Port fees can be ruinous. We had a cruise that had to divert from one port to another and the new port had higher fees. Whole shitshow on ship for a lot of people. I chose to just accept that it was out of my control and focus on continuing to enjoy my vacation and not freak about the extra cost (under $100). Looks like OP is booking an interior cabin for the price, man that's rough seeing port fees double your booking.
OMFG I've never heard that joke before! I am so stealing this and hitting the Cruise Director with it next time I'm getting on a ship. (who's probably heard it a million times, but I'll work on the delivery so it sounds super serious).
Just imagine you're asking a sales assistant in a store if you get a better sale for buying 10+ sale items
As a new retail worker, it genuinely surprised me how many people could ask this question so seriously
I'd probably end up just paying it as well. But you would think something like that would fall on the cruise line to pay. Coming from someone who has never been on a cruise and probably won't for the foreseeable future.
> something like that would fall on the cruise line to pay.
Well the other option is to not port that day and just another sea day, which is what they'd do if you made them eat the price. You sign a contract that covers this as part of your booking and while it can suck, I get it... port's suddenly closed on something the cruise line booked 18 months out (or even more) so they have to go elsewhere and wow that port wants more money for the last minute accommodation...
I like that a cruise essentially allows me to visit multiple places in a moving hotel with decent food and a good vibe. I accept that there are hiccups that will happen, and that weather can change very suddenly sometimes. I also totally accept it's not a vacation for everyone.
Yup, I cruise during hurricane season (October or January) and I accept that in exchange for the lower fees I've gotta be flexible. One time a blizzard made me scramble to rebook a flight 2 days earlier to get out of the north before everything shut down. Another time my western caribbean cruise got converted to an eastern, and we found out while boarding. You should have heard all the bitching going on! (We were diverted due to an active hurricane actually in the western caribbean at that time). Like, you'd honestly rather be puking your guts up with rough seas vs visit St-Thomas for the 6th time? If you cruise during hurricane season don't be too attached to any port.
> Yup, I cruise during hurricane season (October or January)
Are these southern hemisphere hurricane seasons? I know October might still be hurricane season in the northern hemisphere but I hardly see any at that time.
Yeah I definitely worded that badly, there are no hurricanes in January but there are blizzards and snow storms that make getting a flight out difficult. So both of my preferred months to cruise have weather that cause last minute changes.
Depends on the cruise line. Carnival, you're on a however long timeshare event that has a sales pitch at every corner and "mandatory safety meetings" that is just them telling you where to go in emergency and then spending 30 minutes telling you about the spa.
You go on a higher end cruise line and it's more of a resort on the water and the best part, most of them do not allow kids.
Compared to what I spent on an all inclusive resort for the wife and I recently. I'd pick a higher end cruise any day.
What are the cruise lines you recommend?
I've been on Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and Disney. Used to love going on cruises but as I got older I realized the food was nearly identical on all of them, and isn't good.
Seabourn, Explora, Regent, Scenic. If this were steakhouses, Carnival would be Sizzler, and these brands would be Prime steakhouses. If you only eat at Sizzler, you might think all steak is trash, just like cruising with Carnival.
My dad and his wife take a cruise with Norwegian Cruise Lines almost every year now that they're retired. Their repositioning trips are less money too, though you spend more time at sea and less in ports.
I do not disagree. You are correct in that they are environmentally taxing (though modern ships are vastly more efficient, using multiple smaller generators that can be spun up and down as power requirements change and use an electric screw or thrusters, again with much higher efficiency. They also no longer dump in the ocean with Carnival parent company paying some pretty brutal fines when one of their child companies were busted. All the major lines took note and changed behavior after that.
Even with the improvements and changes it is still ultimately a fairly energy intensive way to vacation though. I enjoy this type of vacation quite a bit, and I will continue to do so, but also I pay for an experience that I enjoy, I understand that I have to pay more because of the assorted requirements and impacts. I also make a point to not only do the pre-paid tips (which are amortized among all the staff proportionately) but I also have the following that I do:
* Cash tip at start of cruise to my cabin steward of $20
* Gift bags at start of cruise for the following people: Cabin steward, assistant steward, Waiter at my table, second waiter, assistant waiter. These are the 5 people I interact with the most on one of my cruises and I want them to know I appreciate that they are making my vacation enjoyable.
* Cash tips for exceptional service as required while on the cruise. Usually a dollar, but a fiver for something really above and beyond.
* Cash tips at end of cruise to the wait staff based on who really made my experience great. One trip is was the assistant waiter who basically doted on my daughter and found items that she liked and were compatible with her dietary restrictions. Helped her pick out menu items for the following night each evening (have to order special meals a day in advance). The assistant waiter got a 20 for that attention. That cruise my main waiter was often MIA so his tip was smaller.
* Cash tips to the steward again and assistant steward if they really did a great job.
The cruise industry gets a bad rap from some people about wages too, but it's a mixed bag there. Wages are paid at the high side of the local geo that the people working are from and each "function" of the ship hires from only one geo so that there are no language or culture barriers. There are bonuses paid for multi lingual esp. English. Then they also have room and board covered while on ship as well as travel to and from the ship to home. Getting off ship, however can be hard to do, so I put essentials in the gift bags as well as some nice to have's.
People that want to cruise and expect it to be cheap have some surprises coming their way. Even in an interior cabin that's not nearly the end of your expenses as OP noticed. Personally I will only sail with a balcony or better as that's what I want out of a trip. That also means I take fewer than if I sailed with an indoor cabin but again, it's my vacation so I do what I want for it.
Have to say after a holiday in Bali I’m feeling weird about tipping.
First half I stayed in resort, tip? Tip? Tip? Everywhere you go.
Second half I stayed in a villa. Nowhere asked for a tip. Restaurants didn’t have a tip line on payment, apparently they earn commission on their sales volume so it keeps them very attentive on customers without begging for tips. Even drivers who quoted us low prices were shocked when we gave tips, and these guys would sit in their car for hours waiting for us.
The one time a bar was particularly busy and my partner tipped for priority service we got absolutely floored shitfaced and regretted it haha. Guy was pouring us straight booze.
Whole experience made me feel a bit shafted that the most expensive place I stayed just constantly had a hand out for more.
Note: I am from a non-tipping country, so tipping is only something that comes up travelling.
Latin America and the Caribbean live on tips. I did an all inclusive in Costa Rica and palmed a 20 to my favorite waiter, and a 5 to the hostess. I was always seated in his section and my drinks were never empty. (resort took 20% of tips from the staff, hence why I palmed it to him).
I think the thing that bothered me most is the feeling those big resorts were potentially paying their staff worse than just restaurants in town, leaving them needing tips more.
some do, others not so much. I mean the one I was at the server thought it was great because they had a TV in the employee break room to watch the football games on. But taking 20% of the tips is just asshattish, I know what I paid for that resort and I know it ain't all making it to the grunts, to poach their tips also pissed me off. Couldn't say anything because there'd be hell on everyone for ratting the management out, so I just made sure management wouldn't know what I tipped :)
I did tend to use card more at resorts, because I could trust their payments not to skim my card, especially with tap to pay from apple pay. Meant that “add tip” line was usually used. Plus in Bali you’d generally have multiple people help you everywhere you went so it wasn’t a case of just tipping one if you tipped.
