Fuel surcharges

[Keats]

I was quoted a price for a cruise on Princess and the price was good. I gave the agent an O.K. ( both by phone and E. Mail ) after thoroughly going over everything possible. The cruise was booked and a cabin assigned and a booking number obtained and now I just received an E. Mail from the agency that I'd have to pay an additional $5.00 PP Per Day for a fuel surcharge.

That adds another $140.00 to our cruise. None of the other agents I had spoken with prior to booking this cruise ever mentioned a fuel surcharge. Not even the Princess representative we met at a "Cruise Show" at one of the agencies. Has anyone else heard of this and is it legit?

Keats:confused:

[Sundagger]

I was quoted a price for a cruise on Princess and the price was good. I gave the agent an O.K. ( both by phone and E. Mail ) after thoroughly going over everything possible. The cruise was booked and a cabin assigned and a booking number obtained and now I just received an E. Mail from the agency that I'd have to pay an additional $5.00 PP Per Day for a fuel surcharge.

That adds another $140.00 to our cruise. None of the other agents I had spoken with prior to booking this cruise ever mentioned a fuel surcharge. Not even the Princess representative we met at a "Cruise Show" at one of the agencies. Has anyone else heard of this and is it legit?

Keats:confused:

 

All of the Carnival Corp. lines (including Princess) have added a fuel surcharge effective with the Feb 2008 cruises - it was just announced this week. There is a clause in the cruise contract that permits fuel surcharges, they just haven't done it before this. There are extensive threads on all of the Carnival Corp. boards on CC.

[melika091900]

yeah carnival is doing it also...

carnival is 7$ a day per person , if you have more than 2 in a stateroom, they only charge this for the first 2 passengers..

so ours is going to be 140$ more , which isnt much, but thats alot of rum and cokes.

 

but yes they just announced this last week when the price of oil went up..

 

i dont think its fair that they just now announce it and everyone who already booked has to pay this.. carnival states its for cruising sailing after feb 1 2008 . weird..

[Sundagger]

yeah carnival is doing it also...

carnival is 7$ a day per person , if you have more than 2 in a stateroom, they only charge this for the first 2 passengers..

so ours is going to be 140$ more , which isnt much, but thats alot of rum and cokes.

 

but yes they just announced this last week when the price of oil went up..

 

i dont think its fair that they just now announce it and everyone who already booked has to pay this.. carnival states its for cruising sailing after feb 1 2008 . weird..

 

Carnival is also $5/day/person:

 

Due to rapidly escalating fuel prices, Carnival Corporation & plc’s six North American brands, including Carnival Cruise Lines, have implemented a fuel supplement of $5 per person, per day.

The fuel supplement, which applies to the first and second guests in a stateroom (not to exceed $70 per person, per voyage) is effective on all bookings for cruises departing on, or after February 1, 2008.

[melika091900]

Carnival is also $5/day/person:

 

Due to rapidly escalating fuel prices, Carnival Corporation & plc’s six North American brands, including Carnival Cruise Lines, have implemented a fuel supplement of $5 per person, per day.

The fuel supplement, which applies to the first and second guests in a stateroom (not to exceed $70 per person, per voyage) is effective on all bookings for cruises departing on, or after February 1, 2008.

 

5$ isnt bad, im checking my reservation now to see if its on there, but i think the carnival website is down..

 

so it would be 70$ more for 2 of us,, thats not too bad at all.

my other calculation of 140 was way off , i think im tired.. hee heee

[Keith1010]

Yes, many cruise lines have just implemented this surcharge the other day. For those who had booked the cruise and had not yet made the final payment they are receiving notes from their TA's about the increase.

 

Keith

[jc foster]

YEP, I just received an email also from my T/A. My cost will also be $140.00 additional for a March sailing on HAL.HAL charges wil be 7 dollars per person perday to a max of $70.00 per person on all cruises after feb.1, 2008.

[alphakitty]

An additional $140 would be for a 14 night cruise for 2 people.

 

The charge is $5.00/per person/per day for the 1st and 2nd pax only. A 7 night cruise would be $35.00 per person or $70 total for 2.

