Can a travel agency add on extra port taxes after booking but before final payment?

Question

My travel agent contacted me and said that port taxes are actually going up due to fuel prices or some other reason. I did not really understand her through all the babbling, but she said she will check on it and email me back. I dont think they can adjust price after booking right?

Answer 1

I am afraid that the travel industry is about the only organisation that is allowed to adjust its prices upwards even after the customer has booked and fully paid for the goods. Your TA is probably babbling  about fuel surcharges which all the cruise lines have implemented since late 2007 and have kept increasing as the price of fuel rises.

The short answer is that they can and often do increase pricing after booking, but strangely enough, if the price of fuel was to go down, I doubt if you would get a rebate from your TA or the cruise line.

Here's a link with tips on how to fight these additional charges

http://www.elliott.org/blog/3-secrets-fo...

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Cruise Lines have added a new Fuel Supplement.

It is not a new port charge but a new gas tax.

You can always call the cruise line direct to inquire about the added fee.  Good Luck.

Answer 3

My guess (through all the babbling), is you are referring to a "Fuel Surcharge".  Most lines instituted fuel surcharges last year, and imposed them even on passengers who had already booked and paid for their cruises.  The Florida Attorney General, among others, investigated whether this was legal.  I am pretty sure they concluded it was, but that most lines had voluntarily agreed to NOT apply a fuel supplement to cruises that were fully paid before the charge was instituted.

So, short answer - yes they can, legally, and your only recourse is to cancel your cruise.  If, on the other hand, your agent simply failed to charge you for it (It is trickier than you think, coming up with the right price to charge, as some Cruise Lines play games when quoting prices to Travel Agents the same way they do customers), then it should be her problem, and she should pay it, in my opinion.

I have made such mistakes in the past, and had to take it out of my commission - it happens.

Sorry, I am sure that is not the answer you are looking for.

Answer 4

She is right. Your cruise cost could have gone up because of the rising price in fuel. You may have to pay what's known as a "fuel surcharge" that may be added to the price of your cruise. It's around $8 per person per day (depending on the cruise line). Make sure you're really specific in asking her what you're going to have to pay for. If it's the fuel surcharge, she's right.

Hope this helps!