Six Cruise Lines to Suspend Fuel Supplement

[LauraS]

Cruise Critic has just posted the following news:

Six Cruise Lines to Suspend Fuel Supplement

Read the entire news article...

[Phamer55]

This is great news. I expect similar announcements from RCCL and NCL over the next fews days. It seemed ludicrous to continue to have "fuel supplements" when oil is priced so cheaply these days.

[kazover40]

Wow thats great news!

We leave on 20th December on P & O Arcadia for 16 days. That equates to around 5 bottles of wine for free lol

[Baarb]

I was talking [well email} to my rep yesterday, and he said,{:As for the Fuel Surcharge, There is no change in the fuel surcharge for any sailings leaving in 2008. Sailings leaving after the New Year will have the surcharge remain if the price of oil is more than $65 a barrel, or put as an onboard credit if the price of oil is less than $65 a barrel.'} ....... So, now what do I do??? Any ideas???? BUT... We cruise tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!! Barb

[Sizzlin Sailor]

Like many businesses, Carnival and its companies are tempting and often worthy targets for criticism for one reason or another, but NOT on this issue. They're leading the way with suspending the surcharge. Their policy about who qualifies and on what basis the surcharge may be refunded is clear and specific. Prior to this week's development, the more complicated formula for determining whether the surcharge would be suspended was definitive, if frather ponderous. THAT's what customers want: rules and policies (regardless of the subject addressed) that are clear and specific, not fuzzy or raising still more questions. Oh yeah... I'll be glad to be getting the OBC dollars back, too! This will help the bar bill!

[ari]

I'm sailing on Royal Caribbean on December 27th. Let's hope that RCI has the decency to follow suit.

[Scooter-n-GB]

Originally Posted by Phamer55

This is great news. I expect similar announcements from RCCL and NCL over the next fews days. It seemed ludicrous to continue to have "fuel supplements" when oil is priced so cheaply these days.

The story made mention that NCL had already followed suit..

[Dan Askin]

Originally Posted by kazover40

Wow thats great news!

We leave on 20th December on P & O Arcadia for 16 days. That equates to around 5 bottles of wine for free lol

Hi kazover40. Right now the surchage announcement only includes the North American brands, but I'm awaiting response in the next hour or so from P&O, Ocean Village etc. We'll make an update at that point.

Originally Posted by Phamer55

This is great news. I expect similar announcements from RCCL and NCL over the next fews days. It seemed ludicrous to continue to have "fuel supplements" when oil is priced so cheaply these days.

Indeed NCL has made the announcement: http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=2966

Originally Posted by ari

I'm sailing on Royal Caribbean on December 27th. Let's hope that RCI has the decency to follow suit.

Hate to be the bearer of bad knews, but when Royal Caribbean makes their surcharge suspension announcement, it's almost a metaphysical certainty that their refund/elimination cutoff will be on January 1. Hopefully, I'm dead wrong.

[Baarb]

http://www.ncl.com/nclweb/pressroom/...Code=PR_120408

For NCL....... I also may have my American Espress fight the charges when I get home.... I talked with A/E this morning and they said, not to do this now, or they may not let us on the ship, since they deduct the charges that are in dispute???? Make sense???? Worth a try....

Barb.

[Ldyandrea]

You might want to add to the original article that those surcharge refunds and suspensions are all contingent upon oil staying below $70 a barrel. Just FYI.

[Dan Askin]

Originally Posted by Ldyandrea

You might want to add to the original article that those surcharge refunds and suspensions are all contingent upon oil staying below $70 a barrel. Just FYI.

Which article are you referring to Lydandrea?

For NCL and Carnival Corp.'s six North America lines (Carnival, Costa, Cunard, Holland America, Princess, Seabourn), the potential refunds -- for cruises leaving on or after December 17 for Carnival; on or after January 1 for NCL -- are no longer tied to a specific price of oil.

If you're cruising on, say, Costa on or after December 17, and you've paid for the cruise, you'll get a refund in obc. If you haven't paid in full, the amount of the surcharge will be deducted from your final bill.

