Did Prices go UP, when fuel charges disappeared?

[lovelights]

We are planning on (or at least we were planning) a cruise on Princess for November 2009. I've been watching the prices, and a balcony room was $839.00 per person. Fuel charges were then removed on most of the cruise lines, and I thought "Wow, this will mean that the price of the balcony room should go down a substantial amount." I noticed that other cruise lines did, so I figured Princess would do the same thing.

 

When I checked after the fuel prices were removed, I noticed that instead of the balconies going down.... they actually went up $10.00 per person. So, basically they raised their prices by what the rate of the fuel charges were + $10.00? Has any one else noticed this happening?

 

Now, we're reconsidering another cruise line, even though we absolutely love the food that Princess has to offer. It's not that I don't think that Princess has food that isn't worth an add'l $90.00 per person. It's that I feel that there are other cruise lines that we have been on that have food that is worth $90.00 a person less. ;)

[dforeigner]

Demand and supply. A ten dollar per person increase for the total amount of the fare is not even close to what Princess adds for the fuel charge supplement.

[NoGvmnt]

Are you sure the old price included the fuel surcharge or were you looking at the base price of the cabin alone where the fuel surcharge would not have been added yet?

 

The Taxes, fees and fuel surcharges are added to the base price after you decide which category you desire.

 

So in reality the cabin price would have only increased by $10.00.;)

 

Jim

[Julia’s Journey’s]

I have been reading on other threads how the price has gone down on a lot of cruises so I guess it is supply and demand along with the economy:D

[Colo Cruiser]

You bet they went up. :)

[JLC@SD]

When I checked after the fuel prices were removed, I noticed that instead of the balconies going down.... they actually went up $10.00 per person. So, basically they raised their prices by what the rate of the fuel charges were + $10.00? Has any one else noticed this happening?

 

I have noticed that the fluctuation of fares is more a function of how well the cruise (and cabin category) is selling.......not whether a fuel surcharge is in place or not in place.

 

If the fare went up.....the balconies are probably selling out faster.

[NevadaHiRoller]

The prices will fall lower than ever in 2009. Just have patience.

[lovelights]

Demand and supply. A ten dollar per person increase for the total amount of the fare is not even close to what Princess adds for the fuel charge supplement.

 

The price of $839.00 included the fuel charge before. Now the price is $849.00 with no fuel charge. The fuel charge was about $80.00 per person. That mean the rates when up $90.00 per person.

[lovelights]

Are you sure the old price included the fuel surcharge or were you looking at the base price of the cabin alone where the fuel surcharge would not have been added yet?

 

The Taxes, fees and fuel surcharges are added to the base price after you decide which category you desire.

 

So in reality the cabin price would have only increased by $10.00.;)

 

Jim

 

 

The price included the fuel charge. I'm a pass cruiser on Princess, and this is not my first cruise. Princess use to insert the base price and included the fuel charge, then after you chose the category, the taxes, and fees were then added. Now the base price is $10.00 higher before, and no fuel charges are being added.

 

However, I've spoken to few other people that have taken Princess cruises, and they also said they noticed the prices went up.

[lovelights]

Are you sure the old price included the fuel surcharge or were you looking at the base price of the cabin alone where the fuel surcharge would not have been added yet?

 

The Taxes, fees and fuel surcharges are added to the base price after you decide which category you desire.

 

So in reality the cabin price would have only increased by $10.00.;)

 

Jim

 

I just went back and double checked. I even went through as if I was going to book the room. BE Balcony Cabin.... $849.00. A November sailing out of Florida. Ship is not in the least booked up. (I called). Before the fuel charge was removed, the price was $839.00. The day that the announcement came out that Princess had removed fuel charges, I checked, and the price had gone up to $849.00.

 

We just got off Crown Princess on a 7 day cruise in November 2008. (a month ago). Our fuel charge was approx. $80.00 per person. That means that this is a $90.00 per person increase.... not a $10.00 per person. I was just curious as why Princess went up, but all the other cruise lines went down considerably. This is not a cruise that's going out in a month. It's almost a year away. So, like someone else mentioned.... be patient. Therefore, I will. I'm just going to watch the 90 day ticker. Being that we live here in Florida where the ship goes out, maybe we'll catch a good deal at a later time. I just hate missing out on all that good food. Even though I found that Norwegian Dawn when we went out on her had much better entertainment. But all cruise lines have their pros and cons. We just usually go along with flow and always have a good time.

 

P.S. - MERRY CHRISTMAS :)

[TravlGrl]

Yep, they increased $130/person on one of our other cruises just as the fuel surcharges were removed.

[nho9504]

I just went back and double checked. I even went through as if I was going to book the room. BE Balcony Cabin.... $849.00. A November sailing out of Florida. Ship is not in the least booked up. (I called). Before the fuel charge was removed, the price was $839.00. The day that the announcement came out that Princess had removed fuel charges, I checked, and the price had gone up to $849.00.

 

We just got off Crown Princess on a 7 day cruise in November 2008. (a month ago). Our fuel charge was approx. $80.00 per person. That means that this is a $90.00 per person increase.... not a $10.00 per person. I was just curious as why Princess went up, but all the other cruise lines went down considerably. This is not a cruise that's going out in a month. It's almost a year away. So, like someone else mentioned.... be patient. Therefore, I will. I'm just going to watch the 90 day ticker. Being that we live here in Florida where the ship goes out, maybe we'll catch a good deal at a later time. I just hate missing out on all that good food. Even though I found that Norwegian Dawn when we went out on her had much better entertainment. But all cruise lines have their pros and cons. We just usually go along with flow and always have a good time.

