I did something about the fuel surcharge

[DGP1111]

Dupe

[sheri18]

i agree with the original poster, WE ALL KNOW that fuel has gone up, but his point is for people who have allready paid in full that we shouldnt be backed billed.....................

[mek]

quote=dixiedivaWhat annoys me about the charge is it is valid for all cruises after Feb yet no one knows what the price of fuel will be after Feb. The cost of fuel is high now but no one cruising now has to pay it. I dont appreciate being charged for something that may not even be the case in the future. If and when the price of fuel goes back down will they all drop and refund the charge? Doubtful!:rolleyes:

 

The fuel surcharge doesn't really upset me, but this argument is the only one that makes any sense to me, IMHO.

[FL_Cruiser64]

Most of the cruise lines are now adding a fuel surcharge. But NCL is the one line to stand up and do the right thing - NOT adding it to deposited bookings. I am so not an NCL fan, but I applaud their decision.

 

I wish I had the option to cancel my February Legend cruise on principle (but I'm sailing with others). I totally agree with the OP that cruise lines should not add this to existing bookings. Just because they CAN doesn't mean they SHOULD. Regardless of what they call it, the fuel surcharge is a fare increase.

 

 

That's probably because most cruise lines are owned by either CCL or RCI. :D

[SocrRiss18]

Sorry, just couldnt help but laugh after reading this. You're gonna make a principal out of $35/person. If it was all about Carnival just "wanting" to stick it to everyone, and not because they can, then dont you think they would've done this a while ago. Im sure they did it just to spite everyeone. Just funny that you're switching to another curiseline when every single one day the same exact thing. Gas charges are going up for people driving, why wouldnt it be the same for cruise ships. Hypothetically speaking... Why should someone not have to pay a charge because they booked a cruise in advance for 2009, but because I book one somewhat last minute for 2007 I do have to pay? The charges are applied to everyone, and thats they only way to keep it fair.

[CRUISEGUY1970]

I unfortunately paid it, very reluctantly though. My GF REALLY wanted to go, and I couldn't tell her no. I couldn't break her heart.

 

I tried to tell the people at Carnival my side of the story, and after getting passed up the supervisor chain of command, was met with 3 options; cancel, pay it, or call the CEO.

 

So, i paid it. I will be enjoying my last Carnival Corp cruise in Feb.

 

I had a week off before Christmas, and didnt want to sit at home. So I booked another cruise. (I live in FL, I have 5 major ports within a 5 hr drive)

 

I purposely chose something other than Carnival because of the way we were retroactively billed, not because of the charge itself. I was paid in full when they added the extra charges.

 

I know I will hear the "they can do that cause their contract says so" and the "fuel prices have gone up" and the "is $70 really gonna kill you?" arguement. Spare me your effort, you are not going to change my mind, you have already tried in several other posts. Carnival chose to do business this way because they wanted to, not because the contract gave them the ability to. Because of this choice, I chose to take my current and future business elsewhere.

 

I also chose to go to another company to satisfy my conscience. Maybe it will be worse than Carnival, not sure, I have always blindly booked Carnival. I guess I will find out in less than 2 weeks. I know it will not make a bit of difference to Carnival, at least I feel better about it.

 

I am simply posting this as a response to all those people that told me if I didn't like being back billed, that I should go to another line. Just letting you know that I decided to follow your advice.

 

I'm donning my nomex suit, as I fully expect to get flamed for my thoughts and actions.

 

The price of that keeps going up..Are you also purchasing any gas for your car? My guess is yes. Has that stopped you from driving? My guess is no. Have you done anything about that? My guess is no?

All lines are charging fuel supplements. Crystal for instance, has been for a long time. Sit back, relax and have a cocktail. Or two.

[DGP1111]

All lines are charging fuel supplements.

 

Incorrect.

[suziehmkr]

Why should someone not have to pay a charge because they booked a cruise in advance for 2009, but because I book one somewhat last minute for 2007 I do have to pay?

 

Because when you fully deposit for a booking, both parties are argeeing to a price. It is a contract. These cruise lines have no problem holding us to the contract. They should be held to it also.

 

What annoys me about the charge is it is valid for all cruises after Feb yet no one knows what the price of fuel will be after Feb. The cost of fuel is high now but no one cruising now has to pay it. I dont appreciate being charged for something that may not even be the case in the future. If and when the price of fuel goes back down will they all drop and refund the charge? Doubtful!:rolleyes:

 

Cruise lines buy their fuel in blocks... they have most likely agreed to pricing for at least the next quarter.

