NCL Largest Rate Increase in Company History!

(number6) wrote:

Raising the list prices will only make the
discount percentages they actually sell them
for look larger ...

I don't know about that. We had our TA price three cruises for us, one
on NCL, one on HAL, and the one we ended up on Princess. I don't know
why, but before he gets to the bottom line, he reads the cruise price,
hen the port charges, and then the taxes. The NCL Pearl started out with
the lowest price, but then had taxes way higher than the others. You
cannot discount taxes.

Jeff Gersten wrote:
(number6) wrote:

Raising the list prices will only make the
discount percentages they actually sell them
for look larger ...

I don't know about that. We had our TA price three cruises for us, one
on NCL, one on HAL, and the one we ended up on Princess. I don't know
why, but before he gets to the bottom line, he reads the cruise price,
hen the port charges, and then the taxes. The NCL Pearl started out with
the lowest price, but then had taxes way higher than the others. You
cannot discount taxes.


Taxes go to the gov't, not the cruise line. The final tax is
based on the total dollars and has nothing to do with which
line you're on.
The taxes and fees may be different for different ports, but
all things being the same,(same ports, same time in
port,same day, etc.) they will be the same PER dollar spent.

There may be minor differences because everything won't be
exactly the same, but it shouldn't be enough to pick a
cruise by. In other words, if you pick the same basic cruise
across different lines, the highest "final" cost before
taxes will always be the highest after taxes.

Unless I have been mistaken all these years.

Clay

(frijoli) wrote:

Jeff Gersten wrote:

(number6) wrote:

Raising the list prices will only make the
discount percentages they actually sell
them for look larger ...

I don't know about that. We had our TA price
three cruises for us, one on NCL, one on
HAL, and the one we ended up on Princess.
I don't know why, but before he gets to the
bottom line, he reads the cruise price, then
the port charges, and then the taxes. The
NCL Pearl started out with the lowest price,
but then had taxes way higher than the
others. You cannot discount taxes.

Taxes go to the gov't, not the cruise line. The
final tax is based on the total dollars and has
nothing to do with which line you're on.

The taxes and fees may be different for
different ports, but all things being the
same,(same ports, same time in port,same
day, etc.) they will be the same PER dollar
spent.

There may be minor differences because
everything won't be exactly the same, but it
shouldn't be enough to pick a cruise by. In
other words, if you pick the same basic cruise
across different lines, the highest "final" cost
before taxes will always be the highest after
taxes.

Unless I have been mistaken all these years.

Clay

One would think that was true, but what I reported just happened. My TA
even commented in amazement over the disparity in taxes.

On Fri, 02 Apr 2010 19:45:45 -0400, frijoli wrote:

There may be minor differences because everything won't be
exactly the same, but it shouldn't be enough to pick a
cruise by. In other words, if you pick the same basic cruise
across different lines, the highest "final" cost before
taxes will always be the highest after taxes.

Hi Everyone,

The confusion is that the breakdown of pricing could include or not
include certain taxes and fees in the breakdown that the public sees.
Some cruise lines include most taxes and fees in their
non-commissionable fees (NCF). The public does not see this amount.
Travel agents do get it because we are not paid commissions. This
number includes some taxes and some pure profit for cruise lines that
they do not pay TA commissions. Other cruise lines have a smaller
amount listed in their NCF and a larger amount in the "Taxes and Fees"
line which the public does see.
--
Ray Goldenberg 800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
Lighthouse Travel http://www.lighthousetravel.com
Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/lighthousetravl
Follow us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/ray.goldenberg

(Ray*Goldenberg) wrote:

On Fri, 02 Apr 2010 19:45:45 -0400, frijoli wrote:

There may be minor differences because
everything won't be exactly the same, but it
shouldn't be enough to pick a cruise by. In
other words, if you pick the same basic
cruise across different lines, the highest "
final" cost before taxes will always be the
highest after taxes.

Hi Everyone,

The confusion is that the breakdown of pricing
could include or not include certain taxes and fees in the breakdown
that the public sees.
Some cruise lines include most taxes and fees
in their non-commissionable fees (NCF). The
public does not see this amount. Travel
agents do get it because we are not paid
commissions. This number includes some
taxes and some pure profit for cruise lines that
they do not pay TA commissions. Other cruise
lines have a smaller amount listed in their
NCF and a larger amount in the "Taxes and
Fees" line which the public does see.

