Booking a cruise can be challenging because every cruise line uses different pricing models and promotions.
Virgin Voyages, for example, includes most nonalcoholic beverages and a basic internet connection in its core offering.
MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Celebrity Cruises sell some of their cruises as a package including a variety of things. The packages, however, can be very different.
Celebrity, a Royal Caribbean (RCL) brand, includes internet and a beverage package, as does MSC, while Norwegian offers more of a pick-your-perks promotion where passengers could opt for specialty dining or excursions as part of their packages.
Related: These are my 4 favorite spots on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship
Both Royal Caribbean and Carnival sometimes offer kids-sail-free promotions. Kids, of course, sail free when that's being offered, but they're still passengers, and while "free," they're still charged taxes and port fees.
Cruise lines generally don't include taxes and port fees in the prices they advertise for a cruise. That's something that California took issue with in passing an Honest Pricing Law, which requires companies to disclose nearly every mandatory fee.
The law is not aimed at the cruise lines, but the cruise industry will have to comply in California. Royal Caribbean and Carnival will take things a step beyond complying just in California.
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Royal Caribbean and Carnival change their pricing practices
Each cruise passenger pays taxes and port fees whether they get off the ship or not.
Cruise lines, like pretty much every business, have generally advertised using the lowest top-line pricing possible, prices that do not include taxes and port fees. Those fees generally range from $100 to $200, although they could be higher on a port-intensive itinerary,
Royal Caribbean sent an email to its travel agent partners on May 14, outlining a major change to its pricing policies.
"Starting July 1, Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises will comply with California’s new law – and will do so nationally," the cruise line said in the email.
"This means that whenever Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises advertise, display, or offer pricing to consumers on any channel, anywhere in the United States, the price shown will include the cruise fare as well as any taxes, fees, and port expenses that guests will be required to pay as part of their cruise."
So people booking a cruise will see higher prices up front but they'll know that they won't face any surprises when they check out and pay for their cruise.
Silversea Cruise, a third Royal Caribbean brand, will not need to make any changes because its prices already include all required taxes, fees and port expenses.
Carnival making its own changes
Carnival will also change its pricing nationally, not just in California.
"Our total advertised price will now include all government-mandated taxes, fees, and port expenses that we previously itemized separately for consumer awareness," a Carnival spokesperson told Travel & Leisure. "While this is a California state law, we are making this change nationwide to ensure our advertised pricing is consistent no matter where guests shop for our cruises."
The change has not yet been implemented at either cruise line but is expected to roll out soon.
Disney Cruise Line already includes port fees in its advertised prices. MSC Cruises and Virgin Voyages do not sail out of California. Norwegian Cruise Line does but has not publicly stated its plans to comply with the law.
Cruise lines do not have to advertise fares including "mandatory" gratuities because in most cases passengers can opt to take those off their bills. The new California law includes only fees that people must pay so they know the true price before they make a purchase.
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The new law will affect hotels, which often have mandatory added fees that are not charged when a room is booked but are charged when the customer checks in.
Related: These are my 4 favorite spots on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship
