Question for TAs---have you seen lowered Alaska taxes passed ontoyour customers?

We are sailing to Alaska in August. I know they passed a lowering of the
tax on cruise passengers in Juneau earlier this month. It is not showing
up in my invoice.

I called our TA. He can only charge the taxes that the cruise line
passes onto him as the tax. I called Princess who said "your Travel
Agent has to discuss this with us." I talked to his supervisor who said,
"We are not aware of any lowering of taxes in Alaska. Maybe management
is." I called back my TA who said he talks with sales reps. They don't
set taxes. He does not even know who he could talk to find out about the
passing on of the lower taxes.

So have any of you seen the lowered tax savings passed on to your
customers?

In article ,
(Jeff Gersten) wrote:

We are sailing to Alaska in August. I know they passed a lowering of the
tax on cruise passengers in Juneau earlier this month. It is not showing
up in my invoice.

I called our TA. He can only charge the taxes that the cruise line
passes onto him as the tax. I called Princess who said "your Travel
Agent has to discuss this with us." I talked to his supervisor who said,
"We are not aware of any lowering of taxes in Alaska. Maybe management
is." I called back my TA who said he talks with sales reps. They don't
set taxes. He does not even know who he could talk to find out about the
passing on of the lower taxes.

So have any of you seen the lowered tax savings passed on to your
customers?


As of a week ago, it has just passed the Senate and was sent on the
House. Can't find any indication either way as to House passage.

--
I get off on '57 Chevys
I get off on screamin' guitars
--Eric Clapton

On 4/22/2010 9:40 AM, Kurt Ullman wrote:
In ,
(Jeff Gersten) wrote:

We are sailing to Alaska in August. I know they passed a lowering of the
tax on cruise passengers in Juneau earlier this month. It is not showing
up in my invoice.

I called our TA. He can only charge the taxes that the cruise line
passes onto him as the tax. I called Princess who said "your Travel
Agent has to discuss this with us." I talked to his supervisor who said,
"We are not aware of any lowering of taxes in Alaska. Maybe management
is." I called back my TA who said he talks with sales reps. They don't
set taxes. He does not even know who he could talk to find out about the
passing on of the lower taxes.

So have any of you seen the lowered tax savings passed on to your
customers?


As of a week ago, it has just passed the Senate and was sent on the
House. Can't find any indication either way as to House passage.


Yhe bill was passed in the House on Monday.

http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/...11926574.shtml

It is unclear how much of this money passengers will actually see. The
basic tax rate goes from $46 pp to $34.50 pp, but some ships that stop
at more than one Alaska port get bigger decreases.

"The bill passed in both bodies is expected to return about $22 million
a year to the industry by reducing the head tax by $11.50 for all
passengers, and then another $15 for those that visit Juneau or
Ketchikan. That would lower the head tax to $19.50 for most passengers,
a nearly 60 percent cut. "

I'm sure it will take a few weeks (if not months) to get this
implemented... and while it is a roll-back, it surely isn't a retraction
of the entire tax.


--

George Leppla

Countryside Travel http://www.CruiseMaster.com
Blog http://cruisemaster.typepad.com/my_weblog/
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/CruiseMaster

Kurt Ullman wrote:


As of a week ago, it has just passed the Senate and was sent on
the
House. Can't find any indication either way as to House passage.

It just passed the house a couple of days ago. Don't know if it becomes
effective right away either. Lots of times bills have a future effective
date.


--
Charles

[Default] Thus spake Charles :

Kurt Ullman wrote:


As of a week ago, it has just passed the Senate and was sent on
the
House. Can't find any indication either way as to House passage.

It just passed the house a couple of days ago. Don't know if it becomes
effective right away either. Lots of times bills have a future effective
date.

It is my understanding (yeah, me understanding anything) that the law
would go into effect September first. Which would only affect 2011
cruises for all but a couple of smaller lines with the smaller, more
"intimate" and "mature" clientle.

But until it's signed into law, nothing.
--

- dillon I am not invalid

The RMS Titanic sank on April 15th.
Taxes are due on April 15th.
Coincidence? I think not.