As I wrote previously, my TA wondered out loud why the taxes were so
much higher on the Pearl. And he chuckled when I replied "In order to
pay you less commission" I guess you are saying different lines classify
money they do not pay commission on differently.

But, the Pearl definetly went from lower than the Golden and Noordam to
higher.

On Sun, 4 Apr 2010 12:09:46 -0400, (Jeff
Gersten) wrote:

As I wrote previously, my TA wondered out loud why the taxes were so
much higher on the Pearl. And he chuckled when I replied "In order to
pay you less commission" I guess you are saying different lines classify
money they do not pay commission on differently.

But, the Pearl definetly went from lower than the Golden and Noordam to
higher.

Hi Jeff,

You have analyzed it correctly. As an example, on a 7-day Caribbean
cruise, Princess often shows the "taxes and fees" for much lower than
$100. Some other cruise lines show it as more than $200. They do the
opposite on the non-commissionable fees (NCF). It all comes out in
the wash as we use to say in Texas. :+)
--
Ray Goldenberg 800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
Lighthouse Travel http://www.lighthousetravel.com
Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/lighthousetravl
Follow us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/ray.goldenberg

Jeff Gersten wrote:


As I wrote previously, my TA wondered out loud why the taxes were so
much higher on the Pearl. And he chuckled when I replied "In order to
pay you less commission" I guess you are saying different lines classify
money they do not pay commission on differently.

But, the Pearl definetly went from lower than the Golden and Noordam to
higher.

Again, taxes are not paid to the Cruise line, however some,
Fees are. Taxes will not change based on what the cruise
line does, but what the gov't does.

The TAXES AND FEES may have been higher as a whole but the
percentage of tax per dollar is the same.

Either fee or taxes, the TA doesn't get a share in them.

Ray Goldenberg wrote:
On Sun, 4 Apr 2010 12:09:46 -0400, (Jeff
Gersten) wrote:

As I wrote previously, my TA wondered out loud why the taxes were so
much higher on the Pearl. And he chuckled when I replied "In order to
pay you less commission" I guess you are saying different lines classify
money they do not pay commission on differently.

But, the Pearl definetly went from lower than the Golden and Noordam to
higher.

Hi Jeff,

You have analyzed it correctly. As an example, on a 7-day Caribbean
cruise, Princess often shows the "taxes and fees" for much lower than
$100. Some other cruise lines show it as more than $200. They do the
opposite on the non-commissionable fees (NCF). It all comes out in
the wash as we use to say in Texas. :+)
--
Ray Goldenberg 800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
Lighthouse Travel http://www.lighthousetravel.com
Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/lighthousetravl
Follow us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/ray.goldenberg


Ray are you saying the TAXES are different, or the total
taxes and fees are different?

Everyone keeps using taxes and fees as if they are the
completely interchangeable.

Taxes are fees the Gov't's charge and the cruise line sees
none of this money.Which makes them expenses for the cruise
line. I would imagine they are not commissionable.
The cruise line also charges fees, which is money that they
keep, but are considered expenses for them as well and NOT
part of their revenue, and are not commissionable either.

Did I describe this incorrectly? I really do think it
important to distinguish taxes and fees.

Clay

On 4/4/2010 6:51 PM, frijoli wrote:

Again, taxes are not paid to the Cruise line, however some, Fees are.
Taxes will not change based on what the cruise line does, but what the
gov't does.

The TAXES AND FEES may have been higher as a whole but the percentage of
tax per dollar is the same.

Either fee or taxes, the TA doesn't get a share in them.



Hi Clay.

Taxes are most certainly paid to the cruise line, as are fees. They are
intended to be compensation for taxes and municipal charges imposed on
the cruise line that may or may not depend on the number of passengers
on a ship visiting a particular port. The amount collected may very well
exceed the amount paid, for example if a port originally scheduled is
not visited. Typically, you will not get a refund, but sometimes you do.
The amount of taxes is not a percentage of the fare as you seem to imply.