Ever gotten a small refund from your cruise line after your trip was over and wondered what it was for?

It happened to us recently. We had booked a Royal Caribbean cruise for four travelers, but ended up sailing with only three. A few weeks after the cruise, we noticed a small refund hit our original payment method. The reason? Port fees and taxes.

Here’s what most cruise passengers don’t realize: port fees and taxes are passenger-specific, not flat fees for the whole stateroom. So if a guest cancels or doesn’t board, the cruise line typically refunds the unused portion of these charges.

Let’s break down how this works.

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👉 Not in the mood to read? Here’s the quick TikTok version ⬇️

@charityky

Replying to @maddy Port cruise fees on Royal Caribbean show up on your bill as a separate line item & are the same for each passenger. They are in the online cost you see. If someone doesn’t sail or you skip a port you get that money back, which does bring the cruise cost down slightly #portfees #royalcaribbean #cruisecost #cruisetips #cruiseadvice

♬ original sound – Charity🌺Family.Travel.Points.

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💵 What Are Port Fees and Taxes?

Every time a cruise ship docks in a port, the cruise line pays a fee to that port. These charges help cover:

• Security screening
• Immigration/customs services
• Dock usage
• Tourism infrastructure
• Environmental fees

The cruise line passes these fees along to you, bundled as part of your “taxes and port fees” when you book. But here’s the part many don’t know: they are per person, not per cabin.

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📤 Why Refunds Happen After You Sail

If you cancel a guest before sailing, or someone simply doesn’t show up, the cruise line doesn’t pay port fees for them, and you might get that amount back after the cruise.

Refunds are usually automatic and go back to the original form of payment, though they may take 2–4 weeks to appear.

You may also get a partial refund if:

• Your ship skips a port due to weather or emergencies
• You booked an excursion or onboard activity that gets canceled
• There were discrepancies in onboard charges or gratuities

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🧾 How Much Money Is Involved?

It varies depending on the cruise and itinerary, but it’s not uncommon to see $75–$150 per person in port taxes and fees, depending on how many stops your ship makes and where they are.

In our case, we got a refund for one guest who didn’t sail—and we only realized it when checking our credit card a few weeks after the cruise ended.

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⏳ When to Expect a Refund

• Usually within 2–4 weeks after the cruise
• Automatically sent to the credit card or payment method used
• May show up as “Royal Caribbean Cruises,” “RCCL,” or “Cruise Refund”

If it’s been more than a month and you expected a refund, you can contact the cruise line’s customer service or post-cruise support for clarification.

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🚢 Final Thoughts

Cruise port taxes and fees aren’t always well explained, but they matter, especially when you make last-minute changes or cancel a guest. The good news? Cruise lines are generally good about refunding what you didn’t use.

So if you ever find yourself wondering why you received a random refund weeks after sailing, check your booking. It might just be those per-person port fees coming back your way.

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