We get asked a lot - why is the price different than what we saw online? I'm going to give you the quick and easy way to know if you have the full price on a cruise...if the number has no 'cents' listed after it, it is probably not the full cost.
Like purchasing eye glasses, you have the frames, lenses, doctors appointment and everything priced separately but the fact of the matter is, you don't have functional eyeglasses unless you include all those items.
So it is with cruises. Online you will see the price of the cabin along with the port charges listed which yields an even number like $599 per person. The government fees, which are required, have not been added in to the total and can range from $75-$150 or more per person. This is also true for land vacations which may include the lowest airfare but not rates from your city and not the taxes and fees added by the airlines or hotel. This can also increase your cost per person by $150-200 over the advertised land vacation rate.
Your best option when you find an 'even' number price listed online, add another $150 for cruises or $200 for land options and that will give you the closest, true, complete cost.
Sometimes people think travel agents are adding in hidden cost but we are not. If we could change how cruise lines and all-inclusives advertise so the entire, true pricing was out there we would because it would make our life much easier.
So rely on the travel agent to get you the true, best price and also make sure you don't end up on a red-eye flight or in a hotel that doesn't match your needs.
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