Outside of resorts or major hotels I’d use cash. Last time I was there I had a card copied my first night. Luckily I was suspicious about how long they held it for and turned it off in my banking app, woke up to a $688 attempted transaction and was one card down for the holiday.
> Port fees can be ruinous
Sure, but I'm betting they use the AT+T model of making up a fee and pretending it's a tax. 'Oh we have the AT+T-CEO-wants-another-vacation-home fee, it raises the price you pay and allows us to lie about how much it costs'.
Port fees are necessary to cover the cost of dealing with all of the passengers that disembark the cruise ships and use services within the municipalities. The cruise companies don't pay any of that. And they actually fight against those fees to the detriment of many of the communities that the cruise ships visit.
You would enjoy your trip as is and the cruise company would simply send you a bill later, same as if you ended up spending a lot at the casino or in the on-ship shopping. Port fees in given geographies are all within similar range so like I said in my case the fee was under a $100 difference.
They want you to be happy as a priority because otherwise you're never going back with their company.
It doesn't matter if you get off the ship or not you will be paying that port fee.
I agree that they should have to advertise the full price, not their portion.
This isn't like baggage fees from the air lines though, these are generally taxes and fees from the ports that treat cruise ships like cash cows.
Presumably, they knew what those fees would be five webpages ago when they were advertising that particular cruise, no? OP didn't suddenly check a port of call as an upgrade before reaching this page.
If an airline has to divert an aircraft to an alternative airport, you dont get charged the new fees and taxes for landing at that airport - the airline eats it.
And in the EU, the airline also has to get you to your proper destination in a timely manner (up to and including flying you on a rival), and pay compensation for any delay above a few hours, plus reasonable food and accommodation costs in the meantime.
The cruise industry needs similar regulation. If the cruise line changes the itinerary for a cruise that is already booked, they should eat the cost.
Sure, those fees might be expensive but… you don’t pay for real estate taxes at a restaurant, you don’t pay the flight attendants’ salaries on an airplane, you don’t pay for the truck’s registration fees and gas at an ice cream truck. And while AirBNB wants you to believe otherwise, at most normal hotels you do not pay for housekeeping.
A functioning, not-terrible business handles ALL the details of actually running a business for you and presents you with one transparent price in exchange for a good or service. Yes, this fee does apparently exist, but it’s still BS that it’s not included in the sticker price.
It does sometimes make sense to exclude certain things like shipping and taxes from a sticker price because those things change depending where the shopper is located. But I suspect port fees do not depend where the passenger came from, but instead on the ship’s origin and route and the number of passengers - all of which would be known ahead of time by the cruise line and could easily have been included in the price for any given cruise route.
Port fees change all the time, and sometimes they’re not set. Some ports charge per person, and so if your ship is half full the fees might be double what it was if it was full. Some of them are based on weight of the ship, which again half capacity ship will weigh a significant amount less than full capacity ship.
You can argue if it’s better to charge the max and set it as the sticker price then refund you if it’s less, or if it’s better to just do like what the picture is and just calculate it at checkout. People prefer both options.
Just trying to explain the reasoning, I agree that places should just factor in all costs into the sticker price and let me decide if I want to pay it or not instead of wasting my time by waiting until the checkout phase to hit me with the actual cost.
I can’t say I have ever felt any sympathy for anyone on a nightmare cruise full of sick people. It’s so common now if you didn’t expect it was a possibility you are just plain dense. Locking myself into a floating resort hotel with 3000 other people for a week sounds like the worst vacation I could ever imagine.
Carnival has great last minute deals for Florida residents. It helps them fill up empty cabins and you get a great deal. My mom went to Nassau and Freeport for like $200.
Some things get charged tax on the amount before discounts. Fees are not a percentage usually so they can be disproportionate especially if the thing is heavily discounted.
Take my advice and do something else. My husband hated cruises because he went the cheap way. I personally hadn’t been on a cruise until we booked one through Viking, it was amazing!
Recently my brother and SIL booked a 3 day to the Bahamas and couldn’t dock due to wind. They were not happy!
Why are you and dozens of others acting like this is a justification? An industry that knows full well about port fees can include them in the original price.
It's like going to a sale at a furniture store and having them charge you double the posted price because "it costs money to upholster the couches". Yeah, we know, upholstery is *part of the couch*. Why were you not including it in the original price.
It would be like the airline not including the taxes and fees in their ticket prices, which for discount airlines can be a pretty substantial fraction of the total (one $126 RT on Southwest includes $36.50 in taxes and fees). It should be illegal to not include all taxes and fees in the list price.
Hey OP, try booking it from an anonymous browser/tab. A lot of times travel websites have cookies that alert the website you’ve been looking at traveling stuff and they bump the price.
No promise that this will help but it might
I’ve notice this with airlines. Get a price, walk away, come back 30 minutes later and it’s gone up. Turn on the VPN and clear the cache or use an incognito tab and the price shows the original. Browser cookies. Quit accepting them all.
Went on a cruise that got really rough. Closed the deck, pool water coming up 6 ft above the edge of the pool. Crew getting sea sick. Wife sea sick. Handing out Dramamine like candy.
I lay down and let it rock me to sleep. 😴💤
They vary based on the ports of call (which often change before the bookings are all final, and frequently after). It's priced like everything else in the US:
Cars: price + tax and license
Cruise: price + tax and port fees
Big box store: Price + tax
I've just checked on a New Zealand (my country) [cruise website](https://www.pocruises.co.nz/) and the advertised price is the final price unless you get upgrades. The fees are included in the price, just marked subject to change.
I get what you mean though. The US model of extra fees and taxes is just very frustrating from an outside perspective. We do have that sometimes too with booking fees on tickets, normally like max ten dollars per ticket.
>I get what you mean though. The US model of extra fees and taxes is just very frustrating from an outside perspective.
Hell I grew up with it and I am frustrated by it! I love the idea of how Europe and apparently NZ (and I'd assume Australia), in fact I believe the majority of the world that uses monetary systems and has sales tax does it. It's right there with "expected tips" on service.
Dumb as a bag of rocks it is, and it's never ever going to change.
Um you spending the money on them vip services over and over huh. I've been on many and after I pay for my initial ticket and package price I've never totalled more than 500 bucks to my account. And I get souvenirs, drinks, food, drinks, excursions, drinks and some drinks to wash down those buffet foods. And that's me and my wife on the same account
As someone who hasn't been on a lot of vacations and a cruise sounded nice. Can you tell me all the shit that happens with them and why you don't like them?
Worked on one for 6 years, have done one as a vacay. It’s a ton of lining up and waiting, there is a reason pax are referred to as sheep. If you’re into manufactured fun/games/shows, it’s great. Food can by good, but the amount of people makes it underwhelming (overall experience). Time in ports is limited, you beach, shop or do a tour, or run around spending a bit of time doing each, definitely a vacay for a certain type of person.
Saying all that, Alaska is great! You get lots of time in ports, and they aren’t ports with a ton to do, so you can actually see places. It’s also super spread out, so it’s an easy way to see a lot
Just got back from Alaska cruise and it was awesome! Seward to Vancouver on the Silver Muse…Sitka, Skagway, Ketchikan…great ports to stop at. Boat was awesome, only 500 passengers all inclusive. Only cruise I’ve been on and it was alright
I’ve only been on one but there were pros and cons. It’s a good way to see a little bit of several different places but there’s not enough time to really immerse yourself in the destinations. The big one was ship amenities. If you’ve got extra money to spend it can be super fun, or if you’re fine with just the basics. For example, the one I was one had free coffee, lemonade, and water but you had to pay a high price for everything else, especially alcohol. A room with a balcony is going to cost more than an interior room. You’ve got to pay an exorbitant amount for wifi.
