Oshawapilot Posted December 1, 2014 #1 Share Posted December 1, 2014 As we all know we've been paying the fuel surcharge as per Royal Caribbean's policy with crude exceeding $65 per barrel. It's a very real possibility in the coming days crude is going to fall below $65....and stay there. Is anyone planning in asking for refunds of the fuel surcharges many of us paid at the time of our reservation, assuming the departure date of the cruise is after the price of crude officially falls below the $65 threshold? I'm going to be on the phone. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LMaxwell Posted December 1, 2014 #2 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Have never been charged the fuel surcharge. Contract says they reserve the right to add it. Not the same as adding it already Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare DragonOfTheSeas Posted December 1, 2014 #3 Share Posted December 1, 2014 (edited) I guess I am just clueless. The way I read the website was. . . RCL reserved the right to add a surcharge when oil exceeded that rate. but, they have not been doing that. edit--sorry, typing at the same time. :) Edited December 1, 2014 by DragonOfTheSeas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarea Posted December 1, 2014 #4 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Last time the fuel surcharge was added was in 08 or 09. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LovesCruising Posted December 1, 2014 #5 Share Posted December 1, 2014 OP did you pay a fuel surcharge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocean Boy Posted December 1, 2014 #6 Share Posted December 1, 2014 As we all know we've been paying the fuel surcharge as per Royal Caribbean's policy with crude exceeding $65 per barrel. It's a very real possibility in the coming days crude is going to fall below $65....and stay there. Is anyone planning in asking for refunds of the fuel surcharges many of us paid at the time of our reservation, assuming the departure date of the cruise is after the price of crude officially falls below the $65 threshold? I'm going to be on the phone. ;) I can't wait to read the response that you get. Asking for a refund for something that was't paid in the first place should amuse the folks in Miami to no end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oshawapilot Posted December 1, 2014 Author #7 Share Posted December 1, 2014 I'm reasonably sure we did pay it actually. I have to get down and dirty with our statements! (Barring that I guess I've possibly given everyone a good laugh. ;) ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc320 Posted December 1, 2014 #8 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Hmmmm...I double checked my calendar & it's NOT April 1st....maybe the OP just hasn't had their coffee quota for this morning yet....haven't paid a fuel surcharge in ages.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edjny Posted December 1, 2014 #9 Share Posted December 1, 2014 I'm reasonably sure we did pay it actually. I have to get down and dirty with our statements! (Barring that I guess I've possibly given everyone a good laugh. ;) ) If you did pay the surcharge, it would be listed as a separate charge (like port taxes/fees, insurance, etc) on your booking confirmation you got from RCL. I have never paid it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonV1 Posted December 1, 2014 #10 Share Posted December 1, 2014 (edited) If a surcharge is being paid it is embedded in the fare, as I have many cruises booked and don't see it separate. That being said (as I understand it) Royal buys fuel futures/contracts to help stabilize fuels costs over the long term, so It takes quite awhile for any per-barrel price drops to impact current cruise pricing. Of course this doesn't prevent them from immediately raising prices in response to oil costs, but they know how unpopular that is which is why we haven't seen a formal surcharge in some time. Edited December 1, 2014 by JasonV1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac303 Posted December 1, 2014 #11 Share Posted December 1, 2014 The fuel surcharge has never been applied to any cruise I have been on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MADflyer Posted December 1, 2014 #12 Share Posted December 1, 2014 RCI had suspended fuel supplements in 2008 and 2009 and the refund determination dates were established at that time for those that had booked future cruise through 2010. The webpage is still archived defining how the process worked. http://www.royalcaribbean.com/contentPage.do?pagename=fuel_supplement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reney313 Posted December 1, 2014 #13 Share Posted December 1, 2014 If a surcharge is being paid it is embedded in the fare, as I have many cruises booked and don't see it separate. That being said (as I understand it) Royal buys fuel futures/contracts to help stabilize fuels costs over the long term, so It takes quite awhile for any per-barrel price drops to impact current cruise pricing. Of course this doesn't prevent them from immediately raising prices in response to oil costs, but they know how unpopular that is which is why we haven't seen a formal surcharge in some time. Yes, RCI does hedge against high fuel prices to keep their gas prices down. I, too, have not seen a fuel surcharge since the '08-'09 timeframe and they received considerable back lash from passengers. They dropped the charges and have since kept the language that they "reserve" the right to charge it. Instead, I think they have just priced the cruises accordingly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LMaxwell Posted December 1, 2014 #14 Share Posted December 1, 2014 (edited) The Florida AG Office came sniffing around, a settlement was reached with both RCCL and Carnival Corp; about $20M and $40M respectively. The cruise lines may charge a surcharge if advertised up front; can not be applied retroactively. Put such a bad taste in consumers mouths that in the last 5 or 6 years I don't think any line has added on a fuel surcharge. Edited December 1, 2014 by LMaxwell typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarea Posted December 1, 2014 #15 Share Posted December 1, 2014 The Florida AG Office came sniffing around, a settlement was reached with both RCCL