May 10, 2008 Ship of Thieves! Stealing the Magic..AGAIN!!! Panama Canal FL to CA!!! Part 5

[Ginamarie]

Great job everyone!
I don't have time to do a good check-up, but hope ot listen to the podcast later while I'm working.

 

[tigger137]

John - great e-mail. I look forward to seeing what response you get. Thanks for the podcast link. I hadn't listened before but I was impressed with how they handled it.

Auntie Pj - thanks for the petition info. Hopefully we may not need it, but it's handy to have just in case.

Lillygator - wow! I can't believe Dreams has done this, especially in response to a problem they did not cause. I haven't had an e-mail from Dreams, for some reason I don't seem to get the ones everyone else does - I didn't even get the one about the increase. But I've checked my account and the new shipboard credit is showing. But it still doesn't let DCL off the hook ......

Holly - thank you for posting those e-mail addresses. I'll fire off some e-mails when I get chance (probably when I'm back at work tomorrow ).

Now, shall I give Joseph a call to see if he still thinks I'm the only person complaining?!!!

 

[lillygator]

Yes, I have to say DU will certainly be getting my business from now on. They really know customer service.

I am anxious as well to hear a response to several of these letters. I have yet to send one, I am not too eloquent with words, especially not something I am mad about!

 

[gaylean93]

Hello everyone. I haven't been on in a very long time. We have been vacationing and I am busy with the kids being out of school. I will try to read some of the posts but I'm afraid I will never catch up. We got that letter in the mail saying we needed to pay $100.00 more per person and that just reminded us that we were going and that I need to get back on here!

 

[granmaz]

Hello, its good to see you. Just try and pop in when you can, it will nice to keep in touch.

 

[lillygator]

I am listening to the Podcast now - very cool!!

 

[mrsnesbit]

What does per berth mean? If it means per person, then who is paying for the cast/crew? Are we? Is that why we are paying a $100 fee on top of what is already built into the price of the cruise originally? Just wondering. We are not happy about this!! We booked on the Christmas cruise and not through DU so no credit for us.

 

[ibouncetoo]

What does per berth mean? If it means per person, then who is paying for the cast/crew? Are we? Is that why we are paying a $100 fee on top of what is already built into the price of the cruise originally? Just wondering. We are not happy about this!! We booked on the Christmas cruise and not through DU so no credit for us.

Per berth, for us, means per person. You are paying $100 for each member of your party.

So, this should mean that DCL is paying PC for the 'empty' beds, as well as crew beds, doesn't it? If there are three 'berths' in my stateroom, and I'm the only person, DCL would be paying for the two empty berths. I bet on this cruise there will be a higher than normal percent of empty births, as there is probably a higher percent of one and two person staterooms.

 

[Ginamarie]

What does per berth mean? If it means per person, then who is paying for the cast/crew? Are we? Is that why we are paying a $100 fee on top of what is already built into the price of the cruise originally? Just wondering. We are not happy about this!! We booked on the Christmas cruise and not through DU so no credit for us.

Actually, we'd have to look at the Panama rules to see how they define "berth" for taxation purposes. I know with port fees, they're usually based on how many people are actually onboard. For instance, a wharfage fee would vary from week to week, because the occupancy would vary.

 

[gydell]

Computer dummy here!!! How do I listen to the Podcast?

 

[Joel110]

Per berth, for us, means per person. You are paying $100 for each member of your party.

So, this should mean that DCL is paying PC for the 'empty' beds, as well as crew beds, doesn't it? If there are three 'berths' in my stateroom, and I'm the only person, DCL would be paying for the two empty berths. I bet on this cruise there will be a higher than normal percent of empty births, as there is probably a higher percent of one and two person staterooms.

I don't mean to crash the thread...just following along because of the $100 issue and we're facing same issue on EB cruise. According to Panama Canal Authority:

In the case of passenger vessels, the ACP will assess tolls based on the maximum passenger capacity in accordance with the International Tonnage Certificate 69, or the vessel’s passenger ship safety certificate

The Magic's maximum "passenger" capacity is listed as 2,400 on DCL website. So I assume that Disney pays a flat fee of $240,000 ($100 x 2400) regardless of actual number on board.