[JLC@SD]

What annoys me about the charge is it is valid for all cruises after Feb yet no one knows what the price of fuel will be after Feb. The cost of fuel is high now but no one cruising now has to pay it. I dont appreciate being charged for something that may not even be the case in the future. If and when the price of fuel goes back down will they all drop and refund the charge? Doubtful!:rolleyes:

 

so when do you think this will go down........:rolleyes:

 

[Princess123]

Our UK government did something similar and slapped on a new 'environment charge' on all flights, regardless of whether they'd already been paid for. Some airlines swallowed the charge and some passed it on to their passengers. I agree that as you'd paid in full it would have been a nice gesture for Carnival to have waived it (after all they will have been earning interest on your payment). With the price of fuel rising as much as it is I'm sure all airlines and cruise companies will be slapping on extra charges.

[skylock]

There is another angle to this fuel charge I don't think you are considering.

 

The price of fuel has been going up for a long time. I know the businesses I do business with tried to ride it out without raising their prices, but everyone of them has had to in the end because fuel cost have just not gone back down.

 

Have you been to the grocery store lately?

 

Maybe Carnival has been absorbing the added cost, but with everything else they must buy going up, maybe they have decided they can not absorb it any longer. Fares in general have not gone up basically in years. Yet everything they buy has. I knew it was just a matter of time.

 

I am glad it is being tacked on like it is instead of added to the fare. If they added it to the fare, you could be taxed on it.

 

We have been paying the help's wages for a long time in the form of the so called tips.

 

I can live without my bed being made, but the ship will not go without fuel. I don't like it, but I will pay it, just like I pay other companys I do business with. I don't like those either, but I have no choice.

[Snorkel2Much]

There is another angle to this fuel charge I don't think you are considering.

 

The price of fuel has been going up for a long time. I know the businesses I do business with tried to ride it out without raising their prices, but everyone of them has had to in the end because fuel cost have just not gone back down.

 

Have you been to the grocery store lately?

 

Maybe Carnival has been absorbing the added cost, but with everything else they must buy going up, maybe they have decided they can not absorb it any longer. Fares in general have not gone up basically in years. Yet everything they buy has. I knew it was just a matter of time.

 

I am glad it is being tacked on like it is instead of added to the fare. If they added it to the fare, you could be taxed on it.

 

We have been paying the help's wages for a long time in the form of the so called tips.

 

I can live without my bed being made, but the ship will not go without fuel. I don't like it, but I will pay it, just like I pay other companys I do business with. I don't like those either, but I have no choice.

Carnival's "we've been absorbing the added fuel cost for this long" statement is utter B.S., have you looked at their quarterly profit history and compared it to the price of fuel? The only one's who've absorbed the cost so far have been the passengers.

 

As far as taxability of the surcharge goes, IMO Carnival will have problems with the IRS that will make the current grief with irate customers look like a pep rally if Carnival tries to report the surcharge as tax-emempt.

[firefly333]

I am glad it is being tacked on like it is instead of added to the fare. If they added it to the fare, you could be taxed on it..

 

This is just a question, I dont know how they do the taxes on a cruise, but it always seemed to me like the taxes stayed the same no matter what the fare was or the type of category. It seems fixed per person. Not a percentage of the fare.

 

A TA or Host Mach probably knows how the taxes are figured?

[firefly333]

Cruise lines buy their fuel in blocks... they have most likely agreed to pricing for at least the next quarter.

 

I have read analysts on the stocks commenting on how RCL hedges their fuel costs and Carnival does not. Since everything Iv read says that Carnival does not hedge fuel costs, I dont think they buy ahead very far. Another thing we dont have the details on, but it would be interesting to know.

[kelz66]

Carnival's "we've been absorbing the added fuel cost for this long" statement is utter B.S.,

 

When fuel prices went up over 18 months ago did they somehow charge for the extra cost?

 

My suppliers at work have been charging a fuel charge on and off depending on the rising and lowering cost of fuel for the last 18+ months.

 

The fact that they are still making a profit does not change the fact that they did not charge for the rising fuel cost until now.

 

Now if their profit line suffered is all how you look at it...LOL...we might think not...but stock holders may look at it as they could have made more if they passed on the extra cost.;)

[tbjl24]

Now if their profit line suffered is all how you look at it...LOL...we might think not...but stock holders may look at it as they could have made more if they passed on the extra cost.;)

 

Lets not forget the Dream and Magic in the upcoming years. Those ships are not cheap, perhaps they looked at the financials and determined with oil out of control now, it may impact these new additions.

 

Just a thought. :rolleyes:

[Kurbanfan]

These cruise lines have no problem holding us to the contract. They should be held to it also.