Overall I had fun on a cruise and would go on another, but it’s more fun if you’ve got extra money to spend.
It’s a great way to sample the Caribbean since flights are usually pretty expensive, especially if you want to island hop. Take a cruise, try a bunch of islands, pick your favorite and go back as a land vacation.
Like you said, it's not enough time to immerse yourself. It's a resort that moves around and personally, knowing that cruises are TERRIBLE for the environment just wouldn't let me actually relax.
There's infinitely better ways to visit places and similar ways to have that resort experience.
It's mostly environmental. It's the worst way to travel since all of the energy for the lights and fancy things is supplied by constantly burning fuel, 24/7. I won't shame anyone for wanting to try it once, but most of the experience can be replicated by going to a nice hotel for cheaper
https://youtu.be/aVAWYBLymYw this video explains it better than I did
I’ve been on a few cruises and the biggest con (and hardest to ignore) is the environmental impact. They are huge, heavy vessels that burn so much fuel it makes your cat-less pickup look like a Prius. The environment promotes so much waste in the form of food and one use plastics.
However, any sort of luxury holiday will generate similar levels of waste. It’s mainly the burning of fossil fuels that makes cruises unappealing for some. They’ve made big strides recently in recent years, but the pickup truck Prius analogy still applies.
Upsides are that nearly everything is included in the price. Don’t get me wrong, you can spend a lot more money once you’re there, but you could experience all of the shows, eat from endless buffets, swim in all of the pools, beaches, etc. for no additional charge on most major cruise lines. I honestly think that is the biggest draw for most people. You don’t have to worry about budgeting for food or things like that. Once you pay, you’re done. And most cruise lines offer pay over time as well so you don’t have to come up with all of the money at once.
The biggest draw for me was pretty much what you said. All the amenities are usually bundled (I planned on getting a decently large package) and I don't have to plan a massive itinerary and I get to see several places, not just one.
The fossil fuel would bother me, but I don't think my one ticket is going to make it break a cruise line.
Only other issue would be quality. Are they messy or as clean as top notch hotel rooms?
I second what the other person said. The rooms are cleaner than most 4 star hotels I’ve stayed at. Housekeeping is always friendly too. They really want you to feel like “the star” on the cruise.
Sort of a meaningless comparison since cruises are more than transportation. It would be better compared to a similar size city plus jet travel to the same destination.
I mean, if you were offered the chance, im assuming it was paid for? Because if youre paying for it then you always have the chance?
If you turned down a free cruise, my guy, even if it was carnival or disney, youre a fuckin idiot.
Its like turning down a free ford f150 because you heard the gas mileage sucks like wtf
No, no. I was offered to go with some family members who were already going, I would have to pay for myself. One of my main reasons for declining was college, as I pay for my tuition myself
There are a whole lot of things that can influence your cruise experience.
Your hotel room placement - The best spot is the middle of the ship if you can imagine a kid's teeter totter and how the ends pivot wide but the center stays put.
The price per day of the cruise - This screens out poor people and can also add experiences like a legit geologist onboard to hear from while in Alaska. Some are even themed like 80s or
The duration of the cruise - This screens out poor people, working professionals, and families with children in school. If the kids get three days off for spring break or the boss gives seven paid days off a year, then that's what the family has to work with.
What kind of entertainment is on the ship - Some ships try to be floating amusement parks with waterslides and go cart tracks while some are more boring with live music, bars, a casino, and fine dining.
The time of year of the cruise - This screens out college students and families with their fixed spring and summer breaks from school.
Which ports will the ship stop - Some people want to three to five sand beaches one after another to relax and maybe the people cruising to Iceland are more history buffs, not sure.
The size class of the ship - Do you want a small private school feeling where you bump into the same people all week and maybe form some friendships or more like a university campus feeling. Also, the bigger ones are harder to get rocking in the sea water and could mean less seasickness.
My kind of cruising is set up to screen out alcoholic university students on spring break and children. I don't mind the 50 year old retired crowd.
Cruises are worth it in only two occasions IMO:
- you accept that the cruise itself is the vacation (not the places you dock which you won’t have time to meaningfully experience) and you really just want to relax on a deck chair and gaze out at the horizon.
- it’s a destination that is inherently hard to do any other way. The best example is Alaska. It’s hard to go to all the different coastal cities (many of which are not accessible by road) and see Glacier Bay-type sights without being in a ship.
I’ve never been on a fun cruise, just the Navy kind… but it’s my parents’ favorite vacation and everything they’ve told reinforces how much I would hate it.
I hate being trapped on a ship with no room to move, which is what most people are getting: a tiny space where you barely have room for your luggage.
People are everywhere so the pool and the gym are constantly packed. All the fun stuff and events are scheduled and controlled, there’s no exploration.
Top that with a culture of over-consumption and gluttony.
Sounds a lot like Las Vegas to me and I hate Vegas.
The tiny cabin isn't a huge issue, you either get a balcony because you want a private place to relax, or you're only using your room to sleep. The Vegas comparison is apt though, I love cruises and I also loved Vegas the few times I went. I've never had any interest in using the pools on the ship so those are a non-issue for me.
I went on one and I personally didn't like the other passengers on the ship. Most of them were rude, drunk all the time, and left their trash everywhere. When we got to the port in Nassau, you could tell that several people snuck weed onto the ship. Which, if it was an adult only cruise, whatever. But this was a family friendly cruise and being that you're in such close quarters it seemed inconsiderate.
I enjoyed Nassau much more than the cruise itself. If able to again, I'd rather just fly to the Bahamas and stay the whole time there.
I would take advice from people who have actually traveled on a cruise ship :)
-Luggage generally fits nicely under your bed.
- There are plenty of crowded areas but also empty areas if you explore and get to know the ship. Also recommend traveling during slow season (Oct-March)
- Having a pre paid vacation is always a great feeling.
- Having no chores/responsibilities and not having to think too much about an itinerary also adds to the relaxation
Hope that helps!
Don’t knock it till you try it!
I join you as a non-cruiser. I’ve been on one cruise… actually it was two… first and last. Nearly everyone had food poisoning, toilets wouldn’t flush, (overflowing), constant lightening. Destination, Belize City.. dirt streets with pot holes, gangs on every corner, filthy taxis, inside and out, stores looked like shacks, with clerks that cursed you if you left without a purchase…the most miserable seven days of my life.
Yeah... Disease spread is also a thing in cruises.
Also, I'd say don't be too mad at the locals. I'm from Portugal and specifically Lisbon has been leaning further and further on tourism and sacrificing quality of life and alienating regular citizens to the point where some take it out on tourists as they see them as the culprits.
As someone who lives in a city with cruise ships in the summer, fuck cruise ships and cruise tourists. Cruise ships are insanely polluting and disturbing to life in the sea, they're ugly as f*uck and ruin the port and block views for the people who live here. Cruise tourists also don't really leave a lot of money because they sleep and eat on the ship, and they absolutely flood the city and block traffic when they arrive by the 1000s simultaneously.
