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…While watchdog criticises cruise lines’ extra costs
Consumer group Which? has criticised cruise lines that sneak extra costs onto passengers.
Which? advised consumers to avoid cruise ships that add a tip to each drinks bill as well as a service charge to the final tariff at the end of the cruise – meaning a customer tips twice for the same service.
Which? said: "Cunard, Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean all invite you to add a tip to your bill when you have had a drink, for example, but also add a service charge to your bill at the end of the cruise.
"Saga and Thomson both include standard service charges in the initial booking cost, leaving any other tips entirely at your discretion.
"We say: If a service charge is for service, then what are the tips for? These charges need to be more transparent."
Cruise lines were also criticised by Which? for high cancellation charges.
Which? said: "When you have to cancel a holiday booking, you can end up paying a large proportion of the full cost.
"Cruise ships are among the most stringent – Saga and Fred Olsen keep 60% if you cancel 11 weeks before departure, even if they resell your cabin.
"Cunard and P&O keep 50%."
On the issue of cancellations, Which? also criticised ‘strict’ Airbnb deals, where customers have to pay the booking fee, plus 50% of the full cost if they cancel six months ahead.
Other travel bug bears that have been highlighted in the Which? Sneaky Fees campaign include excess waiver insurance, which can cost £100-£150 a week from a car hire firm, yet which costs much less if taken out separately.
Airline seat reservation fees also make the list.
Which? said: "This is an optional charge, but appears way out of proportion to the cost, and hits families particularly hard."
Alex Neill, Which? director of policy and campaigns, said: ‘Consumers should know how much they are paying for a product upfront, without being hit with sneaky extra fees.’
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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