I did something about the fuel surcharge

[Snorkel2Much]

Most contracts today are written in such a way that the provider can pass along additional costs (beyond cost of goods sold) to the buyer.

 

It would serve no purpose for any of us if the cruise providers were unable to pay their bills, AND turn a profit for their stakeholders.

 

Remember, the stakeholders (entities that put up the up front money so that we can sail on Billion dollar ships) provide capital to realize a return.

Are you stating that the fuel needed to propel the ship and provide the onboard electricity isn't a necessary component of the goods/services that I'm paying for?

 

Capitalism 101 says that profits in a healthy marketplace are generally proportional to the risk taken. If cruise lines are now shifting all risk of fuel price hikes to their customers, perhaps the shareholders expectations of profit should have a proportional downward revision. ;)

[halos]

I have an honest question.:)

To all who are really upset by this, are you all still booked? Do you plan on booking cruises in the future? Has this really affected you that badly??

Just curious. Because if you're all still booked and in the long run, this won't affect your cruise travel decisions...why waste time griping?

 

If you do decide to cancel your booked cruise and do land vacations in the future, then you are making a statement to the cruise lines and good for you. If this isn't going to affect your cruise travel in the long run, then I just don't see the point in being miserable.

Does this make sense?

 

Not trying to instigate, just want to know.

[suziehmkr]

I will answer my position on this...

 

Yes - I am CURRENTLY still booked on both of my future cruises.

 

There are two things I have going here. Whether or not I go on my 10/2008 Monarch cruise will depend directly on the response I get from Royal Caribbean. I sent my letter via snail mail, not email. I can easily cancel this without penalty.

 

I am also still booked on my 6/2009 cruise. This one, however cannot be cancelled without penalty (as they claim in the disclosure letter) because I booked it with a Next Cruise option and will lose $100 if we cancel.

 

However, we had planned to take 2 cruises in 2009 and I have decided it will only be one cruise. So, I will keep transferring my 2009 booking until I find a cruise I really want to take so we don't lose the $100. At this point, the 2009 may not even be on RCCL. It will depend greatly on all itineraries for Winter 2009...

 

But - this is our choice. Everyone can choose to handle this however they want. Some can't cancel because of hotel & airfare issues. And no one should begrudge anyone their right to be upset.

 

So in effect, my 2 future bookings are far enough out to wait it out and see what happens. I will await my response from RCCL and go from there.

 

My question to everyone else that claims to not care.... if they do end up making concessions about pre-booked cruises, will you tell them to just keep your money anyway since it isn't much money? Or will you have the decency to come here and thank those of us that felt the principle was worth fighting for?

 

(And YES - I do know that I am on the Carnival boards... but the fuel surcharge does not affect my Jan cruise, so had no reason to cancel.) :)

[toby #1]

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.

 

 

So who did you book with? Just curious.

[misguidedangel]

I don't see people complaining about fuel surcharge for airlines OR airport improvement fees, which can be as high as $20 in some airports (steep considering your spending less than 24 hours in that airport or 1 hour to up to 18 hours on a plane.....

[suziehmkr]

That's because once you buy your ticket, they don't add more on before you can get on the plane.

[dixiediva761]

I have an honest question.:)

Just curious. Because if you're all still booked and in the long run, this won't affect your cruise travel decisions...why waste time griping?

 

 

 

Not trying to instigate either but this IS a message board, where people come to discuss and even gripe if they want. I am not griping about the charge itself either but they way it was and is being done. My husband is self employed in the delivery business so fuel is his major expense and it would be like him going to his customers and saying I am changing our contract for that job in Feb and I am adding a fuel surcharge on NOW to our agreed upon amount but any job you have between now and then is on me (even though NOW is when my fuel prices are high and I have no clue what they will be in Feb).

 

In top of that I knew nothing of it from Carnival only from this board and when I checked my booking they had charged each of us $70 for a total of $140 extra on a 7 day cruise. How many people do you think that will slip right by? That is a lot of extra fuel in my opinion.

[Snorkel2Much]

I have an honest question.:)

To all who are really upset by this, are you all still booked? Do you plan on booking cruises in the future? Has this really affected you that badly??

Just curious. Because if you're all still booked and in the long run, this won't affect your cruise travel decisions...why waste time griping?

 

If you do decide to cancel your booked cruise and do land vacations in the future, then you are making a statement to the cruise lines and good for you. If this isn't going to affect your cruise travel in the long run, then I just don't see the point in being miserable.

Does this make sense?

 

Not trying to instigate, just want to know.