[BobBeaSea]

The fuel surcharge is long overdue. Some luxury lines have been doing this for some time now. The mass marketers are just getting to it, the delay caused by fear of negative reaction. The truth is fuel surcharges are everywhere, in all kinds of businesses.

[DanJ]

 

i dont think its fair that they just now announce it and everyone who already booked has to pay this.. carnival states its for cruising sailing after feb 1 2008 . weird..

 

The made if effective Feb 1 so that those people who really object can cancel without penalty. Some actually have, which is the weird part.

[alphakitty]

I couldn't cancel. Well, technically, final payment is due 11/27, so I could....but with air and hotel booked, I didn't really have that choice. I understand the need for the fuel surcharge, but I don't think it is good customer relations to add this to already booked passengers. I believe it would have been more fair to add it to new bookings only. JMO

[firefly333]

The made if effective Feb 1 so that those people who really object can cancel without penalty. Some actually have, which is the weird part.

 

Im thinking folks who cancelled were not gung ho on their price in the first place or something. This just gave them enough push to decide not to go.

 

Iv got two cruises it affects as well.

[newmexicoNita]

I was quoted a price for a cruise on Princess and the price was good. I gave the agent an O.K. ( both by phone and E. Mail ) after thoroughly going over everything possible. The cruise was booked and a cabin assigned and a booking number obtained and now I just received an E. Mail from the agency that I'd have to pay an additional $5.00 PP Per Day for a fuel surcharge.

That adds another $140.00 to our cruise. None of the other agents I had spoken with prior to booking this cruise ever mentioned a fuel surcharge. Not even the Princess representative we met at a "Cruise Show" at one of the agencies. Has anyone else heard of this and is it legit?

Keats:confused:

The fuel surcharge just went into affect about 3 or 4 days ago and applies to all cruises under the Carnival unbrella which is everything except NCL, RCI and Disney. I am sure all lines will follow in the next week or so. You certainly can't blame them. At almost $100 a barrel, someone is going to pay.

 

Nita

[sceneisle]

I organized a group consisting of 96 people, an 8-day cruise in 02/08. As group leader, I am collecting the required funds from my group members, then settling with the travel agent with one check. The group consists of friends/relatives scattered all over the U.S.. After collecting most of the funds, based on the original price, my travel agent calls and tells me I need to come up with an additional $70.00 per cabin (double occupancy) for the fuel charge. I re-contact all my group members, advising them of the extra $70.00. As the $70.00 checks start rolling in, I learn the T.A. made a mistake. The correct surcharge for an 8-day sailing is $80.00 per cabin. While I have organized several other group cruises in the past, this one is turning into a nightmare. What was once a great price for the cruise, is now just "O.K." I guess what Carnival makes on the fuel surcharge, they will lose at the bar, as most of the group is now planning to B.Y.O.B.!

[MEcruzr]

"I guess what Carnival makes on the fuel surcharge, they will lose at the bar..."

 

I don't think they're making anything on the fuel surcharge. lol

[Keats]

I'm doing a 14 day Canal trip next November. Coral Princess holds 1970 passengers. @ $5.00 per day per passenger times 14 days, that's

$137,900.00 in fuel charges to the passengers. I know that oil went up and that the cost to fuel the ship is more, but you've got to realize that the cruise lines buy fuel @ set contract prices a year or more in advance. Just like airlines and trucking companies.

I'm just afraid that this may be the foot in the door to new charges down the road. For instance, surcharges for groceries, entertainment, housekeeping, maintance, you name it. I don't want to see that happen.

I'ts like the $5.00 beer or box snacks on the airlines. Or the $5.00 charge to use headphones to watch the in flight movie. The auto repair shop now charges for shop rags used by the mechanic to wipe his hands and the soap to wash his hands after the job. At some point it will reach the breaking point.

$140.00 isin't going to kill me but you add that to the mandatory $10.00 per passenger per day gratuties and the expensive drinks and it adds up pretty quickly. We decided on this trip instead of a trip to Ireland because of the rising cost of the Euro and believed this was a more affordable "Special Vacation" but this may not be the case after all. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that there are no other new suprised down the line before we embark.

