NCL, R Family and the fuel surcharge

[Jumbiecruiser]

Looks like NCL pulled a fast one according to R Family. The ship leaves this weekend from New York and now all guests are being told that they must cough up $10.00 per person per day for a last minute fuel surcharge. Something doesn't sound right but I wonder if a charter contract differs from a standard booking when it comes to things like surcharges. A lot of unhappy people and I don't blame them.

 

http://www.rfamilyforums.com/showthread.php?t=3435

[tekmom]

I read through the thread on the R Family board and it seems that R Family didn't get it's booking deposits in, by a certain date, to avoid the charge. Once that happened, they had to cough up the fuel charges and they are now charging their customers. Not a NCL problem.

 

I believe that because it's a charter, they wait til the last minute to turn in their bookings to NCL, but missed the deadline for the fuel surcharges.

 

I booked my 8/3 trip last July through an online agency. Every payment I made was taken by NCL, on the day I made it, even though I dealt only with the agency. They did not hold my money until the last minute, therefore I don't have to pay a fuel surcharge. It seems that the charter may have waited til the last minute to provide payments to the cruiseline.

 

If I were on that cruise, my issue would be with R Family.

[Jumbiecruiser]

Having been on a couple of R Family's cruises, I will be surprised if they are still around after this cruise. Their customer service is horrible. The founders are the worst with communication and follow through. What started out as a great concept for gay families has turned into a mess. Rosie has stated that R Family has yet to make a profit and everyone knows that she has kept it afloat financially as she made a comment on the last cruise that she writes the check. They haven't been able to fill the last two sailings and now all of a sudden they add a $10.00 a day surcharge to each member in the cabin a week prior to the cruise. That is higher than what NCL is charging their customers.

 

It will be sad if they do close the doors but it wouldn't surprise and it's not because of the economy but due to a very poor run organization.

[Plant]

I read through the thread on the R Family board and it seems that R Family didn't get it's booking deposits in, by a certain date, to avoid the charge. Once that happened, they had to cough up the fuel charges and they are now charging their customers. Not a NCL problem.

 

I believe that because it's a charter, they wait til the last minute to turn in their bookings to NCL, but missed the deadline for the fuel surcharges.

 

I booked my 8/3 trip last July through an online agency. Every payment I made was taken by NCL, on the day I made it, even though I dealt only with the agency. They did not hold my money until the last minute, therefore I don't have to pay a fuel surcharge. It seems that the charter may have waited til the last minute to provide payments to the cruiseline.

 

If I were on that cruise, my issue would be with R Family.

 

I agree with tekmom. Fuel surcharges have been charged for quite a while now on most cruise lines. If someone booked on their own they would have been notified of the fuel surcharge.

 

If someone books with a TA (any TA), they should expect the TA to notify them of any extra charges, ASAP.

 

IMHO, this has nothing to do with G/L, etc., cruisers; it has to do with the company or person who booked the cruise.

[Jumbiecruiser]

I agree with tekmom. Fuel surcharges have been charged for quite a while now on most cruise lines. If someone booked on their own they would have been notified of the fuel surcharge.

 

If someone books with a TA (any TA), they should expect the TA to notify them of any extra charges, ASAP.

 

IMHO, this has nothing to do with G/L, etc., cruisers; it has to do with the company or person who booked the cruise.

 

The cruises are booked through R Family Vacations. They claim that NCL notified them on July 3rd that they owed $150,000.00 fuel surcharge and if it wasn't paid, the ship would not sail.