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Cruise News for the Corporate Travel Professional |
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Berlitz author Douglas Ward picks ‘six of the biggest cruise rip-offs’ |
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Charges for transfer buses, bridge tours, bingo cards and bottled
water are among what author Douglas Ward identifies as six of the biggest
‘cruising rip-offs’ in his soon to be published Berlitz 2011 Complete Guide to
Cruising & Cruise Ships. Another is extra gratuities—Ward says the major lines typically imprint an additional gratuity line on signable receipts for such things as spa treatments or extra-cost coffees and bar charges, despite a 15% gratuity automatically added to the cost of the item. He calls the cost of airport transfer buses in ports such as Athens, Barcelona and Civitavecchia ‘unacceptably high,’ and cites Royal Caribbean International’s Independence of the Seas charge of up to $6 one way for the shuttle bus in some ports on its ex-UK Western Mediterranean cruises. Ward sees currency conversion for on-board accounts as another rip-off. He asserts the price is recalculated into a ‘guaranteed’ price which can be higher than the rate quoted by banks or other credit card companies, adding this does not necessarily occur on the day of the transaction but later in the month when rates could change to a passenger’s disadvantage. The cost of bottled mineral water for shore excursions has rocketed, Ward says, citing Celebrity Cruises’ $4.50 charge plus a 15% gratuity ‘for your convenience.’ He also frowns on Norwegian Cruise Line’s $40 charge for a block of four bingo cards, and on Princess Cruises asking $150 for a ‘raffle’ to compete for a dozen available tickets per cruise to do the ‘The Ultimate Ship Tour’ which takes in the bridge, among other ‘backstage’ areas. (Princess might dispute that it’s charging $150 to visit the bridge; the ‘Ultimate Tour’ as described by the line goes to nine areas including the engine control room and includes take-aways such as a bathrobe, chef’s jacket, personalized stationery and a framed photo with the captain, plus champagne, caviar and hors d’oeuvres.) Overall, Ward’s point is that with cruise fares plummeting, charges for on-board ‘extras’ are rising. He offers his own tips for saving money on a cruise that include booking an older (pre-1980) ship, traveling off-season, choosing an inside cabin and booking ‘through a real cruise-travel agency having researched the holiday online.’ The new Berlitz edition will be published in the UK Oct. 4 and covers 285 cruise ships worldwide. |
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