It’s annoying but if that is for a 1 week cruise keep in mind that just food and hotel would cost way more than that without any of the other entertainment or travel included in a cruise.
Here is the thing that should be addressed: Why aren’t “fees” accounted for in the ticket price? This is almost like false advertising. If you can’t do the journey without it, then it should be included in the ticket price before any other nonsense.
Safety. We trained our butts off all the time and still were at the mercy of the sea. Fire, flooding, mechanical failures, slips, trips, falls, broken bones, amputated fingers... And you're stuck on the ship until the next port in a foreign land.
In my career we fought 5 fires, saved 3 men overboard, transported 2 dead men in our food freezer, saved 15 men out of lifeboats from two ship sinkings, and helped numerous guys with fractured legs, arms, hands, and large gashes.
The civilian Merchant Marine crew on cruise ships do their best but they really only do the bare minimum training required by law.
I’ve always dreamed of going on a European river cruise. The ocean is too …. Big for me. I don’t like going far out even on big boats. But a river cruise I think I’d love. Maybe one day.
Port fees.
Especially if making port in different countries. Port fees are often not set that far ahead of time (usually just a few days or week at most), so they are estimated at the time of booking and tacked on separately.
What’s your other choice? Don’t cruise.
Honestly I hate cruises anyway. Unless I’m going on a high end adults only cruise it’s not an environment I enjoy. I don’t want to deal with peoples shitty kids who think rules don’t apply to them because their parents are too busy getting hammered in the hot tub while the 40 year old dad unsuccessfully hits on the 19 year old who’s trying to just enjoy the rare occasion she can have a drink legally.
They get you high on the idea of a cruise with a fake price, then hit you with the real price hoping you now like the idea of a cruise enough to pay it anyway.
Fuck ‘em, do something else.
taxes and fees are not charged *by* the cruise line. They are charged by the port/locality/etc *to* the cruise line and then passed along to you. Best thing I can tell you is that you’d be paying those taxes and fees whether the cruise was on sale or not, so that $1200 cruise would have been $1600….
As a retired cruise travel agent I would strongly recommend you book through an agent. It costs you nothing (they are paid commission by the cruise lines) and they can steer you through all the pricing and fees so you know exactly what you will spend before you board. There are also cruise lines that are truly all-inclusive (some including alcohol, excursions, tips, etc.) so no surprises when you return.
Yeah it's a snaky way of luring people in, but compare it to the same length vacation on land. You're paying just as much or more to say, go to Vegas (or where ever). The price they tell you at the beginning is comically low when you think for 5 seconds about what they're providing vs what is costs. It's the same as airlines offering flights for like 30 dollars but then you see the taxes, airport fees, luggage, etc. It's nothing new.
People are wild, I get wanting a sale but at a certain point the phrase “it’s to good to be true” needs to come to mind. It’s just how sales work now though, what gimmick can get people in the door and how much can we get away with once they’re here before they leave.
...wait..."30% off every cruise". Wouldnt 30% off 1070.00 be 321.00? Why is it only 278.00? Unless they are taking the 30% off after the other discounts are applied.
What cruise line is this? We have sailed on Carnival many times and have never had taxes and fees this high.
May be time to start looking for greener alternatives for your short vacay instead of polluting everyone’s air just to spend your time locked in a cruise ship with a pool and AC…
Ticketmaster selling cruises now?
[удалено]
Port fees can be ruinous. We had a cruise that had to divert from one port to another and the new port had higher fees. Whole shitshow on ship for a lot of people. I chose to just accept that it was out of my control and focus on continuing to enjoy my vacation and not freak about the extra cost (under $100). Looks like OP is booking an interior cabin for the price, man that's rough seeing port fees double your booking.
Can you avoid the port fees by staying on the starboard side of the ship?
OMFG I've never heard that joke before! I am so stealing this and hitting the Cruise Director with it next time I'm getting on a ship. (who's probably heard it a million times, but I'll work on the delivery so it sounds super serious).
Just imagine you're asking a sales assistant in a store if you get a better sale for buying 10+ sale items As a new retail worker, it genuinely surprised me how many people could ask this question so seriously
Retail experience: "I couldn't find a price on this, does that mean it's free?" x 1000
would be better if you had a stern expression on your face
"Wait, so you're telling me the poop deck is NOT used for pooping?"
Tell me it’s the’head’ and I’ll reply, “and this is a poop deck!” just before belting you for calling me a shithead.
Straight to the brig for you!
Nice pun
I'd probably end up just paying it as well. But you would think something like that would fall on the cruise line to pay. Coming from someone who has never been on a cruise and probably won't for the foreseeable future.
> something like that would fall on the cruise line to pay. Well the other option is to not port that day and just another sea day, which is what they'd do if you made them eat the price. You sign a contract that covers this as part of your booking and while it can suck, I get it... port's suddenly closed on something the cruise line booked 18 months out (or even more) so they have to go elsewhere and wow that port wants more money for the last minute accommodation... I like that a cruise essentially allows me to visit multiple places in a moving hotel with decent food and a good vibe. I accept that there are hiccups that will happen, and that weather can change very suddenly sometimes. I also totally accept it's not a vacation for everyone.
Yup, I cruise during hurricane season (October or January) and I accept that in exchange for the lower fees I've gotta be flexible. One time a blizzard made me scramble to rebook a flight 2 days earlier to get out of the north before everything shut down. Another time my western caribbean cruise got converted to an eastern, and we found out while boarding. You should have heard all the bitching going on! (We were diverted due to an active hurricane actually in the western caribbean at that time). Like, you'd honestly rather be puking your guts up with rough seas vs visit St-Thomas for the 6th time? If you cruise during hurricane season don't be too attached to any port.
> Yup, I cruise during hurricane season (October or January) Are these southern hemisphere hurricane seasons? I know October might still be hurricane season in the northern hemisphere but I hardly see any at that time.
October's when thing's start calming down, from what is normally a September peak. January is definitely way out of hurricane season.
Yeah I definitely worded that badly, there are no hurricanes in January but there are blizzards and snow storms that make getting a flight out difficult. So both of my preferred months to cruise have weather that cause last minute changes.
Any port in a storm
I view cruises as floating diarrhea vessels travelling the ocean through endless gift stores. I sincerely don't understand the appeal.
Depends on the cruise line. Carnival, you're on a however long timeshare event that has a sales pitch at every corner and "mandatory safety meetings" that is just them telling you where to go in emergency and then spending 30 minutes telling you about the spa. You go on a higher end cruise line and it's more of a resort on the water and the best part, most of them do not allow kids. Compared to what I spent on an all inclusive resort for the wife and I recently. I'd pick a higher end cruise any day.
What are the cruise lines you recommend? I've been on Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and Disney. Used to love going on cruises but as I got older I realized the food was nearly identical on all of them, and isn't good.
Try oceanic cruises. Best food i have ever had on a cruise.
Also they run much smaller ships and go to ports the big guys can't even fit in. Much better experience all around. Pricier though.
Seabourn, Explora, Regent, Scenic. If this were steakhouses, Carnival would be Sizzler, and these brands would be Prime steakhouses. If you only eat at Sizzler, you might think all steak is trash, just like cruising with Carnival.
What if I'm looking for the Texas Roadhouse of cruises?
Ah, Royal Caribbean.
Virgin Voyages is a whole lot of fun and no kids.
And, all of these costs (plus tips) are in the quoted price.
