New Cruise Line Transparency Pricing Law Starting July 2024
- by Wendy Fracchia
Thanks to a new law passed in California, there is a new wave of transparency pricing taking over all cruise lines starting July 1, 2024.
What does that mean and how does it affect you?
Simply put – If there is a required tax, fee, or cost associated to purchasing a cruise, it will now be included with the advertised price we show on our website, which will be the same for all cruise lines also on their websites. ** This does not include shipboard gratuities as this is still officially considered an optional feature even though it is automatically added during a cruise or can still be prepaid in advance if you prefer.
In the past the cruise lines have advertised their “cabin cost” and then during the booking process, you were advised of the REQUIRED government, port, and cruise lines taxes and fees that had to be paid with your booking. So, a $699.00 advertised cruise fare would actually cost you $809.00 at check out because of these required taxes and fees. (shown prices are only examples). To be competitive with these advertised prices, we as a company had to follow suit as to not seem that your cruise would cost significantly more booking with us, a travel agency, as that is 100% not the case.
Morris Murdock Escorted Tours has always tried to offer you the most inclusive-upfront pricing on our tours including the credit card price (cash discounts offered on most products), tour tipping when required, and arrival & departure transfers from the airports with structured group flight times to name a few. With this new law, we are very excited to now be able to do this also with our hosted cruise products offered through us.
Please be advised that when shopping for a cruise with MMET, be sure to read and understand if you are booking a “hosted cruise only” product, for which the cost will be same or BETTER than booked directly with the cruise line, or a “escorted cruise tour” which will include additional features with the cruise such a pre-cruise hotel package, on-board seminars & activities with your host/educator, possible included shore excursions. These prices on our website will always be more expensive than booking directly with the cruise line because of these additional services but will bring with them so many benefits at a great value price that you will be happy to have them included.
We hope this is helpful to you as you see our prices seemingly to increase in the near future. They have not – they are just more inclusive now, matching the cruise line required additional costs.