Fuel surcharge

Do you think there is any chance of the fuel surcharge being lowered now the price of crude is dropping? And which cruiseline will be first.

Would be a heck of a promotion for the first one that does.

Theo

Keep in mind the timing of when the fuel surcharges first went into effect and what the price was at that point. The price had continued to rise after the surcharges were set.

Keith

I don't see the price coming down but I agree, it would make an interesting promotion. At the same time it would be a lot of work for the cruiselines as they'd have a decision to make on how/if they would rebate people who have already booked. Unless the fuel costs really stabalize, just be glad if you booked early and got the lower rate!;)

Remember that the cruise lines sign contracts for their fuel -- so if the price goes down -- that contract won't change.

The cruise lines didn't start fuel surcharges until more than a year after the fuel prices had doubled from $300 a ton to over $600 a ton.

Now fuel prices have dropped just a few dollars and you want them to lower the fuel surcharges?

That doesn't make any sense.

Nearly every mass market cruise ship is currently sailing fully booked, and advance bookings for the remainder of 2008 and 2009 are the highest in the history of cruising.

With ships already booked to capacity, what would a cruise line have to gain by lowering prices for cabins that are already sold?

It's a Sellers Market. When the public is begging you to sell them something, you really needn't lower your price.

I don't think the surcharges will go away too quickly. Cruise lines don't want to be adding them, then taking them off, then adding them again.

cant imagine with how unstable that market is that anyone will be jumping to any hasty decisions...I think we are likely to see an adjustment before the removal of the charge...but even that is likely not realistic...think of the work trying to refund the difference of thos who paid all the different fuel supplements...

Remember that the cruise lines sign contracts for their fuel -- so if the price goes down -- that contract won't change.

RCL lines hedge, but Carnival doesnt. So all those 7? Carnival lines are not hedged and fuel is not bought much ahead of time.

I agree with the poster who said rebatting folks who paid more would be such a headache, like it is now, that the cruiselines will be a while deciding to lower the fuel surcharge, even a little bit would cause too many headaches.

The cruise lines didn't start fuel surcharges until more than a year after the fuel prices had doubled from $300 a ton to over $600 a ton.

 

Now fuel prices have dropped just a few dollars and you want them to lower the fuel surcharges?

 

That doesn't make any sense.

It was just a question, not a demand.

Theo

Right on !!:rolleyes:

It certainly would be nice if they did, but it would be a pain for the cruiselines to give money back for those who already paid. I wonder if they could give OBC to those who had paid already. Hmm, it's certainly something to think about.

Nearly every mass market cruise ship is currently sailing fully booked, and advance bookings for the remainder of 2008 and 2009 are the highest in the history of cruising.

With ships already booked to capacity, what would a cruise line have to gain by lowering prices for cabins that are already sold?

 

It's a Sellers Market. When the public is begging you to sell them something, you really needn't lower your price.

Philip, when are you going to post the "Complaints of the week"? We miss them.

Cost of oil January 1 was $96 a barrel. Today even with the drop in the price of oil it is around $116.

What the cruise lines have done is raise the fuel supplement charge 3 times if I remember correctly since initiating the surcharge late last year.

I predict unless oil really falls below $100 a barrel, you will see the charges remain...........at best they might reduce the charges.........but I don't look for that in the short term.