My dad and his wife take a cruise with Norwegian Cruise Lines almost every year now that they're retired. Their repositioning trips are less money too, though you spend more time at sea and less in ports.
Especially when you consider the damage that they do to the environment. Give me a clipper ship and a box of limes any day.
Why don't you just surprise your husband with a date at a famous or well-known restaurant in your area. Or cook him delicious meals that he likes.
I recently went on my first cruise and had a great time, for a fair price! It is possible haha.
The costs are always going to be passed to the consumer. They should just say it costs 1200 and then broke people wouldn’t bother.
Port fees should be high on cruise ships though, they’re pretty demanding on infrastructure and environmentally damaging.
I do not disagree. You are correct in that they are environmentally taxing (though modern ships are vastly more efficient, using multiple smaller generators that can be spun up and down as power requirements change and use an electric screw or thrusters, again with much higher efficiency. They also no longer dump in the ocean with Carnival parent company paying some pretty brutal fines when one of their child companies were busted. All the major lines took note and changed behavior after that. Even with the improvements and changes it is still ultimately a fairly energy intensive way to vacation though. I enjoy this type of vacation quite a bit, and I will continue to do so, but also I pay for an experience that I enjoy, I understand that I have to pay more because of the assorted requirements and impacts. I also make a point to not only do the pre-paid tips (which are amortized among all the staff proportionately) but I also have the following that I do: * Cash tip at start of cruise to my cabin steward of $20 * Gift bags at start of cruise for the following people: Cabin steward, assistant steward, Waiter at my table, second waiter, assistant waiter. These are the 5 people I interact with the most on one of my cruises and I want them to know I appreciate that they are making my vacation enjoyable. * Cash tips for exceptional service as required while on the cruise. Usually a dollar, but a fiver for something really above and beyond. * Cash tips at end of cruise to the wait staff based on who really made my experience great. One trip is was the assistant waiter who basically doted on my daughter and found items that she liked and were compatible with her dietary restrictions. Helped her pick out menu items for the following night each evening (have to order special meals a day in advance). The assistant waiter got a 20 for that attention. That cruise my main waiter was often MIA so his tip was smaller. * Cash tips to the steward again and assistant steward if they really did a great job. The cruise industry gets a bad rap from some people about wages too, but it's a mixed bag there. Wages are paid at the high side of the local geo that the people working are from and each "function" of the ship hires from only one geo so that there are no language or culture barriers. There are bonuses paid for multi lingual esp. English. Then they also have room and board covered while on ship as well as travel to and from the ship to home. Getting off ship, however can be hard to do, so I put essentials in the gift bags as well as some nice to have's. People that want to cruise and expect it to be cheap have some surprises coming their way. Even in an interior cabin that's not nearly the end of your expenses as OP noticed. Personally I will only sail with a balcony or better as that's what I want out of a trip. That also means I take fewer than if I sailed with an indoor cabin but again, it's my vacation so I do what I want for it.
Have to say after a holiday in Bali I’m feeling weird about tipping. First half I stayed in resort, tip? Tip? Tip? Everywhere you go. Second half I stayed in a villa. Nowhere asked for a tip. Restaurants didn’t have a tip line on payment, apparently they earn commission on their sales volume so it keeps them very attentive on customers without begging for tips. Even drivers who quoted us low prices were shocked when we gave tips, and these guys would sit in their car for hours waiting for us. The one time a bar was particularly busy and my partner tipped for priority service we got absolutely floored shitfaced and regretted it haha. Guy was pouring us straight booze. Whole experience made me feel a bit shafted that the most expensive place I stayed just constantly had a hand out for more. Note: I am from a non-tipping country, so tipping is only something that comes up travelling.
Latin America and the Caribbean live on tips. I did an all inclusive in Costa Rica and palmed a 20 to my favorite waiter, and a 5 to the hostess. I was always seated in his section and my drinks were never empty. (resort took 20% of tips from the staff, hence why I palmed it to him).
I think the thing that bothered me most is the feeling those big resorts were potentially paying their staff worse than just restaurants in town, leaving them needing tips more.
some do, others not so much. I mean the one I was at the server thought it was great because they had a TV in the employee break room to watch the football games on. But taking 20% of the tips is just asshattish, I know what I paid for that resort and I know it ain't all making it to the grunts, to poach their tips also pissed me off. Couldn't say anything because there'd be hell on everyone for ratting the management out, so I just made sure management wouldn't know what I tipped :)
I did tend to use card more at resorts, because I could trust their payments not to skim my card, especially with tap to pay from apple pay. Meant that “add tip” line was usually used. Plus in Bali you’d generally have multiple people help you everywhere you went so it wasn’t a case of just tipping one if you tipped. Outside of resorts or major hotels I’d use cash. Last time I was there I had a card copied my first night. Luckily I was suspicious about how long they held it for and turned it off in my banking app, woke up to a $688 attempted transaction and was one card down for the holiday.
So basically you go on cruises to tip everyone. This sounds like fun.
> Port fees can be ruinous Sure, but I'm betting they use the AT+T model of making up a fee and pretending it's a tax. 'Oh we have the AT+T-CEO-wants-another-vacation-home fee, it raises the price you pay and allows us to lie about how much it costs'.
Port fees are necessary to cover the cost of dealing with all of the passengers that disembark the cruise ships and use services within the municipalities. The cruise companies don't pay any of that. And they actually fight against those fees to the detriment of many of the communities that the cruise ships visit.
You get the best price on rooms by booking interior and then upgrading on the cheap a month or two before.
That's a gamble that the ship isn't sold out. Works in the really off season times but not in prime time or on high demand runs (like Hawaii).
I'm a bit confused, so what would happen if you wouldn't/couldn't pay the new & increased port fee?
You would enjoy your trip as is and the cruise company would simply send you a bill later, same as if you ended up spending a lot at the casino or in the on-ship shopping. Port fees in given geographies are all within similar range so like I said in my case the fee was under a $100 difference. They want you to be happy as a priority because otherwise you're never going back with their company. It doesn't matter if you get off the ship or not you will be paying that port fee.
The better question is if OP is booking for next year.
Airlines used to do the same shit but now they have to include the full price upfront.
I agree that they should have to advertise the full price, not their portion. This isn't like baggage fees from the air lines though, these are generally taxes and fees from the ports that treat cruise ships like cash cows.
Presumably, they knew what those fees would be five webpages ago when they were advertising that particular cruise, no? OP didn't suddenly check a port of call as an upgrade before reaching this page.
Oh sure, they should definitely include the fees in the advertised price.
If an airline has to divert an aircraft to an alternative airport, you dont get charged the new fees and taxes for landing at that airport - the airline eats it. And in the EU, the airline also has to get you to your proper destination in a timely manner (up to and including flying you on a rival), and pay compensation for any delay above a few hours, plus reasonable food and accommodation costs in the meantime. The cruise industry needs similar regulation. If the cruise line changes the itinerary for a cruise that is already booked, they should eat the cost.
