Fuel supplement to return?

[jdyer09]

According to the AP oil is $73 a barrel...are we going to see the fuel supplement come back or is it a thing of the past?

[DarthGrady]

I think they will play it smarter this time and just raise the rates by as much. Had they done that before, no one would have been the wiser and they would have avoided a lot of bad PR.

[conchead]

Originally Posted by jdyer09

According to the AP oil is $73 a barrel...are we going to see the fuel supplement come back or is it a thing of the past?

Basically it has been between $70 & $80 for a few months at least.
Even briefly topping $80 occasionally.
None of the cruiselines have added it back so far.

[bgcruiser]

Just booked our May 2010 cruise on the Dream. The PVP I worked with told me that at this point there is no fuel surcharge. However, if oil goes above $70 a barrel, Carnival reserves the right to automatically add a $9 per day per passanger surcharge to your reservation.

She went on to say that oil has been above that threshold but so far no fuel surcharge.

Keep your fingers crossed.

[*Luv2Cruz*]

Originally Posted by DarthGrady

I think they will play it smarter this time and just raise the rates by as much. Had they done that before, no one would have been the wiser and they would have avoided a lot of bad PR.

Interesting concept! I just noticed last night that the "tax and fees" for new bookings on my cruise have gone up! How/why does that happen! Fuel?

[Host Mach]

Some time ago, three months or more, Gerry Cahill made a statement on John Heald's Blog stating that although the price of oil had exceeded the trigger point of $70 a barrel the fuel surcharge would not be brought back, at least temporarily.

The reasoning is that during current economic conditions bringing back the surcharge might exclude some people from cruising.

Expect it to come back as the economy improves... whenever that might be...

[luckycruzer]

Originally Posted by jdyer09

according to the ap oil is $73 a barrel...are we going to see the fuel supplement come back or is it a thing of the past?

dhs ?

[richfret]

SSSSSSSSSHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh........... Maybe they forgot! Don't say any thing.

[realtreebar]

why do people still post such nonsense? As they will be the first ones to complain if the do bring back the fuel supplement! as for me if they do bring it back i am going to pay it and still sail and have fun so it really does not matter

[Host Mach]

Originally Posted by realtreebar

why do people still post such nonsense? As they will be the first ones to complain if the do bring back the fuel supplement! as for me if they do bring it back i am going to pay it and still sail and have fun so it really does not matter

I'd suspect that many people don't check these boards until they get close to a cruise and may have missed these discussions...

It really can be a hit... $9 a day for a family of 4 over a 7 day cruise is $252. That can put a dent in the on board fun or perhaps cost an excursion...

[ManyMore]

I think all of these types of charges should just be put into the price of the cruise or hotel room... etc... people want to know the full price to decide what they can afford and they don't like to think they are getting nickled and dimed. Southwest say oh no baggage fees but now their prices are higher.... hmmm just smarter then the other guys? Like someone said... better PR.

[travelntreats]

Originally Posted by Host Mach

I'd suspect that many people don't check these boards until they get close to a cruise and may have missed these discussions...

It really can be a hit... $9 a day for a family of 4 over a 7 day cruise is $252. That can put a dent in the on board fun or perhaps cost an excursion...

While it can be a hit, the wise passenger will be prepared and have the funds set aside in the event it is added. And if not added... MORE onboard FuN !!!

[Vanessa L]

Originally Posted by travelntreats

While it can be a hit, the wise passenger will be prepared and have the funds set aside in the event it is added. And if not added... MORE onboard FuN !!!

I'm going to have to agree with this one. It seems to me that if one is going on a vacation and doesn't have $252 saved up "just in case" they should really not be vacationing to begin with. ANYTHING can happen. I cannot fathom going on a cruise or anywhere else for that matter, with zero left open to buy on my credit card, nor any extra cash available. And cruising need not cost anymore than the $10pp per day tip charge (and you could erase that if you were REALLY cheap). But leaving the country without a prudent reserve just seems sort of scary to me. Have it if you need it. If you don't you come home ahead. If you do need it, you haven't "ruined" an entire vacation because you missed the dolphin swim that you'd planned for so long.

[Host Mach]

Originally Posted by travelntreats

While it can be a hit, the wise passenger will be prepared and have the funds set aside in the event it is added. And if not added... MORE onboard FuN !!!

I agree but we don't know when or on what sailings the fuel surcharge might be added. The Carnival web site says this:

The company reserves the right to re-instate the fuel supplement for all guests at up to $9 per person per day if the NYMEX oil price exceeds $70 per barrel.


I doubt that it would happen but that leaves open the possibility of adding the surcharge to cruises that are already paid in full, even sailings that might occur within just a few days of the announcement.

Lots of folks are forced to play it close to the vest for a variety of reasons and it is those folks who would be the hardest impacted.

We saw exactly the same scenario play out the last time we had to deal with the surcharge...

[JimA49085]

The settlement price for oil today was $70.64. It is dropping.
Don't worry about the price of oil, worry about how much fun you are going to have on the cruise.

[conchead]

Originally Posted by Vanessa L

I'm going to have to agree with this one. It seems to me that if one is going on a vacation and doesn't have $252 saved up "just in case" they should really not be vacationing to begin with. ANYTHING can happen. I cannot fathom going on a cruise or anywhere else for that matter, with zero left open to buy on my credit card, nor any extra cash available. And cruising need not cost anymore than the $10pp per day tip charge (and you could erase that if you were REALLY cheap). But leaving the country without a prudent reserve just seems sort of scary to me. Have it if you need it. If you don't you come home ahead. If you do need it, you haven't "ruined" an entire vacation because you missed the dolphin swim that you'd planned for so long.

Some people do have tight budgets. $252 is not just change to a lot of people.
If someone decides to go on a vacation/trip/cruise it is their choice.
Their budget for this is not nor should it be any of our business.
I understand what you are saying about leaving the country,
but I know that I like many others have to keep cost under control.
What I spend and what my budget is, is my concern and no one elses.