What are the typical cruise ship port fees and taxes?

Cruise trips are fun adventures to exotic places, with intriguing sightseeing and sumptuous fare and presumably good living. However, before stepping onto the ship, one should understand the monetary side of the trip, especially the costs and the port taxes, which sometimes get overlooked. This blog looks into expenses or taxes, explaining what they are and why they exist and how they can affect one's holiday.

What are cruise ship port fees?

Cruise ship port fees (also known perhaps as port charges or simply harbor dues) are some mutually accepted payments that local authorities charge whenever a cruise ship shows up for a port call in their domain. It is basically like a parking fee for such a gigantic vessel! These fees help in the maintenance and running of the port facilities, so that upkeep of docks, security, customs, and perhaps even immigration services are taken care of.

Thus, a cruise company is not entitled to keep any of these fees: the cruise lines collect these fees on behalf of the port and actually wire the money to the local government or port authority concerned. Hence, these charges should not be considered an additional revenue of the cruise company, but rather a cost that the cruise company incurs in docking at a destination.

Different types of port fees and taxes

Dockage charges depend largely on the destination, size of the ship, and services rendered. The common types include:

• Docking or Berthing Fees – Charges are levied for bringing the ship to tie up at the dock. Being larger, higher fees will be charged.
• Anchorage Fees – If the port cannot handle the ship, the ship will anchor outside. Small boats called tenders will ferry passengers to shore, and a fee will be charged for this.
• Passenger Head Taxes – Each passenger landing at the port has to pay this tax. Very common in Alaska and the Caribbean.
• Environmental Fees – In some ports, the fees must be paid for waste disposal, environmental protection, or port sustainability programs.
• Security Fees – Since 9/11, additional fees are imposed at most ports to acidify the enhanced security checks and services.
• Immigration and Customs Fees – In international ports, such fees are collected to pay border officials and customs officials.

Do you pay taxes on cruise ships?

Yes, in addition to port fees, government taxes may be applicable on you. These are not port charges; rather, they are some other charges levied by countries or regions on travelers crossing borders.

Examples include:

• A State Tax as well as a Local Port Fee in Alaska.
• A Government Departure Tax in the Bahamas.
• Value-added tax (VAT) in Europe for certain goods or services purchased onboard.

So, the charge to passengers for "taxes, fees, and port charges" is a combined charge for both port fees and taxes imposed by the government.

Fees – Included or Separate?

Certain cruise lines just include port fees in the cruise fare; others treat it as another charge. If you are being charged separately for them, the fees and taxes will always be mentioned to you during the time of booking, though at possibly different stages of the booking process.

Here's a view into some major cruise lines with respect to port fees: Are they included in the fare or added as a separate charge, and when exactly are you told about it?

How to calculate port charges?

It is not easy to calculate port charges. They vary from each port to the ship and how the cruise line decides to apportion it to the individual passenger.

You don’t need to calculate port charges; your port charges go either into your fare, or they are calculated for you.

If you want a detailed statement of what specifically your port fees and taxes are paying for, you could request this from the cruise line, but do not expect the standard customer service rep to have the answer. If the cruise line is willing to give it to you, they may indeed take several days to do so, as they try to give you a detailed item list.

They are all legitimate fees that are real and need to be paid. Some you cannot even decline to pay, say you haven't yet planned to leave the ship in certain ports, so if you want to book the cruise, you'll just have to pay up.

How are port fees different from cruise ship tips?

Port fees are not really gratuities. Since port fees have already been included in the cruise fare, they cannot be considered "hidden" fees. On the other hand, gratuities can be charged at the time of booking or be charged to your onboard account during the cruise, whereas for port fees, a complete payment must be made with the final payment, since they form part of the overall fare.

Gratuities can be anywhere from $16*-$25* per person, per day, but the entire sum depends on the line you sail with, the stateroom category, and the length of the cruise.

Some cruise lines prepay gratuities, for example, Virgin Voyages. In most instances, though, gratuities remain an additional charge unless sailing on a luxury line.

Gratuities are pooled and divided among several crew members who work to make your vacation a memorable experience. These include your cabin steward, dining and culinary services employees, guest services team, and more.

How much are port charges and taxes?

Port charges and taxes can amount to a considerable share of your cruise costs- sometimes, they might even surpass what the unsuspecting traveler may expect. Usually, for most cruises, they fall between the range of 10 and 20% of the base cruise fare. But in some circumstances, they can soar up to 40 or even 50% of the base fare, especially if you are cruising on a big ship or visiting high-cost ports like those of Alaska.

Some of the key reasons affecting the amount you pay are:

• Size of the vessel: Bigger ships mean bigger bills. Fees are charged based on tonnage, length, and draft (the measurement of how deep the ship sits in the water). Mega-ships and super-mega ships face an inspection fee that approaches almost $24,000* each time they are inspected by US health authorities.
• Docking tolls: Dock space, line handlers, and pier facilities are paid for by cruse lines. To cite an example, dockage fees could be around $0.39* per gross registered ton, and passenger "head taxes" can sometimes average from $12* to $15* for each guest, each port.
• Harbor pilots: Every time a ship lands, a local pilot comes aboard to guide it safely into position. Even if the captain happens to have good knowledge of the port, this is a mandatory service and can get quite pricey, depending on a ship's dimensions.
• Inspections and regulations: US ports are covered under unannounced calibrations by the CDC Vessel Sanitation Program twice a year-and the cost ranges from $1,500* for very tiny ships to nearly $24,000* for the largest ones.

How does port charges affect your fare?

• Caribbean cruises: Taxes and fees add another $100* to $200* per person on a seven-day sailing.
• Alaska cruises: Higher--$150* to $250*, due to increased environmental and passenger taxes.
• Mediterranean cruises: In the range of $100* to $200* per person, although some ports may be cheaper than those in the Caribbean.
• Transatlantic cruises: Can go as high as $200*-$300*-plus per person in consideration of the numerous ports and very long distances.

Though cruise lines normally do not give a port-by-port map, they are under obligation, at least before booking, to advertise the port fees and taxes in the total fare (or at least disclose them clearly). Should you ever come across a ridiculously cheap deal, check if port charges have been included. Certainly, the very last bill would be the one that displays these charges, generally right after you have picked your cabin or proceeded deeper into the booking process.

Do all ports charge the same amount?

No, port charges differ not only from country to country but from port to port. For example:

• Cozumel may have low port charges.
• Juneau has high charges, mainly environmental taxes.
• Smaller ports, while charging less, do require tendering, which can cost the cruise line.

This is why two cruises of equal length can have vastly different totals for taxes and fees based on their itineraries.

Do port fees ever get refunded?

They certainly can be but in certain very specific cases. In instances when your ship is unable to dock in its scheduled port for reasons of weather, safety, or logistical constraints, cruise lines tend to credit back to your onboard account the unused port fee.

If, for example, weather prevents docking at a Caribbean island, you most certainly will not be charged for that stop. The refund may not be very significant (they usually range from $20–$50), but it is heartening not to have to pay for an unfamiliar service.

Conclusion

Port charges and local taxes may seem like an old hat, but if you are an economical traveler, they are worth knowing about. It is also important to remember that these fees and taxes are not levied to fleece the cruising populace.

They are to maintain the port systems along with the marine environment, ensuring cruise vacations stay fun. Design your portfolio along the above lines to reduce costs while staying alert to fee changes. While it may feel like splurging on a cruise vacation, there are ways to make that cruise dollar stretch and still come away with a fantastic experience.