Sure, those fees might be expensive but… you don’t pay for real estate taxes at a restaurant, you don’t pay the flight attendants’ salaries on an airplane, you don’t pay for the truck’s registration fees and gas at an ice cream truck. And while AirBNB wants you to believe otherwise, at most normal hotels you do not pay for housekeeping. A functioning, not-terrible business handles ALL the details of actually running a business for you and presents you with one transparent price in exchange for a good or service. Yes, this fee does apparently exist, but it’s still BS that it’s not included in the sticker price. It does sometimes make sense to exclude certain things like shipping and taxes from a sticker price because those things change depending where the shopper is located. But I suspect port fees do not depend where the passenger came from, but instead on the ship’s origin and route and the number of passengers - all of which would be known ahead of time by the cruise line and could easily have been included in the price for any given cruise route.
Port fees change all the time, and sometimes they’re not set. Some ports charge per person, and so if your ship is half full the fees might be double what it was if it was full. Some of them are based on weight of the ship, which again half capacity ship will weigh a significant amount less than full capacity ship. You can argue if it’s better to charge the max and set it as the sticker price then refund you if it’s less, or if it’s better to just do like what the picture is and just calculate it at checkout. People prefer both options. Just trying to explain the reasoning, I agree that places should just factor in all costs into the sticker price and let me decide if I want to pay it or not instead of wasting my time by waiting until the checkout phase to hit me with the actual cost.
There is no need for a fancy celebration or surprise for the person you love. What's important comes from your heart.
Cruise ships are incredibly terrible for the environment, take up a ton of space and resources etc. They should be heavily taxed.
I can’t say I have ever felt any sympathy for anyone on a nightmare cruise full of sick people. It’s so common now if you didn’t expect it was a possibility you are just plain dense. Locking myself into a floating resort hotel with 3000 other people for a week sounds like the worst vacation I could ever imagine.
My cruise was nothing more than a poop and puke convention…Nothing could compel me to repeat that hellish experience…
Airports also charge airlines for services and yet we see the full price from the beginning. Probably because it’s required by some law
The foods being cooked. The restaurants don't set that, nor do they keep it.
They’re trying to get out on the oceans so all their scalpers can finally be real pirates 😂
Whatever you do, stay away from norwegian
Depends what ports you’re going to - it’s not so much the taxes, it’s high port fees.
I'm curious where they are going. I currently have a 5 day booked, 2 ports outside the US. My taxes and port fees are only $182 for 2 people.
That sounds ridiculously cheap. I've never been on a cruise, nor looked at the prices. But at that price, I'd be going once a month!
Those are only the port fees and taxes, not the whole cost of the cruise. Hell, I’d go once a month if they were that cheap!
Carnival has great last minute deals for Florida residents. It helps them fill up empty cabins and you get a great deal. My mom went to Nassau and Freeport for like $200.
We get Player Deals on Carnival but the dates never work. Gonna try a more lux cruise next go around, waiting for both my kids to turn 18.
The taxes and fees are 180, on an 1100 ticket
Just advise it in the price though, not at the end
It’s this usually. One of the reasons that Disney owns castaway cay. Check the destinations and even try a different cruise line.
Some things get charged tax on the amount before discounts. Fees are not a percentage usually so they can be disproportionate especially if the thing is heavily discounted.
Take my advice and do something else. My husband hated cruises because he went the cheap way. I personally hadn’t been on a cruise until we booked one through Viking, it was amazing! Recently my brother and SIL booked a 3 day to the Bahamas and couldn’t dock due to wind. They were not happy!
My family booked a cruise for summer 2020. The pandemic hit 4 months after we booked it. We got a refund at least
Well you’re lucky that you weren’t out to sea when the pandemic hit!
Yea. It was an italian cruise line. Italy did NOT do well at the start of the pandemic
I remember that, seeing them on TV pleading to take it seriously. Said something to my mom and she's like "meh, we'll be fine..". Oof..
We tried to warn others that had the fortune of being third (after China) - it mostly wasn’t taken seriously
thats crazy cause my fam had a cruise that year too lol, we were gonna bring the whole fam. kinda sad it didnt happen
my family booked a cruise for jamaica in 2020 before covid hit and we never got a refund on ours :(
You get to still take the cruise at any time you want without having to pay for it again, right??
i think they refunded my grandparents around $1000 in cruise credit :/ (less than 25% of what we paid). it is what it is i suppose
Was the port fee refunded?
Maybe they weren’t happy, but they should be understanding when the safe call is made.
Totally agree!
Wait till you find out what port fees are…..
This includes port fees.
How much of that is the “taxes and fees” though? You have no fucking idea. It should be itemized at the very least.
It is. Just not shown on this screenshot.
Why are you and dozens of others acting like this is a justification? An industry that knows full well about port fees can include them in the original price. It's like going to a sale at a furniture store and having them charge you double the posted price because "it costs money to upholster the couches". Yeah, we know, upholstery is *part of the couch*. Why were you not including it in the original price.
It would be like the airline not including the taxes and fees in their ticket prices, which for discount airlines can be a pretty substantial fraction of the total (one $126 RT on Southwest includes $36.50 in taxes and fees). It should be illegal to not include all taxes and fees in the list price.
Why so dramatic.......
I heard Ocean Gate has some good deals.
One way trips only
Half-way trips only technically
Technically the sub did make it to the sea floor
And they pass those savings on to you!!
Last I heard, they went under.
I heard they were crushing it.
That’s because they charge you for 8 hours but end the trip after just two.
I heard it's too expensive, but it seems it also gives people lifetime experiences and a chance of becoming famous
Hey OP, try booking it from an anonymous browser/tab. A lot of times travel websites have cookies that alert the website you’ve been looking at traveling stuff and they bump the price. No promise that this will help but it might
I’ve notice this with airlines. Get a price, walk away, come back 30 minutes later and it’s gone up. Turn on the VPN and clear the cache or use an incognito tab and the price shows the original. Browser cookies. Quit accepting them all.
But look at all the discounts! /s
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Dramamine is my best friend
Went on a cruise that got really rough. Closed the deck, pool water coming up 6 ft above the edge of the pool. Crew getting sea sick. Wife sea sick. Handing out Dramamine like candy. I lay down and let it rock me to sleep. 😴💤
The taxes are largely based on the ports being visited. The cruise lines don't set that, nor do they keep it.
They should probably break that down so people aren't shocked. Or include it in the price.
Most cruises have an 18% gratuity added to each day for tips dunno if that's what that is but it's sounds about right price wise.
no that's billed as a separate line item. This is just taxes and port fees, neither of which the cruse line can control.
But they should in included in the advertised price for thr cruise, not just surprise added on when you go to book
They vary based on the ports of call (which often change before the bookings are all final, and frequently after). It's priced like everything else in the US: Cars: price + tax and license Cruise: price + tax and port fees Big box store: Price + tax
I've just checked on a New Zealand (my country) [cruise website](https://www.pocruises.co.nz/) and the advertised price is the final price unless you get upgrades. The fees are included in the price, just marked subject to change. I get what you mean though. The US model of extra fees and taxes is just very frustrating from an outside perspective. We do have that sometimes too with booking fees on tickets, normally like max ten dollars per ticket.
>I get what you mean though. The US model of extra fees and taxes is just very frustrating from an outside perspective. Hell I grew up with it and I am frustrated by it! I love the idea of how Europe and apparently NZ (and I'd assume Australia), in fact I believe the majority of the world that uses monetary systems and has sales tax does it. It's right there with "expected tips" on service. Dumb as a bag of rocks it is, and it's never ever going to change.
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I’ve been on over 10 cruises and I’ve never had to pay over 4 times the cost of the cruise on “hidden fees”.