Some of us ;) did more than just come on these boards and "gripe" a month ago when Carnival started this mess. We researched (as best we could as laymen) the legality of the cruise lines actions, and actively encouraged others to contact and file a complaint with the elected consumer advocates who have jurisdiction in these types of things. Some of us believe that there are other options than just pay up or walk. The Canadians have now had some success, indicating that at least in some jurisdictions, Carnivals actions violated consumer protection laws. The history of these actions are all documented in the 1000+ post monster "fuel surcharge" threads. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=657632

 

Some of us ;) even visited other cruise lines boards and did the same. Some of us even took a 4 day cruise on Carnival last week and had a fantastic time, not thinking about fuel even once until the drive home from the cruise. :)

[skylock]

In top of that I knew nothing of it from Carnival only from this board and when I checked my booking they had charged each of us $70 for a total of $140 extra on a 7 day cruise. How many people do you think that will slip right by? That is a lot of extra fuel in my opinion.

 

 

I think you need to check your bill again. It is $5 per person per day or $70 for a 7 day cruise.

[halos]

I My question to everyone else that claims to not care.... if they do end up making concessions about pre-booked cruises, will you tell them to just keep your money anyway since it isn't much money? Or will you have the decency to come here and thank those of us that felt the principle was worth fighting for?

 

 

Decency to thank you?? I don't think you understand that it isn't important to me. I'm getting that it is very important to you and some others, and that's fine. But for me, it's paid. I've already forgotten about the $70 and I'm on to other things.

 

You're right that this is a message board and you have the right to gripe. It is Cruise Critic after all. But even if you all get some attention from this and all those cruiselines change their minds and give you back your money, would it have been worth your aggrivation?? Because if they did decide to give the money back, with the price of oil being what it is, they'll only get their money another way...like raise the rates of the cruise...so no. I can't see myself thanking you any time soon. Be realistic. Oil prices have caused EVERYTHING to skyrocket in price. I'm reminded every time it costs me $50 to fill my car's gas tank. and $650 to fill the boiler in my house to heat it.

 

 

I need a cruise ;)

[halos]

I think you need to check your bill again. It is $5 per person per day or $70 for a 7 day cruise.

 

Yes, CCL is $5 pp/pd. with a cap of $70

NCL on the other hand is $7 pp/pd and no cap...so if you have a 15 day cruise, it will be 15x $7 pp/pd which would be $105pp

 

So anyone who is jumping from CCL or RCI to NCL because NCL didn't screw anyone by applying the surcharge to cruises already booked, needs to see that they're making up for it in other ways.

 

Bottom line is we're gonna pay for the oil.

[suziehmkr]

Decency to thank you?? I don't think you understand that it isn't important to me. I'm getting that it is very important to you and some others, and that's fine. But for me, it's paid. I've already forgotten about the $70 and I'm on to other things.

 

 

Then why are you on here worrying about those of us that want to discuss it?

[big_duck]

Then why are you on here worrying about those of us that want to discuss it?

 

This passed discussion and became spam about 43 threads ago.

[Kurbanfan]

I have an honest question.:)

To all who are really upset by this, are you all still booked? Do you plan on booking cruises in the future? Has this really affected you that badly??

Just curious. Because if you're all still booked and in the long run, this won't affect your cruise travel decisions...why waste time griping?

 

 

I'll answer your question. Although it did not affect our cruise next week on Princess. We have decided to book our next cruise with another line and do more land vacations.

 

 

My question to everyone else that claims to not care.... if they do end up making concessions about pre-booked cruises, will you tell them to just keep your money anyway since it isn't much money?

 

I think we already know the answer to this question. Just check out the threads regarding the Canadians. There were some of the same people on there that were calling some of us whiners;)

 

You're right that this is a message board and you have the right to gripe. It is Cruise Critic after all. But even if you all get some attention from this and all those cruiselines change their minds and give you back your money, would it have been worth your aggrivation?? Because if they did decide to give the money back, with the price of oil being what it is, they'll only get their money another way...like raise the rates of the cruise...so no. I can't see myself thanking you any time soon. Be realistic. Oil prices have caused EVERYTHING to skyrocket in price. I'm reminded every time it costs me $50 to fill my car's gas tank. and $650 to fill the boiler in my house to heat it.

 

 

I need a cruise ;)

 

Again this issue was never about the fuel surcharge. Has nothing to do with raising prices.

If I were to run my business like this I would be out of business.

[mcwebber]

Its part of the Travel game, everyone is doing it, other cruiselines, hotels, airlines, trains, taxi's etc.

What airline is charging a fuel surcharge on an already paid for ticket?

[dixiediva761]

I think you need to check your bill again. It is $5 per person per day or $70 for a 7 day cruise.

