Will Fuel Shortages Affect Princess Ships

[drpack]

With everything I've been hearing about upcoming fuel shortages, I was wondering if it might cause any problem with ships sailing out of Florida. Do most ships get their fuel while in Florida ports?

 

Don

[CruiseFever]

With everything I've been hearing about upcoming fuel shortages, I was wondering if it might cause any problem with ships sailing out of Florida. Do most ships get their fuel while in Florida ports?

 

Don

 

I'd count on a fuel surcharge at some point but not a shortage of fuel. Some other lines as well as airlines are already adding that.

 

At this point I would not let that concern affect my travel plans though.

[Coral]

I believe some higher end lines have already instituted a "fuel charge" in addition to the cruise fare.

 

If Princess would add this, even if we have paid for our cruise, we would still have to pay this. Sort of like when port charges go up and the cruise lines add a couple of dollars to your account and notify you via the Princess Patters.

[Pam in CA]

My guess is that if there were an effect, it would only be for Caribbean and possibly Alaska sailings. I don't see where other cruises in Europe, South America, the Pacific, etc. would be affected.

 

One thing to consider is that often, cruiselines adjust their fueling so that they can re-fuel wherever it's cheapest. If it's too expensive in the U.S., they're likely to refuel at a foreign port.

[cjh]

Ships don't use the same fuel as cars they use bunker C fuel which is very think and has a high percentage of used oil in it that is heated very high so it can be burned by the ship.

[coiran]

I talked to a deck hand once when they were refueling at a Caribbean port and he said they use fuel that is lower grade than bunker C - I can't imagine how they pump it - bunker C is pretty thick stuff - anything lower grade would have to be shoveled. LOL

 

Ron

[mdmomof7]

Please help me understand this possible scenario. If there would be a surcharge instituted it would be applied retroactively to your cruise booking? So what type of percentage of the total cruise fare do you think that might be?

 

Thanks!

[kevinsac]

don't worry, mdmom......your cruise is gone and past. They are not going to come running after you, saying "Gimme, gimme, gimme!" What are they going to do....take away your memories?

 

But for any of us who still in the pre-cruise phase, youbetcha, they can add a few unexpected $$$ to our account. It's not going to be that much (surely less than $100 pp), and it should not hurt much, either. If you can't afford an unexpected fee, or if $100 (or less!) pp is going to break the bank, then we should not be planning a cruise. But that's a whole different thread, huh?

Airlines are facing the same thing. In the past, they have just raised tickets prices, impacting only those who are buying new tix. A few times, they have added a surcharge to tix already purchased for flights still to be taken, but that usually works out to $10 or $20 or $25 pp.

[mdmomof7]

I don't expect them to run after me for my past cruise. They better not! :eek:

 

I'm looking at booking now for 2006. Found some incredible prices -- Oct. 06 CB Western Caribbean for $815 for a mini and $635 for a balcony. But we will need to pinch pennies w/ kids in college and now $300 plus a month more in gas expenses just since June. So...I'm trying to guesstimate what the fuel surcharge for next fall could be. :rolleyes:

[bdjam]

Fuel costs have gone up in the neighborhood of 35% from last year…I would expect that some of that would be reflected in the price of the cruise fare…or be prepared for more on-board revenue generating items.

[Pam in CA]

I don't think there's any way to guesstimate a fuel surcharge, if there is one, for a year from now. By then, the oil platforms could be back online and everything back to "normal." I sure hope so! You might want to save a couple of dollars a week now and if there's no surcharge, you'll have more to spend onboard.

[riekl]

No worries this just ISN'T going to happen. Now they MAY add a surcharge to all new bookings, but there isn't a chance in hell they will add one to already booked trips.

 

It is a PR nightmare, not to mention it opens a legal means of late cancelation, if they impose a mandatory fuel surcharge, you have the right to refuse and cancel your booking.

 

Not going to happen .. ever

 

I have also NEVER seen an airline do this .. they add fuel charges to new bookings but never to already booked tickets. They would never be able to collect such a fee.

[riekl]

Fuel costs have gone up in the neighborhood of 35% from last year…I would expect that some of that would be reflected in the price of the cruise fare…or be prepared for more on-board revenue generating items.

 

No .. GASOLINE prices have increased that much ... re-refined oil like Bunker C has not gone up that much, and is a very small portion of a cruise lines operating costs. For Airlines fuel is a major cost, for cruise lines its a small line item.

[mdmomof7]

Yesterday, here in MD, they went up $.30 in one afternoon! Yikes!

[bdjam]

No .. GASOLINE prices have increased that much ... re-refined oil like Bunker C has not gone up that much, and is a very small portion of a cruise lines operating costs. For Airlines fuel is a major cost, for cruise lines its a small line item.