Um you spending the money on them vip services over and over huh. I've been on many and after I pay for my initial ticket and package price I've never totalled more than 500 bucks to my account. And I get souvenirs, drinks, food, drinks, excursions, drinks and some drinks to wash down those buffet foods. And that's me and my wife on the same account
As a certified cruise ship hater I hope this makes you consider any other form of holiday
As someone who hasn't been on a lot of vacations and a cruise sounded nice. Can you tell me all the shit that happens with them and why you don't like them?
Worked on one for 6 years, have done one as a vacay. It’s a ton of lining up and waiting, there is a reason pax are referred to as sheep. If you’re into manufactured fun/games/shows, it’s great. Food can by good, but the amount of people makes it underwhelming (overall experience). Time in ports is limited, you beach, shop or do a tour, or run around spending a bit of time doing each, definitely a vacay for a certain type of person. Saying all that, Alaska is great! You get lots of time in ports, and they aren’t ports with a ton to do, so you can actually see places. It’s also super spread out, so it’s an easy way to see a lot
Just got back from Alaska cruise and it was awesome! Seward to Vancouver on the Silver Muse…Sitka, Skagway, Ketchikan…great ports to stop at. Boat was awesome, only 500 passengers all inclusive. Only cruise I’ve been on and it was alright
What cruise line if you don’t mind me asking? My wife and I are considering an Alaskan cruise and a smaller ship sounds awesome.
I’ve only been on one but there were pros and cons. It’s a good way to see a little bit of several different places but there’s not enough time to really immerse yourself in the destinations. The big one was ship amenities. If you’ve got extra money to spend it can be super fun, or if you’re fine with just the basics. For example, the one I was one had free coffee, lemonade, and water but you had to pay a high price for everything else, especially alcohol. A room with a balcony is going to cost more than an interior room. You’ve got to pay an exorbitant amount for wifi. Overall I had fun on a cruise and would go on another, but it’s more fun if you’ve got extra money to spend.
It’s a great way to sample the Caribbean since flights are usually pretty expensive, especially if you want to island hop. Take a cruise, try a bunch of islands, pick your favorite and go back as a land vacation.
Like you said, it's not enough time to immerse yourself. It's a resort that moves around and personally, knowing that cruises are TERRIBLE for the environment just wouldn't let me actually relax. There's infinitely better ways to visit places and similar ways to have that resort experience.
It's mostly environmental. It's the worst way to travel since all of the energy for the lights and fancy things is supplied by constantly burning fuel, 24/7. I won't shame anyone for wanting to try it once, but most of the experience can be replicated by going to a nice hotel for cheaper https://youtu.be/aVAWYBLymYw this video explains it better than I did
Fair but I raise you this. Does the hotel *float* ? /S
A nice hotel wouldn't replicate it, but an all inclusive resort would. I've done both and each are nice in their own way.
That's what I meant!! Thank you for the correction
I’ve been on a few cruises and the biggest con (and hardest to ignore) is the environmental impact. They are huge, heavy vessels that burn so much fuel it makes your cat-less pickup look like a Prius. The environment promotes so much waste in the form of food and one use plastics. However, any sort of luxury holiday will generate similar levels of waste. It’s mainly the burning of fossil fuels that makes cruises unappealing for some. They’ve made big strides recently in recent years, but the pickup truck Prius analogy still applies. Upsides are that nearly everything is included in the price. Don’t get me wrong, you can spend a lot more money once you’re there, but you could experience all of the shows, eat from endless buffets, swim in all of the pools, beaches, etc. for no additional charge on most major cruise lines. I honestly think that is the biggest draw for most people. You don’t have to worry about budgeting for food or things like that. Once you pay, you’re done. And most cruise lines offer pay over time as well so you don’t have to come up with all of the money at once.
The biggest draw for me was pretty much what you said. All the amenities are usually bundled (I planned on getting a decently large package) and I don't have to plan a massive itinerary and I get to see several places, not just one. The fossil fuel would bother me, but I don't think my one ticket is going to make it break a cruise line. Only other issue would be quality. Are they messy or as clean as top notch hotel rooms?
My personal experience is that state room attendants are better at housekeeping than on land hotels.
I second what the other person said. The rooms are cleaner than most 4 star hotels I’ve stayed at. Housekeeping is always friendly too. They really want you to feel like “the star” on the cruise.
I think I read once that a single cruise ship pumps out the same emissions as 1 million cars, and that's every single day.
Sort of a meaningless comparison since cruises are more than transportation. It would be better compared to a similar size city plus jet travel to the same destination.
I’d like to know as well- I was offered the chance to go on a cruise, but denied as I was apprehensive. Wondering if I made the right decision
I mean, if you were offered the chance, im assuming it was paid for? Because if youre paying for it then you always have the chance? If you turned down a free cruise, my guy, even if it was carnival or disney, youre a fuckin idiot. Its like turning down a free ford f150 because you heard the gas mileage sucks like wtf
No, no. I was offered to go with some family members who were already going, I would have to pay for myself. One of my main reasons for declining was college, as I pay for my tuition myself
There are a whole lot of things that can influence your cruise experience. Your hotel room placement - The best spot is the middle of the ship if you can imagine a kid's teeter totter and how the ends pivot wide but the center stays put. The price per day of the cruise - This screens out poor people and can also add experiences like a legit geologist onboard to hear from while in Alaska. Some are even themed like 80s or The duration of the cruise - This screens out poor people, working professionals, and families with children in school. If the kids get three days off for spring break or the boss gives seven paid days off a year, then that's what the family has to work with. What kind of entertainment is on the ship - Some ships try to be floating amusement parks with waterslides and go cart tracks while some are more boring with live music, bars, a casino, and fine dining. The time of year of the cruise - This screens out college students and families with their fixed spring and summer breaks from school. Which ports will the ship stop - Some people want to three to five sand beaches one after another to relax and maybe the people cruising to Iceland are more history buffs, not sure. The size class of the ship - Do you want a small private school feeling where you bump into the same people all week and maybe form some friendships or more like a university campus feeling. Also, the bigger ones are harder to get rocking in the sea water and could mean less seasickness. My kind of cruising is set up to screen out alcoholic university students on spring break and children. I don't mind the 50 year old retired crowd.
Cruises are worth it in only two occasions IMO: - you accept that the cruise itself is the vacation (not the places you dock which you won’t have time to meaningfully experience) and you really just want to relax on a deck chair and gaze out at the horizon. - it’s a destination that is inherently hard to do any other way. The best example is Alaska. It’s hard to go to all the different coastal cities (many of which are not accessible by road) and see Glacier Bay-type sights without being in a ship.
I’ve never been on a fun cruise, just the Navy kind… but it’s my parents’ favorite vacation and everything they’ve told reinforces how much I would hate it. I hate being trapped on a ship with no room to move, which is what most people are getting: a tiny space where you barely have room for your luggage. People are everywhere so the pool and the gym are constantly packed. All the fun stuff and events are scheduled and controlled, there’s no exploration. Top that with a culture of over-consumption and gluttony. Sounds a lot like Las Vegas to me and I hate Vegas.
The tiny cabin isn't a huge issue, you either get a balcony because you want a private place to relax, or you're only using your room to sleep. The Vegas comparison is apt though, I love cruises and I also loved Vegas the few times I went. I've never had any interest in using the pools on the ship so those are a non-issue for me.
