Fuel Supplement announced (4 merged threads)

[omeinv]

You do have the option to cancel without penalty. Make a choice cruise or don't cruise.

Indeed. This lets all who are objecting based on the argument "It's not the money, it's the principal", prove they are acting on principal. Cancel your cruise. No penalty.

 

Meanwhile, I'll be by the pool en route to Hawaii.

 

Harris

[spearmint]

When did X make the decision to tack on a fuel surcharge? I haven't heard or read a thing about it. I'm aware that Carnival Corp. has instituted it on its ships, effective February '08 but I'm in the dark about Celebrity doing the same. How much is it and when does it take effect?

 

And will it affect those who have been paid up for months?

[dkjretired]

Here's the link....

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=662365

[spearmint]

Here's the link....

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=662365

 

Thanks very much. I had just read your own thread on the subject. As I am travelling next weekend, and have been paid up for many months, it does not apply. Whew!:)

[negc]

And will it affect those who have been paid up for months?

The surcharge was announced by RCI, Celebrity and Azamara today (November 16th) and goes into effect for all cruises that commence on or after February 1, 2008. It is $5 a day per person for the first two passengers in a stateroom - the same as Carnival's surcharge, but the difference is that unlike Carnival's policy, Celebrity's policy is that anyone who is already paid in full, is exempt from the surcharge. They also announced that anyone who objects to the surcharge can cancel their cruise for that reason, without incurring a penalty. It's not much of a concession, but it is something.:rolleyes:

[dabear]

omeinv; What about the $3000 non refundable rt air fare to So America which I paid last MArch, the non refundable rt air to Igusu Falls, Br. that I paid $500 last June besides the $900 refundable deposit for my cruise? It's easy for you to say just act on principle (not principal). If I was booking just now, I agree that I would have a reasonable choice! Next time think!

[dmk]

I decided to pay online and see if they add the surcharge. This what it said on the payment page:

*Note: For North America reservations, a fuel supplement of $5.00 per day per person for the first two occupants of a stateroom (Subject to a maximum of $140per Stateroom) will apply to all sailings departing on or after February 1,2008.

 

We appreciate your understanding while we update our systems to reflect the fuel supplement in the reservation summary.

 

I went ahead and made my payment to see if I could out smart the system. No surcharge showed up on my Final Payment confirmation.

[Jade13]

The way I read it is that if you booked before the cutoff date and paid in full there is no fuel surcharge?

 

So the three cruises I have booked are already PAID in full so I will have no surcharge?

 

Don, what are your thoughts?

 

Dave:eek:

 

How would we know the cutoff date???

[jeanneful]

It's says North American cruise. What about a Transalantic cruise? That would be Europe!

[Jade13]

I just phoned and spoke to "Michele" at Celebrity. She was told to tell guests that they would be receiving an OBC. She did not have any further information.

[jasm8449]

Would it not have been wiser for Celebrity to allow everyone who already had a booking for a sailing after February 1st, to have an opportunity to make that final payment in order to avoid the surcharge? It would have put a lot of cash in Celebrity's coffers and not made those of us who had thought they had a solid commitment on the price they booked and put a deposit on feel like they were blindsided.

[Susan-M]

Would it not have been wiser for Celebrity to allow everyone who already had a booking for a sailing after February 1st, to have an opportunity to make that final payment in order to avoid the surcharge?

 

Some cruise lines are handling it that way, while others are implementing it in the same way that Celebrity has: http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=2267

[Lois R]

I posted this on another thread but maybe someone here might have some input.

 

.....

I just checked my online reservation on the Celebrity site for a cruise next April and they have added the following to the end of my payment schedule:

 

*Note: For North America reservations, a fuel supplement of $5.00 per day per person for the first two occupants of a stateroom (Subject to a maximum of $140 per Stateroom) will apply to all sailings departing on or after February 1,2008.

 

 

As a solo traveler I am required to pay a stateroom supplement which is roughly the equivalent of paying for a non-existent 2nd person. Will this fuel supplement mean that I have to pay for 2 people also? The statement is not very clear - certainly it says that it is $5 per day per person which would lead me to think that I have to pay $75 for a 15 night cruise. However it also says that it is for the first two occupants (subject to a maximum of $140 per stateroom). Given that they charge a solo cruiser as though there are two people in the stateroom, will they also penalise me for 2 fuel charges also???

 

Gary, I called Celebrity today and I was told the surcharge

would be for 1 (one) person...I sail solo too and had the same question

as you. She said it would be 5.00 per day...my cruise is 10 nights....50.00 only.

My final payment is due on Dec 28th. We shall see for sure

when I make the payment.

Oh, I also asked about making my payment today to avoid the

charge. The CSR was extremely nice but it was out of her hands

and yesterday was the cut off. Oh well......I am still cruising

in March:)

[kb4683]

Would it not have been wiser for Celebrity to allow everyone who already had a booking for a sailing after February 1st, to have an opportunity to make that final payment in order to avoid the surcharge? It would have put a lot of cash in Celebrity's coffers and not made those of us who had thought they had a solid commitment on the price they booked and put a deposit on feel like they were blindsided.

 

YES!!!

