***** Oil Prices ******

[Woobstr112G]

Crude oil continued on its tear, rising $1.28 to $61.38 a barrel this afternoon.

 

Oil, which is now trading under the July contract, rose after a report from the Energy Information Administration showed a decline of 2.1 million barrels of crude oil in the week ended May 15. Analysts had expected a gain of 1.5 million barrels. Gasoline inventories fell by 4.3 million barrels, and distillate supplies rose by 600,000 barrels last week.

 

Oil climbs to 6-month high

 

 

Rhey say that gas prices are going up quicker now than when they hit almost 5 bucks a gallon last summer..... :mad::(:mad:

 

Bob

[springfire]

I will be very upset if they add a charge to my cruise for fuel surcharge!!! I understand what is written in nice legal terms but I will still be upset. I am paying for a family of 5, so a fuel charge would be a big impact for me.

[rdsqrl]

I'm one of the 2 for 1 Alaska cruisers. You won't hear a peep out of me if it goes into affect. Even with the $126 added I'll still be cruising for less than $1000 total for a week. :)

 

Bill

Me, too! I'm a 2-for-1 Europe cruiser -- they could impose a $90/day fuel surcharge and I'd still be paying less than I would have for this cruise at "regular" cruise fares!

It would never occur to me to cancel because of this. First, because they've been totally upfront about the possibility of reinstatement -- it's printed in big letters at the bottom of every piece of communication I get from them re my booking. And second because, cancel to do what? Drive to vacation? Not hardly: I'd much rather give that gas money to Princess for the privilege of enjoying a cruise on the open ocean than put that money in my gas tank and sit in traffic on I-95 heading to the beach (and I'm speaking as one who loves driving her red convertible). Plus no place close to home offers the wonders of Venice or Ukraine or Russia or Istanbul . . .

[wizard-of-roz]

We're doing Las Vegas, next week. After 5 years of cruising 1-3 times a year, taking a drive to Vegas [through the Mojave Desert] doesn't seem too appealing to me, anymore!

Oh! I'm sure we'll have a good time and I know that the entertainment and food will be superb.....I'm just not looking forward to the drive from L.A. [4.5 hours]

DH refuses to get into an airplane for a 45 minute flight. He holds the record for "white knuckle flying", I swear he ripped holes into the sleeve of my jacket, last time we flew there.

I'm very grateful that we can enjoy each other and the time away.....no more complaining!

[Woobstr112G]

We're doing Las Vegas, next week. After 5 years of cruising 1-3 times a year, taking a drive to Vegas [through the Mojave Desert] doesn't seem too appealing to me, anymore!

 

Oh! I'm sure we'll have a good time and I know that the entertainment and food will be superb.....I'm just not looking forward to the drive from L.A. [4.5 hours]

 

DH refuses to get into an airplane for a 45 minute flight. He holds the record for "white knuckle flying", I swear he ripped holes into the sleeve of my jacket, last time we flew there.

 

I'm very grateful that we can enjoy each other and the time away.....no more complaining!

 

 

Have a good time Roz................:)

 

Bob

[wizard-of-roz]

Have a good time Roz................:)

 

Bob

 

Thank you!

[Dannsil]

We too are booked on Princess scheduled to leave on June 11, 2009.

 

Great News! Just got off the phone with Princess who stated that the oil prices would have to remain above $70 for twenty-five consecutive days before they would re-instate the Fuel Charge.

[wizard-of-roz]

We too are booked on Princess scheduled to leave on June 11, 2009.

 

Great News! Just got off the phone with Princess who stated that the oil prices would have to remain above $70 for twenty-five consecutive days before they would re-instate the Fuel Charge.

 

Thank you for the information......Although, it's not a deal breaker and, I do understand how business works....I hope that neither Princess or myself is hit with any additional costs.

[Toto2Kansas]

We too are booked on Princess scheduled to leave on June 11, 2009.

 

Great News! Just got off the phone with Princess who stated that the oil prices would have to remain above $70 for twenty-five consecutive days before they would re-instate the Fuel Charge.

 

Knowing Princess CSR's as I do, I think I would call back three times first and see if you get the same answer each time. ;) No joke here, I have seen many get different answers to questions like this depending on who they talk to. :)

[Woobstr112G]

Knowing Princess CSR's as I do, I think I would call back three times first and see if you get the same answer each time. ;) No joke here, I have seen many get different answers to questions like this depending on who they talk to. :)

 

 

 

Outsdtanding idea.....

 

Bob

[springfire]

We too are booked on Princess scheduled to leave on June 11, 2009.

 

Great News! Just got off the phone with Princess who stated that the oil prices would have to remain above $70 for twenty-five consecutive days before they would re-instate the Fuel Charge.

 

If that is true, I really wouldn't mind paying the fuel surcharge. I just have a major problem if it bounces over once or twice and they add all those charges. Hope it just all goes away, I hate thinking about this extra expense.

[CRUISERSWITHKIDS]

You are so right! I called and I got a completely different answer! The CSR at Princess told me that it would be reinstated as soon as it hit $70.00 a barrel, but it would have to be below $70.00 a barrel for 30 consecutive days before it would be removed. So then I called my Princess CVP and she told me the same as I stated above.

[Toto2Kansas]

You are so right! I called and I got a completely different answer! The CSR at Princess told me that it would be reinstated as soon as it hit $70.00 a barrel, but it would have to be below $70.00 a barrel for 30 consecutive days before it would be removed. So then I called my Princess CVP and she told me the same as I stated above.

