Fuel Surcharges? Will they be added on?

[odessy]

If I can just say, I agree with the other poster, If you paid your cruise off, say 60 days before sailing, they should not hit you with a fuel surcharge, If you paid in full 2 years prior to sailing, they should give you a warning 90 days prior to sail date, that there will be a fuel surcharge implemented, but you have the right to cancel, or rebook at a different time..Just my opinion..

As regards to Prices going up for a cruise, I def. think they have. And the way they did, is:

15 years ago, when We were cruising the main dining rooms reminded me of the surcharge dining options now. The Main dining rooms were top notch, and most people loved cruising for this matter, now they charge the same amount for a cruise, or slightly more due to inflation, and you pay to get a service that was once standard with cruising. I am not saying all cruise lines do this, But on the 3 cruise lines I have been on. It seems that way..RCCL, Celebrity, Norwegian.

But regardless, I still love cruising, but kinda miss the way it used to be..or I will try another cruise line in the future, that still may be like this.

[newmexicoNita]

If I can just say, I agree with the other poster, If you paid your cruise off, say 60 days before sailing, they should not hit you with a fuel surcharge, If you paid in full 2 years prior to sailing, they should give you a warning 90 days prior to sail date, that there will be a fuel surcharge implemented, but you have the right to cancel, or rebook at a different time..Just my opinion..

As regards to Prices going up for a cruise, I def. think they have. And the way they did, is:

15 years ago, when We were cruising the main dining rooms reminded me of the surcharge dining options now. The Main dining rooms were top notch, and most people loved cruising for this matter, now they charge the same amount for a cruise, or slightly more due to inflation, and you pay to get a service that was once standard with cruising. I am not saying all cruise lines do this, But on the 3 cruise lines I have been on. It seems that way..RCCL, Celebrity, Norwegian.

But regardless, I still love cruising, but kinda miss the way it used to be..or I will try another cruise line in the future, that still may be like this.

 

I have to agree and disagree with you on this: the prices overall have not gone up, yes, in some cases they have, but basically when you compare pricing today to 10 years ago taking inflation into consideration, they haven't. In fact, in many cases they are lower. Where I agree with you is on food quality. I think we can all see the difference, though we were more than happy with the Spirit 2 weeks ago. Most cruise lines have kept the price down (what has gone up and many do not take this into consideration is port charges and taxes) by keeping the price down, it has become a family vacation, something that more middle income people can afford so something has to give and it has been the food.

 

Nita

[emcelh]

Of course I understand what you are saying, but would you rather they charge us rates that would include any possible increase in anything that comes along? I certainly wouldn't. I know you think I am sounding like a bitch and maybe you are right, but your reasoning is off base in my opinion. You don't book airfare a year in advance, usually only about 6 months in advance can you even get prices (depending on the airline) food prices change daily but you still have to pay the price. Hotels can only be booked 364 days in advance as a rule. Last week zucchini squash was $3 a lb, but cruises can be booked 2 years in advance, the cruise lines have to have a way of protecting themselves against something like oil prices. For anyone to say, the extra fuel price hike (if it occurs at all) is unfair, makes no sense to me. Again, no one wants to see this happen and so far no mass marketed lines have added it, but it is not unfair.

 

Nita

Good point. The majority of passengers on a cruise ship have booked far in advance because they're all on vacation. That's not the case with airline passengers, many of whom are business travelers and may have booked just days earlier. Airlines can raise fares (which they just did) to cover the increase in their costs knowing that many people traveling a few months from now haven't bought tickets yet. That cruiselines have the option to add a fuel surcharge is something no one likes but we have to be prepared for the possibility that they might have to.

[Dolphins]

My reservation says they have the right to add a surcharge when the price per barrel exceeds $65. So far, so good. Thanks, NCL. The longer they hold off, the better I like NCL.:)

 

I hope our luck holds.