For each of the lines, the dates were chosen carefully, in order to exclude the possibility of passengers meeting the very confusing original criteria (if the price of oil as reported by nymex 25 trading days prior to 5 days prior to your cruise, then...). So we don't have to worry about that anymore.

[Baarb]

YEAH!!!! I called and the girl said, 'yes, we are getting $157.00 OBC!!!! Thank you so much Cruise Critic for all your help!!!! Roll call helped me alot too...... We are in the Christmas Mode now!!!!!!!! See ya next week after our cruise!!!!!!!!! Barb.

[Canamcruisers]

That is so unfair to those of us that are cruising before those dates!
We are booked on an RCCL cruise on Dec. 11 and, of course, will
get no break. Since the price of oil is so low the cruise lines should
eliminate the charges immediately - especially in the spirit of the
holiday season.

[Canamcruisers]

Originally Posted by Baarb

YEAH!!!! I called and the girl said, 'yes, we are getting $157.00 OBC!!!! Thank you so much Cruise Critic for all your help!!!! Roll call helped me alot too...... We are in the Christmas Mode now!!!!!!!! See ya next week after our cruise!!!!!!!!! Barb.

What cruise line are you on? Cruise Critic - do you have any advice for those of us cruising before the effective dates??

[ari]

I'm not usually one to make a big fuss, but Royal Caribbean's policy is really ticking me off. We're leaving on the Serenade of the Seas on December 27 - that's right, a cruise that has three days after the RCI deadline, and yet we're being charged the full surcharge for two cabins, no less. I just sent an email to customer service and will be speaking with the Crown & Anchor representative tomorrow. I sure hope they listen, because I would hate to forsake Royal Caribbean in the future!

[psynurse]

We will be cruising on Dec 29 on the Galaxy. Since 2 days before RCCL's Jan 1st fuel surcharge OBC giveback, we get NOTHING! This is so unfair! Carnival is going to get my business from now on unless RCCL matches their cut off date. I think RCCL will lose alot of future business over this. They should just do what is right and drop all fuel surcharges now! Every penny helps with the bad economy and they should do their part of help us. I am screaming MAD!!!

[ladyswiffer]

I feel the same way about NCL. We're sailing on 12/27 and are alredy paying 4 times a much as others sailing outside the holiday season. On top of that we didn't get any shipboard credit like many other people nor any fuel adjustment. RCL followed suit with NCL. They just want to make up for their off season losses by overcharging the holiday season passengers considering that those ships are pretty sold out.
I'm sending a complaint to the VP of Passenger Services and PR at NCL and will not sail them again. I've been on 24 cruises. I plan to give my business to Carnival as well as the different cruise lines they own. They were willing to adjust their original decision of Jan 1, 2009 to 12/17/2008 since oil is about half of what it was in October, when they mad the original announcement. The other lines who greedily make 1/1/09 as their effective date will surely pay the consequences as people, such as myself, will not sail on them any more.

[ladyswiffer]

Any NCL holiday passengers, fax your complaints to Andy Stuart, Exec. VP NCL passenger services and PR. The fax to guest relations is (305) 436-4108.

There is still time to make a difference!!

[Baarb]

Sorry did not tell you NCL......... Tell you what..... All my cruises go with them in the future..... This is my second one now..... Seems they put out that news letter on the 4th and was working on giving out the OBC to everyone since.... So they said they will...... We will see...... Snow storm on its way to Pennsylvania.... Bahamas here we come..... Barb.

[ari]

Just got off the phone with Royal Caribbean Customer Service. They are completely holding the line and profess no knowledge of what the other cruise lines are doing. Their official position is that the surcharge is necessary strictly because of their own fuel situation, as if the timing of Carnival and NCL and RCCL coming out with their policy changes within 24 hours of each other is just coincidence! This is absolutely ridiculous - we're Platinum members who will not be sailing a Royal Caribbean line again.