... Cruise Pricing Without Fuel Surcharges?

[JJinVista]

As time goes on, I am becoming increasingly annoyed :mad: by having a fuel surcharge which is a footnote item to all pricing.

 

If cruise lines can compute differential pricing based on destination, cabin class, and airfare, why must they separately itemize a charge which is mandatory? :confused:

 

Could it be that they're trying to draw people in with low price tags, followed by footnotes with additional charges?

 

I say, charge what you must - but just give us the bottom line.

[Philip217]

What ever happened to real estate pricing without extra charges?

 

What ever happened to automobile pricing without extra charges?

 

What ever happened to bank loan pricing without extra charges?

 

What ever happened to hotel room pricing without extra charges?

 

What ever happened to rental car pricing without extra charges?

 

What ever happened to airline ticket pricing without extra charges?

 

What ever happened to moving company pricing without extra charges?

 

What ever happened to credit card rates without extra charges?

 

What ever happened to mobile telephone rates without extra charges?

 

What ever happened to buying anything in America without extra charges?

 

In America you cannot even buy a coca cola or win the lottery without running into "extra charges". There is a deposit on the container and sales tax on the purchase of the coke; if you win the lottery, the government gives you the money and then takes half of it back.

 

It's the American Way.

[ovccruiser]

What ever happened to real estate pricing without extra charges?

 

What ever happened to automobile pricing without extra charges?

 

What ever happened to bank loan pricing without extra charges?

 

What ever happened to hotel room pricing without extra charges?

 

What ever happened to rental car pricing without extra charges?

 

What ever happened to airline ticket pricing without extra charges?

 

What ever happened to moving company pricing without extra charges?

 

What ever happened to credit card rates without extra charges?

 

What ever happened to mobile telephone rates without extra charges?

 

What ever happened to buying anything in America without extra charges?

 

In America you cannot even buy a coca cola or win the lottery without running into "extra charges". There is a deposit on the container and sales tax on the purchase of the coke; if you win the lottery, the government gives you the money and then takes half of it back.

 

It's the American Way.

 

Beleive me, it is not just the American way, it is also the UK way and probably most other countries as well:(

[The Other Tom]

What ever happened to real estate pricing without extra charges?

 

What ever happened to automobile pricing without extra charges?

 

What ever happened to bank loan pricing without extra charges?

 

What ever happened to hotel room pricing without extra charges?

 

What ever happened to rental car pricing without extra charges?

 

What ever happened to airline ticket pricing without extra charges?

 

What ever happened to moving company pricing without extra charges?

 

What ever happened to credit card rates without extra charges?

 

What ever happened to mobile telephone rates without extra charges?

 

What ever happened to buying anything in America without extra charges?

 

In America you cannot even buy a coca cola or win the lottery without running into "extra charges". There is a deposit on the container and sales tax on the purchase of the coke; if you win the lottery, the government gives you the money and then takes half of it back.

 

It's the American Way.

 

I think the issue is that fuel charges used to be included in the fare. The fares seemed to stay the same, but now there's a surcharge for fuel. A surcharge is an extra charge, over and above normal charges, for extraordinary events (like the large run up in oil prices). I agree it was fair to add a surcharge when oil prices were in the stratosphere, but now that oil prices are back to reasonable levels, the surcharge should be removed (assuming the price of bunker fuel has dropped like gasoline has).

[Lalump]

This announcement was on the Princess web site:

 

For 2008 and 2009 departures, if the price of light sweet crude oil according to the NYMEX (New York Mercantile Exchange Index) is $70 per barrel or less at the 2:30 p.m. close of business as reported by Reuters on each of the 25 consecutive trading days ending five trading days prior to the guest's cruise departure date, the fuel supplement will be refunded in the form of a shipboard credit. Passengers who book a 2010 cruise prior to October 31, 2008 will be charged the current fuel supplement, but will also be eligible for a refund of the fuel supplement in accordance with the same fuel price conditions that are being implemented for the 2008 and 2009 departures. Within the next few weeks, we will provide the daily NYMEX fuel price information at princess.com.

Carnival Corporation is implementing these initiatives due to the recent trends in declining fuel prices in an effort to migrate away from charging a separate fuel supplement. If fuel prices stabilize below $70 per barrel, we will be able to effectively eliminate the fuel supplement. However, there is still a risk that fuel prices could move higher which would require us to maintain or reinstate a fuel supplement, but we are hopeful that the goal of eliminating the fuel supplement can be achieved.

 

You may want to check with the cruiseline you are on.

[Alleycat1027]

The above post noting Princess CL statement seems reasonable. At the very least, a shipboard credit would be fair, as most everyone has at least SOME on board expenses!! I notice that RC is still charging $10...I don't know what the other Lines have been charging. You would think they could offer a "rebate" even now of at least a few dollars per person per day.

 

Such things go a long way towards "Customer Satisfaction"!! Even if it's $2-$3 per day per person, it's meaningful...

 

I think cruise prices have gone up rather considerably over the past couple of years. I assumed that was due to energy costs.

 

I also think the reason they charge a "Fuel Surcharge" is so that customers will be annoyed with OPEC, not the cruise line. It's actually a good marketing ploy...if you really stop to think about it!!