 

I figured as much. Thanks for checking. Amazing isn't it how so many different answers can be given to the same exact question when calling Princess? Now, we have many with their hopes up that might be shot down if/when the oil prices go above the target mark for fuel surcharge additions. :(

[hubofhockey]

Oil prices have been following the economy and started to rise with the comeback of the stock market. I lost a lot of money in my 401(k) last year. I would trade those losses in a second for a chance to pay a freaking fuel surcharge. If oil hits $100 and I make back 50% of what I lost last year, I'll take it. I'm prepared to pay the $216 next year extra on my cruise. I'll live. I'm more interested in price drops of the standard cruise price right now as that is likely to drop more than the hit on the other side from a surcharge.

[springfire]

I don't like them adding charges to my cruise after I have finished paying for the cruise. That is just not good way.

[Toto2Kansas]

I don't like them adding charges to my cruise after I have finished paying for the cruise. That is just not good way.

 

But I am also sure the cruise lines do not like the horrible increase in fuel charges they are asked to pay (are you expecting them to absorb those costs)? Like most businesses these days, when fuel drastically increases in price, a surcharge is tacked on. ;)

[DanJ]

I don't like them adding charges to my cruise after I have finished paying for the cruise. That is just not good way.

 

But at least this time they have told people it could happen. When they started this whole thing in the fall of 2007, people got billed even if the cruise was paid for (at least until the FL attorney general and Canadian government got involved and people got refunds).

[Pam in CA]

But at least this time they have told people it could happen. When they started this whole thing in the fall of 2007, people got billed even if the cruise was paid for (at least until the FL attorney general and Canadian government got involved and people got refunds).

Actually not quite true. Carnival negotiated with the FL AG's office back in 2005 or 2006 (can't remember which) about imposing a surcharge for oil prices. It was agreed that if the Carnival brands included information and a warning in their Passage Contract that a surcharge could be imposed, it would be allowed. Which the Carnival brands proceeded to do. There was a paragraph in the document sent to every passenger for almost two years. Fast forward to late 2007 when the cruiselines actually imposed the surcharge and all hell broke loose. People didn't read the Passage Contract, complained to the FL AG's office, there was a change of FL AG and suddenly, the agreement with the cruiseline was no longer valid. People were notified before; they just didn't pay attention or read the information.

[Pia1913]

Any cruise that was already booked prior to the surcharge going into effect, was never charged. Paid or unpaid. I know, because I had four of them in that period of time.

[MMDown Under]

This time round, "Princess reserves the right to impose a fuel supplement of up to $9 per person per day on all passengers if the NYMEX oil price exceeds $70 per barrel, even if the fare has already been paid in full."

 

My concerns are this places an unfair burden on cruisers who have already paid in full (and budgeted accordingly), and there is no maximum amount on the surcharge (eg $US9 x 4 (family) x 20 (days) = $US720).

[DanJ]

Any cruise that was already booked prior to the surcharge going into effect, was never charged. Paid or unpaid. I know, because I had four of them in that period of time.

 

 

There were people who had cruises at the start of when the fuel surcharge took effect (I believe it was Feb 1, 2008, because our cruise at the end of Jan 2008 just squeaked under the wire) that paid the charge, and either got refunds or on board credits when it was later ruled that the surcharge would be future bookings only.

 

My concerns are this places an unfair burden on cruisers who have already paid in full (and budgeted accordingly), and there is no maximum amount on the surcharge (eg $US9 x 4 (family) x 20 (days) = $US720).

 

No, the first 2 in the cabin are $9 per day, max $126 per voyage, and 3rd, 4th and 5th are $4 per day, max $56 per voyage. You would be looking at $364 off the top of my head. This is per Carnival Corporation's fuel supplement policy at http://www.worldsleadingcruiselines.com/AboutUs/FuelSupplementUpdate.aspx

[Toto2Kansas]

This time round, "Princess reserves the right to impose a fuel supplement of up to $9 per person per day on all passengers if the NYMEX oil price exceeds $70 per barrel, even if the fare has already been paid in full."

 

My concerns are this places an unfair burden on cruisers who have already paid in full (and budgeted accordingly), and there is no maximum amount on the surcharge (eg $US9 x 4 (family) x 20 (days) = $US720).

 

I totally understand what this might do to a family of 4, adding a large sum to their cruise fare if/when this does happen. BUT, they knew this was possible when the booked. It is not like they haven't been warned. It's best to budget this in 'just in case' for those traveling under a tight budget. ;)

[MMDown Under]

 

 

 

No, the first 2 in the cabin are $9 per day, max $126 per voyage, and 3rd, 4th and 5th are $4 per day, max $56 per voyage. You would be looking at $364 off the top of my head. This is per Carnival Corporation's fuel supplement policy at http://www.worldsleadingcruiselines.com/AboutUs/FuelSupplementUpdate.aspx

 

This is good news. However, I note it is from a December 2008 news announcement. If the information is still correct, the following needs to be changed:

 

This time round, "Princess reserves the right to impose a fuel supplement of up to $9 per person per day on all passengers if the NYMEX oil price exceeds $70 per barrel, even if the fare has already been paid in full."

[StarTrkGeek]

Frankly, I know of a lot of people that will cancel their cruises if they do reinstate the fuel surcharge.

People who would do this have not thought it through carefully -- especially if they have already booked their airfare. If you have already booked your airfare, and you cancel your cruise because of the fuel surcharge, you will end up losing even more money, since the airline will not refund your airfare.

 

If rather than canceling your airline reservations, you decide to change the date (for possibly a future cruise), most airlines will charge you a fee of $75 - $100. I would rather pay the fuel surcharge and keep my vacation plans intact.

[StarTrkGeek]

We too are booked on Princess scheduled to leave on June 11, 2009.

What ship are you on? We leave on June 11 also, on the Pacific Princess.