Immediate price adjustments for all RCCL cruises

[juancarlosgarciasanchez]

Greetings -

I'm not providing any new information about the significant price increase's over the past month regarding gasoline prices, but listed within the four corners of your cruise documents is a paragraph that indicates that if spot crude oil prices rises above  a certain amount ( which they have  ), RCCL like all cruise lines have the right to charge a fuel fee surcharge to all cruise prices, regardless if full payment has already been made. These cruise surcharges can add an additional $80 per cruiser for a typical 7 day cruise. We all may get a surprise bill in the coming days. Does anyone here remember when cruise lines routinely charged fuel surcharge fee's back in the day? 

[Sunshine3601]

Sssshhh😉

[leaveitallbehind]

Sure it has happened in the past, and likely will happen again - probably with the current situation. The current negotiated bunkered fuel oil pricing can only last so long.  It actually would not be much of a surprise - bought gas for your car lately?

Edited March 7, 2022 by leaveitallbehind

[Biker19]

14 minutes ago, juancarlosgarciasanchez said:

Does anyone here remember when cruise lines routinely charged fuel surcharge fee's back in the day? 

This and other threads have already discussed this issue:

 

 

[willing292]

I’ve never paid a fuel surcharge

[leaveitallbehind]

I also believe the surcharge is not retroactive but applied to new bookings as the current negotiated price would be in place with existing bookings.

[leaveitallbehind]

3 minutes ago, willing292 said:

I’ve never paid a fuel surcharge

I believe the last round of surcharges was around 2008 - 09.

Edited March 7, 2022 by leaveitallbehind

[Toddcan]

Your choice of thread titles makes me feel like I'm reading a Buzzfeed news article.  

 

As mentioned, maybe hook up to the other thread discussing this at length.  The history is there, and thoughts on how this will play out should the need arise again. 

[smokeybandit]

In a normal year, I would think they'd have no problem adding the surcharge.

 

They might think twice about it right now.

[nelblu]

30 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

I believe the last round of surcharges was around 2008 - 09.

But the cruise lines retracted because of various  lawsuit.  

[juancarlosgarciasanchez]

17 minutes ago, nelblu said:

But the cruise lines retracted because of various  lawsuit.  

It's in your cruise contract. The moment you purchase your cruise, you give-up many right and those contracts are written ONLY to benefit the cruise lines. On your next sea day while sitting in your balcony with nothing to do until your next visit to the buffet, read your entire cruise contract and the typical cruiser would be very surprised as to how many rights are waived. 

[firefly333]

30 minutes ago, nelblu said:

But the cruise lines retracted because of various  lawsuit.  

Only because it wasnt in the contract when people booked. This time its there. Different situation.

 

 

[nelblu]

23 minutes ago, juancarlosgarciasanchez said:

It's in your cruise contract. The moment you purchase your cruise, you give-up many right and those contracts are written ONLY to benefit the cruise lines. On your next sea day while sitting in your balcony with nothing to do until your next visit to the buffet, read your entire cruise contract and the typical cruiser would be very surprised as to how many rights are waived. 

 

14 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Only because it wasnt in the contract when people booked. This time its there. Different situation.

 

 

I know what is in the contract, but I was answering "leaveitallbehind" that the surcharge was rolled back.

 

By the way how come the terms and conditions are not included with the sale.  If someone want to push it, in reality there is no signature per se.

Edited March 7, 2022 by nelblu

[leaveitallbehind]

46 minutes ago, nelblu said:

But the cruise lines retracted because of various  lawsuit.  

I honestly don't remember exactly when, but I do recall a number of years ago paying a fuel surcharge.  It likely was on new bookings as I thought the lawsuit was with regards to retroactive surcharges on existing bookings?  But I don't recall for sure.

[flamingos]

1 hour ago, leaveitallbehind said:

The current negotiated bunkered fuel oil pricing can only last so long.

That's the difference - when prices at the pump go up 40 cents in one day for crude oil that has not been purchased yet, much less refined and shipped out to local stations, that's just profiteering.  If they raise prices in relation to actual fuel that they have purchased, I have no issue with that.

 

[leaveitallbehind]

8 minutes ago, flamingos said:

That's the difference - when prices at the pump go up 40 cents in one day for crude oil that has not been purchased yet, much less refined and shipped out to local stations, that's just profiteering.  If they raise prices in relation to actual fuel that they have purchased, I have no issue with that.

 

Agree with you - and the key difference is the pump prices are a daily reaction to the market v long term negotiated fuel oil pricing.

[juancarlosgarciasanchez]

27 minutes ago, flamingos said:

That's the difference - when prices at the pump go up 40 cents in one day for crude oil that has not been purchased yet, much less refined and shipped out to local stations, that's just profiteering.  If they raise prices in relation to actual fuel that they have purchased, I have no issue with that.

 

MOST independent gas station within the States, purchase their wholesale gasoline at "spot-price" and although the larger franchise gasoline stations purchase primarily futures ( old lower prices ), the larger franchise stations will adjust their prices-up to match those of the independent stations only for added profits. 

With cruise lines, they are paying close to "spot-price" as most oil companies will not "store" previously purchased fuel at lower prices. Many oil-tankers are parked in the ocean and NOT unloading their oil as the company owners are waiting for yet higher oil prices before unloading their fuel. It's a massive scam and the consumer is paying the price and no law can do anything about it. 

Edited March 7, 2022 by juancarlosgarciasanchez

[Ashland]

We've paid a fuel surcharge on a couple of our cruises years ago.....we also had one where we received a credit to our balance when it dropped....that's life.

[DukeASUGirl]

6 hours ago, willing292 said:

I’ve never paid a fuel surcharge

I paid it twice in the early 2000's. I think 2008 and 2009, or maybe 2006 and 2008. 

[FreddyBird11]

While there may be slight surcharges, RCL published in their 10-K that 54% of estimated fuel consumption for 2022 was already hedged (ie guaranteed fixed pricing) as of 12/31/2021.  Thus, I would not expect large surcharges on 2022 cruises. 

Edited March 7, 2022 by FreddyBird11

[Toddcan]

On 3/7/2022 at 10:36 AM, juancarlosgarciasanchez said:

It's in your cruise contract. The moment you purchase your cruise, you give-up many right and those contracts are written ONLY to benefit the cruise lines. On your next sea day while sitting in your balcony with nothing to do until your next visit to the buffet, read your entire cruise contract and the typical cruiser would be very surprised as to how many rights are waived. 

Interesting response.   What you say isn't wrong, but your choice of phrasing suggests another angle. 

 

Can you share any real world experience during your cruises that could help the community when planning for our future cruises, or are you simply pointing out the letter of the law contract information?

[BirdTravels]

On 3/7/2022 at 9:31 AM, leaveitallbehind said:

The current negotiated bunkered fuel oil pricing can only last so long.  It actually would not be much of a surprise - bought gas for your car lately?

That’s why the cruise lines and airline hedge their fuel purchases. 

[BirdTravels]

43 minutes ago, Toddcan said:

Interesting response.   What you say isn't wrong, but your choice of phrasing suggests another angle. 

 

Can you share any real world experience during your cruises that could help the community when planning for our future cruises, or are you simply pointing out the letter of the law contract information?

The most interesting is the pages of COVID clauses added as result of the pandemic and the Diamond Princess. 
 

The most common “real life” experiences are unilateral changes in itineraries because of weather. People complaining that they deserve a full refund and addition compensation because of an itinerary change due to a hurricane. Not gonna happen. 

Edited March 8, 2022 by BirdTravels