Hal has just annouced the implementation of a fuel surcharge.
"We want to inform you that, because of rapidly escalating fuel prices, Holland America has implemented a fuel supplement of $5 per person per day. The fuel supplement, which applies to the first and second guests in a stateroom only, is not to exceed $70 per person per voyage and is effective on all new and existing bookings for voyages departing on or after February 1, 2008. Implementing this fuel surcharge was a difficult decision but one that we feel was necessary in today’s challenging economic environment."
Copied from an Email that I received from my TA about my Alaska 08 Cruise on Veendam. I understand that CCL is also going to or is already adding a fuel surcharge.
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Ships Sailed:
SS Ithaca , Volendam , Mariner of the Seas (x2) , Veendam , Coral Princess , Island Princess (x3) , Emerald ,Sapphire (x3)
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CRUISES
Century 4/1998
Mercury 4/2000+4/2006+7/2007
Sensation 4/2002
Infinity 4/2003
Summit 4/2004+4/2005
Carnival Liberty New Year's Eve 2007
Liberty of the Seas 5/2008+11/2009
Solstice 4/2009
Oasis 4/2010+4/13/2013
Allure 1/16/ 2011
Equinox 4/11/2011
I think you're right, it just like airline fuel-charges, they only go up. When we booked our cruise we were suprised that there was no surcharge, unfortunatly now there is. The only advantage I have is that I get paid in Euro's so the futher the USD falls, the cheaper it gets for me.
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Past Cruises:
February 2008: HAL Zuiderdam: Eastern Caribbean
November 2009: HAL Noordam: Caribbean Wayfarer
November 2010: Norwegian Jade: Western Mediterranean
January 2012: HAL Eurodam: Eastern Caribbean
May 2012 HAL: Noordam: Transatlantic Riviera
Not surprised but certainly displeased none the less. Displeased because I strongly dislike charges such as these since they are uncontrollable add on's and because they are just another way to raise the price without paying commissions to TA's and while allowing them to advertise one price while actually imposing another.
It just seems in today's world everyone is working overtime trying to figure out how to charge for something that should be a base cost of doing business. All the while they still want to advertise a cost that they know is unreasonably low. I have been cruising for 23 years 1 to 3 times a year so I get on board with a clear sense of what the sailing is costing me. Though even I can be surprised when suddenly someone is charging me for a bingo marker on top of the bingo play card. But how about new cruisers who enter with all as an unknown?
Port charges, onboard charges, mandatory daily charges tipping charges, fuel adjustments all can increase vacation costs more than considerably now. Every year cruise lines advance toward being less and less of a value when pitched against land packages. Less staff doing more work contributes to less service while higher costs sneaked in here and there.
I have my first Holland America cruise booked on Noordam in January. It appears the surcharge will not be in place for that one yet. If it was I might consider cancelling on principle. Of course I have RCL mariner scheduled in May and I am sure the monkey see - monkey do principle will put me in a position to consider such a move for that one.
And let's look at cabin pricing and description. YES your Penthouse Suite was a brrom closet last cruise and is now designated a Grand Penthouse Suite. No you don't get special boarding, concierge, or anything except you can tell your friends you have a Penthouse Suite which sounds kewl. Oh and we will give you a glass of champagne when you board. BOTTLE NO, glass fool. You want bottle you have to take New Grand Penthouse Owners Garden Aroma Suite.
Most people don't even notice all the surcharges on plane , train and ferry tickets.
4 - navigation charges
I think people notice them but just figure what can they do about it anyway. However as they grow they will certainly be noticed more and more. Much like hardly noticed port charges on cruise back in the day when they were $35, now that they are hundreds of dollars they stand out a bit more.
What the heck are NAVIGATION charges? That to pay for the compass so the pilot can find the airport
Pass along charges are certainly nothing new in some areas nor are other fees. look at a telephone bill where often such charges equaly 30% or more of your bill now. Often such fees are mis-represented appearing to be a government charge when they are not. FCC line charge for one.
This charge covers the costs of the local phone network. This charge may appear as “FCC Charge for Network Access,� “Federal Line Cost Charge,� “Interstate Access Charge,� “Federal Access Charge,� “Interstate Single Line Charge,� “Customer Line Charge� or “FCC-Approved Customer Line Charge.� The FCC sets the maximum allowable Federal Subscriber Line Charge. This is not a government charge or tax, and it does not end up in the U.S. treasury.
Simply a way to charge more for phone service without appearring to do so. How about a ONE BILL Charge, charge you to have all your services on one bill while they save by not sending out seperate bills for wireless and internet etc.
Imagine going into Dunkin Donuts and getting a cup of coffee similarly priced.
Coffee 1.75
Paper Cup Recycle fee .25
Milk surcharge ( ethanol production causing higher prices based on feed higher cost ) .25
Lid Charge plastic recovery .25
ABC Bean fee .50
I just saw carnival too added the surcharge after feb 2008.
NCL just announced but 2 upped em, $7 a day.
MIAMI - November 15, 2007 - NCL Corporation announced today that it will begin assessing guests a fuel supplement in response to record high fuel prices. Effective on all new NCL and NCL America bookings made on or after December 1, 2007, the fuel supplement will be $7 per person per day for the first and second guests in a stateroom and $3 per person per day for any additional guests in the same stateroom.
Interesting side-note: my upcoming cruise on the Rotterdam departs January 27, 2008, just before the fuel surcharge is supposed to go into effect. So, my question was: will we have to pay it beginning Feb 1? The answer from HAL was:
"No, the wording makes it clear that the surcharge will be applied on cruises departing on or after Feb 1, 2008. You're departing before February 1st, hence it won't apply to your cruise."
True, the wording was clear enough, but sometimes HAL interprets their own wording weirdly (like "not allowed" appearing to mean "allowed."). I just wanted to make sure.
__________________ Greg+
Booked and Up-Coming:
MS Amsterdam -- Alaska 14 -Days, September 7, 2012
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Fuel Surcharge on Cruises after Feb 1,2008
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