What We're Not Being Told About Cruise Fares When Booking | Australian Consumer Law and the ACCC

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#cruise #cruisenews #cruiselife Something twigged in my brain this morning about service charges (or daily crew appreciation fees) that some cruise lines levy as an extra cost. Australian consumer law mandates transparency in pricing, requiring that businesses disclose any additional charges upfront. Does this extend to gratuities, crew appreciation fees and service charges? Are cruise lines operating correctly within the ACL framework? In this video, I investigate whether major cruise lines are meeting their obligations when providing a service to their Australian customers. I even ask the ACCC for their say on the matter. Share your thoughts in the comments - do you think some cruise lines need to be clearer about pricing? 🤔 Full ACCC spokesperson response: * All businesses that carry on business in Australia, including those based in other countries or operating online, or via an app or sharing platform, must comply with Australian Consumer Law (ACL). * Under the ACL, businesses must not mislead consumers about their prices.  * Businesses must be clear and up front about any additional costs such as surcharges that might apply, as well as when a charge is optional, or can only be calculated contingent on certain information customers need to provide during the transaction. * Businesses generally should provide upfront the total minimum quantifiable price of a product. This needs to include any mandatory or pre-selected fees that are quantifiable before the transaction. * Businesses should disclose information about optional or contingent fees to consumers at the earliest possible point before consumers make their order or purchase. * Businesses that add extra charges to purchases without adequately disclosing them in advance are at risk of breaching the consumer law. * The ACL is enforced by the state and territory consumer protection agencies alongside the ACCC under a one law, multiple regulator model. * Consumers that have concerns around potentially misleading prices should raise the matter with the business involved in the first instance. * If they are unable to resolve the issue, they can report the matter to their local fair trading or consumer affairs agency. Consumers can also report their concerns to the ACCC. DID YOU KNOW? My website hosts one of the world's most powerful cruise search engines where you can research and even book your next cruise or land holiday. Take a look here: www.thecruiseandtravelguy.com.au I don't charge for any of my content or hide things behind a paywall. If you'd like to help support my work, you can buy me a coffee here: https://ko-fi.com/thecruiseandtravelguy Shop my Amazon Cruise Essentials here: https://www.thecruiseandtravelguy.com.au/cruise-essentials Join my private Facebook group for cruise deals, tips and advice - the more members we have, the better we’ll get! www.facebook.com/groups/CTGdeals Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: www.facebook.com/thecruiseandtravelguy www.instragram.com/thecruiseandtravelguy Support the channel with a slogan tee: https://thecruiseandtravelguy.myshopify.com Music by Master Planned Music