 

[pjpoohbear]

So crew beds are not counted, less for DCL to cover.

 

[Joel110]

Computer dummy here!!! How do I listen to the Podcast?

Go to the link below. Click the orange box that says, "Listen Now!" near the top of the page.

http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=158#

 

[chinarider]

got my letter from my travel agent today (AAA)--- Weren't our rates guaranteed when we put down our deposits??? Fuel can go up but, our rates won't. Plus, if it went down, you know they wouldn't lower our fare!!!

 

[ibouncetoo]

got my letter from my travel agent today (AAA)--- Weren't our rates guaranteed when we put down our deposits??? Fuel can go up but, our rates won't. Plus, if it went down, you know they wouldn't lower our fare!!!

Hey....I was just thinking about you yesterday and here you are! I hear that they are opening a Margaritaville restaurant in Glendale AZ in November. Wouldn't that be a great spot for an ARIZONA DIS MEET? Would a "cheesburger in paradise" make it worth the trip up here? I wonder if Jimmy Buffet will be at the opening???? Hmmmmmm.

Regarding your question, DCL is calling this a port tax, which they are 'allowed' to pass on to us, as it's technically not part of our cruise rate.

 

[Ginamarie]

I was just coming to post the same thing:

Passenger Vessels: Regarding passenger vessels, an assessment of tolls will be based on maximum passenger capacity. In general, under this change, large vessels will be charged tolls on a per berth basis, and smaller ships will continue under the Canal tonnage tolls system. These changes are largely due to suggestions from industry representatives - another example of the ACP listening to the industry.

 

[gydell]

Go to the link below. Click the orange box that says, "Listen Now!" near the top of the page.

http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=158#

THANKS!!!

 

[chinarider]

Hey....I was just thinking about you yesterday and here you are! I hear that they are opening a Margaritaville restaurant in Glendale AZ in November. Wouldn't that be a great spot for an ARIZONA DIS MEET? Would a "cheesburger in paradise" make it worth the trip up here? I wonder if Jimmy Buffet will be at the opening???? Hmmmmmm.

Regarding your question, DCL is calling this a port tax, which they are 'allowed' to pass on to us, as it's technically not part of our cruise rate.

Thanks for remembering and thinking about me. I pop in every now and then. November seems great , God willing I can come up and Christmas shop. I got the letter and almost had a cow. I am currently incomeless and struggling so, if they needed two hundred dollars from me any time soon, it wasn't going to happen. My position has been eliminated at my company- I was salary plus bonus and now I'm commission only. MANY, MANY stressors. It's just me and my daughter and she's too young to work!!! I have a trip to Disneyland in Oct and I've already put the $200 dep and paid for the airfare. Not sure if we're still going to be able to go then. It needs to be paid in full in Sept so, it's not looking good for that one. Praying we can still make the cruise- most of that is income tax refund so, we should be okay by then. PLEASE, if anyone in ARIZONA needs any type of mortgage(purchase, refi, commercial, land, renovation, anything), PLEASE contact me. I need to support my DISNEY HABIT!!!!!!!!!
Hope things are well on your end-Storms here have been a mess so far this summer. Keep in touch and have a great evening

Julie

 

[taysmom]

Podcast was great. I'm glad they understand what we want.. a logical explanation of the increase.
I didn't get any emails today...

Steph

 

[HollyTyler]

Good Morning Everyone!

I downloaded the DIS Unplugged podcast this morning, and guess what? Our firestorm over the DCL $100 fee is their #1 story . . .

Everyone should download and listen to it today!

Even if you don't have iTunes or an iPod, you can listen to a live stream online - oh, and follow the link to vote for them as the best travel podcast!

Thanks guys for making an issue of our problem with DCL!

http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=158

Thanks for posting the link John! I had never listened to a podcast before, so it took me a bit to figure out where to click to listen, but I'm playing it right now. VERY cool!