I’m basing my post on what has been communicated during conference calls from the various cruise conglomerates. Both Carnival Corporation and RCI have reported increases in fuel costs in the neighborhood of 35% over last year. There was no qualification as to what type of fuel cost more – just that it was what they put in the tanks of their ships.

[gatour]

If the final payment deadline has passed and you paid it in full on that date or shortly before that deadline then I don't see them adding a fuel surcharge to your bill

 

If you are paid in full long before the final payment deadline, then they are more than likely not to charge you the surcharge if they apply one in the meantime

 

If all you have down is the minimum deposit, then most likely they will try to apply a surcharge.

 

This is just my opinion

[Coral]

If the final payment deadline has passed and you paid it in full on that date or shortly before that deadline then I don't see them adding a fuel surcharge to your bill.

 

I disagree. I have purchased plane tickets before and had to pay a $10 fuel charge at the airport. For cruises, I have had port charges added to my shipboard account many of times, I don't think they would hesitate to add extra fuel charges if they deem necessary.

 

This is in the Princess contract for a reason:

 

Contract

 

“Cruise Fare” means the amount payable by You to Carrier for Your Cruise, excluding commissions and/or discounts. It covers the cruise package, scheduled meals and accommodations while on board and shall include any increases in government fees and taxes, air fees and taxes, fuel , immigration, air programs or other costs which Carrier may add to Your Cruise Fare and charge to your stateroom account and/or credit card.

 

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[legalslave]

Gasoline prices here went up $1.00 a gallon between this past Sunday and today. Hope I can afford to continue going to work!

 

Diane

[Twaincruisers]

My first cruise was Oct, 1974 on Chandris (Celebrity forerunner). I had been paid in full for months and was socked with a fuel surcharge of $135--about 10%. Get your pocket books ready, because the cost will not go down anywhere near as fast as it went up.

[riekl]

I disagree. I have purchased plane tickets before and had to pay a $10 fuel charge at the airport. For cruises, I have had port charges added to my shipboard account many of times, I don't think they would hesitate to add extra fuel charges if they deem necessary.

 

This is in the Princess contract for a reason:

 

Contract

 

“Cruise Fare” means the amount payable by You to Carrier for Your Cruise, excluding commissions and/or discounts. It covers the cruise package, scheduled meals and accommodations while on board and shall include any increases in government fees and taxes, air fees and taxes, fuel , immigration, air programs or other costs which Carrier may add to Your Cruise Fare and charge to your stateroom account and/or credit card.

 

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Again it has never happened and will never happen. I DO think there will be fuel charges on future bookings, but any cruise past its final payment date is not going to have one. They would cost the cruise lines far more money in lost revenue from cancelations and PR nightmares then they would make up, and fuel is a very small portion of a cruise lines cost compared to say Airlines where it is a very large portion of the cost.

[tomcarson]

Again it has never happened and will never happen.

 

It is happening on other lines.

[TEXASMUNK]

Back in the 70's fuel surcharges were added to the cruise fare.

 

Some pretty sharp brains are predicting the 'Oil" bubble will burst in 9-12 months with the price dropping back to the $30-$0 range. All these daily oil prices quotes are speculators running up the price.

[gatour]

I disagree. I have purchased plane tickets before and had to pay a $10 fuel charge at the airport. For cruises, I have had port charges added to my shipboard account many of times, I don't think they would hesitate to add extra fuel charges if they deem necessary.

 

This is in the Princess contract for a reason:

 

Contract

 

“Cruise Fare” means the amount payable by You to Carrier for Your Cruise, excluding commissions and/or discounts. It covers the cruise package, scheduled meals and accommodations while on board and shall include any increases in government fees and taxes, air fees and taxes, fuel , immigration, air programs or other costs which Carrier may add to Your Cruise Fare and charge to your stateroom account and/or credit card.

 

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I am not saying that it can't happen but the odds are fairly small. I bet most people wait until the deadline before they make final payment so the cruiselines would only have 60 day locked in exposure. Also the cruislines are not in the difficult financial shape that the airlines are in so they can "eat" the higher cost for a short period of time.

[RASHOPPER2]

Do You Think That The Higher Gas Prices Will Cause Fewer Cruise Bookings? If So Will Cruise Prices Go Up Or Down?

[drpack]

Thanks for everyones inputs. I wasn't to concerned about the cost of the fuel, but that it would be available.

 

I wouldn't cancel a crusie for adding a sircharge and I assume most other people wouldn't either.

 

There are a number of gas stations around central Florida that are out of gasoline, even though they say there isn't a shortage. I would rather have the option of paying a higher price than not being able to get it at all.