 

 

I know that now thanks to all you great folks on here so I had to call and have them fix it, but had I not caught it and called them I believe they would have just let it go through. I feel for the people who don't visit this board and are oblivious to what is going on.

[jaxon41]

Honest to Pete -- you get it and choose to fight it, or you get it and choose not to fight it. To each her/his own.

 

Halos, to my weary eyes, it appears that those who choose not to fight it are the ones who are having a tizzy. Everytime a poster makes a reference to the high cost of fuel, it tells me they don't get it, because that is not a response to the breach of contract argument. To date, and I have read a gazillion posts, I have not seen a valid rebuttal to that argument.

 

But I think you are sincere, so my answer to your question about my cruise plans is: I am booked in 2009 on a family cruise. I have a long time to wait to see if something good comes out of the efforts of the many who have chosen to lodge complaints in places which could make a difference. This cruise is not really about me -- been there, done that -- it is about the family, the 13 siblings of my husband (who will definitely pay the surcharge as they did not book early, like I did.) so I can't say I will cancel even if the ultimate decision does not go our way. However, should the family decide not to do this cruise, I will. But then that will be it for me on the line I have most often chosen to cruise. I will not cruise on a line that now has a contract that allows for an increase in price at ANY time and for ANY reason. 2008 is already planned for me. It will be the first time this decade that I haven't taken 2 cruises a year. Since the argument has always been about breach of contract, and never about the right of the lines to charge a fuel cost prospectively, if and when I decide to cruise after my current booking, I will closely examine the contract language.

[halos]

Honest to Pete -- you get it and choose to fight it, or you get it and choose not to fight it. To each her/his own.

 

Halos, to my weary eyes, it appears that those who choose not to fight it are the ones who are having a tizzy. Everytime a poster makes a reference to the high cost of fuel, it tells me they don't get it, because that is not a response to the breach of contract argument. To date, and I have read a gazillion posts, I have not seen a valid rebuttal to that argument.

 

But I think you are sincere, so my answer to your question about my cruise plans is: I am booked in 2009 on a family cruise. I have a long time to wait to see if something good comes out of the efforts of the many who have chosen to lodge complaints in places which could make a difference. This cruise is not really about me -- been there, done that -- it is about the family, the 13 siblings of my husband (who will definitely pay the surcharge as they did not book early, like I did.) so I can't say I will cancel even if the ultimate decision does not go our way. However, should the family decide not to do this cruise, I will. But then that will be it for me on the line I have most often chosen to cruise. I will not cruise on a line that now has a contract that allows for an increase in price at ANY time and for ANY reason. 2008 is already planned for me. It will be the first time this decade that I haven't taken 2 cruises a year. Since the argument has always been about breach of contract, and never about the right of the lines to charge a fuel cost prospectively, if and when I decide to cruise after my current booking, I will closely examine the contract language.

 

I am genuinely sincere and I thank you for noting that. I was honetly curious as to what people are actually going to 'do' and you and Kurb have stated you're upset enough to rethink cruising.

'To each his own' is right. I do wonder in a year from now how big this will seem to everyone and if they'll still not be cruising :confused:

This too is a genuine thought/question.

 

I guess my (also genuine) concern is that the cruise lines will still go on, and those of you who stand firm are just going to be biting your noses to spite your faces. You, jaxon, for instance mention cruising 2x a year. You must love it....is this incident THAT important an issue to you?? I guess it is if you're willing to stop doing something you really enjoy.

 

Again, I do agree what the cruise lines did was sleazy and I hope I haven't upset anyone by stating my feelings on this. I truly hope you all find some all-inclusives or other type land vacations to enjoy. :)

[Kurbanfan]

I am genuinely sincere and I thank you for noting that. I was honetly curious as to what people are actually going to 'do' and you and Kurb have stated you're upset enough to rethink cruising.

'To each his own' is right. I do wonder in a year from now how big this will seem to everyone and if they'll still not be cruising :confused:

This too is a genuine thought/question.

 

I guess my (also genuine) concern is that the cruise lines will still go on, and those of you who stand firm are just going to be biting your noses to spite your faces. You, jaxon, for instance mention cruising 2x a year. You must love it....is this incident THAT important an issue to you?? I guess it is if you're willing to stop doing something you really enjoy.

 

Again, I do agree what the cruise lines did was sleazy and I hope I haven't upset anyone by stating my feelings on this. I truly hope you all find some all-inclusives or other type land vacations to enjoy. :)

 

This will not stop us from cruising. It will just be with another cruiseline.:)

Will the cruiseline suffer? Absolutely not. Will I feel better about my choices? Absolutely!

