Fuel surcharge refunds??

[Bogeyman]

:( The new policy on fuel surcharges being dropped is good news as long as you are cruise begins the 15th of Dec or after (barring any sudden spike in oil prices.) The price of light sweet crude dropped to $66.75 a barrel on 22 Oct but rose above $70 for one day (70.53) on the 4th of Nov. But for that one day I would be getting an OBC on my 7 Dec departure on Noordam. By the way the average price of crude over the last 25 days is $60.50. Convenient how they put together their policy...hmmmm.

[rpjkw11]

We're sailing on Dec 7, but since oil peaked at a few cents above $70 back on Nov 4 we're SOL.:mad:

 

Bob

[Cranberry Seas]

I feel bad for the crew. I think it's inevitable that HAL's behavior with regard to the fuel surcharge fiasco is going to result in a huge number of really pissed-off customers.

 

I disagree with attempting a chargeback to your credit card. You agreed to the surcharge when you paid it, the credit card company will side with the merchant.

 

That leaves passengers with only one other way to recoup their loss - taking back the autotip. Which is unfair and will only hurt the crew but many people will do it anyway. Result: ships full of pissed-off passengers and unhappy crew.

 

Way to go, HAL. :(

[Cranberry Seas]

:( The new policy on fuel surcharges being dropped is good news as long as you are cruise begins the 15th of Dec or after

So how about people who depart on Dec 13th? Will they get 5 of the 7 days' surcharge refunded?

[Bogeyman]

I think its all or nothing

[ViolaSwamp]

I'm on a 1/4/09 cruise and I calculated that the count for me started yesterday (11/19). So for you, it should be 11/17. Weekends don't count. So far, so good for those of us with early January cruises and with crude dipping below $50 this morning and the economy slumping, there doesn't seem to be much risk that we will see the $70 level before we sail.

 

Thanks for the info!

 

I'm betting that we'll get the OBC. I still think their policy on this stinks though.

[sail7seas]

I think the cruise has to begin on a date that permits the entire cruise to be free of the surcharge.

 

We cruise December 5 for 14 days and will pay it, I expect.

 

[jtl513]

That leaves passengers with only one other way to recoup their loss - taking back the autotip.

There is no such thing as an autotip. That $11/p/d is a Hotel Service Charge.

[Cruise Organizer]

I feel bad for the crew. I think it's inevitable that HAL's behavior with regard to the fuel surcharge fiasco is going to result in a huge number of really pissed-off customers.

 

I disagree with attempting a chargeback to your credit card. You agreed to the surcharge when you paid it, the credit card company will side with the merchant.

 

That leaves passengers with only one other way to recoup their loss - taking back the autotip. Which is unfair and will only hurt the crew but many people will do it anyway. Result: ships full of pissed-off passengers and unhappy crew.

 

Way to go, HAL. :(

 

You make assumptions for "ships full of pissed off passengers" as if you did surveys. What loss are you trying to recoup - you willingly paid the fuel surcharge when you booked with no OBC policy in effect. Now you are pissed off and are trying to get support to stiff the crew.

Way to go

[LMHSRN]

this isd America and I am entitled to my opionon

 

you do not have to like ot or agree with me, but

 

i have freedom of speech too like you do.

 

you have no business insulting me about a tip/

 

tipping and the fuel surcharge are 2 different issues.

 

IT IS NOT YOUR BUSINESS BUT I DO TIP .

 

if you have nothing nice to say keep your comments to yourself

 

take a chill pill and get over yourself!

[drbees]

It's a fiesty group over here. There is no way this is going to ruin my cruise. I will not be pi$$ed off at anybody on the ship. What I will do is make choices. I will not do ship excursions....booked the same or better offering from independents or just taking cabs. Buy nothing in the ship stores...don't need anything, anyway. Just drink my wine I brought onboard. Net, instead of a $800 - $1,000 onboard bill, mine will be about $200. It will also definately be a factor when I select my next cruise.

 

I feel sorry for anyone that would allow the surcharge to ruin their vacation......life is too short. We will have a great time when we sail 12/7, and hope you do too.

[Sundagger]

I feel bad for the crew. I think it's inevitable that HAL's behavior with regard to the fuel surcharge fiasco is going to result in a huge number of really pissed-off customers.

 

I disagree with attempting a chargeback to your credit card. You agreed to the surcharge when you paid it, the credit card company will side with the merchant.

 

That leaves passengers with only one other way to recoup their loss - taking back the autotip. Which is unfair and will only hurt the crew but many people will do it anyway. Result: ships full of pissed-off passengers and unhappy crew.