 

P.S. - MERRY CHRISTMAS :)

 

Our Sapphire Jan 31 Mexico Riviera cruise has not raised price after fuel surcharge removal. We booked it the next day after the announcement. The following week was going lower from when the fuel surcharge removal, and it looks like the trend of lower prices would go into March till just before Spring Break. Supply and Demand as well as how the ship is filled up when CLOSE to departure.

 

Precisely - there is a full year to sell the cabins, no need to lower the prices just yet. For those who feel they must book now, then go to the lines that have lowered their prices. NCL has lowered their prices a lot but for some people NCL cabin / food is not in the same level as Princess, unless you are in their ultra expensive Garden Villa etc. You probably have to pay enough extra bucks on NCL restaurants in order to get the good food.

 

Just go with what you feel best value/ most important, for YOU.

[dcrow72]

our Oct 09 cruise on the CB dropped by the designated amount of fuel supplement dollars. There has been no increase so I wouldn't say that it is across the board at all. Might just be your sailing. Many other sailings have dropping prices but ours has not dropped yet. I don't think they removed the charges and then cranked up the base prices on all sailings.

[Jay_NH]

I can't imagine not booking a cruise I want for the sake of $10.00!!

If your budget is cut that close, you shouldn't be taking a vacation.

[Philip217]

So many people complained about the nickel and diming.

 

So many suggested that the cruise lines just add thier increased costs into the fare rather than adding surcharges.

 

The cruise lines were paying attention. They did it.

 

So now we get complaints about that ? ? ?

[flamomo]

Our 2010 cruise fare was decreased by $100 per person, AND the fuel supplement charge was removed. So the entire fare went down by $239 pp.

What remains to be seen is whether the fuel supplement stays gone, since the cruise is 15 months away and a lot can happen with oil prices in that amount of time.

[Colo Cruiser]

So many people complained about the nickel and diming.

 

So many suggested that the cruise lines just add thier increased costs into the fare rather than adding surcharges.

 

The cruise lines were paying attention. They did it.

 

So now we get complaints about that ? ? ?

 

 

Really?

So the nickel/diming is a thing of the past?

Hooray!!!!!!!

[Philip217]

I really wish that the cruise lines would end the nickel and diming and just double the price of every cruise. That way you can pay for things whether you want them or not and the cruise lines can make more profit.

 

This would also price out all the people who think that $10 one way of the other is a deal breaker.

[nho9504]

I really wish that the cruise lines would end the nickel and diming and just double the price of every cruise. That way you can pay for things whether you want them or not and the cruise lines can make more profit.

 

This would also price out all the people who think that $10 one way of the other is a deal breaker.

 

I dont like your first point, because I like to only pay for what we need and not be forced to pay what we dont need - and yeah, the cruiseline can make more profit that way.

 

However, I do like your second point, that when the first point is implemented, the second point would be a natural outcome and the cruise probably would be more enjoyable for those who would pay and cruise anyway. :p

[lovelights]

I can't imagine not booking a cruise I want for the sake of $10.00!!

If your budget is cut that close, you shouldn't be taking a vacation.

 

Goodness, how many times do I have to say that it wasn't $10.00 a person, It was $90.00 a person. Is NCL worth saving $90.00 a person when we're taking 4 cruises a year........ yes, definately.

[medcruiseplanner]

Our experience was the exact opposite. We had already booked for Alaska 2009. When the fuel charges were dropped, we had our pricing adjusted. The total saved for us was $517. So, the fuel charges were removed and the price also decreased substantially.

 

I agree about supply and demand and not a way to hide fuel charges. . . .

[daisy-mae]

I can't imagine not booking a cruise I want for the sake of $10.00!!

If your budget is cut that close, you shouldn't be taking a vacation.

 

I don't think the complaint is about the discrepancy, but about the "bait and switch" approach that, incidentally, is not particular to Princess. At least one airline made a big deal about removing the fuel surcharge -- then quietly went about increasing its fares.

 

Consumers are becoming upset about being taken for idiots -- and rightly so, in my humble opinion.

[nho9504]

Goodness, how many times do I have to say that it wasn't $10.00 a person, It was $90.00 a person. Is NCL worth saving $90.00 a person when we're taking 4 cruises a year........ yes, definately.

 

Yeah, for some quantity trumps quality.

 

But, really, $90 additional a person isn't that much more, and if that is the factor you have to choose NCL over Princess, then may be your budget is stretched a little bit too thin? 4 cruises notwithstanding.

 

I may now wish we have taken 5 Princess 7-day this year instead of 2 transatlantic this year - just for adding more cruise credits so would bring us to Elite, as well as no airfare involved... hmmm, airfares alone could have paid for 2 more 7-day cruises... And that would make us Elite on our upcoming Jan Sapphire Mexico Riviera cruise... But, do we really want 7 7-day cruises a year?! Nah. We woule take a Transatlantic anyday over a Caribbean, even it is only 30 min drive to Port Everglade, versus a total 12 hours 2 stops flight and an overnight at BCN plus another short flight to get to Venice. :p

[Shelly97060]

I think prices change based on supply and demand. Our cruise which is in June dropped 50 dollars per person. We have seen prices go up and down on each of our previous cruises so this really isn't uncommon.

 

The ultimate goal for Princess is for the ship to sail at full capacity - they will charge what they think they can for a fare to ensure that they make their profits and if sales fall off, then they will lower prices to stimulate sales.

 

If the price increase raised the trip outside your budget keep an eye on prices, they just may come back down again.

[TexasJam]

For my Alaska August 2009 cruise, the price went up after the fuel charge was removed. Then this week, it went down $700.:D

 

As always, it is anyone's guess what the prices will do......

 

Jamie