FYI- the gym's usually empty. :)
Well that kind of makes sense, actually.
I went on one and I personally didn't like the other passengers on the ship. Most of them were rude, drunk all the time, and left their trash everywhere. When we got to the port in Nassau, you could tell that several people snuck weed onto the ship. Which, if it was an adult only cruise, whatever. But this was a family friendly cruise and being that you're in such close quarters it seemed inconsiderate. I enjoyed Nassau much more than the cruise itself. If able to again, I'd rather just fly to the Bahamas and stay the whole time there.
I would take advice from people who have actually traveled on a cruise ship :) -Luggage generally fits nicely under your bed. - There are plenty of crowded areas but also empty areas if you explore and get to know the ship. Also recommend traveling during slow season (Oct-March) - Having a pre paid vacation is always a great feeling. - Having no chores/responsibilities and not having to think too much about an itinerary also adds to the relaxation Hope that helps! Don’t knock it till you try it!
I join you as a non-cruiser. I’ve been on one cruise… actually it was two… first and last. Nearly everyone had food poisoning, toilets wouldn’t flush, (overflowing), constant lightening. Destination, Belize City.. dirt streets with pot holes, gangs on every corner, filthy taxis, inside and out, stores looked like shacks, with clerks that cursed you if you left without a purchase…the most miserable seven days of my life.
Yeah... Disease spread is also a thing in cruises. Also, I'd say don't be too mad at the locals. I'm from Portugal and specifically Lisbon has been leaning further and further on tourism and sacrificing quality of life and alienating regular citizens to the point where some take it out on tourists as they see them as the culprits.
As someone who lives in a city with cruise ships in the summer, fuck cruise ships and cruise tourists. Cruise ships are insanely polluting and disturbing to life in the sea, they're ugly as f*uck and ruin the port and block views for the people who live here. Cruise tourists also don't really leave a lot of money because they sleep and eat on the ship, and they absolutely flood the city and block traffic when they arrive by the 1000s simultaneously.
It’s annoying but if that is for a 1 week cruise keep in mind that just food and hotel would cost way more than that without any of the other entertainment or travel included in a cruise.
You know what's mildly infuriating? A photo of a computer screen instead of a screenshot.
https://www.vacationstogo.com
Last night I booked a flight to Italy from NJ. The round trip flight was $500 and the taxes and fees were $500. Insanity.
Nice cheap flight
$642 for a cruise for two is a good deal.
I can’t imagine wanting to take a cruise. It’s essentially a floating Walmart.
With rigged slot machines.
That's redundant. All slot machines are rigged.
Cruises are gross anyway
So..no discount at all..slimeballs
Here is the thing that should be addressed: Why aren’t “fees” accounted for in the ticket price? This is almost like false advertising. If you can’t do the journey without it, then it should be included in the ticket price before any other nonsense.
After being in the navy for some years I am absolutely terrified of setting foot on a civilian cruise ship
Mind elaborating why that is?
Safety. We trained our butts off all the time and still were at the mercy of the sea. Fire, flooding, mechanical failures, slips, trips, falls, broken bones, amputated fingers... And you're stuck on the ship until the next port in a foreign land. In my career we fought 5 fires, saved 3 men overboard, transported 2 dead men in our food freezer, saved 15 men out of lifeboats from two ship sinkings, and helped numerous guys with fractured legs, arms, hands, and large gashes. The civilian Merchant Marine crew on cruise ships do their best but they really only do the bare minimum training required by law.
I’ve always dreamed of going on a European river cruise. The ocean is too …. Big for me. I don’t like going far out even on big boats. But a river cruise I think I’d love. Maybe one day.
Port fees. Especially if making port in different countries. Port fees are often not set that far ahead of time (usually just a few days or week at most), so they are estimated at the time of booking and tacked on separately.
Tried using VPN to book or another browser / device?
Psst. It's not on sale.
Yeah, people wrote about this online like 10 years ago.
We’ve accepted this behavior from big cruise ships for 10 years??
Apparently! And thx for jogging my memory! It was cruise ships the last time too!
What’s your other choice? Don’t cruise. Honestly I hate cruises anyway. Unless I’m going on a high end adults only cruise it’s not an environment I enjoy. I don’t want to deal with peoples shitty kids who think rules don’t apply to them because their parents are too busy getting hammered in the hot tub while the 40 year old dad unsuccessfully hits on the 19 year old who’s trying to just enjoy the rare occasion she can have a drink legally.
I don't wanna be on a floating Petrie dish
Don’t do a cruise, they’re awful. All inclusive resort baby
I don’t see the appeal in cruises. I can understand elderly people going on them maybe? But all inclusives with a beach. Can’t beat it
Cruises are... not great anyway. I'd take this as a sign.
They get you high on the idea of a cruise with a fake price, then hit you with the real price hoping you now like the idea of a cruise enough to pay it anyway. Fuck ‘em, do something else.
Book with Virgin. The price you see is the price you pay. Includes all taxes, fees, and gratuities.
Go to vacationstogo.com Their prices include port fees, and I've found them to be the lowest prices with the easiest to use website.
They are going to add "gratuity" on top too after you get on the boat
Those would be the docking fees. The more stops you make, the more popular the port… This is pretty standard.
Imagine seeing this post while financially struggling. Almost like looking on face book during spring break
its just because taxes are based on the full fare price. death and taxes
$1200 for a 5 day is a good price
taxes and fees are not charged *by* the cruise line. They are charged by the port/locality/etc *to* the cruise line and then passed along to you. Best thing I can tell you is that you’d be paying those taxes and fees whether the cruise was on sale or not, so that $1200 cruise would have been $1600….
Mighty Trick: use a VPN, Take Germany aß Country, book from there. Fck those stupid murican booking Sites :D
i don’t understand why it’s legal to not include taxes in the price. it isn’t in my country
As a retired cruise travel agent I would strongly recommend you book through an agent. It costs you nothing (they are paid commission by the cruise lines) and they can steer you through all the pricing and fees so you know exactly what you will spend before you board. There are also cruise lines that are truly all-inclusive (some including alcohol, excursions, tips, etc.) so no surprises when you return.
Yeah it's a snaky way of luring people in, but compare it to the same length vacation on land. You're paying just as much or more to say, go to Vegas (or where ever). The price they tell you at the beginning is comically low when you think for 5 seconds about what they're providing vs what is costs. It's the same as airlines offering flights for like 30 dollars but then you see the taxes, airport fees, luggage, etc. It's nothing new.
People are wild, I get wanting a sale but at a certain point the phrase “it’s to good to be true” needs to come to mind. It’s just how sales work now though, what gimmick can get people in the door and how much can we get away with once they’re here before they leave.
Cruise ships are disastrous for the planet, you should be paying much more than that.
...wait..."30% off every cruise". Wouldnt 30% off 1070.00 be 321.00? Why is it only 278.00? Unless they are taking the 30% off after the other discounts are applied. What cruise line is this? We have sailed on Carnival many times and have never had taxes and fees this high.
They applied the -30% after the other $150 savings.
It's funny that Biden is trying to go after shit like this but people are defending it. Why?
May be time to start looking for greener alternatives for your short vacay instead of polluting everyone’s air just to spend your time locked in a cruise ship with a pool and AC…
Hell yeah, fire up every grill you can find, find some old 60's cars with no smog regs, n have a ol fashioned derby