[CaribbeanCrazy]

jasm8449,

I totally agree with you! It should only apply for new bookings booked after the announcement on Nov 15th. We agreed on a price...and now we are told we either have to pay the surcharge or cancel:mad:

A couple of weeks ago the there was a price reduction on our April/08 cruise. Now it looks like this surcharge is going to eat most of the savings.:mad: You just can't win sometimes.:(

 

CaribbeanCrazy

[Canuker]

I knew I could depend on someone on the boards. Thanks for setting me straigt and I will make a note to check this site before putting foot in mouth so to speak. Thanks again. I printed the article to show my husband so he doesn' t do the same.

 

You didn't put your foot in your mouth, Lilreckster. On the contrary.

Thank you for bringing it to the membership's attention.

We need more folk with their heart in the right place, like you.

 

Hope we cross wakes one day

[Drew B]

I don't mind the added cost, but I wish for future bookings, it would be added into the price rather than treated as an extra item. I feel the same way about port fees and taxes. All I want is to know what it will cost in total per person to take a cruise. It's so hard to figure out what you can or cannot afford when you are looking at one price, but there are other costs that need to be factored in...

[Jade13]

I have two HAL cruises booked and the surcharge does not bother me since they are not until next summer. However, the surcharges (4 persons) on my Celebrity booking is really bothering me for two reasons. First is that my cruise is mid February and second is that Celebrity is letting folks who paid in full by yesterday off the hook. Some stated they went on-line and it went through today without the surcharge. I need to wait until my TA is in on Monday. I think if they were going to let some off the hook they should have let others have the opportunity to pay in full by December 1 etc. At least HAL is handling it the same for everyone whether or not they have already paid.

[Wilde_37]

One thing we ALL need to watch out for - if (and it's a big IF) the price of oil drops back to some reasonable level over the coming months - will this surcharge be removed? I know that all the cruise lines will say that they are constantly "reviewing" the situation. But how often does anyone drop the price of something once we are used to paying it!!!

.

[STUR]

I don't mind the added cost, but I wish for future bookings, it would be added into the price rather than treated as an extra item. I feel the same way about port fees and taxes. All I want is to know what it will cost in total per person to take a cruise. It's so hard to figure out what you can or cannot afford when you are looking at one price, but there are other costs that need to be factored in...

YES YOU ARE 100% WRIGHT

 

STUR DAYTON,OHIO

[MisterBill99]

Would it not have been wiser for Celebrity to allow everyone who already had a booking for a sailing after February 1st, to have an opportunity to make that final payment in order to avoid the surcharge? It would have put a lot of cash in Celebrity's coffers and not made those of us who had thought they had a solid commitment on the price they booked and put a deposit on feel like they were blindsided.

Crud, I knew I should have paid the rest of my February Celebrity cruise this week! They should have done what NCL did, only make it applicable to new bookings. On the other hand, NCL's charge is $7/day.

[oceanbear]

I decided to pay online and see if they add the surcharge. This what it said on the payment page:

*Note: For North America reservations, a fuel supplement of $5.00 per day per person for the first two occupants of a stateroom (Subject to a maximum of $140per Stateroom) will apply to all sailings departing on or after February 1,2008.

 

We appreciate your understanding while we update our systems to reflect the fuel supplement in the reservation summary.

 

I went ahead and made my payment to see if I could out smart the system. No surcharge showed up on my Final Payment confirmation.

Note the last line: "We appreciate your understanding while we update our systems to reflect the fuel supplement in the reservation summary."

 

I suspect you will be charged at some point. It's just not showing up yet. Let us know how it goes! Maybe you'll slip by. Good luck!

[MisterBill99]

I suspect you will be charged at some point. It's just not showing up yet. Let us know how it goes! Maybe you'll slip by. Good luck!

My TA just tried to pay and it's already showing the surcharge. It sucks. I sure hope the "free logo item" is worth the $100 per cabin that this is costing me. Probably one of the cheap t-shirts they offer the last night of the cruise.

[Susan-M]

One thing we ALL need to watch out for - if (and it's a big IF) the price of oil drops back to some reasonable level over the coming months - will this surcharge be removed?

 

Not likely...this info is from a recent CC news story:

"Fuel surcharges are nothing new in the cruise industry. In 2005 and 2006 -- even as oil prices were actually dropping -- a number of lines were adding or increasing supplements."

 

 

They should have done what NCL did, only make it applicable to new bookings.

 

Celebrity followed the lead of Carnival Corp.:

"Carnival Corporation said that its U.S.-based Carnival, Costa, Cunard, Holland America, Princess and Seabourn would all begin assessing a charge of $5 per person, per day. That applies to all bookings (no distinction is made for those who've paid in full) made for cruises on or after February 1, 2008."

[MoreCruisesNow]

I wish...

 

I wish that I could work for Celebrity...

 

And I wish that I could talk to some of you folks when you call in to see if there is a price reduction on your cruise...

 

And I wish I could say to: "But didn't we already agree on a price?"

 

And then I could listen to scream even louder about that than you are about the fuel charge.

 

I guess that what's sauce for the goose is not really sauce for the gander after all (to keep it in the holiday spirit!).