Keats :cool:

[psbtrvlr]

I'm doing a 14 day Canal trip next November. Coral Princess holds 1970 passengers. @ $5.00 per day per passenger times 14 days, that's

$137,900.00 in fuel charges to the passengers. I know that oil went up and that the cost to fuel the ship is more, but you've got to realize that the cruise lines buy fuel @ set contract prices a year or more in advance. Just like airlines and trucking companies.

I'm just afraid that this may be the foot in the door to new charges down the road. For instance, surcharges for groceries, entertainment, housekeeping, maintance, you name it. I don't want to see that happen.

I'ts like the $5.00 beer or box snacks on the airlines. Or the $5.00 charge to use headphones to watch the in flight movie. The auto repair shop now charges for shop rags used by the mechanic to wipe his hands and the soap to wash his hands after the job. At some point it will reach the breaking point.

$140.00 isin't going to kill me but you add that to the mandatory $10.00 per passenger per day gratuties and the expensive drinks and it adds up pretty quickly. We decided on this trip instead of a trip to Ireland because of the rising cost of the Euro and believed this was a more affordable "Special Vacation" but this may not be the case after all. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that there are no other new suprised down the line before we embark.

Keats :cool:

 

It affects 2 of my up and coming cruises and I don't like it. However, your figures are incorrect. The surcharge only affects the first 2 passengers in a stateroom. 1970 passengers total includes third and fourth passengers in staterooms, and they are not charged.

[Keats]

Fiar enough. I based it on two to a cabin.

It's still a lot of change....

Keats:cool:

[firefly333]

I know that oil went up and that the cost to fuel the ship is more, but you've got to realize that the cruise lines buy fuel @ set contract prices a year or more in advance. Just like airlines and trucking companies. :cool:

 

Iv read analysts on both RCL and CCL stocks and it said RCL hedges but CCL does not. So Im not real sure of your facts here being correct, isnt that how one hedges??? by buying contracts in advance which CCL doesnt do?

 

Im no expert on hedging but thats how I would think its done, if a company was trying to spread out the cost. CCL lost this bet and now needs to get passengers to kick in. CCL I read somewhere is saying the surcharge will pay for 1/3 of the increase in the cost of fuel.

[melika091900]

The made if effective Feb 1 so that those people who really object can cancel without penalty. Some actually have, which is the weird part.

 

 

that is weird,, i would never cancel over that :confused:

theres a lot of people who dont like extra charges and things , which i dont blame them, but something like this is not in our control..

gas prices are RIDICULOUS... Im in the bay area CA and the cheapest ive seen around is 3.43/ga CRAZY...

[DanJ]

It affects 2 of my up and coming cruises and I don't like it. However, your figures are incorrect. The surcharge only affects the first 2 passengers in a stateroom. 1970 passengers total includes third and fourth passengers in staterooms, and they are not charged.

 

I'm pretty sure 1950 is the advertised double occupancy of the Coral/Island.

[momofmeg]

yeah carnival is doing it also...

carnival is 7$ a day per person , if you have more than 2 in a stateroom, they only charge this for the first 2 passengers..

so ours is going to be 140$ more , which isnt much, but thats alot of rum and cokes.

 

but yes they just announced this last week when the price of oil went up..

 

i dont think its fair that they just now announce it and everyone who already booked has to pay this.. carnival states its for cruising sailing after feb 1 2008 . weird..

 

I do not like it either-I find it bad business-do it on FUTURE bookings-but at least you are within the time frame to cancel and get a full refund.

[kruisey]

Booked in Canadian dollars you pay from 10% to 15% above the $5.00 per day.

[psbtrvlr]

I'm pretty sure 1950 is the advertised double occupancy of the Coral/Island.

 

 

What I see is max occupancy of 1974. Are you saying there is only 24 3rd and 4th spots available on this ship?

[DanJ]

What I see is max occupancy of 1974. Are you saying there is only 24 3rd and 4th spots available on this ship?

 

Since Princess doesn't have ship stats readily available online, I had to go by memory, so I might be off a bit. Cruisesonly has the stats listed as 879 outside and 108 inside rooms, which brings double occupancy to 1974, although they list capacity as 1970. Can't speak to that site's accuracy since they list the Sun, Sea and Dawn as 1950 capacity, but they show the Dawn having 36 more inside cabins than the other 2. I would guess the Island/Coral have 200-300 extra berths beyond d/o.