More taxes. Mexico has announced starting July 1, 2008 they have approved a $5 head tax on cruise passengers.

So, they are going to tax us to spend our money there? Who hires these accountants anyway? Sounds like some "coporate" scheme to make a buck.

Don't complain about USD$5 "tax" - when you arrive at the airport in Santiago,Chile, you are charged a USD$100 "reciprocity" tax.

I wonder how long the tax would last if people didn't get off the ship, or if we wouldn't book any cruises with Mexico on the itinerary. Maybe we should tax Mexico for all the illegal aliens that are here in the U.S.! What do you thing it's costing us per head? Let's see... according to a study made based on Census Bureau data, households headed by illegal aliens cost our Federal Government 10 billion dollars in 2002. GO AHEAD MEXICO, TAX US SOME MORE.

Sonny


Sonny

Sonny,

Don't forget the billions our government is planning to give Mexico to help them with their DRUG PROBLEM!

Is it just me? or do other people feel like we're being violated?

Sonny

Sonny,

No it is not just you. I am a physician here in Tucson and I can tell you from experience that the American taxpayer is getting raked over the coals. I know of someone who needed a heart transplant but couldn't afford it in Mexico. The solution? Cross the border illegally and get in absolutely free in the U.S. We are talking about more than $500,000 for one patient and this happens everyday in our local area.

I can also tell you of how the local police can pick up several dozen illegal immigrants at a time and when they call the border patrol, they are told that no one is available and they should just let them go. I know it sounds hard to believe, but this also happens thousands of times everyday in our country. It is a shame that our country is going to bankrupt itself.

With that being said, I can't wait to get out of town in about three weeks and forget about all of this.

See ya,

Brad

While I agree they should not, Alaska got away with it.
We be careful with this post we are getting dangerous close to the "No Politics" warning.

I agree with gdjoslin, when the Alaska tax went into effect and didn't slow bookings at all, I wondered how long it would take for other Gvt taxing authorities to get into the act. Don't be sruprised to see more of it in the furute.

Cheers, Neil

Not to promote a movie but has anyone seen Sicko? IF this is a true account, it makes me really sad for this country...

Well, I guess if it is only $5 p/p, that should be OK with me. Especially, considering that each cruiseship passenger will spend allot more than that on the fuel surcharges(imposed after the big rise in fuel costs). In fact, just one drink at one of the bars onboard could cost that much, or more.

I tend to agree with you, Frase: $5.00 here and there isin't much. But as Dave pointed out in another thread on the fuel surcharge, it's the cumulative effect that is going to eventually hurt. As Neil says, when everybody starts getting into the act, it could seriously raise the cost of cruising; or cut back the quality, or both; which those of us who have been cruising for a while would say has already been going on for quite some time.

Speaking of taxes, Honduras has a really good one. They do not impose any taxes on your arrival, but charge a "departure tax" of $33 per person to leave. I don't think this applies to cruise visitors at Roatan but we have to pay it each year when we fly home from our mission trip.

quote:

Originally posted by AllyGirl:
Not to promote a movie but has anyone seen Sicko? IF this is a true account, it makes me really sad for this country...

I consider anything that emanates from the mind of Michael Moore to be sick in it's own right.

quote:

Originally posted by tncruiseman:
Speaking of taxes, Honduras has a really good one. They do not impose any taxes on your arrival, but charge a "departure tax" of $33 per person to leave.

St. Lucia does the same thing, or at least they did a few years ago.

Another one that's been added is for flights into Chile. If you're flying to Santiago to catch a ship you'll need US dollars at the airport. They only take cash and it's a $100. per person entry tax. There will be a Gov't official there to relieve you of your cash. I figure the guy walks out of the airport with fuller pockets everytime a flight from the US arrives.

Cheers, Neil