 

 

 

 

Bingo!! Not sure why some have a hard time understanding this:rolleyes:

[DGP1111]

Have you been to the grocery store lately?

 

Why, yes, I did - just last night. How coincidental you should ask.

 

Went to the back of the store and picked up a dozen eggs (which are on sale this week, and a bargain. Woo-Hoo!). I got to the register, and the cashier greeted me with a smile. She rang up my few items, I swiped my card, then she gave me my receipt and bid me a nice evening. I was just about to head to my car, when she reached over and opened up the egg carton, taking out one of the eggs. It was quite surprising and I wasn't sure what to say. I finally explained, "Um, excuse me, but I paid for a dozen eggs. Here's my receipt. Can I have my egg back, please?"

The stunning answer was that although the sign in the back read "one dozen", it now meant eleven. If I wanted that extra egg I'd need to pay for it again. I was just about to debate this with her when she grabbed one of my apples and took a bite out of it. :eek: "Hey, lady, stop doing that!!". Crap, who knew my current grocery has an post-purchase produce surcharge?? I ran out to my car before she decided to take a swig from my milk. That would have totally grossed me out.

 

Guess it's time for me to start using a different grocery -- perhaps one that tells me these things in advance. If anyone on the boards wants a "partially used" apple, I'll gladly give it to you. I don't think I want it any more.

 

p.s. Right before I bolted, the checkout clerk asked me if I was on the Red Team or the Blue Team. I have no clue what she meant. :p :p

[gtalum]

Are you also purchasing any gas for your car? My guess is yes. Has that stopped you from driving? My guess is no. Have you done anything about that? My guess is no?

 

The gas station doesn't bill me more after I've filled up at the agreed-upon price. ;)

 

It's not the surcharge itself that bothers most of us. It's the fact that Carnival is acting in bad faith by charging it to people who have already agreed on a price and booked.

[NCTribeFan]

I feel like it is Deja Vu all over again. :rolleyes:

 

Exact same comments from the exact same posters that have appeared in every other fuel surcharge thread since it was implemented.

 

I've been reading the very large thread on the RCI board. Seems to me that those folks are doing a whole lot more along the lines of ACTIVELY trying to get the fuel surcharged removed, at least for those cruises that were paid-in-full at the time it was implemented.

 

Ranting about it here won't do a bit of good (other than to maybe make you feel better for having indulged in a rant).

 

And the people who are irate don't want anyone giving their reasons about WHY they understand the surcharge was a necessary evil. No one is going to change anyone's mind on this.

 

So "get out there" are write letters and emails and complain to the people who can actually DO something about it. Your fellow CC posters cannot remove the surcharge.

[In2why]

I feel like it is Deja Vu all over again. :rolleyes:

 

Exact same comments from the exact same posters that have appeared in every other fuel surcharge thread since it was implemented.

 

I've been reading the very large thread on the RCI board. Seems to me that those folks are doing a whole lot more along the lines of ACTIVELY trying to get the fuel surcharged removed, at least for those cruises that were paid-in-full at the time it was implemented.

 

Ranting about it here won't do a bit of good (other than to maybe make you feel better for having indulged in a rant).

 

And the people who are irate don't want anyone giving their reasons about WHY they understand the surcharge was a necessary evil. No one is going to change anyone's mind on this.

 

So "get out there" are write letters and emails and complain to the people who can actually DO something about it. Your fellow CC posters cannot remove the surcharge.

 

Actually quite a few of us have "done" something and do not feel the need to debate it anymore with anyone. What I really want to ask though is if the efforts by many on this board, and others, results in the fuel charge being removed will they tell Carnival to just keep the money?

I don't have a problem with people paying the surcharge and going on their cruise. I have a tiny problem people who don't even care, I have a small problem with those that do not understand that protesting has nothing to do with money, and I have a large problem with people who lecture me to read my contract since they don't seem to know that the contract was changed and I did read it. (kinda ironic huh?)

Other than that....I could care less what other people choose to do I am happy with my choices.

[dixiediva761]

Cruise lines buy their fuel in blocks... they have most likely agreed to pricing for at least the next quarter.

 

Thanks I did not know that

[cruisee]

Good for you. I had posted a similar complaint a couple of weeks ago but paid the surcharge (I was paid in full too) since all other arrangements had been made. I did cancel the excursions on Carnival that I had pre-paid with them and am saving well over the $70 by booking independent tours in each port.

 

Happy cruising!

[dixiediva761]

so when do you think this will go down........:rolleyes:

 

 

It already has .

[gtalum]

so when do you think this will go down........:rolleyes:

 

 

You need to watch the markets more closely. Oil is down over 10% from its peak, even with today's increase.