 

Way to go, HAL. :(

 

Have you not read or digested any of the previous posts? It is not HAL's policy, it is Carnival Corporation's policy!! And the policies of the RCI lines and NCL differ only in the way the potential refund will be calculated!

 

Recoup what loss? There is a surcharge that the passengers have agreed to and have paid! Just because some are unhappy about the calculation of the potential refunds is no reason to stiff the staff. Are you planning to? You seem to agree with those who voice that. Whether I get a refund or not, I will NOT be "pissed off".

[iamwiz82]

Well, here is the answer I got from HAL, I bolded the important part, which is opposite of their official statement:

 

Thank you for your correspondence regarding the fuel charge. Carnival Corporation brand had to define a very specific policy for the implementation of the fuel supplement refund in order to be able to clearly communicate it to our guests. A formula was established for providing a refund of the fuel supplement. The formula defines when a fuel supplement refund will apply to each departure date and it requires that each departure date be evaluated independently.

 

On each voyage the price of light sweet crude oil must be at $70.00 per barrel or less, according to the NYMEX New York Mercantile Exchange Index, on all 25 consecutive trading days ending 5 trading days prior to your cruise departure date. If one day of those 25 consecutive trading days is over $70.00 per barrel a refund will not be made.

 

We recognize there have been dates that the price has gone up just over $70.00 per barrel. Carnival Corporation will not make any exceptions to this policy. Holland America Line strives to make our policies fair to all guests on each sailing. In some cases, such as this, the policy is set forth by Carnival Corporation for all members of the World?s Leading Cruise Line to follow.

 

Holland America Line endeavors to make our policies fair to all guests on each sailing while staying within the guidelines that have been set. We hope this clarifies our guideline. We look forward to welcoming you on board in the near future.

[waASPCrusier]

Well, here is the answer I got from HAL, I bolded the important part, which is opposite of their official statement:

 

 

What is their official statement..... ?

[Sundagger]

Well, here is the answer I got from HAL, I bolded the important part, which is opposite of their official statement:

 

It appears to me to be consistent with the policy stated on the website.

[auntdana]

whether you call it hal or carnival policy

 

it is the same

 

carnival is the main company and hal princess cunard

 

are all under that umbrella

 

 

yes i am hoping for my refund

[aussiedisneyfan]

Their table of fuel prices now has Thanksgiving "dashed out".

[aussiedisneyfan]

If you were having trouble working out which dates are applicable to your sailing have a look at this spreadsheet I found out about over in the Princess thread.

 

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pKf6OSSbr-5uRLO2TdImWNw

[abb4k]

I e-mailed the following to HAL this evening. I encourage others who agree with the sentiments to do so as well. I will let you know if/when I receive a response.

 

 

Ms. Sydney Lenor

Guest Relations Department

Holland America Cruise Line

300 Elliott Ave

Seattle, Washington 98117

 

Mr. Stein Kruse

CEO

Holland America Cruise Line

300 Elliott Ave

Seattle, Washington 98117

 

 

November 29, 2008

 

I am writing to express my frustration with Carnival Corp and Holland America’s fuel surcharge policy.

 

At the time I booked my cruise back in March of 2008, I fully appreciated the need for cruise lines to apply a fuel surcharge. At that time, crude oil prices were approximately $100 per barrel, up sharply over prior year levels.

 

But my cruise doesn’t set sail until December 2008, and in the meantime, crude oil prices have crashed. As of yesterday, a barrel of crude went for $54/barrel, or HALF its price at the time I booked my cruise. Meanwhile, Carnival and Holland America are not only still applying a fuel surcharge to bookings, but the surcharge today is nearly TWICE as much as it was when I booked my cruise. This clearly makes no sense.

 

Further compounding things is the convoluted and ill-conceived formula Carnival and HAL are using to apply fuel surcharge refunds. Your policy requires crude to close below $70/barrel for 20 consecutive days leading up to the sail date of a cruise. This is a misguided policy for several reasons:

1. The policy does not take into account the AVERAGE price of crude across those 20 days. Hypothetically, if crude cost $1/barrel for 19 of those days, but closed at $70.01 on one day, passengers would get no fuel surcharge refund. That is clearly ridiculous.

2. Why does the policy require TWENTY consecutive days? Most cruises are FAR SHORTER than 20 days in duration. Mine is a SEVEN day cruise. Since Carnival Corp buys its fuel at spot prices (according to your annual report), it should be immediately benefiting from lower crude prices; there is no lag, as Carnival does not engage in hedging.

3. Today, crude is less expensive than it was at any time in 2006, when Carnival Corp imposed no fuel surcharges.

 

It is obvious to me that Carnival Corp and HAL implemented fuel surcharges too late, and customers sailing today are paying for the higher costs borne by customers who sailed in late 2007 and the first half of 2008. That is clearly inequitable and unreasonable.

