings of prices. Their stance is pretty much that you paid for a cruise, with no guarantees of which, if any, ports you will visit. And not that you paid them for the cruise - and paid separately for port charges.

[FL_Cruiser64]

Cruiselines do not have to give anything back if there is an itinerary change for weather reasons. They have the right to change the itinerary without notice. It is in the cruise documents.

 

Having said that, I know that RCI is more than willing usually to reimburse or give a little back for certain inconviniences. If RCI gives a little back be happy. If not, than they enforce the terms every cruiser agrees to by taking a cruise.

[firefly333]

We missed Coco Cay and no money was offered. We sailed right on past before they told us.

 

Lots were dissapointed. One little girl had been promised souveneirs I felt bad for. But we were not offered a thing other than a full day at sea.

[firefly333]

Just curious.............do you think we pay port fees for CocoCay?? Maybe not cuz its a RCCL port and they dont have to pay:confused: :confused: Or maybe yes, so they can charge us for everything they can?:p

 

Yes, its the Bahamas and they do charge a port fee of approx $50. There is a certain site that lists port charges and fees separate. It comes to $132 for the SOV for those two ports and taxes.

 

SOVEREIGN OF THE SEAS

**2007/2008/2009**

4-Night Bahamas Cruise including Cococay

 

Taxes/Service Charges: $132 additional per person

 

 

 

PS here is the taxes and port charges for the 3 day

 

Tax and service charges are an additional +$124.00 per person.

[lucy2222]

We've been refunded the port charges before, but this wasn't on RCCL.

[lucy2222]

We've been refunded the port charges before, but this wasn't on RCCL.

[cruiseco]

Port charges? What port charges? RCI doesn't charge you for port charges so why should trhey refund something you weren't charged for to begin with?

 

As a previous poster noted, this is the result of a lawsuit. RCI cannot charge a separate "port charge" anymore. If they were to designate a portion of your fare as a "port charge" subject to refund if the port is missed they are in violation of the settlement of the suit and subject to more litigation and more penalties.

[petesweet]

Some years ago Royal Caribbean got hit with a big class action lawsuit related to port charges. Since then, port charges have disappeared as a separate category on their official listings of prices. Their stance is pretty much that you paid for a cruise, with no guarantees of which, if any, ports you will visit. And not that you paid them for the cruise - and paid separately for port charges.

 

That certainly makes sense. Anyway, it's not worth missing any sleep over. I just wondered so I would know what to expect on future cruises. We do like to cruise a lot.

[DonnaK]

I hadn't noticed until I read this thread that RCI no longer lists port charges separately as an add-on-fee. I just looked at my invoices for my last two cruises to confirm this!

 

If they aren't charging you, then they shouldn't reimburse you, even though the port tax is probably incorporated into the base cruise fare now.

[Mark_K]

I hadn't noticed until I read this thread that RCI no longer lists port charges separately as an add-on-fee. I just looked at my invoices for my last two cruises to confirm this!

 

If they aren't charging you, then they shouldn't reimburse you, even though the port tax is probably incorporated into the base cruise fare now.

Just to clarify, it's not a tax, it's a fee paid for use of services. Like when you go to your local state park, you may pay an entrance fee to use the park and its services.

[6MonthsHere6MonthsThere]

We had to miss out Bermuda on a Transatlantic earlier this year on the Navigator but stopped at the Azores instead a couple of days later. Towards the end of the crossing had approx $29 per person taken off our Seapass account, when discussing this at dinner later that evening fellow tablemates stated they had the same refund and went to Guest Relations and asked what the refund was for and was told "It was a refund for the PORT TAXES from Bermuda" as we were not able to dock there. Didn't even have to ask for it, was just refunded.

[jzerocsk]

How I love class action lawsuits...a bunch of lawyers collect oodles of money, the class gets some token award ("50 cents off your next 3 day cruise itinerary which must include stops in Havasu City, Shanghai, Minsk and Timbuktu!) and the defendant admits no wrongdoing.

 

I'm sure the intent of the lawsuit was to get RCCL to refund port charges to customers, NOT to have RCCL simply stop listing the port charges as a line-item on the biill.

[firefly333]

We had to miss out Bermuda on a Transatlantic earlier this year on the Navigator but stopped at the Azores instead a couple of days later. Towards the end of the crossing had approx $29 per person taken off our Seapass account, when discussing this at dinner later that evening fellow tablemates stated they had the same refund and went to Guest Relations and asked what the refund was for and was told "It was a refund for the PORT TAXES from Bermuda" as we were not able to dock there. Didn't even have to ask for it, was just refunded.

 

Except that port charges are not that low. There are no ports I know of as cheap as $29, so whoever told you it "was related to port charges" either just was giving you the answer you wanted to hear or didnt mean it covered the entire port charge or both.

[DonnaK]

Just to clarify, it's not a tax, it's a fee paid for use of services. Like when you go to your local state park, you may pay an entrance fee to use the park and its services.

 

 

Yes, you're right - I mistyped!

[DonnaK]

Except that port charges are not that low. There are no ports I know of as cheap as $29, so whoever told you it "was related to port charges" either just was giving you the answer you wanted to hear or didnt mean it covered the entire port charge or both.

 

Are you sure? I may be wrong, or just very outdated, but I seem to remember when it used to be listed as a line item that it was around $100 for the whole cruise (3-4 ports)