[jaxon41]

I guess my (also genuine) concern is that the cruise lines will still go on, and those of you who stand firm are just going to be biting your noses to spite your faces. You, jaxon, for instance mention cruising 2x a year. You must love it....is this incident THAT important an issue to you?? I guess it is if you're willing to stop doing something you really enjoy.

 

:)

 

But for some, it would be intolerable to give in to what they think is wrong, unless there was some counterbalancing issue, so I don't think they feel it is cutting off their nose to spite their face. Don't misunderstand -- I think the lines have the right to enact a fuel surcharge prospectively, just not retroactively. If I make a new booking, it will not be an issue for me because it will not entail a breach of contract, except that some of the new contract language will never be acceptable to me (I understand that Hal's new language limits increases in prices to fuel charges; RCI's has no limit, period, so in theory, they could pass on the cost of fixing a pod even after you are on board)

 

I do enjoy cruising, but I am not fanatical about it. I am not the type who would take a cruise to nowhere, for example. For me, it's an enjoyable way to be transported to different places, and for family reunions, I think it's unbeatable because the compact space keeps everyone close for entertainment and dining without having to caravan cars, make large group restaurant reservations, etc.

[Jenbo57]

Personally, I'm one of those who really doesn't care all that much. And if I did, here's what I'd do. Since the ship has already reached the break even point when it leaves the dock, ancillary services are where it makes its money. So, to recoup our $70, I'd: drink $70 less at the bar(s) (which is easy for me since I don't drink), lose $70 less at the casino, buy $70 less in on-board photographs, book $70 less in spa services, book my shore excursions off of the ship, etc., etc., etc.

 

Truly, if it upsets you that much -- whether it's the principle of tacking it on after the fact or just in general -- put your money where your mouth is and spend less on the ship. So simple...

 

I'm looking forward to another great cruise in May, and many more in the future, whether it be Carnival or another line.

 

Happy holidays everyone!

[dcup]

read many of the posts. cruise lines that are sticking passengers after the fact sure seems wrong here. i am responding because you all bring up a good point for discussion. reading the boards it becomes clear we all cruise for different reasons. we cruise at least 2 x yr. and wish we could do more however we are torn each time we book if we should walk away from something we really like to do. a couple years ago a top guy from rccl told us at dinner in ft. lauderdale that most ad dollars are spent on first time bookings and further they "hate" catering to, and dealing with those of us that have been cruiseing for yrs. why? we know how things used to be and we notice what is being taken away. he is also the gent who stated as i have said before they notice how we dress in the DR and it does make a difference in menus . please this is not me saying this. point is what would it take for many of us to say no more we will take our dollars else where? we have booked costa for yrs. but hate dealing with the reservation dept. now we are trying carnival again. and wish it were different. the 4 of us start buying a complete new cruise wardrobe as soon as we get home for the next by looking for sales. a vacation for us is something we work on yr round. we cruise to make the marriage a bit more exciting and dress for the shows etc. problem is we find that all the lines we have been on are treating passengers the same way or worse then service at mcdonalds.and passengers are treating crew and other passengers like dogs. i might be stretching it a bit but service and value are going away. we have started to look at other alts. because we see a day when cruising will have no class let alone value. and to top it off i dont think the lines care a bit. no, we have not been on princess due to our teen daughters.

[kidless]

Some of us ;) did more than just come on these boards and "gripe" a month ago when Carnival started this mess. We researched (as best we could as laymen) the legality of the cruise lines actions, and actively encouraged others to contact and file a complaint with the elected consumer advocates who have jurisdiction in these types of things. Some of us believe that there are other options than just pay up or walk. The Canadians have now had some success, indicating that at least in some jurisdictions, Carnivals actions violated consumer protection laws. The history of these actions are all documented in the 1000+ post monster "fuel surcharge" threads. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=657632

 

Some of us ;) even visited other cruise lines boards and did the same. Some of us even took a 4 day cruise on Carnival last week and had a fantastic time, not thinking about fuel even once until the drive home from the cruise. :)

 

Amen and we feel better for it.............at least I know I do. I am not just complaining I am trying to be proactive and change it. Maybe it will be changed and maybe it won't but I'll still try.

[petro772]

I may be wrong but I believe the op is cancelling because of the ultimatum he was givin on a paid in full booking. Not the surcharge;)

You're right. All others are missing the point. ;)

[Cuizer2]

This will not stop us from cruising. It will just be with another cruiseline.:)

Will the cruiseline suffer? Absolutely not. Will I feel better about my choices? Absolutely!

You are acting like Carnival is the only cruise line that is doing this, and it is not. I have future cruises booked with Carnival and Royal Caribbean. Both booked around April 2007. Both fully paid for before any fuel charges were announced. Both cruise lines have hit me with the fuel supplement.