 

Finally, let’s be honest: If you are going to call this surcharge a “FUEL supplement”, then it must correlate to the price of fuel. Since it does not, I respectfully submit that calling it a “fuel supplement” runs afoul of truth in advertising.

 

Crude has now closed below $70 for 17 consecutive trading days, and 18 of the last 19. It also has closed below $60 for 13 consecutive trading days.

 

For all of the above reasons, I respectfully request you refund monies I have already paid as “fuel supplements” as an onboard credit to my account. My booking number is xxxxxx.

 

 

Sincerely yours,

[auntdana]

hi

does anyone know the offical policy, if you have leftover credit do they give you cash or refund on your credit cards

 

i feel postive that we will get the extra shipboard credit back as gas has been well under $70

if so it will be a ncie refund

[RuthC]

hi

does anyone know the offical policy, if you have leftover credit do they give you cash or refund on your credit cards

 

i feel postive that we will get the extra shipboard credit back as gas has been well under $70

if so it will be a ncie refund

This question was answered in the other thread in which you asked it.

 

If I might suggest---rather than ask the same question repeatedly in several threads, it might be better to ask it once, then return to that thread to look for replies.

I've noticed that you ask the same question several times in several threads, while replies have been posted in one of the threads.

[auntdana]

hi

my question was not answered in the other threads

 

thanks for your concern but i do not appreciate your tone with me.

 

the board has many posts and threads and sometimes

people need to reask or whatever

 

i do not feel as if i have to give you an explanation

 

this board is here to share info and HELP EACH OTHER

[RuthC]

Just trying to help.

[ViolaSwamp]

I e-mailed the following to HAL this evening. I encourage others who agree with the sentiments to do so as well. I will let you know if/when I receive a response.

 

 

Ms. Sydney Lenor

Guest Relations Department

Holland America Cruise Line

300 Elliott Ave

Seattle, Washington 98117

 

Mr. Stein Kruse

CEO

Holland America Cruise Line

300 Elliott Ave

Seattle, Washington 98117

 

 

November 29, 2008

 

I am writing to express my frustration with Carnival Corp and Holland America’s fuel surcharge policy.

 

At the time I booked my cruise back in March of 2008, I fully appreciated the need for cruise lines to apply a fuel surcharge. At that time, crude oil prices were approximately $100 per barrel, up sharply over prior year levels.

 

But my cruise doesn’t set sail until December 2008, and in the meantime, crude oil prices have crashed. As of yesterday, a barrel of crude went for $54/barrel, or HALF its price at the time I booked my cruise. Meanwhile, Carnival and Holland America are not only still applying a fuel surcharge to bookings, but the surcharge today is nearly TWICE as much as it was when I booked my cruise. This clearly makes no sense.

 

Further compounding things is the convoluted and ill-conceived formula Carnival and HAL are using to apply fuel surcharge refunds. Your policy requires crude to close below $70/barrel for 20 consecutive days leading up to the sail date of a cruise. This is a misguided policy for several reasons:

1. The policy does not take into account the AVERAGE price of crude across those 20 days. Hypothetically, if crude cost $1/barrel for 19 of those days, but closed at $70.01 on one day, passengers would get no fuel surcharge refund. That is clearly ridiculous.

2. Why does the policy require TWENTY consecutive days? Most cruises are FAR SHORTER than 20 days in duration. Mine is a SEVEN day cruise. Since Carnival Corp buys its fuel at spot prices (according to your annual report), it should be immediately benefiting from lower crude prices; there is no lag, as Carnival does not engage in hedging.

3. Today, crude is less expensive than it was at any time in 2006, when Carnival Corp imposed no fuel surcharges.

 

It is obvious to me that Carnival Corp and HAL implemented fuel surcharges too late, and customers sailing today are paying for the higher costs borne by customers who sailed in late 2007 and the first half of 2008. That is clearly inequitable and unreasonable.

 

Finally, let’s be honest: If you are going to call this surcharge a “FUEL supplement”, then it must correlate to the price of fuel. Since it does not, I respectfully submit that calling it a “fuel supplement” runs afoul of truth in advertising.

 

Crude has now closed below $70 for 17 consecutive trading days, and 18 of the last 19. It also has closed below $60 for 13 consecutive trading days.

 

For all of the above reasons, I respectfully request you refund monies I have already paid as “fuel supplements” as an onboard credit to my account. My booking number is xxxxxx.

 

 

Sincerely yours,

 

Brilliant letter! Please post the response you receive here...

[auntdana]

great letter thanks for sharing

 

lt us know the outcome. i may use it myself

 

dana