Has anyone ever been charged a 'Fuel Surcharge' after they've paid their fare?

[edmusic]

I see in the fine print of the terms and conditions that Holland has a right to add a fuel surcharge to your fare if the cost of fuel goes up even after you have booked your cruise and paid for it months in advance. With the oil prices these days, I was wondering if anyone has had to pay this surcharge? We are cruising in early June which is still almost three months away and I'm wondering what the chances are I might be hit with this. Anyone have this experience before?

[hal lover]

I've been on 17 cruise's since 2004 and never yet has the fuel charge been charged. With the cost of gas today, it could though.:eek:

[agabbymama]

I've never paid the fuel surcharge, but when Alaska instituted their $50 pp cruise tax, HAL did add that to our fare after final payment. Then after our cruise, Alaska lowered it to $35, but we never received the $15 pp refund from HAL.

[Bakincakes]

I'm sure no cruiseline wants to endure the wrath of pax if they do add the surcharge. But that is a possibility.Airline fares are out of sight.

 

With the price of fuel I wouldn't blame them and have prepared for that if it happens.

[smilealot1882]

We took a RCI cruise in May 2008 and there was a fuel surcharge added about a month before our cruise. The balance had already been paid and the TA called us and said the additional money must be paid. We were given an onboard credit upon boarding though. I asked my TA about the possibility of a fuel surcharge for our June cruise and she said not as of yet but you never know. :(

[whogo]

Holland America's cruise contract allows them to raise the fare at any time if costs other than fuel exceed their projections, too:

 

1. Additions to Fare, Government Fees & Taxes and Surcharges: (a) The fare that you paid was determined far in advance of Initial Departure on the basis of then-existing projections of fuel and other costs. In the event of an increase in fuel or other costs above amounts projected, we have the right to increase the fare at any time up to Initial Departure and to require payment of the additional fare prior to Initial Departure. We have the right to refuse to transport you unless the additional fare is paid. Within seven (7) days after you are notified of the additional fare (but no later than Initial Departure), you may elect to surrender this contract to us for cancellation, whereupon you will receive the Refund Amount. Cancellation fees do not apply to this type of refund.

http://www.hollandamerica.com/legalAndPrivacy/Main.action

[Mary Ellen]

We've paid it in the past. Can't remember how long ago that was, but it's been years since that happened.

[trvlcrzy]

I agree with Mary Ellen. Perhaps it was 2008. The price of oil has certainly been above the minimum requirement to activate the surcharge, but the lines have chosen not to act.

 

Remaining hopeful for the status quo on this one...

[Coralsugar]

Dont these types of busenesses hedge their risk against market move in commodities?

It doesnt neccesarily mean if prices of gas go up their costs go up.

[catl331]

We have paid a fuel surcharge, but we've never had it added after final payment date. Last time it was applied on HAL IIRC notice was given that bookings made after such-and-such date would have it, and that date was about 4 months away.

[sapper1]

If port charges/taxes go up after final payment you will be charged for that as well. Conversely, if they go down, you will receive an onboard credit.

[califgary]

The difference in base fare for a Panama Trip we did last year and the same one this year (same cabin) is almost $2000 more! Im feeling they are just adding that cost of fuel in the fares instead of calling out a separate fuel surcharge.....

[Krazy Kruizers]

Not recently.

 

But when there was a fuel surcharge instituted a few years ago for awhile -- yes it was added onto our shipboard account once we were on the ship as our cruise had been paid off before the tax was implemented.

[sail7seas]

They can implement a fuel surcharge at any point but we have never been charged one after final payment.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

We also paid it back when they first implemented it, cannot remember which cruise that was then right after we got home from that cruise they removed the Fuel Charge.

Cunard is the only cruise line I am aware of in recent times that was charging this but they too have recently quit charging this. They were still charging this as recently as December. I believe they eliminated it in February, not to speculate but I believe shortly after the Costa incident.

I honestly do not see the Cruise Lines adding this right now, they are having enough problems with sales. But they do always keep stating this.....

Holland America Line reserves the right to re-instate a fuel supplement for all guests at up to $9 per person per day

should the price of light sweet crude oil according to the NYMEX increase above $70 per barrel.

[Cruizer Bill]

We took a RCI cruise in May 2008 and there was a fuel surcharge added about a month before our cruise. The balance had already been paid and the TA called us and said the additional money must be paid. We were given an onboard credit upon boarding though. I asked my TA about the possibility of a fuel surcharge for our June cruise and she said not as of yet but you never know. :(

 

Same here. We were on the Legend of the Seas in May 2008 and were hit by the fuel surcharge. That is the only time it has happened to us.

[fann1sh]

First time around, there were some legal holes that needed closing, and some non-U.S. residents didn't have to pay the surcharge.

 

I think the surcharge warning has now been phrased to catch everyone in the net, regardless of residency.

[sapper1]

First time around, there were some legal holes that needed closing, and some non-U.S. residents didn't have to pay the surcharge.

 

I think the surcharge warning has now been phrased to catch everyone in the net, regardless of residency.

Yes because now we purchase a cruise fully forewarned when we make our deposit, while the first attempt to impose it on Canadians came without warning and they found our laws would not allow that. I think they found the same situation applied to Brits and a few other nationalities as well. In the end they just scrapped the idea for US residents as well. A few months later they announced that the possibility would always be there if fuel went over a set price.

[itzmered]

They just raised the prices, that way they don't have to refund it if the price drops

[Typhoon1]

There is always the possibility. (That's why they include it in the contract) Cruise lines are reluctant to do so, because of passenger backlash.

[PathfinderEss]

No.........