and Carnival Corp; about $20M and $40M respectively. The cruise lines may charge a surcharge if advertised up front; can not be applied retroactively. Put such a bad taste in consumers mouths that in the last 5 or 6 years I don't think any line has added on a fuel surcharge. I agree. I think another contributing factor is that the cruise line business is better than it was back in 08 and 09, so they can just raise the prices to cover any fuel surcharge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelblu Posted December 1, 2014 #16 Share Posted December 1, 2014 The Florida AG Office came sniffing around, a settlement was reached with both RCCL and Carnival Corp; about $20M and $40M respectively. The cruise lines may charge a surcharge if advertised up front; can not be applied retroactively. Put such a bad taste in consumers mouths that in the last 5 or 6 years I don't think any line has added on a fuel surcharge. That is the way I remember. The cruise lines tried to apply the fuel surcharge to already booked cruises and there was an uproar with FL AG suing them and ultimately settled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocean Boy Posted December 1, 2014 #17 Share Posted December 1, 2014 If a surcharge is being paid it is embedded in the fare, as I have many cruises booked and don't see it separate. That being said (as I understand it) Royal buys fuel futures/contracts to help stabilize fuels costs over the long term, so It takes quite awhile for any per-barrel price drops to impact current cruise pricing. Of course this doesn't prevent them from immediately raising prices in response to oil costs, but they know how unpopular that is which is why we haven't seen a formal surcharge in some time. RCI maybe factoring higher fuel prices into the fare to cover costs but that is not considered a surcharge. Surcharges are an additional charge separate from the fare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyDawg Posted December 1, 2014 #18 Share Posted December 1, 2014 (edited) RCI maybe factoring higher fuel prices into the fare to cover costs but that is not considered a surcharge. Surcharges are an additional charge separate from the fare. And people, don't get too excited about the possibility of lower fares in the near future due to lower Oil market prices. Firstly, refiners do not pass along lower input (Oil) costs quickly and RCI buys refined product not crude oil. And secondly, RCI routinely hedges about half of their fuel requirements which means they are locked into higher than current market prices for a portion of their fuel requirements. RCI's fuel costs are about $1B per year. A 10% decline in price for the full year would only save them less than 5% of that amount. The same goes with airlines and other heavy fuel use industries. Edited December 1, 2014 by DirtyDawg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fas64 Posted December 1, 2014 #19 Share Posted December 1, 2014 I think what the OP is saying is that if RCCL base the rates of a cruise based on oil at $70 per barrel, Then should RCCL reduce the cruise rate if oil drops to $65. IMHO I think no, As I believe RCCL have it in there contract that they can add a surcharge if oil price is higher than $70 but I don't think they have ever applied the increase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarea Posted December 1, 2014 #20 Share Posted December 1, 2014 I think what the OP is saying is that if RCCL base the rates of a cruise based on oil at $70 per barrel, Then should RCCL reduce the cruise rate if oil drops to $65. IMHO I think no, As I believe RCCL have it in there contract that they can add a surcharge if oil price is higher than $70 but I don't think they have ever applied the increase. The surcharge was applied back in 08 and 09, but not since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fas64 Posted December 1, 2014 #21 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Was it not the case the increase back then was refunded? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarea Posted December 1, 2014 #22 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Was it not the case the increase back then was refunded? Maybe some got refunds, but we were not so fortunate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken at the beach Posted December 1, 2014 #23 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Didn't all references to the fuel surcharge get eliminated from the fine print sometime last year. Here is what I see in the fine print. * Prices are per person, based on double occupancy, for cruise only on select sailings and stateroom categories. For new reservations only. Subject to availability. Certain restrictions apply. May not be combinable with any other promotion and may be withdrawn at any time. "Deals" pricing reflects the special rate(s) you may be eligible for. Proof of eligibility required. If eligibility cannot be validated, you will be charged the standard rate or denied boarding. All prices are quoted in US Dollars. All itineraries and prices are subject to change without notice. Ships' Registry: Bahamas. © 2014 Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LMaxwell Posted December 1, 2014 #24 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Did you find that on the website because I found THIS on their website as the first Google hit on "Royal Caribbean Fuel Surcharge", direct from RCI website. We reserve the right to impose on any existing booking or new bookings (whether paid in full or not) a supplement for fuel or other matters without prior notice as provided in our Passenger Ticket Contract. In addition, we reserve the right to pass through any third party imposed fuel or other surcharges, also without prior notice, The guest will remain liable for any applicable taxes, fees or surcharges that may be assessed by any governmental or quasi-governmental agencies. You may also want to know: What does the price of my cruise include? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LMaxwell Posted December 1, 2014 #25 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Very Interesting link as the next hit on Google. http://www.royalcaribbean.com/contentPage.do?pagename=fuel_supplement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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